A Moment with President Tomás Morales – May 2024

The long-awaited day of graduation is almost here for our Class of 2024! 

Spring Commencement will be in-person on May 17-18, 2024, at the Toyota Arena in Ontario.  Graduates from both the San Bernardino and Palm Desert campuses will be recognized. The schedule is as follows:

• Friday, May 17 @ 1:30PM and 6PM:  College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Saturday, May 18 @ 9AM:  College of Natural Sciences
• Saturday, May 18 @ 1:30PM:  College of Arts and Letters and James R. Watson and Judy Rodriguez Watson College of Education
• Saturday, May 18 @ 6PM:  Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration 

As has remained a truism for us here at CSUSB, our incredibly diverse student body continues to comprise a majority of students who are the first in their families to obtain a college degree.  The impact of this achievement, therefore, does not stop with our graduates’ own lives.  By obtaining a degree, they are demonstrating to their immediate and extended families along with their communities that earning a degree is not only accessible, it is achievable.  Please join me in congratulating the CSUSB class of 2024!

I also want to share with you the final awardees of the campus-wide faculty excellence recognitions for 2023-24.  The Outstanding Research and Creative Activity Award went to Qingquan Sun (computer science and engineering); the Outstanding Lecturer Award went to Matthew Habich (management); the Outstanding Professor Award went to Gisela Bichler (criminal justice); the Outstanding Faculty Advisor went to Julie Taylor (communication and media); and the Golden Apple Award went to Manijeh Badiee (psychology). 

These faculty awards are a wonderful CSUSB tradition, and I love the opportunity to step into a classroom and present the surprise award to the faculty member, in front of their own students (who may have had a hand in that faculty member’s nomination, too). We have an outstanding faculty at CSUSB, who are both educating and mentoring their students. This annual recognition by their fellow faculty members of a handful of our educators carries so much meaning on our campus.

Have a wonderful start to your summer. Next on the agenda for CSUSB will be launching our summer class schedule and planning for the 2024-25 academic year.  We have a great deal to look forward to in the coming year as we move forward with programs, initiatives and progress on new or renovated buildings on our campuses.

Until next time—