Commencement Highlights | June 25, 2013 | Spotlight

Cal State L.A.’s Class of 2013 to soar into the future

The Cal State L.A. community, along with their family and friends, celebrated the achievements of more than 5,600 graduates during its 66th Commencement on June 14 and 15. Like Golden Eagles, the graduates of Class of 2013 will leave their nest and soar ahead. They will join the more than 225,000 alumni who contribute significantly to the workforce of Los Angeles, California and beyond.

Terrence James Roberts of the Little Rock Nine was the Friday Commencement speaker. He encouraged the Class of 2013 to:

    Spend time today thinking about the footprint you will leave behind. In his memoir, Jerome Bettis, known to many of you as “The Bus,” suggests that we can follow a three step plan: Learn, Earn, Return. This seemingly linear notion makes sense even in its linearity, but I would have you think about it as a more dynamic process. Continue to learn, earn, and return from start to finish. There is no stopping point; certainly you cannot stop learning, earning, or returning since the needs proliferate over time.

During the Saturday Commencement, James M. Rosser, president of CSULA for more than three decades, addressed the future scholars, civic leaders, artists, entrepreneurs, health practitioners, scientists, and more. He said:

    And finally, graduates, whatever path you choose when you encounter that proverbial bend in the road, I want you to remember, and to believe, that you have the wisdom to make the right choice. You have demonstrated your abilities, and you now have the beginnings of a level playing field. You can compete with the best minds in the nation and succeed. Never stop dreaming! Congratulations, class of 2013!

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