After their years of hard work, 701 MSU Texas students walked the stage today to receive their diplomas. Family and friends gathered at Kay Yeager Coliseum to celebrate the success of the graduates.

DATE | May 13, 2023

LOCATION | Kay Yeager Coliseum

SPEAKER | Gabriella Pettijohn, President, MSU Student Government Association

FACULTY AWARD RECIPIENT | Kirsten Lodge, professor of English

DEGREES

• Master’s | 110
• Bachelor’s | 591

By COLLEGE

• Dillard College of Business Administration | 106
• Gordon T. and Ellen West College of Education | 136
• Lamar D. Fain College of Fine Arts | 27
• Robert D. and Carol Gunn College of Health Sciences and Human Services | 289
• Prothro-Yeager College of Humanities and Social Sciences | 48
• McCoy College of Science, Mathematics and Engineering | 95

By DEGREE

• Master of Business Administration | 36
• Master of Arts | 10
• Master of Education | 32
• Master of Arts in Criminal Justice | 5
• Master of Health Administration | 3
• Master of Science in Exercise Physiology | 4
• Master of Radiologic Sciences | 3
• Master of Science | 17
• Bachelor of Business Administration | 70
• Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences | 42
• Bachelor of Arts | 34
• Bachelor of Science | 71
• Bachelor of Science in Education | 42
• Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies | 10
• Bachelor of Fine Arts | 15
• Bachelor of Music | 7
• Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training | 2
• Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice | 17
• Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene | 18
• Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology | 7
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing | 79
• Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Sciences | 30
• Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Technology | 55
• Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care | 45
• Bachelor of Social Work | 21
• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering | 26

Source: Midwestern State University Commencement Program

QUOTES FROM THE DAY

“My advice for the students is just to take everything you’ve learned, all of your life experiences, move forward,make the best of every situation that you have, and learn from everything you’ve done. Do the best and make a difference in the world.” | Randy Case, Assistant Professor, Respiratory Care 

“I am really pleased to see all these students crossing the stage today such big accomplishments for all of them it’s a great time to be out and start looking at the future, so I wish them the best.” | Dr. Jonathan D. Price, Professor, Geological Science

“I first congratulate them best of luck for their future hopefully they will be successful in their future careers and be good human beings. That’s my main suggestion to them and otherwise, best of luck to them.” | Kashif Mahmud, Assistant Professor, Geosciences

“They have been given the best education they could get, for the graduate students wish them the best, the journey has just started they can always go out and do more good things like the join the program and become professors like us, we need new ones to come forward. For the undergrad students this is not the end of the world, they should also consider going for more academic qualifications, we want more career-oriented students, they should consider joining the graduate program.” | Andrew B. Katumwehe, Assistant Professor, Geosciences

“Advice I guess would be that anything is possible, right, now that you have this degree.That’s the key to the next door that’s going to open up the future. For our area, we have all these professional societies. I would tell them, or plead with them, to take an active role in all these professional societies because they’ll make a difference in the next generation.” | Dr. Jeff Killion, Dean, Gunn College of Health Sciences and Human Services

“My advice to graduates is to take a breath enjoy life for a few days get out in the workforce and to take their hearts with them we really need a lot of grace in this world right now and especially for our Health Sciences people to remember that they are so needed and so wanted and their kindness and their hearts are what our patients need and they’ve gotten the best education they could have possibly gotten.” | Beth Leigh Veale, Chair, Radiologic Sciences  

“I would tell them they need to be involved in their professional societies go to face to face meetings for their continuing education read the journals make sure they stay updated with everything that they know in the field.” | Lynette K. Watts, Associate Professor, Radiologic Sciences

 “The biggest piece of advice I would say is probably never say never because there’s no way you can know what’s going to happen in the future. And always keep all of your possibilities open. Never close the door, you never know who the next person you look at is going to be somebody maybe your boss or maybe your coworker.” | Rodney Fisher, Associate Professor, Radiologic Sciences

“The world is theirs. You have your education, you have the opportunity to continue your education, you have the opportunity to work and you  have the ability to impact the world. So use what you’ve learned here and use your growth that you’ve had here and go out and change the world.” | Dr. Keith Lamb, Interim President 

“Being the first person in my family to first get a bachelor degree and then a master’s is probably the most exciting part of today. My favorite memory of MSU is definitely every interaction with the people in the Computer Science department and the support group that it created for me. I love MSU and although I’m sad to be leaving some of my friends, I am very excited for the next stage of my life.” | Dakota Wilson, Master of Science in Computer Science

“The most exciting part of graduating today was getting to finish my degree and gaining this new sense of accomplishment. Getting to meet new people, forming lifelong friendships and creating a community was my favorite part of my journey here at MSU. To all the undergrads and graduates still working to get their degrees I leave this piece of advice to you, be confident and determined in your abilities and do not let bad grades or academic stress stop you from getting your degree because trust me it is worth it.” | Nadilia Gilbert, Master of Business Administration

“My favorite part of today is seeing all the happy faces and just being able to graduate today. The most exciting part of my college journey was all the people I met and finally being done. Now that I’m done, I plan on hitting up the industry and try to get a job for a big tech company.” | D’Angelo Brown, Master of Science in Computer Science

I feel amazing. I feel satisfied, I feel completed, I feel proud more than anything. I would say experience things for yourself. There are some things that people may say are difficult or they’re hard, but for you it just comes easy. So just take everything with a grain of salt and do your best.” | Ebany Hanna, Bachelor of Radiologic Technology

“I have a family away from home. I found brothers for life out here, family members for life. Yeah, just completely family for me. And also I can do anything, I can do anything I set my mind to, nothing’s too big for me.” | Jace Johnson, Bachelor of Sports Leisure Studies