By Maria Gonzalez

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS – DEC. 18, 2025 – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley celebrated its Fall 2025 Doctoral Hooding Ceremony on Wednesday evening at the Performing Arts Complex Auditorium, recognizing 44 doctoral graduates who completed the university’s highest academic degree.

Dr. Can Saygin, senior vice president for research and dean of the Graduate College, delivered a message acknowledging the dedication and perseverance demonstrated by this fall’s doctoral candidates.

He highlighted the importance of the milestone as UTRGV marks its 10th anniversary.

“Tonight’s ceremony honors the culmination of years of rigorous work and the commitment our students have shown in reaching the highest academic credential offered by the university,” Saygin said.

“As we mark UTRGV’s 10th anniversary, this milestone reflects not only their achievements, but the steady growth of our research mission and academic excellence. Each graduate has contributed to that progress through their scholarship, mentorship and service. We are proud of their accomplishments and look forward to the impact they will continue to make as scholars and leaders.”

Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Luis H. Zayas delivered the keynote address and spoke about the significance of the hooding tradition. He recognized the rigor of doctoral study and the shared role of families and supporters in each graduate’s success.

“Today we honor your hard work, your dedication and your persistence. Very few people can claim a doctoral degree, and you should take pride in what you have accomplished,” Zayas said.

“We also celebrate the families and loved ones who supported you throughout this journey. Para todos aquellos que apoyaron a nuestros graduados en su camino académico, recuerden que ustedes también poseen una parte del título que se otorga hoy,” he said. “For all those who supported our graduates throughout their academic journey, remember that you, too, hold a part of the degree conferred today.”

Zayas said the ceremony reflects a core truth of doctoral education: Families, mentors and loved ones contribute to every milestone, and their encouragement makes moments like this possible.

This fall’s cohort represents the Robert C. Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship, the College of Education and P-16 Integration, the College of Health Professions and the College of Sciences. Program areas include educational leadership, curriculum and instruction, business administration, occupational therapy, rehabilitation counseling, and mathematics and statistics.

This year’s ceremony also included the hooding of the university’s first Clinical Psychology cohort, a group of four students who officially graduated in Summer 2025.

Doctoral graduates, faculty members, and university leadership pose for a group photo following the UTRGV Fall 2025 Doctoral Hooding Ceremony on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, at the Performing Arts Complex Auditorium on the UTRGV Edinburg Campus. (Photo by Jesús Alférez)

PATHWAY OF PERSEVERANCE

Among the graduates recognized this fall was Joseph Coppola, who earned his Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction while serving as department chair for office management at Palo Alto College.

Coppola joined UTRGV through a strengthened partnership between Palo Alto College and UTRGV that expanded access to graduate education for faculty and staff.

As a first-generation doctoral graduate, Coppola reflected on the significance of earning a doctorate and joining a small percentage of Hispanics nationwide who hold the degree.

“There were moments when the weight of my primary job and the rigor of the program made me want to quit. In fact, I was on the verge of not enrolling each semester for the last three years when I received a message from Drs. Laura Jewett and Jim Jupp,” Coppola said. “Both reminded me to enroll and keep going. Dr. Jupp’s belief in me, along with the financial and mentorship incentives provided by UTRGV, kept me going.”

Balancing leadership responsibilities, doctoral research and family life presented daily challenges, but Coppola credited faculty mentorship and institutional support for helping him persist through the most demanding phases of the program.

“What I have realized is this: No matter what, never give up on yourself. If you never give up on yourself, you can accomplish anything,” he said. “Look for the light of inspiration, whether it comes from a mentor, your community or your family.”

For Coppola, the achievement also carries meaning beyond his own academic journey.

“I am the first in my family to earn this doctorate, but I won’t be the last, as my 7-year-old has already told me, ‘I want to get a doctorate, too,’” he said.

During the ceremony, each graduate was individually recognized and hooded by their dissertation chair, co-chair or committee member as their dissertation title was displayed. The tradition marks the transition from student to scholar and highlights the mentorship central to doctoral training.

The event concluded with appreciation for the families, faculty and community members who supported the graduates throughout their academic journeys, along with encouragement for the graduates as they begin their careers as researchers, practitioners and leaders.

Joseph Coppola, who earned his Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction, poses with his family following the UTRGV Fall 2025 Doctoral Hooding Ceremony on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, at the Performing Arts Complex Auditorium on the UTRGV Edinburg Campus. (Photo by Jesús Alférez)