Processional
Student Banner Bearers
- Claudia Alvarado, ‘26 Business Administration
- Aaliyah Tamayo, ‘26 Business Administration
Announcement of the Commencement
Rangapriya (Priya) Kannan, ’05 MS Industrial and Organizational Psychology Dean, Lucas College and Graduate School of Business
National Anthem
Ivan Vielma, Master of Music
Welcome
Rangapriya (Priya) Kannan, Priya Kannan, ’05 MS Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Dean, Lucas College and Graduate School of Business
Presiding
Cynthia Teniente-Matson, SJSU President
Commencement Speaker
Janice Le, ‘00 Business Administration and Marketing
Presentation of Candidates
Vincent J. Del Casino Jr., Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Presentation of Candidates
Vincent J. Del Casino Jr., Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Conferring of Degrees
Cynthia Teniente-Matson, SJSU President
Alma Mater
Ivan Vielma, Master of Music
“Hail, Spartans, Hail”
Recessional
Janice Le
‘00 Business Administration and Marketing
Global tech executive and incoming faculty, Lucas College and Graduate School of Business Janice Le is a distinguished business leader in tech and cybersecurity, a proud alumna of the Lucas College and Graduate School of Business, and a Vietnamese refugee and first-generation immigrant who embodies the transformative power of education. As the first in her family to graduate from college, her journey from San José State to the executive suites of Silicon Valley is fueled by a philosophy of "indomitable spirit" — a principle she carries as a business leader, a taekwondo black belt, and a mom of two. Throughout her career, Lehas brought a rare combination of expertise to her senior leadership roles as chief marketing officer, chief product officer, and general manager at industry titans, including Cisco, HPE (Aruba), and Microsoft, where she recently served as general manager of Microsoft Security. Deeply committed to ensuring today’s students have the same opportunities given to her, Le is the co-founder of the Aurora Scholarship Fund at SJSU, established to provide the critical support necessary for Lucas College and Graduate School of Business students to reach the finish line of graduation. This fall, Le returns to the Lucas College as an incoming faculty member, dedicated to helping every student realize their full potential.
Regalia
Commencement exercises like today’s ceremony date from the Middle Ages and the traditions of Europe’s first universities. Our graduates and members of the platform party are wearing regalia — robes, hoods and caps —that are likely adapted from the clothing of medieval priests or friars. Spot the differences in the gowns:
- Presidential gown is adorned with four bars, representing the Office of the President.
- Doctoral gown has velvet panels down the front and three velvet bars on each of the bell-shaped sleeves. The color of the velvet may indicate the academic discipline.
- Master’s gown may be worn open and has long sleeves with slits above the elbow.
- Bachelor’s gown has a closed front and long, pointed sleeves.
Draped over the shoulders, the hood evolved from a priest’s cowl and was often used to carry items — the first backpack, perhaps. The lining colors signify the college or university granting the degree. At San José State, the hood is gold, blue and white. The monk’s skullcap became the mortarboard cap or tam. Black is the accepted cap color in the United States, but many foreign universities have colorful headdresses.
Tassels vary in use and color. At SJSU, the color of tassels for bachelor’s degree candidates represent each college. The color for the Lucas College and Graduate School of Business is sapphire blue.
The Ceremonial Mace
An ornamental staff or scepter, the mace is carried by officials as part of formal parliamentary or academic ceremonies. A gift from the Tower Foundation of SJSU, the university’s ceremonial mace was designed and created by Art and Art History Lecturer Yvonne Escalante, ’13 MFA Spatial Arts (right photo). She found inspiration for the design in both SJSU history and the paths students take to reach graduation.