California State University, Bakersfield will celebrate the triumph of more than 2,300 Roadrunners at its annual spring commencement ceremonies, when “the community will come together to see a glimpse of this region’s promising future,” said President Dr. Vernon B. Harper. Jr. The grand total of degrees conferred for the 2024-25 academic year is 3,699.
Three commencement ceremonies are scheduled for May 16 and 17 at CSUB’s Main Soccer Field. The ceremonies require tickets for in-person guests, but all three will be livestreamed on the university’s commencement page.
“CSUB is Kern County’s University because we are a reflection of the vibrant, magnanimous community that fought to open this engine of excellence 55 years ago,” Dr. Harper said. “Our graduates have demonstrated resolve and resilience in the pursuit of their life-changing degrees, and now they are ready to give back to the communities that have supported them. We’re so excited to watch what they do next!”
Dr. Jacquelyn Kegley, philosophy professor and founder of the Kegley Institute of Ethics, will be honored during the May 17 evening ceremony for her extraordinary 55-year career at Cal State Bakersfield, which spans the entire life of the university. Dr. Kegley has announced her retirement effective June 1.
“As an original member of the Roadrunner family — even before the Roadrunner was selected as our mascot — Dr. Kegley is imbued with a deep well of institutional memory and is the very soul of this university,” Dr. Harper said. “Her impact on generations of students is incalculable. She is a towering scholar, a generous philanthropist and a true community treasure. We are profoundly grateful for her service.”
Four community leaders also will be honored at the ceremonies. The California State University Board of Trustees voted to award honorary doctorates to business executive and philanthropist Morgan E. Clayton, social entrepreneur Paul F. Chavez, rural America advocate and Sikh leader Gurcharan S. Dhillon, and attorney and philanthropist H. Dennis Beaver.
“The four leaders have worked their entire careers to create opportunities for the under-represented, amplify the voices of our friends and neighbors in the rural Central Valley, and advance the life-enhancing power of education,” Dr. Harper said. “Though each of them achieved stunning success in their fields, they have remained true to the lessons of their upbringing, sharing their light as far as it would reach. They are true humanitarians, and we are humbled to honor their life’s work.”
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