SJSU Celebrated the Investiture of Dr. Cynthia Teniente-Matson as its 31st President

San José State University celebrated Dr. Cynthia Teniente-Matson as the 31st president of the university during a week-long celebration, culminating with the investiture ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 22 at the Hammer Theater Center. 

During the investiture ceremony, the California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees formally invests in Dr. Teniente-Matson the authority of the presidency at SJSU. 

CSU Chancellor Mildred Garcia, CSU Board of Trustees Chair Wenda Fong and presidents from other CSU campuses were among the distinguished guests at the ceremony. The investiture ceremony was available via livestream beginning at 10 a.m.

Events during the week include the Day of Remembrance, a national observance of the World War II incarceration of Americans of Japanese descent in the United States, “An Evening with Julian Castro” as part of the Spartan Speaker Series, and a men’s basketball game against the University of Nevada, Reno. The full list of events for the week is available on the Investiture website.  

Thanks to the generosity of donors, event sponsors, and auxiliary funds, state funds were not used for the investiture celebration. 

One of the oldest traditions in academia dating back to the Middle Ages, the word investiture comes from the Latin phrase for “dress in robe.” The investiture ceremony includes many academic traditions and protocols, and serves as an opportunity to bring the community together to welcome a new era.