Business Graduates Bring Stan State Commencement to a Joyful Close

The final celebration of Stanislaus State's 66th Commencement carried the same joy, pride and energy that filled the week, as College of Business Administration graduates gathered Friday, May 29, at the University Amphitheatre to honor the completion of their degrees.

Graduates smiled, waved and soaked in the moment as they entered the venue to cheers from families, friends, mentors and other well-wishers. Others watched from around the world via livestream on YouTube, with Spanish-language interpreters providing live interpretation.

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President Britt Rios-Ellis congratulated graduates on reaching the milestone and encouraged them to recognize the significance of the moment before looking ahead to the leadership, service and opportunity their degrees will make possible.

"Please take a moment to pause, to breathe it in and to celebrate," Rios-Ellis said. "You carry the hopes and dreams of your families and your ancestors. You carry the strength of your communities. You carry the power to lead with compassion, courage and integrity."

Rios-Ellis noted that nearly 68% of the college's graduates were the first in their families to earn a degree. Nearly half came from Stanislaus County, while others represented communities across California and around the world, including India, Mexico, the Philippines and the Ivory Coast.

She also spoke about the role graduates will play as they enter or advance in a rapidly changing workforce.

"By choosing business administration, you have prepared to lead organizations and drive innovation in an ever-changing economy," Rios-Ellis said. "Through your creativity, leadership and entrepreneurial spirit, you will help shape a future that is more inclusive and filled with opportunity."

Student, Faculty Voices Urge Graduates to Lead with Purpose

Speaker of the Faculty and Associate Professor of Exercise Science Arya Alami carried the mace during the processional before offering greetings on behalf of the faculty.

"I'd like to share a suggestion with all of the soon-to-be graduates," Alami said. "To borrow a quote from the show 'Ted Lasso,' who borrowed a quote from the poet Walt Whitman: 'As you move on to the next chapter of your lives, be curious, not judgmental.'

"As you interact with coworkers, family and friends, neighbors and those in and around your community, approach every interaction with curiosity - ask questions, be open to being wrong, avoid assumptions and lean into compassion," he continued. "Keep striving toward knowledge and remember, learning is impossible in the absence of failure. Mistakes will happen. They're a part of the process. Just keep being curious, embrace failures as opportunities to learn and always strive toward growth."

Student speaker Ayiat Yasin, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in human resource management, spoke to her fellow graduates about the day's meaning and the new beginning it represented.

"Today is more than just a celebration," Yasin said. "It is a reflection of everything it took for us to get here - the late nights, the sacrifices and the moments that life tested us in ways we never expected. This may seem like an ending, but it is truly a beginning."

Yasin encouraged graduates to trust themselves as they step into what comes next.

"As we leave here today, take chances. Trust yourself. Step into opportunities, even when you do not feel completely ready," she said. "You do not need to have everything figured out. You just need the courage to take the first step."

Former Associated Students, Inc. President Eryka Lepper reflected on the uncertainty graduates navigated and the growth that followed.

"If the last four years have taught us anything, let it be this: Life doesn't follow a perfect plan, but it's in that uncertainty that we experience our greatest growth and where some of the most meaningful parts of our stories are created," Lepper said.

"Today, we should be proud that we are graduating from college, but also proud that we are stepping into the journey of discovering our 'why.' So don't wait for everything to be perfectly figured out. Take the risks. Chase the goals. Manifest the dreams and be present for both the big and small things."

- Eryka Lepper, Former ASI President

She also urged her classmates to embrace what comes next, even if every step isn't mapped out.

"Today, we should be proud that we are graduating from college, but also proud that we are stepping into the journey of discovering our 'why.' So don't wait for everything to be perfectly figured out. Take the risks. Chase the goals. Manifest the dreams and be present for both the big and small things."

She closed with a message of confidence in her fellow graduates.

"I know, without a doubt, Class of 2026, we are ready to bend and warp reality to our will," Lepper said. "Not because we have all the answers, but because we've recognized how to keep going without them."