UNLV honors 5K grads in virtual ceremonies
Spring, winter classes participate after virus delayed event in May
UNLV recognized more than 5,000 spring and winter graduates Tuesday during two virtual ceremonies — a format dictated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
UNLV initially delayed the spring graduation ceremony typically held in May in hopes of offering an in-person event at the Thomas & Mack Center. But in early October, the university announced it would move forward with an online format for both spring and winter graduations as the coronavirus continued to batter the state.
“We know a virtual ceremony is not a substitute for celebrating together in person, but it’s important that we continue to mark milestone moments like commencement,” UNLV President Keith Whitfield said during Tuesday’s ceremony for spring graduates.
The pandemic is temporary, he told graduates, “but your achievement will last a lifetime.”
More than 3,000 spring graduates — who finished their degrees seven months ago — and 2,200 winter graduates who wrapped up their studies this month were eligible to participate.
Segments of each ceremony — which lasted nearly two hours — were prerecorded, while others were live. The video was streamed from UNLV’S on-campus television studio in Greenspun Hall and aired on the university’s Youtube channel.
Graduation speakers
The spring graduation student speaker was Santiago Gudiño-rosales, who graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences and minor in neuroscience. He was accepted to several medical schools and will soon make a final decision which one he will attend.
He told graduates that whatever “normal” will be in 2021, they can take confidence in what they have already accomplished.
“Normal is subjective, but our hard work and accomplishments
are not,” said Gudiño-rosales, a first-generation college student. “Although we are met with uncertain times, I am here to remind you — my fellow graduates — that we’ve already shown what we’re capable of.
Winter graduation speaker Lili Equihua, who earned a master’s degree in couple and family therapy, told fellow graduates: “The university challenged us to be daring, diverse and different, and we stepped up to that challenge. We dared to pursue our education. We dared to graduate during a global pandemic.”
Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak, a UNLV alumnus, told graduates that their knowledge, passion and commitment will help shape the state’s future.
“This class has truly embodied the Battle Born spirit of our great state by exemplifying perseverance and resilience in the face of historic obstacles,” said Sisolak, whose two daughters also graduated from the university.
Outstanding graduates
At each ceremony, UNLV recognized a handful of outstanding graduates, including spring graduate Akaisha Cook and winter graduate Alina Lindquist.
Cook, 25, graduated with honors and a 3.5 GPA from UNLV’S Honors College with a bachelor’s degree in political science.
She’s pursuing a two-year master’s degree in Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service — more specifically, in the Asian studies program — with full funding and guaranteed employment as a foreign service officer after graduation.
She just finished her first semester in the program but did her classes remotely from home because of the pandemic. She told the Review-journal on Tuesday she plans to be on
campus at Georgetown during spring semester and she’s excited about it.
Cook is a first-generation college student who started at UNLV in January 2015. While a student, she completed an internship with the Nevada governor’s office during the 2019 legislative session and studied abroad in China for one semester. She was president of UNLV’S NAACP Chapter during her sophomore year and was a volunteer for the Girls Who Code program.
Cook is one of 30 students across the country who are part of the 2020 Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program, administered by Howard University and funded by the U.S. Department of State.
Lindquist, 24, graduated with honors and a 3.92 GPA from UNLV’S Honors College. She earned bachelor’s degrees in anthropology, art and art history.
“I’m excited that I’m completing this huge milestone,” she told the Review-journal.
Lindquist plans to apply for a graduate art conservation program, with the eventual goal of working at an art museum. In the meantime, she plans to work and take a couple of prerequisite chemistry classes.