🎙️ The Liminal: From Solo Coordinator to Seamless Ceremonies — James Cuaresma on Evolving Commencement at Cal State LA

In this episode, Staci Matt-Beal talks with James Cuaresma, Senior Director of University Events and Protocol at Cal State LA. From running commencement as a one-person team to orchestrating nine ceremonies with 150 volunteers, James shares how Cal State LA transformed its approach—and how embracing digital tools helped along the way.

📝 Topics Discussed:

* Why Cal State LA has changed venues six times in 12 years—and what that’s taught them

* Scaling from one person to a team-supported operation

* Shifting from all-campus to college-based ceremonies

* Strategies for creating a truly student-centered experience

* How partnerships and cross-campus collaboration make it all possible

* The decision to adopt digital ticketing, chatbots, ceremony displays, and more

* Lessons learned from QR code mix-ups and how they plan to improve

* James’ philosophy: Give every student their moment, no matter what

📌 Episode Highlights:

[01:00] Cal State LA’s six venue changes in 12 years—and the silver lining[02:54] From a team of one to a ceremony supported by five leads and 150 volunteers[03:44] The shift to college-based ceremonies and the importance of student recognition[07:47] James’ approach to creating meaningful moments that prioritize students[09:28] How Tassel helped simplify complex logistics with an all-in-one platform[12:31] Early adopter insights: Using chatbots to cut down on student emails[15:18] Why ceremony visuals matter—and how students and families respond[16:49] Keeping registration easy: balancing tech tools with clear communication[18:49] Multi-channel outreach: emails, posters, postcards, and more[21:17] Switching to pre-recorded names—and the benefits for students and staff[22:29] The biggest value of Tassel’s all-in-one solution for large-scale events[23:54] What James plans to try next: stickers over name cards to save time and stress

💡 Have a tip or want to share your ceremony story? Drop us a note.

This episode of The Liminal is brought to you by Tassel — the leading platform for modern commencements. From registration to ticketing, name pronunciation, displays, and analytics, Tassel makes it easier for schools to celebrate every graduate.

✨ Give grads their perfect moment → tassel.com