UHV international students to celebrate graduation with sash ceremony
Sixteen University of Houston-Victoria students from six countries will gather for a special ceremony on May 11 to celebrate their graduation with their friends, family and fellow students.
The UHV International Sash Ceremony will begin at 3 p.m. in the UHV University North Walker Auditorium, 3007 N. Ben Wilson St. During the ceremony, graduating students will be presented with sashes featuring the flags of their countries of origin. They will wear these sashes during commencement ceremonies the following day. After the ceremony, a reception will be held with light refreshments. The event is free and open to the public.
“We are so proud of these students and their accomplishments at UHV,” said Ludmi Herath, director of UHV International Programs. “They have been involved in events for both International Programs and the university. I will be sad to see them go, but I know they are going to make a positive difference in the world.”
The students who will receive sashes hail from China, India, Nigeria, Norway, Venezuela and the United Kingdom. The office also offers the Global Sash, which is awarded to UHV students who are U.S. citizens and studied abroad, took part in international exchange programs or were exceptional supporters of international events at UHV.
Kulsoom Masood, the university’s U.S. Department of State’s Global Undergraduate Exchange Program in Pakistan student, also will be presented with a sash during the ceremony. Global UGRAD-Pakistan uses U.S.-based training and practical experience in leadership positions, community engagement and professional fields to help undergraduate students gain the skills needed to implement long-term civic and economic changes in their communities.
In addition to receiving their sashes, graduating students also will be featured in a PowerPoint presentation with photos submitted by their families and friends.
“It’s a way to honor them while also having some fun,” Herath said. “It’s a trip down memory lane, and the students often are surprised to see how many photos we show.”
After the ceremony, students, their families and other attendees are invited to attend a reception with light refreshments.
“Personally, I am excited about the sash ceremony, and I think it is important because it is a celebration of our time here and a way to honor and represent our various countries,” said Loveth Ohenhen of Nigeria, who will receive a sash during the ceremony. “The sash has the UHV logo on one end and our country’s flag on the other, and this is a representation of where we are coming from and how we made our marks at UHV.”
UHV will hold two spring graduation ceremonies on May 12 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. A live-streaming broadcast of the ceremonies will be available at www.uhv.edu/graduation.
To learn more about the sash ceremony, contact the UHV International Programs Office at 361-570-4106 or international@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.
