CSUB holds first-ever Native and Indigenous Commencement Ceremony

Several 2022 and 2023 graduates participated in Wednesday’s event

By California State University, Bakersfield

May 11^th, 2023

California State University, Bakersfield senior Kaley Brown Soren will be participating in this month’s undergraduate commencement ceremony, but there’s another event that is just as important to her: CSUB’s first-ever Native and Indigenous Commencement Ceremony.

On Wednesday, Soren joined fellow native and indigenous students in being recognized for their academic accomplishments. The ceremony took place in the Icardo Center and was open to spring graduates as well as alumni who graduated in 2022.

“I know there are many people here who have been putting in the work to get native and indigenous students recognized, so to see this finally come to fruition is great to see,” said Soren, who is receiving her bachelor’s in communications with a concentration in digital media. “It’s a good step in recognizing that, even though we’re a minority here, we’re still here and we deserve to be seen.”

CSUB’s Indigenous Faculty and Staff Association (IFSA) — which was created in 2021 — organized the event. The association has been working to establish a ceremony since it was first formed.

IFSA Chair Christina Contreras originally hoped to hold the ceremony last spring. Since the association was unable to make that happen in time, she wanted to make sure 2022 graduates would be able to participate in Wednesday's ceremony.

“I feel like this has been a long time coming,” she said. “It’s such a great feeling to have been a part of this whole process. I feel our native and indigenous students deserve this. They deserve a ceremony that’s going to honor them in a culturally significant way.”

The Native and Indigenous Student Coalition on campus, which was established two years ago by current president David Silva, worked with the Indigenous Faculty and Staff Association to make the ceremony a reality.

“I am beyond pleased that we were able to make the first-ever Native & Indigenous Commencement Ceremony happen,” he said. “This allows us to provide a foothold for future student leaders, staff or faculty that want to continue the work Christina and I have accomplished. When a higher learning institution puts programs like this in place, it allows the younger generation of students to visualize themselves in a higher education setting where they are recognized but also seen, rather than being invisible.”

Each of the students who participated in the ceremony received special stoles to wear around their necks. The students also spoke about their CSUB journey as well as what the ceremony means to them and their families.

Being a CSUB grad herself, Contreras hopes the commencement ceremony inspires current native and indigenous students to continue with their education and encourage more prospective students to enroll at CSUB.

Despite there being a thriving native community in the region, Contreras said the current native and indigenous student population at the university is low, with 20-25 students on average each semester.

“There’s a lot of work that needs to be done, a lot of outreach that needs to be done,” she said. “We need to have more visibility for our native and indigenous students on campus.”

Indigenous Faculty and Staff Association Chair Christina Contreras — front row far left — poses for a photo with students from the Native & Indigenous Student Coalition.

'Something to be proud of'

CSUB has been making efforts to provide more recognition and support for this population of students through the creation of the IFSA and the student coalition, which have launched several native-focused events on campus, including an Indigenous People’s Day celebration and an elder appreciation event.

The commencement ceremony and these other events go a long way in helping native and indigenous students feel more welcomed and supported on campus, according to Contreras.

“All these events are something to be proud of, something for other native students to see,” she said. “It’s important for students to be able to identify with other students, to feel like they are seen and heard. That has to happen if we want more native students to come to CSUB.”

Since transferring to CSUB in 2021, Soren said she’s seen a renewed commitment to acknowledging native students such as herself.

“I feel like CSUB has come a long way in recognizing native and indigenous students. They’ve been doing a great job,” she said. “I’m really proud of what’s been done here. I hope the momentum doesn’t go away and they continue doing these things.”

Soren said being a member of the Native and Indigenous Student Coalition on campus has also helped her reconnect with her ancestral roots.

Soren and her immediate family have been separated from the Cherokee Nation — the largest tribe in the U.S. — ever since one of her grandmothers wasn’t enrolled in the tribe. Soren said she grew up without many cultural traditions passed down to her.

After joining the student coalition at CSUB, however, Soren began researching native history as well as her own family history. That led her to begin encouraging her family that it was time to reconnect with the tribe.

The family is now part of the Cherokee Community of Central California, which is an official satellite community of the Cherokee Nation.

“I was able to learn a lot through the club. They connected me with people in the community who have helped me learn and grow and participate in these cultural traditions,” Soren said. “I’m hoping other students will not be afraid to reconnect. It’s never too late to learn about their history.”

Soren was excited to participate in Wednesday’s commencement ceremony, not only because she is the first in her family to complete college but also because it gave her an opportunity to celebrate her heritage.

“It means a lot, especially to be here as a reconnecting person,” she said. “I want the other students to be proud of who they are and to feel they are welcome here and needed here. I feel the graduation ceremony proves that because it recognizes their achievement, their success.”

Soren already has a few ideas on her next steps after graduation, including pursuing a career in graphic design or going for her master’s in journalism.

“This is a huge moment for me. I’m excited for my future,” she said. “I’m excited to see where life takes me. I think the future is bright.”

Click here for more information about the Indigenous Faculty and Staff Association. Those interested in joining or learning more about the Native and Indigenous Student Coalition should visit its CSUB webpage.

CSUB holds first-ever Native and Indigenous Commencement Ceremony

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Footnotes

Story by Joseph Luiz, writer/marketing and communications specialist; ceremony photos by EJ Medellin, multimedia student assistant; Native and Indigenous Student Coalition photos contributed by club president David Silva