Joy and jubilation were in the air on May 15 and 16, as thousands of proud Toro graduates participated in 2026 Commencement. Over the course of six ceremonies, 3,404 new alumni walked across the stage to accept their bachelor’s degrees, with another 751 earning master’s degrees. CSUDH’s first cohort of 16 Occupational Therapy Doctorate students were also conferred their degrees, becoming the first Toros to earn doctoral degrees at the university.
More than 40,000 family members, friends, and supporters attended the events at Dignity Health Sports Park Tennis Stadium to cheer on their loved ones’ accomplishments. In addition to keynote speeches by leaders in industry, government, and health care, student speakers shared their stories of struggle and accomplishment with their fellow graduating Toros.
Among them was Theresa Onwukeme, who was receiving her master’s degree in Marital and Family Therapy and spoke movingly about her decades-long educational journey. Raised during the Nigerian Civil War of the late 1960’s, Onwumeke faced numerous obstacles in attaining an education. When she moved to the United States in 2012, she resumed the studies she had been forced to abandon earlier in life.
“As a young girl, I dared to dream of achieving what many around me considered impossible,” said Onwumeke. “The limitations were not imagined; they were real, visible, and deeply entrenched. Opportunities were scarce, expectations were narrow, and the odds were firmly stacked against me. Yet I held on to a quiet but unshakable belief that my life could be more than my circumstances.”
At the age of 63, Onwumeke began attending Downey Adult School, working on improving her English and earning a GED. She went on to earn an associate’s degree from Cerritos College and a bachelor’s degree from CSUDH, before enrolling in the master’s program.
“As we go forward,” she continued, “may we carry with us empathy, integrity, and the courage to make a difference – one family, one story, one life at a time. There will be challenges ahead. There will be uncertainty. But if this journey has taught us anything, it is that we have the strength to face whatever comes next.
“Wherever life takes you next, remember that your voice matters. Your efforts matter. The kindness you show, the integrity you uphold, and the courage you demonstrate will define your impact far more than any title or position ever could. So go forward with confidence. Go forward with purpose. Most importantly, go forward knowing that you are ready.”
Onwumeke concluded, “Never stop learning, never stop growing. I am proof that you are never too old to achieve your dreams.”
At the Saturday evening ceremony, CSUDH conferred an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree to Miguel A. Santana, President and CEO of the California Community Foundation, who also served as the keynote speaker. The doctorate is in recognition of Santana’s decades of leadership advancing equity, economic opportunity, and social justice in Los Angeles.
In his remarks, Santana related his experiences as a first-generation college student—something he shares with over 44 percent of 2026 Toro graduates—“trying to navigate systems that were never designed with us in mind, often wondering if I truly belonged.”
Santana shared his own battles with “imposter syndrome,” or as he put it, “That voice that tells you, ‘You don’t belong here,’ ‘You’re not ready,’ or ‘You’re not enough.’”
“That voice is wrong,” he continued. “You belong in every room you walk into. You belong at every table you sit at. In many cases, you should be the one running the meeting, because you bring something others cannot: Your lived experience. Your perspective. Your resilience.”
Santana concluded, “As you move through life, measure success not only by what you achieve—but by how many people feel seen, supported, and loved because you were here. In the end, the goal is not simply to rise. It is to rise while lifting others with you.”
