Texas Christian University and Brite Divinity School presented degrees to a record class of more than 2,200 graduates for the spring class of 2022. They hailed from all 50 states and 36 countries.
The May 7 event spanned three ceremonies at the Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Among its notable graduates, TCU graduated two earning triple degrees, as well as its first cohort of STEM Scholars. The class will also be known, of course, as a class that experienced the height of the COVID-19 pandemic during college.
“Thank you for persisting,” said Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr. in his commencement address. “The fact that you’re here today is just incredible.”
Honorary Degrees
Two were awarded honorary degrees: Dr. David C. Knight an honorary Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, and Dr. Robert T. Rhodes a posthumous honorary Doctor of Law, honoris causa.
Knight is a general surgeon who uses his medical expertise to help others both at home and abroad. Since 2009 he has travelled to Liberia twice a year to perform with his team as many as 80 surgeries in a variety of disciplines. Knight has spent the past eight years serving the TCU community by visiting over 40 classes, presenting at the TCU Pre-Health Institute’s AED Banquet, attending the annual TCU Global Impact on Health event and more.
Rhodes was an attorney of law, who left his professional practice nearly 40 years ago and spent the rest of his career as a professor at the TCU Neeley School of Business. He died Aug. 14, 2020. In his final year alone at TCU, he was named Honors Professor of the Year from the John V. Roach Honors College, Outstanding EMBA Faculty Member, Favorite Professor Award from the MBA program and Outstanding Fellows Professor from the Neeley Fellows program. He received the Deans’ Teaching Award in 2014.