Commencement
Craig School of Business Commencement Ceremony
Friday, May 17, 2024 • 8 to 9:30 a.m. • Save Mart Center
Recorded Ceremony
Dear Graduates,
Welcome to the 2024 Commencement for the Craig School of Business. The Craig School faculty and staff are so proud of everything you have accomplished to get to this very important milestone. I hope you take the same pride in what you have achieved. You deserve to be celebrated!
You are part of a tradition that stretches far into the past and future. Our school began in 1928 as the Fresno State Teachers College Department of Commerce. In 1992, we became the Craig School of Business, thanks to a generous gift from the Sid and Jenny Craig Foundation. You have added your chapters to our shared story, and your future—the challenges you will face and the successes you will achieve—will be part of the future of the Craig School.
As you go out into the world and build your lives, you will also build the future of your communities and your world. Your success and the success of the Craig School will be measured by the lives that you touch and improve. The motto of Fresno State, rooted in its origins as a teacher’s college, is “Receive the light, that you may give it forth.” Now is your time to shine by helping, empowering, and inspiring others.
I know you will shine brightly, because that is what Craig alumni do—you make us Craig School Proud!
Sincerely,
Julie B. Olson-Buchanan, Ph.D.
Dean, Craig School of Business
Sid Craig Dean’s Chair
Ceremony
National Anthem
Gena Chambers
Mace Bearer
Dr. Ojoung Kwon, Information Systems and Decision Sciences
Dean’s Comments
Dr. Julie B. Olson-Buchanan, Dean
ASI President’s Address
Karen Carrillo, Chicano Studies
President’s Address
Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, President, California State University, Fresno
Hooding Ceremony for Master's Graduates
Reader: Dr. Zhanna Sahatjian, Director of Graduate Business Programs
Hooders:
Renee Chu-Jacoby, Associate Director of Graduate Business Programs
Dr. Chris Sterling
Dr. Le Zhao
Accelerated Bachelor of Business Administration
Reader: Dr. Susan Henderson
Department of Accountancy
Chair and Reader: Dr. Susan Henderson
Reader: Pamela Ude
Department of Economics
Chair and Reader: Dr. Antonio Avalos
Department of Finance, Real Estate and Business Law
Chair and Reader: Dr. Jennifer Miele
Reader: Sarah Rana
Department of Information Systems and Decision Sciences
Chair: Dr. Yertai Tanai
Reader: Dr. Alicia Iriberri
Department of Management
Chair and Reader: Dr. Jonathan Biggane
Reader: Akhil Kanodia
Department of Marketing and Logistics
Chair and Reader: Dr. Andreas Stratemeyer
Confirmation of Degrees
President, Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval and Dean, Dr. Julie B. Olson-Buchanan
Craig School of Business Outstanding Graduates
- Kaylen Situ
Department of Accountancy - Tran Ngo
Department of Economics
- Jazmine Badhesha
Department of Information Systems and Decision Sciences - Marin Winek
Department of Finance, Real Estate and Business Law
- Lea Dowing
Department of Management - Kira Navison
Department of Marketing and Logistics
Craig School of Business Dean's Medalists
2024 Craig School of Business Graduate Dean’s Medalist
Andrea Lee, M.B.A.
Andrea Lee, of Fresno, earned her M.B.A. with a 4.0 GPA. She previously earned a B.S. in business administration, entrepreneurship at Fresno State. She completed her undergraduate degree at 19 years old and finished her master’s in only three semesters at age 21. After the successful launch of her HiLow Podcast, which focused on sharing personal experiences and research for individuals living with bipolar disorder, her entrepreneurial spirit continued. She participated in pitch competitions as a graduate student, and she completed an internship with Academic Success Coaching on campus where she developed a passion for working with students in higher education and hopes to teach some day. While she pursued her master’s, Lee worked full time as an economic development specialist for the Fresno County Economic Development Corporation, where she led business retention and expansion efforts in Fresno and Clovis. She now lives in Austin, Texas and works to help Asian entrepreneurs as a marketing and communications intern at the Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce.
2024 Craig School of Business Undergraduate Dean’s Medalist
Jazmine Badhesha, B.S., Business Administration, Option in Computer Information Systems
Jazmine Badhesha, of Kerman, earned her B.S. in business administration with an emphasis in computer information systems and a minor in anthropology and economics, with a 4.0 GPA. Badhesha is a Craig School of Business Scholar. She served as vice president for the Association of Finance Scholars for two years and helped relaunch the group after the pandemic. She also helped create a new student organization called the Student Management Investment Fund to allow students to participate in investing and stock market workshops held by alumni. Badhesha worked as a student assistant for the DISCOVERe technology hub, where she helped students and staff with their digital devices and worked on building an inclusive digital learning environment. She was a data analyst intern at Valley Children’s Healthcare where she updated annual reports, developed a roadmap to store data and created visual representations of the data. Her future plans include pursuing a Master’s of Business Administration and working full time.