May 10, 2018 500 AM
ALPINE – Dr. Bill Kibler, Sul Ross State University President, will deliver the spring commencement address Friday, May 11 in the Pete P. Gallego Center.
Sul Ross-Alpine ceremonies begin at 7pm. Rio Grande College will hold graduation exercises Saturday, May 12, 7:30pm in the International Center for Trade, Eagle Pass. Ramsey English Cantu, Mayor of Eagle Pass, will deliver the RGC commencement address.
A total of 256 students, 157 at Sul Ross-Alpine, and 99 at RGC, are candidates for degrees.
At Alpine, the Sul Ross Commencement Band, directed by Dr. Jeffrey Meyer, assistant professor of Music, will play the processional, “Pomp and Circumstance,” and the recessional, “Victors March.”
Dr. Joseph Velasco, associate professor of Communication, will be the macebearer and will read the names of the graduates. Dr. William Green, professor of Marketing, and Dr. James Zech, professor of Biology, will serve as marshals.
Dr. Jimmy Case, Executive Vice President and Provost for Academic Affairs, will preside over the ceremony, deliver the welcome, introduce the platform party, announce honors and recognitions and introduce Kibler. Kibler will also confer degrees.
Graduating senior Molly Glenn Ferguson, Presidio, will deliver the invocation. Dr. Donald Freed, professor of Music, will lead the singing of “God Bless America” and “Alma Mater.”
Kibler was confirmed as the 12th President of Sul Ross State University by the Board of Regents of the Texas State University System on July 9, 2014. He has over 40 years’ experience in higher education.
He came to Sul Ross from Mississippi State University, where he had served for 10 years as Vice President for Student Affairs, overseeing the university’s enrollment, admissions, financial aid, housing and other student-centered programs. Previously, he spent 24 years at Texas A&M University where he served in ascending Student Affairs positions, the last year as Vice President. Prior to that he served the University of Florida as Assistant to the Dean of Students and later as Assistant Dean.
A native of Milton, Florida, Kibler earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree and a specialist’s degree in counselor education from the University of Florida. He later attended Texas A&M University, where he earned a Ph.D. in educational administration.
He and his wife, Pam, who has been a Licensed Professional Counselor, teacher and volunteer, are the parents of six children: Ben (wife Karen), Zach, Kurt, Alissa, Austin, and Gracie. They are the proud grandparents of Brooke and Luke.
The Kiblers also served as foster parents to a total of 37 children.
