Jamal Nassar watched his youngest child, Gina Lilly Nassar, graduate as one of 850 students who walked during the two commencement ceremonies at Cal State San Bernardino on Dec. 13. Aside from being a proud parent, the ceremony had special meaning for Nassar, who serves as dean of the CSUSB College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Gina was graduating from his college, with a bachelor’s degree in human development. “Any child’s graduation is so important, but this one was extremely special,” Nassar said after the morning ceremony at the university’s Coussoulis Arena. “Having my own daughter graduate from my own college makes it very special. I’m so proud of her.” Gina was equally ecstatic. “This was amazing. I’m the last in our family to graduate from college,” she said, who added that being in the same college her father leads was never a problem. “There was never any pressure being there. I loved every minute of it,” Gina said. “I’m so proud of my dad.” The ceremony, which celebrated CSUSB’s colleges of Business and Public Administration and Social and Behavioral Sciences, was the first of two commencements held Dec. 13. The university held a second commencement ceremony in the afternoon for its colleges of Arts and Letter, Education, and Natural Sciences. The December commencement is especially popular with international and out-of-state students who have completed their studies and are likely unable to return for the traditional June graduation, which usually averages about 3,000 graduating students.

Dean Passes Degree to Daughter