Kevin Xu drew inspiration from his family’s past as he urged for a future of collaboration and cooperation from Cal State’s LA Class of 2025.
The biotech industry leader and champion of education received an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from Cal State LA on Tuesday, May 20, during the first of three Commencement ceremonies for the Rongxiang Xu College of Health and Human Services at the Shrine Auditorium.
More than 5,500 students were scheduled to participate in nine college-based ceremonies from Monday, May 19, to Wednesday, May 21, at the historic downtown venue, which was hosting Cal State LA’s Commencement ceremonies for the first time.
During his keynote speech, Xu invoked the memory of his late father, regenerative medicine pioneer Rongxiang Xu, in challenging the graduating students to provide positive global influence through science.
“My father often said, ‘To regenerate life is to believe in the future.’ I believe in yours,” Xu said. “And I’m reminded of a saying from his hometown in China: ‘A single tree does not make a forest; a single string cannot play a symphony.’ Your greatest strength will not only come from your own talents but from the communities you engage—and the partnerships you forge. It is through collaboration and shared purpose that we achieve lasting impact.”
Xu is the chief executive officer and chairman of the biotechnology company MEBO International, Inc., which focuses on regenerative medicine, and of Skingenix, Inc., a California-based organization working exclusively on drug development in the field of damaged organ regeneration.
Xu’s generosity and vision have shaped the present and future of Cal State LA. His significant gift led to the establishment of the Rongxiang Xu College of Health and Human Services and the state-of-the-art Rongxiang Xu Bioscience Innovation Center, both named after his father. He also established the Xu International Scholars Exchange Program, which has allowed Cal State LA students to broaden their horizons and gain global perspectives in healthcare.
“His philanthropic efforts extend beyond Cal State LA, contributing to institutions in the United States and China and advancing healthcare through his innovative work in regenerative medicine,” said Cal State LA President Berenecea Johnson Eanes.
Xu is also the founder of the National Rongxiang Xu Foundation. In 2023, then-President Joe Biden appointed Xu to serve as the co-chair of the Host Committee for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in San Francisco.
He is also the owner of the LA Weekly and a member of the Clinton Global Initiative, the Forbes Nonprofit Council, the Fortune CEO Initiative, and the Young Entrepreneur Council.
“This honorary Doctor of Humane Letters is not a destination—it is a reminder,” he said. “A reminder to keep learning, keep building, and keep lifting others with you. It affirms the values that have guided my journey: that science must serve humanity, that education must empower the next generation, and that partnership is essential to solving societal challenges.”
Xu was the first of three recipients of honorary degrees from Cal State LA this year. Actor and comedian Ken Jeong and stand-up comedian Jo Koy were each scheduled to receive an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts in later ceremonies. Jeong’s ceremony took place on the evening of May 20, and Koy’s was held on May 21.
The Class of 2025 consisted of 6,501 students, with 5,255 receiving bachelor’s degrees, 1,215 master’s degrees, and 31 doctoral degrees.
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California State University, Los Angeles is the premier comprehensive public university in the heart of Los Angeles. Cal State LA is ranked number one in the United States for the upward mobility of its students. Cal State LA is dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good, offering nationally recognized programs in science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, and the humanities. Founded in 1947, the University serves more than 24,000 students and has more than 250,000 distinguished alumni.
