Watching so many of SJSU’s recent and current graduates walking the stage this week and contemplating all that has happened during their years on our campus has been inspiring. Though their stories are all their own, they intersect with my own SJSU journey, one I have reflected on while seeing the joy on the faces of graduates crossing the stage.

The list of tangible achievements our campus community has accomplished these past 5+ years is long. And it is you—our students, SJSU’s faculty and staff, and a variety of other SJSU supporters—who contributed to our success in such meaningful ways.

The work we have done together is critical for the present and future of San José State. I could not have accomplished much at all at SJSU without you. To every member of the San José State University community who actively supported me in these efforts: Thank you. You are helping to make SJSU—and the world around us—a better place. 

Please join me this week in making each of our 13 commencement ceremonies the most memorable and delightful occasion possible for our graduates and their families. They deserve nothing less than the best. Congratulations, graduates!

With gratitude and best wishes,

Dr. Mary A. Papazian

President