‘A beautiful wave of blue’

CSUB will celebrate fall 2025 graduates at two commencement ceremonies on Dec. 13

By California State University, Bakersfield

December 9^th, 2025

California State University, Bakersfield will celebrate a triumphant milestone in the lives of its Kern County and Antelope Valley students on Saturday, Dec. 13, at two commencement ceremonies at Dignity Health Arena in downtown Bakersfield.

CSUB will confer a total of 1,137 degrees at the conclusion of the fall 2025 semester: 983 bachelor’s degrees, 147 master’s degrees and seven doctoral degrees in educational leadership. Of that total, more than 900 will participate in two ceremonies, at 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.

“One of my favorite parts of the ceremony is when I invite all the students who are the first in their families to graduate from college to rise,” said CSUB President Vernon B. Harper Jr., a first-generation college graduate himself. “You see a beautiful wave of blue as our `Runners, decked out in their gowns, jump to their feet to the deafening cheers of everyone in the arena. That moment encapsulates the story of CSUB but also the story of Kern County and its people, who are unafraid to chart an unknown course for the sake of their own destiny and the future success of the community we all love.”

CSUB Fall 2025 Commencement Ceremonies:

8:30 a.m.: The College of Social Sciences and Education will award bachelor’s degrees in anthropology; child, adolescent and family studies; criminal justice; liberal studies; kinesiology; political science; psychology; sociology. The college will award master’s degrees in educational administration; educational curriculum and instruction; kinesiology; school counseling; and special education. CSUB also will confer doctoral degrees in educational leadership.

1:30 p.m.: The Colleges of Arts and Humanities, Business and Public Administration, Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering and Academic Programs will award bachelor’s degrees in art; communications; English; history; philosophy; Spanish; theatre; interdisciplinary studies; agricultural business; business administration; economics; environmental resource management; public administration; biochemistry; biology; chemistry; computer engineering; computer science; electrical engineering; engineering; engineering sciences; geology; human biological sciences; mathematics; nursing; public health. The colleges will award master’s degrees in business administration; public administration; health care administration; English; history; Spanish; and biology.

“Earning a college degree takes incredible work and fortitude, as well as years of sacrifice for our students and their families,” Dr. Harper said. “Commencement Day is the grand celebration of their long journey, and the emotion of our graduates, their families and every member of the CSUB community creates a communal energy that fills the entire arena."

Check out our profiles on a few of the remarkable `Runners who are graduating this fall, including accounting major Victoria Arriaga and communications major Cynthia Ramirez.