See Sac State’s Luke Wood welcome his first grads as students show support for Palestinians
By Hector Amezcua
Sacramento State President Luke Wood presided over his first graduation ceremonies on Friday at Golden 1 Center amid ongoing tensions in universities across the country over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
The university plans to recognize the achievement of 9,730 graduates in seven ceremonies over three days. The first commencement on Friday featured the College of Business. The College of Arts and Letters was set to graduate at 1:30 p.m. and the College of Education concludes the day at 7 p.m.
Sacramento State President Luke Wood stands on his spot wearing his signature sneakers during the commencement ceremony at Golden 1 Center on Friday. Hector Amezcua hamezcua@sacbee.com
A Sacramento State faculty member confiscates the microphone from a graduating student who had seized it after an unscripted trip to the podium during the Sacramento State commencement ceremony at Golden 1 Center on Friday. The graduate walked off the stage without incident. Hector Amezcua hamezcua@sacbee.com
Mohammad Ilyas Ahmadzai, a masters degree graduate in the school of business, unfurls a Palestinian flag after receiving his diploma at the Sacramento State commencement ceremony at Golden 1 Center on Friday. Hector Amezcua hamezcua@sacbee.com
Sacramento State graduate Paul Lawrence Dunbar Banks makes the “stingers up” sign with university President Luke Wood for a photo after the commencement ceremony at Golden 1 Center on Friday. Hector Amezcua hamezcua@sacbee.com
Sacramento State President Luke Wood takes a quiet moment before the commencement ceremony for the College of Letters at Golden 1 Center on Friday, May 17, 2024. Wood said that the ceremony is special to him because he could not afford to attend his CSUS graduation ceremony. Hector Amezcua hamezcua@sacbee.com
Kimberly Gomez Santos, a journalism major, dances in the aisle before the second Sacramento State commencement ceremony at Golden 1 Center on Friday, May 17, 2024. Hector Amezcua hamezcua@sacbee.com
Sacramento State student Mahrukh Jan Siddiqui, 31, holds up a Palestinian flag during the second Sacramento State commencement ceremony at Golden 1 Center on Friday. Hector Amezcua hamezcua@sacbee.com
Eman Ahmed Salem, a Sacramento State English major, wears a mortarboard decorated with a poem by Palestinian professor and poet Refaat Alareer during the commencement ceremony at Golden 1 Center on Friday, May 17, 2024. Alareer died after an Israeli missile strike on December 2023. Hector Amezcua hamezcua@sacbee.com
Graduating Sacramento State student Sofia del Pilar Roca Castro poses for a photo with President Luke Wood before the commencement ceremony at Golden 1 Center on Friday, May 17, 2024. Roca Castro received the President’s Medal and was one of seven Dean’s Award recipients. Hector Amezcua hamezcua@sacbee.com
Sacramento State business graduate Jose Lopez dances with his wife Juliana and their daughter after the second commencement ceremony at Golden 1 Center on Friday, May 17, 2024. Hector Amezcua hamezcua@sacbee.com
SATURDAY GRADUATIONS
College of Health and Human Services Part 1, 8 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
College of Health and Human Services Part 2 and Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies Part 1, 1:30 p.m.-4 p.m.
Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies Part 2, 7 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
SUNDAY’S GRADUATION
College of Engineering and Computer Science and College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics 8:30 a.m.-11 a.m.
This story was originally published May 17, 2024 at 1:10 PM.
