New issue of SF State Magazine shows how Gators are creating hope for a better tomorrow
Alumni publication puts spotlight on our student services and alumni who are giving back
The new issue of SF State Magazine demonstrates how the San Francisco State University community puts students first with generosity of spirit, creating hope for a better tomorrow. The magazine, an official Gator alumni publication, is now available online and in print.
Issue highlights:
Lifting Up, Taking Off: three alumni whose help from SFSU gave them the boost to succeed Wellness 101: Nourishing our students to a healthy life Striking a Chord: an exclusive alumni Q&A with Ben Fong-Torres and globe-traveling musician-educator Mike Blankenship Class Notes: updates on your old SFSU classmates and other alumni And much morePick up your copy of SF State Magazine at the Cesar Chavez Student Center information desk later this week. Issues are also mailed to alumni worldwide.
Read the spring/summer 2025 issue of SF State Magazine.
Photos by Juan Montes
Latest SF State News V2
- California Attorney General Rob Bonta tells SFSU graduates to stay engaged, get involvedBonta addressed thousands of Gator grads and their families at Oracle Park May 23
- 12 exceptional graduates to represent SFSU’s colleges at CommencementThe students will be honored at the University’s Commencement ceremony at Oracle Park May 23 Twelve outstanding graduates will be honored during San Francisco State University’s 124th Commencement ceremony, to be held at Oracle Park Friday, May 23. They will represent their nearly 7,000 graduating peers in the Class of 2025. As part of a longstanding tradition, each of the University’s six academic colleges selects an undergraduate and a graduate student to represent their classmates and wear their college’s academic hood during the ceremony. Additionally, two of the hood recipients, one undergraduate and one graduate student, will each deliver a Commencement address. More details about the ceremony are available on the Commencement website.
- SFSU Design students create solutions to protect coastal habitat of bull kelpClass partners with Nature Conservancy, creates products to present at BioDesign Challenge
- SFSU celebrates completion of residence hall, health center and dining commonsThese expertly developed buildings create more spaces on campus that foster community, enhance student living and wellness
- State attorney general to deliver keynote address at May 23 CommencementThree honorary doctoral degrees given to an author, activist and Filipino American historian California Attorney General Rob Bonta will deliver the keynote address at San Francisco State University’s 124th Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 23, at Oracle Park. The University will also award honorary doctoral degrees to Pulitzer Prize-nominated author Tommy Orange and activist, physician and minister Ramona Tascoe (B.A., ’70). A posthumous honorary doctoral degree will be given to author and beloved SFSU History Professor Dawn Mabalon. Doors at Oracle Park open at 3:30 p.m. The graduate procession begins at 5:30 p.m., with Commencement starting at 6:30 p.m. Fireworks will close out the event at about 9:30 p.m. Live updates and photos from the ceremony will be posted to the University’s X, Instagram and Facebook accounts. Graduates and guests can tag their Commencement posts on social media using the hashtag #SFSU2025. Commencement information is available via the SFSU mobile app. Once you’ve downloaded the University’s mobile app, visit “SFSU’s 2025 Commencement Ceremony, See More Ceremony Info.” Be sure to opt in to the University’s Commencement reminders by selecting “Manage Commencement Alerts” to receive push notifications. Details are also available on the Commencement website.
- Gators Give Day raises more than $109K for students, programs and clubsMore than 640 SFSU supporters made donations during the University’s first-ever giving day Thanks to the generous support of the University’s alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends, SFSU’s inaugural Gators Give Day was a resounding success. More than 640 SFSU supporters united on April 2 and raised over $109,000 in just 24 hours. These gifts will immediately impact scholarships, academic programs, student organizations and essential University initiatives. More than 60 groups consisting of colleges, schools, departments, student organizations and clubs participated in the event through their own online fundraising pages, in addition to the main University giving page. Every donation made on April 2 counted toward the Giving Day totals. Alumni made up the majority of those giving on Gators Give Day (26%), followed closely by SFSU staff and faculty (24%) and students (20%). “This extraordinary day truly highlights the community spirit that defines SFSU,” said Jeff Jackanicz, vice president of University Advancement. “We are grateful to everyone who participated and helped us meet our goal of empowering student success. With so many alumni, faculty and staff, and student donors, it’s clear we are continuing to build a broad culture of community-driven philanthropy at SFSU.” The College of Science & Engineering (CoSE) raised more than $10,000 from 59 donors, the most money raised by any individual college. CoSE plans to use the money to support its Student Project Showcase, an event that culminates in a year’s worth of faculty-guided research. Students present their research findings from at the spring event. “I am so grateful to the donors that provided support for our Student Project Showcase on Gators Give Day. This annual event highlights more than 200 research and senior projects across our entire college,” said College of Science & Engineering Dean Carmen Domingo. “Having the opportunity to put into practice what they have learned over the years at SFSU gives students a deep sense of pride and confidence that they have developed the skills and knowledge to launch a successful career in STEM.” Ninety-six people donated to SFSU’s Men’s Rugby Club, the most for any campus organization raising more than $3,500. Kiril Gupta, secretary and head of social media for the 45-member SFSU Men’s Rugby Club team, says he was especially pleased to see that the team received the highest number of student donors of any group. “When we brought the team back during the fall ’22 semester, our old officers always emphasized campus engagement and being a part of the school community,” he said. “Having a high number of donors shows to our team that we have done a great job of being a part of the school community, and we are grateful for students at SF State supporting us.” The team plans to spend the windfall on field rentals, new equipment, travel, medical supplies, new uniforms and more. If you missed Gators Give Day or still want to help, there’s always time to make a difference. Ongoing support ensures that SFSU will continue to deliver excellence and access to transformative education rooted in innovation and equity. Learn more about giving to support SFSU. And look forward to next year’s Gators Give Day, when we’ll achieve even greater success for our campus community.