About Intercultural Student Success
ISS Graduation Celebrations announcement of Keynote Speakers
ISS is pleased to announce the keynote speakers for this year’s celebrations, and welcome all students to attend as we acknowledge and celebrate the accomplishments of our 2021 graduates.
Native American Graduation Celebration
Date: May 5th
Time: 6:00 pm
Link: Native American Graduation
This year will be the first Native American graduation ceremony to be hosted by ISS at the University of the Pacific. Our guest speaker is Rebecca “Maggie” Magdalena Escobedo-Steele. She is the founder of Seventh Generation Warriors of Peace.
Steele is Apache and Chicana and promotes healing and wellness through grass roots organizing and transformative cultural teachings. Her work is well known and respected in Native American and inner-city communities throughout California and the nation. She has worked with communities and tribes as well as students from other diverse cultures. She has worked in Pomo country for over 20 years.
She is dedicated to working with communities and youth to prevent violence, gang conflict, and promote healing and empowerment. Through this organization, Steele has implemented leadership programs and youth events, and has been recognized for her excellence and innovation by the Society of Professional Dispute Resolution.
She received her B.A. in Sociology and a Minor in Dispute Resolution from Humboldt State University and is a Certified Mediator. Steele is a distinguished professional mediator/peacemaker, served as the Director of Youth Leadership at the Million Mom March Foundation.
Steele is an accomplished artist, storyteller, poet, and singer. She is originally from San Diego, CA and currently resides in Sacramento, CA.
Lavender Grad
Date: May 5th
Time: 4:30 pm
Link: Lavender Graduation
ISS is pleased to announce this year’s Lavender Graduation keynote speaker is Daniel Shaw, Career Services. Originally from Buffalo, New York, Daniel came to Pacific in 2017. His time within student affairs has been dedicated to student advising and career development. In addition, he has made students from underrepresented populations his focus. Since entering higher education in 2015, he has worked within several TRIO Programs including Educational Opportunity Centers, the Ronald E. McNair Post baccalaureate Scholars Program and Student Support Services. He currently serves as the Assistant Director for Career Advising & Success in Career Services. Ultimately, his goal is to help students tell their unique stories. The most rewarding part of his job is seeing them close the gap between where they are and where they want to be.
Black Graduation Celebration
Date: May 6th
Time: 5:00 pm
Link: Black Graduation
ISS is pleased to announce this year’s BSS keynote speaker Michelle McDaniel. McDaniel received her Master’s degree in Social Work from California State University, Sacramento in 2002, and is licensed in the state of California as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She has extensive experience working with children, youth, and adults in a variety of diverse clinical settings, most recently serving as a staff therapist with the counseling and psychological services team her at the University of the Pacific. She enjoys providing client-centered treatment and services that foster personal growth and development.
APID Graduation Celebration
Date: May 6th
Time: 6:00 pm
Link: APID Graduation
ISS is pleased to announce this year’s APID keynote speaker is Pacific McGeorge School of Law Alum Bhoomai Rajput. Rajput came to the United States in 2018 with a childhood dream to study in the states. She graduated high school in India and later enrolled law school and completed her Juris Doctor Degree; but she never wavered from her dream of studying in the United States, where she enrolled at Paciifc McGeorge to continue her education in law and accomplish her goal of attending higher education in the United States. This year Rajput will accomplish her dream and receive a LLM, Transnational Business from the Pacific McGeorge School of Law.
LatinX Graduation Celebration
Date: May 7th
Time: 6:00 pm
Link: LatinX Graduation
This year’s LatinX graduation keynote speaker is Amanda Renteria. Renteria is an American political aide who worked as the National Political Director for Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential run, chief of operations for California Attorney General Xavier Beccera and chief of staff and legislative advisor to the United States Senators Dianne Feinstein and Debbie Stabenow.
Renteria is the first Latina Chief of Staff in the history of the United States Senate. She was the Democratic nominee for the United States House of Representatives from California’s 21st congressional district in 2014 but lost to Republican David Valadao. In February 2018 she announced her candidacy for Governor of California.
Renteria double majored in economics and political science at Stanford University, writing her senior r honors thesis on women in politics. She played basketball and softball for the Stanford Cardinals. She earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. She now manages a non-profit focused on brain-related diseases.
Mission Statement:
Intercultural Student Success strives to provide enriching educational opportunities toward understanding and integrating intercultural dialogue, conflict management, and identity development that advances student success and community engagement.
Vision Statement:
Intercultural Student Success will serve to educate and inspire global awareness of diversity and social justice in order to build and inclusive campus community and foster identity-conscious academic success.
Values:
Through insightful and engaging opportunities, Intercultural Student Success will focus on student success and community support through raising capacity for intercultural dialogue and holistic understanding of one's own identities. The foundational values of Intercultural Student Success are:
- Diversity and Inclusion: A commitment toward recognizing the differences that exist amongst our community and ensuring the representation of all voices
- Social Justice: An understanding that the work of intercultural dialogue and conflict resolution is a continual process that requires the input of our community
- Leadership and Civic Engagement: Inspiring students to develop their capacity as change-makers for the betterment of their communities
- Advocacy: Providing support for the voices of students, staff, and faculty in order to create a more inclusive campus
- Empowerment: Promoting personal excellence by equipping students with the self-confidence and autonomy necessary to reach their full potential