Degrees of Freedom : More Than 900 Graduate in 1st Day of Ceremonies at Cal State Fullerton

By ALICIA DI RADO

May 28, 1994 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

FULLERTON —

Although they began solemnly with a procession of gowned students, graduation ceremonies Friday at Cal State Fullerton quickly showed signs of students’ relief and euphoria.

“Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, need a job,” sang three students as they ran down into the field arm in arm.

Pink Silly String shot over the seated graduates as classmates waved and screamed to parents in the bleachers.

“The students we see before us this afternoon will be the ones shaping the future of this region in the 21st Century,” university President Milton A. Gordon began in his address. As if on cue, several students knocked a beach ball back and forth.

“I can wait,” Gordon said, pausing for students to quiet down.

But by evening’s end, more than 900 Cal State Fullerton students had become alumni.

Among them were Lisa Abato, 23, of Mission Viejo, who, hours after applying for a marriage license for a July wedding, donned her cap and gown.

Abato, 23, and Gwen Boone, also 23, of Buena Park, are the first two people to graduate from the university’s nascent environmental chemistry program, which college officials call one of the few in the nation.

“What keeps me motivated is that when I’m outside, I look around and remember there are chemicals coming out of plants and other chemicals reacting with them,” Abato said. “We have to breathe what results.”

Friday’s ceremonies were the first of three days of commencement exercises at the university. Nearly 6,000 students are scheduled to march in six ceremonies held on the campus football field.

On Sunday, university officials will honor the memory of sociology honors student Cathy Torrez, a junior who was killed by an unknown assailant in February. Torrez will be named an honorary alumna.

The Cal State Fullerton graduation is the first of the largest college commencement ceremonies in Orange County, even though students began graduating from other area colleges in early May. The institutions include:

* The Art Institute of Southern California in Laguna Beach, which awarded 27 bachelor’s degrees in fine arts on May 7.

* Rancho Santiago College in Santa Ana, where more than 480 people graduated on May 20.

* Irvine Valley College, where more than 140 students walked through commencement on Wednesday. About 350 students were eligible to graduate.

* Golden West College in Huntington Beach, which awarded associate of arts degrees to about 350 people at its 27th commencement on Wednesday. More than 1,000 people were eligible for degrees, college spokeswoman Lori Thomas said.

* Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, which conferred 1,415 associate of arts degrees on Thursday. The 46th commencement ceremony was held at the LeBard Stadium on campus.

Upcoming graduation ceremonies are scheduled at:

* Chapman University in Orange, where more than 725 people are set to graduate on Sunday.

* Western State University College of Law in Fullerton, which will graduate more than 300 students at a ceremony at UC Irvine’s Bren Events Center on Sunday.

* Cypress College, where about 900 students are invited to march in its 27th commencement Thursday.

* Fullerton College, which will observe its 80th commencement Thursday. More than 1,000 students are scheduled to gather at the Fullerton High School stadium for the event.

* Coastline Community College in Fountain Valley, where more than 430 graduates are invited to meet June 12 at the Neighborhood Community Center in Costa Mesa.

* UC Irvine, which will hold its commencement exercises in mid-June. Among those who are eligible to receive their diplomas, according to UCI spokeswoman Karen Newell Young: 3,390 undergraduates and 640 graduates, all on June 18, and 92 medical students on June 10.

Commencement Ceremonies

Cal State Fullerton

* Arts: 4 p.m. today

* Business Administration and Economics: 7:30 p.m. today

* Human Development and Community Service: 4 p.m. Sunday

* Humanities and Social Sciences: 7:30 p.m. Sunday

All ceremonies at Titan Stadium

Chapman University

* 10 a.m. Sunday

Athletics Field

Western State University

College of Law