NSME grads get ‘happily ever after’

NSME students among 1,900-plus who graduated this semester

By California State University, Bakersfield

May 21^st, 2024

Last week, California State University, Bakersfield celebrated more than 1,900 students earning their degrees with a trio of commencement ceremonies held on the campus’ main soccer field.

Walking the stage at two of those ceremonies were students from CSUB’s School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering, with undergraduates honored on Friday evening and graduates honored on Saturday morning.

At the start of each ceremony, CSUB Interim President Dr. Vernon B. Harper Jr. addressed the crowd of students and their families. Though the college experience is unlikely to be a fairytale for even the most studious of scholars, Dr. Harper pointed out the parallels between pursuing an education and any great story.

“From the first day of school in August to the final exams in May, each academic year is like a saga,” Dr. Harper said. “Along the way, there are a few plot twists to keep things interesting, some amazing new characters, and perhaps the need for a couple of rewrites. But today is the ‘happily ever after’ that makes it all worth it.”

For undergraduate biology students Jessica Tiscareno and Alyse Gabaldon, the education saga will continue with a sequel. Tiscareno is onto Loma Linda University for dental school and Gabaldon will return to CSUB for the biology master’s program in the fall. Still, Friday’s ceremony marked an important milestone in their stories.

“I’m ready!” Tiscareno said of graduating. “It feels nice to finally reach this. It’s a nice treat at the end. It’s the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Both Tiscareno and Gabaldon are first-generation students and said the day was just as exciting for their families as it was for them. Tiscareno said her parents had been talking about her upcoming graduation nonstop.

“The amount of pictures that have been taken is a lot!” said Gabaldon, who hopes to become a wildlife biologist. “They’re really excited.”

Alyse Gabaldon and Jessica Tiscareno wait for the commencement ceremony to begin.

Jessica Tiscareno hugs biology faculty member Dr. Amber Stokes as she and Alyse Gabaldon line up to walk across the stage.

Mathematics major Rosemary Chavez was another first-generation student preparing to walk across the stage on Friday night. Beginning her education during the pandemic gave her a rocky start to her education, she said, but as her classes became more in-person, she found herself taking school more seriously and making friends in her classes. Following graduation, she will work as a high school math teacher through Kern High School District.

“Graduating is not only an accomplishment for myself but for my parents who came from Mexico,” Chavez said. “They’ve told me multiple times they’re proud of me.”

Asked what advice she would give to students beginning their own educational journey at CSUB, Chavez encouraged them to “ask questions, all the time!”

Geology student Jennifer Rubalcaba advised students not to be afraid of opportunities that might seem scary. She pointed to her own experience interning at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory as a time she took her own advice. Rubalcaba will return to CSUB for the geology master’s program, where she’ll work with Dr. Liaosha Song and continue her research on geologic storage.

“I’m hopeful for the future and excited to be going to grad school in the fall,” she said. “Mostly, I’m grateful for all the academic and scholarship experiences within CSUB. It’s really helpful in understanding geology and planning for the future.”

Rosemary Chavez and her fellow mathematics majors smile for a photo as they wait for commencement to begin.

Geology student Jennifer Rubalcaba will return to CSUB as a graduate student in the fall.

The evening’s ceremony also included a special recognition for the late Faust Gorham, who served as CSUB’s chief information officer before his death last fall. Gorham was a vital part of the university’s efforts to ensure all students had the appropriate technology for remote learning during the pandemic. He was awarded a posthumous honorary Doctor of Science degree, conferred by the CSU Board of Trustees and CSUB and accepted by his family.

“Faust Gorham dedicated his life and career to closing the technology equity gap,” said CSU Trustee Larry Adamson at the ceremony. “Mr. Gorham led with imagination, a collaborative, audacious spirit and a deep compassion for the California State University community, particularly the students in Kern County.”

Before graduates walked across the stage, Dr. Harper left them with a piece of advice inspired by a commencement speech former governor of California and Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Earl Warren gave CSUB’s 1973 graduating class.

“Accept the challenge of the future,” he said. “And then accept the next one. For the challenges will never end. Our greatness — the test of our character — lies in how we answer those challenges.”