Throughout 2025, Fresno State’s social media accounts have reflected the excitement and pride of the Bulldog community. Posts about everything from commencement season to pop culture references had audiences double-tapping through the university’s feeds.
These photos, videos, and graphics represent vibrant snapshots in time, showcasing what it means to be part of the Fresno State family.
This year’s top content spanned a wide range of topics and media formats, highlighting Bulldog stories with unique and engaging styles. Each of these posts offers a unique perspective on life at Fresno State, but collectively, they showcase what it truly means to be a part of the Pride of the Valley. As we look back on the posts that shared this magic and sparked conversations, we celebrate not just the metrics but the moments that made this year memorable.
1. Commencement procession time lapse
(Multiple platforms)
The College of Science and Mathematics, with 1,042 graduates, had the largest graduating class this year. This time-lapse video shows the college procession into the arena during the 2025 commencement ceremony, as loved ones fill the seats of the Save Mart Center. Between TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, the video collectively received over 276,000 views. Psychology students in the College of Science and Mathematics made up the largest major on campus, with 545 graduates this past year.
2. “Debit or Credit?” with Dr. Darling
(Instagram)
Somehow, Dr. Matthew Darling from the School of Music was the perfect professor who just needed graduates to answer a quick question before submitting their payment. Current students and alumni alike were thrilled to see Darling in this new context while celebrating the faculty that made their college experience so special.
3. Grad Caps 2025
(Instagram)
At Fresno State, decorating one’s graduation cap has become a meaningful part of the commencement tradition. For many Bulldogs, the decorated caps represent their journey, identity or future dreams. In this high-performing Instagram post, which showcased the wide variety of decorated caps, followers called out their favorite designs, commented on the intricate details and celebrated the class of 2025.
4. Parent Scholar feature: Maria Arredondo
(Instagram)
A mother of six, a wife, a full-time student and a future leader in criminal justice, Maria Arredondo redefined what student success looks like for her family. At Fresno State, she found a campus community that met her with understanding, especially among faculty. Her heartfelt story of resilience captured the social media audience, inspiring other students to pursue their goals. The post received 78 comments on Instagram alone, with one follower writing, “Congratulations, Maria! You are an inspiration to many who can relate to the hardships you have overcome.”
5. The fall semester is a new era…are you ready for it?
(Instagram)
Sometimes, a “Fearless” social media post taps into a major cultural moment. While Taylor Swift was announcing her next era, so was Fresno State, as the start of the new school year was about to begin. “Swifties” flocked to the comments of the post, which featured a visually stunning orange sunset photo of campus – an image fit for a showgirl.
6. Love Island: Fresno State edition
(Instagram)
Love Island: Fresno State edition turned up the heat and asked followers to declare which school or college they hoped to couple up with. Whether drawn to the down-to-earth sweetheart Jordan College or inclined to network with a Craig School power player, there’s a bombshell school or college for every student in the villa.
7. Alumni feature: Samuel Gomez pursues a Ph.D. at MIT
(Facebook)
Samuel Gomez graduated from Fresno State in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering after transferring from Reedley College. Now, with his Fresno State education and work experience serving as his foundation, Gomez is pursuing a doctoral degree in mechanical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This Facebook post received a high number of impressions and engagements as the Fresno State community celebrated Gomez’s success.
8. Major Ladder
(TikTok)
Can the Fresno State social media team guess your major? This new video series puts a playful campus twist on a viral classic. The script is flipped as the team tries to guess students’ majors based on fun questions about their habits and interests. Each episode showcases the diversity of Fresno State’s student population and the variety of academic options available on campus. In this inaugural episode, students ran to the comments to see if they could correctly guess Hunter’s major. Can you?
9. Psych grads accepted to top-tier doctoral programs
(Facebook)
Psychology labmates and first-generation college students Caitlin Baten, Amanda Klassen and Gladys Zamora all stayed close to home for their undergraduate and graduate studies at Fresno State. After graduating in May, each one of them moved on to other prestigious psychology programs at universities across the country. Social media audiences celebrated the success of these Bulldogs, who had Fresno State to thank for their foundational learning.
10. President Jiménez-Sandoval visits churches on Super Sunday
(LinkedIn)
Seeking to inspire a college-going culture among African American youth while nurturing relationships between the university and faith leaders and congregations, seven Fresno State leaders — including President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval — visited local churches as part of CSU Super Sunday. Fresno State followers on LinkedIn celebrated the occasion as campus leadership engaged with the community in a meaningful way.
Story by Jessica Piffero, senior digital marketing specialist
