The sound of completion

Commencement Bell Ringers

Valeria Henderson | THE RIDER

UTRGV continues its tradition. Every semester two graduating students from each college are chosen to ring the bell after each commencement ceremony. This bell ringing stands for the ending to something special.  

“The commencement bell ringers are a tradition that we’ve had at the university for, I believe, the last five years,” said Cindy Mata-Vasquez, director of Student Activities. “It is to commemorate the end of the collegiate year for our students. And one of the things that makes it really different is that we invite all graduating students to apply for this honor.”

Mata-Vasquez said depending on the year and how many commencement ceremonies the university has, the selection committee will select up to two students per ceremony to ring the bell at commencement.

“This past year, because of the pandemic and everything that we’ve dealt with, we have had to adjust the process,” she said. “And so, one student has been selected to represent each college, and they have been provided the opportunity to ring the bell in a virtual component.”

The tradition is being planned to continue, even with the changes due to COVID-19.

“We’re still waiting to hear what commencement ceremonies will look like,” Mata-Vasquez said. “As of right now, we just opened up the application a week ago, and we are inviting our students to participate or to apply.

“Regardless of who gets selected, they will all receive a commemorative bell. And we still want to offer the opportunity down the road, when it’s safe for us all together, to invite the bell ringers since 2020 till now to come and take a commemorative picture with your cohort and with the bell.” 

Applications were open from Feb. 22 to last Saturday. 

“They are looking for student leaders who have made a contribution to a UTRGV community,”said Daniela Ramirez, vice president of membership for the Campus Activities Board. “And have them assure academic excellence, whether it be through extracurricular activities or being a full-time student active on campus.”  

Ramirez said being a bell ringer gives students a sense of pride.

“I feel that it’s a very good tradition that has stayed with us since [the University of Texas at Brownsville] days because students look forward to applying for bell ringer,” she said. “At least, in my experience as an applicant, it gives hope for other graduating cohorts, seeing students that are doing that. It gives a sense of pride and completion of, whether it be either a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate degree. It helps them hold that part of their life.”  

Mass communication junior Daisy Calzada said she would consider applying.

“I think I would be interested in applying,” Calzada said. “I mean, I know a lot of people apply, but I think even applying would just be an experience. I am not very outgoing at first, but I think it’s definitely pushed me to seek things like that out in the future, or just always not be afraid to, like, take that opportunity. You just never know–that day I was to apply and get picked out of all the students, that would feel surreal. And to know that that could happen, simply for having gone for the application, it would feel like such, such a dream to happen.” 

Mata-Vasquez said Student Activities is trying its best to host events.

“For this semester, we’ve actually just wrapped up our Charreada and Homecoming events,” she said. “Unfortunately, our homecoming had to take a little bit of a hit because of weather and games not being played, since Homecoming does revolve a lot around athletics. We tried to do the best that we could with some of these activities. Charreada as well, we couldn’t do the in-person events, but we definitely did some things virtually. But as we start wrapping up the semester events for the spring, know that our student activity team is working with campus partners already to start thinking of ideas for the fall semester.”