Meet your 2024 commencement student speakers

Commencement is the culmination of everything we do at Central Washington University.

Each year, a student speaker is selected for each of the three commencement ceremonies to address their classmates and share their stories. These students are chosen by virtue of a submission of their written speech, followed by an audition. This year’s student speakers are:

Maria Cristina Carrillo Espinoza, Ellensburg Commencement AM Ceremony (Saturday, June 8)

Maria Cristina Carrillo Espinoza got her start in higher education through Yakima Valley College, but eventually realized that she wanted to take things further.

“I wanted to continue my education journey, and the transfer process to CWU was smooth and easy to navigate,” she said. “Even virtually, I’ve met great people here, and the professors are amazing, too.”

Once she joined CWU, Carillo got right to work on her social services degree, with the goal of working with the youth in any setting and ultimately returning to obtain her master's degree in school counseling. She took a full courseload over two years, in addition to working as both a substitute teacher and a restaurant server, to make sure that dream comes to fruition. Her speech draws on her personal experience as a child of immigrants forging a new path for herself, and for future generations.

"I never imagined I would be presented with the opportunity to share my story with so many people,” Carrillo said. “I hope my speech/story reaches those who are struggling to climb the ladder of hopes and dreams proving that it is truly possible"

Rochelle Saucedo-Mendoza, Ellensburg Commencement PM Ceremony (Saturday, June 8)

Rochelle Saucedo-Mendoza knew she wanted to pursue an education, and once she graduated high school, she had a pretty good idea of where to do it, too.

“When it came time to choose where I wanted to go, Central was just it,” she said. “It had everything I needed and was right next door.”

Having grown up in Yakima, Saucedo-Mendoza wanted to stay close to her family while she was earning her degree in marketing management. Given that CWU was just 30 minutes down the road, her decision to attend came easily. Since then, she has had a blast as part of the Wildcat community, attending football games and spending quality time with her cohort.

After commencement, Saucedo-Mendoza is headed to Georgetown University for her master’s degree in integrated marketing communications, further returning on the investment her parents made in her when they immigrated to the United States.

During her speech on Saturday, Saucedo-Mendoza plans to speak to that common thread of hope and perseverance in the CWU student population.

“I touch a bit on the journey my parents took to get to the United States, and the sacrifices it took to get to where I am now,” she said. “Central’s all about diversity and inclusion, so there are a lot of us here, and I hope to be able to speak to that shared experience. I want people to go forth with confidence and courage and determination, no matter the circumstances. I see this as a celebration of the beginning of our journey into the world.”

Tessa Mollenberg, Kent Commencement (Sunday, June 2)

“My first time coming to Central was in high school as part of a field trip, and since then, I’ve known I wanted to be a Wildcat,” said Tessa Mollenberg, an education major attending CWU-Des Moines. “It’s an atmosphere that I didn’t want to miss out on, and all my expectations for it have been exceeded in every way. There are so many things to be part of at Central, and that brings me a lot of joy.”

Mollenberg’s journey to CWU started during the pandemic, when she realized that healthcare work was no longer her path forward. She had heard great things about CWU’s education program, and her previous experience as a dance coach helped her develop a passion for the profession. Mollenberg started her degree online while living in Ellensburg during the pandemic years, but eventually transferred her classes to CWU-Des Moines in order to live closer to her family on the west side of the state. Her speech reflected on the flexibility and support from faculty and friends that made her neotraditional path through college possible.

“My speech is grounded in gratitude for the teachers and professors that have shown and taught me so much over the years, for my time at Central, and for my family and classmates and friends who have supported me every step of the way,” she said. “I’ll reflect on what we’ve accomplished as a class, and hopefully offer some words of inspiration for our future.”