5,600 Graduating in Largest Class at Cal State Fullerton

Relief was the emotion of the moment Saturday as nearly 1,000 students in cap and gown waited for the strains of “Pomp and Circumstance” that would begin commencement ceremonies at Cal State University, Fullerton.

“It’s about time,” said communications major David Almada, who worked seven years for his degree. Friend and fellow communications major Judi Diamond toiled six years for hers but on Saturday became the only one of seven siblings to finish college.

She said her parents “have to be glad, even though it took six years.”

But Sue Masters Alvis had them all beat. Her communications degree was 22 years in the making, with time off to raise a family and start a career in public relations. “Persistance pays off,” she said. “I don’t know that I’ll use (the degree) in my job, but it’s still nice to have.”

Two-Day Ceremony

She and the others are among about 5,600 students expected to take part in commencement ceremonies that began Saturday morning and conclude today. In addition to being the largest graduating class in the university’s history, topping last year’s number by about 100, this weekend’s ceremonies marked two other milestones in Cal State Fullerton’s history.

In Saturday afternoon’s ceremony, the university conferred degree No. 75,000 on Elizabeth Ann Gastineau, 22, who was selected at random to symbolize the milestone. University President Jewel Plummer Cobb presented Gastineau with an engraved medallion and a bouquet during commencement exercises. (The choice of Gastineau seemed appropriate for a school known as a commuter campus--she drove to school each day from Simi Valley.)

Also, Saturday’s afternoon and evening ceremonies marked the last time the communications department will graduate as part of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. A new School of Communications has been formed at the university and will officially open July 1. The new school, formed from the communications and speech departments, will have about 2,300 students.

This weekend’s commencement was broken into seven ceremonies representing six schools (the huge School of Humanities and Social Sciences, with nearly 2,000 graduates, was divided into two ceremonies). Of the 5,600 graduates, 872 will receive master’s degrees and 4,717 bachelor’s degrees.

Among the students honored Saturday was Olga Z. Blohm. An honors English student, Blohm is this year’s oldest graduate at 67. She has a grandson who also attends Cal State Fullerton.

The ceremonies included January graduates and candidates for June and August graduation. Students receive certificates of participation, and get the actual sheepskins about six weeks after graduation.

Kevin Davis, at least, can bear another six weeks.

“My folks think I’ve been goofing off for seven years,” he joked. “I’ve got to prove that I’ve been in school.”