It took a small army of workers to make Commencement happen

By Adrienn Mendonça-Jones

Most folks who attend a university commencement ceremony might spend little time thinking about how it all comes together – and that’s as it should be. 

“We work for those moments of picture-taking, laughing, hugging,” said Phyllis Grillo, the director of University Affairs, Ceremonies and Events. 
“That’s what we work for all year long, so our students get the celebration they deserve.” 

Grillo’s department is responsible for planning and executing CSUMB’s commencement and convocation ceremonies. Planning for next year’s event has already started, and it’s not for the faint of heart. 

This year’s move from CSUMB’s main campus location to the Salinas Sports Complex necessitated a 22-page site plan, accompanied by more than 90 pages of planning permits. What typically takes a year was completed in six months, when the university decided to move graduation from campus to Salinas.

“An event this large is never done in a vacuum. It’s a very big undertaking,” said Grillo, who has overseen 14 of the last 16 graduations.

Over 265 CSUMB and University Corporation faculty and staff members supported this year’s event. So did community volunteers, City of Salinas staff and specialists like the fire inspector and traffic engineer, special event committee members and staff from the Salinas Sports Complex, CSUMB North Main Campus, and Chartwells dining services. 

“Failure is never an option with commencement. It must come off, it must be as close to flawless as possible, there are no do-overs,” Grillo said. “To me, it’s like a gift to make sure that everyone is happy and overjoyed. You can’t help but have a smile on your face, even though you’re tired and being pulled in a dozen directions.” 

Rhonda Mercadal-Evans, associate director for Advising, Career and Student Success, was happy to help at the early-morning convocation for the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. 

“I am seeing my future leaders graduate,” said Mercadal-Evans, who spends a lot of time encouraging students to network and build career opportunities. “That's what I'm here for. To cheer on the students and the university!”

Gerry Rapacon, a warehouse worker in the shipping and receiving department, has worked at CSUMB for 15 years. He started working at 4:30 in the morning on Commencement day – but his on-site work started well before then.

“This has been at least a week-and-a-half-long process,” said Rapacon, who helps “fulfill every single little detail to the max,” including setting up drinking stations, checking waste receptacles, and ensuring everything looks the way it should. 

Setup begins a week early with the arrival of stage rentals, chairs, and audio/visual equipment. Then the fencing and stage decorations arrive. It’s a long process of layering multiple things into the facility in advance. 

Rapacon loves the energy of commencement. 

“It's great,” he said. “Then when you see someone finally graduate, it's always exciting.” 

Rapacon has worked all but a couple of commencements, when his birthday coincided with commencement weekend. The most special graduation he’s seen, though, was that of a family member. 

“It seems crazy, but out of all the 15 years, I've only had one relative, which was my niece, Kiana Krentz, who graduated in 2019 as an Otter.”

Grillo recognizes how important the ritual of Commencement actually is. 

“It helps family members see that they can do this too. Cousins, younger siblings, friends, family – it helps them envision what they can be,” said Grillo. “I understand the importance of graduation being successful, so whatever it takes, we do it.” 

Go to the Commencement web page for videos, photos, the digital program and more.