Over three years or more of classes, late night studying and juggling many other responsibilities–this is what makes up a university student’s life. Those years of hard work and perseverance are commemorated in one major ceremony at the end of each student’s academic career.
But has the idea of graduating lost its importance? Are the countless nights of schoolwork and unmeasurable amounts of effort represented well in a two-hour ceremony?
Steven Terrazas is a graduating senior who is finishing up his time at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) earning a degree in engineering innovation and leadership with a concentration in civil engineering. Terrazas believes that college graduations do honor graduates properly, especially since he missed his first one during the pandemic.
“I graduated in 2020 [from high school] at the start of covid,” Terrazas said. “Even though I was proud to graduate top 10% and even be recognized with an award, it still felt anticlimactic because we didn’t have a proper ceremony and we couldn’t celebrate with our loved ones.”
A graduation ceremony is an important milestone in a student’s life that should be shared with those closest to them.
Plans may change for students, and doubt may occur, but racing towards the finish line is part of the journey. That finish line truly represents something special: the commitment, dedication and determination of a student.
Health science student Victoria Campos is a graduating senior seeking a degree in kinesiology. She feels that graduating and being up on stage represents each and every student’s journey–every piece of work they have put in, good or bad.
“I do think it does commemorate all the hard work we put in,” Campos said. “Because all of those classes, that homework, every hard test that I may have failed or passed, it all comes together. I finally did it you know, I’m done.”
The road to graduation isn’t an easy one, but that journey is not only represented well by a ceremony but also helps students find their next stage in life.
Terrazas plans on obtaining his professional engineering license and work as a structural engineer for Nucor. He believes that because of UTEP his goal will become a reality after the ceremony concludes.
“UTEP was my first choice because of its affordability and high-quality education. I get the same education and great college experience without having to worry about student loan debt,” Terrazas said. “After graduating I also plan on traveling the world and enjoying the fruits of my labor.”
For other students though, the graduation ceremony will only be another steppingstone that furthers their journey in education. Once concluding her bachelor’s degree at UTEP, Campos wishes to return to the college of mines and enter a graduate program.
“I want to be able to get a job at a physical therapy clinic, and then I want to be able to go into the UTEP PT [physical therapy] program.”
Graduating takes a great deal of time and effort, but it does represent the students’ journeys well, displaying their hard work for friends and family to see and setting them on a new path for life.
Joseph Montero is a staff reporter for The Prospector and may be reached at [email protected]
