Ceremony
William C. Powers, Jr. Student Activity Center (WCP)
Saturday, May 6, 2023

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Presiding
Karma R. Chávez
Chair, Department of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies
Bobby and Sherri Patton Endowed Professor in Mexican American and Latina/o Studies

Marshal
Mary “Maggie” Rivas-Rodriguez
Professor, School of Journalism and Media
Director, Center for Mexican American Studies

University Representative
Richard R. Flores
Deputy to the President for Strategic Initiatives
Professor, Department of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies
Professor, Department of Anthropology

Student Address
Lesly Andrea Chávez-Valencia
Bachelor of Arts, Mexican American and Latina/o Studies
2023 College of Liberal Arts Dean’s Distinguished Graduate
2023 Mexican American and Latina/o Studies Distinguished Graduate

Commencement Address
ire’ne lara silva
Poet and Curandera

Presentation of Certificates to Graduates
Danielle P. Clealand
Associate Professor and Graduate Advisor, Department of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies

Angela X. Ocampo
Assistant Professor, Department of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies

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FACULTY PARTICIPANTS
C.J. Alvarez
Karma R. Chávez
Danielle Clealand
Maria Cotera
Richard R. Flores
Rachel V. González-Martin
Laura G. Gutiérrez
Michael Roy Hames García
Julie A. Minich
Angela X. Ocampo
Deborah Parra-Medina
Lilia Raquel Rosas
Antonio Vasquez

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GRADUATES
Veronica Marie Alcantar
Bachelor of Arts, Mexican American and Latina/o Studies
Mexican American and Latina/o Studies Distinguished Graduate
Bachelor of Arts, English

Arleth Carolina Amaya
Bachelor of Arts, Mexican American and Latina/o Studies
Mexican American and Latina/o Studies Distinguished Graduate
Bachelor of Arts, Government

Alexa Cabrera
Bachelor of Arts, Mexican American and Latina/o Studies
Mexican American and Latina/o Studies Distinguished Graduate

Izabella Melina Castillo De La Garza
Bachelor of Arts, Mexican American and Latina/o Studies
Mexican American and Latina/o Studies Distinguished Graduate
Bachelor of Arts, Government

Lesly Andrea Chávez-Valencia
Bachelor of Arts, Mexican American and Latina/o Studies
College of Liberal Arts Dean’s Distinguished Graduate
Mexican American and Latina/o Studies Distinguished Graduate
Bachelor of Arts, Race-Indigeneity-Migration
Bachelor of Arts, Sociology with Honors

Sarai Elizabeth Flores
Bachelor of Arts, Mexican American and Latina/o Studies with Special Honors
Mexican American and Latina/o Studies Distinguished Graduate
Bachelor of Arts, Government

Alexandria Rose Garza
Bachelor of Arts, Mexican American and Latina/o Studies
Mexican American and Latina/o Studies Distinguished Graduate
Bachelor of Science, Radio-Television-Film

Teresa De Jesus Gutierrez
Bachelor of Journalism

Maykel Sergio Peña
Bachelor of Arts, Mexican American and Latina/o Studies
Mexican American and Latina/o Studies Distinguished Graduate
Bachelor of Arts, Government

Luis Gerardo Roa Santoyo
Bachelor of Arts, Mexican American and Latina/o Studies with Special Honors
Mexican American and Latina/o Studies Distinguished Graduate
Bachelor of Arts, Race, Indigeneity, Migration
Bachelor of Arts, Plan II

Natalie Nicole Torres
Bachelor of Arts, Mexican American and Latina/o Studies
Bachelor of Science and Arts, Human Development and Family Sciences

Luis Felipe Avilés González
Doctor of Philosophy, Iberian and Latin American Languages and Cultures
Graduate Portfolio, Mexican American and Latina/o Studies

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