Congratulations Class of 2019

Published May 21, 2019
By By Andrew Edwards

Commencement ceremonies at Cal State Long Beach provide common prologues to thousands of emerging stories.

Yet the unifying symbols of Commencement – the black caps and gowns, the sounds of “Pomp and Circumstance” and the Alma Mater, the informal ritual of photo sessions in front of Lymon Lough Fountain, exist in parallel to signifiers of diversity and individuality.

Cal State Long Beach welcomed students and their families to Cultural Graduation Celebrations – celebrated with dance, music and traditional dress — prior to academic colleges’ more formal events honoring degree candidates. During those ceremonies, students’ individual personalities and achievements showed in the way they adorned themselves with leis, medallions and, for graduates who studied construction management, black hard hats emblazoned with the campus golden interlocking “LB” logo.

More than 11,000 students, bound for different destinations after their shared times at The Beach, earned the right to participate in this year’s ceremonies.

Photo Galleries

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College of Engineering

A female graduate lifts her arms in celebration while confet

A row of excited graduates cheering during College of Engine

College of Engineering graduates walk past the ceremony audi

A group of College of Engineering graduates wearing black ha

The possibilities are endless

“The possibilities are endless,” President Jane Close Conoley told the class of 2019. “My simple message to you today though, is to be bold. You’ve earned that right. You’ve managed the rigors of an education at The Beach, and you’ve come to this ceremony to mark the occasion for yourselves, with your families, and your friends.”

College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics

Several graduates are seated for College of Natural Sciences

A line of four women graduating from the College of Natural

A woman wearing a lei, sunglasses and graduation regalia gri

A man wearing multiple leis and graduation regalia grips a s

College of Education

A smiling graduate takes a selfie with a woman while confett

Five young women hold up signs with the letters "F," "R," "A

A crowd of graduates participating in the College of Educati

Several graduates standing in a line at the College of Educa

College of Liberal Arts

Graduates taking selfies at the College of Liberal Arts cere

Several audience members cheering and capturing imagery with

A man wearing graduation regalia smiles as confetti falls ar

The audience at the College of Liberal Arts ceremony can be

Naomi Rainey-Pierson, president of the Long Beach branch of

The campus also honored Naomi Rainey-Pierson, president of the Long Beach branch of the NAACP and an alumna who earned her bachelor’s and two master’s degrees at Cal State Long Beach, during this year’s ceremonies. Rainey-Pierson received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree and addressed graduates during Wednesday morning’s College of Liberal Arts ceremony.

College of Health & Human Services

Two male graduates smile while confetti falls around them du

A person makes a "snow angel" in confetti covering the groun

Multi-colored confetti falls around female graduates during

A man wearing two leis and sunglasses with his graduation re

College of Business

College of Business graduates are showered in confetti whil

A woman, seen from behind, wearing a bright red academic gow

Graduates proceed in a line while holding their scrolls at t

A row of audience members at the College of Business ceremon

College of The Arts

A College of the Arts graduate wearing sunglasses smiles whi

A College of the Arts graduate smiles while holding her cell

A College of the Arts graduate holds her scroll while appear

A College of the Arts graduate wearing a crown atop her cap

“Speak truth with love. Have the courage to stand alone when you’re fighting against evil, bigotry and any kind of hate. Always help someone along the way. Do not let a simple disappointment, discouragement take you off of your trajectory toward your dream or your ambition. Remember, compassion and integrity are important.”