News and Announcements
California Attorney General Rob Bonta will deliver the keynote address at SF State’s 124th Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 23, at Oracle Park.
The University will also award honorary doctoral degrees to Pulitzer Prize-nominated author Tommy Orange and activist, physician and minister Ramona Tascoe (B.A., ’70). A posthumous honorary doctoral degree will be given to author and beloved SFSU History Professor Dawn Mabalon.
Doors at Oracle Park open at 3:30 p.m. The graduate procession begins at 5:30 p.m., with Commencement starting at 6:30 p.m. Fireworks will close out the event at about 9:30 p.m.
Live updates and photos from the ceremony will be posted to the University’s X, Instagram and Facebook accounts. Graduates and guests can tag their Commencement posts on social media using the hashtag #SFSU2025.
Commencement information is available via the SFSU mobile app. Once you’ve downloaded the University’s mobile app, visit “SFSU’s 2025 Commencement Ceremony, See More Ceremony Info.” Be sure to opt in to the University’s Commencement reminders by selecting “Manage Commencement Alerts” to receive push notifications. Details are also available on the Commencement website.
State Attorney General Rob Bonta
On April 23, 2021, Rob Bonta was sworn in as the 34th attorney general of California, the first person of Filipino descent and the second Asian American to occupy the position.
Bonta’s passion for justice and fairness was instilled in him by his parents, who served on the front lines of some of America’s most important social justice movements. Instilling in him the lessons they learned from the United Farm Workers and the civil rights movement, Bonta’s parents lit a fire inside him to fight against injustice — to stand up for those who are taken advantage of or harmed. It’s why he decided to become a lawyer — to help right historic wrongs and fight for people who have been harmed. He worked his way through college, graduated with honors from Yale University and attended Yale Law School.
In the State Assembly, Bonta enacted nation-leading reforms to inject more justice and fairness into government and institutions. As attorney general, he sees seeking accountability from those who abuse their power and harm others as one of the most important functions of the job. In elected office, he has taken on powerful interests and advanced systemic change — pursuing corporate accountability, standing up for workers, punishing big polluters and fighting racial injustice.
He has been a national leader in the fight to transform the criminal justice system, banning private prisons and detention facilities in California, as well as pushing to eliminate cash bail in the state. He has led statewide fights for racial, economic and environmental justice and worked to further the rights of immigrant families, renters and other working Californians.
Prior to serving in the Assembly, Attorney General Bonta worked as a deputy city attorney for the City and County of San Francisco, where he represented the city and county and its employees and fought to protect Californians from exploitation and racial profiling.
Born in Quezon City, Philippines, Bonta immigrated to California with his family as an infant. He is the son of a proud native Filipina mother and a father who taught him the value of public service to his community. He is married to Mia Bonta, and they are the proud parents of three children: Reina, Iliana and Andres.
Dawn Bohulano Mabalon
Dawn Bohulano Mabalon was the premier historian of Filipino American studies and is believed to be the first Filipina American to earn a Ph.D. in American History from Stanford University. Prior to that she received her B.A. in History with a specialization in Asian American Studies in 1994 and her M.A. in Asian American Studies in 1997 from the University of California, Los Angeles.
In her 2013 award-winning book “Little Manila Is in the Heart: The Making of the Filipina/o American Community in Stockton, California,” she examined the rich and vibrant community in which she grew up and where her family continues to live. She also left behind the children’s book “Journey for Justice: The Life of Larry Itliong,” co-written with Gayle Romasanta and illustrated by Andre Sibayan. The book, published posthumously, chronicles the life of Filipino farm labor activist Larry Itliong.
Along with academic contributions, she was the co-founder and board member of the Little Manila Foundation, where she worked for the preservation and revitalization of the Little Manila Historic Site in Stockton. Through her visionary work and leadership, the foundation saved historic buildings from demolition in 2003, and she inspires a generation of youth in her hometown who will continue her legacy.
In 2004, Mabalon joined the SFSU History Department faculty. Students loved her classes, where they not only learned to love history but they came to love learning. Through her dynamic lectures and interactive discussions, her witty humor and commentary and the food she cooked and baked for her students, she touched hearts, minds and stomachs.
In Mabalon’s last statement, she wrote, “I am an historian dedicated to building bridges between the communities about whom I write (Filipino Americans, Asian Americans, immigrants, workers) and the academy. I have devoted my life’s work to sharing the stories of people and communities at the margins of the American story. … With the humanities and history disciplines under attack, there is no better time to strengthen the work we do as professional historians.”
Mabalon is remembered for the love for Filipina/o America that guided her work and her life. She was a respected historian, author, filmmaker, poet, chef, baker, community leader and activist who leaves behind a far-reaching legacy, grounded in love.
Tommy Orange
Tommy Orange is the New York Times-bestselling author of the 2018 novel “There There” (Alfred A. Knopf), a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. His debut novel chronicled the fictional lives of urban Native Americans living in Oakland. In doing so, his book challenged the monolithic image of Native people. “There There” is a constellation of narratives of 12 characters whose lives all converge at an Oakland powwow and explores themes of identity, authenticity and Native history.
His latest novel, “Wandering Stars,” longlisted for the Booker Prize, was published by Alfred A. Knopf in February 2024. This novel, a continuation of his first, follows three generations of a family all the way back to the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864 and later to the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. His book examines the impact of colonization and forced assimilation through his characters.
His novels have been recognized by several organizations. “There There” won the PEN/Hemingway Award, the National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Prize and the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and was shortlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction.
In 2019, he was honored by SFSU’s Department of Creative Writing with the Gina Berriault Award. The award, named after the late author and beloved faculty member, is given to writers who embody Berriault’s love of storytelling and commitment to supporting emerging writers.
In 2004, Orange received his undergraduate degree in sound engineering from Ex’pression College of Digital Arts in Emeryville. He received his Master of Fine Arts degree at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe in 2016. He’s currently a faculty member there.
Orange lives in Oakland with his wife and two sons.
Ramona Tascoe (B.A., ’70)
Ramona Tascoe came to SFSU to pursue a special triple major in Political Science, Sociology and Psychology. But as a result of her fearless commitment to her ideals, she also became an essential part of the University’s enduring legacy.
In 1967, Tascoe took part in campus protests after George Murray, a graduate student and part-time English instructor, was suspended because of his activism and outspoken support for equity and accuracy in higher education. Among the protestors’ demands: that the University rehire Murray and create a Black Studies Department.
The protests grew into the historic student strike of 1968 that would eventually lead to the creation of the College of Ethnic Studies. But before that victory, there were many intense confrontations — and in the midst of one of them, Tascoe became the first of the student protesters to be arrested.
That was a courageous development for a young woman whose protective father often told her, “Don’t talk race … assimilate.” Born in Louisiana, where “Jim Crow” was not a stranger, Tascoe moved with her family to the more hopeful horizons of San Francisco in 1953. Despite her father’s advice, Tascoe joined the rapidly emerging Black Student Union, found her voice and grabbed the baton of civil rights and social justice. In the years since, she’s continued to forge her own independent path.
Tascoe earned her medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco in 1979. And she wasn’t done with higher education there: She later earned both a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of San Francisco and a Master of Divinity degree from Berkeley’s Graduate Theological Union, after which she was dually ordained under the American Baptist and Progressive National Baptist ministries.
Though she’s practiced as an internal medicine specialist in Oakland for decades, Tascoe has also put her unique mix of skills to work on behalf of communities around the world. She’s led medical missions to Kenya, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, India and Sri Lanka. And she’s worked extensively with Haiti’s Ministry of Health and the University General Hospital of Haiti, that nation’s largest public hospital.
In 2018, she was SFSU’s Commencement speaker and urged students to put their passions into action. “I call on each of you to actively care about a cause, commit to a cure, devote your time, your talent and your treasure in good conscience and with courage,” she said. “Because our nation cannot survive on passive citizenship.”
Over the course of nearly 50 years in practice, Tascoe has profoundly impacted the lives of countless individuals and communities by gently illuminating that healing is not merely a science or an art — it is both. She reminds us that within every human experience, there exists a sacred balance between biology and belief, physics and faith, seen and unseen.
On April 25, SFSU held a dedication ceremony to celebrate the completion of its latest construction project: two state-of-the-art buildings designed to enhance student living and health and wellness on campus.
The new buildings, designed by EHDD and constructed by McCarthy Building Companies, were intentionally built next to each other on the west side of campus, an area with a high concentration of buildings and facilities that support residential living and well-being.
One of the newly constructed spaces, West Grove Commons, is a first-time freshman residence hall that provides more than 700 beds. The other is a mixed-use building that includes the Gator Student Health Center where students can receive a wide array of health services and the Yerba Buena Dining Hall, which provides diverse meal options to meet dietary needs.
“This is historic both in that it addresses the need for housing, and it addresses a critical need to enroll and graduate students,” SFSU President Lynn Mahoney said at the celebration. “It addresses the state’s need to have a highly educated workforce.”
The design and construction process intentionally considered the space so West Grove Common residents have convenient access to key amenities. Residents can easily visit the Yerba Buena Dining Hall for a nutritious meal, pick up prescriptions at the health center and attend a workout class across the street at the Mashouf Wellness Center — all within a short, walkable distance.
“Using a collaborative progressive design-build approach allowed the project to be completed in record speed. We were awarded the project in August 2022 and within eight months of design and preconstruction, construction commenced to ensure the residence hall would be completed in 16 months to welcome first-time freshman in August 2024. The Gator Student Health Center and Yerba Buena Dining Hall was completed shortly after in April 2025. The timeline underscores a commitment to delivering results efficiently,” said Jack Carter, vice president at McCarthy Building Companies. “By aligning our efforts with SFSU’s vision, we delivered student spaces that are both functional and sustainable — promoting wellness, community and connection — all delivered on an expedited schedule and within budget.”
“Our whole team takes great pride in contributing to a project with the potential to so positively impact the San Francisco State community,” said Lynne Riesselman, principal at EHDD Architecture. “Meeting the accelerated schedule required deep collaboration from the broader group of design consultants and trade partners. I’m happy to say that through the process, we kept focus on strengthening the campus fabric, fostering community and prioritizing student success.”
West Grove Commons first-time freshman residence hall
The first-time freshman residence hall is a 120,000-square-foot, six-story, all-electric building that provides over 700 beds and was developed using a cluster concept, a design strategy intended to help students form tight-knit communities. This approach fosters natural communities by grouping triple rooms with a dedicated lounge, all-gender bathroom facilities and a resident advisor. As students adjust to their first home away from home, this gives them space to socialize, sleep, study and dine within the comfort of an intimate community grouping.
This residence hall addresses the critical need for affordable student housing and was brought to market with remarkable speed and efficiency. As the first project completed under the California Affordable Student Housing grant, SFSU received $116 million to create an affordable housing program and build West Grove Commons.
The affordable student housing program offers students an approximate 25 percent reduction in room fees, compared to SFSU’s standard rates. Eligible students for this program can apply the reduced rate to any SFSU housing options for the academic year, including West Grove Commons.
Key design elements include:
- Community Focus: The housing is designed to form natural communities of 30-35 students, each sharing common spaces to promote interaction and a sense of belonging.
- Student Choice: A variety of lounge and amenity spaces cater to different student needs, from intimate pockets to large indoor and outdoor social spaces at the ground floor. By offering variety in furnishing and spatial quality, students may find variety within their own building.
- Inclusive Space: The planning of the ground floor is designed to benefit the broader campus by welcoming a blended community of residents and commuter students.
- Biophilic Design: Emphasizing natural light, fresh air and views of the landscape to improve student wellbeing.
- Sustainable Features: The project includes all-electric buildings, a focus on healthy material selection and is tracking to achieve LEED Gold Certification.
Gator Student Health Center and Yerba Buena Dining Hall
The new Gator Student Health Center enhances student wellness by consolidating medical services, mental health counseling and health education and promotion programs into a single, accessible location. Previously, units under the University’s Gator Health and Student Well-Being arm were spread across campus. With the new health center, the units are now under one roof, creating a one-stop location offering comprehensive and holistic health services to students.
The Gator Student Health Center also features a full-service pharmacy and a Health & Wellness Hub where students can study, socialize, pick up wellness items and health materials and information. The center also has rooms for health education workshops and events. In addition to centralizing services for students, the new health center is designed to increase student engagement and to build community.
The Yerba Buena Dining Hall is a modern, light-filled space that offers a variety of nutritious, inclusive meals that cater to diverse dietary needs. With its open layout, flexible seating and focus on sustainability, the dining commons serves as a hub where students can gather, refuel and connect throughout the day.
Photo by Juan Montes
Last week President Lynn Mahoney joined a wide array of university presidents nationwide to sign a letter organized by the American Association of Colleges & Universities. The letter calls for constructive engagement with government while opposing political overreach that threatens the foundational freedoms of American higher education.
The Office of the President has announced that Luis De Paz Fernandez has been selected to serve as the permanent chief of staff. He has served in the Office of the President in various roles since 2018 and has been in the chief of staff role on an interim basis since May of 2024.
De Paz Fernandez is a double alum from SF State. He graduated with a B.A. in Latina/Latino Studies and International Relations and a master’s in Public Administration. He began his career at SF State in the Student Outreach office in 2016 and later served as the interim AB540 Dream Resource Center coordinator in 2020 – 21. He co-led the Seal of Excelencia Working Group’s successful efforts to earn the Seal of Excelencia for SFSU. He also led a work group which earned two community grants awarded by the CSU Hispanic Service Institution Hub which are designed to assist in campus efforts in redefining what it means to serve Latinx students.
He has collaborated with campus partners on projects focused on retention and student success initiatives to support undocumented students.
The Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications (SMC) is pleased to announce that the content development phase of the University website redesign project is underway. The sfsu.edu website is being restructured and rewritten to center student users first and foremost: providing necessary information, illustrating the student experience and creating a seamless process from exploration to application and enrollment.
In the coming weeks, each department will be contacted with a designated time frame for collaborating with a representative from SMC on reviewing, updating and refining website content.
SMC offers drop-in hours via Zoom for guidance on web content and strategy throughout this process. Please join and ask questions about the website redesign project and how to best present information on the web.
Schedule:
- Tuesdays in May, 11 a.m. – noon: Web Content Strategy with Alexis Lowry, lead digital communications specialist. Join Zoom meeting.
- Thursdays in May, 3 – 4 p.m.: Writing for the Web with Steve Hockensmith, director of communications and executive editor. Join Zoom meeting.
The Kenneth R. McCormick & Peter G. Jensvold Scholarship is given annually by the Anthropology Department to support Anthropology students who show promise in the field. This year’s winner is Matthew Dumas.
Dumas is concentrating in Visual Anthropology and hopes to pursue a career in this subfield. He is pursuing courses in Cinema as well as Anthropology and is editing a former graduate student’s film for submission to the American Anthropological Association conference. Dumas is a teaching assistant, a student ambassador at SF State Create and a graduate assistant at the Bay Area chapter of the Scholars Strategy Network.
It is less than a month until SF State’s 124th Commencement ceremony at Oracle Park on Friday, May 23. All ambassadors at the event will receive an SF State beanie. Your support will help make this a special event creating lasting memories for graduating students, their friends and family members.
As an ambassador, you will play a vital role, ensuring the smooth execution of the ceremony and contributing to the atmosphere of pride and joy.
Shifts are 1:30 – 9:30 p.m. As in years past, all ambassadors are asked to receive approval from their supervisor and attend an informational training via Zoom in late May for their assignment.
Many assignments involve large amounts of walking and standing. To request accommodations, please note them on the sign-up form under “Questions or requests.”
For questions, please email Dania Russell at drussell@sfsu.edu.
SF State’s 124th Commencement Ceremony is fast approaching. Mark your calendars for Friday, May 23, at Oracle Park. The University invites faculty members to sign up as a faculty marshal and play a vital role in ensuring the smooth procession, organization and overall success of the ceremony.
Assignments will be 1:30 – 9:30 p.m. As in years past, all faculty marshals are asked to attend an informational training in late May via Zoom for their assignment.
Many assignments involve large amounts of walking and standing. To request accommodations, please note them on the sign-up form under “Questions or requests.”
For questions or more information, please email Ken Maeshiro at kmaeshir@sfsu.edu.
SFSU is conducting a short, voluntary survey to learn about students’ thoughts and experiences with artificial intelligence (AI) and help guide future AI-related engagement on campus. The survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete.
The SF State Academic Senate met on Tuesday, April 22, via Zoom.
The Senate:
- Passed the following items:
- Revision to All University Committee on International Programs, #S20-151
- Revision to Policy Restructuring Academic Units, #S21-290
- M.A. in Women and Gender Studies: suspension
- M.A. in Anthropology: suspension
- B.A. in Chinese, concentration in Flagship Chinese Language: suspension
- Heard in first reading the following:
- Revision to Academic Freedom Policy, #F13-267
- Resolution Calling for a Report on the Instruction of Reading and Writing
- Resolution in Support of Student Parent Success at San Francisco State University
- Revision to Policy on Requirements for Graduate Students, #S21-295
- Revision to Course Syllabus Policy, #S24-257
- Resolution Supporting Equitable Service for Lecture Faculty
- Revision to Retention, Tenure, and Promotion Policy, #S24-241
- Returned this previously tabled item back to committee for further work:
- Revision to #S19-014 University on Written English Proficiency
- Revision to #S19-014 University on Written English Proficiency
The School of Art’s Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition opened April 25 and will remain open until Thursday, May 15, in the Fine Arts Gallery, Fine Arts building. “Autonomous Zones” features the work of Lucia González Ippolito, Eleanor Scholz, Daniela Tinoco and Joey Toro. A catalog with essays by Trisha Lagaso Goldberg accompanies the exhibition.
Artists talks in the Fine Arts Gallery:
- Tuesday, April 29, noon: Lucia González Ippolito
- Tuesday, May 13, noon: Daniela Tinoco and Joey Toro
- Thursday, May 15, noon: Eleanor Scholz
The exhibition is open Tuesdays – Fridays, noon – 4 p.m., and by appointment. It will also be open Saturday, May 10, noon – 4 p.m., during the School of Art’s Graduate Open Studios event.
Asian Improv Arts, in collaboration with the Sound and Social Justice Commons and the SFSU School of Music’s Creative Music Studies Program, presents “ImprovisAsians! Festival 2025: Generations” Tuesday, April 29 – Thursday, May 1, in Knuth Hall, Creative Arts building. This series of performances and workshops honors the spirit of cultural expression and collective action. Admission is free.
Please visit the Asian Improv Arts website to RSVP and for the full schedule.
The Gator Student Health Center is officially open. Join the GatorHealth and Well-being units to celebrate the new, centralized location for all student health and wellness needs on Wednesday, April 30, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., by participating in a bingo game. At the Gator Student Health Center, explore three floors filled with wellness activities, health games, snacks, swag, and plenty of smiles.
For questions or to request reasonable accommodations, please email Dai To at daito@sfsu.edu.
The “AI Literacy Essentials: Prompting for Practical Applications” course offers a focused exploration of prompting and iteration strategies for generative AI chatbots like Microsoft Copilot. It will be held Wednesday, April 30, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., via Zoom.
Through collaborative, hands-on activities and interactive exercises, participants will learn to write clear, effective prompts, apply refinement techniques such as prompt chaining, and assess AI-generated outputs for accuracy and relevance to achieve more reliable and useful results in a variety of academic and non-academic contexts.
This course is required to receive a digital badge for the AI Literacy Education Program.
Elevate your skills with a diverse range of trainings offered by experts from across the CSU system.
Upcoming trainings:
- Thursday, May 1, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: “Practicing Leadership in Hectic Times, Part 2: Exploring and Practicing Leadership”
- Friday, May 2, 11 a.m. – noon: “Credit Basics, Credit Cards and Credit Scores”
- Tuesday, May 6, 10 – 11 a.m.: “Assertive Communication”
- Wednesday, May 7, 2 – 3:30 p.m.: “Exposing Hidden Bias”
- Thursday, May 8: 10 – 11 a.m.: “Preparing Teams for Change”
- Friday, May 9, 11 a.m. – noon: “Fraud Prevention – Protect Your Money”
- Monday, May 12, 10 – 11:30 a.m.: “Excel Tips and Tricks”
- Tuesday, May 13, 9:30 – 11 a.m.: “Virtual Stepping Beyond Customer Service”
- Wednesday, May 14, 10 – 11 a.m.: “Intercultural Creativity: The Ace Up Your Sleeve for the Future of Work (CSU’s Got Talent session)”
- Wednesday, May 14, noon – 1 p.m.: “Success as First-Gen Professional”
- Monday, May 19, 10 – 11 a.m.: “Getting Started with OneDrive and SharePoint”
- Wednesday, May 21, 11 a.m. – noon: “Sustainable Living –Summer and Home Edition”
- Thursday, May 22, 2 – 3 p.m.: “Subject Matter Experts and Course Design”
- Wednesday, May 28, 1:30 – 3 p.m.: “Self-Coaching 101”
- Thursday, May 29, 10 – 11:30 a.m.: “Atomic Habits: Becoming the Architect of Your Life”
Choose trainings and register via a downloadable PDF flyer available from Human Resources.
The campus community is invited to a presentation, “Somebody ‘Blew Up’ San Francisco State College: That Was Now This is Then: How the Black Student Union and Black Arts Movements Changed Education Forever.” The free event takes place Thursday, May 1, 7 – 8:45 p.m., in Knuth Hall, Creative Arts building. It is in celebration of the cultural, political and historical victories before the historic SF State student strike of 1968 – 1969.
Associate Professor of Africana Studies Mark Allan Davis, in collaboration with School of Music Director and Professor Hafez Modirzadeh, presents a celebration of the empowering community organizing by young Black students, which initiated a monumental growth in Black student enrollment at SF State, the longest student strike in U.S. history and the first Black Studies department and College of Ethnic Studies. This program, curated by Davis, explores the dynamic creativity of “artivism” early on following his discovery of a play that premiered on the campus, written and directed by controversial poet/playwright LeRoi Jones/Amiri Baraka.
Davis hosts the event with a keynote address from James “Jimmy” Garrett. Special guests include members of the original SF State Black Student Union, today’s leaders of SFSU’s and Cal State LA’s Black Student Unions. Musical performances feature Modirzadeh and a quintet accompanying Los Angeles-based vocalist Najé Nova, choreography from De’jha Scott and Dancers, rapper/poet Chioke Allen and performer Nick Brentley.
The Center for Equity and Excellence in Teaching and Learning hosts its second annual symposium on using artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom, on Friday, May 2, 9 a.m. – noon, via Zoom. The symposium is titled “Embracing and Resisting AI: Best Practices in the Classroom.”
This symposium will be held in collaboration with the Lam Family College of Business Emerging Technologies Initiative.
Attend a free performance sponsored by AA CARES on Monday, May 5, 3:30 – 5 p.m., in McKenna Theatre, Creative Arts building. Self-proclaimed “Food Bank Influencer” Kristina Wong will perform “#FoodBankInfluencer,” her rendition of the American musical like nobody ever asked for, by celebrating our emergency food system.
Having experienced food distribution (or lack thereof) from New York to the Navajo Nation, she shares irreverent commentary while illuminating American food insecurity and the subsequent national pastime that is collecting and giving away free food. But how will she pull this off with humor? It’s a SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, that is).
Free supplemental groceries items will be available after the show. It is appropriate for audiences age 13 and up.
The campus community is invited to a book talk with author Jaz Brisack on Tuesday, May 6, 2 – 3:15 p.m., in Library 420.
Brisack, former Rhode Scholar and chief architect of the Starbucks Workers United union campaign, is the author of “Get on the Job and Organize: Standing Up for a Better Workplace and a Better World” (Simon & Schuster). One of the country’s best-known labor organizers, they have also led campaigns at Tesla and Ben & Jerry’s, among others. They are practitioner in residence at the UC Berkeley Labor Center. Their success in supporting unions has been featured in Time and the The New York Times. Brisack will be in conversation with Director and Professor of Labor Studies John Logan.
The Lam Family College of Business is the host of this event.
Photo by John Logan
Seeking to learn about the latest research, scholarship and creative activities (RSCA) happening at SF State? Look no further than “Coffee and Conversation,” the first in a new series of events designed to spark connection, build community and celebrate faculty RSCA across the University.
The campus community is invited to the inaugural Office of Research and Sponsored Programs “Coffee and Conversation” RSCA Breakfast on Thursday, May 8, 8:30 – 10 a.m., in Library 121.
The event kicks off with SF State’s newest faculty members giving “lightning talks”:
- Shubhi Sachdeva, assistant professor of Child and Adolescent Development: “Ethnographic Insights into Place, Culture and Identity: Exploring Community-Centered Agency and Development in Early Childhood Environments”
- Anisha Singh, assistant professor of Psychology: “Shifting Knowledge, Beliefs and Emotions about Climate Justice”
- Bianca Licata, assistant professor of Elementary Education: “Critical Speculative Storying Methodology: Unpacking Tensions, Imagining Forward"
- Chrissy Lau, assistant professor of Asian American Studies: “The Transnational New Woman: New Directions in Asian American History and U.S. Women’s History”
SFSU’s Apparel Design and Merchandising program is proud to present “Runway 2025: Requiem” on Thursday, May 8, in the Student Life Events Center, Annex 1. Threading together the past, present, and future of fashion, “Requiem” encapsulates the rich and broad tapestry of fashion design over time while emphasizing the diverse approaches towards the creation of apparel.
As a testament to the everlasting evolution of fashion, the juniors and seniors of the Apparel Design and Merchandising program will present their unique creations and designs that push forward the legacy of fashion and its mark upon culture and society.
This year’s show will feature the creative designs of junior designers who are dedicated to sustainability. Through the utilization of donated material, these designers are transforming old into new, wearable art that reduces waste and encourages a more sustainable apparel industry. The senior designers will showcase individual collections that express their personal design signatures and creative visions, highlighting their technical capability and innovativeness.
Please visit the “Runway 2025: Requiem” website for more information and to purchase tickets.
SF State Spotlight
Six students have received honorable mention from the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program. SFSU’s Gerardo Ramos, Benjamin Lee, Samantha Moreno Sandoval, Richard Baker-Strader, Megan Faulkner and Peter Martin, an alumnus, are among this year’s honorees.
All of these students are from the Department of Biology. Lee, Sandoval, Ramos and Baker-Strader participated in the Student Enrichment Opportunities program. Lee and Baker-Strader participated in Promoting Inclusivity in Computing. Ramos and Sandoval participated in Graduate Opportunities in Learning Data Science.
Since 2015, 35 students have received the fellowship award and 36 have been honorable mentions either at SFSU or at their subsequent graduate institution. Since 2021, Professor Sally Pasion, Assistant Professor Derrick Groom, and former Assistant Professor Erica Sanchez have been running workshops and supporting students in the application process.
The fellowship is given to students pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees in an eligible field of study, such as life sciences, chemistry, geoscience, computer science, engineering, mathematics, physics, astronomy and psychology. Students apply as an undergraduate senior or during their first or second year of graduate school. Each fellowship provides three years of support over a five-year fellowship period. The NSF award provides a $37,000 stipend and $16,00 cost of education allowance to the graduate degree-granting intuition. As a highly coveted fellowship, the award and honorable mention can indicate an early-career scientist’s potential and add a competitive boost to a curriculum vitae. Since 1952, more than 70,000 Graduate Research Fellowships have been awarded, more than 40 fellows have become Nobel Laureates and more than 450 have become members of the National Academy of Sciences.
Veronica Rabelo, associate professor of Management, and Danya Walker, former assistant professor of Management, recently published a study in the Journal of Diversity in Higher Education examining how parental education and racial identity — specifically whiteness —affect food insecurity and psychological strain among college students.
Using 2021 National College Health Assessment data collected by SFSU’s Health Promotion and Wellness, the researchers explored key social determinants of health impacting SFSU students’ mental wellbeing. They found that students who identify as white, Asian or Hispanic — and those whose parents have higher levels of education — were less likely to experience food insecurity, which in turn was linked to lower levels of psychological strain.
Bárbara Abadía-Rexach, associate professor of Latina/o Studies, published a book on Afrofeminism in her home country of Puerto Rico. “AFROfeminista: Raza y mujer en Puerto Rico” is published under a new editorial project, Periodística Editorial, which seeks to publish books on communication and journalism that challenge traditional rhetoric and open the space for underrepresented voices.
“AFROfeminista” is a compilation of op-ed columns Abadía-Rexach has written over the years in the Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Día, among other national and international media. The book is divided into six chapters, includes unpublished material and chronicles the lived experiences of visibly Black women in Puerto Rico.
The College of Ethnic Studies and Latina/o Studies Department, in collaboration with the J. Paul Leonard Library, will present a book talk on “AFROfeminista” on Wednesday, May 7, 4 – 6 p.m., in Library 286. Puerto Rican scholars Talía Guzman-Gonzalez and Eileene Tejada will join Abadía-Rexach to discuss the themes and issues in the book.
Jimmy Bagley, professor of Kinesiology, and Rachel Flynn, associate professor of Child and Adolescent Development, delivered a keynote, “Active VR Gaming: Bridging Mind, Body and Technology Across the Lifespan” at the Mixed Reality Safety and Interaction workshop. It took place during the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Virtual Reality Conference in Saint-Malo, France.
Their talk spotlighted their research at SFSU, where they explore how virtual reality (VR) gaming can serve as a powerful tool for promoting physical activity across age groups. By combining expertise in kinesiology and developmental science, Bagley and Flynn are investigating how immersive VR environments can engage both children and adults in movement-based gameplay that supports health and wellness. Their presentation emphasized the potential of VR to transform sedentary screentime into meaningful exercise — bridging the gap between entertainment, cognitive engagement and physical fitness.