On May 20 and 21, California State University, Dominguez Hills will celebrate commencement for the Class of 2022 at the Dignity Sports Health Park Tennis Stadium. The six ceremonies will feature distinguished speakers, including Los Angeles Urban League President and CEO Michael Lawson, to whom the university will confer an honorary doctorate.
Lawson is an accomplished lawyer, community advocate, and business leader with a passion for public service. He had a distinguished legal career at the prestigious Los Angeles firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP, having worked there from 1980 to 2011. He was also nominated by President Barack Obama to serve as the U.S. Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization from 2014 to17.
Since 2018, Lawson has been president and CEO of the Los Angeles Urban League, which since 1921 has worked to help African Americans and other underserved communities achieve true social equity, economic self-reliance, power, and civil rights. Under Lawson’s leadership, the organization continues to offer education, job training, and programs targeting workforce development, entrepreneurship, health, and quality of life issues.
Lawson will receive the CSU honorary Doctor of Laws at the 6 p.m. ceremony on Saturday, May 21.
More than 3,300 graduating students will be walking across the commencement stage this year, as CSUDH welcomes the returns to its traditional commencement format. Last year, the university celebrated the Classes of 2020 and 2021 with in-person ceremonies, but graduates were limited to two guests each and, due to COVID-19 protocols, graduates could not walk the stage. The university is expecting more than 34,000 guests in attendance over the course of the six ceremonies and will livestream the celebrations.
Other CSUDH Commencement speakers include:
May 20, 9 a.m.
College of Arts and Humanities
College of Business Administration and Public Policy
College of Education
College of Extended and International Education
- Speaker: Keith Arem is CEO and President of PCB Productions, having enjoyed success in the worlds of videogames, interactive media, music, graphic novels, animation, motion pictures, television, and virtual reality. Arem graduated with a special major bachelor’s degree from CSUDH in 1991.
May 20, 1:30 p.m.
College of Business Administration and Public Policy
College of Health, Human Services and Nursing
College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences
- Speaker: Maria Villa is a principal with the law firm of Lathrop & Villa in Rolling Hills Estates, which she co-founded in 1992. She has a state and federal appellate practice, and has practiced in the areas of employment and business litigation, and plaintiff’s class action litigation. She graduated from CSUDH with her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1982.
May 20, 6 p.m.
College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences
- Speaker: Jon Binkley is director of the Aerospace Corporation’s Launch Support Facility, where he leads a team to provide support for a wide range of rocket and satellite launches. He graduated from CSUDH with his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics in 1986.
May 21, 9 a.m.
College of Business Administration and Public Policy
College of Health, Human Services and Nursing
College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences
- Speaker: Holly J. Mitchell is chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, representing the 2 million residents of L.A. County’s Second District.
May 21, 1:30 p.m.
College of Health, Human Services and Nursing
College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences
- Speaker: Nancy Lee, RN, MSN, is senior vice president and chief clinical officer at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), the largest provider of care for children in Los Angeles County. She is a double alumna of CSUDH, having earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1990 and her Master of Science in Nursing Administration in 1994.
May 21, 6 p.m.
Graduate Hooding Ceremony for all colleges
- Speaker and Honorary Degree Recipient: Michael Lawson, CEO and President of Los Angeles Urban League
