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NEWS RELEASE

Actor, Art Collector ‘Cheech’ Marin, Beverly Hills’ New Mayor and
Civil Rights Attorney to Address Northridge Graduates

(NORTHRIDGE, Calif., May 1, 2007) — Cal State Northridge alums actor and art collector Richard "Cheech" Marin and newly elected Beverly Hills Mayor Jimmy Delshad, and civil rights attorney Antonia Hernandez, now head of the California Community Foundation, will address Northridge students when they graduate later this month.

An estimated 9,823 candidates to receive their diplomas—approximately 7,900 bachelor’s and 1,923 master’s—are eligible to take part in the ceremonies that begin the evening of Tuesday, May 29.

"Commencement is a joyous time for the university and the graduates, their spouses, parents and families—all of the people who supported them over the years and helped them succeed," said CSUN President Jolene Koester. "We are extremely proud of our graduates and equally proud of the distinguished alumni who are returning to their alma mater to participate in commencement. We see graduation as a community celebration, and all are welcome to join us as we cheer our students’ accomplishments."

The graduation celebration begins at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 29, with the Honors Convocation on the lawn in front of the Oviatt Library in the center of the campus at 18111 Nordhoff St. in Northridge. More than 1,800 students were invited to participate.

This year’s convocation speaker is attorney Antonia Hernandez, president and CEO of the California Community Foundation. Established in 1915, the foundation is one of the largest and most active philanthropic organizations in Southern California.

Prior to her appointment as head of the foundation in 2004, Hernandez was president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, a national nonprofit litigation and advocacy organization. Before joining MALDEF as a regional counsel in Washington in 1981, Hernandez was staff attorney with the Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice and then worked as counsel to the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary.

The formal commencement ceremonies are as follows:

• Students in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences will celebrate their graduations beginning at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, May 30, on the lawn in front of the Oviatt Library. No speaker is scheduled.
• The College of Science and Mathematics does not have a speaker planned for its ceremony scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 30, on the lawn of the University Club located at the southeast corner of the campus at Nordhoff Street and Zelzah Avenue.
• The Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communications will celebrate its students’ graduations at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 30, on the Oviatt Library lawn. No speaker is scheduled.
• Actor, comedian, director, art collector, philanthropist and Northridge alumnus Richard "Cheech" Marin will address students at the College of Humanities’ commencement ceremony scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. on Thursday, May 31, on the Oviatt Library lawn.

  Marin, who attended Northridge in the 1960s, came to national attention as part of the comedy duo Cheech and Chong. He went on to earn a reputation as a respected actor and director, art collector, humanitarian and trailblazer for Latinos in the entertainment industry.

• Newly elected Beverly Hills Mayor Jimmy Delshad, one of the highest ranking Iranian-born public officials in the nation and a Northridge alumnus, will address the graduates of the College of Engineering and Computer Science at their ceremony scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 31, at the University Club. Delshad graduated from Northridge with a degree in engineering in 1964.
• Students in the College of Health and Human Development will celebrate their graduations beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 31, on the Oviatt Library lawn. No speaker is scheduled. A plaque will be presented during the ceremony to alumnus Mercy Siordia (B.S. in health administration, 1985), lead program officer for Kaiser Permanente’s Community Benefit Department, in recognition of her exemplary performance in her career.
• The College of Business and Economics does not have a speaker planned for its ceremony scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. on Friday, June 1, on the Oviatt Library lawn. Retired AT&T Vice Chairman and Northridge alumnus Charles S. Noski (B.S. in business administration, 1973, and master’s in accounting, 1995) will be receiving an honorary doctorate in humane letters at the event.
• The Michael D. Eisner College of Education will celebrate its students’ graduations at 4 p.m. on Friday, June 1, at the University Club. No speaker is scheduled.