Graduates of the University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley Master’s program had to forgo their hooding ceremony last year due to COVID-19.

On Thursday, a drive-thru ceremony recognized them as well a new group of UTRGV graduates.

“The last year and a 1/2 has been tremendously challenging for all of us,” UTRGV Dean School of Social Work Dr. Luis Torres-Hostos said. “As we start to make some gains on this pandemic we need to pause for a moment and celebrate.  It can’t all be mourning and worrying.”

The hooding ceremony invited graduates from 2020 who didn’t get to experience the ceremony.

For Bianca Escobar, this ceremony with her colleagues from the School of Social Work is twice as special.

“I’m super blessed because not only am I graduating with my Master’s but my Dad will be able to hood me tonight,” Escobar said. “I know me and a couple of cohorts we really wound it up together because we wanted a hooding, because this is something special.  All of us worked really hard for our goals.”

Her father, UTRGV professor Dr. Romeo Escobar, said seeing his daughter graduating was very special.

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