MAY 2006 VOLUME 2 NO. 7
UC Merced Celebrates First University Commencement
Marking the latest milestone in a year filled with milestones, the campus community and close friends gathered in the Dr. Lakireddy Auditorium to celebrate UC Merced's First University Commencement on May 11.
Undergraduate students Eve Delfín and Kristi Imberi joined graduate student Daniel Santillano on stage to make history as the first students to graduate from UC Merced. As San Joaquin Valley UC Alumni Network (Alumni Network) President Lee Andersen said, these students also offer UC Merced the distinction of having the only UC alumni association with 100 percent membership.
Santillano, who is earning his master of science degree with an emphasis in environmental systems, was among the initial dozen graduate students to begin their courses and research at the Castle facilities in August 2004. He will complete his Ph.D. in environmental engineering at the Max Planck Institute in Germany.
Graduating with a bachelor of arts degree in social and cognitive sciences, Imberi transferred to UC Merced after spending three years at UC Davis. She will return to campus in the fall, when she will begin pursuit of her doctorate in cognitive and social sciences.
Also receiving her bachelor's degree in social and cognitive sciences, Delfín will spend the summer partnering with professors Belinda Reyes and Michelle Chouinard to conduct research on preschool and bilingual education. In the future, she plans to pursue graduate studies as well.
All three students hail from the Central Valley. Delfín and Imberi are longtime residents of Merced, while Santillano grew up in Sacramento.
In addition to conferring UC Merced's first academic degrees, the ceremony offered Chancellor Carol Tomlinson-Keasey an opportunity to acknowledge student, faculty and staff accomplishments and honors during her first and only commencement address.
Another highlight of the event was the traditional academic procession of graduating students, founding faculty members and the platform party, along with a recessional that led the new graduates back across the Scholars Lane bridge they first crossed during the campus opening celebration on September 5.
Following the chancellor's address, Alumni Network President Andersen and President-elect Roger Wood offered remarks and the graduates presented their class gift of a 125-gallon freshwater aquarium to be placed in the Kolligian Library.
In turn, the chancellor gave each graduate a daruma doll, which symbolizes optimism, good fortune and strong determination. Traditionally, the dolls are presented with their eyes unpainted, with one eye to be filled in when the owner sets out to achieve a goal and the second eye to be filled in when the goal has been achieved.
Showcasing the talents of UC Merced students, the program opened and closed with innovative, a cappella performances by the student musical group called Flo. Rounding out the ceremony was a pictorial tribute to the inaugural year on campus, featuring many memorable moments of the 2005-06 academic year.
UC Merced administrators estimate the campus will award 50 to 60 degrees at next year's commencement event.
