MAY 20, 2023 — UTSA will hold two Commencement ceremonies today at the Alamodome, honoring the success of 4,768 Roadrunners who will cross the stage to receive their degrees.
Graduates of the College for Health, Community and Policy, the College of Education and Human Development, the College of Sciences and University College will cross the stage during the first ceremony at 2:30 p.m.
Graduates of the Carlos Alvarez College of Business, the Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design (Klesse College) and the College of Liberal and Fine Arts will receive their degrees during the second ceremony at 7 p.m.
Among those who will cross the stage during the first ceremony is Jenelle Millison, who will receive her bachelor’s in computer science with a concentration in data science. The Colorado native initially came to UTSA to take advantage of its reputable cybersecurity program. What she ultimately developed was a love for data science, spurred by mentors like Amanda Fernandez, an assistant professor in the computer science department.
After graduation, Millison will join the John Hopkins Applied Physics Lab in Maryland. She’ll be working on artificial intelligence projects with applications to various sectors, including public health.
At the same ceremony, Eunice de la Cruz, a UTSA housekeeping coordinator, will be graduating with a bachelor’s degree in public health. The accomplishment will pave the way for the 55-year-old to begin a career in epidemiology, fulfilling a lifelong dream and following in the footsteps of her three adult children.
Nixon Maldonado will cross the stage on Saturday evening to receive a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the Klesse College.
A native of El Salvador, Maldonado moved to the U.S. when he was 12 years old, joining his parents who had already moved to the U.S. to establish a life of opportunity for their son away from the shadow of gang violence. In architecture, Maldonado found a discipline dedicated to creating structures that will stand the test of time.
“Architecture has the power to make you feel something; it’s transformative,” Maldonado said. “Buildings are something that will shelter and protect you. That’s how I think of architecture – as a place of healing, a place of safety.”
Alamodome doors will open at 1:30 p.m. for the first Commencement ceremony and at 6 p.m. for the second ceremony. Each event is expected to be two to three hours in length. Tickets are not required. Handicapped seating will be available.
As graduates like Millison, De La Cruz and Maldonado cross the stage and begin their next journey, they are grateful for what UTSA provided them.
“There’s such a great support system here at UTSA,” said Millison. “College was something that I didn’t have to do alone. Classes are an integral part of university, but there are also different clubs, internships and events happening to help you professionally.”
UTSA is a Tier One research university and a Hispanic Serving Institution specializing in cyber, health, fundamental futures and social-economic transformation. The university aspires to become a model for student success, a great public research university and an exemplar for strategic growth and innovative excellence.
UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.
This academically rigorous mathematics-based summer enrichment program prepares middle and high school students for advanced studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Participants learn about problem-solving systems, develop greater awareness of STEM careers and strengthen their research skills.
UTSA Main CampusArchaeology 101 will introduce campers to archaeology and build on learned skills through experimental activities (like cave painting, weaving, and garbology).
Center for Archaeological Research, UTSA Main CampusThe camp exposes rising high school juniors, rising seniors and incoming college freshman to the many facets of the criminal justice system. Students will have opportunities to learn the functions of police in society and apply scientific theories to criminal investigations by examining a mock crime scene.
UTSA Main CampusThe Academy for Teacher Excellence Research Center invites you to join us for the Summer Bridging Institute. This institute will focus on being lifelong growers and continually seeking to increase our skills as educators.
UTSA Downtown CampusArchaeology 201 will briefly go over the foundations of archaeology and related skills, followed by a different topic over the course of this week (like skeletal analysis, global cultures, and more).
Center for Archaeological Research, UTSA Main CampusCraft a comic to create your own narrative and find your voice through storytelling. Participants will learn to create characters that are self-reflective and through a community lens.
REGSS Community Room (DB 3.202,) UTSA Downtown CampusCome enjoy a discussion on art as a self expression in the age of moving technology and telling your story with a community.
REGSS Community Room (DB 3.202,) UTSA Downtown CampusThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.