UHV to host commencement ceremonies for 2020, 2021 graduates
The University of Houston-Victoria will host six in-person commencement ceremonies next month in Victoria and Katy for UHV students who graduated in 2020 and the spring and summer of 2021.
There will be three ceremonies on July 24 at Faith Family Church, 2002 E. Mockingbird Lane in Victoria, and three ceremonies July 31 at the Leonard E. Merrell Center, 6301 S. Stadium Lane in Katy. All 2020 and 2021 graduates have the choice to attend one of the ceremonies at either location.
“We are happy to finally be able to celebrate with our graduates with in-person ceremonies,” UHV President Bob Glenn said. “Our graduates have overcome challenges this year presented by the pandemic and came out even stronger. We look forward to seeing our graduates and their families celebrate with the in-person commencement ceremonies they deserve.”
The ceremonies will include remarks by Glenn; Tiarah Figueroa, UHV student body representative; and Alvaro De la Cruz, UHV alumnus and former UH System Regent. Chance Glenn Sr., provost and vice president for academic affairs, will sing the national anthem and introduce honors recipients. The deans of the three UHV schools will present the candidates for graduation.
There will be a ceremony for each UHV school on each date. At each location, the School of Education, Health Professions & Human Development will have a ceremony at 9 a.m.; the School of Arts & Sciences will have a ceremony at 12:30 p.m.; and the School of Business Administration will have a ceremony at 4 p.m. The Outstanding Students for each of the schools for 2020 and spring 2021 will be honored during the commencement ceremony for their respective school as well. Graduates can choose to attend the ceremony for their schools in either Victoria or Katy, and there will be no mandatory registration.
“We want to make these ceremonies as special as possible for our graduates, who have waited patiently to walk the stage in person,” said Michael Wilkinson, UHV senior director of student services and judicial affairs. “I am excited for students to have the opportunity to celebrate with their friends and family as they transition from students to proud UHV alumni.”
There will be a few changes to the ceremony from past in-person ceremonies to help graduates and their guests feel comfortable as they celebrate the occasion. Only a certain amount of tickets will be released into circulation to ensure a safe environment for graduates and their families, and to meet venue capacity restrictions. Each graduate will receive six tickets for guests that will be valid to use for either date or location.
Face coverings are not required but are encouraged. Graduates will need to arrive at least one hour prior to the ceremony to check in, and they will be given a free UHV face covering when they check in at either location. After they check in, graduates will immediately take their seat, and all graduate seats will be spaced apart from one another.
Guests will need to arrive at either facility at least 20 minutes before the ceremony to secure a seat. Sanitation stations will be available at each location. After each ceremony, graduates and their guests are asked to not congregate inside or outside either location so that facilities can prepare for the next ceremony. A livestream of each ceremony will be available at www.uhv.edu/graduation.
Graduates who have questions about commencement should contact Wilkinson at 361-485-4408 or wilkinsonmr@uhv.edu.
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 80 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.
