University of Houston-Victoria fall 2021 graduates and their families will have the opportunity to celebrate graduation and listen to words of encouragement from the 2021 UHV Teaching Excellence Award winner during the university’s Dec. 11 commencement ceremony.
UHV will hold commencement Dec. 11 at the Leonard E. Merrell Center, 6301 S. Stadium Lane, in Katy. Each UHV school will have its own commencement ceremony. The ceremony for graduates of the School of Education, Health Professions & Human Development will be at 10 a.m., followed by the School of Arts & Sciences at 1 p.m. and the School of Business Administration at 4 p.m. A live-streaming broadcast of the ceremonies will be available at www.uhv.edu/graduation.
“Commencement is an exciting time for our graduates as they celebrate this milestone in their lives with their family and friends,” said UHV President Bob Glenn. “Their degrees are a testament of their hard work, dedication and commitment. I look forward to congratulating each of our students when they cross the stage during commencement.”
Daniel White, UHV assistant professor of biology and program coordinator for the biology and chemistry programs, will deliver the main commencement address for all three ceremonies.
White has been a UHV faculty member for six years. He teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses mostly serving pre-professional and pre-allied health students and is an advisor for pre-health students. White received his associate degree in science from Victoria College and his Bachelor of Science from Texas Lutheran University. He also holds a doctoral degree in integrative physiology from the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth.
White is a native of the Crossroads and grew up in Victoria. His journey with biology started with a failing grade in 10th-grade biology, but it certainly wouldn’t end there. In 1999, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served in various countries for five years, including in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. After separating from the Marine Corps, he planned to become a dentist. However, sometimes the best laid plans do not come to fruition. Instead, White, who comes from a family of educators, decided to become one as well. He is the 2020-2021 recipient of the UHV Teaching Excellence Award, one of three prestigious awards given to faculty each spring. For this award, UHV students nominate professors who exemplify innovative, high-quality instruction relevant to their lives and careers.
White plans to give an encouraging address and let students and attendees know that although sometimes plans do not always work out, sometimes we end up where we are supposed to be, and each person should strive to make the world a better place.
“It’s an honor for me to be asked to give the commencement address,” White said. “It ranks right up there with receiving the Teaching Excellence Award. I enjoy teaching our students, and I hope I have made a difference in their lives.”
The ceremonies will include remarks by Glenn; Tiarah Figueroa, UHV Student Government Association president; and Derek Delgado, UH System Regent. Chance Glenn Sr., UHV provost and vice president for academic affairs, will sing the national anthem and the alma mater, as well as introduce honors recipients. The deans of the three UHV schools will present the candidates for graduation.
Each ceremony also will include remarks from graduating students. An Arts & Sciences student will speak during the school's ceremony. Shawn Michael Gilman, a graduate student from Katy, will give the remarks for the School of Education, Health Professions & Human Development. Gilman was named the Outstanding Graduate Student for the school and will graduate with a Master of Education in the adult and higher education discipline track with a specialization in teaching management, as well as a Strategic Master of Business Administration with a concentration in management.
Karyna Maraghi, a Sugar Land resident, will offer remarks for the School of Business Administration ceremony. She was named the Outstanding Graduate Student for the school and will graduate with a Strategic Master of Business Administration in accounting.
Family and friends who plan to attend commencement are asked to follow the center’s clear bag policy. Only clear, plastic, vinyl or PVC bags, backpacks and one-gallon re-sealable storage bags are allowed at the venue. Clutch bags that measure 4-and-a-half-inches by 6-and-a-half inches also are permitted, as well as medically necessary items.
Graduates who have questions about commencement should contact UHV Registrar Angela Bigby at bigbya@uhv.edu.