Students Shine at Spring’23 Graduation Ceremonies
Graduation represents the conclusion of a journey and the accomplishment of a goal. Fifty years after its inaugural commencement ceremony, The University of Texas at Dallas capped off a day full of history with a stellar celebration for its most recent graduates. UT Dallas celebrated graduation this spring with each of the University’s eight schools hosting their own ceremonies — 12 in total, plus a doctoral hooding ceremony presided over by their respective deans. More than 5,000 students participated in the ceremonies. A total of 3,638 bachelor’s, 2,479 master’s, and 116 doctoral degrees were awarded by UT Dallas. Of a total of 1644 degrees awarded in the Jonsson School in Spring 2023, 606 bachelor’s degrees, 486 master’s degrees, and six doctoral degrees were awarded to Computers Science (CS) and Software Engineering (SE) majors. Sukanya Baichwal, Masters (MS) in computer science, and Cady Baltz, Bachelor (BS) in computer science, were the keynote speakers for the Jonsson School Graduation ceremonies.
“Students, you came to UT Dallas to launch your futures. Recall the challenges and opportunities that opened doors to new activities and interests. Reflect on the research you spent hours conducting or the internship you worked so hard to get. And finally, remember what it felt like to walk on campus for the very first time,” UT Dallas President Richard C. Benson said at the campuswide University Commencement ceremony on May 12 at the University Roundabout. “Remember it all. Those moments, when combined with your bright minds and excellent education, are the fuel that will propel you forward,” said Benson, the Eugene McDermott Distinguished University Chair of Leadership.
As part of the festivities, the CS Graduation Luncheon is a semestrial tradition that honors the University’s newest CS/SE alumni and provides the new graduates with the opportunity to reflect on their time at UT Dallas and celebrate their success while enjoying food and speeches given by UT Dallas alums and tech industry members. This year’s luncheon saw the most attendees ever, with 350 people in attendance. Dr. Ovidiu Daescu, Department Head of Computer Science, commended the graduating students for all their hard work in an opening congratulatory speech. He advised students to continue their education and be lifelong learners. Each year, the CS Graduation Luncheon features an inspirational speaker. This springs speaker was Mr. Sudip Shekhawat, 2003 UTD MS in CS, now the Chief Technology Officer at LeaseLock.
After the speeches, the CS Department awarded Certificates of Academic Excellence to the top performing CS/SE bachelor and master students. A select group of graduating bachelor students with a GPA of 3.75 or higher and a group of graduating masters with a GPA of 3.9 or higher were presented with Certificates of Academic Excellence.
ABOUT THE UT DALLAS COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
The UT Dallas Computer Science program is one of the largest Computer Science departments in the United States with over 4,000 bachelors-degree students, more than 1,010 master’s students, 140 Ph.D. students, 52 tenure-track faculty members, and 42 full-time senior lecturers, as of Fall 2022. With the University of Texas at Dallas’ unique history of starting as a graduate institution first, the CS Department is built on a legacy of valuing innovative research and providing advanced training for software engineers and computer scientists.