Well, that was memorable.
For the first time in University of Texas at Austin history, the spring commencement ceremony was canceled. Severe weather made it unsafe for the university-wide event to take place. But, in true Longhorn spirit, the celebration went on.
Students, faculty, family and friends enjoyed college and school convocations on Friday and Saturday before the storms hit. View photos below from our Commencement Flickr album, and share your own online using #UTgrad:
Graduates Rachel Di Santo and Gary Scales celebrate after the Dept. of History convocation. #UTgrad #HookEm pic.twitter.com/csB63s9Zg2
— UT Austin (@UTAustin) May 22, 2015
#UT15 stand up! Congratulations to all of the graduates at @UTAustin today! What a blessing! 🎓😎 pic.twitter.com/G0JTENMbo0
— Marquise Goodwin (@flashg88dwin) May 22, 2015
http://instagram.com/p/3F0PDKAYUy/
Classes of 1944, 2008, 2012, 2014 & 2015 represented! Hook 'em! @UTAustin @thedailytexan #UTgrad #whatstartshere pic.twitter.com/H6T1hC0jQq
— Ann Brown (@brownal59) May 24, 2015
http://twitter.com/JustTeachMe_100/status/602212748294885376
http://twitter.com/MahnoorAhmed/status/602119219359064064
Words of wisdom- from Shakespeare to Legally Blonde. @FineArtsUT #cofacap2015 pic.twitter.com/8NRCGeJoxM
— Karoline Kuss Liu (@KarolineLiu) May 22, 2015
http://twitter.com/_hipsternerd/status/601953380387262464
UT GRADUATES!! What an incredible four years! Thank you @UTAustin! #UTGrad pic.twitter.com/PQSsizQ3C5
— Gabby Byers (@gabbytwin) May 23, 2015
Saturday night the university arranged a small ceremony inside the Tower, featuring remarks by President Bill Powers, outgoing Student Government president Kori Rady and UT System Chancellor William McRaven, who honored past UT graduates who missed their own commencement ceremonies because they were required to report to duty for the Vietnam War.
Keynote speaker Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation and a Texas Ex, also delivered remarks. Walker, who was born to a single mother in a charity hospital in a segregated Louisiana town and went on to earn three degrees from UT and lead the nation’s second largest philanthropic organization, spoke movingly about transcending hardships and building bridges.
“Tonight, as you cross the figurative bridge that is your commencement day — as you cross that bridge over the Colorado River and leave the 40 Acres behind; as your journey unfolds before your very eyes — think about how you can build a bridge to a better world,” Walker said. He also shared two of his personal mottos: “Pressure is a privilege,” and “You rest, you rust.”
The musical performances didn’t happen, but journalism senior lecturer Kevin Robbins captured this video from a rehearsal earlier in the week of Professor Jerry Junkin leading Butler School of Music students in a beautifully subdued rendition of the Eyes of Texas.
When it was announced that the fireworks were postponed until Sunday evening, students organized an unofficial commencement celebration for that night. A massive crowd of students, many in cap and gown, gathered on the Main Mall for speeches from Rady and Powers, live music and a rendition of the Eyes of Texas, accompanied by student carrilloneur and Class of 2015 graduate Austin Ferguson on the Tower bells. (See one student’s recap of the unofficial commencement on BuzzFeed.)
“This tenure with you all has been the blessing of my life,” Powers told the crowd. “You all are the very best students in America.”
Coming together to make the best of a situation warms my 💜. It's what being a #Longhorn is all about! #WhatStartsHereIsntStoppedByRain
— Sheila (@SheilaMullings) May 24, 2015
http://twitter.com/helloavacado/status/602675012600889345
http://twitter.com/kornelgr/status/602688070358446081
My heart is so happy!!! #UT15 #WhatStartsHereIsntStoppedByRain pic.twitter.com/5cwZzNuKDD
— Emma Canela (@emmcanela) May 25, 2015
Well, class of 2015, we definitely got the best graduation story #whatstartshereisntstoppedbyrain
— Sami (@edgarallanbroes) May 25, 2015
2015 grad #Fireworks over @UTAustin @365ThingsAustin @universitycoop @LonghornHumor @KVUE @gdinges @g_ack pic.twitter.com/YpwFrmTFat
— Christopher Sherman (@cvsherman) May 25, 2015
Daily Texan coverage of the impromptu indoor ceremony: