SFSU Public Affairs Press Release Published by the Public Affairs Office at San Francisco State University, Lakeview Center.

#095
Contact: Office of Public Affairs
(415) 338-1665; e-mail:pubnews@sfsu.edu

GREAT VISUALS: families from around the world; grads who decorate their caps and gowns with balloons, sculptures, messages, flowers, etc.!

WHO: More than 3,500 graduates (of 6,575 total) and more than 20,000 in attendance will listen to keynote speaker U.S. Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, an ardent supporter of human rights, the environment, public health and education. San Francisco philanthropist and environmentalist Richard N. Goldman and higher education scholar Thomas Ehrlich will be honored and offer brief comments. Alumna of the Year and internationally known jazz vocalist Wesla Whitfield will sing the national anthem to open t he ceremony.

Other stories of interest include:

• Flo and Christina Teani, a South San Francisco mother/daughter duo, are both graduating with Liberal Studies degrees and will be walking together for Commencement. Flo, the mother, and Christina, the daughter (who is hearing impaired), will both work on teaching credentials at SFSU next year. Christina made it through college by lip reading her professors' lectures.

• Seventy-six-year-old Jean Sandifer to receive a master's degree with an emphasis in Web design 10 years after entering the graduate program in industrial arts. Sandifer, a Santa Rosa resident, has launched a site that offers help to grant writers.

WHEN: Saturday, May 26, 12:30 p.m., processional into the stadium begins at 12:15. Commencement program begins at 1 p.m. Keynote speech begins just before 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Cox Stadium, behind SFSU's gymnasium. Campus is located at the corner of 19th and Holloway avenues. Press area located at southwest corner of the stadium, next to the orcehstra.

ACCESS: The University will provide a camera feed. The pool camera will be trained on speakers only. Media will also have access to the field for crowd shots and shots of the stage. A transcript of all comments will be available for download online at www.sfsu.edu/~pubaff immediately following the program. Digital images are available by request.

SFSU, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132
Last modified May 17, 2001, by Office of Public Affairs