COAS Hooding and Honors Ceremony Fall 2012

As ABBA's "Dancing Queen" and other songs were played on the organ by Dr. Larysa Davis through the procession of the ceremonies, families and friends gathered to celebrate and congratulate the honorable graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences, which is one the largest and most diverse colleges in the University. TAMIU and its faculty celebrated its students with a Hooding and Honors Ceremony at the university's Fine and Performing Arts Center on a night filled with speeches and celebratory cheers.

Mary Treviño, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, began the night with a welcome to all of its guests and opened with a presentation of colors by the TAMIU ROTC accompanied by the Instructor of Music and Voice, Dana H. Crabtree, who sang the National Anthem. Followed by Treviño, was Dr. Pablo Arenaz, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs who was the closest thing to a guest speaker (which there was none for the night, as mentioned by Dr. Arenaz). Arenaz went on to say, "There are a number of people, about 16,000 graduates who came before you...The people before you trailblazed for you...You too will be the trailblazers for the next generation of students at this university...do the best you can do and be the best you can be." In addition, he mentioned that the graduates of 2012 should go and represent TAMIU as best as they can, not only for the university, but for themselves and future graduates of TAMIU. Dr. Thomas R. Mitchell, Regents Professor and Dean of College of Arts and Sciences, highlighted the event by mentioning how this ceremony is unique in acknowledging its students. Mitchell said, "At this ceremony, we get the opportunity to recognize and congratulate some of our best students".

Dr. Deborah Blackwell, Director of University Honors Program, followed with a presentation to three Honors Program Students, Camois Summer Holschuh, Jennifer Arcely Lerma and Maritza Villarreal Morris. Each was presented with a special garb that shows the extra work that these three unique students put into their education. Two out of these three students, wrote thesis papers in their specific field and worked as many as 18 additional credit hours on top of the minimum credits required. Treviño then introduced several members of the platform party who then presented to the graduate students with cum laude, magna and summa cum laudecords in their respective fields. Each student prepared a speech that was read by a professor while that student was covered in garb by two other party members from their degree department. Each speech expressed thanks and appreciation to family members and professors who helped keep the students on course.

The night ended with a recessional piece by Davis and the TAMIU Jazz band, which waited anxiously to perform for the students, their friends and family out in the hall as part of the celebratory events. The Fine and Performing Arts center was crowded with families gathering for photos and loved ones handing out flowers, congratulating them for their accomplishments. The ceremony was truly a fitting prelude to the commencement. Dr. Mitchell ended the night by thanking everyone, the student workers and the Department of Humanities for putting the night together and with a final message to all of "I wish you well." The University is preparing to begin its Spring semester in Jan. of 2013 and hopes to hold a similar event for graduates in May.

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(Jose Quezada and Mae Aguilar may be reached at jlqjr2006@dusty.tamiu.edu and judithaguilar@dusty.tamiu.edu)