Congrats Summer 2021 Grads! Island University to Host Commencement on Saturday, Aug. 7
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas –Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi will hold its summer 2021 commencement ceremony on Saturday, Aug. 7, at the American Bank Center. The 10 a.m. ceremony will celebrate 706 graduates from the university’s five academic colleges.
“In the life of a university student commencement is always the most exciting event,” Dr. Kelly M. Miller, President and CEO of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, said. “We at the Island University are thrilled to have has a record number of graduates throughout the pandemic. These students have shown incredible resiliency and we are very proud of their accomplishments.”
Unlike the spring 2021 ceremony which followed an abbreviate format due to COVID-19 protocols, this summer’s ceremony will include the pomp and circumstance one might expect at graduation, including the return of a commencement speaker. This semester, that honor goes to Dr. Blair Sterba-Boatwright.
Dr. Blair Sterba-Boatwright
Dr. Sterba-Boatwright was selected as this summer 2021 commencement speaker, following his 32 years of service to the Island University as a professor of Mathematic and Statistic Sciences.
Sterba-Boatwright, who joined the faculty at A&M-Corpus Christi (then Corpus Christi State University) in 1989, has served the university for 32 years in various capacities, including Associate Dean of the College of Science and Engineering and Professor of Mathematics and Statistic Sciences. He has also served on multiple committees including his current role as Chair of both the Curriculum and Steering Committees for the College of Science and Engineering.
While Sterba-Boatwright has given countless lectures during his time as a professor, he says preparing for a commencement address is much different and has induced two major feelings – honor and nervousness.
“I've really not yet forced myself to sit down and think about what I’m going to say beyond a couple of introductory jokes,” he said. “But in terms of the meaningful part of the talk, students need to know this is not the end. To them, I will say ‘don’t just think about how things could be better, envision them and work towards it, because it’s worth it.’”
The summer ceremony includes the graduation of five Outstanding Graduates, selected by the Office of the Provost. They include:
- Timor Barrett – College of Education and Human Development
- Michael Haley – College of Science and Engineering
- Kirk Jorgenson – College of Business
- Bobi Jo Moreno – College of Nursing and Health Sciences
- Hansley Osborn – College of Liberal Arts
“We are excited to celebrate our Islander graduates on achieving this significant milestone,” Dr. Clarenda Phillips, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. “The knowledge and skills they have acquired has prepared them to make a positive impact in their families and communities.”
The ceremony is reserved for those graduates who met the deadline to RSVP for the event, along with a maximum of 10 guests per student. For those who cannot attend, the ceremony will be live streamed at tamucc.edu. For more information, visit commencement.tamucc.edu.
