Hundreds of future leaders cross the stage at Watts’ convocation

More than 1,000 new graduates from the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions joined the ASU alumni ranks this spring. 

Many of those graduates, along with an audience packed with boisterous family, friends, college faculty and staff, celebrated their achievements at the Watts College Convocation, held Tuesday at ASU’s Desert Financial Arena in Tempe.

Anthony Manuel Gaona, who was graduating with his Master of Social Work, called the experience of graduating “surreal” after completing his bachelor’s and master’s degrees back-to-back. He’ll begin working with the Arizona Department of Child Safety at the end of the month.

Reflecting on his degree, which he completed through ASU Sync, in classes taught live on Zoom, Gaona said he studied social work general practices, policymaking, ethics and self-assessment.

“We have to learn what we are good at, what our skills are, what some of our weaknesses are, and how we can improve,” he said.

Gaona was one of 344 graduates presented by the School of Social Work. Additionally, the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice presented 441 graduates, the School of Public Affairs presented 132 graduates and the School of Community Resources and Development presented 102 graduates. More than 500 students received bachelor’s degrees, 465 students earned master’s degrees and 13 students completed doctoral degrees. Over 400 students earned their degrees completely online.

College benefactors Mike and Cindy Watts attended the ceremony. They congratulated the graduates and thanked them for their commitment to public service, which Cindy Watts called “the backbone of our communities and our nation.”

“Under that umbrella of public service, I want to thank you for your humanity, for your compassion, your energy, the belief in our future, and, most of all, your very big, very courageous hearts,” she said.

The college’s four outstanding graduates served at the head of the procession as student marshals, each carrying a colorful gonfalon. Representing their schools were: Augustus Elliott for the School of Public Affairs; Crystal Estrada for the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice; Michael Zubia for the School of Social Work; and Evan Celeste Senat of the School of Community Resources and Development.

During the ceremony, Associate Dean Chandra Crudup introduced the outstanding graduates and shared their personal journeys.

In addition to Crudup, other members of the college’s executive leadership team formed the core of the platform party: Dean Cynthia Lietz, Senior Associate Dean Joanna Lucio, Associate Deans Kelly Bricker, Megha Budruk and William Terrill.

Joining the executive leaders were administrators of the Watts College’s four schools: Bricker from the School of Community Resources and Development; Beth Huebner, director of the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice; Elizabeth Lightfoot, director of the School of Social Work; and Scott Robinson, associate director of the School of Public Affairs.

In her remarks to graduates, Lietz discussed the concept of service, a commitment all of the graduates of the day already made when choosing to attend the Watts College, she said. She encouraged the graduates to serve with hope and to “embrace the idea that better times are ahead of us,” which drew thunderous applause from the floor.

“Optimism is not always easy. There is a lot to be concerned about right now. Global conflicts, food and housing insecurity, and negative discourse feel omnipresent and unyielding,” she said. “My call to you, our graduates, is to care deeply about these things and yet not get discouraged. Push past negativity and believe in what is possible in the future, for the people you serve, for the organizations for whom you work, and for this nation and world.”

In closing, Lietz reminded graduates that hope is a choice that can alter service on a variety of scales. It can enhance individual interactions with a person in need or it can help push forward macro-level policy improvements in organizations.

“We must remain deeply optimistic about what is possible,” she said.

At the close of the ceremony, a band played ASU’s fight song, “Maroon and Gold,” as graduates tossed their mortarboards and hugged their classmates, friends and family.

View the spring 2026 Watts College convocation in its entirety on ASU Live.