Adjacent to the Chicano House on the northeast side of campus, graduating seniors, families and professors gathered for the Spring 2013 Aztlan Graduation Ceremony on May 18.

This year’s theme was “Our Inspirations: the people, places, and things that have inspired us to progress”IVR. The graduating seniors focused on inspirational professors such as keynote speaker  Dr. Christina Ayala-Alcantar of the chicana/o studies department.

“It has really been my honor to have many of you as my students,” said Ayala-Alcantar. “You inspire me to read, to do my homework, so that we (can) have great class discussions. It really is an honor to be in a classroom with you.”

Guadalupe Ruiz-Madrigal, Chicana/o Studies graduate, helped with the Aztlan Graduation planning committee. She said that this ceremony is more personal and intimate than CSUN’s general commencement ceremonies.

“I think that the regular graduation from school is not as personal as this one,” said Ruiz-Madrigal.

The Aztlan graduation and scholarship committee is a student run organization. This committee has been hosting commencement ceremonies for Chicano Studies graduates since 1969.