The Group Effort to Graduate more than 13,000 Aggies
This May, Texas A&M University graduated over 13,000 Aggies across all campuses.
Over five months of planning culminate in not just one commencement ceremony, but sometimes up to 18 ceremonies—where thousands of students receive their diploma tube as they cross the stage in Reed Arena and our many locations. Texas A&M commencement is a monumental effort powered by hundreds of dedicated individuals including faculty, staff and volunteers from across the university.
On the main campus, for students who have been cleared for graduation, the day begins with their arrival at Reed Arena, where parking staff direct the hordes of traffic along the main arteries of Lot 100, first come, first serve. Getting into the arena, security and university staff screen every entry to ensure a safe experience for everyone. Graduates are guided into dozens of holding rooms and into tightly organized lines.
Meanwhile, on the arena’s floor, university leadership, guests and faculty from each college or school don their academic regalia to prepare for the processional. Tens of thousands of guests, each eager to see their student cross the stage, arrive and file into the stands. The ceremony begins, the music starts—cueing the Mace Bearer and procession. The students, guided by the many staff from the Office of the Registrar, take their seats, looking around for their family up in the stands. Eventually, they finally get the call to the stage.
Behind the scenes, dozens more staff and volunteers are managing every detail of the timing and logistics that make the events happen—and beautifully. From the precise placement of chairs on stage, to the live broadcast on KAMU for worldwide viewing, to the emergency personnel in place if needed, to the playing of the Aggie War Hymn—every detail is planned to ensure a seamless, unforgettable experience.
“Each ceremony is a university-wide effort that showcases the dedication, care and coordination of the entire Texas A&M community,” said Chris Reed, associate vice president for enrollment management. “From planning to execution, every detail reflects a shared commitment to student success. It’s a privilege to be part of the team that helps make this milestone possible for so many Aggie families.”
More than 350 faculty, staff and volunteers across the university and community, including those in colleges, administrative units, facilities, event organizers, transportation services and law enforcement, make these ceremonies possible.
Over the five months leading up to commencement, many logistical meetings take place to ensure every detail is covered. These include interviewing and selecting student speakers, scheduling and confirming university leadership, printing programs, coordinating faculty participation and organizing transportation and parking plans to accommodate thousands of students and guests.
Of course there are the efforts by faculty to get the final grades done, advisors must ensure all requirements are met and the Registrar's Office and Graduate and Professional School certifies each student is ready and has a tube prepared. For doctoral ceremonies, there is the added component of matching the faculty mentor with each graduate so the mentor can place the hood on the student, a symbolic act to signify their accomplishment.
The planning continues right up to the moments before the ceremony begins. This complex coordination involves a wide array of teams, including the Office of the Registrar, Reed Arena staff, University Police and Emergency Services, Parking and Transportation Services, event planners and staff from the Office of the Provost. None of it would be possible without the herculean efforts of the Office of the Registrar, whose leadership and attention to detail are central to every successful ceremony. And when a major campus event—like a baseball game—coincides with commencement, it adds yet another layer of complexity to an already intricate operation.
This spring, more than 13,000 Texas A&M students had the experience of crossing the stage on campuses from College Station to Qatar, which is a proud moment for our community and showcases the dedication of the staff and faculty who make it happen. There were approximately 110,000 guests who attended the nine ceremonies in College Station.
- 13,016 diplomas were awarded, including
- 9,416 undergraduate degrees,
- 2,902 graduate degrees and
- 164 military commissioning candidates
- during 18 ceremonies across two weeks.
