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UTRGV Celebrates 3,100 Graduates Over Two Days of Commencement Ceremonies
- Updated: May 25, 2018
More than 2,000 graduates walked across the stage during the second day of UTRGV’s Spring 2018 Commencement ceremonies, Saturday, May 12, at the McAllen Convention Center. Here, Dr. Maria Edith ‘E.T.’ Treviño, EdD, of Weslaco, celebrates conferral of her doctoral degree in Curriculum and Instruction with specialization in bilingual studies, with a V’s up followed by a quick victory dance onstage. Cheering her on from the audience – ‘That’s my mom!’ – was her daughter, Alexia Treviño, who was graduating during the same ceremony with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. Between Friday’s ceremony in Brownsville, which included more than 700 graduates, and Saturday’s three ceremonies, UTRGV graduated more than 3,100 students this weekend. Since UTRGV opened in 2015, the university has awarded more than 12,800 degrees. Photo: Paul Chouy/UTRGV
by UTRGV News and Internal Communications
McALLEN, TEXAS – More than 2,000 prospective graduates moved their tassels from right to left to signify the completion of their degrees, during the second day of UTRGV’s Spring 2018 Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 12.
Held at the McAllen Convention Center, friends and family packed the facility for three ceremonies, 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., as the Vaqueros walked the stage to cheers and applause.
Dr. Patricia Alvarez McHatton, executive vice president for Academic Affairs, Student Success, and P-16 Integration, who led the ceremonies, enthusiastically congratulated the Vaqueros on their special day.
“UTRGV Class of 2018, congratulations, and ‘Forever Orange,’” she said proudly, holding up her fingers in the university’s spirited “V” formation.
“Remember, your contributions will build the future, bring innovation, serve our communities, transform the Rio Grande Valley, the state of Texas, the country and, yes, you will Inspire the World,” she said.
Between Friday’s ceremony in Brownsville, which included more than 700 graduates, and Saturday’s ceremonies, UTRGV graduated more than 3,100 students.
Since UTRGV opened in 2015, the university has awarded more than 12,800 degrees.
Dr. John Krouse, executive vice president for Health Affairs and Dean of the School of Medicine, who spoke at two of the three Saturday ceremonies, shared some valuable advice with the prospective graduates.
“In all you do, maintain your humanity and humility,” Krouse said. “It’s a moral imperative to be human, to demonstrate humanity in each and everything you do.”
“Use everything that you have learned at UTRGV to make your community and nation a better world for humankind,” he said.
ADVICE FOR FUTURE VAQUEROS
Graduate Alyssa De Leon, from San Benito, said she always knew she would graduate with a degree from the UTRGV College of Sciences. She originally was a chemistry major, but it wasn’t until last year that she decided to switch to biology. She said the decision was impulsive, but it was the right thing to do.
De Leon, who plans to pursue a career as a dietician, wants other students, some who are just starting college, to know: “It’s going to be a crazy four years, but do your best. Don’t be scared to ask questions, join organizations, make a lot of friends, make a lot of memories. But never forget, academics is priority.”
For graduate Maria Neyra, a Los Fresnos resident, the road to earning her degree had its bumps, but she got it done with perseverance and support from family and friends, who were with her every step of the way, she said. Neyra, who never gave up on her dream of earning a degree, said it took her five years, and now that she is done, she plans to follow her first passion – teaching. Neyra is applying with Teach for America and would like to stay and work in the Rio Grande Valley.
The Mass Communication major had some advice for university students.
“I had a rough road along the way,” she said. “But, all you can do is move forward, keep going, because sí, se puede (yes, you can). No matter how many road bumps – sí, se puede.”
ABOUT UTRGV
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) was created by the Texas Legislature in 2013 as the first major public university of the 21st century in Texas. This transformative initiative provided the opportunity to expand educational opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley, including a new School of Medicine, and made it possible for residents of the region to benefit from the Permanent University Fund – a public endowment contributing support to the University of Texas System and other institutions.
UTRGV has campuses and off-campus research and teaching sites throughout the Rio Grande Valley including in Boca Chica Beach, Brownsville (formerly The University of Texas at Brownsville campus), Edinburg (formerly The University of Texas-Pan American campus), Harlingen, McAllen, Port Isabel, Rio Grande City, and South Padre Island. UTRGV, a comprehensive academic institution, enrolled its first class in the fall of 2015, and the School of Medicine welcomed its first class in the summer of 2016.
