Countdown to Commencement: Richard Lee Hernandez, Jr.

This is the third in a series of Countdown to Commencement stories celebrating the Class of 2025. Join us in celebrating the hard work, dedication and achievements of graduating Spartans.

A native of Ceres, a town outside Modesto, California, Richard Hernandez’s pathway to an education wasn’t linear. After graduating high school, he moved to the Bay Area, where he worked a series of administrative, food service and retail jobs while building management skills.

“I hated school when I was younger, which is why it took me so long to come back to it,” says Hernandez, ’21 BA, ’25 MA Communication Studies. “I thought of school as math and chemistry — things I wasn’t good at, things that didn’t make sense to me. But people make sense to me, and I discovered understanding people is my purpose.”

Whether he was juggling shifts as a supervisor at Starbucks, serving as a spa coordinator or working as a job training specialist for the Santa Clara County Office of Education, Hernandez sensed his purpose lay elsewhere. Some of his hesitation when it came time to enrolling in school or focusing full-time on his studies came from feelings of insecurities around age, starting a new career path, and coming to terms with his identity. 

Though today Hernandez identifies as a queer man, his childhood in a small, rural town had reinforced messages of shame and self-loathing that made it hard for him to embrace his full self and realize his potential. It wasn’t until he enrolled in a class on intercultural communication at DeAnza Community College that Hernandez could name, understand and analyze his identity within the context of his upbringing. Not only did he discover a new vocabulary, he also realized that communication studies as an academic field could transform his approach as a future manager and educator — and give him the language needed to embrace his true self.

“The intercultural communication class made me reflect on the implicit biases that I grew up with, and it blew my mind to be introduced to the ideas of microaggressions,” he says. “If we don’t communicate, there are too many opportunities to misunderstand each other. I fell in love with intercultural communication, and I was thrilled when I got my first quarter of straight ‘As.’ It was the first time I felt that sense of pride in myself.”

That initial class also inspired him to work toward two major milestones: Get his AA and his bachelor’s degree before age 35. Prepared with a newfound passion for communication studies, which offered a pathway to self-acceptance, Hernandez transferred to San José State after completing his associate’s degree and completed his bachelor’s degree online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though he was overwhelmed by the insecurities of impostor syndrome as he navigated the shift from community college to a four-year university, Hernandez felt buoyed by people like Tabitha Hart, professor of communication studies, who was so impressed by his cultural ethnography work that she encouraged him to apply for the master’s program in communication studies at SJSU.

“Richard stood out [in my course] with his skillful use of ethnography to study the particular community that he was focusing on,” Hart says. “When he was in the [graduate] program, he participated in a short-term study abroad program that my colleague Andrew Wood and I run in Berlin, Germany each summer. Again Richard distinguished himself with his preparation for and facility with cultural immersion. Working with excellent students like Richard makes teaching at SJSU a joy.”

Embracing the words that matter

When he completed his bachelor’s degree at SJSU, he was hired as an administrative support coordinator for the Lucas College and Graduate School of Business, and later applied his skills as a manager and communicator in the College of Social Sciences. In 2023, he took a leap and applied for the graduate program in communication studies while simultaneously starting a new role as community engagement specialist for the Connie L. Lurie College of Education and serving on the Executive Staff Council Committee as the staff awards liaison.

“When I think back to that first day of grad school, I felt like such an impostor,” he says. “I remember crying while walking to my car, wanting to quit right then, but I had to remind myself that so many worthwhile things in life aren’t easy.”

Hernandez credits faculty members like Associate Professor of Communication Studies Marie Haverfield with encouraging him to stay the course.

“Richard brings vulnerability and compassion towards his studies,” says Haverfield. “His enthusiasm and openness were infectious. He has a unique ability to draw in others to further engage in discussions, ask important questions and challenge assumptions in our understanding of communication studies. It was wonderful to have him in our [Communication Studies] classes as he helped to elevate our collective interactions. I’m very proud of all that Richard has accomplished and overcome these past two years and look forward to seeing him continue to inspire as he moves into the next chapter of his academic journey.” 

Richard Hernandez’s culminating project included a presentation on microagressions. Photo courtesy of Richard Hernandez.

For his graduate culminating project, Hernandez designed a workshop entitled “Words That Matter: How You Can Understand and Resist Microaggressions,” which he presented to an undergraduate communication studies class. The lesson covered the impact of microaggressions — indirect statements, actions or slights that communicate hostile attitudes toward members of marginalized groups — and offered examples of allyship to promote inclusive and positive communication.

“The workshop offered a beautiful moment to see students engaged in conversations prompted by something I created,” he says. “It was such a necessary conversation about the intent of words and what allyship looks like for people who maybe don’t have the courage to speak for themselves. We talked about communicative strategies to have the potential oppressor self-reflect and understand the importance of accountability, intentional language, and inclusivity in learning environments.”

Hernandez graduates with his master’s degree this month. His family and friends will join him to celebrate his achievements and to hear him deliver a commencement speech. When he dons his cap and gown and approaches the podium, he will not only be addressing a crowd of fellow Spartan grads — he’ll be sharing an important message with his younger self.

“I think back to that little boy who really had no idea of what was ahead,” he says. “I never thought I’d go overseas. I never thought I’d travel to conferences in the United States and take all these different opportunities that I never would have had if I hadn’t taken that chance on myself. I just find myself smiling because I can’t believe I did it. I got my associate’s degree, I got my bachelor’s degree and then I really challenged myself to find the courage to apply for grad school. It all feels worth it.”

SJSU commencement ceremonies take place May 21-23 at the Provident Credit Union Event Center. Graduates who have RSVPed are entitled to bring up to six guests for free; additional guest tickets are available for $20 each. Learn more about commencement.