News Release | Success
Dr. Germaine Tondji is hooded by her dissertation chair, Dr. Seokmin Kang, during the Spring 2025 Doctoral Hooding Ceremony at UTRGV’s Performing Arts Complex Auditorium on May 14 in Edinburg. Tondji earned her Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction. (UTRGV Photo by Jesús Alférez)
Tuesday, May 27, 2025
Research, Around Campus, Student Spotlight, Community
By Maria Gonzalez
EDINBURG, TEXAS – MAY 27, 2025 – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley celebrated its Spring 2025 Doctoral Hooding Ceremony on May 14, recognizing 18 doctoral graduates representing five academic colleges.
Dr. Can Saygin, senior vice president for Research and dean of the Graduate College, opened the ceremony and welcomed graduates, families, and faculty in attendance. In his remarks, Saygin emphasized the significance of the doctoral degree as both a personal and professional transformation.
“Today marks not only the culmination of a challenging academic journey but also the beginning of a new chapter as scholars and leaders in your fields,” Saygin said. “With this achievement comes great responsibility and also great satisfaction.”
Graduates represented the following colleges:
Academic disciplines included business administration, curriculum and instruction, educational leadership, mathematics and statistics, nursing practice, and rehabilitation counseling.
Dr. Can Saygin, senior vice president for Research and dean of the Graduate College, delivers opening remarks during the Spring 2025 Doctoral Hooding Ceremony on May 14 at the Performing Arts Complex Auditorium on UTRGV’s Edinburg Campus. (UTRGV Photo by Jesús Alférez)
POWER OF PERSEVERANCE
Among the graduates was Germaine Tondji, who earned an Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction. Her dissertation, Linguistic (in) security and persistence in doctoral studies: A mixed-methods study of the impact of metapragmatic discourses on the persistence of multilingual doctoral students, was shaped by her experience navigating academic writing in English as a non-native speaker.
“The struggle with the language led to my dissertation research,” Tondji said. “I was fortunate to have supervisors who encouraged me to use mixed methods to find answers to my research questions.”
Tondji, who comes from a family of educators, said she pursued the doctorate to challenge herself and inspire those around her. She balanced her program with part-time work and family responsibilities and reflected on both the difficult and rewarding days along the way.
“I learned a lot about the power of perseverance, the patience to learn – both language and research methodology – and the value of using research to address issues that matter to us in education,” she said.
She encouraged fellow students to ask for help when needed, lean on others, and stay focused on the goal.
“Surround yourself with accountability partners, don’t be afraid to ask questions, and most importantly, find ways to enjoy the process.”
UTRGV doctoral graduates, faculty chairs, and university leaders gather on stage following the Spring 2025 Doctoral Hooding Ceremony on May 14 at the Performing Arts Complex Auditorium in Edinburg. (UTRGV Photo by Jesús Alférez)
Dr. Seokmin Kang, assistant professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning and Tondji’s dissertation chair, congratulated her on the achievement and recognized the significance of her work.
“Congratulations, Dr. Tondji. Your determination, intellectual curiosity, and commitment to advancing educational equity through research have been truly inspiring. I look forward to seeing the continued impact of your work,” Kang said.
As each graduate was individually hooded by a faculty mentor, the ceremony reflected the university’s commitment to supporting research and advanced scholarship across disciplines. In closing, Saygin encouraged graduates to take pride in their accomplishments and acknowledge the support of those who helped them succeed.
“Take pride in your accomplishments and know that we – your mentors, colleagues, and Vaqueros everywhere – are proud of you,” Saygin said.
From left: Dr. Salvador Contreras, professor of economics and associate dean of the Graduate College; Dr. Volker Quetschke, professor of physics and astronomy and associate dean of doctoral recruiting; Dr. Can Saygin, senior vice president for Research and dean of the Graduate College; Germaine Tondji, Ed.D. graduate; Dr. Seokmin Kang, assistant professor of teaching and learning; and Dr. Laura Jewett, professor of teaching and learning, celebrate following the Spring 2025 Doctoral Hooding Ceremony reception at UTRGV’s Edinburg Campus. (UTRGV Photo by Jesús Alférez)
ABOUT UTRGV
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) was created by the Texas Legislature in 2013 as the first major public university of the 21st century in Texas. This transformative initiative provided the opportunity to expand educational opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley, including a new School of Medicine and a School of Podiatry, and made it possible for residents of the region to benefit from the Permanent University Fund – a public endowment contributing support to the University of Texas System and other institutions.
UTRGV has campuses and off-campus research and teaching sites throughout the Rio Grande Valley including Brownsville (formerly The University of Texas at Brownsville campus), Edinburg (formerly The University of Texas-Pan American campus), Harlingen, Weslaco, McAllen, Port Isabel, Rio Grande City and South Padre Island. UTRGV, a comprehensive academic institution, enrolled its first class in the fall of 2015; the School of Medicine welcomed its first class in the summer of 2016, and the School of Podiatric Medicine in the fall of 2022.