KINGSVILLE (May 21, 2010) — It was the end of the college era, but the beginning of a new career and a bright future as 477 students received degrees from Texas A&M University-Kingsville during two spring commencement ceremonies held Friday, May 21, in the Steinke Physical Education Center.
The keynote speaker was District 35 State Rep. Yvonne Gonzalez Toureilles. District 35 covers Atascosa, Bee, Goliad, Jim Wells, Karnes, Live Oak and McMullen Counties.
There were 346 bachelor’s degrees and 126 master’s degrees given. Eight graduates received doctoral degrees. Three students received two degrees each.
The majority of the members of the spring class of 2010 were from Texas with 378 from the Lone Star State. Thirteen were from other states and 86 were from other countries when they entered the university. The most frequent county of origin was Nueces with 71 graduates, followed by Kleberg with 65, Cameron and Hidalgo with 31 and Jim Wells with 24. The class was 51 percent male and 49 percent female. Fifty-eight percent of the graduating students were minorities.
Of the bachelor’s graduates, more than 54 percent entered the university as first-time freshmen while the remaining graduates were transfer students. The average age of those receiving bachelor’s degrees was 25. The average age of a master’s graduate was 27 and the average of the doctoral students was 42. The oldest graduate was 60 and the youngest was 20.
Five of the graduates were university employees earning one bachelor’s and four master’s degrees.
The College of Arts and Sciences led the way granting 162 degrees from all levels. It was followed by the Frank H. Dotterweich College of Engineering with 154 and the College of Education with 67. Rounding out the list, the Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Sciences and the College of Business Administration had 45 graduates each and University College had seven.
