FRESNO STATE — Fresno State welcomes this year’s commencement ceremonies back to the Save Mart Center May 20 and 21. About 5,980 class of 2022 graduates will be eligible for degree conferral, pending final certification of spring degrees.
Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval.
Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval will preside over the ceremonies for each of the University’s eight schools and colleges.
Two students selected from the undergraduate and graduate deans’ medalists will receive top academic honors at their school or college ceremony — the Undergraduate President’s Medalist and the University Graduate Medalist. These two recipients will be announced at the President’s Recognition Reception on May 19.
Fresno State will also honor nine faculty members with Provost’s Awards, which recognize outstanding teaching, research and service. Dr. Annette Levi, professor of agricultural business, was selected for Fresno State’s 2022 Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Image by Fabian Centeno.
After no commencement ceremonies being held in 2020 due to COVID-19, last year’s commencement celebrations (for the classes of 2020 and 2021) were held outdoors at Bulldog Stadium for the first time since 2003. After the Save Mart Center was built, it became the new home for commencement in 2004.
Ceremonies for the colleges and schools and several affinity celebrations will take place according to the following schedule.
Degrees are conferred at the college commencement ceremonies, indicated in bold in the list below.
Friday, May 20, All in the Save Mart Center
8 to 9:30 a.m. — Craig School of Business
10:15 to 11:45 a.m. — College of Social Sciences
12:30 to 2 p.m. — College of Arts and Humanities. This year’s two honorary doctorate recipients — acclaimed artist Judy Chicago and longtime local educator Antonio “Tony” Petrosino — will be recognized at this ceremony.
2:45 to 4:15 p.m. — Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology
5 to 6:30 p.m. — College of Science and Mathematics
7:15 to 8:45 p.m. — Kremen School of Education and Human Development
Saturday, May 21, Locations are Noted
8 to 9:30 a.m. — Lyles College of Engineering, Save Mart Center
10:15 to 11:45 a.m. — College of Health and Human Services, Save Mart Center
Noon — CAMP Graduation Luncheon, North Gym 118
Noon to 1:15 p.m. — International Convocation, Satellite Student Union
12:30 to 2 p.m. — Asian American and Pacific Islander Graduation Celebration, Save Mart Center
3 to 4:45 p.m. — African American Student Recognition Ceremony, Save Mart Center
4:30 p.m. — American Indian Graduation Honor Ceremony, Satellite Student Union
5 to 6 p.m. — Rainbow Graduation Celebration, Peters Educational Center
7 to 9:30 p.m. — Chicano/Latino Commencement Celebration, Save Mart Center
Image by Ronny Sison.
The college and school ceremonies will be livestreamed on the Fresno State commencement webpage for guests who are unable or choose not to attend an in-person ceremony, and the public can watch online.
In recent years, based on feedback from students that they prefer more intimate college ceremonies with classmates from their own field of study, Fresno State transitioned away from an additional ceremony that included the entire graduating class.
Instead, graduates can mark the successful culmination of their college education at a ceremony for their specific school or college, and/or at any number of “affinity” group celebrations, such as Chicano Latino, African American, Asian American and Pacific Islander, College Assistance Migrant Program, Rainbow Graduation and more. In those ceremonies, graduates receive more individual recognition in front of family, loved ones and friends.
The California Department of Public Health strongly recommends that all persons, regardless of vaccination status, continue to wear masks while in indoor public settings. The Save Mart Center is no longer requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result to enter the arena. Any guest or graduate who is not feeling well should not attend any commencement ceremony or graduation celebration.
Please review the Save Mart Center visitor entry requirements in advance. Only clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags that do not exceed 12″ x 6″ x 12″ will be allowed in Save Mart Center. Small clutch bags, 4.5″ x 6.5″ x 2″, can be taken into the arena in addition to one of the approved clear bags. An exception will be made for any necessary medical items, but such items are subject to inspection.
Answers to other frequently asked questions about commencement can be found here.
Class of 2022 by the Numbers
Fresno State’s class of 2022 consists of:
- 5,077 students who received a degree in summer or fall 2021, or are pending final review in spring 2022 for their baccalaureate degrees.
- 903 who received a degree in summer or fall 2021 or are pending final review in spring 2022 for their post-baccalaureate degrees.
The doctoral cohorts and candidate breakdowns are:
University officials say about 63% of the graduating students in the class of 2022 are first-generation students whose parents didn’t receive bachelor’s degrees, while many others continue a proud family legacy of being a second- or third-generation Bulldog.
By sheer numbers of the 2022 graduating class, the College of Health and Human Services is the largest with 1,044 graduates, followed by the College of Social Sciences (965), College of Science and Mathematics (947), Kremen School of Education and Human Development (845) and Craig School of Business (788).
The following areas are the top five majors of students in the 2022 graduating class:
Psychology (554)
Criminology (472)
Liberal studies (452)
Kinesiology (269)
Management (190)
Guests who need accessibility accommodations should visit the Save Mart Center accessibility webpage for information on available resources.
The commencement website will have the latest communications and updates.
Related Links
Social Media hashtag: #FresnoStateGrad
Fresno State Commencement website
Fresno State announces 2022 Undergraduate Deans’ Medalists
Fresno State announces 2022 Graduate Deans’ Medalists
2 receive honorary doctorate degrees this commencement season
2022 Provost Awards recipients: Ag business Professor Annette Levi selected for top teaching award
Image by Pang Yuhao.
