May 16, 2005

Commencement Rites June 5, 11 And 12
To Honor Some 5,000 UCSD Graduates

By Pat JaCoby

An actor on the TV drama “Desperate Housewives,” a state senator, and a former Hong Kong governmental official are among speakers who will address more than 4,000 undergraduates and nearly 1,000 graduates during commencement ceremonies at the University of California, San Diego June 5, 11 and 12.

The UCSD School of Medicine, traditionally the first to kick off the spring rites, will honor its new M.D. class of 127 during ceremonies at 11 a.m. June 5 on the East Lawn of the school. Blair Sadler, president and CEO of Children’s Hospital, will be the guest speaker.

Two undergraduate and one graduate school are scheduled to hold commencements June 11, beginning at 8:30 a.m. with Muir College rites for 850 graduates on the North Campus Recreation Area (NCRA) lawn.

The International Relations/Pacific Studies graduate school will follow with 10 a.m. ceremonies for 105 in the Institute of America plaza. Anson Chan, formerly head of Hong Kong’s civil services before and after the territory’s handover to the People’s Republic of China from British Colonial rule, will be the guest speaker.

At 2:30 p.m. Thurgood Marshall College will hold its ceremony for 780 graduates on the NCRA lawn. State Sen. John Vasconcellos, D-San Jose, is slated as commencement speaker.

The five graduations scheduled June 12 will start at 8:30 a.m. with 750 graduates of Revelle College receiving their degrees on the NCRA lawn. Eleanor Roosevelt College will honor its 505 graduates at ceremonies in RIMAC Arena at 9 a.m., when David Jordan, professor emeritus, anthropology, will be guest speaker.

Sixth College, UCSD’s newest undergraduate college founded in 2002, will honor 10 graduating seniors who completed their college courses in three years, as contrasted with the usual four to five years to obtain a degree. This first graduating class will gather in the Sixth College Residential Life quad at 10 a.m. to hear commencement speaker Jorge Huerta, recently appointed UCSD associate chancellor and chief diversity officer.

UCSD Chancellor Marye Anne Fox will be the commencement speaker at ceremonies for 700 members of the Graduate Division receiving their post doctoral degrees at 2 p.m. in RIMAC Arena.

And concluding the graduations, UCSD’s largest graduating class—1,200 members of Earl Warren College—will receive degrees at 2:30 p.m. on the NCRA lawn. Actor Ricardo Chavira, who plays the role of “Carlos Solis” on the popular “Desperate Housewives” show, will speak to the graduates. Chavira graduated from UCSD with an MFA in acting in 2000 after receiving his undergraduate degree in Texas.

Media contact: Pat JaCoby, (858) 534-7404