Record Number Of Mid-Year Graduates Expected — Approximately 4,600

graduation Texas A&M University is projected to produce a record number of mid-year graduates — approximately 4,600 — during commencement ceremonies Friday and Saturday (Dec. 16-17), exceeding the total for the class last December by about 100.

College Station ceremonies will be held at 9 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Friday and at 9 a.m. Saturday at Reed Arena for approximately 4,400 degree candidates. The Friday afternoon ceremonies will include the commissioning of approximately 35 members of the Corps of Cadets as officers into one of the four branches of the armed services. These ceremonies will include graduates from 13 academic colleges including degree candidates in the College of Medicine, College of Nursing and the School of Public Health.

Additional graduation exercises also will be held in Galveston for degree candidates at Texas A&M University Galveston Campus and in Fort Worth for the Texas A&M University School of Law. A few degree candidates for the Texas A&M College of Dentistry and at Texas A&M University Qatar Campus will be acknowledged, although formal ceremonies are not held in December for these programs.

Registrar officials point out that the current graduation and commissioning figures are based on filings to date and can be expected to vary slightly by the time of the ceremonies.

Sherrie Yeates, who served more than 30 years in the Army and retired as a master sergeant, will be among the degree recipients at the 2 p.m. Friday ceremonies. She earned her degree in horticultural science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Read more about Yeates and her story on AgriLife Today.

A total of 34 Texas A&M student-athletes are scheduled to earn degrees as the fall semester concludes with Commencement exercises set to take place at Reed Arena, Friday and Saturday, Dec. 16 and 17. “I am extremely proud of these young people for earning a degree from our outstanding university while also competing at the highest levels in a sport they love,” Director of Athletics Scott Woodward said.

Read more about Aggie athletes set to walk across the stage on 12thman.com.

Aggie women’s basketball guard Chelsea Jennings will be the first black female student athlete to graduate from the College of Architecture during ceremonies this weekend.

Read her full story “Chasing My Two Dreams” on The Aggie Way.

Of the 172 degrees slated to be granted this weekend during Texas A&M University at Galveston commencement ceremonies, two will have inspiring stories to share. Michael McAfee, 74, will be receiving a degree in University Studies, Environmental Law and Policy, and Jordan Merecka, the first teen in the world to receive the SynCardia total artificial heart after suffering congestive heart failure in 2011, will receive a degree in Maritime Administration.