
More than 3,800 students will take part in commencement ceremonies Friday and Saturday.
More than 3,800 students will celebrate commencement this weekend as Texas Tech University hosts four ceremonies Friday and Saturday (May 15-16) at United Supermarkets Arena.
The School of Law hosts its hooding ceremony Saturday at the United Supermarkets Arena.
Arcilia Acosta, founder, CEO and president of CARCON Industries and Construction, will speak at the commencement ceremonies. Irma Carrillo Ramirez, a U.S. magistrate judge for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas division, will speak at the law hooding ceremony.
Friday ceremonies:
- 3 p.m. College of Arts and Sciences
- 7 p.m. Graduate School
Saturday ceremonies:
- 9 a.m. College of Architecture, College of Education, Whitacre College of Engineering, College of Human Sciences and College of Visual and Performing Arts
- 1:30 p.m. College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Rawls College of Business, College of Media & Communication, Honors College (Honors Arts & Letters and Environment and the Humanities only), University Programs and Wind Energy
- 6 p.m. School of Law Hooding Ceremony
About Arcilia Acosta

Acosta is a native Texan who graduated from Texas Tech in 1989 with a bachelor's degree in political science and later completed the Harvard University Business School's Corporate Governance Program.
She has served for 15 years as the president and CEO of CARCON, which has offices
in Fort Worth, Houston, Corpus Christi and Midland. After founding CARCON, she created
Southwestern Testing Laboratories in Dallas, a geotechnical engineering and construction
materials testing firm.
Acosta is an entrepreneur, speaker and philanthropist recognized nationally among women and businesses around the United States. In March, she was named as a top corporate board director in Hispanic Executive Magazine.

About Irma Carrillo Ramirez
Ramirez received her bachelor's degree from West Texas A&M University in 1986 and her law degree from Southern Methodist University School of Law in Dallas, where she served as a Sarah T. Hughes Diversity fellow in 1991.Ramirez was sworn as a magistrate judge in 2002. She has handled hundreds of federal civil cases, matters and motions in different areas as well as preliminary felony criminal proceedings, motions, trials and sentencings in misdemeanor and petty offense cases. She has authored more than 1,800 legal opinions.
Honored students
Outstanding students, selected based on all-around achievement, will carry banners representing their respective colleges.The student banner-bearers are:
College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources: Landon Garrett Bell, landscape architecture
College of Architecture: Esteban Robles, architecture
College of Arts and Sciences: Philip Colvin Jarrett III, cell and molecular biology
Rawls College of Business: Nicole Lynn Hragyil, general business
College of Education: Brittany Bohuslav Wiltshire, multidisciplinary studies
Whitacre College of Engineering: Sean Sommers, chemical engineering
Honors College: Ryley Bennett, honors arts and letters; Alexander Norton, biology; Jessica Baas, multidisciplinary studies
College of Human Sciences: Erin Elizabeth Garner, restaurant, hotel and institutional management
College of Media & Communication: Thea Elizabeth McDonald, public relations
University Programs: Laura Ann Atkins, university studies
Graduate School: Matthew Daniel Sellers, animal science
College of Visual and Performing Arts: Ryan James Miller, art
The highest-ranking spring graduates for each college include:
College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources: Landon Bell, landscape architecture; Sadie Dierschke, food science; Sarah Gorney, landscape architecture; Tayler Green, agricultural and applied economics; Reina Lewis, agricultural communications; Kelli Neuman, agricultural communications
College of Architecture: Esteban Robles, architecture
College of Arts and Sciences: Clinton Andrew Gabel, spanish and biology; Jessica Rachel Glockner, economics/political science; Nicole Lynn Hragyil, exercise and sport sciences; Philip Colvin Jarrett III, cell and molecular biology; Alexander Philip Jarvis, philosophy; Nathan Robert Landers, psychology, Kaela Elizabeth Lipo, exercise and sport sciences; Rebecca Elyse Markee, english; Noah Christopher McCullough, economics/political science; Danna Naser, mathematics; Brianna Nicole Leigh Neighbors, exercise and sport sciences; Alexander Reese Norton, biology; Kelcy Kay Pierce, sociology; Luis James Ruiz, spanish and biology; Alana Nicole Scoggin, social work; Ashleigh Dawn Smith, chemistry; Montene LaVonne Speight, political science; Kendra Montayne Walker, cell and molecular biology; Samantha Dawn Ward, psychology and exercise and sport sciences
Rawls College of Business: Adeet A. Amin, general business; Jordan Nicole Ballback, management/marketing; Maryam Barzi, management; Corbin Richard Best, finance; Rebecca Mollie Hamm, accounting (MSA); Nicole Lynn Hragyil, general business; Heath Ragan Holt, international business; Kristin W. Lafferty, management/marketing; Christina Elizabeth Rael, management/accounting; Jamie Dean Ricketts, accounting (MSA); Gregory Louis Sandberg, energy commerce; Keli Renee Smith; accounting (MSA)
College of Education: Robin Jordan Boyle, multidisciplinary studies; Anna Maria Cortez, multidisciplinary studies; Donna Mize Fogelberg, multidisciplinary studies; Kaylee Elizabeth Grandage, multidisciplinary studies; Amanda Nicole Haverfield, multidisciplinary studies; Michael Chris Langford, multidisciplinary studies; Kelcie Rai Mann, multidisciplinary studies; Sherrie Lee Perkins, multidisciplinary studies; Tabatha Dawn Smith, multidisciplinary studies; Paige Lianne Taylor, multidisciplinary studies; Lauren Nichole Weir, multidisciplinary studies; Brittany Bohuslav Wiltshire, multidisciplinary studies
Whitacre College of Engineering: Alexander Dabreu, computer engineering; Youssef M. Elwaziry, petroleum engineering; Andrew J. Fillingim, mechanical engineering; Michael R. Hatley, electrical engineering; John P. Solis, electrical engineering; Sean K. Sommers, chemical engineering
College of Honors: Ryley Bennett, honors arts and letters
College of Human Sciences: Laura Elizabeth King, human development and family studies
College of Media & Communication: Daria Alexsandrovna Ivanova, public relations; Thea Elizabeth McDonald, public relations
University Programs: Laura Ann Atkins, university studies
College of Visual and Performing Arts: Kristin Lynn Ivey, art; Chandler Rae McPherson, art; Lucas Ryan Meade, music; Marenda Renée Natera, music; Allison Nicole Priddy, art; Adrianne Jo Robertson, art; Kaitlyn Nicole Shelton, art; Kylie Rebecca Valigura, art; Samantha Nicole Wilde, music
Wind Energy: Caitlin Marie Jones, wind energy
Reception Information
Receptions will immediately follow commencement unless otherwise noted. Reception locations are as follows:
College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources: Animal and Food Sciences Building, Room 101
College of Architecture: College of Architecture Gallery
College of Arts and Sciences: Holden Hall, foyer area, Room 104
Rawls College of Business: Rawls College of Business Building, McCoy Atrium
College of Education: Education Building, second floor lobby
Whitacre College of Engineering: Livermore Center
College of Honors: Hemmle Recital Hall, Student Union Building
College of Human Sciences: El Centro, Human Sciences Building
College of Media & Communication: Matador Room, Student Union Building
College of Visual and Performing Arts: Holden Hall Rotunda
University Programs: Red Raider Lounge, first floor, Student Union Building
Wind Energy: National Wind Institute, Room 107
School of Law: School of Law Forum (at 3:30 p.m.)
Graduate School: City Bank Auditorium
Additional Information
The Graduate School will distribute diplomas in the City Bank Room of United Supermarkets Arena immediately following the ceremony.