PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MARIO GONZALEZ
More than 2,000 UTRGV students will graduate Dec. 16 and 17, with one ceremony on the Brownsville campus and three at the McAllen Convention Center.
As of press time Thursday, a total of 2,370 students were scheduled to graduate. Of these, 1,694 will receive a bachelor’s degree and 676 a master’s, Maggie Hinojosa, vice president for Strategic Enrollment, told The Rider via email.
“It is always an exciting time for UTRGV to announce and graduate another group of students. This will be our second fall commencement ceremony and we are looking forward to it,” said Patrick Gonzales, the university’s associate vice president of Marketing and Communications.
In UTRGV’s first fall commencement last year, a total of 2,076 students graduated.
In an interview with The Rider, communication studies graduating senior Rebeca Rodriguez said she was excited about graduating and offered freshmen advice.
“I do encourage them that time management is everything when you are in college. I know it’s hard to manage your classes, and not only that but studying … and also getting involved,” Rodriguez said
The Brownsville commencement ceremony for all colleges will start at 6 p.m. Dec. 16 on the Student Union lawn.
At the McAllen Convention Center, the commencement ceremonies will start at 9 a.m. for the Robert C. Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship and the College of Health Affairs; at 1 p.m. for the College of Engineering and Computer Science, College of Education and P-16 Integration and College of Sciences; and at 5 p.m. for the College of Liberal Arts and the College of Fine Arts.
UTRGV will have only one guest of honor instead of a keynote speaker at the 9.a.m. McAllen ceremony.
The distinguished guest of honor will be Robert C. Vackar, who donated $15 million to the College of Business and Entrepreneurship, Gonzales said.
Asked why there would not be more distinguished guests of honor, Gonzales replied: “We just do not have any [more guests of honor]. I do not think there is a reason. We wanted to honor Robert C. Vackar at the 9 a.m. ceremony.”
UTRGV President Guy Bailey will speak at the ceremonies. However, no distinguished alumni will be recognized this semester, Gonzales said.
The University Bell, a part of legacy institution University of Texas at Brownsville, will be rung at all UTRGV commencement ceremonies. The bell was purchased in 2011 to mark UTB’s 20th anniversary as an autonomous institution, according to a UTRGV news release.
As previously reported by The Rider, the university created two artifacts last December that will be used in all commencement ceremonies, a mace and a medallion, which Bailey will wear.
In the case of inclement weather on the Brownsville campus, the commencement ceremony will be moved to 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16, in the McAllen Convention Center. Students will be notified 24 to 48 hours prior to a change of location.
