TAMIU Hosts Historic Fall 2020 Virtual Commencement Ceremony

Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) saw over 1,800  2020 graduates and candidates for graduation  participate in its first-ever Fall 2020 Virtual Commencement Ceremony available for live viewing  Saturday, Dec. 12 at 1 p.m.

The Ceremony was streamed and available for viewing at https://go.tamiu.edu/virtual-graduation. 

TAMIU president Dr. Pablo Arenaz said the Fall 2020 Virtual Commencement Ceremony provided students an opportunity to celebrate, albeit in a different manner. 

“One of the most disappointing aspects of our nation and world’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 Pandemic has been the loss of opportunities to gather and celebrate collective and personal milestones…like our traditional Fall and Spring Commencement Exercises. That’s why the University partnered with MarchingOrders, a company specializing in virtual celebrations, to present an historic Fall 2020 Virtual Commencement Ceremony,” Dr. Arenaz said. 

Prior to the virtual ceremony, students sent in their photograph and a personal quote to be included within the program. These messages can be shared with family and friends and on social media accounts. After the ceremony, family and friends can share in the live viewing experience as a “watch party,” or visit a searchable, dedicated replay site.

More is available on the University’s website at https://www.tamiu.edu/commencement/ 

TAMIU’s president was quick to note that the Virtual Ceremony was not a substitute for the traditional TAMIU graduation experience.

“While we all realize that a virtual ceremony is not what any of us would anticipate for such a significant time in one’s life…it is what we are able to do now. In light of the COVID-19 Pandemic’s continued surge, more in-person activities bring certain, unavoidable risk…a risk we simply cannot take. But it is our absolute hope that sometime in the post-Pandemic future we will be able to gather once again and celebrate the success of ALL members of our historic Class of 2020 graduates. It may take multiple events over multiple days…but we will come together as TAMIU Together to celebrate our graduates’ accomplishments,” he concluded.

During the Virtual Commencement Ceremony, graduates uploaded and shared their photos using hashtags #TAMIUGrad and #GradsGoBeyond, or tagging @txamiu. The University’s social media accounts are on Facebook www.facebook.com/txamiu, on Instagram at www.instagram.com/txamiu and  Twitter at www.twitter.com/txamiu. 

For additional information, visit the dedicated web site at https://www.tamiu.edu/commencement/, call 956.326.2250 or email graduation@tamiu.edu

Registration for the Spring semester 2021 is underway. Financial Aid is available, and University offices are open to the public Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

TAMIU offices close in a State-authorized holiday Monday, Dec. 21 - Friday, Jan. 1, 2020. The campus will close at noon on Friday, Dec. 18. University offices and the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library will reopen Monday, Jan. 4, 2021 at 8 a.m.

For more on the University’s story, contact the TAMIU Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at 956.326.2180, email prmis@tamiu.edu, click on tamiu.edu, follow its social channels on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube, or visit offices in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, room 268.