C   E Board of Regents Rossanna Salazar, Chairman Austin William F. Scott, Vice Chairman Nederland Charlie Amato San Antonio Veronica Muzquiz Edwards San Antonio Jaime R. Garza San Antonio David Montagne Beaumont Vernon Reaser III Houston Alan L. Tinsley Madisonville Donna N. Williams Arlington Kaitlyn Tyra, Student Regent Huntsville Brian McCall, Ph.D., Chancellor

University Administration Kenneth R. Evans, Ph.D. President James Marquart, Ph.D. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Joe Nordgren, Ph.D. Acting Associate Provost for Academic Affairs Brenda S. Nichols, D.N.Sc. Vice Provost for Digital Learning E. Craig Ness, M.B.A. Vice President for Finance and Operations John Bello-Ogunu, Sr., Ph.D. Vice President for Diversity, Inclusion, and Intercultural Affairs Priscilla Parsons, M.B.A. Vice President for Information Technology Vicki McNeil, Ed.D. Vice President for Student Engagement Juan Zabala, M.B.A. Vice President for University Advancement Marco Born, M.S. Athletics Director

Academic Deans William E. Harn, Ph.D. Dean of Graduate Studies Paul Bernazzani, Ph.D. Acting Dean of Arts and Sciences Enrique “Henry” Venta, Ph.D. Dean of Business Robert Spina, Ph.D., FACSM Dean of Education and Human Development Srinivas Palanki, Ph.D. Dean of Engineering Derina Holtzhausen, Ph.D. Dean of Fine Arts and Communication Kevin Dodson, Ph.D. Dean of Reaud Honors College Sarah Tusa, M.A., M.L.I.S. Acting Director of Library Services Message from the Dean Dear Graduates of Spring 2018, Relatives and Friends:

On behalf of the Lamar University Administration, the College of Engineering Leadership Team and faculty and staff of your academic department, congratulations on achieving this very significant milestone in your life. Each of you have worked hard, made new friends, received guidance and support from family, University faculty and staff, and friends. This ceremony has three purposes: First is to formally celebrate your achievement. Second is to thank those who supported and helped you along the way, and finally, is to begin the next phase of your life where you will set new goals and pursue them with the same or even higher levels of dedication.

My challenge for you is to set the right goals. Set them high enough so that you must work both smart and hard to achieve them, and then feel that happiness that comes from seeing your hard work and excellent preparation pay off. It has been said many times that success is at the intersection of hard work and preparation.

In closing, I would ask that you maintain your ties to Lamar University. I encourage you to support your college through various activities, programs and scholarships and ask that you keep us updated on your many achievements to come.

Srinivas Palanki, Ph.D. Dean Ceremony Program

Musical Prelude Lamar University Commencement Brass Ensemble Andrew McMahan, D.M.A. Director of Bands

Academic Processional* Hsing-wei Chu, Ph.D. Chair of Mechanical Engineering Piper Professor

Crown Imperial Lamar University Commencement Walton Brass Ensemble

The National Anthem* Debrah Greschner, M.M. The Star Spangled Banner Instructor, Department of Music Francis Scott Key

Welcome/Introductions Srinivas Palanki, Ph.D. Dean

Commencement Address Kathleen Jackson Board Member, Texas Water Development Board

Student Commencement Louis Bemberg Address Industrial Engineering Major

Certification of Graduates Srinivas Palanki, Ph.D.

Conferring of Degrees Kenneth R. Evans, Ph.D. President

Presentation of Graduating Srinivas Palanki, Ph.D. Class/Investiture of Doctorates Announcement of Elohor Okene Graduates Chemical Engineering Major

Namit Tripathi Ph.D. Candidate in Chemical Engineering

Presentation of Order of Srinivas Palanki, Ph.D. the Engineer Liv Haselbach, PE, Ph.D., LEED AP BD+C Chair and Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Concluding Remarks Srinivas Palanki, Ph.D. and Awards

Lamar University Debrah Greschner, M.M. Alma Mater* G. Rhodes Smartt

Lamar to thee we’re singing We will ever need thee Voices raised on high. As our guiding star. We will forever love thee To us you’ll always be Laud thee to the sky. Our glorious Lamar.

Academic Recessional* Hsing-wei Chu, Ph.D.

Please join us for an informal reception, located upstairs in the concourse area of the Montagne Center, following the ceremony.

*Audience please stand.

To maintain the dignity of the program, guests are requested to refrain from unnecessary noises (air horns, etc.) and movement during the ceremony. College of Engineering Faculty Srinivas Palanki, Dean Civil and Industrial Jerry Lin, Director of Environmental Engineering Graduate Programs Engineering Brian Craig, Chair Peyton Richmond, Liv Haselbach, Chair Jaeyoung Cho Director of Nicholas Brake James Curry Undergraduate Mien Jao Maryam Hamidi Programs Qin Qian Yueqing Li Thinesh Selvaratnam Alberto Marquez Dan F. Smith Chemical Xing Wu Berna Tokgoz Engineering Hao Yang Ezra Wari T. C. Ho, Chair Renzun Zhao Victor Zaloom Tracy Benson Weihang Zhu Tianxin Cai Phillip M. Drayer Daniel Chen Electrical Engineering Mechanical John Gossage Harley Myler, Chair Engineering James Henry Reza Barzegaran Hsing-wei Chu, Chair Clayton Jeffryes Xiaofan He Kendrick Aung Sidney Lin Koji Hirano Keivan Davami Helen Lou G.N. Reddy Xuejun Fan Rafael Tadmor Selahattin Sayil Ramesh Guduru Qiang Xu Gleb Tchevslavski Ping He Ruhai Wang Xiangchang Li AKM Mazumder Ajit Patki Chun-Wei Yao Jenny Zhou

Faculty Marshals Tracy Benson Yueqing Li Xing Wu James Henry Thinesh Selvaratnam Hassan Zargarzadeh Clayton Jeffryes Ruhai Wang

Office of the Registrar David Short Jr., Registrar Barbara Price, Assistant Registrar Natasha Walker, Assistant Registrar Commencement Committee Summer Rather, Director of Records & Registration Mildred Piert, Graduation Coordinator Siaa Taylor, Graduation Coordinator THE ORDER OF THE ENGINEER

The Order of the Engineer is a national organization whose purpose is to foster a spirit of pride, individual integrity, and responsibility in the engineering profession. It promotes ethics and professionalism in the practice of engineering and bridges the gap between education and practice.

Membership is voluntary and open to seniors and graduate students in EAC of ABET- accredited engineering programs, graduate students enrolled in other engineering programs housed in departments that administer EAC of ABET-accredited undergraduate programs, graduates of EAC of ABET-accredited engineering programs, licensed professional engineers, members of the Canadian Calling, and special individuals.

As part of this ceremony, inductees take a solemn obligation to themselves to “uphold devotion to the standards and dignity of the engineering profession”.

Each inductee who accepts the obligation receives a stainless steel ring. The ring is to be worn on the fifth finger of the working hand. Inductees are encouraged to wear the ring and to display the signed obligation certificate as visible reminders of the publicly accepted obligation as a contract with themselves.

OBLIGATION OF AN ENGINEER

(The candidates read aloud the parts in bold italic type.)

I am an Engineer. In my profession I take deep pride. To it I owe solemn obligations. Since the Stone Age, human progress has been spurred by the engineering genius. Engineers have made usable nature’s vast resources of material and energy for humanity’s benefit. Engineers have vitalized and turned to practical use the principles of science and the means of technology. Were it not for the heritage of accumulated experience, my efforts would be feeble.

As an Engineer, I pledge to practice integrity and fair dealing, tolerance and respect, and to uphold devotion to the standards and the dignity of my profession, conscious always that my skill carries with it the obligation to serve humanity by making the best use of Earth’s precious wealth.

As an Engineer, I shall participate in none but honest enterprises. When needed, my skill and knowledge shall be given without reservation for the public good. In the performance of duty and in fidelity to my profession, I shall give the utmost. Commencement Speaker Kathleen Jackson was reappointed to the Texas Water Development Board by Governor Greg Abbott on March 9, 2017. She was appointed to the Board by Governor Rick Perry on March 18, 2014.

Jackson has a diverse background representing agricultural, environmental, industrial, and wholesale- supply interests, which includes developing and implementing water management strategies for Southeast Texas. As a registered professional engineer, Jackson served as public affairs manager for one of the world’s largest petroleum and petrochemical producers.

Additionally, she was involved in production agriculture with her late husband, who ran a cattle operation and farmed rice. She served as a past member of the Lower Neches Valley Authority Board of Directors, the Texas Water Conservation Association, and participated on the Sabine and Neches Rivers Bay and Estuary Environmental Flows Assessment Program Stakeholders Committee.

She is also a board member and past president of the Lamar Institute of Technology Foundation, a sustaining member of the Junior League of Beaumont, a member of the Texas Farm Bureau, past president of the American Cancer Society of North Jefferson County, and a past board member of Junior Achievement of the Golden Triangle.

Jackson received a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from North Carolina State University.

Jackson has three children, sixth-generation Texans who all reside and work in Texas, and three grandchildren. She is a long-time resident of Beaumont. Student Commemcement Speaker Louis Bemberg was born in the city of Lausanne, Switzerland, and is the youngest of 8 siblings. Louis will be graduating from Lamar University with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering degree. Louis was listed on the president’s list for 4 consecutive years for maintaining a 4.0 GPA, which also earned him a presidential scholarship, a membership at the national honors society for industrial engineers Alpha Pi Mu, as well as a nomination in the Southland Conference Commissioner’s academic honor roll in 2016.

Louis is also a student-athlete who played for Lamar University’s golf team during the entire course of his studies. Louis was part of the Swiss national team for 4 years and represented his country in two European Team Championships. He also helped the Lausanne Golf Club win 5 gold medals in the national club championships and a bronze medal at the European Men’s Club Trophy in 2012. After deciding to become a Cardinal, Louis contributed in team wins at the 2014 Wofford Invitational in Spartanburg and the 2016 James S. Litz Memorial Golf Tournament in San Antonio. Louis hit his first golf shots at the age of two and has been in love with the game ever since. His passion for the sport motivated him to be a volunteer coach during multiple seasons for the younger generations of golfers aspiring to become student- athletes one day.

Aside from the classroom and the golf course, Louis enjoys making people’s days better by helping them in whatever way he can, may it be giving a golf lesson, helping with difficult homework, correcting essays, proofreading technical papers, or providing advice during difficult times.After overcoming many personal challenges and hardships, Louis made it his mission to convince his peers that the sun always shines even after the mightiest of storms, and that good things eventually happen to good people. Doctor of Philosophy in Master of Engineering Chemical Engineering Science in Electrical Sijie Ge Engineering Md Alimul Ahsan Doctor of Engineering Swapnil Baliram Patole Master of Engineering in Master of Engineering Electrical Engineering Science in Chemical Karim Abdellatif Engineering Tareque Abu Abdullah Harshal Kiran Kulkarni Diwakar Dahal Adhish Chandra Saketh Venkata Somayaji Dhavala Madugula Shiyue Hou S M Nazmul Huda Nayem Samrat Lamichhane Tushar Vijay Nemade Rabin Nepal Divya Pandit Chhetri Master of Engineering in Pragya Pokhrel Chemical Engineering Rachana Ravindra Dalbhanjan Darshan Vijaykumar Rawal Mangesh Bapu Deshmukh Kamal Sapkota Vani Sruthi Potharlanka Master of Engineering Master of Engineering Science Science in Industrial in Civil Engineering Engineering Bipul Mainali Ayberk Karakavuz Kamal Thapa Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering Master of Engineering in Sanjeev Adhikari Industrial Engineering Umesh Dahal Dhruv Arun Kumar Gandhi Prakash Khanal Abhijeet Nitin Joshi Prakash Koirala Mohammed Abdul Muqeet Raksha Koirala Krunal Manojkumar Patel Prashanta Paneru Krupal Pankaj Kumar Patel Achyut Poudel Wen Qian Vivek Aka Biren Trikambhai Patel Bikkey Shah Harsha Chandrakant Pol Anjuman Shrestha Sajni Ketankumar Shah Yuxuan Xia Harshal Arvind Kumar Varia

Master of Science in Master of Engineering Environmental Engineering Management Holly Michelle Gallier Vijay Neeraj Goruntla Stefanie Anne Plunkett Yimei Long Master of Engineering Alejandria Giselle Avila Chassity Nicole Bazarow Science in Mechanical Kaleb Lane Bendy Engineering Mostafa khairy Elbarbary Mitchell Roy Blackburn Rishabh Galkar Apol Joy P. Bodiongan* Federico Gasbarri Ismay Cantu Santosh Gollakoti Nageshwara Progga Chirontoni* Gao Kelci Nicole Crawford Sarang Korde Katherine Ann Deaton* Amartya Rishin Rupak Matthew Allen Ervin Mohamed Nizamuddin Imtrani Pingpeng Fan Shaik Charles W. Flowers Grant Michael Freeman Master of Engineering in Aurora Elizabeth Garcia Mechanical Engineering Ramil Ayapana Glorioso Harsh Mukeshkumar Barot Michael Jared Hollier Soumodeep Biswas Mason Shawn Horbath Vijaya Krishna Boppana Michael Phillip Howard Khaja Irfan Ahmed Fnu Rebekah Grace Hunt Chintan Rameshbhai Kotadia Scott Patrick Karasik Nitin Kalubhai Lathiya Megha Karatela Qin Liu Dulani Thanushki Kuruppu Nirav Makadia Arachchilage Chiragkumar Vishnubhai Patel Jim Le Rushinkumar Kiranbhai Patel Yuangao Liu* Vivekkumar Dahyabhai Patel Zane Michael Lopez Venkata Sai Kiran Sangam Matthew Travis Marks Saurabh Singh Jhovanna Yisel Mata Kevin Linh Nguyen Bachelor of Science in Benjamin Edwin O’Fiel hemical ngineering and C E Chigozie Chibuikem Ohamara Mathematics Marissa Allyn Peltier David Ray Eleuterio Garcia Jr. Jesus Agustin Pena Jr. Bachelor of Science in Daniel Joseph Perales Chemical Engineering Vu Thanh Phan Mohammad Yousef Abdulrahim Michael Tyler Powell Yazeed Adel Y. Alhumaidan Ryan Franklin Quinn Andrew Reynaldo Allgeyer Sloan Martin Richey Ahmed J. Alzahrani Carley Elise Richmond Erick Manuel Anfoso Salazar Farwa Rizvi Cody Ryan Angelle Amoghalila Gangasingh Romo Duc Duy Hong Au Keith James Rushing Stefan Gabriel Salinas Darin Roy Dickinson Basil Usmaan Shafi Gabrianna Josefina Mercedes Haris Hamza Shafi Escamilla James P. Simon Daniel Espinoza Manoj Subedi Wesley Hardin Grisham Matthew David Tillett Sergio Medrano Guzman Nicholas James Treybig Sean Christopher Lee Hudson Danielle Lea Tucker Mahjabeen Javed* Joshua Joseph Vigil Ricky Joseph Keyes Spencer Cade Wagley Lance Duane Lindsey Cheyenne Alyse Warthen Tyler Garrett Mackey* Shelby Corene Whitehead* Grantry Gregory Mitchell Bryan Scott Wright Aaron H. Nguyen Andre Javier Zuniga Leiva Nicolas Nikoloutsos* Anthony Keith Simental Bachelor of Science in Civil Hunter Douglas Smith Engineering Brandon Tyler Storey Fernando Ramon Aleman Thien Tuan Tran Brian Jason Bonner Garrick D. Winfield Garrrett Michael Boudoin Faustino Cisneros Jr. Bachelor of Science in Jared Alan Defrancis Industrial Engineering Dason Cahilig Fernandez Raghda N. Ajel Matthew Thomas Jones Bianca S. Allen Taylor Robert Kane Louis Noel Charles Bemberg Garret Brooks Love Peter Ayomide Bolarinde Presley Anne Lundquist Ashley Danielle Bray Zachery K. Parker Isaiah Asher Gerald Hayden Thomas Rice De’andrez Rashawn Johnson David Alan Tingle Taylor James Landry Andre Gilles Trottier Jake Luis Loredo Andy Mak Bachelor of Science in Isleisi Y. Mendez Electrical Engineering Amber Michelle Riggs Cristoval Aboytes Gallegos Blake Hunter Rising Hunter Aaron Barrow Cameron Lee Shipp Matthew Joseph Beadle Danny Ray Smith III Jakob Aaron Bethea Everett A. Warrick Christopher Norman Bishop Benjamin Jacob Bulgherini Bachelor of Science in Javier Diaz Gutierrez Industrial Technology Jesus Diaz Gutierrez Michael Ray Coughlin Earnest Leroy Eastman III Jennifer Huang Charles Russell Hadnot Colby Craig Hughes Haley Elizabeth Hinkie Andrew Lee Hunt Edmond Hurts Kendal Raymond Jackson Justin Michael Putnal Mark Anthony Jackson Jr. Patrick S. Ratcliff Rovin Alexander Jaime Raul E. Rivera Jr. Jesse David James Justin Lee Smith Kirby Brett Johnson Anthony S. Kirkendall Bachelor of Science in Jessica Rena Koch Mechanical Engineering and Hunter Ericson Kuehnel Mathematics Dalton Vance Locklear Shelly Colleen Campbell Erick Lopez-Garcia Bachelor of Science in Mark Joseph Marquez Magno Stephen Matthew Mays Mechanical Engineering Ramiro Aguilar Riley Drew McMillon Brandon Wayne Austin Johnny B. Morris Blake Randall Ballard David Negrete Samuel Loren Barnes William Tristan Newell Nathan Arthur Benson Adebayo Olatokunboh Onafuwa Samuel Walter Blackshear Karli Victoria Overstreet Edward Eugene Brown Patrick Wayne Parfait Carlos A. Caballero Coneo* Huy John Pham Quaid Wilson Campbell Luke Anthony Placette Robbie Clarke Courtney Marie Pray Kirby Elizabeth Clayton* Johnny Frank Sanchez Stephanie Rebecca Coolidge Christopher Jerone Scurlock Tyler Matthew Copeland David Matthew Shifflett Jonathan Daniel Crain Mason Patrick Simmons Joshua Scott Crain Bryce Charles Smith Edgar Joel De La Cruz Dustin Lee Smith Brice Evans Connor Andrew Sullivan Victor Eze Thuy Duong Thi Van Reagan Scott Ficken* Jancy Varghese Derek Tyler Fregia Jose Angel Vidal Jayson James Damo Gaspar William Charles Villa Paul Ferrell Gebbert* Wyatt Lowell Wales Scott Michael Girdwood Shanna Nicole Walker Kevin Patrick Gould Yifan Wang Dylan Roberto Guzman Mario Enrique Guzman *Reaud Honors College Graduate Nicholas Scott Harrison Doctoral Dissertations Ge, Sijie – Air Quality Conscious Study for Proactive Emission Control Under Chemical Plant Start-Up, Shutdown, and Emergency Events – Qiang Xu, Dissertation Chair Patole, Swapnil – Experimental Investigation and Numerical Analysis of Laser Surface Texturing of Piston Rings to Enhance Tribological Performance – Xinyu Liu, Supervising Professor

Masters Theses Ahsan, Md. Alimul – Multi-Objective Optimization of a Grid-Connected Hybrid Power System: A Case Study on SETX – Hassan Zargarzadeh, Supervising Professor Elbarbary, Mostafa – Elastoplastic Material Properties of Lead-Free Solder by Finite Element Analysis and Nanoindentation Test – Xuejun Fan, Supervising Professor Galkar, Rishabh – Electrochemical Characterization of Manganese Compound Electrodes Using Multivalent Zinc Sulphate (ZnS04) Electrolyte for Zinc-Ion Battery (ZIB) Applications – Ramesh K. Guduru, Supervising Professor Gasbarri, Federico – Characterization of Mechanical and Energy Absorption Properties of Additively Manufactured Mechanical Metamaterials – Keivan Davami, Supervising Professor Gollakoti Nageshwara Rao, Santosh – Development of Hybrid Redox Flow Battery and Preliminary Studies of Univalent and Bivalent Chemistry – Ramesh K. Guduru, Supervising Professor Karakavuz, Ayberk – Risk Assessment of Commonly Transported Chemicals in Ports – Berna Eren Tokgoz, Supervising Professor Korde, Sarang – Nanoadditive-Based Foul Release Hull Coatings for Improved Maritime Vessel Performance – Ramesh K. Guduru, Supervising Professor Kulkarni, Harshal Kiran – Dynamic Simulation of Ethanol Water Distillation Column Using Aspen Dynamics – Thomas C. Ho, Supervising Professor Madugula, Adhish Chandra Saketh – Analysis of Pyrolysis Oil Model Compounds Using in situ Raman – Tracy J. Benson, Supervising Professor Mainali, Bipul – Implementation of Proactive Traffic Signal Control System at Multiple Intersections in the Greater Houston Area – Xing Wu, Supervising Professor Nayem, S. M. Nazmul Huda – Comparison of Humic Acid Adhesion with Water on Different Nanofiltration Membrane (NF90, NF270) – Rafael Tadmor, Supervising Professor Nemade, Tushar Vijay – Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Microalgae in the Multi-Vessel Reactor – Clayton Jeffryes, Supervising Professor Patole, Swapnil – Experimental Investigation and Theoretical Modeling of Ultrashort Pulse Laser Abalation – Xinyu Liu, Supervising Professor Rupak, Amartya Rishin – Yielding Behavior of Stiffening Coating for Single Layer, Multilayer, and Functionally Graded Material Under Scratch – Ali Beheshti, Supervising Professor Shaik, Mohamed – Study of Dynamic Response of a New JEDEC Standard to the Drop Test – Jenny Zhou, Supervising Professor Thapa, Kamal – A Seaport Warehouse Storage Assignment: A Port of Beaumont Case Study – Weihang Zhu, Supervising Professor Honors An Honor Graduate must have completed 60 hours at Lamar University for a 4-year degree. A student with a GPA of 3.5 or higher on all LU undergraduate work will be awarded honors. Cum laude is 3.5 to 3.64, magna cum laude is 3.65 to 3.79 and summa cum laude is 3.8 to 4.0.

Alpha Lambda Delta Freshman Honors Red, White and Gold Triple Cord

Alpha Pi Mu Industrial Engineering Honor Society White Cord joined with White Panel

Beta Xi chapter of Phi Beta Delta International Student Honors Gold Medallion with Red and Yellow Ribbon

Chi Epsilon Civil Engineering Honor Society White Stole

Delta-Beta chapter of Eta Kappa Nu Electrical and Computer Engineering Honor Society Yellow Stole with Insignia, Yellow Cord with Red and Blue Tassel

LU Ambassadors Student Ambassadors Red and Gold Double Cord

LU Honors Latin Honors Red and White Double Cord

LU Veterans US Military Veteran Red, White and Blue Double Cord

Omega Chi Epsilon Chemical Engineering Honor Society White Stole The Order of the Engineer Upholding Engineering Integrity Orange Stole with Red Trim

Order of Omega Greek Honors Gold Stole with Logo, Gold and Ivory Cord

Phi Beta Delta International Honor Society Gold Medallion with Red and Gold Ribbon

Phi Eta Sigma Freshman Honors Black and Gold Double Cord

Phi Kappa Phi Junior/Senior Honor Society Yellow Stole with Insignia on White Background, White Medallion with a Blue Ribbon and Blue Cord

Reaud Honors College Graduate who has completed at least one high impact educational practice and 23 hour hours of honors coursework, including an honors thesis, or 26 hours with eight hours of upper-level credits while maintaining a 3.4 GPA. Bronze medallion with Red and White Ribbon

Ronald E. McNair Scholar First generation, low income, and underrepresented graduate who has completed graduate-level research internship, including undergraduate thesis and research defense. NASA Blue Stole with Lettering, Lamp of Knowledge Medallion with Red, White, and Blue Ribbon

Smith-Hutson Scholar Smith-Hutson Scholarship Recipient Black Stole with Red Trim

Tau Beta Phi Engineering Honor Society White Stole with Orange Insignia The Academic Regalia In its essential features, the academic regalia worn at American college exercises had its beginning in the Middle Ages. The oldest universities in Northern Europe grew out of church schools, and both faculty and students were regarded as part of the clergy. Hence, as their regular costume, they wore clerical garb borrowed largely from the monastic dress of their day.

The academic gown and hood were first regularly adopted by the University of Cambridge in 1284 and by the University of Oxford a little later. The custom transplanted to this country in Colonial times by King’s College in New York, now Columbia University. In 1895, American universities and colleges decided to standardize their academic styles and developed the intercollegiate code of academic costume. The style follows in the vein of the Cambridge tradition. The distinctive caps, gowns and hoods worn at present-day college and university functions denote the institution that granted the degree, the field of learning in which the degree was earned and the level of the degree – bachelor, master or doctorate.

The gown is usually of black material (serge or worsted for bachelors, the same or silk for masters and silk for doctors). Bachelor’s gowns have pointed sleeves and master’s have long pouch-like sleeves, which reputedly were once used to carry books. Doctor’s gowns are faced with panels of velvet down the front and three bars of velvet across each sleeve.

The hood, worn around the neck so as to hang down the back, is the principal emblem of the nature and source of the degree held. The colors in the hood lining are the colors of the school conferring the degree. The color of the border indicates the scholarly field of the wearer. Hoods may be worn only after the degree has been granted.

The cap, the square mortarboard in American universities, but a round, short, flat velvet hat in British, Canadian and some European universities, bears a tassel which may be black, or it may be colored according to the scholarly field of the wearer. Only the doctors’ cap may be of velvet.

The degree colors are used for the edging of all hoods and may be used for the velvet facing and sleeve bars of doctors’ gowns and tassels on bachelors’ and masters’ caps. This includes: Arts and Letters – White, Commerce – Drab, Education – Light Blue, Engineering – Orange, Fine Arts – Brown, Humanities – Crimson, Law – Purple, Library Science – Lemon, Medicine – Green, Music – Pink, Pharmacy – Olive, Philosophy (Ph.D.) – Dark Blue, Physical Education – Sage Green, Science – Golden Yellow and Theology – Scarlet.

University Mace Originally a medieval weapon and later carried by Sergeants at Arms guarding kings and high church officials, the mace has gradually assumed a purely ceremonial character symbolizing authority. As used in formal academic processions, the mace derives from the early university history. The Lamar University mace is traditional in design. The mahogany shaft is crowned by a head on which are mounted four representations of the university seal. The president of the Faculty Senate, who leads the academic procession, carries the mace in today’s ceremony.

Academic Gonfalons Gonfalons, banners that are designed to hang from a crossbar, have historical roots dating back to the 12th century when they served as the official emblems to represent the various districts of Florence, Italy. In more recent times, gonfalons have been adopted by academia to serve as symbols to represent each college within a university. Each college has their own representative banner with the dean from the respective college carrying the gonfalon in the academic processional. Lamar University is dedicated to student success by engaging and empowering students with the skills and knowledge to thrive in their personal lives and chosen fields of endeavor. As a doctoral granting institution, Lamar University is internationally recognized for its high quality academics, innovative curriculum, diverse student population, accessibility, student success, and leading-edge scholarly activities contributing to transforming the communities of Southeast Texas and beyond.

Special appreciation is extended to volunteers for serving as ushers for today’s commencement ceremony.

This program is not an official graduation list. This printed program lists students who are eligible to graduate pending the outcome of final examinations and final grades. Therefore, it should not be used to determine a student’s academic or degree status. The student’s permanent academic record is kept by the Records Department, P.O. Box 10010, Beaumont, Texas 77710. Students, faculty and staff members are selected without regard to their race, color, creed, sex, age, disability or national origin, consistent with the Assurance of Compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Executive Order 11246 as issued and amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.