Hundreds of University of Houston-Victoria at Katy students walked across the stage at the Merrell Center this last weekend as the school caught up with graduations delayed by the pandemic. UHV Provost Chance Glenn delivered the commencement address at the event which marked the first graduation held since COVID-19 first shuttered the area last year.

“I know that you’ve had to wait a long time for this, and we’re as excited as you are,” Glenn said at the beginning of his speech. “… And before we go into this next part, let’s take a quick moment and celebrate right now. So put your hands together (and) lift your voices.”

In his commencement address, Glenn said he was grateful to be able to hold the graduation ceremonies and include graduates from spring 2020, summer 2020, fall 2020 and spring 2021 classes in the event. Many of those students had been unable to walk the stage last year in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many of the graduates and ceremony attendees wore masks, but that didn’t stop them from yelling in celebration and congratulations at the ceremony.

Melissa Solis was one of the students who was grateful for the chance to participate in the Saturday afternoon ceremony. Solis received her Bachelor of Arts in English from UHV in the spring of 2020 but was unable to participate in a ceremony until Saturday. She said she had been disappointed the year before and was very happy to be able to make up for it this year.

“I’m just looking forward to celebrating this moment with my family,” Solis said.

Kimberly Goodman was excited to see her daughter, Christina Goodman, graduate Saturday afternoon. She said she hadn't been worried about her daughter walking the stage, because her daughter was determined.  

“She wouldn’t have had it any other way,” Kimberly said.

Glenn encouraged the hundreds of UHV graduates, whether able to participate in the ceremony or not, to keep a similar level of determination. He said the knowledge the students had gained during their time at UHV would serve them well and reminded them that knowledge is an opportunity not only to lift themselves up but their communities and professions as well.

“So, therefore, being thankful, being grateful, being gracious, compassionate and understanding are all signs that the knowledge that you have obtained makes you worthy of this omen and the responsibility that we all have for the planet and each other,” Glenn said.

UHV Student Body President Tiarah Figueroa also spoke and led the assembled graduates and guests in a moment of reflection. She spoke about the crises the world has seen in the past and those that may come and encouraged the audience to put those out of their minds and live in the present for a moment of reflection on the importance of graduation.

“My understanding is that the purpose of taking a moment to reflect is to help each of us focus on this moment and time, to be appreciative of our past, present and future,” Figueroa said. “… We offer this moment in time for each of you to reflect on why you were here, how you came to be here and where you may go.”