{"id":19161,"date":"2024-01-12T11:15:31","date_gmt":"2024-01-12T17:15:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pvfa.tamu.edu\/?p=19161"},"modified":"2024-01-12T11:15:35","modified_gmt":"2024-01-12T17:15:35","slug":"fall-graduates-honored-at-school-recognition-ceremony","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pvfa.tamu.edu\/news\/2024\/01\/12\/fall-graduates-honored-at-school-recognition-ceremony\/","title":{"rendered":"Fall Graduates Honored At School Recognition Ceremony"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Graduating students in the Texas A&M School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In his opening remarks, Tim McLaughlin<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n McLaughlin pointed to three key factors in getting through troubled times as they pertain to education. The first: \u201cOur connection to others.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe have people around us that care for us and we care for, and those connections really root us in times of uncertainty,\u201d McLaughlin said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another factor is a belief in things that are \u201clarger than ourselves,\u201d he said, whether that be through religion, a belief in humanity or philosophy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe third is knowledge,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n McLaughlin told the graduates that they have the tools and skills needed to be successful as they move into their careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI hope you move with this sense of confidence that comes from not just the fact of \u2018I have a degree in hand,\u2019 but rather, \u2018I can handle it,\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cYou can say, \u2018I have the ingredients that have made me confident that I can handle this, and I am thankful for Texas A&M for doing that.\u2019 We as Texas A&M are thankful to you for going out and representing our school, and for representing us in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Students received graduation certificates, and six received Distinguished Student Awards for their work in the Dance Science<\/a>, Performance Studies<\/a> and Visualization<\/a> programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n