An estimated 7,677 students, which is believed to be a university record, are candidates to receive their diplomas ‹ approximately 6,410 bachelors and 1,267 masters in a total of 63 fields ‹ in ceremonies that begin the evening of May 28 with the university's Honors Convocation and continue throughout the week.

"Commencement is a special time at a university," said CSUN President Jolene Koester. "It's a time when we celebrate the achievements of our graduates and congratulate not only them, but the family and friends who have helped them reach their educational goal. We are proud of all of them, and we invite the community to join us as we honor what they have accomplished."

The graduation celebration begins at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 28, with the Honors Convocation at the University Club on the southeast corner of the campus at Nordhoff Street and Zelzah Avenue.

This year's convocation speaker is Frank Del Olmo, a Cal State Northridge alumnus and associate editor of the Los Angeles Times.

The formal commencement ceremonies are:

• The College of Business and Economics has no planned speaker for its ceremony at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, May 29, on the Oviatt Library Lawn in the center of the campus, 18111 Nordhoff St.

• UCLA physics professor Hong-Wen Jiang, a CSUN alum who conducts cutting-edge research on low-dimensional semiconductors systems, is the speaker at the College of Science and Mathematics' ceremony at 4 p.m. on May 29 at the University Club.

• Civil rights activist and labor leader Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America, will address the College of Humanities' commencement at 6:30 p.m. on May 29 on the Oviatt Library Lawn.

  Huerta is receiving an honorary doctorate in humane letters, from the university that evening in recognition of her contributions to society.

• Congressman Brad Sherman will speak at the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences' ceremony at 8 a.m. on Thursday, May 30, on the Oviatt Library Lawn.

  Sherman, a former member of California's Board of Equalization, serves in the U.S. Congress as a representative of the 24th District, which includes parts of the San Fernando Valley and Ventura County.

• Scott Munson, a CSUN alum and assistant director for water, engineering and technical services with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, will address the College of Engineering and Computer Science's ceremony at 4 p.m. on May 30 at the University Club.

• Angelo J. Bellomo, a CSUN alum and director of the Office of Environmental Safety for the Los Angeles Unified School District, will speak at the College of Health and Human Development's ceremony at 6:30 p.m. on May 30 on the Oviatt Library Lawn.

• Bran Ferren, formerly with Walt Disney Imagineering and now chairman and chief creative officer of Applied Minds Inc., will address the College of Arts, Media, and Communication's ceremony at 8 a.m. on Friday, May 31, on the Oviatt Library Lawn.

  That morning, Alan Armer, an Emmy Award-winning writer, director and producer and retired CSUN professor, will receive an honorary doctorate in humane letters from the university.

• Debra S. Farar, vice chair of the California State University system's Board of Trustees and a CSUN alum, will speak at the College of Education's ceremony at 4 p.m. on May 31 at the University Club.