The Fall 2019 commencement ceremonies will now be held at the Harlingen Convention Center and the Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg, according to university officials.
The ceremonies at the Harlingen Convention Center will take place at various times Dec. 13, and Dec. 14 in the Bert Ogden Arena. Brownsville graduating students will attend the ceremonies in Harlingen and Edinburg graduating students will attend in Edinburg. Harlingen students can choose which location they will attend.
In the Harlingen Convention Center, ceremonies will be as follows:
—9 a.m.: College of Liberal Arts
—noon: College of Engineering and Computer Science, College of Health Professions, Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship, School of Nursing and School of Social Work
—3 p.m.: College of Education and P-16 Integration, College of Fine Arts, College of Sciences
In the Bert Ogden Arena, ceremonies will be as follows:
—9 a.m.: Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship, College of Health Professions, School of Nursing and School of Social Work
—1 p.m.: College of Education and P-16 Integration, College of Engineering and Computer Science, and College of Science
—5 p.m.: College of Fine Arts and College of Liberal Arts
Previously, in Spring 2019, the Brownsville ceremonies were held in the Texas Southmost College Jacob Brown Auditorium and the Edinburg ceremonies were held at the McAllen Convention Center.
The university changed the venues for this year because the auditorium and convention center were already booked, according to Patrick Gonzales, associate vice president for University Marketing & Communications and university spokesman.
“Commencements have been some of the best events that we’ve had every semester at the university, and we expect it to be just as exciting and special for our students and their guests,” Gonzales said in a phone interview today.
Asked if the changes were permanent, he said nothing is permanent.
“We’re always going to have to be flexible with that because we’re using, you know, other facilities but the key for us is just, one, to be able to announce it with enough time so our students can inform their guests and two, to make sure that it’s not taking away from the actual ceremony,” Gonzales said. “We know that commencement is huge and no matter what, we’re always going to make sure that we’re making the best decision to make sure we’re putting out a great ceremony for these students who deserve it.”
Graduates for the Bert Ogden Arena will be given nine tickets for guests and distribution of the tickets will begin at 9 a.m. Dec. 2. and end at 4 p.m. Dec. 6 in the Edinburg UCentral, according to an email sent Thursday afternoon by the University Registrar.
Graduates for the Harlingen Convention Center will be given six tickets for guests and distribution for the tickets will be at the same times and days in the Brownsville UCentral.
The reason Brownsville graduating students receive less tickets for guests is because of the capacity of the convention center compared to the arena, according to Gonzales.
To request accommodations, students may contact Student Accessibility Services at 665-7005 for the Bert Ogden Arena or 882-7374 for the Harlingen Convention Center.
