Texas A&M University-Kingsville students walked the stage Friday, Aug. 6, during Summer Commencement. There were 340 prospective graduates that received degrees in three separate ceremonies that were set up to allow for social distancing.
Students from the College of Arts and Sciences received their degrees at the 9 a.m. ceremony, followed by the Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the College of Business Administration at 2 p.m. At the 7 p.m. ceremony, students from the College of Education and Human Performance and Frank H. Dotterweich College of Engineering walked the stage.
Of the graduates, 159 received bachelor’s degrees, 166 received master’s degrees and 15 received doctoral degrees.
David S. Delaney, vice president and general manager of ranching and wildlife for King Ranch® Inc. received an Honorary Doctor of Letters degree during the 2 p.m. ceremony. DeLaney earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Richmond and a Master of Science in Animal Nutrition from Texas A&M University.
DeLaney’s support of the King Ranch® Institute for Ranch Management, the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute and Texas A&M-Kingsville is unsurpassed. He has enriched educational opportunities at the university and provided the important real-world context that students and faculty at other universities often lack.
He has made King Ranch available for student training and scientific discovery, served on graduate committees, team-taught Managerial Finance in the College of Business Administration, hosted multiple internships and led countless educational tours of King Ranch for the Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
In addition, he has served as the A&M-Kingsville contact for King Ranch’s philanthropic support of the university and the Kingsville community. DeLaney has been a great supporter of A&M-Kingsville and an influential leader in education.
While most of his focus has been in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and College of Business Administration, he has supported all five colleges. The Frank H. Dotterweich College of Engineering and the Colleges Education and Human Performance and Arts and Sciences have also benefitted from his support.
Student commencement speakers included Jack Ocheltree, a bachelor’s degree in chemistry graduate from San Antonio; Leticia Salinas, a master’s in business administration graduate from Kingsville; and Reynaldo Rodriguez, a doctorate in educational leadership graduate from the Rio Grande Valley.