Friday - May 19, 2023

9:00 a.m. - Undergraduate Ceremony

Contents

Program

Platform Party

Commencement Speaker

College of Arts & Humanities

College of Education

Program

PRESENTATION OF COLORS AND NATIONAL ANTHEM

Dr. Michael E. Spagna
Provost and Vice President, Academic Affairs

CSU Dominguez Hills ROTC Color Guard

Ms. Alexandria Ridio
BA, Music

WELCOME AND PLATFORM PARTY INTRODUCTION

Dr. Thomas A. Parham
President

INTRODUCTION OF STUDENT SPEAKER

Dr. James Hill
Chair, Academic Senate

STUDENT SPEAKER

Ms. Christine Cortez
BA, TV, Film & Media

INTRODUCTION OF KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Dr. Michael E. Spagna
Provost and Vice President, Academic Affairs

COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS AND ALUMNI PINNING

The Honorable
Rex Richardson
Mayor, City of Long Beach

RECOGNITION OF HONORS RECIPIENTS

Dr. Michael E. Spagna
Provost and Vice President, Academic Affairs

PRESENTATION OF CLASS FOR CONFERRAL

Dr. Michael E. Spagna
Provost and Vice President, Academic Affairs

CONFERRAL OF DEGREES AND PRESENTATION OF CANDIDATES

Dr. Thomas A. Parham
President

CONGRATULATIONS

Mr. Obioha Ogbonna
President, Associated Students, Inc.

TASSEL TURN AND CONGRATULATIONS

Dr. Thomas A. Parham
President

Platform Party

COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER

The Honorable
Rex Richardson
Mayor, City of Long Beach
Class of 2020, BA Philosophy

STUDENT SPEAKER 

Ms. Christine Cortez
BA, TV, Film & Media

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, DOMINGUEZ HILLS 

• Dr. Thomas A. Parham
  President
• Dr. Michael E. Spagna
  Provost and Vice President, Academic Affairs
• Dr. William Franklin
  Vice President, Student Affairs
• Ms. Deborah Wallace
  Vice President, Administration and Finance
• Mr. Chris Manriquez
  Vice President, Information Technology
• Dr. Bobbie Porter
  Vice President, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice
• Ms. Eva Sevcikova
  Vice President, University Advancement
• Dr. James Hill
  Chair, Academic Senate
• Mr. Obioha Ogbonna
  President, Associated Students, Inc.
• Dr. Cheryl Koos
  Associate Vice President, Faculty Affairs
• Dr. Stephanie Sterling Brasley
  Dean, University Library
• Dr. Marwin Brito
  Associate Dean, University Library
• Dr. Kim Costino
  Dean, Undergraduate Studies
• Mr. Ken O’Donnell
  Vice Provost, Academic Affairs
• Dr. Andrew Drummond
  Associate Vice President, Academic Advising
  and Career Development
• Dr. Timothy Caron
  Dean, College of Arts and Humanities
• Dr. Timothy Chin
  Interim Associate Dean, College of Arts and Humanities
• Dr. Jessica Pandya
  Dean, College of Education
• Dr. Corinne Martinez
  Associate Dean, College of Education
• Dr. Mi-Sook Kim
  Dean, College of Health, Human Services and Nursing
• Dr. Enrique Ortega
  Interim Associate Dean, College of Health, Human Services and Nursing
• Dr. Philip LaPolt
  Dean, College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences

Commencement Speaker

Hon. Rex Richardson
Mayor, City of Long Beach

Toro alumnus Rex Richardson was elected mayor of Long Beach in 2022, becoming the first Black and second-youngest person to serve in the role.

Richardson was born on Scott Air Force Base in Illinois, to parents who divorced when he was a toddler. He moved to Southern California at the age of 11, when his single mother relocated from their then-home in Alabama to the west coast with him and his two siblings.

He and his sister both attended CSUDH as first-generation college students. Richardson enrolled under the Educational Opportunity Program, which provides services to low-income, first-generation students from historically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Richardson became interested in politics while at CSUDH, largely due to a series of tuition hikes during his tenure at the university. He was ultimately elected president of Associated Students, Inc., a position he credits with helping him develop the leadership skills needed for a career in politics.

Richardson left CSUDH a few courses shy of graduation, having gotten a full-time job as a community organizer for a local labor union. At the urging of CSUDH President Thomas A. Parham and others, Richardson returned to school, attaining a BA in philosophy in 2020.

Richardson has been working for Long Beach since 2010, when he became chief of staff for former councilmember Steven Neal. He won election to the city council himself in 2014, becoming Long Beach’s youngest-ever councilmember at the age of 31. Richardson’s leadership skills were soon recognized by his fellow councilmembers, and he was voted vice mayor in 2016, a position he held until his inauguration as mayor.

Richardson has also served as past President of the Southern California Association of Governments and as a board member of the South Coast Air Quality Management District. He and his wife, Toro alumna Dr. Nina Richardson, are proudly raising their two young daughters, Alina and Mila, in North Long Beach.

College of Arts & Humanities

Bachelor of Arts

College of Education

Bachelor of Arts