Fall Graduates Honored At School Recognition Ceremony
Graduating students in the Texas A&M School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts were honored at a Dec. 13 recognition event at Geren Auditorium, prior to their graduation ceremonies that followed Dec. 14 and 15 at Reed Arena.
In his opening remarks, Tim McLaughlin, interim dean, shared how the graduates have been able to overcome hardships and uncertainties in the past few years, which were marked by the COVID-19 pandemic.
McLaughlin pointed to three key factors in getting through troubled times as they pertain to education. The first: “Our connection to others.”
“We have people around us that care for us and we care for, and those connections really root us in times of uncertainty,” McLaughlin said.
Another factor is a belief in things that are “larger than ourselves,” he said, whether that be through religion, a belief in humanity or philosophy.
“The third is knowledge,” he said. “And in particular, not just knowledge but critical thinking. In times of uncertainty, knowledge helps us to situate what is happening into a context. And critical thinking helps us understand what is going on and how to understand it. With that critical thinking and knowledge, we can gain hold of it. And we may not be able to control it, but we can help control its impact on ourselves.”
McLaughlin told the graduates that they have the tools and skills needed to be successful as they move into their careers.
“I hope you move with this sense of confidence that comes from not just the fact of ‘I have a degree in hand,’ but rather, ‘I can handle it,’” he said. “You can say, ‘I have the ingredients that have made me confident that I can handle this, and I am thankful for Texas A&M for doing that.’ We as Texas A&M are thankful to you for going out and representing our school, and for representing us in the world.”
Students received graduation certificates, and six received Distinguished Student Awards for their work in the Dance Science, Performance Studies and Visualization programs.
Brianna Mendoza
Mendoza earned the Distinguished Student Award for the Bachelor of Science in Dance Science. John Abi-Najm, executive assistant to the associate dean of academic affairs, read remarks prepared by Carisa Armstrong, program director for Dance Science, who was unable to attend.
Armstrong’s remarks included that Mendoza has been a part of faculty work that has traveled across the U.S. and won numerous awards. Mendoza became a research assistant and studied the impact of conditioning programs for high school dancers. And Armstrong noted how Mendoza took advantage of opportunities outside of her coursework, knowing they would enhance her education and knowledge.
Natalya Abrahamian
Abrahamian earned the Distinguished Student Award for the Bachelor of Science in Visualization. Mayet Andreassen, instructional assistant professor and associate program director for the Bachelor of Science degree, read remarks prepared by Jill Honeycutt, instructional associate professor and associate program director, who was unable to attend.
“Jill had the great opportunity of teaching Natalya in her early graphic design courses in Visualization,” Andreassen said. “Natalya has a great design eye and an even better work ethic. Jill could always count on her to have everything that she asked of her and more, and she remembers the moment she thought, ‘Wow this student has it.’”
Honeycutt’s remarks included that Abrahamian is a strong designer who sought feedback and guidance from her professors and peers: “Her desire to meet and exceed project expectations while being creatively inspired made her the ideal design student.”
Melanie Gonzalez
Gonzalez earned the Distinguished Student Award for the Bachelor of Science in Visualization. Hadeel Ramadan, instructional associate professor and undergraduate program director, spoke on Honeycutt’s behalf for Gonzalez. Honeycutt described how Gonzalez’s technique and skill improved, and how she was always willing to engage with students and help them succeed.
Ramadan added that Gonzalez also helped the school’s staff with designing marketing materials.
“Her creativity produced exceptional design for our school and has been extremely helpful and appreciated,” Ramadan said on behalf of Abi-Najm. “I have no doubt Melanie will exceed all expectations as a young professional in today’s world.”
Alexia Williams
Williams earned the Distinguished Student Award for Performance Studies and is the first to earn a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts through the joint-degree program. Dr. David Donkor, associate professor and graduate program director, spoke about Williams’ excellence and achievements, using her study of jazz as a metaphor throughout his remarks.
“Alexia, as we celebrate your research and your Distinguished Student Award, I also want to celebrate you as a person,” he said. “Your embrace of this journey with optimism, good humor and hard work is a testament to your character and promise. Your future will be bright and remarkable.”
Anna Berry
Berry earned the Distinguished Student Award for the Master of Science in Visualization. McLaughlin spoke on behalf of Courtney Starrett, graduate program director, who was unable to attend.
McLaughlin was Berry’s instructor in a freshman course and served as a committee chair for her graduate school capstone project. He commended Berry’s research in the performance of animation and exploring character creation, and how she used the process of analysis.
“And she took it a step further to analyze what it is like to be a chimeric creature, a creature that is an amalgamation of different forms,” he said. “That is the real challenge. And what made it a master capstone is approaching a new, undiscovered, uninvestigated form and figuring out: How do I control the deformation, the control, and allow it to perform the way it is expected to perform?”
Emily Legg
Legg earned the Distinguished Student Award for the Master of Fine Arts in Visualization. Dr. Susanneh Bieber, associate professor, spoke about Legg’s achievements throughout the graduate program. Legg, whose pronouns are they/them, was acknowledged for being an excellent student who “pushed the boundaries in art, queer studies and conceptions of technology,” Bieber said.
“Emily is a passionate and reliable teacher, and they are not afraid of failure,” Bieber said. “Rather, they have the tenacity and the endurance to overcome failure, and they not only inspire students to push boundaries, but also give them the tools to do so. I am confident Emily will thrive in an academic position, and they are a role model for students and colleagues. They will continue to advance their work and research that unites humanities and science research with the making of art.”
