San Antonio executive and U.S. diplomat to deliver keynotes at UTSA Spring Commencement

(April 24, 2019) -- Keynote speakers have been selected for UTSA’s Spring 2019 Commencement, where the successes of more than 5,200 UTSA graduates will be celebrated in three ceremonies at the Alamodome on Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19.

CPS Energy President and CEO Paula Gold-Williams will deliver the keynote address at both Saturday ceremonies. The first ceremony begins at 10 a.m. and honors graduates from the College of Liberal and Fine Arts and University College. Students who are earning a degree from the College of Architecture, Construction and Planning, College of Business and College of Engineering will hear Gold-Williams’s inspiring message in a ceremony beginning at 4 p.m.

Under Gold-Williams’s leadership, CPS Energy works with UTSA faculty and students as an industry partner in the UTSA National Security Collaboration Center, the state’s largest hub for government, university and industry partners in the cybersecurity field. She’s a long-time advocate for UTSA, currently serving as an advisory committee member for the UTSA College of Engineering. She’s also led the Strategic Alliance between the Texas Sustainable Energy Research Institute (TSERI) and CPS Energy, established in 2010 to enable research and technological developments in energy and related areas. She’s been with CPS Energy for more than 14 years. She previously worked for Time Warner Cable and Luby’s, Inc.

Graduates from the College of Education and Human Development, College of Sciences and College of Public Policy will hear from UTSA alumnus Phil Guthrie ’10, at the Commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 19 beginning at 2 p.m. Guthrie earned his master of science in finance from UTSA in 2010. He joined the U.S. Department of State in 2014 and previously served in Guangzhou, China as a consular officer.  Prior to joining the State Department, he served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Republic of North Macedonia and worked at the North American Development Bank in San Antonio. His next assignment will be in Moscow, Russia as a Political Officer. Guthrie speaks German, Macedonian, Mandarin and Russian.

      >> Learn everything you need to know about UTSA Spring Commencement.

Spring 2019 graduates are advised to arrive two hours prior to their ceremony for check-in, located on the ground level of the Alamodome. Family and friends are also encouraged to attend. Graduates must leave purses and bags with family. All Roadrunners and their families and friends can share their Commencement experience on social media using #UTSA and #UTSAGrad19.

This spring’s graduating class will bring UTSA’s alumni network to 131,000 Roadrunners.

— Courtney Clevenger

Learn more about UTSA graduation and about Commencement.

Celebrate UTSA’s 50th Anniversary and share social media posts about the 50th using the hashtag #UTSA50.

Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn.