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Student Frequently Asked Questions
Saturday, May 2, 2026
9:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M. CDT
UTRGV Brownsville
PlainsCapital Bank El Gran Salón
Student Union, Room 2.36
One West University Blvd.
Brownsville, TX 78520
UTRGV School of Podiatric Medicine, Class of 2027
Location: Harlingen Convention Center
701 Harlingen Heights Dr, Harlingen, TX 78552
Friday, October 27th | 6:30 PM. CST
NOTE: Doors open at 6:00 PM. Each guest, above the age of three, will be required to present a ticket.
Watch Facebook Livestream - https://www.facebook.com/UTRGVSOPM
Please reference the UTRGV Map for parking instructions. Parking Lot B1 and B2.
- Graduates will have a processional into the ceremony and will be directed to sit in the graduate seating area in alphabetical order by last name.
- The ceremony Order of Exercise will begin promptly at 10 a.m.
- UTRGV Leadership, one student, and our invited Keynote Speaker will make remarks.
- School of Podiatric Medicine graduates will be guided to the right side of the stage where they will line up for their walk across the stage.
Presentation of Graduates on Stage:
- Graduate’s name will be called, and graduate will walk on stage.
- Graduate will be hooded (photograph #1).
- Graduate will be handed their diploma (photograph #2)
- Graduate will exit the stage.
- Graduate will return to their seat.
- Graduates will have a formal recessional and exit the ceremony.
- Graduates will be led to the back of El Gran Salón for class photo.
- Graduates can join their family and friends outside.
GradImages® is proud to be the official commencement photographer for The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley! Finding your photos after the event is easy. You will receive your free photo proofs via email 7 to 14 business days after the event, or you can search for your images on www.gradimages.com.
Questions? Please contact the GradImages Customer Service Department at (800) 261-2576 or ecc.giservice@gradimages.net.
All graduating students must wear full regalia to participate in SOPM Commencement.
- The deadline to order regalia was Saturday, January 31, 2026. For questions, contact Herff Jones directly at gradsw@herffjones.com
- SOPM Class of 2026 students’ rental regalia will be shipped directly to the address provided when the order was placed.
- Graduates must return their rental regalia by mail using the provided return materials and instructions. Please make sure items are returned by the deadline indicated in your Herff Jones order information.
- If your family or mentors will be hooding you at SOPM Commencement, regalia is required for them to participate in the event. They must be a physician (MD/DO/DPM degree) to hood you at SOPM Commencement. If they do not have regalia from their alma mater, they can rent regalia from Herff Jones. The Herff Jones order deadline is Monday, March 23, 2026. We will provide more details about their regalia with our SOPM Commencement communications. Please contact sopmstudentaffairs@utrgv.edu with any questions.
Please review the video link on: How-To Wear Your Graduation Regalia (opens in new tab)
Yes. Guests unable to attend the in-person ceremony may view the ceremony at SOPM Events (opens in new tab) .
Yes. To support a safe and enjoyable environment, students and guests are encouraged to review and adhere to the list of prohibited items. Prohibited items will be confiscated. Patrons may be refused entry if in possession of the following:
- Weapons
- Firearms
- Food and Drinks
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Illegal Drugs
- Inflatables/Balloons
- Streamers
- Aerosol Cans/Noisemakers
- Strollers
Pets are not allowed inside the UTRGV PlainsCapital Bank El Gran Salón. The only exception is for service animals, which the ADA defines as dogs individually trained to perform specific tasks for a person with a disability. Examples of qualifying tasks include:
- Guiding individuals with visual impairments
- Alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing
- Assisting during seizures
- Pulling a wheelchair
- Reminding someone to take medication
- Calming a person with PTSD during an anxiety attack
Emotional support, comfort, therapy, and companion animals are not considered service animals under the ADA and are not permitted inside the venue. Service animals are welcome in all public areas of the Fieldhouse and must remain leashed, harnessed, or under effective control unless such equipment interferes with the service animal's work. A person with a disability cannot be asked to remove his service animal from the premises unless: (1) the dog is out of control, and the handler does not take effective action to control it or (2) the dog is not housebroken.
For accessibility questions or accommodation needs, please contact events@utrgv.edu before the event.
Student RSVP Process & Event Check-In
Physical tickets will not be issued for SOPM Commencement. Instead, School of Podiatric Medicine students will check-in at a designated room before the event. An email will be sent to students with details closer to the event.
Guests will not require tickets and guest seating is on a first come, first-serve basis.
Grad Slides
If you choose to not attend in-person, you may enjoy the ceremony via live stream at SOPM Events Page. Your name will not be announced at the live ceremony.
However, your grad slide will be provided to you by the Office of Student Affairs after the event.
The School of Podiatric Medicine graduates should have received an electronic invitation from with the subject line: UTRGV School of Podiatric Medicine 2026 Commencement – RSVP & Create Your Slide! This email provides instructions on how to submit the content for your Student Grad Slide and an RSVP link. All grad slide content must be completed and submitted by Friday, April 10, 2026, 12:00 p.m. CDT.
Your personal slide will include your photo, full name, Doctor of Podiatric Medicine, and where you matched (however, match information is optional). If the graduating student does not submit a photo and residency match information by Friday, April 10, 2026 – 12:00 P.M. CDT, only their name, Doctor of Podiatric Medicine, and photo on file will be displayed on the screen.
Disclaimer: The graduate photos included in our ceremony slides were provided by the graduates themselves, and do not represent the viewpoints, opinions, policies, or positions of either UTRGV or its faculty or staff.
UTRGV reserves the right to exercise discretion in excluding graduate pictures that fall under any of the following categories:
- Trademarked or branded material
- Containing personal contact information
- Soliciting goods or services for a personal or business venture
- Promoting sponsorship or affiliation with a political, religious, or social organization
- Containing references to alcohol or illegal substances
- Containing references to guns or weapons
- Containing depiction of violence, injury, or death
- Containing depictions of illegal behavior, such as illegal drug consumption
- Obscene or lewd nature, swim wear, and intimate apparel
- Memes or photos with social media filters
- Statements or depictions which violate ADM 02-300 Speech, Expression and Assembly.
NOTE, you might be contacted by a member of Student Affairs requesting "ACCESS" to your photo, depending on how the file is uploaded.
Disclaimer: The personal graduate photos included in our ceremony slides were provided by the graduates themselves, and do not represent the viewpoints, opinions, policies, or positions of either UTRGV or its faculty or staff.
Your personal slide will include your photo, full name, Doctor of Podiatric Medicine, and where you matched (however, match information is optional). If the graduating student does not submit a photo and residency match information by Friday, April 10, 2026 – 12:00 P.M. CDT, only their name, Doctor of Podiatric Medicine, and photo on file will be displayed on the screen.
Disclaimer: The personal graduate photos included in our ceremony slides were provided by the graduates themselves, and do not represent the viewpoints, opinions, policies, or positions of either UTRGV or its faculty or staff.
No. Only pictures of you and/or your family will be accepted. Uploading a picture is optional. If your photo falls under one of the restriction categories (See FAQ question “Are there any restrictions on the types of pictures a graduate can submit?), only your name and degree information will be displayed.
By submitting a photo with other individuals to the grad slide form, you are acknowledging that you have permission to use the image, including expressed consent by any party shown in the image, other than yourself.
Faculty Frequently Asked Questions
Faculty who ordered regalia by Monday, March 23, 2026, will be able to pick up and pay for rented regalia starting on Tuesday, April 20, 2026, thru Friday, May 1, 2026, 5:00 p.m. at the Edinburg & Brownsville Campus Store. Payment is required at pick-up. Cost is $84.00 plus tax.
Please plan to return the rented regalia on site at the conclusion of the Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 2nd or no later than Monday, May 4th at the Edinburg or Brownsville Campus Store. Please note the store closes at 5:00 p.m.
For questions about placing your order, email Herff Jones at: gradsw@herffjones.com.
For questions about pick up, payment, or returns, contact the UTRGV Campus Store in Edinburg at (956) 665-2252, Brownsville at (956) 882-8249 or campusstore.utrgv@bibliu.com.
Please reference FAQs at the top of the page for additional questions pertaining to SOPM Commencement.
For other Commencement questions, contact the SOPM Student Affairs at sopmstudentaffairs@utrgv.edu.