Island University Summer Commencement Features Dr. Kesley Banks ’19 as Keynote Speaker

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Summertime in the Coastal Bend usually means sand and swim trunks, but for some very hardworking students at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, it means caps and gowns. More than 550 students will take part in the Summer 2024 Commencement Ceremony scheduled for 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 10, at the American Bank Center. The ceremony includes graduates from the Colleges of Business, Education and Human Development, Engineering and Computer Science, Liberal Arts, Nursing and Health Sciences, Science, and the School of Arts, Media, & Communication.

This year’s commencement speaker is Dr. Kesley Banks ’19, who earned her doctorate in marine biology from the Island University. Banks is now an Associate Research Scientist in the Center for Sportfish Science and Conservation at the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at TAMU-CC.

“It’s an honor to be asked to speak at commencement,” Banks said. “It’s humbling to know that I am making my alma mater proud.”

Banks specializes in shark research and aims to demonstrate their ecological importance and dispel their fearsome reputation. Her expertise on all things sharks has garnered her national attention thanks to multiple appearances on programming during Discovery’s Shark Week. She is a member of numerous prestigious organizations, and in 2023, Banks was appointed to the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and the U.S. Secretary of Commerce.

Banks said her message to the graduates will center on blazing their own trail.

“Everyone brings different perspectives and different experiences to the table,” Banks said. “While their path may be different, it does not make your path any less important. These differences in experience and perspectives are what help us solve problems, engineer new inventions, and accomplish great things.”

Among the graduates are six students who have been selected by the Office of the Provost for their individual achievements. These Outstanding Islander Graduates are:

• James Morales ’22, ’24 – College of Education and Human Development
• Ashutosh Mishra ’24 – College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Stephanie Diores ’24 – College of Liberal Arts
• Mildrett Castro ’24 – College of Nursing and Health Sciences
• Margarita Alvarez ’22, ’24 – College of Science
• April Rose Bourg ’24 – School of Arts, Media, & Communication

The ceremony is free and open to the public and does not require tickets upon entrance. Seating for guests is available on a first-come, first-served basis, and arena doors will open one hour prior to the ceremony.

For those who are unable to attend, the ceremony will be live streamed at tamucc.edu. For more information, visit tamucc.edu/commencement.