St. Edward’s University Celebrates Fall Commencement 2024
St. Edward’s University will honor the graduating class of December 2024 at its Fall Commencement on Friday, December 13. Nearly 240 students will receive their well-earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.
The ceremony will be held at the St. Edward’s Recreation and Athletics Center (RAC) from 2 - 4 p.m., followed by the beloved Hilltopper tradition, the Legacy Walk. The ceremony will also be live-streamed on the university’s YouTube channel.
St. Edward’s welcomes this year’s commencement speaker and Honorary Degree recipient Salvador Hector Ochoa ‘81, PhD, President of Texas A&M University-San Antonio.
Guided by the Holy Cross mission discovered while pursuing his B.A. in Psychology at St. Edward’s, Ochoa has been committed to creating a more just and humane world through fostering inclusive and innovative learning environments for all students and educators throughout his career in academia.
Prior to serving as the third President of Texas A&M University-San Antonio, Ochoa paved pathways for student success as the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at San Diego State University. Furthermore, he held significant leadership positions as the Dean of the College of Education at The University of New Mexico and The University of Texas-Pan American.
In addition to receiving his Psychology degree from St. Edward’s, Ochoa also earned his PhD in School Psychology from Texas A&M University in 1989 — where he was later honored with the prestigious Texas A&M University College of Education and Human Development Outstanding Alumni Award in 2013.
Ochoa’s ties to the hilltop doesn’t conclude with his accomplished academic pursuits; his daughter, Victoria Ochoa ‘15, also graduated from St. Edward’s and is the first student at our institution to win the distinguished Truman Scholarship for students pursuing careers in the public service sector.
About St. Edward’s University
St. Edward’s University is a private university in the Catholic, Holy Cross tradition with approximately 3,000 students. Located in Austin, Texas, it is one of the top universities in the state and offers more than 50 undergraduate, seven master’s degree programs and a doctorate program. St. Edward’s delivers a premier, highly personalized education that provides students distinctive academics and extensive internships, research and service learning opportunities on a vibrant and inclusive hilltop campus in a world-class city. St. Edward’s has been recognized for 22 consecutive years as one of “America’s Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report. In the 2025 Best Colleges rankings, St. Edward’s ranked #5 in the Best Regional Universities in the West.
