GRAD GUIDE Class of 2019
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GRAD GUIDE 2019
CONTENTS LETTER FROM THE EDITOR..........3 GRADUATING FOR MOM..............4 FEAR OF LEAVING THE US............5 JUNIOR COLLEGES.........................6 HOPE UNIVERSITY VS CSUF.........7 COMMENCEMENT MAP................8 GRAD GRAMS................................10 FAMILY SACRIFICE........................15
MONDAY MAY 13, 2019 THURSDAY MAY 16, 2019
MONDAY MAY 13, 2019 THURSDAY MAY 16, 2019
GRAD GUIDE 2019
Letter to the Editor Dear Titans, As the semester comes to an end and commencement approaches, I would like to take a moment to thank Cal State Fullerton as a whole, and congratulate all of the graduates of the class of 2019. Completing a degree, whether it is an undergraduate or master’s degree, is something to be proud of and should never be undermined. Completing a degree at a university with so much diversity is something to be proud of. CSUF is full of students who come from different backgrounds, different countries and
different demographics. The stories in this issue demonstrate that by touching on all the different experiences that can be part of the college experience. We, as students, immigrate to the United States, we go to junior colleges, we attend more than one university and we complete degrees, not just for ourselves but for the ones we love. These stories and unique pathways to success compile the CSUF student body and it is this that makes CSUF unique. As I complete my time at CSUF and as the editor-in-chief of the Daily Titan, I cannot help but be proud to
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be a Titan. I am honored to have had the opportunity to serve the student body and be a writer and an editor for the student voice of Cal State Fullerton. As we graduate, it is strange to think that life at CSUF will go on. But the continuation of the culture of CSUF, even without us, serves as a reminder that things are ever-changing and we should constantly be learning. Thank you again CSUF, Korryn Sanchez Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Titan
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4 Column: How I made my mom proud
MONDAY MAY 13, 2019 THURSDAY MAY 16, 2019
GRAD GUIDE 2019
I overcame my academic struggles for my biggest supporter. ANDRE SALAZAR Asst. News Editor
With the end of my time as a Cal State Fullerton student approaching on May 19, relieving the stress of seven years of mental labor is something that is getting harder to do as each day passes by. Though I would like to say that my own need to finish school was the driving force to get me to the graduation ceremony, the person who has provided me with the most purpose to complete college is my mother. From the moment I saw the look of happiness in her eyes while she adjusted my cap during my graduation pictures, I could tell that my mom’s excitement exceeded mine by leaps and bounds, especially when she began to well up with tears throughout the snapshots. It was that reaction that made the time I have spent at CSUF worthwhile as my mother will soon be able to say that one of her children is a college graduate. Considering my scholastic career has never been anything to praise, I certainly did not make it easy for her. I distinctly remember nights where I had to receive verbal lashings for underachieving from the same woman who happily wished me a good day at school that same morning. It did not help that this underachievement would be a mainstay throughout both my elementary and middle school years. My mother even put me in Catholic school because she thought it would be better for me academically. Whether it was failed tests she had to sign or bad progress reports, I always felt like I was disappointing her because I was not living up to the potential that she saw in
REBECCA MENA / DAILY TITAN
me. It was not until high school that I was finally able to show her that potential in full force. When she saw the first report card of my freshman year that reflected a 3.9 GPA she shamelessly threw her hands in the air as if she had just won the lottery. There was no better feeling I had seeing the look of pride on my mother’s face because it felt like I had finally validated what she saw in me as a student. That validation would continue as I averaged over a 3.0 GPA throughout high school. It remains a topic of conversation my mom frequents when talking about my education, though my
time at CSUF certainly was not as stellar as I wanted it to be. My first six years in college were spent trying to convince myself that I was the only person who was worth finishing college for. This was not because I had any resentment toward my family but the resentment of feeling like I was being dependent on them, and this would ultimately be to my detriment. During that time, I began to wonder why I was in college at all. The business degree I was originally working towards meant nothing to me and when I decided to switch my major to journalism, it became even harder as personal
issues and a lack of experience in writing would affect my confidence in doing what I thought I originally wanted to do. It was during this time that I realized trying to finish school for my own pride would not get me anywhere. My mom’s constant presence and her unrelenting encouragement gave me the drive to strive in school. Whether it was her waking up at 6 a.m. to see me go to my first day of college, treating me like I was 12 years old again and loudly lecturing me when I nearly failed all of my exams during my third year or constantly asking me how my capstone was going when I took it
for the second time, her care and belief in me gave me the strength to succeed. Comparing that to what my mom looked like during my graduation photos, it gives me that sense of pride, joy and accomplishment, validating the opinion of someone who never gave up on me. Knowing she had to watch me struggle academically to get to this point, her ear to ear smile she showed me meant more than any accomplishment I could ever get for myself. I am proud that I will be the first of my mother’s children to graduate, but I am more proud that she will be able to say that for herself.
Opinion
MONDAY MAY 13, 2019 THURSDAY MAY 16, 2019
GRAD GUIDE 2019
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Column: My fear of leaving the United States
Photo Editor
It’s that time of the year again, when hundreds of thousands of students celebrate one of the greatest milestones of their lives: graduation. College is a typical route that many people take. It’s the safest and most predictable path to follow in the U.S. You register yourself for a four-year college or university to get a degree in whatever field you’re passionate about, and then you graduate and prepare yourself to get a job with a decent salary, hoping it will lead to a rewarding career. I came from Indonesia and for five years I’ve had to study, volunteer and work hard in school to prepare myself in hopes of getting an H-1B company sponsorship.
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I’m broke, tired and angry, but I’m not going to let that stop me from achieving my long-term goal of creating a life here in the U.S.
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Since the 2016 election, the heightened threat of political tension towards immigration has reached its boiling point.
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Graduation is important for me because returning to Indonesia would be a step backwards.
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JOSHUA ARIEF HALIM
President Trump and his administration seem to have endless temper tantrums in response to immigration issues, which scares aspiring U.S. immigrants everywhere. The H-1B Visa for example, reached its lowest acceptance rate this year and 22.4%of the applications were denied in 2018 according to Forbes Magazine. This type of visa is one of the most common ways for an international student to stay in the U.S. after their graduation. It’s also the most common method used to earn a “legal” pathway to citizenship.
The fact that H-1B Visas are increasingly getting rejected scares me, since this means that it’s more likely that I won’t be able to stay in the U.S. as an educated professional in my field of study. In addition to the weight I feel from the uncertainty I’m facing with the visa process, my parents have gradually stopped supporting me financially. I’m broke, tired and angry, but I’m not going to let that stop me from achieving my long-term goal of creating a life here in the U.S. Growing up in Indonesia, which is located in Southeast Asia, I’ve always wanted a better life. In an area where strict Sharia law is in place, I found myself needing to be in an environment where I could practice my
beliefs freely. I also feel the need to stay in the U.S. in order to escape racial segregation. As an ethnic Chinese minority, I’ve never truly felt safe because we tend to be an easy target whenever the economy or political environment doesn’t do well. After the economic crisis hit Indonesia in the early ‘90s, a riot broke off on the streets of the capital city Jakarta in 1998. During the riots, 1,000 people of ethnic Chinese descent were killed. Roughly 87 women of ethnic Chinese groups were raped by groups of thugs who roamed the streets, robbing and rampaging stores owned by Chinese Indonesian people. Fortunately, my family and I weren’t living in the capital at
the time but my grandmother was. She did not experience an altercation during the riots, but the tragedy still haunted her. She left Indonesia and emigrated to the Netherlands the following year.
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The will to escape prosecution of belief and ethnicity is what drives my ambition and courage to risk everything...
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Moving back to Indonesia would halt my career growth.
It’s been more than a decade, but those brutal riots still haunt many Chinese Indonesian people, including myself. I’m not surprised by the current mess in the U.S. of religiously charged identity politics
or its form of toxic nationalism, since I have struggled to cope with this condition of society throughout my whole life. The will to escape prosecution of belief and ethnicity is what drives my ambition and courage to risk everything, and education has helped me find the most direct path towards a promising career. Graduation is important for me because returning to Indonesia would be a step backwards. I know the U.S. isn’t perfect, but it still fares better than the condition at home, if I could ever call Indonesia home again in the first place. After graduation, my search for true independence will continue, especially since it’s better than giving up and wondering what life could have been.
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Opinion
GRAD GUIDE 2019
MONDAY MAY 13, 2019 THURSDAY MAY 16, 2019
Column: I dismissed community college
Asst. Sports Editor
As memories of high school faded into the background of my mind and thoughts of attending my first year at fouryear university engulfed the final days of summer leading up to my first year at Cal State Fullerton, I never stopped to consider the possibility of how attending a community college might have greatly impacted my education. The thought never seemed to cross my mind. After I finished high school, under whispers and muttered breaths, my family had created a stigma surrounding community college which dissuaded the possibility of me going anywhere near a campus that “sucked you in for several years,” or “didn’t prepare you for a university,” or, “I was too smart for.” After having spent the latter half of high school listening to my parents condemn community colleges through gentle nudges and dated anecdotes, my mind had been made up for me — junior college was not an option. Little did I know that I was ignoring the fact that many of my family members and friends had been inextricably linked to junior college in one way or another. I had friends who
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Listening to my parents condemn community colleges through gentle nudges and dated anecdotes...
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DEMETRIOUS HERRERA
were beginning as junior college students, family members (including both of my parents) who were community college products, and a myriad of juco transfer colleagues and acquaintances I would soon meet, that might have convinced me to reconsider community college all together. In the final stretch of my collegiate career, the unconventional path which I took into the CSUF College of Communications led me directly into a scenario where I was faced with taking a handful of junior college classes if I wanted to graduate with a minor in journalism within a year’s time. There I was, standing face-toface with the made-up monster that my parents had helped plant in my head years ago. However, having spent four years assimilating to a campus community composed of a number of junior college transfers, I had no reservations about going to community college for the first time in my collegiate career.
I went headfirst into two community college courses at Fullerton College last fall, not knowing what to expect, and came out with the epiphany that I could have used my local community college as a resource to enhance my university experience, instead of shying away from it. Aside from generally
spending thousands less on tuition community colleges offer several unique advantages to students who are considering to supplement a university education with junior college classes. Firstly, junior college courses are generally easily accessible to anyone and often grant admission fairly quickly without the hassle of submitting standardized test scores. Coming from an impacted university campus like CSUF, students who can’t gain access to necessary classes might have more success looking for a comparable class at a junior college. Secondly, community college campuses can often afford to give students a more intimate learning experience since class
sizes are typically smaller than commensurate courses at public four-year universities.
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There I was, standing face-toface with the madeup monster that my parents had helped plant in my head...
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My parent’s value of an associate’s degree clouded my decision.
And lastly, junior college classes may be less strenuous and easier to pass than equivalent courses at public four-year universities because classes are meant to be geared toward transitioning college students, or students who are seeking an associate degree. As I prepare to finish my
collegiate career as a Titan, I cannot help but debunk my own preconceived ideas about the type of people or education that junior colleges offer. Firsthand experience with seasoned educators and inspired students helped reshape my thoughts about an institution of education that can be as beneficial to students attending fouryear universities. As I envision throwing my cap into the air amidst a sea of peers on graduation day, I never would have imagined that taking junior college classes during my final stint at CSUF would have played a part in me getting my degree. Having gone through it myself, however, I can no longer imagine it happening any other way.
MONDAY MAY 13, 2019 THURSDAY MAY 16, 2019
GRAD GUIDE 2019
Column: A tale of two universities
SUMMER SESSION California State University, Fullerton
Make the most of your summer! Did you know you can enroll now and pay later? Enroll now through Titan Online and you have until May 23 to make your payment. Summer Session can help you get the classes you need to stay on track to graduation: GE classes Pre-requisites Impacted classes that you couldn’t get into in Spring or Fall Online and hybrid classes
SUMMER SESSION 2019 DATES:
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JULIA PIHL
Dual enrollment at CSUF and Hope International University was a challenge. JULIA PIHL
Asst. Social Media Editor
As a student at both Cal State Fullerton and Hope International University, I believe I have had one of the most unique college experiences that life can offer. I started my journey at HIU in 2015 after high school on a basketball scholarship, but like many small private universities,
Hope International did not offer my major. After talking with the basketball coach Bill Crammer, he explained that although HIU did not have my major, the school across the street, CSUF, did. The contract program allowed me to take all of my major courses at CSUF as long as I was a California resident, earned my first 60 college credits at HIU and maintained a GPA above 2.5. I SEE SCHOOL 14
Session A
May 28 - June 28
5 weeks
Session B
July 1 - August 2
5 weeks
Session C
June 24 - August 2
6 weeks
Session D
May 28 - July 19
8 weeks
Session E
May 28 - August 2
10 weeks
Campus Closed: Monday, May 27 and Thursday, July 4
For more information visit summer.fullerton.edu
Not a current CSUF student? Visit Open University at ou.fullerton.edu
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COMMENCEMENT
FRIDAY, MAY 17 THROUGH SUNDAY MAY 19, 2019
DEGREE LISTINGS AND CEREMONY LOCATIONS IF Accounting/Accountancy
(See corresponding orange dots for locations.) IF Electrical Engineering
IF MBA (Business Administration Master’s)
TG African American Studies
EL Elementary and Bilingual Education
IF Mechanical Engineering
TG American Studies
EL Elementary Curriculum and Instruction
TS Music
TG Anthropology
EL English
EL Nursing
TG Asian American Studies
IF Entertainment and Hospitality Management
IF Operations and Supply Chain Management
IF Athletic Training
IF Entrepreneurship
TG Philosophy
TS Biochemistry
IF Environmental Engineering
TS Physics
TS Biological Science
TS Environmental Studies
TS Political Science
TS Biotechnology
TG European Studies
IF Professional Business
IF Business Analytics
IF Finance
TS Psychology
IF Business Economics
TG French
TS Public Administration
TS Chemistry
TG Geography
IF Public Health
TG Chicana and Chicano Studies
TS Geological Sciences
EL Reading Education
IF Health Science
TG Religious Studies
IF Child and Adolescent Development TG Cinema and Television Arts IF Civil Engineering
EL Higher Education
IF Risk Management & Insurance
TG History
TS Science Education
EL Communication Studies
IF Human Services
TG Screenwriting
TS Communications
IF Information Systems and Decision Science
EL Secondary Education
EL Communicative Disorders
IF Information Technology
TG Social Work
TG Comparative Literature
EL Instructional Design and Technology
EL Sociology
IF International Business
IF Software Engineering
IF Computer Engineering IF Computer Science TG Counseling TS Criminal Justice TS Dance
TG Japanese IF Kinesiology TG Latin American Studies
TG Spanish EL Special Education IF Taxation
IF Legal Studies
EL TESOL
TS Earth Science
TG Liberal Studies
TS Theatre
IF Economics
TG Linguistics
TS Visual Art
EL Educational Administration
IF Management
EL Educational Leadership
IF Marketing
EL Educational Technology
TS Mathematics
TG Women and Gender Studies
COMMENCEMENT
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Titan Stadium Graduate line up: Parking Lot A South
Titan Gymnasium Graduate line up: South Entrance of the Titan Gymnasium
A S S OC I ATE D
MAY 17 – 19, 2019
GRAD GRAMS
Congratulations Class of 2019!
ALAYAH BYERS College of Communications Well Layah you did it!!! Top 10% of your class with a bright future ahead of you. Your family is extremely proud of you and your accomplishments. We love you very very much and can’t wait to see what’s next for you! Love Always, Mom, Dad and Big Sis Kaila. XOXOXO
ERIN NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN SANTIAGO CHILLY MILLIGAN College of Humanities and Social Sciences Erin, We are so proud of you. The world is waiting for you. Never stop exploring or learning.
KORRYN SANCHEZ College of Communications - Journalism You being EIC has been a win. Without you our lives would be rather dim. You’ll always be part of our heart and kin. We love you so much Korryn. Always soaring, never boring, bright like the sun in the morning. As majestic as the moon at night, Congratulations and hold on tight.
Love, Hosam and Bernie
MACY BARTHOLOMEW College of Health and Human Development Congratulations Macy! You can achieve whatever you want in life. All you have to do is believe that you can. We believe in you, now and forever, happy graduation day.
Love, Dad and Cindy
Love, Dad & Kurstin
AMANDA HODGIN
MEGAN GARCIA
College of Communications
College of Communications
Our Dearest Amanda, We are so proud of you and the young amazing woman you have become. Congratulations on achieving this monumental milestone in your life. Nothing will stop you, aim for the stars! May God continue to bless you in all your endeavors in life.
I’m so proud of you. You are a dedicated, hardworking, brilliant woman I look up to. We can’t wait to see the amazing things you’ll do.
Love you forever, Mom, Dad, Brookelynn, Justin, Benji & Lexi
Love, Sophia & DT Staff
HELEN NEWTON
SALVADOR RIVERA
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
College of Communications
We are so proud! Bravo! Follow your dreams and believe in yourself. We thank God for you!
My love, I’m so thrilled to see you graduate! I met you during your first semester at CSUF and you’ve come a long way since then. We’ve been through so many things but just know that I love you more and more each day. I can’t wait to see what other great things you’ll get to do after you graduate. Just know that I’ll be here when you need anything. I love you.
Love, Mom & Dad
Moni Money
AMANDA LEIGH BLUNK
BRIANNA HALSTIED
College of Health and Human Development
College of Communications
Punky - I am so proud of you! All of your hard work has paid off! You are an amazing woman! Congratulations!
Brianna, we are so very proud of you! All these years of hard work have paid off, you’re a real goal digger. We’re looking forward to watching you take on the world.
Love, Mom
SARAH A. MURCIA
HANNAH HAEGER
College of Health and Human Development
College of Communications
Sarah, You never cease to amaze me. Since the day you were born, I had so many dreams for you, and with your love, strength and wit, you’re making your own and my dreams for you come true. Congratulations on your college graduation. I am so very proud of you. Love you mucho!
We are so proud of you for reaching your goals, especially when you are doing it in a foreign language on a different continent. Congratulations, well done. Love, Your Parents and Brother
Mom
ANTHONY RAMIREZ College of Communications We are so proud of you. It brings tears to our eyes every time we think about how blessed we are to call you our son. You have grown up to become a wonderful young man. A person with great respect for others. An awesome role model, friend, brother, and son. We know you are destined to do great things in your life. You have a heart of gold. We love you and can’t wait to see all the amazing things you are going to accomplish! Love, Mom & Dad
CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES We are so proud of you!
“You are educated. Your certification is in your degree. You may think of it as the ticket to the good life. Let me ask you to think of an alternative. Think of it as your ticket to change the world.” -Tom Brokaw
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STUDENT AFFAIRS
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MONDAY MAY 13, 2019 THURSDAY MAY 16, 2019
GRAD GUIDE 2019
School: From the Royals to Titans 1 I thought as long as I did well in my first couple of years at HIU I would be well on my way to earning my degree and finish out my last two years predominantly at CSUF. What I did not take into consideration were the huge differences in the two schools, which included things like class size and the weeklong spring break. I will never forget the first time I walked into a lecture hall at the Ruby Gerontology Center for one of my classes. I was overwhelmed by the class size since I was used to having around 10 students in every class and all of my professors knowing me by name. At HIU, everyone knows everyone, kind of like a small community or a high school. All of the students live on campus, attend the dining hall at the same time, have classes with the same professors and attend chapel together every Thursday morning. At CSUF I saw new people every day, and initially, I knew nobody. I felt as if I had started over. I was able to have a personalized education at Hope International as it was an environment that I became comfortable in. With CSUF, I had to put myself outside of my comfort zone, work to form new relationships and adapt my learning style. All students dread registration for classes, and I was no exception. CONTINUED FROM
Each semester I sat watching CSUF classes fill hoping that the few I needed would not fill up. I had to be careful of which courses I selected as I only had four semesters to finish my journalism curriculum if I wanted to graduate on time. In addition to all of the other struggles, the solace that most students find in spring break did not apply to me. The different schools meant staggered spring break schedules. While I watched everyone from HIU go on vacation and enjoy their week off, I was still stuck in my CSUF classes and vice versa three weeks later when CSUF went on break. With graduation this Saturday, I face one more obstacle with my education. I was notified that my diploma will be delayed until June 30 because HIU has to wait for CSUF to report my final grades to administration. Despite the roadblocks I faced while attending two very different universities, I am thankful for the experience I gained these last four years. I learned how to balance the schedule of a student, an athlete and a part-time worker through managing my time. Even though life gets hectic, there will always be positive lessons and outcomes. Looking back on my four years at CSUF and HIU, there is not much I would change and I am proud of the person this process helped me become.
MONDAY MAY 13, 2019 THURSDAY MAY 16, 2019
GRAD GUIDE 2019
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Column: I reached higher for my family My relatives’ hard work influenced me to keep pursuing my goals. MEGAN GARCIA Senior Editor
My five year journey to obtaining a bachelor’s degree has come to an end as I’ll walk across a stage on May 19, and move my tassel from right to left with a diploma in hand. Cal State Fullerton’s Chicano/ Latino Faculty and Staff Association held a ceremony for Hispanic and Native American graduates on May 4. The day of my grandfather’s 91st birthday, my parents and I celebrated a prolonged journey that started with him. My family roots in the United States does not run deep. January 1963 saw the entry of the Garcia family in California from Zacatecas, Zacatecas in Mexico. In the pursuit of the American dream, my family’s sacrifices have gifted me a future with potential success. During World War II, there was a shortage of labor workers because a large portion of the U.S. population was battling overseas. Through the Bracero program, workers and their immediate families were allowed to apply for residency. While my grandpa worked in the fields of Northern California, my grandmother and mother lived in Mexico City as their citizenship status was being processed. My mom’s upbringing was not all sunshine and roses, and her path to a degree was not easy. A later jump-start to her college education was not a shortcoming. My bedtime stories were her lecture readings about anything regarding human resources. It was not the “Itsy Bitsy Spider,” but she was able to spend time with her infant daughter while working
toward a brighter future. Just like her father, my mom spent extraneous hours every day working to provide for her family. Her work ethic is her superpower, and she has jumped through obstacles to get to where she is. As her daughter, I have wanted to put in the same amount of work to reach her level of success. As my grandfather’s granddaughter, I did not want his sacrifice to be in vain. College can test a person’s determination to succeed, and I have failed that test more times than I would like to admit. With less than 30 units to complete, I almost left CSUF to attend culinary school because I thought that was where I would find clarity. After my mom knocked some sense into me, I decided to stay in college. The feeling of being adrift has been a constant since I started my undergraduate education at Cal State Long Beach. I left the university and decided to come to grips with my understanding of a degree at a junior college. I had a better idea of the career I wanted when I was admitted to CSUF, but the doubt overpowered me yet again. I tried everything in my power to avoid classes that challenged me, but eventually I had to bite the bullet and buck up. If I stayed on the path of least resistance, I would never graduate. The only reason I was able to power through the deadlines and meltdowns was my mom’s support as she fought alongside me. My name has been attached to midterm papers and scribbled on tests. I have raised my hands during lectures and wanted to scream at the top of my lungs as the workload piled on, but my family’s sacrifices have helped me as I have reached the finish line. If my grandfather did not want to provide for his family, he would
not have participated in the Bracero program or immigrated with his wife and daughter. If my mom settled for a life without success, she would not have the career she has battled for as she raised me on her own. While my grandfather died when I was 2-years-old, I do still have my mom. Cancer tried to beat her out of the game, but she pulled through. In a few days, I will be wearing a decorated cap and gown with probably too many sashes because my family has sacrificed more than I ever thought possible. My family will celebrate the accomplishment of obtaining a degree on May 19, but I will celebrate them as I am forever indebted to people who came before me as they made this journey possible. REBECCA MENA / DAILY TITAN
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