the UT tower with the words Commencement and College of Liberal Arts overlayed
colllege of liberal arts logo

Table of Contents

Mission of the College of Liberal Arts

architectural element of campus building

In the College of Liberal Arts, we teach students to think critically and independently so they can thrive in the world beyond campus. We are dedicated to promoting cutting-edge research that helps people better understand human history, society, and culture.

By providing students a strong foundation in the humanities and social sciences, we serve as a model in education and intellectual excellence for other universities. Our distinguished faculty is committed to teaching and to developing the best academic programs available in their fields. And our graduates must be able to read analytically, write cogently, and speak persuasively.

We do this in an atmosphere that fosters fellowship and understanding among students, faculty, and the administration. With a large and diverse student body, we recognize the importance of respecting students as individuals with unique needs, goals, and challenges.

In all courses and programs, we emphasize ethics, integrity, citizenship, and awareness of global issues. Students learn to assume personal responsibility for their actions, while they develop self-reliance and a passion for life-long learning. The College guides the lives of its students by fostering creativity, leadership, and service to community and nation.

Letter from the President

headshot of James E. Davis, Interim President

Dear Graduate,

Congratulations and welcome to your convocation! The diploma you will receive today reflects the determination and fortitude that you have shown throughout your time at The University of Texas. It is also a tribute to the support of your family, friends, faculty, and others who have supported and encouraged you throughout your academic journey. You have earned a degree from one of the world’s great universities. That degree is a symbol of your academic and personal growth over your time on the Forty Acres, and it should always remind you of your capacity for excellence.

I also want to express our gratitude for the invaluable contributions you’ve made to our community throughout your time as a student. Every Longhorn helps enrich the vibrancy of our campus, both inside and outside the classroom. You’ve shared your knowledge and experiences with your peers, just as they have with you, and the lessons you’ve gained here will continue to shape your future.

We look forward to seeing what you achieve next. Please know that you will always be part of this university’s story, and that a worldwide network of Longhorns exists to support you. I also hope you will engage with the Longhorn students of the future who will benefit from your guidance and wisdom.

Today, however, is about celebrating you and your achievement. Congratulations again. We can’t wait to see how you change the world.

Hook ’em!

James E. Davis, Interim President, The University of Texas at Austin

Letter from the Dean

headshot of dean anne stevens.

Dear Graduates,

Congratulations!

You've made it to the end. We're so proud of you. Your family and friends are so proud of you.

In the College of Liberal Arts, we pride ourselves on introducing our studetnts to the hardest and most important questions about the world and how we live in it. What is the good life? What is the structure of society? How is power attained and distributed? What is the human mind? What is language? How do people live together in a complex society? What happens when they fail to do so?

Our goal is to help equip you with the skills and knowledge you'll need to continue answering these questions as an adult. I say “continue” because your presence here at commencement means that you’ve already acquired so much knowledge and so many essential skills. You’re already quite accomplished at wrestling with the big questions.

But there is so much more to learn. So many new things to encounter and master. You will struggle. You will often fail. I can’t promise you that we’ve given you all or even most of the answers. What you’ve built here, though, is a strong foundation. You’ve proven that you can handle challenge and difficulty and complexity. You’ve proven that you can fail and grow and then succeed. You’ve proven that you can handle the real world. You can flourish in it.

I wish you the best as you continue to do so.

Hook ’em,

Ann Huff Stevens, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts

Administrative Officers 2024-2025

Ann Huff Stevens

Dean, College of Liberal Arts
David Bruton, Jr. Regents Chair in Liberal Arts

Steven Hoelscher

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

Robert Crosnoe

Senior Associate Dean for Research

Jacqueline Evans

Associate Dean for Student Affairs

Jason Abrevaya

Associate Dean for Graduate Education

Schedule of Celebrations

Thursday, May 8

6:00 PM

College of Liberal Arts

Moody Center

Friday, May 9

8:30 AM

Government, International Relations and Global Studies

Gregory Gymnasium

Saturday, May 10

8:30 AM

Departments of English and History

Bass Concert Hall

9:00 AM

Department of Economics

Gregory Gymnasium

9:00 AM

Plan II Honors

Hogg Auditorium

10:00 AM

Department of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies

Williams C. Powers Student Activity Center 1.402

Department of Economics

Saturday, May 10, 2025, at 9 a.m., Gregory Gymnasium

Thomas Wiseman, Professor and Chair

Processional

Marshals

Haiqing Xu | Associate Professor

Eugenio Miravete | Professor

Welcome and Introductions

Thomas Wiseman | Department Chair, Professor

Keynote Address

Suzy Monford

UT Economics, 1985

Chairman and CEO of Heritage Grocers Group

Presentation of Certificates to Doctoral Candidates

Robert Town | Graduate Studies Committee Chair, Professor

Presentation of Certificates to Master's Candidates

Stephanie Houghton | MA Program Director, Associate Professor of Instruction

Recognition of Economics Honors Program Candidates

Presentation of Certificates to Bachelor Candidates

Richard Murphy | Associate Professor

Gerald Oettinger | Associate Professor

Closing Remarks

Recessional

Economics Commencement Reception

Saturday, May 10, 2025, at 11 a.m.

Bernard & Rapoport Audre (BRB) Lawn

You are cordially invited to attend the reception following the ceremony The reception will take place outside of BRB.

headshot of suzy monford

Suzy Monford currently serves as Chairman & CEO for Heritage Grocers Group. She is an internally recognized retailer, with a proven track record of transformational leadership with industry-leading food retailers.

Prior to joining Heritage Grocers Group, Suzy spent more than 25 years in leadership roles in the US, the UK and Australia, where she was twice recruited to lead innovation for the largest retailers in Asia Pacific. Her roles include: CEO of PCC Community Markets, the nation’s largest chain of co-op grocers, Group Vice President and President for the Kroger Company, CEO of Andronico’s Community Markets, and CEO of Cheers Inc., Head of Innovation for Coles Supermarkets, AU, and Head of Innovation and New Concepts for Woolworths Supermarkets. She has twice been awarded the Top Woman in Grocery in U.S., as well as Top Woman in Retail Tech, and as Top Industry Disruptor.

Across her career, she has pioneered innovation in digital retailing, ecommerce, concept design and go-to-market strategies and has worked to advance the roles of women, and top performing leaders.

Suzy holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Texas at Austin. She serves on the boards of directors for the Heritage Grocers Foundation/Cardenas Markets Foundation, FMI- The Food Industry Association, California Grocers Association and Clean Harvest Farms. She is a certified health coach and group exercise instructor and works to create healthy living education for her teams and foundation work.

Departments of English and History

Saturday, May 10, 2025, at 8:30 a.m., Bass Concert Hall

Music

Sienna String Quartet

Processional

Student Marshal

Chad Bennett

Distinguished Teaching Professor

Grand Marshal

Elizabeth Cullingford

Jane Weinert Blumberg Chair in English

Distinguished Teaching Professor

Faculty Marshal

Martha Newman

Mary Helen Thompson Centennial Professor in the Humanities

Welcome and Introductions

John Morán Gonzalez

Chair, Department of English

Mark Atwood Lawrence

Chair, Department of History

Commencement Address

April Matthis

Two-time Obie Award-winning actor

University of Texas at Austin, History, Class of 1999

Presentation of Special Awards

English and History Faculty

Recognition of Degree Candidates

Geraldine Heng

Mildred Hajek Vacek and John Roman Vacek Chair

Closing Remarks

John Morán Gonzalez

Chair, Department of English

Mark Atwood Lawrence

Chair, Department of History

Recessional

Sienna String Quartet

headshot of April Matthis

April Matthis is a two-time Obie Award-winning actor who has worked extensively in the New York live performance world for over twenty years. She was most recently seen on Broadway in the Tony-nominated plays Mary Jane and August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, and is recognized for having performed in world premieres of some of the most lauded American plays of the twenty-first century, notably two Pulitzer Prize-winning dramas—Primary Trust (2024), and Fairview (2019). Her leading roles include the title role in Toni Stone: the true story of the first woman to play professional baseball in the Negro Leagues, which premiered at the Roundabout Theater. She also helmed MacArthur Fellow Claudia Rankine’s Help at The Shed.

In the experimental dance world, Matthis has performed in L’Alliance Français “Crossing the Line” Festival, as well as works by Ralph Lemon at the Walker Art Center and MoMA PS1. Perhaps most cherished among Matthis’ live performance career is her work with the critically acclaimed experimental theater company Elevator Repair Service, of which she has been a member since 2007. She has performed with the company in productions in Australia, France, Belgium, and most recently Baldwin/Buckley at Cambridge for the Schaubuhne FIND Festival in Berlin. Ms. Matthis’ work also extends to the screen, where she has guest starred on television series such as “The Blacklist,””FBI,” Evil,” “The Good Fight,” “New Amsterdam,” and most recently, “Elsbeth.” On the big screen, she stars in the recently released “Ramona at Midlife,” as well as 2020’s “Fugitive Dreams,” which was filmed in and around Austin, Texas.

Government, International Relations and Global Studies

Friday, May 9, 2025, at 8:30 a.m., Gregory Gymnasium

Processional

Welcome and Introductions

Daniel Brinks

Professor and Chair

Commencement Address

Ann Huff Stevens

Dean, College of Liberal Arts, University of Texas at Austin

Special Recognitions

Michael Anderson

Director, International Relations & Global Studies

Ph.D. Hooding

Presentation of Certificates to Graduates

Amy Liu

Professor, Department of Government

Raul Madrid

Professor, Department of Government

Closing Remarks

Recessional

headshot of Dean Ann Stevens

Ann Huff Stevens is the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and David Bruton Jr. Regents Chair in Liberal Arts at The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Stevens’ research focuses on workers and labor markets, the incidence and effects of job loss, and poverty and safety net dynamics.

Her published work has documented the permanence of earnings losses for displaced workers, quantified the effects of displacement on the wealth levels and health of affected workers, and revealed the negative effects of job loss across generations. Her current work examines returns to career and technical education programs, EITC eligibility and deep poverty, and aspects of rising male non-employment.

As the founding director of the Center for Poverty Research at UC Davis, Stevens has served as an investigator on numerous grants from agencies including the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Institute for Education Sciences.

A native of Corpus Christi, Texas, Stevens earned her undergraduate degree from American University and a doctorate in economics from the University of Michigan. Prior to her work at UC Davis, she served as a faculty member at Rutgers University and Yale University.

College of Liberal Arts Combined

Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 6 p.m., Moody Center

Faculty Procession

Welcome Remarks

Ann Huff Stevens - Dean, College of Liberal Arts

Alumni Speaker

James Pennebaker - Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychology

Recognition of Dean's Distinguished Graduates

Presentation of Graduates, Part I

Student Speaker

Rawan Albdeiri, Government

Presentation of Graduates, Part II

Commencement Speaker

headshot of Jamie Pennebaker

James Pennebaker

Professor Emeritus of Psychology at UT Austin

Jamie Pennebaker is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at UT Austin. He is known for his early research on expressive writing and health, which has improved ways to understand and treat mental and physical health of people dealing with upheavals in their lives. More recently, he has pioneered ways to study people’s personalities and behaviors through the analysis of their language use. His text analysis program LIWC is used across psychology, computer science, businesses, law enforcement, and medicine. He is now using language to track and understand cultural and historical shifts.

Over his career, he has published over 300 articles and written or edited 12 books. He was Chair of UT’s Psychology Department from 2005-2014 and is the incoming President of the Association for Psychological Sciences. Jamie and his wife Ruth, a writer, grew up in West Texas which taught them to see the world in unconventional ways.

Student Speaker

headshot of Rawan Abdeiri

Rawan Albdeiri

Government

Rawan Albdeiri is originally from Iraq but grew up a Texan in Rockwall. She is graduating with a degree in government and four minors. She has served in the Texas State Capitol, the U.S. Senate, and on multiple political campaigns. During her time at UT Austin, Albdeiri has emerged as a transformative force in advocacy, testifying before the Texas Supreme Court for foster care reform. Her legislative passions are driven by the recognition that while many admit the “system is broken,” few take action to repair it. As a passionate leader in Atidna International, she has been a nationally recognized voice for peace, appearing in media outlets like ABC News. Fluent in Arabic, American Sign Language, and English, Albdeiri believes in bridging divides through language, restoring kindness where it is denied through communication.

Department of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies

Saturday, May 10, 2025, at 10 a.m., William C. Powers, Jr. Student Activity Center Auditorium

Presiding

Karma R. Chávez

Chair, Department of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies

Bobby and Sherri Patton Endowed Professor in Mexican American and Latina/o Studies

Marshal

Mary “Maggie” Rivas-Rodriguez

Professor, School of Journalism and Media

Director, Center for Mexican American Studies

Student Address

Cesar Sepulveda

Commencement Address

Nora de Hoyos Comstock

Founder, Las Comadres para las Americas

Presentation of Certificates to Graduates

Danielle P. Clealand

Associate Professor and Graduate Advisor, Department of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies

Rachel V. González-Martin

Associate Professor and Undergraduate Advisor, Department of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies

headshot of Nora Comstock

Nora de Hoyos Comstock, an entrepreneur, business leader, and pioneer in utilizing social media, built an online community for Latinas to provide a mechanism to share the social capital she and other Latinas had built. As a national founder of Las Comadres Para Las Americas, she served as the organization’s volunteer President/CEO since its inception until 2015 when she semi-retired. Nora’s involvement in the Austin community includes election to a six-year term as a member of ACC’s Board of Trustees (2017-2022, Secretary and Vice President), past chair of the Capital Area Workforce Development Board (now Workforce Solutions), Long Center for the Performing Arts, Economic Growth Business Incubator, Austin Chamber of Commerce, the Austin Museum of Art, Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy (Cambridge, MA), among others. She volunteers for many local and national projects.

Nora earned her Ph.D. at the University of Texas at Austin in Educational Administration, emphasis on community college management, and a B.A. in History, with a specialty in Latin America.

Plan II Honors

Saturday, May 10, 2025, at 9 a.m., Hogg Auditorium

Processional

1st Marshall

Michael Starbird

Professor, Department of Mathematics

2nd Marshal

Carol MacKay

Professor, Department of English

Welcome and Introductions

Alexandra Wettlaufer

Professor of French and Comparative Literature

Director, Plan II Honors Program

Hayden W. Head Regent's Chair

Stuart Stedman Director's Chair in Plan II

Commencement Addresses

Presentation of Plan II Chad Oliver Teaching Award

Awardee

Matthew T. Valentine

Professor, Department of English

Student Speaker

Breigh Roy Plat, '25

Plan II Honors and African and African Diaspora Studies

Alumni Speaker

Bjorn Billhardt, '97

Presentation of Certificates to Graduates

Alexandra Wettlaufer

Recessional

headshot of Bjorn Billhardt

Bjorn Billhardt is CEO of Abilitie, a leadership development company that teaches business acumen and management skills using business simulations. He is also the co-author of The 12-Week MBA. Abilitie’s leadership programs have educated over 100,000 learners in 50 countries, including rising leaders at many Fortune 500 companies like Coca-Cola, Dell, Disney, GE, Marriott, Pfizer, and Southwest Airlines.

Prior to founding Abilitie in 2015, Bjorn was the CEO of Enspire Learning, a custom e-learning development company he co-founded and bootstrapped in 2001. Before business school, Bjorn worked as a consultant and corporate trainer for Dutch software company BAAN and McKinsey & Company. Bjorn holds a B.A. in Plan II Honors from the University of Texas and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Bjorn is currently serving on the Board of Directors at the The Magellan International School, an IB Spanish immersion school, and the milk + honey, a chain of day spas and medspas. He lives in Austin, TX with his wife and three teenage children and is an IFR rated private pilot. A native of Hamburg, Germany, Bjorn came to the United States as an exchange student, attending Pflugerville High School outside of Austin, TX.

Dean's Distinguished Graduates

Graduate Students

This year, 5 graduates in the College of Liberal Arts were designated as Dean’s Distinguished Graduates, based on high achievements in scholarship, leadership, and service to the College.

KJ Davidson-Turner

Sociology Ph.D.

KJ Davidson-Turner is a Ph.D. candidate in sociology, with a certificate in Demography, and a trainee in the Population Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin. Her dissertation work examines the biological (i.e., hormone levels) and sociological dimensions (i.e., stressor exposure) of the menopausal transition.

Hannah Hopkins

English, Rhetoric & Writing Ph.D.

Hannah Hopkins is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of English (Rhetoric & Writing), where she studies digital writing infrastructures and field methods. Hopkins researches how expanded sensory methods support creative approaches to digital rhetorics. In August 2025, she will join Georgia State University as an Assistant Professor of rhetoric & composition.

Huimin Li

Government Ph.D.

Huimin Li is a Ph.D. candidate in government. Her research focuses on international organizations, international political economy, and the politics of emerging technologies. Her dissertation examines the global diffusion of policies aimed at regulating AI. She holds an M.A. in international relations from New York University and a B.A. in journalism from Northeastern University.

Blaire Porter

Psychology Ph.D.

Blaire Porter is a developmental cognitive neuroscientist who uses her research program to understand sources of individual differences in academic performance. She uses brain (fMRI) and behavioral measures (e.g., surveys, experimental tests) to examine how mental health, cognitive skills, and learning interruptions impact academic achievement across late childhood and adolescence.

Yoel Villahermosa Serrano

Spanish, Portuguese Ph.D.

Yoel Villahermosa Serrano is a scholar of Spanish game studies and cultural studies. His research examines how video games shape politics, economics, and identity in Spain, as well as their educational applications. He has presented at major conferences and published in journals such as Game Studies and Hispania.

Undergraduate Students

This year, 13 graduating seniors in the College of Liberal Arts were designated as Dean's Distinguished Graduates, based on high achievements in scholarship, leadership, and service to the College.

Kinda Abou-Hamdan

Plan II Honors Program, Public Health

Kinda Abou-Hamdan is graduating with degrees in Plan II and public health with a minor in anthropology. She coordinates an annual health symposium, along with other outreach events, for People’s Community Clinic. Abou-Hamdan plans to pursue medical anthropology in graduate school with a research focus on aging.

Caitlyn Arnold

Humanities Honors

Caitlyn Arnold is graduating with a Humanities Honors degree in biosociology and medical ethics. She has engaged in research across UT, Dell Medical School, and Massachusetts General Hospital. She volunteers with Dell’s CD Doyle Clinic and the American Red Cross and is a member of the UT student government. Arnold plans to become a physician.

Ananya Bharadwaj

Health and Society, Biochemistry

Ananya Bharadwaj is graduating with degrees in honors biochemistry and Health and Society through the Dean’s Scholars Honors Program. Her passion for the intersection of medicine and policy stems from her work in global health, neuro-oncology, and humanitarian and political engagement. As an aspiring physician and policymaker, she plans to advocate for equitable healthcare and human rights, integrating these values in her work.

Lauren Campbell

Health and Society, Biochemistry

Lauren Campbell is a first-generation, pre-medical student passionate about health policy. She studied honors biochemistry, Health and Society, and Spanish for healthcare professionals. Campbell has interned at the White House and the Texas Department of State Health Services, has conducted molecular biology research, and has led students on campus in mentoring first-generation high-school students.

Hiba Majida Faruqi

Government, German

Hiba Majida Faruqi, a government and Germanic Studies double major and Texas Speech Team officer, plans to pursue a Ph.D. in comparative politics. She studied at Uni-Würzburg, interned at the Berlin Brandenburg Academy of Sciences, and hopes to continue researching rhetoric surrounding Muslim refugeehood in Germany.

Alexis Hoeller

International Relations & Global Studies

Alexis Hoeller aspires to be a policymaker and international lawyer specializing in U.S.-China relations. At UT, she served as a Strauss Center Brumley Next Generation scholar, a Clements Center undergraduate fellow, a spring 2024 Archer Fellow, the Texas Spirits president, a Jefferson Scholar peer mentor, and the Student Conduct Board vice chair.

Elijah Kahlenberg

Government, Middle East Studies, Jewish Studies

Elijah Kahlenberg is a triple major in government, Middle Eastern Studies, and Jewish Studies. He is the founder of Atidna International — a university-based organization devoted to fostering dialogue and peace-building between Jews/Israelis and Arabs/Palestinians. His efforts toward Middle East peace earned him a Truman Scholarship, which he will utilize to work in diplomatic roles in Washington before studying international law at Columbia.

Rhea Kamat

Plan II Honors Program, Psychology

Rhea Kamat is graduating with degrees in Plan II and psychology, with a certificate in pre-health professions. She conducted her honors thesis on climate change anxiety among young adults. Rhea plans to attend medical school this fall and advocate for both mental health and women’s health.

Lila Katz

Jewish Studies, Humanities Honors

Lila Katz is a double-major in Jewish studies and humanities honors with a focus on Jewish storytelling in musical theatre. Katz is a published author and produced playwright under the name Aleph Katz and is currently an assistant producer for Broadway and West End shows.

Kolby Phillip

History

Kolby Phillip is graduating with a BA in history with minors in Holocaust and genocide studies and government. He completed his thesis on the gendered experiences of Auschwitz survivors. After graduation, he intends to pursue a law and global affairs degree toward a career in genocide and atrocity prevention.

Sarah Roberts

Classical Languages, Classical Civilization

Sarah Roberts is an aspiring archaeologist with a focus on telling the stories of underrepresented communities. Encouraged by her professors and peers, she embraced incredible opportunities — volunteering on archaeological excavations, traveling abroad for the first time, and stepping into leadership within her department. Grateful for these experiences, she intends to foster the same spirit of generosity and inclusion in whatever professional path she pursues.

Adrian Tristán

Government, Public Policy Honors

Adrian Tristán is a government and public policy honors student studying how legal frameworks shape society. He has interned in the government and nonprofit sectors in Texas and Washington, including with the Comparative Constitutions Project, the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute, with Texas Senator José Menéndez, and with U.S. Representatives Delia Ramirez and Greg Casar.

Caroline Whitmarsh

Plan II Honors Program, Psychology

Caroline Whitmarsh is graduating with degrees in Plan II and psychology with a Bridging Disciplines program certificate in intervention and vulnerable children. During her time at UT, Whitmarsh was nationally recognized for her neurodevelopmental research and served as the Senior COLA Dean’s Ambassador. Whitmarsh will begin a Ph.D. program in clinical psychology this fall.

Dean's Distinguished Graduates Honorable Mention

The 2025 Dean's Distinguished Graduates Honorable Mention recipients are:

Undergraduate Students

Graduate Students

Undergraduate Degree Candidates

Degrees and honors listed are only projections as of April 14, 2025. Actual degrees conferred and honors earned will be determined after final grades are submitted.

  • Candidates A - C
  • Candidates D - H
  • Candidates I - L
  • Candidates M - Q
  • Candidates R - Z