Like years before, thousands of Texas A&M students from 10 separate colleges are set to walk the stage, but this year a newly formed college joins the ranks.
During the Dec. 16-17 graduation commencement ceremonies in Reed Arena, A&M will award a total of 3,980 undergraduate, 1,439 graduate and nine professional degrees. Graduates are asked to arrive at Reed Arena one and a half hours to 45 minutes prior to the ceremony, according to the Office of the Registrar. Degree candidates must check in at least 30 minutes prior to graduation at the North Entry of Reed Area. In addition, a clear bag policy will be in place for all commencement ceremonies.
The inaugural College of Arts & Sciences graduation ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 16. A total of 1,191 degrees will be awarded within the college. In an email to The Battalion, Arts & Sciences Interim Dean José Luis Bermúdez said the ceremony will be a historic milestone for A&M as well as for the graduates being celebrated.
“We are recognizing the occasion with a special challenge coin for each Arts and Sciences graduate to commemorate the creation of the College of Arts and Sciences at the heart of Texas A&M University — a single college that brings together faculty and students from across the physical sciences, humanities and social sciences,” Bermúdez said.
The College of Arts & Sciences was formed on Aug. 1 after President M. Katherine Banks received a recommendation from MGT of America Consulting to combine the Colleges of Liberal Arts, Sciences and Geosciences.
“I am proud of the students who will be graduating in one of our 48 majors, and also proud that Arts and Sciences plays an important role in the career of each and every undergraduate student who graduates from Texas A&M,” Bermúdez said.
Psychology senior Isabela McGough said she feels honored to be able to graduate from the second-largest college within the university.
“It feels very monumental to be the isn’t the first class to graduate from the [College of Arts & Sciences],” McGough said. “I and all of my peers within the [College] of Arts & Sciences have worked very hard to get to this point and to be able to be a front-runner in this newly formed school.”
With more than 17,600 students in Arts & Sciences, McGough said she is thankful for the community.
“Something about being a part of such a big school within a big university makes you feel a sense of community,” McGough said. “I have a lot of friends within the [College] of Arts & Sciences, so I know that if I need to get advice from anyone, or anything like that I have like 17,000 other people I could talk to.”
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, psychology senior Macey Maxim said she enjoyed her time at A&M.
“I look at all these freshmen now and I think ‘Wow, y’all are going to get your whole four years,’” Maxim said. “That’s something that we didn’t have. We had to go home in the middle of the semester and then a whole year basically was online. I’m sad that I didn’t get that year at college, but at the same time, I think it helped me to adapt the way that I learn.”
With graduation only a week away, Maxim said there are several emotions attached to the occasion.
“It’s been great here,” Maxim said. “I love A&M so much, but I’m also happy to be moving on and know that I have the skills and knowledge to do well in the world. I’m really excited and I don’t really know what exactly I want to do yet … but I’m sad to be leaving College Station, and all my friends.”
