AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin (UT) has entered graduation mode.
Students are donning caps and gowns as they walk across the graduation stage. There are large crowds, cheering and chanting on campus.
It’s a much different scene from the recent pro-Palestinian protests on campus.
It’s a day some students thought would never happen.
“It’s been a long time coming. I don't think we've ever had, like, a real graduation before,” Rushil Shah, a business school graduate, said.
Shah didn't get a high school graduation in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We made the most out of it at the time, but it wasn't the best feeling to not get one. I think this whole day to day kind of made up for it,” Shah said.
Mitchell Braunstein said he can relate.
“It was really nice to finally have a graduation and be amongst my peers and celebrate it,” Braunstein said.
He said it's more important than ever.
“I think in this growing climate, there are a lot of contentious issues. And I really think learning from a great university, learning how to think critically is something great,” Braunstein said.
With arrests and state intervention at recent pro-Palestinian protests on campus, some worried graduation would be canceled – like it has been at other universities.
However, UT is allowing celebrations to go on as planned.
“I think that was, like, a thought, but I think a lot of us kind of agree with the sentiment of the protests,” Shah said.
Crystal Lemmert is among that group.
“I’m really proud of my fellow students, and I was at some of the protests themselves. I also made this bow,” Lemmert said, holding up a bow with the colors of the Palestine flag that attaches to her cap.
Lemmert said that as an international relations major, expressing politics on campus has been important.
“People have 'Free Palestine' stoles, they had the scarves and everything. So, it was really empowering to see,” Lemmert said.
Lemmert said she transferred to UT in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic without her family. She said graduation means a great deal to her, and she is glad she can still stand up for what she believes in while celebrating this milestone.
“Even if I was a little scared to say something specific, I thought this little tribute was powerful enough,” Lemmert said.
For right now, graduates are the focus on campus.
“I think it's important to recognize our individual accomplishments here, regardless of our foreign policy. It's time to celebrate the class of 2024,” Braunstein said.
UT's university-wide commencement ceremony will happen Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Doors open at 6 p.m.