News Release
SF State: exceptional students profiled
SAN FRANCISCO, May 18, 2010 -- San Francisco State University will confer degrees to 8,092 students at its 109th commencement on Saturday, May 22. Below you will find stories about outstanding graduates, including this year's hood recipients, who are top graduates chosen to represent their fellow students from each of SF State's academic colleges, Liberal Studies program and Division of Graduate Studies. For assistance in contacting any of these students, call the SF State Office of University Communications at (415) 338-1665.
First graduates from stem cell master's program
The first students to complete SF State's stem cell training program will graduate
this year. Funded by the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, the
master's program prepares highly-skilled -- and diverse -- scientists to lead
the future of stem cell research and devise new medical applications.
- Marisa Leal grew up in Salinas in a community where few of her peers went to college. She had no idea where a science degree could take her until she came to SF State. The first in her family to attend college, she earned a bachelor's in biology at SF State. As part of the master's program in stem cell science, Leal quickly learned how to grow stem cells in the lab and has investigated how to turn stem cells into skeletal muscle cells during a year-long internship at University of California, San Francisco. Leal is applying to clinical doctoral programs and wants to be a role model for other women of color entering research careers in science.
First graduates from doctorate in educational leadership
Ten students will graduate from the Ed.D. program in educational leadership
-- SF State's first independent doctoral degree. Designed for working professionals,
the program prepares administrators to tackle some of the most vexing problems
in education, such as how to close the achievement gap between students
of color and their white peers, and how to deliver effective instruction
in times of budget cuts.
- Vincent Matthews was recently named superintendent of the San Jose Unified School District and since 2007 he has served as state trustee (and state administrator) for the Oakland Unified School District, where he has been responsible for helping the district return to fiscal solvency. Having worked as an administrator and teacher in large urban public school districts, Matthews was attracted to the doctorate's focus on social justice. His thesis examined budgeting practices that allocate resources based on the socio-economic status of individual schools. He was born and raised in San Francisco and now lives in Hercules. At commencement, Matthews will receive the symbolic hood on behalf of his fellow Ed.D. students.
- Michelle Donohue-Mendoza is an administrator at West Valley Community College in Saratoga and previously worked for the CSU for 12 years. Research methods classes have helped her rigorously evaluate the student services she is responsible for, while her dissertation examined how supervision and mentoring can help female middle managers break the glass ceiling at the executive level in higher education. A native of Salinas, Donohue-Mendoza lives in Campbell.
Outstanding students:
Angela Hart, Iraq war veteran with stories to tell
Returning home from Iraq, Angela Hart decided to pursue a degree in journalism
because she noticed that the stories of women in the armed forces were underreported.
One of the first "boots on the ground" when the war Iraq conflict
began, Hart served as a National Guard Army Reserve supply specialist. She
spent 495 days in the war zone, much of the time in convoys that moved supplies
through hostile territory. During her studies, Hart has filed more than 100
stories on a variety of subjects at news outlets including the Oakland Tribune
and San Mateo County Times. Hart sees the current turmoil in the media industry
as an exciting opportunity to explore new forms of journalism.
Daigon Gaither, a monk and a sister
Daigon Gaither, graduating with a bachelor's in philosophy, is
a Zen Buddhist monk as well as one of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence,
the renowned San Francisco gay advocacy and fundraising group. He plans to
pursue a master's degree in Buddhism and certification as a chaplain so that
he can continue the work he began as a volunteer serving the dying and their
families during the San Francisco AIDS epidemic. He lives at the Zen Center
in San Francisco.
Hood recipients:
Marilyn Thomas (Science and Engineering), student speaker
San Francisco native Marilyn D. Thomas was raised in the Hunters Point neighborhood
before moving to the peninsula as a teenager. Homeless at 15, Marilyn
was forced to quit high school at 17 to earn a living. A single mother
at 20, she changed the direction of her life through hard work and perseverance.
After earning a GED, she worked as a model in San Francisco, New York and
Los Angeles, and as a massage therapist, work which prompted her to pursue
an academic career that would enable her to work in the health care field. She
is graduating with a bachelor's in biology. As this year's student Commencement
speaker, she plans to share the life lessons she has learned, including
the importance of self-accountability for both success and failure. Her
life's motto may be summed up in her favorite quote from Milton Berle: "If
opportunity doesn't knock, you build a door." Marilyn is a resident
of San Carlos and is preparing to attend medical school.
Michael Buckle (Graduate Studies), San Mateo Police Sergeant changes
young lives
A San Mateo Police sergeant, who has recruited youth off the streets to join
the Police Activities League, Michael Buckle will use his master's degree
in kinesiology to transform lives. For his thesis, Buckle designed and implemented
a 28-week soccer program to diffuse the tensions between two rival street
gangs. The results showed how participants gained self-control and direction,
leadership and respect for others. Buckle plans to pursue a doctoral degree
in counseling to segue his law enforcement career into counseling troubled
youth. A native of Pacifica, he resides in San Carlos.
Haruki Eda (Behavioral and Social Sciences), creating safe spaces for
queer youth
When sociology major Haruki Eda arrived in San Francisco from Japan, he struggled
to find a community he truly belonged to as a mixed Queer Zainichi Korean
man whose first language isn't English. In Japan, Eda was part of a population
of ethnic Koreans known as Zainichi Koreans. He has turned his multiple marginalized
statuses into a commitment to work with oppressed communities. He founded
an organization for Queer Asian and Pacific Islander students on campus,
volunteered at a queer Asian and Pacific Islander youth program in the city
and served as a Resident Assistant in University Housing. He is also involved
with a Zainichi Korean community organization that raises awareness about
racism in Japan. As a sociologist, Eda plans to continue pursuing his interest
in issues of sexuality and globalization in a doctoral program.
Sergey Bubnou (Business), a future in finance
After arriving in the U.S. from Belarus, Sergey Bubnou worked a demanding
job loading Chryslers onto train cars and taught himself English at night.
But he wanted more, and came to SF State. Bubnou declared a major in finance,
and became heavily involved in the student finance group FAME, planning
a Bay Area student investment conference in fall 2009. While planning the
conference and working, the Daly City native also passed the Level 1 Chartered
Financial Advisor exam -- a feat completed by only 30 percent of people
worldwide who take the test. He is a resident of Daly City.
Sarah Gould (Creative Arts), making a difference through movement
When Sarah Gould was 5 years old a misstep at a performance kept her from
dancing for more than five years. But Gould returned to dance as a 12 year
old, starting with ballet and jazz, and advancing to modern and creating
her own choreography. As a dance major at SF State, she was a two-year
member of the University Dance Theatre, serving as student director for
one year. A prolific performer and choreographer, her pieces have been
performed at festivals around the Bay Area. Gould is a native of Valley
Center, near San Diego.
Vania Silva (Education), from table service to speech therapist
Vania Silva spent almost a decade working in San Francisco restaurants before
deciding to train for a profession that would tap into her care-giving
nature. The daughter of a nurse, Silva was drawn to the medical field but
growing up with a Brazilian father also gave her an interest in accent
and language. She pursued both interests in a degree in communicative disorders,
which prepares her for a career as a speech-language pathologist. Silva
has successfully balanced life as a single parent alongside her studies
and gaining experience at a local hospital. A resident of San Francisco,
Silva will begin a master's in communicative disorders at SF State in the
fall.
Kyle Joseph Johnson (Ethnic Studies), first in family to earn a college
degree
Kyle Joseph Johnson, who will receive a bachelor's degree in Africana studies,
is the first in his family to earn a college degree. The Southern California
native credits family and other adult mentors for instilling academic discipline
in him at an early age. Originally an engineering major, Johnson changed
his career plans and studied Africana studies after hearing an ethnic studies
professor speak about serving the African-American community. The San Francisco
and Fresno resident plans to earn a Ph.D. in clinical psychology so he can
counsel children and families.
Cheryl Fulton (Health and Human Services), discovering a new calling
A native Canadian, Fulton worked most of her life in the food service industry.
Five years ago the Pacifica resident decided to make a career change and
pursue a college diploma. While working at a senior home, leading recreational
activities, she found that she could turn people's frustration to joy by
leading a song or encouraging clients to reminisce. The experience inspired
her to seek a bachelor's degree in recreation, parks and tourism, with a
minor in holistic health. The single mother of two juggled motherhood, paid
employment and volunteer work while earning her degree -- and the admiration
of her daughters. Fulton plans to start a business that provides outdoor
recreation trips for elders.
Peiying Ma, (Humanities), bridging cultural divides
A native of Shanghai, Peiying Ma earned an associate's degree
in international business in China and worked for an Italian firm, where
she fell in love with the language. After immigrating to the U.S. 10 years
ago and mastering English, she pursued a bachelor's degree in Italian, her
favorite language. It wasn't easy learning Italian through a second language,
but she was determined and found that the best thing about being trilingual
is being multicultural. Ma hopes to build a business or public service career
that involves bridging the cultures of China, Italy and English-speaking
countries. The San Francisco resident will soon be reunited with her 9 year
old daughter who has been living with her mother in China. She is hoping
that her mother will also obtain a visa in time to attend Commencement.
Kailani Moran (Liberal Studies), developing as a performer
Kailani Moran came to SF State after graduating from the nation's first youth-initiated
charter school in Alameda. Moran has excelled in her liberal studies degree
and has enjoyed studying a diverse range of subjects, including social sciences,
literature and creative arts and a minor in holistic health. She has been
studying the Hawaiian tradition of hula dancing for 10 years and found that
classes in music and voice at SF State helped her grow as a performer. Moran
graduated Magna Cum Laude in fall 2009 and is considering a career as a teacher.
She is a resident of Alameda.
For more information about SF State's 2010 Commencement, visit:
www.sfsu.edu/commencement/
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