UTD Prepares Royal Welcome for Miss Texas, Grads at Commencement

A pageant queen will help celebrate the crowning moment in the academic journeys of many of her fellow Comets at The University of Texas at Dallas on May 16.

Annette Addo-Yobo BS’20 — the 2024 Miss Texas — will deliver the keynote address during University Commencement, where UT Dallas will honor its most recent graduates, including this spring’s class and alumni who earned their degrees last fall and summer. A focus group of students recommended her as a possible speaker to UTD leadership.

“I never thought that I would be selected to give a University Commencement speech at such a young age. It is truly an honor to be selected as a proud alumna of the University. Being selected is truly a full-circle moment,” she said.

Addo-Yobo, who graduated with degrees in psychology and child learning and development from the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, became the first non-U.S.-born winner of the Miss Texas Scholarship pageant last summer, and, in January, she was the first runner-up in the 2025 Miss America pageant.

Addo-Yobo, who also earned a Master of Arts in clinical psychology at Sam Houston State University and an MBA at Lamar University, credits UTD for helping her achieve her goals. She will start law school at Texas Tech University this fall.

“My journey at UT Dallas prepared me in so many ways. As a student leader, an active member of multiple student organizations, a student worker and an Undergraduate Success Scholar, I gained many important skills that have led to my success,” she said.

Addo-Yobo is looking forward to taking the UTD stage — which she didn’t get a chance to do for her commencement due to the COVID-19 pandemic —  and speaking at the ceremony, which is expected to have as many as 6,600 recent graduates in attendance. She hopes to inspire Comets to be courageous when they pursue their dreams.

“When I finally became brave enough to pursue my actual career goals, I experienced a joy and success I did not believe was possible,” she said. “I hope to be able to remind graduates that they have been given the tools they need to achieve great success in whatever field they plan to pursue.

“I also want graduates to know that success and life are not linear. Every bump, valley and detour had a purpose in developing the woman that I am today. Lean into what life brings you, take every opportunity that comes your way, define success for yourself and know that you are capable beyond your mind’s own limits.”

More than 4,800 students are expected to participate in the 13 school ceremonies and the doctoral hooding, which opens spring commencement festivities May 16.

Individual schools will hold ceremonies May 19-21 at the Activity Center and the Edith O’Donnell Arts and Technology Building Lecture Hall.

Ceremonies for the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences will be held May 19, along with a pair of ceremonies for the Naveen Jindal School of Management.

Three more events for the Jindal School, as well as the ceremonies for the Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology, the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences and the School of Interdisciplinary Studies will take center stage May 20.

On May 21, three ceremonies will be held for the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science.

After each school commencement ceremony, giveaways and photo opportunities will be available at the Grads on the Green event at the Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center.

Class of 2025 Facts and Figures

The spring class of 2025 represents:

48 U.S. states

47 countries

79 Texas counties

Most popular degrees

Bachelor’s: computer science; arts, technology, and emerging communication; psychology; computer information systems and technology; biology

Master’s: business analytics and artificial intelligence; information technology and management; computer science; accounting and analytics; business administration

Doctoral: chemistry; audiology; management science; computer science; public affairs

Ages
Oldest graduate: 76

Youngest graduate: 19

Other numbers
Percentage of undergraduate first-generation graduates: 21%

Percentage of undergraduate graduates who started as transfer students: 31%

Percentage of international graduates (bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral): 30%

Commencement Student Speakers

Rishita Bansal MS, computer science, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science	Diana Carneiro MS’24 *MS, marketing, Naveen Jindal School of Management
Prasad Deshpande MS, information technology and management, Naveen Jindal School of Management	Nhu-Quynh Clarisse Dizon BS, healthcare management and biology, Naveen Jindal School of Management
Shivani Elitem BS, computer science, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science	Laiba Khan BS, healthcare studies, School of Interdisciplinary Studies
Ayleem Moore BA, interdisciplinary studies, School of Interdisciplinary Studies	Manasvini Natarajan BS, biology, School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Nanditha Niranjan BS, healthcare studies, School of Interdisciplinary Studies	**William Pickrell BS, psychology and child learning and development, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
Alexa Poage BA, criminology, School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences	Sarah Rizvi BA, literature, Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology
Chavi Singh MS, information technology and management, Naveen Jindal School of Management	Yash Varma BS, computer information systems and technology, Naveen Jindal School of Management
Jeremy Warren BS’19 PhD, biomedical engineering, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science

*Earned degree in fall 2024.
**2025 Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award recipient