College of Science Graduates Step Into Purpose and Possibility

Stanislaus State continued its 66th Commencement ceremonies Wednesday, May 27, celebrating graduates from the College of Science during the second of four ceremonies this week honoring the Class of 2026.

Thousands of family members, friends, mentors and loved ones filled the University Amphitheatre, cheering as "Pomp and Circumstance" ushered College of Science graduates into the venue for the University's second celebration of the week. Supporters also watched from around the world via livestream on YouTube, with Spanish-language interpreters providing live translation.

The ceremony recognized graduates whose paths span health care, behavioral health, physical and biological sciences, research, education, technology and other areas - fields that shape communities throughout the region and beyond.

Graduates from the Class of 2026 represent the Central Valley through their stories, families and communities. Nearly 68 percent are the first in their families to earn a degree, and nearly half come from Stanislaus County. Others represent communities across California and around the world, including India, Korea, the Philippines and Mexico. Their journeys to Commencement also span generations, with graduates ranging in age from 20 to 61.

"Working in higher education for more than 30 years, I can honestly say that Commencement is my favorite time of the year," President Britt Rios-Ellis told the crowd. "It is a season of celebration - of your brilliance, perseverance and purpose. It truly is our collective why."

"Whether we were exploring living systems, analyzing data, understanding human behavior or caring for others, we were all guided by the same purpose: to ask questions, to stay curious and to keep going, even when the answer wasn't clear. Science taught us something bigger than facts or formulas. It taught us resilience."

-Samone Singh, Student Speaker, College of Science

Rios-Ellis connected the College of Science graduates' work to the lives and communities they will touch next. Their disciplines, she noted, advance discovery, improve lives and strengthen the future of the region through innovation, compassion and a commitment to knowledge.

Paper, Purpose and Possibility

Student speaker Samone Singh, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, spoke to her fellow College of Science graduates about the journey from possibility to purpose.

Singh opened with a reflection on paper - from the application that asked students who they were and who they hoped to become, to the acceptance letters, class schedules, lab reports, research papers and exams that followed.

"And now, here we are again," Singh said. "Another piece of paper. A college degree."

But behind every page, she said, was a story of early mornings, late nights, private doubts, persistence and growth.

"As students in the College of Science, we were taught to look deeper," Singh said. "Across our different paths, we studied life, the world around us and the people within it. We learned to solve problems, to think critically, and to understand not just how things work but why they matter.

"Whether we were exploring living systems, analyzing data, understanding human behavior or caring for others, we were all guided by the same purpose: to ask questions, to stay curious and to keep going, even when the answer wasn't clear," she said. "Science taught us something bigger than facts or formulas. It taught us resilience."

Singh reminded her fellow graduates that progress often comes through small breakthroughs, determination and trying again when things don't go as planned.

"If we can survive organic chemistry, physics labs and coding errors," Singh said, "we can survive anything."

The ceremony also recognized two graduates receiving signature distinctions from the University. Ava Marie McCullough, who earned a Bachelor of Arts in Child Development, was awarded the Metzger-Geiger Award, presented annually to the graduating student with the highest undergraduate grade point average earned at Stanislaus State. Jelaine Joy Gonzales Esguerra, who earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, was recognized as the J. Burton Vasché Award honoree, an award presented annually to a student who displays the highest standards of leadership, cooperation, participation, service and scholarship.

Commencement continues Thursday, May 28, with the College of Education, Kinesiology and Social Work ceremony at 8 a.m. at the University Amphitheatre. The ceremony for the College of Business Administration will take place on Friday, May 29. View details about the ceremonies and watch the livestreams on the Commencement website.