Kinesiology graduate Amanda Anchondo, front, celebrates commencement with fellow graduates. Photo by Kelly Lacefield

Some 50,000 friends and family members of graduates attended commencement ceremonies. Photo by Kelly Lacefield

U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, left, walks with CSUF President Milton A. Gordon. Photo by Peggy O’Donnell

Dean Anil K. Puri applauds the graduating business students. Photo by Stephen Weissbart

Business grad JenMay Ravelo stands out in the crowd with her personalized mortarboard. Photo by Stephen Weissbart

Elementary school principals Lorraine Test and Preston Perez received doctoral degrees in educational administration and leadership at CSUF through a joint program with UC Irvine. Photo by Patrick O’Donnell

Nursing grad Raymond Austin Nation, center, gives two thumbs up to graduation. Photo by Peggy O’Donnell

There's no mistaking these four grads, who make up the class of 2009. Photo by Peggy O’Donnell

Political science grad Christopher Coombes, right, and his father, Stephen Coombes, an engineering lecturer and CSUF alumnus. Christopher Coombes is a third generation Titan. His grandfather, Arthur L. Coombes, was the first in his family to graduate from CSUF. Photo by Kelly Lacefield

WanJung Lin, center, earned her master’s degree in education with a concentration in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. She celebrated commencement with her twin sister and church members, who arrived bearing gifts. Photo by Patrick O’Donnell

President Milton A. Gordon. Photo by Patrick O’Donnell

CSUF sorority sisters pose for a commencement photo. Photo by Peggy O’Donnell

Business grads Joanna Monugian and Amy Barrientos. Photo by Peggy O’Donnell

Business grad Charlesetta Medina poses for a photo with her family. Photo Stephen Weissbart

A personalized mortarboard expresses gratitude for parental support. Photo by Peggy O’Donnell

These grads don't miss any messages as they check their phone texts. Photo by Stephen Weissbart

Environmental studies grads Sama Wareh and Teresa Lloro-Bidart chat before their commencement ceremony. Photo by Kelly Lacefield

Jaeil Jung, right, came all the way from Korea to see his cousin Donna Kim, a Santa Ana College professor, cross the stage at commencement Saturday. She earned her master’s degree is in education with a concentration in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Photo by Peggy O’Donnell

The extended family of Nicole Roca, 21, turned out for commencement festivities. From her uncle, Dino Giambrone, far left, to her 91-year-old grandmother, Mary Fiamingo, center, they came, mostly from San Jose. Roca is earning a bachelor's degree in theater arts in August. Photo by Peggy O’Donnell

The $100,000 Grad

Carmen J. Cortez, once discouraged from attending college, graduated with her B.S. in biological science, a $101,500 National Science Foundation fellowship and a full scholarship from UC Davis, where she will begin doctoral studies in the fall.

Learning for His Life

Sripathmanathan Srikailainathan survived gunfire and internment during Sri Lanka's violent civil war, and emerged a scholar. Along with his master's degree in electrical engineering, he is the recipient of two of CSUF's top graduate honors.

Fruits of Labor

Diana Lira pursued her bachelor's degree in international business to help her parents, who had lost a company to mismanagement and bankruptcy. Now, she is planning her departure for Mexico where, as a Fulbright Scholar, she will work and study for a year.

Surviving Wars

S. Sattar Langary survived Taliban bombings in his home country, Afghanistan. Now, he is completing his master's degree in sociology at Cal State Fullerton as a Fulbright Scholar. He plans to pursue a doctoral degree next.

A Second Chance

Guardian Scholar Adam Bateham was born without legs. He knows nothing about his biological parents and doesn't know if he's Vietnamese or Cambodian. But, but there is one thing he knows for sure: He is certain about his future.

What Water?

Environmental studies graduate Sama Wareh travels to Syria, learns about that country's water crisis and makes an award-winning documentary about it. A free public screening in Titan Theater is scheduled for noon, June 13.

Testing Thesis

Graduate Gail Marlow Taylor explores history of alchemy and wins the university's Giles T. Brown Award. Her thesis translates Persian physician and chemist Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi's 1,000-year-old "Book of Secrets."

The Hardest Also the Easiest

Jose Soza graduates with a bachelor's degree in biological science and scores the university's coveted Kenneth L. Goodhue-McWilliams Award for Outstanding Service in the Health Professions.

Leading the Way

Graduates Mia N. Arterberry, Ammaji Malla and Raymond Austin Nation are this year's recipients of the university's President's Associates Awards for their scholastic achievement, leadership and community service.

Advocating for Nursing

Catherine M. Solórzano, a nurse for more than 20 years, is this year's recipient of the CSUF President’s Associates Outstanding Graduate Student Award. She is completing her master's degree in nursing this summer.

Alumni Honor Graduates

Graduates Baban Pal Singh and Sam H. Muhaidly are this year's recipients of the Alumni Association's Outstanding Graduate Award and Outstanding Senior Award, respectively.

Basic Instinct

Patricia Patten, a veteran nurse who was a health care volunteer with Hurricane Katrina victims, has completed her bachelor's degree in nursing, and is this year's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Award winner.

Top of The Class

Eight President’s Scholars — Mia N. Arterberry, Badi Eghterafi, Jean Fiddler, Jennifer Fujikawa, Jennifer Romano, Javier Serna, Aaron Thomas and Katherine Vander Veen — have completed their undergraduate degrees with honors.

Fostering Higher Education

Eight Guardian Scholars — former foster children Adam Bateham, Michelle Cadwell, Tarae Graves, Sean Guthrie, Elizabeth Long, Karen Mays, Joy Tehero and Martha Torres — have completed their undergraduate degrees.

Storyteller Makes News

America Arias earns her bachelor's degree in communications and is listed as one of the Top 100 Journalism Students in the nation by U Wire, dubbed the “Associated Press wire for college newspapers.”

Commissioned for Duty

CSUF Army ROTC Battalion makes 2nd lieutenants of 13 graduating students. The newly minted officers now are continuing officer training at military bases throughout the U.S. as they await deployment.

New Business Titans

Victor Macias, Charlesetta Medina and Matthew Gallizzi are putting their degrees to work. Using their entrepreneurial skills, Macias is creating an E-fitness website that will provide customized fitness plans, Medina is creating a networking directory business and Gallizzi, who has created business opportunities for himself since he was 9, is looking forward to a new venture.

First to Finish

The first class to complete the Master of Social Work program includes 18: Kimberly Basaker, Mercedes Marti, Denese Boyer, Gretchen Cabrera, Veronica Gonzales, Kylie Nguyen, Young Nguyen, Deanna Echevarria, Brenda Carigma, Glenna Hobbs, Alexander Lane, Olga Moreno, Patricia Elizarraras, Nicole Humphreys, Lindsay Parker, Veronica Diaz, Emi Itagaki and Tess Pham.

Becoming School Nurses

Susan Goo, Rachel McClanahan, and Heather O’Bier have completed coursework this month and Valerie Valles will complete coursework in December. They are the first to graduate with master's degrees in nursing, school nursing concentration.