142nd Spring Commencement Convocation
Friday, May 10, 2024
6:00 PM
William “Billy” J. Nicks, Sr. Building (Baby Dome)
Colleges
Graduate Studies (Doctoral & Masters Candidates)
Saturday, May 11, 2024
8:00 AM
William “Billy” J. Nicks, Sr. Building (Baby Dome)
Colleges
College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources
School of Architecture
Marvin D. and June Samuel Brailsford College of Arts and Sciences
Roy G. Perry College of Engineering
Undergraduate Studies
2:00 PM
William “Billy” J. Nicks, Sr. Building (Baby Dome)
Colleges
College of Business
Whitlowe R. Green College of Education
College of Juvenile Justice
College of Nursing
School of Public and Allied Health
Alternative Viewing Sites
– Willie A. Tempton, Sr. Memorial Student Center – Opal Johnson Smith Auditorium
– Willie A. Tempton, Sr. Memorial Student Center – Ballroom
– Don K. Clark Building – Auditorium
– Alvin I. Thomas Administration Building – Julius W. Becton, Jr. Auditorium
– Hobart Taylor Hall – H. Edison Anderson Recital Hall
– Student Recreation Center
Commencement Rehearsal
Friday, May 10, 2024
8:30 AM | Baby Dome
Undergraduate Ceremony Commencement Speaker
Phil Griffith
Phil Griffith is the vice president of United’s Houston hub at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) which serves the nation’s fourth largest city and offers the airline’s customers a key gateway to Latin America.
Phil has amassed an impressive record of supply chain and operational improvement successes with globally recognized, multi-national companies such as Honeywell and General Electric (GE). At GE, he led teams on five continents in various health care, consumer and industrial, and corporate divisions. Most recently, Phil oversaw the strategy and deployment of project management, sourcing, manufacturing and security resources for multiple business units in the sub-Saharan Africa region.
Graduate Ceremony Commencement Speaker
Tomikia P. LeGrande, Ed.D.
President, Prairie View A&M University
Tomikia P. LeGrande, Ed.D., became the ninth president of Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) on June 1, 2023. Her career in higher education is marked by successive leadership roles and professional achievements.
Before joining PVAMU, Dr. LeGrande served as vice president for strategy, enrollment management and student success at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she led the development and implementation of the university’s strategic plan, priorities, and goals to influence national prominence, strategic partnerships, and student access and success.
Frequently Asked Questions
The William “Billy” J. Nicks Building (Baby Dome) will open for guests at 5:00 P.M. on Friday.
The William “Billy” J. Nicks Building (Baby Dome) will open for guests at 7:00 A.M. on Saturday.
On Friday, doctoral and masters candidates should report to the Student Recreation Center at 5:00 P.M.
On Saturday, candidates for graduation participating in the morning ceremony should report to the Student Recreation Center at 7:00 A.M. Candidates for graduation participating in the afternoon ceremony should report to the Student Recreation Center at 1:00 PM.
Honors recognition at graduation is based on consistent high scholarship and cumulative grade point average based upon the completion of a minimum of 60 semester credit hours earned at Prairie View A&M University. Developmental courses will not be included in the computation of the GPA for graduating with honors. Students graduating with honors will be recognized at commencement by wearing gold honor stoles and by public announcement during the ceremony.
The specific honors levels are as follows:
• 3.90 – 4.00 GPA = Summa Cum Laude
• 3.70 – 3.89 GPA = Magna Cum Laude
• 3.50 – 3.69 GPA = Cum Laude
Honors cords will be distributed at graduation rehearsal.
Updates or changes to the ceremony due to inclement weather will be made available on PVAMU’s homepage, official social media channels, Campus Announcements, and the Panther Alert System.
Yes. View the clear bag policy below.
Approved Bags
• Bags that are clear plastic and do not exceed 12″ x 6″ x 12″
• One-gallon clear resealable plastic storage bags
• Small clutch bags or purses do not have to be clear but cannot exceed 4.5″ x 6.5″
Prohibited Bags
• Purses
• Printed pattern plastic bags
• Diaper bags*
• Reusable grocery totes
• Cases (camera, binocular, etc.)
• Backpacks
• Fanny packs
• Mesh or straw bags
• Duffle bags
• Large totes
*Items normally carried in a diaper bag must be put into a clear plastic bag for venue entry.
• Horns or artificial noisemakers
• Umbrellas
• Fireworks
• Lawn chairs or folding chairs
• Backpacks or bags
• Illegal substances, weapons, or firearms
• Bicycles or skateboards
• Coolers, bottles, cans, or other containers
• Food
• Infant seats or strollers
The ceremony is expected to last 2 hours.
Starting March 27 through April 29, candidates for graduation will only be able to apply for “conferral only.” “Conferral only” candidates will not be able to participate in the spring commencement ceremony, and their names will not be listed in the commencement program. Their diplomas, however, will be mailed to the most recent mailing address in PantherTracks.
Please direct all questions and concerns related to degree retrieval, degree audits, and honors status to the Registrar’ Office at registrar@pvamu.edu. All questions regarding the 142nd Spring Commencement Convocation should be directed to the Office of University Special Events and Protocol at events@pvamu.edu.