2022 GRaduation

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Congratulations, Class of 2022!

Graduates of the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science at The University of Texas at Dallas departed with a new vision for their futures following the University’s doctoral hooding ceremony on Dec. 16, 2022, and the school’s two commencement ceremonies held at the Activity Center on Dec. 19, 2022.

Dr. Stephanie G. Adams, dean of the Jonsson School, described how she had coined the term “Year of Gratitude” to describe the theme for the academic year of 2022-23. She encouraged graduates to “pay attention, be astonished and tell about it” in the words of poet Mary Oliver as they cultivate gratitude. She recalled that she had paid attention during her commencement at North Carolina A&T State University, where speaker Edolphus Towns had encouraged her graduating class to “take the stairs” if the elevator is broken, persisting even when everything does not go according to plan. She concluded by reminding students to remain hopeful in the face of adversity, quoting poet Maya Angelou, “Today I am blessed.”

Commencement speakers Sarah Tao BS’22 and Aneesha Devulapally MS’22 echoed Adams’ call to focus on gratitude. Tao, a former teacher, described how her students had inspired her to return to school for a second bachelor’s degree in engineering. Devulapally described her experience as an international student and thanked faculty and students for helping her on her path to graduation.

When Adams returned to the podium following Sarah Tao’s commencement speech, she praised Tao, thanked Tao’s family in the audience and noted why Jonsson School commencement addresses are not delivered by famous people.

“We have very talented students like Sarah who could deliver a message better than anyone else,” Adams said.

At the conclusion of both ceremonies, Chris Bhatti MA’06, associate dean for external relations in the Jonsson School and assistant vice president of development and alumni relations at the University, welcomed graduates as alumni. Adams and Bhatti presented the students with passport covers, signifying that their journeys as Comets are just beginning.

Fall 2022. 930 Graduates. 531 Bachelor's. 311 Master's. 88 doctoral.

A group of freshly minted doctors and their advisors from the Jonsson School showed that there is strength in numbers — 88 new PhD graduates from the Jonsson School. Dean Stephanie G. Adams (front row, center) and Vice Dean Poras Balsara (front row, fourth from right) lent their support to the graduates alongside their faculty leaders.
Afshin Alipour PhD’22 in mechanical engineering took a moment to reflect on his journey following the doctoral hooding ceremony. Alipour will return to the Laboratory for Dynamics and Control of Nanosystems under Dr. Reza Moheimani as a postdoctoral researcher focusing on microelectromechanical systems.
Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it. Angelle Nazareno, computer science graduate and alum of the Society of Women Engineers, will keep this advice in mind as she takes her new passport cover with her when she moves to New York following graduation.
Following her outstanding commencement speech, Sarah Tao (third from right) wanted to thank both her family and her former students for encouraging her to return to school for to pursue a second bachelor’s degree in STEM. She served as vice president of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and wore a blue stole from the organization. Tao will begin the new year as a jet propulsion engineer at Boeing Co.
We’re so proud of you! Temoc gushed over the graduates lining up to walk before their ceremony. Temoc, along with an Activity Center full of graduates, family and friends, brought even more energy and enthusiasm to the undergraduate commencement ceremony.
Caleb Geddie (left) and Issa AbuHasnah (center) celebrated with AbuHasnah’s mother along with friends and family. Geddie earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, and AbuHasnah earned a degree in computer engineering.
Veteran Aurelio Romo, pictured with his wife Sadie and daughter, earned a bachelor’s degree in software engineering. Romo attended the University’s Veteran Cord Ceremony to pick up his special red, white and blue honor cords.
Graduate commencement speaker Aneesha Devulapally described her experience as an international student studying computer science and quoted words of wisdom from both the "Bhagavad Gita" and Ben from "Spider-man." She thanked faculty and students for helping her and many others on the journey to graduation.
Sri Priya Pullela MS'22 (center left) and Bhargaw Patel MS'22 (center right) completed their master's degrees in computer science during the spring and summer of 2022, then returned to walk the stage at the fall 2022 graduate commencement ceremony. While completing their degrees, both worked as student web developers focused on the Jonsson School website.

Commencement Student Speakers

Aneesha Devulapally
MS, computer science, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science

Sarah Tao
BS, electrical engineering, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science

Fall 2022 Commencement Ceremonies

Ceremony Programs	Recording
Doctoral Hooding Ceremony	YouTube
Undergraduate Only	YouTube
Graduate Only	YouTube

Commencement Brights

Kolade Oyekan

Kolade Oyekan MS’18 PhD’22 was the final Jonsson School graduate to be hooded at the University’s doctoral hooding ceremony on Friday, Dec. 16, 2022. He reached this goal with the support of his family and faith community who provided a home for him since he arrived as an international student from Nigeria in 2016.

“I have graduated, praise God,” he said.

Oyekan studied nanomaterials under Dr. William Vandenberghe in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Last summer, he participated in an internship at Micron Technology Inc. in Boise, Idaho, and he will join the company following graduation.

“I will miss my friends here in Dallas, but I am ready for the next step,” Oyekan said.

Vivian Nguyen

Vivian Nguyen decorated her mortarboard to read “COMPSCI GOD.” It’s a nickname she earned while attending Sachse High School in Sachse, Texas, where she excelled in computer science. Nguyen took enough dual credit high school-college classes to graduate this semester with her bachelor’s degree in computer science in only 2.5 years.

“I’m excited but also nervous,” she said before the commencement ceremony started. “It’s the end of one chapter and the start of a new one.”

Nguyen is currently interning as a back-end developer for a startup company but will soon start traveling through Europe for at least the next year. She noted that most graduates get a job first and then travel.

“I want to do the fun stuff first,” she said.