More than 570 UHV students prepare to graduate Saturday
KATY – A group of 571 students are expected to walk the stage Saturday in the University of Houston-Victoria fall commencement ceremony and listen to an address from a state senator.
The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. at the Leonard E. Merrell Center, 6301 S. Stadium Lane. Live streaming of the ceremony can be seen at www.uhv.edu/graduation or www.merrellcenter.org.
“I congratulate these students for their dedication and hard work in reaching this important milestone,” UHV Interim President Vic Morgan said. “This ceremony is a celebration and recognition of their success, and I know that success will continue as they move forward in their lives and careers.”
The keynote speaker will be State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst. She served 14 years in the Texas House before being elected in December to the Texas Senate in a special election to fill the unexpired term of Glenn Hegar, now the Texas comptroller. The Republican from Brenham serves Senate District 18, representing all or part of 21 Texas counties, including Victoria, Lavaca, Jackson and Wharton counties and the western portion of Fort Bend County.
Kolkhorst and Rep. Geanie Morrison are two state legislators who have supported UHV’s expansion efforts and pushed for state funding for the university, including supporting several bills during the 2015 session that provide significant financial assistance in helping the university achieve its goal of 6,000 students in Victoria by 2025.
Roger Welder, a UH System regent from Victoria, will bring greetings on behalf of the UH System Board of Regents, and Christo Varghese, UHV Student Government Association vice president, will lead the moment of silence.
Beverly Tomek, UHV Faculty Senate president, will serve as grand marshal of the ceremony. Morgan will confer the degrees and the deans of each of UHV’s three schools will award students their diplomas. In addition, the outstanding students from each school will be recognized.
UHV holds graduation ceremonies in two different locations each year. Spring commencement is in Victoria, while the fall ceremony is held in Katy to better accommodate the number of UHV students who take classes at teaching centers in Greater Houston.
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 Kaleb Briscoe, UHV Student Services coordinator, at 361-485-4409 or briscoek@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.
