This spring, Texas A&M University will surpass 500,000 former students since its opening in 1876.
Texas A&M is projected to award more than 10,700 degrees this month throughout 15 ceremonies, which is nearly 300 more than last spring.
Joe Pettibon, Vice President for Enrollment and Academic Services, said the milestone is a testament to a few key changes that were made in the past.
“Certainly the decision to enroll women in the university as well as the decision to make the Corps non-compulsory were major decisions that impacted the growth of the institution,” said Pettibon.
Pettibon said in the last decade, the decision to put an emphasis on recruitment of students in the state of Texas, has also allowed the university to expand enrollment.
“The reality is, you can’t go hardly anywhere without running into an Aggie, and that is a good thing,” said Pettibon.
Commencement ceremonies began on May 3rd and will continue through May 25th. Click here to find a full schedule.
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Article courtesy of Texas A&M Today:
This May, Texas A&M University will surpass 500,000 former students and record more than 500,000 degrees granted since its opening in the fall of 1876.
“These milestones are reflective of our commitment to our land-grant mission to bring higher education to all who seek it, to develop leaders of character, and to pursue excellence in teaching, research and service,” Texas A&M University President Michael K. Young said. “Congratulations to the Class of 2019 for being part of this historic moment, and thank you to each and every Aggie who came before for providing the foundation upon which we will continue to build.”
“The Association of Former Students proudly celebrates our 500,000th former student and all who will graduate this May,” The Association of Former Students President and CEO Porter S. Garner III said. “This milestone is a testament to the unique and unparalleled education and experience provided by Texas A&M. As we also celebrate our 140th year of service and support to Texas A&M, I know the 11 Aggies who created our organization in 1879 would be proud to see the difference 500,000 former students have made on Texas A&M and our world.”
Record number of spring graduates
Topping the record number of spring 2018 graduates by more than 200, Texas A&M is projected to award more than 10,700 degrees this May throughout 15 ceremonies across Texas and at its branch campuses in Galveston and Doha, Qatar.
Supported by growing enrollments, student success initiatives and timely graduation incentives, this spring’s ceremonies will once again feature the highest number of degrees for any one semester in the university’s history, as well as state of Texas’ history. Overall, the university will award more than 7,860 undergraduate diplomas and nearly 3,000 graduate and professional degrees.
Commencement ceremonies begin May 3 with the School of Law when it presents more than 140 juris doctorate and master’s degrees. Texas A&M’s Qatar Campus will celebrate awarding its 1,000thdegree since it opened in 2003, with 89 students receiving bachelor’s or master’s degrees May 9 in Doha, Qatar.
Ceremonies at Reed Arena featuring 12 colleges and schools begin May 9 and continue through May 11. College Station will once again welcome the Texas A&M University Irma Rangel College of Pharmacy graduates for their joint ceremony for the Kingsville and Bryan-based programs on May 25. Spring commencement also will include the commissioning of more than 130 members of the Corps of Cadets as part of the 2 p.m. ceremonies Friday, May 10.
Additionally, five officers will be commissioned and 64 midshipmen of Texas A&M Galveston’s Texas A&M Maritime Academy will receive their officer licenses for the U.S. Merchant Marine during the branch campus’ ceremony.