MAY 21, 2021 — From a parade where new grads soaked in the celebrity treatment to the long-awaited return of in-person Commencement ceremonies, last weekend was a whirlwind for UTSA’s Class of 2021.
The spring 2021 class boasted 5,306 graduating students who earned their degrees at May 14-16 Commencement ceremonies—an increase of 322 graduates from the previous spring’s class. Many of them joined their families and friends to take part in the raucous Commencement Drive at Main Campus.
This spring’s Commencement ceremonies have been college-based and held at four Main Campus locations: Convocation Center, H-E-B Student Union Ballroom, Recreation Wellness Center and Retama Auditorium.
While the ceremonies have looked different than in previous years at the Alamodome, they have retained the traditional celebratory aspects to properly honor UTSA’s graduating students.
However, one tradition born during the COVID-19 pandemic has continued to be cherished by the Roadrunner community, as new graduates and their loved ones came out in droves for the latest rendition of the Commencement Drive on the evening of May 14. The honking car horns could be heard from Loop 1604 and UTSA Blvd. as graduates donning their regalia popped their heads out of orange-and-blue-clad vehicles to make some noise while parading around Main Campus. The university’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels captured plenty of the celebration.
With the addition of this spring’s graduating class, the university’s alumni network will now be nearing 150,000 Roadrunners.
Commencement ceremonies for the 7,739 graduates of the spring 2020 and fall 2020 classes will be held this weekend. All 2020 graduates must RSVP via RowdyLink in advance to participate in their ceremonies.
To promote the safety of UTSA’s graduates and volunteer organizers, the university is limiting Commencement ceremony guests to two individuals per graduate. However, online ceremonies will be livestreamed for real-time viewing by family and friends, with links available on the Commencement website starting the day of the ceremony.
The following is a schedule of in-person Commencement events for 2020 graduates being held at UTSA this weekend:
Friday, May 21
7 p.m., H-E-B Student Union Ballroom
• Doctoral Graduates
Saturday, May 22
8 a.m., noon and 4 p.m., Convocation Center
• College of Architecture, Construction and Planning
• College of Education and Human Development
• College for Health, Community and Policy
• College of Liberal and Fine Arts
Sunday, May 23
8 a.m., H-E-B Student Union Ballroom; noon and 4 p.m., Convocation Center
• College of Business
• College of Engineering
• College of Sciences
• University College
Graduates should reference the Info for Grads section of the Commencement website for more information about topics such as ceremony details, regalia, parking and photography. Guests should reference the Guest Protocols section of the Commencement website for more information about check-in and arrival, COVID protocols and ceremony guidelines. Check the Commencement FAQ for answers to several other questions.
Roadrunners and their families and friends are encouraged to continue sharing their Commencement experience on social media using the hashtags #UTSA, #UTSAGrad21 and #UTSAGrad20.
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The Secular Student Alliance is proud to present guest speaker Dave Troiano, Board Secretary for the Greater Houston Chapter Americans United for Separation of Church and State. This event will emphasize how reproductive health care is intertwined with separation of church and state.
Student Union, Willow (2.02.12)This event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.
North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main CampusAt this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.
Arts Building Recital Hall, Main CampusRoadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.
Student Union Paseo, Main CampusCelebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.The 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.
