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College of Social Sciences San José State University

Commencement Program

December 16, 2021, 2:00 p.m. Provident Credit Union Event Center at SJSU

Processional

Announcement of the Commencement

Soma De Bourbon, Assistant Professor, Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

National Anthem

Welcome

Walt Jacobs, Dean, College of Social Sciences

Presiding

Mary A. Papazian, President

Congratulations from the SJSU Alumni Association

Wanda Hendrix, ’77 Sociology, ’94 MPA, President, Alumni Association Board of Directors

Honorary Degree

Amelia Ashley-Ward, ’79 Journalism/Photojournalism, Publisher, Sun-Reporter

Presentation of Candidates

Vincent J. Del Casino Jr., Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Walt Jacobs, Dean, College of Social Sciences

Conferring of Degrees

Mary A. Papazian, President

Alma Mater

“Hail, Spartans, Hail”

Recessional

Amelia Ashley-Ward

Amelia Ashley-Ward was born in Magnolia, Mississippi and moved with her family to San Francisco as a child. After graduating high school, Ashley-Ward received her Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and photojournalism in 1979 from San José State University.

During her final year at San José State, Ashley-Ward interned at the Sun-Reporter Publishing Company in San Francisco, where she was hired as a reporter and photojournalist for the Sun-Reporter newspaper in 1979. Then, in 1984, Ashley-Ward was promoted to managing editor of the Sun-Reporter. She became publisher in 1994. While working at the Sun-Reporter, she also published photographs in People magazine and Jet magazine, and wrote a feature story for the African American magazine Sepia. Ashley-Ward also created the nonprofit Sun-Reporter Foundation in 2004, and was the founding president of the Young Adult Christian Movement.

In 1980, Ashley-Ward won the Photojournalism Award from the National Newspaper Publishers Association, and, in 1981, she received the Feature Writing Award from the same organization. The National Newspaper Publishers Association granted Ashley-Ward one more honor when, in 1998, she was elected Publisher of the Year. In 1997, she received the Woman of the Year award from the San Francisco Black Chamber of Commerce. In 2008, Ashley-Ward was named one of the forty nine Most Influential People in San Francisco by 7x7 Magazine. She also served on the boards of the National Newspaper Publishers Association and the San Francisco branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Regalia

Commencement exercises like today’s ceremony date from the Middle Ages and the traditions of Europe’s first universities. Our graduates and members of the platform party are wearing regalia—robes, hoods and caps—that are likely adapted from the clothing of medieval priests or friars. Spot the differences in the gowns:

  • Presidential gown is adorned with four bars, representing the Office of the President.
  • Doctoral gown has velvet panels down the front and three velvet bars on each of the bell-shaped sleeves. The color of the velvet may indicate the academic discipline.
  • Master’s gown may be worn open and has long sleeves with slits above the elbow.
  • Bachelor’s gown has a closed front and long, pointed sleeves.

Draped over the shoulders, the hood evolved from a priest’s cowl and was often used to carry items—the first backpack, perhaps. The lining colors signify the college or university granting the degree. At San José State, the hood is gold, blue and white. The monk’s skullcap became the mortarboard cap or tam. Black is the accepted cap color in the United States, but many foreign universities have colorful headdresses.

Tassels vary in use and color. At SJSU, the color of tassels for bachelor’s degree candidates represent each college. The colors for the College of Science and College of Social Sciences are gold and cream, respectively.

The Ceremonial Mace

An ornamental staff or scepter, the mace is carried by officials as part of formal parliamentary or academic ceremonies. A gift from the Tower Foundation of SJSU, the university’s ceremonial mace was designed and created by Art and Art History Lecturer Yvonne Escalante, ’13 MFA Spatial Arts (right photo). She found inspiration for the design in both SJSU history and the paths students take to reach graduation.

Hail, Spartans, Hail!

Hail, Spartans, Hail!—Hail, gold, blue and white!
We pledge our hearts and hands to keep thy colors ever bright.
Forward we go! We will not fail!
Sing to our Alma Mater,
Hail! Hail! Hail!
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