U.S. Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, Technology Executive Rand Morimoto Named 2019 Commencement Speakers for Saint Mary’s College
Saint Mary’s College of California has named two distinguished leaders to address the College’s graduating class of 2019. U.S. Congressman Mark DeSaulnier will deliver the keynote speech at Saint Mary’s Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 25, 2019. Technology executive, Saint Mary’s Board of Trustee Member, and alumnus Rand Morimoto MBA ’93 will deliver the keynote address for the Graduate and Professional Studies Commencement Ceremony at 9 a.m. on the following Sunday, May 26, 2019.
“These are two remarkable individuals who have long shown their support and appreciation for Saint Mary's College,” said President James Donahue. “Congressman Mark DeSaulnier is an unwavering advocate for access to higher education and promoting economic opportunities for our district and nation. Rand Morimoto is widely recognized as a leader in the field of information security and is someone who is deeply concerned about preparing our current and future workforce for an employment market where the intersections of work and technology are constantly evolving. I believe both Congressman DeSaulnier and Trustee Morimoto will offer insightful and inspirational messages that will be of great value to our students.”
More than 600 seniors are expected to receive diplomas from the College's schools of business, liberal arts, and science at Saint Mary’s Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony. “I am always proud to partner with Saint Mary’s, and appreciate the invitation to speak at the College’s Undergraduate Commencement ceremony,” said Congressman DeSaulnier. “Under President Donahue’s leadership, Saint Mary’s has contributed countless graduates to our local workforce and made a positive impact on our community. I have no doubt that the newest class of Gael graduates will do the East Bay proud.”
At the College’s Graduate and Professional Studies Ceremony, more than 400 candidates will receive certificates and diplomas in various academic disciplines, including business, communication, counseling, creative writing, dance, data analytics, leadership, management, and doctorate degrees in education. Morimoto said he understands the commitment and sacrifices many GPS candidates have made to reach their academic goals. “Having walked the journey myself as a graduate student at Saint Mary’s College years ago, I share the knowledge of the hard work, dedication, and determination it took to reach the milestone that Commencement day represents. Congratulations to the graduate and professional studies class of 2019, I look forward addressing your commencement ceremony and recognizing your achievement!”
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
U.S. Congressman Mark DeSaulnier
Congressman DeSaulnier was elected to Congress in 2014 and represents California’s 11th Congressional District, which includes Saint Mary’s College, the San Francisco East Bay, and most of Contra Costa County. For more than 25 years, DeSaulnier has served at nearly every level of government, including as a California State Senator and Assembly Member, and for the past four years as a member of Congress. He is a leader on the issues that matter most to California families, like guaranteeing a livable wage, affordable and accessible education, and ensuring government is accountable to the public. In Congress, he spearheaded an initiative called the Future of Work, Wages, and Labor to anticipate and address the issues facing our workforce, which couples well with his work on the Education and Labor Committee. He has also passed laws to fight the opioid epidemic by decreasing fraudulent prescriptions as a member of the Oversight and Reform Committee. On the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, he is working to improve aviation safety and to develop innovative solutions to our transportation challenges. As a member of the Committee on Rules, DeSaulnier has the opportunity to weigh in on major pieces of legislation before they are brought up for a vote, and is also working to promote regular order to Congress. He also serves on the Congressional Progressive Caucus, where is he is a member of the Executive Board.
Rand Morimoto MBA ’93, PhD
Trustee Morimoto has been in the computer industry for more than 40 years and is President/CEO of the technology-strategy consulting firm Convergent Computing, which has offices in Walnut Creek, Singapore, and Tokyo. He is a prolific writer of books on technology—averaging two a year—and travels the world lecturing and speaking at conferences and conventions on various technology topics. Morimoto has been a personal advisor to the White House on cyber-security and cyber-terrorism during the Clinton, Bush, and Obama administrations. He has served on the board for the Chabot Space and Science Center and Institute of International Education (IIE) / Fulbright Scholars organization. He currently serves on the Research Council board for the Institute of Human Origins (IHO) at Arizona State University and is an active volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America. Morimoto graduated from UC Berkeley in 1987 with a BA in Political Economics, earned his MBA in 1993 from Saint Mary’s, and completed his PhD in Organizational Behavior in 2004 from Capella University. Morimoto was a Regent for Saint Mary’s from 2003–2010. In 2018, he was recognized as the Alumnus of the Year for the College. Morimoto was elected to the College’s Board of Trustees in 2010, and currently serves as the Chair of the Academic Affairs and Enrollment Committee and a member of the Governance Committee.
About Commencement Weekend
More than 600 seniors are expected to receive diplomas from the College’s schools of business, liberal arts, and science at Saint Mary’s Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony. At the College’s Graduate and Professional Studies Ceremony, more than 400 candidates will receive certificates and diplomas in various academic disciplines, including business, communication, counseling, creative writing, dance, data analytics, leadership, and management, and doctorate degrees in education. Below are details about each commencement program:
- Saint Mary’s Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony
- Saturday, May 25, 2019
- 9 a.m. Processional
- 9:30 a.m. Ceremony
- Location: SMC Stadium, 1928 St. Mary’s Road, Moraga, Calif. 94575
- Saturday, May 25, 2019
- Saint Mary’s Graduate and Professional Studies Commencement Ceremony
- Sunday, May 26, 2019
- 9 a.m. Processional
- 9:30 a.m. Ceremony
- Location: SMC Stadium, 1928 St. Mary’s Road, Moraga, Calif. 94575
- Sunday, May 26, 2019
For more information about Commencement at Saint Mary’s College, contact the Office of the Registrar at (925) 631-8300 or visit stmarys-ca.edu/commencement.
About Saint Mary's College
The Saint Mary’s College of California experience inspires learning that lasts a lifetime. For more than 150 years, the College has provided students with a rigorous education that engages their intellect and spirit, and awakens a desire to transform society. Guided by the Christian Brothers, the Catholic Church’s oldest order dedicated exclusively to teaching, the College enrolls nearly 4,000 students in undergraduate and graduate liberal arts and business programs. For more information visit Saint Mary’s College at stmarys-ca.edu and just 23 miles east of San Francisco.