Fall 2021 Convocation

October 6, 2021

Dear School of Engineering Graduate:

On behalf of the faculty and staff of the School, I congratulate you on your upcoming graduation. Receiving a degree in engineering or computer science is an especially amazing accomplishment that you and your family should be extremely proud of.

Because graduation is one of those milestone events in many students’ lives, to many, the ritual of walking across a stage to receive a hard-earned degree is an important and emotional ritual. Due to the pandemic the last year and a half, we have unfortunately not been able to have such in-person gatherings. But finally, we are pleased to announce that the Fall 2021 UNM and School of Engineering ceremonies will be held in person once again!

This semester, there are two important events to celebrate your commencement, and I encourage you to attend both, along with your family and friends.

The first is The University of New Mexico’s Fall 2021 Commencement Program, which this year consists of an undergraduate and a graduate ceremony. The graduate ceremony will take place on Thursday, December 16, 2021, at 6 p.m. in the University Arena (better known to you as “The Pit”) for all Class of 2020 and 2021 graduate students. The undergraduate ceremony will take place on Friday, December 17, 2021, at 6 p.m. in the University Arena as well, for all Class of 2020 and 2021 undergraduate students. UNM President Garnett S. Stokes will preside over the ceremony, which I expect to be well-attended by faculty, staff and students, all of whom will be in academic regalia (i.e., cap and gown). At this event, the president will officially confer your degree upon you. To participate, please fill out the student sign-up form at: http://graduation.unm.edu. Other details about UNM Commencement are also available at this site.

The second event is the School of Engineering Fall 2021 Convocation. This will take place on Saturday, December 18, 2021, at 2 p.m. in the Kiva Auditorium, inside the Albuquerque Convention Center downtown (West convention center, 2nd floor). The Convocation is the School’s own ceremony specifically to honor you, in the presence of your family and friends. The highlight of this event is the recognition of each School of Engineering graduate individually on stage, where you will be congratulated by your department faculty and staff, your deans and the Convocation’s honored guests. Graduate students will be met on the stage by their faculty thesis/dissertation advisor for the traditional “hooding” ceremony. This ceremony will be only for Fall 2021 Engineering graduates.

If you plan to attend the School of Engineering Convocation, please report to the Kiva Auditorium in the Albuquerque Convention Center between 1:15 p.m. and 1:40 p.m. in order to receive your data information card and line up for the procession.

Cap and gown is the appropriate dress for graduates. “Civilian” dress is also acceptable. Caps and gowns can be obtained from the UNM Bookstore. If you wish to send formal announcements to your family and friends, you can purchase them at the bookstore as well. The UNM Bookstore is having a graduation fair on October 19-21. I encourage you to attend to shop for your regalia, announcements, diploma frames, on-site graduation portraits, special offers and more.

Wheelchair access to the Convention Center is available. If you need special accommodations such as an interpreter for yourself or your guests or wheelchair access, please contact April Davidson at (505) 277-1421 prior to December 1, 2021.

Of course, as we have seen the last couple of years during the course of this pandemic, conditions can change rapidly. We will be following all of the current health guidance from the state of New Mexico at the time of the event. Current guidance requires each person in an indoor setting to wear a mask. If there are significant changes in the guidance, the University will be communicating that to graduates.

I strongly encourage you to stay in touch with our School, your former professors and fellow Lobos and to keep us informed on the numerous future achievements in your careers. We will always take extraordinary pride in your accomplishments.

On behalf of the School of Engineering faculty and staff, I congratulate you once more and I hope to see you at both the UNM Fall 2021 Commencement Program and the School of Engineering Fall 2021 Convocation.

Sincerely,
Christos Christodoulou
Dean and Distinguished Professor