Graduate Hooding Ceremony
University of Houston-Downtown May 2, 2026
3 p.m.
The University of Houston-Downtown faculty and staff extend special greetings to parents, relatives, friends, and loved ones gathered for this celebration.
ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS
WELCOME
Dr. Deborah E. Bordelon
Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
PROCESSIONAL
NATIONAL ANTHEM
OPENING REMARKS
Dr. Deborah E. Bordelon
PRESENTATION OF THE CANDIDATES
College of Sciences and Technology
Dean Akif Uzman and Faculty
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Dean Wendy Burns-Ardolino and Faculty
College of Public Service
Dean Jose Ricardo-Osorio and Faculty
Marilyn Davies College of Business
Dean Jonathan Davis and Faculty
CLOSING REMARKS
Dr. Deborah E. Bordelon
RECESSIONAL
COLLEGE OF SCIENCES & TECHNOLOGY
Candidates for Graduation
Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence
Heather Leilani Brasher
Luis Miguel Fuentes
An Thien Giang
Michael Raymond Jones
Jamshaid Qamer
Michael Suchko
Joanna Flores Tubat
Master of Science in Data Analytics
Madhav Bhandari
Rubi Cornejo
Nathan Michael Diffey
Tymothee Dewayne Jones
Hamna Khalid
Christin Elizabeth Knight
Vincent X. Nguyen
Allison Portillo
Jesus Narciso Serrato
Grecia Fernanda Torres Pacheco
Nathan Ngai-Jun Wong
WORDS OF THANKS
Rubi Cornejo
Thank you to my family and friends for their endless support.
Luis Miguel Fuentes
I am deeply grateful to Dr. Izadi and Dr. Pakrin for their invaluable mentorship, unwavering support, and inspiring guidance throughout my graduate journey. Thank you for helping me reach this milestone.
Christin Elizabeth Knight
My sincere thanks to the professors and peers who supported my growth in Data Analytics. I’m truly grateful for the knowledge, mentorship, and friendships that made my UHD experience meaningful.
Grecia Fernanda Torres Pacheco
To my grandmother, Sofia Torres, whose love and unwavering belief shaped my path. I wish you were here to see this.
Joanna Tubat
To Dr. Pakhrin who made learning feel like discovery, to the faculty who challenged me, and to Anthony and my family - this is only the beginning.
Nathan Ngai-Jun Wong
Thank you to my friends and family whose love guided me through every doubt and every milestone. Your belief in me became my strength, and I carry this moment because of you.
COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES
Candidates for Graduation
Master of Arts in Rhetoric & Composition
Deborah Lynn Dick
Nicolai Allan Lactaoen
Bardia Tyler Talabi
Salam Khaled Yousef
Master of Arts in Non-Profit Management
Leyra Mireya Cano Luviano
Julian Casares
Charles Graves
Angelica Palmer
Elizabeth Perez
Elizabeth Faye Persinger
Anjela Ramon
Shawne Wilson
Master of Arts in Strategic Communication
Valeria Suzeth Bello
Ralph St. Vincent Bradley
William Leonard Gough Jr.
Anthony Mireles
Lila Maria Sheffer
Lindsay Ware
Master of Science in Technical Communication
Lisa Campbell
WORDS OF THANKS
Valeria Suzeth Bello
I am deeply grateful to my family and friends for their endless support, encouragement, and love. Thank you for pushing me to keep going and helping me reach this milestone.
Ralph St.Vincent Bradley
Thank you to God, my Mama Erma, Consuela Baldwin, my mentor Darius Benton, Karlyli Juarez & CHSS, Maiya Stephens, Taylor White, Courtney Shroder, Crystal Guillory, LA, and myself.
Lisa Campbell
Christian, Raygen, Little Christian, and Hope—thank you for your unwavering support and love. I couldn’t have done this without you, or my professors, especially Dr. Duncan.
Deborah Dick
John, Your support made all of this possible. Lovingly, Debbie
Anthony Mireles
Gracias mamá por querer un futuro mejor para mí. Thanks Drs. Benton, Hoang & Roundtree for your guidance. Thank you Lila for not accepting anything less than excellence.
Angelica
Lyn Palmer
I am deeply grateful to the professors at the University of Houston-Downtown who guided me from undergraduate to graduate studies, and to my mom and older brother for their unwavering love and support.
Lila Maria Sheffer
Endless gratitude to my professors—especially Dr. Rountree—and to my family and friends whose support made this graduate journey possible.
Lindsay Ware
Thank you to Dr. Rountree, Dr. Lawrence, and MASC faculty for your mentorship, insight, and support throughout my journey. Your dedication to teaching empowered my growth as a thoughtful communicator.
Shawne’ Wilson
Sincere gratitude to Dr. Bob Sanborn for his dedication to supporting students. Also, thanks to my advisor, Karlyli Juarez, whose guidance, patience, and support were life-changing.
Salam Yousef
I appreciate all of my professors for continuously pushing me to become better than I was when I first entered the program. I will forever be grateful to you all.
Candidates for Graduation
Master of Arts in Teaching
Celese Dallai Bacon
Chelsi Jayne Johnston
Mayra Haydee Lazcano Joselyn Velazquez
Master of Educational Leadership
Judith Magen Alvarado
Lisa Avina
Yessica Yamilex Castillo
Cecilia Contreras
Sandra Guadalupe Hernandez
Yaressy Guadalupe Hernandez
Jessica Caitlyn Hughes
Christine Guillot Johnson
Joe Edward Perez
Erin Elizabeth Walker
Gina Yvette Zenor
Master of Science in Criminal Justice
David Lee Almanza
Benjamin Craig Bass
Jasmine Loraye Michia Braimer
Jessica Marie Cantu
Joseline E. Cortez
Nathanael Washington Dillard
Jonathan Michael Dixon
Cynthia Marie Ellsworth
Darius Lavance Franklin
Erin Lee Guillory
Christopher Kelly
Connor Allan McMurtry
Dymond J. Rebollar
Christopher Armand Sierra
Kevin Israel Torres
WORDS OF THANKS
Judith Magen Alvarado
I am truly grateful to my amazing husband for his unwavering support, love, and patience, and to my professors for their guidance and inspiration throughout my journey in educational leadership.
Lisa Avina
I would like to thank Dr. Hussein for believing in me and giving me a chance to succeed. Your guidance, patience, and encouragement made this achievement possible.
Celese Dallai’ Bacon
I would like to thank my mom, Tina, My sister ,Megan, my uncle, Anthony. I would also like to thank my 2nd and 3rd grade classes at Terrace Elementary School.
Benjamin Bass
Many thanks to my family and most especially to my wife Parvez who has been so supportive to me throughout this long endeavor.
Jessica Cantu
Thanks Dr. Buckler for your invaluable support. Thanks Dr. Marshall and Dr. Henson for your assistance and my husband who took care of everything while I did this.
Sandra Guadalupe Hernandez
A special thanks to my family for your support; I could not have done it without you. Thank you to my professors for guiding and preparing me as a leader.
Yessica Yamilex Castillo Rico
Grateful to my professors for their guidance, my cohort for their support, and my parents, family, and friends for their constant encouragement and belief in me throughout this journey.
Cecilia Contreras
To my husband and children: thank you for standing by me and for your endless love. This degree belongs to us all. I couldn’t have finished this journey without you. Your support made this dream a reality. I love you!
Joseline Esmeralda Cortez
With sincere gratitude to my mentors, professors, family, and friends whose support, encouragement, and belief in me made this milestone possible. I share this achievement with you.
Jonathan Michael Dixon
I am deeply grateful to everyone whose guidance, patience, and commitment to student success shaped my academic journey. Your support and belief in my potential made this accomplishment meaningful.
Cynthia Marie Ellsworth
I extend my sincere gratitude to the professors who have significantly contributed to this monumental achievement. Notably, my family and my daughters who have provided unwavering love, support and encouragement.
Darius Franklin
Thank you to the best Criminal Justice department faculty and staff for your dedication to our academic success!
Erin Lee Guillory
I would like to thank my family for all the love and support, they helped me believe that I could achieve it all, even when things got hard. Love y’all!
Yaressy Guadalupe Hernandez
I want to thank my family and my cohort for always pushing me and supporting me through this journey.
Jessica Hughes
I want to thank my husband for his support and for believing in me. To my parents, thank you for always encouraging me to follow my goals.
Christine Johnson
I am grateful to my husband Jerry, my daughters Ava and Zoey, my professors Dr. Hussein and Dr. Burks, and my cohort members who became cherished friends throughout this journey.
Chelsi
Jayne Johnston
I am thankful to those who have surrounded me with patience, understanding and love through all of my journeys. This is for us all. Te amo, Mildred.
Mayra Lazcano
To my husband who believed in me when I couldn’t, and my daughters who dreamed with me: your love lifted me through every doubt. You are my why, my heart, my everything. I love you.
Joe Edward Perez
Big thanks to my MEDL professors for the support and knowledge. To my cohort, appreciate the teamwork and laughs. And to my family, thank you for your constant love and support.
Dymond
Rebollar
To everyone who stood by me, thank you for believing in me even when I struggled. I’m proud of who I’m becoming, and grateful to share this moment with you
Christopher Sierra
Dr. Buckler, thank you for your mentorship, encouragement, and support throughout my graduate journey. Your guidance strengthened my research and confidence. I am truly grateful for everything you taught me.
Joselyn Velazquez
Grateful beyond words, I thank my daughters, husband, parents, family, friends, faculty, and Dr. Snow Balderas for their constant support, encouragement, and belief in me.
Erin E. Walker
Thank you to my wonderful family for all of their love and support during this incredible journey. I couldn’t do this without you.
Gina Yvette Zenor
Blessings to University of Houston - Downtown’s Educational Leadership program and dedicated faculty for building foundations in educational leadership, transforming schools and shaping future educational leaders through excellence!
MARILYN DAVIES COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
Candidates for Graduation
Master of Business Administration
Casey L. Adams
Valerie Nicole Arevalo Garcia
Eric Omar Ascencio
Baffour Agyeman Attafuah
Jasmine Ayana Cockrell
Heather Cummings
Tammy Devine
Shayla Bre’Aughn Eagleton
Christopher Edison
Sara El kharif
Maria Laura Espino
Zareen Fathima
Mercy C. Galabawa
Kimberly Garay
Destiny A. Gasper
Nguyen Thanh Vinh Huynh
Kernita Sacha Jno-Baptiste
Helen Jonathan
Fairaita Noriane Kone
Adam Laird
Jasmine Lara
Garion Aundrea Lewis
Charon Joyce Little
Jessica Marie McCraw
Marc Antony Medrano
Aidahta Natama
Whitney Philbert
Hamadoun Plea
Jaqueline Portillo
Tamara Denise Preston
Chanani Guadia Ricks
Natalya Rodriguez
Natalie Marie Rosas
Patricia Rosas
Rodolfo Salazar
Claudia Sofia Santos
Garold Dwight Sears
Jarrod Mauro Solis
Eduardo Luis Torres
Cynthia Marlene Umana
Jordyn Nicole Waters
Beatriz Zelaya
Eric Zett
Master of Professional Accountancy
Leslie Nicole Alvarez
Mir Azharuddin
Lily Barcenas
Anthony Matthew Beishir
Alvin Chodo Bell II
Fidelina Carranza
Michael Delgado
Imelda Dominguez
Sanjuana Elizabeth Gaspar
Jawanza Lumumba Green
Ebenezer Kofi Gyamfi
Caleb Austin Hayden Herring
Cristian Alexis Montiel
Malik Mustafaa
Asim Maheboob Narsinh
Jennifer A. Paredes
Esteban Ramirez
Natalia Resendiz
John Adrian Ramos Reyes
Kelsea Dawn Settle
Yi Tian Teo
Shirley Walls
Master of Security Management
Andrew Edward Allen
Kenneth D. Alvarado
Emely J. Alvarez
Christian Alan Barber
Tenasia S. Campbell
Sonceria Garrett Carolina
Brenda Ebele Ejiobi
Michael Peter Esparza
Juan Gama
Danny O. Igiehon-Fyzer
Cornelious William Jackson
Timothy Jerome Jacob
Joseph Jones
Smilejit Kaur
Panagiotis Kopulos
Christopher Anthony Lee
Melvin L. Mason
Sandra Noemy Munoz
Vu Tran Quoc Nguyen
Argenis Nino
Adeola Oguntuga
Angel S. Reeves
Cheryl White
Zachary Kamaal York
WORDS OF THANKS
Lily Barcenas
To my beautiful family, without whom none of this would be possible - my precious children and Tony, thank you. We can do hard things, together. I love you all.
Anthony Beishir
I am grateful for my friends, family, and those in PAS and NABA who supported and motivated me daily as I worked toward completing my undergraduate and Master of Professional Accountancy degrees.
Tenasia Shydel Campbell
Graduation marks a transformation like a butterfly. I want to express gratitude to all MSM Professors for your guidance, God for inner strength and family for your support through this achievement!
Heather Nacole Cummings
To my children; thank you for your patience during long nights and hard seasons. When I felt overwhelmed or wanted to quit, you reminded me why I started and gave me strength.
Tammy Devine
At 61, this MBA reflects resilience and lifelong learning. Thank you to my husband Mick and my children Mandy and Brad for their unwavering love, support, and belief in me. This MBA belongs to all of us!
Imelda Dominguez
First and foremost, I thank God for making the impossible possible. With heartfelt gratitude, I thank my mother for her endless love and support throughout this journey.
Maria Laura Espino
Thank you to my parents for always supporting and believing in me. To my family and friends, thank you for your encouragement in helping me reach this accomplishment.
Zareen Fathima
I am grateful to be blessed with an amazing husband who is my rock, as well as to my parents and family for being my anchor throughout!
Kimberly Garay
Grateful for this milestone, the strength to keep going, and my husband’s unwavering support. Thankful also for my family for always showing up.
Valerie Nicole Garcia
With God’s grace, I made it through this journey. Thank you to my husband and family for your unwavering love, prayers, and encouragement every step of the way.
Sanjuana Elizabeth Gaspar
I could not have done without the help of my kids, husband, siblings, and parents. This accomplishment is lovingly dedicated to them.
Ebenezer Kofi Gyamfi
My gratitude goes to God first and to my wife Cynthia, my children Ama, Oheneba, and Yaa. Thanks to the faculty members for all your support. Finally, thanks to my pastor and the entire church members of RG.
Nguyen Huynh
I am deeply grateful to my professors, family, and mentors for their guidance and support throughout my MBA journey. Your encouragement made this achievement possible.
Kernita Jno-Baptiste
To my amazing husband and children, thank you for your unwavering love, encouragement, and patience. Your constant support pushed me forward and made earning my Master’s degree possible.
Joseph Jones
I would like to thank my wife Kelly Martinez Jones for motivating and encouraging me to keep moving forward and remaining focused.
Jasmine Lara
I thank Jesus for carrying me through every storm, my family for their unwavering love, my grandma for instilling faith, and my children, Lilyanna and Zayden, my strength and purpose.
Garion Aundrea Lewis
Gabrielle and R3 were my fuel. I couldn’t be more proud to be your mom, your hero.
Charon Little
I am thankful for the opportunity to complete my studies, a milestone earned through dedication and hard work. The knowledge and skills gained profoundly shaped my perspective and prepared me for future endeavors.
Jessica Marie McCraw
I am deeply grateful to God, my family, and my village for their unwavering love and encouragement. Your motivation pushed me forward and reminded me of my purpose every step.
Sandra Noemy Munoz
This milestone reflects who I am. I earned this by pushing through moments that tested me, with the support of my mom and those who believed in me. Thank you all.
Malik Mustafaa
“Thank you, Professor Zoe Smith, for your unwavering guidance in life and school. Your mentorship shaped me into the leader I am today. I am forever grateful.
Fidelina Najera
To my husband and our three beautiful children, your love, patience, and unwavering support have been my greatest motivation. This achievement is ours, a reflection of every sacrifice we made together.
Adeola Oguntuga
I am grateful for my family’s love and support. I celebrate the discipline and resilience that carried me through this journey. This degree reflects growth, perseverance, and commitment to becoming better.
Jennifer Alicia Paredes
To my parents and family, thank you for your love, sacrifices, and unwavering support. This achievement is as much yours as mine. I carry your love in everything I do.
Whitney Philbert
With heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Ray Qing Cao, Dr. Xinxin Hu, and Dr. Isaac Elking, whose mentorship, wisdom, and insight inspired my growth, resilience, and commitment to purposeful leadership. -Whitney Philbert
Casey Lynn Prince
To my husband, Chris, thank you for every sacrifice, every late night, and unwavering support. This four year journey was ours. This MBA belongs to you as much as me.
Esteban Ramirez
Le quiero dar gracias a dios y a mis padres por creer en mí, por su amor y sacrificios. Su apoyo me hizo quien soy hoy.
Natalia Resendiz
This milestone honors the sacrifices before me. Grateful to join the 9% of Latinas with a master’s. Thank you to my parents, siblings, grandparents, and the UHD community.
John Adrian Reyes
To Mama and Papa, thank you for always believing in me. Grateful to my professors for their support and encouragement. Maraming Salamat and God Bless!
Natalie Marie Rosas
I’m endlessly grateful to my son, Jeremiah Cash, for inspiring me to grow and persevere, and to my incredible village of family and friends for unwavering love and support. Cheers to new beginnings and beautiful blessings ahead.
Jr Sears
I am deeply grateful to my wife and family for their unwavering support as I achieved this incredible milestone, and to Dr. Zahir for inspiring my passion for leadership.
Kelsea Settle
To my husband, Nick—I couldn’t have done this without you. I’m forever grateful for your love and support. To my family, thank you for always believing in me!
Jarrod Mauro Solis
All glory and praise to Jesus Christ for carrying me through. To my loving wife and children for standing by me and supporting me every step of the way.
Shirley Walls
To my family: Your endless love and sacrifices made this moment possible. I am forever grateful for your patience through the late nights and long days.
Cheryl Nadine White
I am deeply grateful to UHD for designing the MSM program to be flexible and achievable, allowing me to successfully balance my responsibilities while advancing my education and professional growth.
Zachary Kamaal York
This degree represents perseverance through some tall challenges. I want to thank you to every professor that saw my efforts and encouraged me along the way.
Eric Zett
I extend my sincere gratitude to my wife and family for their unwavering support, and to Dr. Zahir Latheef, whose enthusiasm kept the leadership program engaging.
University of Houston
Standing proud along the bayou, a Houston landmark true, is our noble Alma Mater, glorious to view.
Representing many cultures, races, tongues, and creeds, confident we now go forth to serve our common needs.
Studies finished, now we’re leaving new goals to pursue, but our hearts to UH-Downtown ever will be true.
Come, let’s join and raise our voices, praising UHD. may our lives forever honor thy dear memory.