Island University to Celebrate Summer Commencement with Judith Talavera, AEP Texas President & COO, as Keynote Speaker

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — As summertime in the Coastal Bend nears its end, a new chapter begins for more than 550 Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi students who will participate in the Summer 2025 Commencement Ceremony, held on Saturday, Aug. 9, at 10 a.m. at the American Bank Center. The ceremony includes graduates from the Colleges of Business, Education and Human Development, Engineering and Computer Science, Liberal Arts, Nursing and Health Sciences, Science, and the School of Arts, Media, & Communication.

This year’s commencement speaker is Judith Talavera, AEP Texas President & COO. Talavera, who began her career with AEP Texas in 2000 as manager of Governmental Affairs, is responsible for the company’s operations in south and west Texas, delivering safe and reliable electric service to the company’s one million customers.

Talavera said her message to the Islander graduates will focus on the importance of being brave and bold.

“Take a chance because you never know where it might lead,” Talavera said. “Life will throw curveballs and unexpected opportunities at you. It’s important to be open to new experiences and trust yourself to successfully navigate through those moments.”

Talavera received her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin and has completed the AEP/Ohio State University Leadership Program and Leadership Texas. She also attended Lamar High School in Houston, which offers an International Baccalaureate program that focuses on providing a challenging and enriching learning environment for gifted and talented students.

“Education has been key to the success I’ve had in my life,” Talavera said. “My parents always instilled the importance of an education in their children, and I dreamed of going to college since I was a little girl. But the time I spent in the classroom was only the beginning. It’s important to think of education as the different experiences one gains throughout their life, and many will come outside of the classroom. Make it a point to learn from every opportunity.”

Among the graduates are six students who have been selected by the Office of the Provost for their individual achievements. These Outstanding Islander Graduates are:

• Erica Dimas ’25 – College of Liberal Arts
• Mazen Hassan ’25 – College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Kyra Kaiser ’23, ’25 – College of Science
• Maya Manahan ’25 – College of Education and Human Development 
• Jessica Melisse ’25 – College of Nursing and Health Sciences 
• Grace Staten ’25 – College of Business 

The ceremony is free and open to the public and does not require tickets upon entrance. Seating for guests is available on a first-come, first-served basis, and the arena doors will open one hour prior to the ceremony.

For those who are unable to attend, the ceremony will be live streamed at tamucc.edu. For more information, visit tamucc.edu/commencement.