Biomedical sciences senior Loreanne Tostado said as commencement approaches, she does not regret her decision to enroll at UTRGV, despite being hesitant about it during her freshman year.
Tostado will be one of the 550 students graduating in the fall ceremony at 4 p.m. Dec. 14 on the Brownsville campus. Three other ceremonies are scheduled Dec. 15 in the McAllen Convention Center.
Tostado enrolled in Fall 2014 at legacy institution University of Texas at Brownsville.
“When I was, like, coming in, I wasn’t so excited,” she said. “All my friends were going to Austin, New York, California. I was, like, ‘Ugh, I’m going to stay here,’ but I loved it. I think it was an amazing experience and I’m super happy I did it.”
In past years, the Brownsville ceremony was held at 6 p.m., but due to several factors, it has been moved to 4 p.m., said Sofia Montes, the university registrar.
“It was partly in response to some survey responses that we got from past graduating students. We recognize that in the fall it gets darker sooner and it tends to be a little bit colder, too,” Montes said. “So, 4 o’clock is a more favorable time for graduates and their guests to enjoy an outdoor ceremony.”
About 1,900 students will participate in the commencement ceremonies in McAllen.
Of the 2,450 students graduating, 25 percent will receive a graduate degree, Montes said.
The first ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. for the Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship, the College of Health Professions, the College of Nursing and the College of Social Work.
At 1 p.m., the College of Education and P-16 Integration, the College of Engineering and Computer Science and the College of Sciences will hold their ceremony.
At 5 p.m., the College of Fine Arts and Liberal Arts ceremony is scheduled to begin.
Tickets are required to attend the ceremonies at the convention center.
“Graduating students receive six tickets each that they can give to family and friends and those tickets are required to enter the McAllen Convention Center. Guests have to arrive together to sit together,” Montes said.
In case of inclement weather, the Brownsville ceremony will be moved to the convention center but will be held at the same time and date, she said.
The traditional ringing of the University Bell at the end of the ceremony will take place at both locations.
Graphic design senior Samuel Sanchez said being part of student organizations in the university made him get out of his comfort zone by socializing and improving his social skills, which will help him after graduation.
“Being involved in the [campus] community is more than what you actually expect,” Sanchez said. “Not just only, like, experience, but it also gives you a different meaning to, like, the college life.”
Beatriz Vela, a physics senior, said her university experience had good times and bad times but most important, it made her care for other people, other students who were going through the same journey.
“College is a place where everybody is trying to improve themselves and everybody wants to grow,” Vela said. “Even, sometimes, we don’t notice, like, being someone who is there for somebody else, even if you don’t know them, can have a huge impact on that person at the moment.”
Tostado said, “I loved high school, but I think I like college more because you are more independent, you grow as a person, meet new people. You just, like, find out what you really want to do in life and all of that happens in, like, four years, so I loved it.”
