On May 16th, Fresno State will be celebrating its 50th annual Chicano\/Latino Commencement Ceremony.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fresno State\u2019s annual Chicano\/Latino commencement celebration has grown into the largest ceremony of its kind in the nation.<\/p>\n
More than 1,000 graduates are expected to participate in this year\u2019s 50th anniversary event, according to the event organizer, Victor Torres, a professor in the Department of Chicano and Latin American Studies at Fresno State.<\/p>\n
The ceremony, which celebrates academic achievement alongside family, culture and heritage, has expanded steadily over the decades, forcing coordinators to create stricter eligibility requirements and streamline parts of the event to accommodate growing attendance.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the largest ceremony that focuses specifically on celebrating achievement, but also family, culture and heritage,\u201d said Torres.<\/p>\n
According to Torres, planning for the commencement begins nearly a year in advance. Preparations start during the summer with a review of the previous ceremony, followed by months of coordination involving registration systems, volunteer recruitment and logistical planning.<\/p>\n
Despite the event\u2019s size, only a handful of primary coordinators oversee the ceremony throughout the year while balancing other full-time university positions, and volunteers assist with execution closer to the event date.<\/p>\n
The commencement uses a PeopleSoft registration system that allows students to register and pay fees online, though staff must regularly coordinate with information technology personnel to update the system and troubleshoot issues.<\/p>\n
By February the registration infrastructure is typically complete, after which coordinators begin handling hundreds of student emails and questions regarding eligibility and deadlines.<\/p>\n
As participation has increased over time, Torres said they have had to implement stricter eligibility rules.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Priority is now given to students completing degrees during the current academic year, while students who wish to walk before finishing their degrees are placed on a waiting list.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to make sure that those who are actually completing a degree have an opportunity to register,\u201d Torres said.<\/p>\n
This year, approximately 180 students were initially placed on a waiting list, though many were later accommodated as space became available.<\/p>\n
The growth of the ceremony has also altered the event itself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Earlier ceremonies allowed announcers to read graduates\u2019 full names along with their parents\u2019 full names, but increasing participation forced them to shorten introductions to save time.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith so many students, we\u2019ve got to cut down,\u201d Torres said, explaining that even a few additional seconds per graduate can significantly lengthen the ceremony.<\/p>\n
One addition that has remained popular is a \u201chalftime show\u201d featuring music and dancing during the ceremony, as a way to provide relief from the formality of reading names and shaking hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople just enjoy the music, get some dancing going,\u201d Torres said, noting that university administrators and faculty members often participate as well.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s ceremony will also honor the founders who established the celebration in 1977 to demonstrate the lasting impact and significance of the event across generations of students and families.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis should be the 50th anniversary,\u201d Torres said. \u201cWe honor them for having the vision to do something that 50 years later still exists and is so impactful and meaningful.\u201d<\/p>\n
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