Among the graduates this year were Naomi and Nayana Velardi, 22-year-old twins from Romoland who are both on the autism spectrum and earned certificates in Digital Media after pursuing studies in animation, video production, and graphic design with support from MSJC accommodation services and life coaches.

The ceremonies also highlighted the remarkable range of ages and experiences represented within the graduating class. Alyssa Nicole Gumms of Perris, age 16, was recognized as the college’s youngest graduate this year. Alyssa began her college journey through dual enrollment and graduated with an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts: Mathematics and Science while serving as this year’s Tassel Turner.

At the other end of the spectrum, Jacqueline M. Al-Rauf, a 75-year-old student from Hemet, was recognized as the oldest graduate in the Class of 2026 after earning her Associate of Science degree. Jacqueline has served as an emergency room registered nurse since 1982 after previously attending MSJC to earn her nursing degree. She returned to college decades later to earn an additional degree required to teach Licensed Vocational Nursing courses, reminding attendees that learning, growth, and service to others can continue throughout a lifetime.

The ceremonies also celebrated students whose educational journeys reflected resilience and determination across decades. Melissa Lopez, a 48-year-old first-generation student from Murrieta, first enrolled at MSJC in 1995 before putting college on hold while raising four children as a single mother and working full time. This year, she completed two associate degrees: one in Behavioral Sciences and another in Administration of Justice.

“Coming back to college after all these years was something I did not think I would ever accomplish,” Lopez said. “I wanted to show my children that no matter how long it takes or what life puts in front of you, you can still achieve your goals. Earning these degrees means everything to me and my family.”

Students at the Temecula Valley Campus know Lopez well through her work at the campus café, where many affectionately refer to her as their “second mom” for the encouragement and kindness she brings to campus each day.

Esteban Valdes, a first-generation college student, returning student, and DREAMer from Lake Elsinore, was also recognized for overcoming hardship and becoming a student leader, mentor, and Supplemental Instruction Leader while preparing to transfer and pursue a future in business and finance.

“MSJC didn’t give us all the answers,” Valdes said. “But it gave us the space to ask the questions. To try. To fail. To change our minds. To grow into versions of ourselves we didn’t even know existed when we first got here. And I think that’s one of the most powerful things about this place. We found parts of ourselves we didn’t even know we were missing.”

Student Trustee and commencement student speaker Claudia Walukouw, a 32-year-old returning student, also reflected on the transformative impact of her time at MSJC.

“When I think of education, I think of the night that I chose to go back to school in pursuit of a nursing degree,” Walukouw said. “Older, non-traditional student, convinced that this was my last chance and not knowing that my time here at MSJC would have such a deep impact on my personal journey of finding my passions and finding the community I never knew I was missing.”

“These students remind all of us that there is no single path to success,” said Roger Schultz.

“Every graduate carries a story of perseverance, sacrifice, growth, and hope. Watching students transform their lives through education has been the greatest privilege of my career.”

This year’s commencement ceremonies also reflected the tremendous growth of Mt. San Jacinto College and the communities it serves.

When MSJC held its first commencement ceremony in 1965, the college graduated just eight students. Sixty-one years later, the college awarded 3,881 degrees to 2,952 graduates during four ceremonies over two days, underscoring the institution’s continued growth throughout one of California’s fastest-growing regions.

During Schultz’s nearly two decades as Superintendent/President, the college experienced significant transformation, including the expansion of college facilities by half a million square feet, increasing access to higher education opportunities across the region.

From 2008 to 2026, MSJC experienced an average annual graduation growth rate of approximately 4.7%, rising from 1,681 degrees awarded in 2008 to 3,881 degrees awarded in 2026.

At the conclusion of the academic year, Schultz will retire after leading 18 graduating classes at MSJC.

“This year’s commencement felt especially meaningful,” Schultz said. “As our Eagles prepared to soar into their futures, I found myself reflecting on how far this college has come—and how much potential still lies ahead for both our students and this institution.”

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Founded in 2011, Excelencia in Education launched the Presidents for Latino Student Success initiative in 2014 to support institutional leaders transforming higher education by ensuring Latino students have the opportunities and resources needed to succeed. Programs and initiatives that work for Latino students often serve as models for supporting all students, benefiting the broader educational landscape.

By joining the P4LSS network, Dr. Schultz will collaborate with Excelencia and other higher education leaders to share expertise, leverage resources, foster partnerships, and strengthen efforts to accelerate Latino student success at the national level.

“At Mt. San Jacinto College, we are deeply committed to fostering an inclusive, supportive environment where all students can excel,” said Dr. Roger Schultz, Superintendent/President of MSJC. “Joining the Presidents for Latino Student Success network aligns with our mission to provide equitable access to education and empower our diverse student body. We are excited to partner with Excelencia in Education to further advance these efforts and drive meaningful impact.”

“Institutional leadership focused on intentionally serving Latino, and all, students is the hallmark of the presidents and chancellors in this network,” said Sarita Brown, co-founder and president of Excelencia in Education. “We are proud to catalyze and support them as they advance student success and grow talent for our country’s bright future.”

Dr. Schultz joins more than 150 higher education leaders in the P4LSS network. While this network represents only 5% of the thousands of colleges and universities nationwide, its members enroll 32% and graduate 34% of all Latino students in higher education.

Excelencia in Education is honored to work alongside visionary and action-driven leaders who have answered the national call to accelerate Latino student success and help shape America’s future.

To learn more about the Presidents for Latino Student Success network and the institutional leaders affiliated with Excelencia, visit: EdExcelencia.org/leadership/presidents-latino-student-success.

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Immediate and conditional admission will be offered to high school seniors who are on track to meet college preparatory courses before they have even started their application process.

The pilot, launched in partnership with the Riverside County Office of Education and the CSU, expects to admit 12,000 to 10 different CSU campuses by way of a brochure that has been mailed to their homes.

Then, students must use CaliforniaColleges.edu to select their preferred CSU campus and acceptance letters will be sent directly by the universities.

“We want students to know that the door to college opportunity is open to them, and to help relieve some of the stress and uncertainty about applying for college,” said April Grommo, the university system’s vice chancellor of enrollment. “Riverside County is an excellent location for this first-ever program for the CSU, as it is ethnically and economically representative of the diversity of California, and many of the students the CSU is so proud to serve.”

Here are the campuses available for the pilot:

• San Bernardino
• Channel Islands
• Chico
• East Bay
• Humboldt
• Maritime Academy
• Monterey Bay
• San Francisco
• San Marcos
• Sonoma.

When students receive admittance, they must continue to meet A-G requirements to graduate high school. Once the official acceptance letter is granted by their university of choice, students should confirm their intent to enroll by the given campus deadline.

Here’s how students can apply for financial aid: Submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) no later than the deadline, which has always been March 2. But, the sooner the better.

“As one of the fastest growing regions in California, the need for college-educated professionals will continue to soar, and this partnership will remove barriers to higher education, welcoming more college-ready students to the CSU system through this innovative direct admission program,” said Edwin Gomez, Riverside County superintendent of schools.

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The Soboba Indian Reservation school also invited students from Sherman Indian High School in Riverside to interact with vendors throughout the afternoon. Students were asked to create a schedule based on their interests, spending 15 minutes at each table, throughout six rotations.

Noli chooses to hold this annual event early in the school year so students have exposure to different colleges prior to open application month in October.

All Noli students, in grades 6 through 12, have a 20-minute Advisory Class prior to their fourth period classes where they discuss their current grades and challenges as well as their future goals. Sonia Modesto, who teaches Special Education and serves as one of the grade level Advisory teachers, said the annual fair plays a huge part in the students’ guidance process as they explore all options and opportunities.

“I think it is so amazing and inspiring that these vendors take the time out of their day to share it with our students,” said Modesto, who plays a key role in organizing the event. “During Advisory, we do encourage our students to reflect and discuss the day, what they learned, what they are interested in, what they enjoyed and what they may not have cared for. It is both engaging and interesting to get their feedback. It also helps us to plan for the next year.”

Students sat in the gym’s bleachers to be welcomed by Alex “Panda” Armendariz, Admissions and Outreach Specialized Recruiter for California State University San Bernardino. “This event gives you the opportunity to learn about what’s available. Take advantage of having the chance to talk to those who are making time to be here for you today,” he said.

Four other colleges were represented, sharing what each campus offers in terms of Native American studies and student life. Mt. San Jacinto College is a local community college that shared information about its adult education courses and non-credit programs for career development as well as its Native American Student Success/Support Services. Representatives from The University of Redlands and California State Universities located in Fullerton and San Marcos answered many questions posed by the students and had lots of handouts for them.

To further help students make the right decision, Cal State Fullerton is offering a Fall Webinar Series during its open enrollment period of Oct. 1 through Dec. 2 and a free campus tour on Oct. 26. Seniors were encouraged to visit calstate.edu/apply or Fullerton.edu to learn more.

The electricians’ union offered demonstrations about the type of jobs available in this field and AUMT Institute shared the career of phlebotomy. Temeeku Midwifery and the California Nurses Educational Institute shared details about medical field careers and several branches of the military explained recruitment to the students.

Coast Guard recruiter Caleb Svitenko served in the U.S. Navy for six years prior to joining the Coast Guard six years ago. He said those who enlist have often already done research and come in prepared to serve in this very specific branch.

Eastern Municipal Water District has a plethora of career paths for students to consider as does GRID Alternatives who shared the various jobs available in the rapidly growing solar industry.

Entrepreneur and Realtor David Borja Castaneda was able to explain different aspects of the real estate business to students who asked many different questions. He shared that he was working a full-time job with an automotive company and was not making the income he wanted so he switched careers. He said he enjoys being self-employed but that it isn’t easy. He added that it’s important to be a “people person” and to have compassion and great listening skills to be successful. Chloe Trosper, a junior at Sherman Indian High School, is interested in being a designer so Castaneda explained what stagers do and how they have a big impact on the sale of a house. “Real estate and designing go hand in hand,” he told Chloe.

Anthony Luna Trujillo always has one of the most popular presentations with his Stylish Culture business. He discussed how he started his graphic design business with the support of his family while he was a senior at Noli in 2015. He is a self-taught artist and graphic designer who comes up with creative designs that he recreates on items such as decorative boards, T-shirts, hats, stickers and his new line of coloring books. Although he has been a firefighter for the past seven years, he has always found time to keep up with his many orders on his days off. “I started Stylish Culture with my family when my parents invested in me. It started with an image and ended with a legacy,” said Trujillo, who now has a son, Tukut Trujillo, born June 29. “I love doing this.” He is active on Instagram @stylishculture15.

Funeral Arranger Robert Young with Inland Memorial Funeral Care in Hemet explained the different jobs that exist in that business. With a strong tie to the Native American culture, the company is well-known among local students.

Riverside County Sheriff’s Department’s Tyler Topping brought purebred bloodhound Leia to the event, and she was an instant hit with students and staff alike. He explained that his K-9 partner is trained to search for missing people – not drugs, guns or bombs – and that she is extremely good at what she does. Leia was super friendly, eliciting hugs and tummy rubs from the crowd. Topping explained that when it’s time to trail, he puts on her vest and she completely changes, transforming into working mode.

California Indian Manpower Consortium provides employment and training services and other related services to Indian and Native American people. Hemet’s Coastline Beauty College offers certification in cosmetology and manicuring to anyone 18 years or older that has a high school diploma. Instructor Mina Price is also a former student and Jessica Crane from admissions said the school has hired quite a few students to work there. They also shared with students that the college offers discounted prices for salon services and specials for prom and homecoming events.

Noli science teachers Jay Dagostino and Sabrina Sobel Smith discussed all the different types of jobs that are available in the field of marine biology as both had previous careers at Sea World. Smith shared scuba diving equipment and how it works and Dagostino had many sea life samples and photos. He said there are many internships and entry level jobs at aquariums and other places where workers can learn the business from the ground up.

Branch Bankers Rosa Guardian and Tracie Bannister are with PNC Bank, the sixth largest bank in the nation but new to Hemet. Their message to students was mostly about the importance of financial literacy and the fact that PNC offers internships for college students to learn more about the banking business. “It may not seem important to them now but having a good relationship with your bank is important,” Bannister said. Guardian said banking offers all kinds of positions from the business side to the customer service side and shared that PNC is really big on expanding from within. Bannister agreed, stating that career development is huge and that the bank offers lots of incentives, sharing its motto of “employee driven, management guided.”

Members of the Soboba Casino Resort shared details about what is involved with marketing and the different skill sets they seek. Several departments from the Soboba Indian Health Clinic were available to share what it takes to work in the areas of dental, optical, pharmacy and wellness/behavioral health.

 Cecilia Tsai is an optometry resident and had lots of equipment available for students to explore the world of optometry. She answered questions about eye function and diseases and what it takes to get into the field.

Dental Assistant Liz Martinez explained that being a hygienist offers lots of flexibility and freedom because they can work as often as they want and at different dental offices. “It’s been very rewarding for me; I love it and I enjoy my patients,” said Martinez, whose table offered smile kits that consisted of toothpaste, a toothbrush, floss and lip balm.

Students left with lots of other freebies from the vendors, such as candy, water bottles, pens, T-shirts, notepads, stickers and more.

“I would have to say that the main highlight for me at this event each year is to see our students really engage,” Modesto said. “They become so inquisitive and interested in what the representatives of the colleges and careers that attend have to share.”

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This academic year marks a significant milestone for MSJC, reflecting a continued rise in enrollment and underscoring the college’s dedication to accessible, flexible, and affordable education. The college’s diverse course offerings, including in-person, online, and hybrid formats, cater to students’ varying needs, providing them with the flexibility to balance their academic and personal commitments effectively.

Dr. Roger Schultz, Superintendent/President of MSJC, expressed his enthusiasm for the new academic year: “We will continue to work together as a community of transformation for the lives of our students and for the betterment of our region.” Dr. Schultz also highlighted upcoming developments, including the grand opening of new STEM buildings at the San Jacinto and Menifee Valley campuses. These state-of-the-art facilities are designed to enhance the educational experience and support academic growth.

In addition to these advancements, MSJC is expanding its academic offerings with new and enhanced programs within the Nursing and Allied Health Department. Students can now benefit from expanded training in Nursing, Radiologic Technology, and Emergency Medical Technician programs. Dr. Schultz added, “I am so proud of our institution and the innovative learning programs and extracurricular activities curated to offer each of our students the opportunity to explore interests, develop personally and professionally, and reach their full potential.”

At the Temecula Valley Campus, the start of the academic year was marked by memorable moments. Sisters Elyssa and Naya Sim began their college experience together, while Great Oak High School graduates Aidan Savena and Owen Streeter enjoyed a welcoming breakfast as they started their college journey in their hometown. The sense of community and local pride was evident as students embraced the opportunities ahead.

The San Jacinto Campus saw an extra layer of excitement with the unveiling of the new STEM building. Students, including Diagnostic Medical Sonography major Anahi Guerra Brito, were impressed by the state-of-the-art facility. “The building is beautiful, honestly. It’s very new and very technologically advanced, and I’m happy to start classes here,” she noted.

At the Menifee Valley Campus, the Learning Resource Center tutors, including Ace Araujo, Olivia Frazier, and Katrina Bellemonte, rallied behind the students with encouraging words: “We are rooting for you, Eagles!” Their support highlighted the collaborative spirit and dedication of the Menifee Valley Campus community.

As MSJC moves forward into this academic year, the college remains committed to fostering an inclusive and innovative environment where every student can thrive. With a focus on community and academic excellence, MSJC is poised for a successful and transformative year ahead.

For Dr. Schultz’s welcome video message, please visit https://youtu.be/Gap_ElK8Z2Q.

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The majority also think it’s unfair for colleges to consider an applicant’s athletic ability, family alumni ties, ability to pay full tuition or parents’ educational levels in determining who should get acceptance letters, the survey found.

At the same time, most Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders surveyed believe that slavery, racism and segregation should be taught in schools and oppose individual school boards restricting classroom discussion of specific topics, as some conservative districts have done.

Overall, AAPI adults value higher education not only as a pathway to economic well-being but for teaching critical thinking, fostering the free exchange of ideas and advancing equity and inclusion.

The survey by AAPI Data, a UC research enterprise, and the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research interviewed a nationally representative sample of 1,068 AAPI adults age 18 and older. The poll, conducted April 8-17 in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese and Korean, has a margin of error of 4.7 percentage points.

The poll offers a comprehensive look at attitudes toward education among Asian Americans, who make up a disproportionately large share of students at the University of California and other selective institutions — yet are often overlooked in policy discussions about equity and diversity.

Several polls have shown that Asian Americans support affirmative action, depending on how the question is asked. A 2022 survey found support at 69% when respondents were asked if they favor programs to help Black people, women and other minorities get access to higher education. But Asian American plaintiffs who led a landmark lawsuit against Harvard University argued that affirmative action policies that use race as a factor in admissions discriminated against them. Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down such race-conscious practices.

In the new survey, the question about using race in admissions, worded without context about who it would help, drew little support. Asked if they think it is “fair, unfair or neither fair or unfair for colleges and universities to make decisions about admitting students” based on race and ethnicity, 18% of respondents said it was fair, 53% said it was unfair, and 27% said it was neither.

The AAPI Data/Associated Press-NORC survey is among the first to gauge Asian American attitudes on standardized testing and other metrics for college admissions, along with broader questions about the value of education.

“The stereotype of AAPIs might suggest that they care about education only in a narrow way as it relates to economic mobility and hard skills related to job prospects,” said Karthick Ramakrishnan, a UC Riverside professor of public policy and political science and founder of AAPI Data. “This study reveals a more nuanced and fuller portrait, illustrating that AAPI individuals value education … also for fostering critical thinking and nurturing a more informed citizenry.”

A strong majority — 71% — of those surveyed believe the history of slavery, racism, segregation and the AAPI community should be taught in public schools. A smaller majority, 53%, favor teaching about sex and sexuality — including 72% of AAPI Democrats and 25% of Republicans.

Overall, AAPI adults hold similar views as the general American public about the keys to children’s success: hard work, time spent with parents and which schools they attend. Asian Americans, however, are significantly more likely to believe the neighborhoods they live in are important to educational success — 62%, compared with 49% of all Americans. Ramakrishnan said research has shown that AAPI families are more willing to move to areas with good schools even if it means living in worse housing.

Asian American support for standardized testing comes as several elite universities have restored those requirements for admissions after pausing them during the pandemic. In recent months, Harvard, Caltech, Yale, Dartmouth and the University of Texas at Austin, among others, have reinstated testing mandates.

Some institutions say their reviews showed that the testing requirements increase diversity — benefiting applicants with less access to rigorous high school curriculum, strong letters of recommendation or impressive extracurricular activities. Others have said it’s harder to assess an applicant’s readiness for college work without standardized testing — especially because many educators have reported significant grade inflation since the pandemic.

The University of California and California State University have both eliminated standardized testing requirements for admission.

While some UC leaders have indicated interest in reviewing the impact of that decision on student outcomes, faculty leaders say there may not be much of an appetite for it. The UC Board of Regents rejected the Academic Senate’s recommendation to retain testing requirements and voted to bar them for admissions decisions.

USC is continuing its test-optional policy — accepting scores from those who wish to submit them but not penalizing those who don’t — and is reviewing whether to continue that course.

Frank Xu, a San Diego parent of a high-school sophomore and an MIT student, said he opposed UC regents’ decision to nix testing mandates and believes that the preponderance of research shows that test scores highly correlate with college success.

“I’m all for research-based decisions, and I felt that at UC, it was a completely political decision to ignore the faculty senate,” he said.

But some Asian American students say testing is an unfair factor in admissions decisions.

At Downtown Magnets High School, students Rida Hossain and Shariqa Sultana said their families were not able to afford test prep, with annual incomes of less than $30,000 and relatives in Bangladesh to support.

“Standardized testing doesn’t portray a student’s capacity for how they’ll perform in higher education, because in the classroom, they’ll be doing a lot of essay writing, research, collaboration and projects that wouldn’t necessarily be put into a multiple-choice exam,” Shariqa said. “How you actually perform in class and your extracurriculars are a better metric than one test that determines your entire future.”

Ramakrishnan said there are several reasons why many Asian Americans support standardized testing. The majority are immigrants from China, Korea, India and other countries that use such tests for college admissions, he said. They are accustomed to a system of high-stakes testing and see it as an equitable way to determine college access, compared with wealth or political connections.

The survey backs up that point, showing that 70% of AAPI respondents who are immigrants back testing, compared with 56% of those born in the United States. A plurality of those surveyed, 45%, said it was fair to consider personal experiences with hardship or adversity.

But 69% of those surveyed said legacy admissions — preferential treatment for children of alumni — was unfair, while 48% oppose consideration of an applicant’s ability to pay. A majority, 54%, don’t think it’s fair to consider whether applicants are the first in their family to attend college.

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Caris Sandino, 28, of Beaumont, was one of the two MSJC graduates to receive the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Scholarship. The coveted scholarship was awarded to only 60 students across the nation. She said joining the MSJC Honors Enrichment Program was one of the best decisions she’s made.  

“I am really happy with my experience at MSJC,” Sandino said. “It helped me grow personally and academically as well.” 

Of the 2,183 students earning degrees and certificates this year, 974 graduates walked in one of two ceremonies, marking the highest number of students to date participating in commencement. The MSJC Class of 2024 earned a total of 2,848 degrees and certificates, as some students earn more than one degree, certificate or a combination of both.  

The ceremony honored the college district’s 60th anniversary with the theme “A Legacy of Transformation.” MSJC began its anniversary celebration in the 2023-24 academic year to mark the 1963 opening of the college. Its first graduating class was celebrated in 1965, with a total of eight students.  

Sandino came to the U.S. from Nicaragua when she was 11 with her mother and is the first in her family to graduate from college. She founded MSJC’s Eagles DREAMers Club, which provides a safe space for undocumented students to network, advocate, and get the support they need to succeed.  

“Launching Eagles DREAMers has been one of the most personally meaningful accomplishments in my college journey,” Sandino said. “It’s been an incredible privilege to advocate for and support our undocumented student community, knowing that our efforts have the power to impact lives and foster inclusivity within our college community.”  

Her leadership and hard work in the classroom helped her earn the Cooke scholarship.  Sandino will transfer to the University of California, Berkeley to major in business administration.  

Temecula resident Joseph Awad, who served as Student Trustee this past year at MSJC, was the second MSJC graduate to receive the Cooke scholarship in 2024. Awad will transfer to the University of California, Los Angeles to major in psychology.  

Like Sandino, Awad joined the Honors Enrichment Program and was recognized for several significant research projects, including an Outstanding Abstract award from the Honors Transfer Council of California’s Research Conference held at University of California, Riverside in April for his research on “Contextualizing the Lived Experiences of Queer Arabs: Understanding the Dimensions & Manifestations of Fear.”  

Awad, 20, said his experiences and success seem surreal given his background as a self-described “first-generation, queer, Arab immigrant, wannabe college student.” He credited his success to his mentors and “many kind souls at MSJC.” 

“I hope the past three years of my life can show how much you can change somebody’s life by investing in them and their story, and for that I’ll always be grateful,” Awad said.  

Lake Elsinore residents Eric Ellis, 35, and his wife, Carolyn Ellis, 38, celebrated a milestone as they crossed the stage together. Eric, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, plans to become a social worker to support fellow veterans in their mental health journeys. 

Carolyn plans to transfer to Loma Linda University to become a surgical technician.  

“MSJC provided all the building blocks we needed to reach our goals and have meaningful careers,” Carolyn Ellis said. 

Jilema Silver, 44, of San Jacinto, said she was proud to graduate MSJC with her son, Cameron Britt, 23. Silver said she started pursuing a degree in business, but through her work at MSJC’s Veterans Resource Center, she decided to receive a second degree in psychology so she could help others. In addition, Silver served as the vice president of the Student Government Association, went to a conference in Washington, D.C. and learned how important it was to “speak up on matters.”  

“I love MSJC,” Silver said before the ceremony. “I love everything that it’s done for me, [and] the professors and I just grew as a person.” 

Silver is transferring to California State University, San Bernardino and said her son is already earning money with his degree in digital media, serving in a paid internship through the city of Menifee. 

Silver served as a student speaker during the morning graduation ceremony. She thanked her son for sharing in the journey, faculty for their support, and peers for becoming friends and companions.  

“As we step out into the world, let us do so with heads held high, knowing that the legacy of transformation we leave behind will continue to inspire and uplift others for generations to come,” Silver told the Class of 2024. “I leave you with these final words: Remember you can do anything and everything – except give up.” 

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LYON, FRANCE — An American accused of sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013 and later sending her a Facebook message that said, “So I raped you,” has been detained in France after a three-year search.

A prosecutor in Metz, France, confirmed Tuesday that Ian Thomas Cleary, 31, of Saratoga, California, had been taken into custody last month and will be held pending extradition proceedings.

Cleary had been the subject of an international search since authorities in Pennsylvania issued a 2021 felony warrant in the case weeks after an Associated Press story detailed the reluctance of local prosecutors to pursue campus sex crimes.

The arrest warrant accuses Cleary of stalking an 18-year-old Gettysburg College student at a party, sneaking into her dorm and sexually assaulting her while she texted friends for help. He was a 20-year-old Gettysburg student at the time, but did not return to campus.

According to a French judicial official, Cleary was detained on the street in Metz on April 24 as part of a police check. He told a magistrate that he had “arrived in France two or three years ago” from Albania and had only recently come to Metz, but did not have housing there, the official said. A French lawyer appointed to represent him did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment Tuesday.

Cleary, according to his online posts, had previously spent time in France and also has ties to California and Maryland. His father is a tech executive in Silicon Valley, while his mother has lived in Baltimore. Neither he nor his parents have returned repeated phone and email messages left by the AP, including calls to his parents on Tuesday.

The Gettysburg accuser, Shannon Keeler, had a rape exam done the same day she was assaulted in 2013. She gathered witnesses and evidence and spent years urging officials to file charges. She went to authorities again in 2021 after discovering the Facebook messages that seemed to come from Cleary’s account.

“So I raped you,” the sender had written in a string of messages.

“I’ll never do it to anyone ever again.”

“I need to hear your voice.”

“I’ll pray for you.”

According to the June 2021 warrant, police verified that the Facebook account used to send the messages belonged to Ian Cleary. Adams County District Attorney Brian Sinnett, who filed it, did not immediately return a call Tuesday.

The AP does not typically name people who say they are sexual assault victims without their permission, which Keeler has granted. Her lawyer, reached Tuesday, had no immediate comment on Cleary’s detention.

After leaving Gettysburg, Cleary earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from Santa Clara University, near his family home in California, worked for Tesla, then moved to France for several years, according to his website, which describes his self-published medieval fiction.

Keeler, originally from Moorestown, New Jersey, stayed on to graduate from Gettysburg and help lead the women’s lacrosse team to a national title.

By 2023, two years after the warrant was filed, Keeler and her lawyers wondered how he was avoiding capture in the age of digital tracking. The U.S. Marshals Service thought he was likely overseas and on the move, even as he was the subject of an Interpol alert called a red notice.

Across the U.S., very few campus rapes are prosecuted, both because victims fear going to police and prosecutors hesitate to bring cases that can be hard to win, the AP investigation found.
Keeler, when the warrant was issued, said she was grateful, but knew it only happened “because I went public with my story, which no survivor should have to do in order to obtain justice.”

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Michael Sainato

The largest union of academic workers, which represents more than 48,000 graduate student workers throughout the University of California system, will hold a strike authorization vote as early as next week in response to how universities have cracked down on students’ Gaza protests.

“The use and sanction of violent force to curtail peaceful protest is an attack on free speech and the right to demand change, and the university must sit down with students, unions, and campus organizations to negotiate, rather than escalate,” stated an announcement of the strike vote from UAW Local 4811. Earlier this year, the union voted by a margin of more than 9 to 1 in favor of supporting a ceasefire, according to the announcement.

The graduate workers last went on strike in November 2022 over a new union contract, which was the largest strike in US higher education history. They recently merged two UAW locals, 2865 and 5810, under the single UAW Local 4811.

“We have been calling on the University of California to de-escalate and negotiate with the protesters over their very urgent and moral concerns and it failed to do that and it failed to protect students and workers and allowed this violence to occur,” Rafael Jaime, co-president of UAW 4811 and a graduate worker at UCLA, told The Guardian. “We’re holding a strike authorization vote to hold the university accountable and demand the university respect the members’ right to protected speech and right to protest.”

He said the union also plans to file unfair labor practice charges against the University of California over the university’s use of LAPD against protesters and for changing policies unilaterally in response to the protests without bargaining.

“This is the defining issue of our generation and its really important for all, not just workers at the University of California but across the entire nation to speak up and to ensure every worker has the right to speak on this issue,” added Jaime. “We believe all workers, all students have a fundamental right to engage in protests and engage in free speech and universities need to respect that right.”

The United Auto Workers, with 400,000 active members and over 500,000 retirees, is the largest US union to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, which they did in December 2023.

UAW President Shawn Fain recently reaffirmed the union’s position. “Our union has been calling for a ceasefire for six months. This war is wrong and this response against students and academic workers, many of them UAW members, is wrong,” Fain said in a statement on 1 May.

Graduate student workers are also calling on the National Labor Relations Board to weigh in on how universities have been responding to Pro-Palestine protests and whether those responses violate US labor laws and collective bargaining agreements with unions on campus.

The Graduate Labor Organization at Brown University has filed several unfair labor practice charges against the university since March 2024 in regards to Pro-Palestine protests and the university’s responses to them.

Forty-one students at Brown University was arrested and charges remain despite the pro-Palestine encampment dispersing as part of negotiations which included a planned vote by the university’s highest governing body for October 2024 on divesting from companies affiliated with Israel. The charges filed by the union allege Brown University unilaterally changed protest policies without bargaining and that made threats of retaliation toward union members for participating in Pro-Palestine campus protests.

“It’s really about the university trying to leverage this fact that as graduate workers we do have student status and kind of using that as a workaround for violating labor law and this has been their playbook on a whole host of issues,” said Michael Ziegler, political director of the Graduate Labor Organization and graduate worker at Brown University. “In the past five years, we’ve had something like 20 protests on the main green and there was never any issue, the university didn’t take these actions. This is new and I think a dangerous attempt by them to clamp down on the rights of speech and protected concerted action.”

UAW Local 872, which represents around 3,000 graduate workers at USC, has recently filed an unfair labor practice charge against the university over arrests of at least five union members. The union has called for charges to be dropped against all 93 protesters who were arrested on 24 April and for the university to concede to demands from USC Divest from Death Coalition.

“USC’s summoning of LAPD riot police to arrest their own students and workers for peacefully demonstrating is abhorrent and wrong,” said Maile McCann, a Local 872 member and PhD Candidate in the Civil Engineering department at USC, in a statement on the charge. “The administration’s actions show an alarming disregard for our right as students and union members to engage in peaceful demonstrations, and their decisions have put international students in particular at serious risk. USC’s unnecessary escalation has resulted in a shameful waste of public resources for the purposes of silencing dissent.”

A spokesperson for USC said in an email, “we believe the charge is without merit and intend to defend our position before the National Labor Relations Board.”

Brown University and the University of California system did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

A spokesperson for Brown University has previously said in response to the first unfair labor practice charge, “individuals are not absolved from abiding by Brown policies by virtue of union membership.” The University of California system has not yet publicly commented on the planned strike vote by graduate student workers.

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