UHV students and faculty pose for a photo before making their processional entrance into the university’s December commencement ceremony.
Close to 375 University of Houston-Victoria students are expected to participate in two commencement ceremonies on Saturday.
UHV will hold spring commencement Saturday at Faith Family Church, 2002 E. Mockingbird Lane. The 9 a.m. ceremony will be for graduates of the schools of Arts & Sciences and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. The 1 p.m. ceremony will be for graduates of the School of Business Administration.
“I look forward to congratulating the students on their special day as they cross the stage to receive their diplomas,” UHV President Bob Glenn said. “Their degrees are the result of a great deal of hard work and commitment. Commencement will mark a milestone in their lives as they go on in their careers.”
Jeffrey Cass, UHV Faculty Senate president and professor of English, and Camilla Sutton, UHV Staff Council chair and assistant director of Residence Life, will bring greetings during the morning and afternoon ceremonies. Deshavian Williams, UHV Student Government Association president who is graduating with a Bachelor of Business Administration, will lead the moment of reflection.
“I met some incredible people during my time as SGA President, and I enjoyed the opportunity to give back to UHV,” Williams said. “It’s been rewarding to help foster the initiatives of former students. It’s also been rewarding to help the next generation grow as leaders, and that’s really what commencement is about: commemorating our work and achievements, and beginning the next phase of our lives as future leaders.”
Cass will serve as grand marshal of the ceremonies, and Glenn will give the welcome and confer the degrees. The deans of each of the university’s three schools will certify that students have completed their degrees.
The outstanding students for the spring semester will be recognized by Glenn, along with faculty members receiving awards for excellence in teaching, research and service. A live-streaming broadcast of the ceremonies will be available at www.uhv.edu/graduation.
The music for the “UHV Alma Mater” recently was recorded by Crossroads Community Band, based in Victoria. Victoria resident and UHV senior Cassie Cutchen will lead singing of the alma mater during both ceremonies with the words shown on the screens at Faith Family Church. Cutchen also will sing the national anthem.
Robin Cadle, UHV alumna and CEO of the Food Bank of the Golden Crescent in Victoria, will induct the graduating class into the UHV alumni association during the morning ceremony. LuAnn O’Connor, UHV alumna and Realtor and broker associate with Coldwell Banker The Ron Brown Company, will induct the graduating class during the afternoon ceremony. O’Connor also was the recipient of the UHV Distinguished Alumni Award in 2009.
For general information about UHV commencement, contact special events coordinator Nancy Gresham at 361-570-4351 or greshamn@uhv.edu. Students who have graduation questions should contact UHV Student Life at 361-485-4411.
UHV also will hold special events the day before commencement. The UHV International Student Sash Ceremony will start at 3 p.m. Friday in the UHV University North Walker Auditorium. The university will present graduating international students with a sash from their countries of citizenship, and the students will wear the sashes at commencement.
A Celebration of Scholars event will start at 5 p.m. Friday in the UHV University North Multi-Purpose Room. The university will recognize outstanding faculty and students, as well as donors who helped fund scholarships awarded to graduating students and the students who received them.