CSU Bakersfield will celebrate 1,639 students who will be obtaining their degrees this semester. May 20 will be the graduation ceremony for all four academic schools starting at 6 p.m., while May 21 will be split into two events. At 8 a.m., the School of Social Sciences and Education will have their ceremony, and at 6 p.m., the Schools of Business and Public Administration;, Arts and Humanities;, and Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering will have their event. All these ceremonies will take place at the CSUB main soccer field, explained Jennifer Self, public information officer at CSUB.  

Each student will receive 10 guest tickets to give out to family and friends. Are there any health requirements to attend the ceremonies? No, there will be no temperature checks, no proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test result, as well as no mask requirement. Self said they’re following state and county guidelines on the matter but do strongly recommend wearing a mask.  

All these ceremonies will also be able to be viewed through a live stream for those who aren’t able to attend. To gain access to the live stream, visit CSUB’s commencement homepage on the day and time of the ceremonies.  

“CSUB’s Office of Budget and Reporting Services allocated $400,000 from the general fund for commencement this fiscal year, and that includes both the fall and spring commencements. So far this fiscal year, $185,000 has been spent of that $400,000. We will not know until commencement is completed how much of that total was used,” explained Self through email.  

The ceremonies cost of these ceremonies is being paid through the State General Fund appropriation from the CSU operating fund, as well as tuition and fees.  

Dinah Ebeling, associate director of academic affairs, provided information on other commencements, like the Lavander Graduation Ceremony, taking place on May 12 at 5 p.m. at the Icardo Center. This is the 5th annual ceremony by CSUB celebrating LGBTQ+ students earning their degrees. To register or find out more information, contact Dr. Bre Evans Santiago, at [email protected] or Kris Grappendorf, at [email protected].  

The Chicano Commencement Celebration will be on May 14 being hosted by CSUB M.E.Ch.A honoring Latine students graduating this semester. To find further information visit the MECHA’s CSUB homepage. 

There will also be the Black Graduates Recognition Ceremony on May 14 at 10 a.m. For more information or registration contact Tamar Anthony, at (661) 654-2291 or Darius Riggins, at (661) 654-3277.  

“Other events are the Schools’ Outstanding Graduates Recognitions (each school has their own), Rowdy’s Awards (athletics), and Roadrunner Society which is overseen by Campus Programming,” wrote Ebeling in an email.