Current No. 2 Vol. 8

President's Message:

What a glorious day! It was truly a rewarding experience to enter the South Quad of our University on a brilliant day in May to witness 8,000 guests, each of whom traveled from near or far to see his or her graduate cross the platform and be awarded a degree or credential. It is testament to the passion this region already holds for the young University that the graduates brought with them an average of 14 guests. Several of those commencing brought 20, 40, 60, or more relatives and loved ones with them to share their special achievement. And, for some, this day marked the first generation of a graduating son or daughter in their family's history. As we celebrated our first full class of CSUCI graduates, we were delighted to be joined by our colleagues and graduates from both CSUN and CSULB. With Richard West, Executive Vice Chancellor and CFO, presiding as our keynote speaker, along with dignitaries from three Universities, the spirit of CSU was present and strong. Commencement capped a school year of tremendous achievement on our campus, not only those of our wonderful students, but also the outstanding academic accomplishments of our faculty, and the steadfast commitment of our staff to ensure that students are realizing their full potential. The year certainly held challenges for us all — from students, to faculty, to staff, and administrators. But commencement celebrations refresh and renew. Whatever sacrifices were made along the way, they all seemed well worth it as we shared the laughter, smiles, and tears of joy with the Class of 2004.