- Day-of Details
- Calendar of Activities
- Commencement Speaker
- Name Pronunciation
- Regalia
- Photography
May 10th, 2025, Commencement
10:00 a.m.
- School of Arts & Sciences
- School of Aviation & Aeronautical Science
- School of Education
- School of Theology & Vocation
2:00 p.m.
- School of Business
- School of Engineering & Engineering Technology
- School of Nursing
- School of Psychology & Counseling
What It Looks Like for Graduates
- The Allen Family Student Center Lobby will open 2 hours prior to the ceremony (8:00 a.m. for the 10:00 a.m. ceremony and 12:00 p.m. for the 2:00 p.m. ceremony) for students to pick up their cap and gown, announcing cards, honors medals or cords. Facilitators will be present to help you move through the lines. Students will then move to the AFSC Great Room for line-up and final instructions. You are to be in regalia, seated and ready for final instructions no later than 9:30 a.m. for the 10:00 a.m. ceremony and 1:30 p.m. for the 2:00 p.m. ceremony. This applies to student athletes as well. Please leave all personal belongings with family or in a secure place prior to arriving at the student center. You will not be returning to this location, and it is not a secured area. It is recommended that you wear comfortable shoes as you will need to walk to the Belcher Center for the ceremony, a five minute walk. If you will need assistance getting from AFSC to the Belcher Center, please contact the Provost's Office (officeoftheprovost@letu.edu) by April 15th.
- When it is time for the processional, you will leave the AFSC in one line. It is very important that you stay in line. The line marshals will count off the proper number of students for each row. Move quickly and stand directly in front of your seat. Do not leave any empty spaces. Remain standing until after the invocation. You will need to give your announcing card with your name and major to the on-stage announcer. Do not lose it.
Parking
- On-Campus Graduates: Please park in your dormitory parking lot. Graduates residing in Tyler West dormitory, please park in the Tyler East or Trinity parking lot to help make extra room for your families and guests.
- Online Graduates: Please park at the Margaret Estes Library parking lot (turn right onto Glaske Dr upon entering campus). Overflow parking for non-traditional graduates will be at the Solheim Activity Center across the street to the south from the library lot.
Thursday, May 8
Nursing Pinning Ceremony: 6:00 p.m. (Belcher Center). This historical ceremony welcomes students into the nursing profession. Address questions to the School of Nursing.
Friday, May 9
Senior Breakfast: 9:30-10:30 a.m. (Allen Family Student Center). Please fill out the Senior Breakfast Reservation Form. Address questions to studentlife@letu.edu. Please R.S.V.P. by April 15th.
Servant Statue Ceremony: 3:00 p.m. (Belcher Center by the Servant statue). Hosted by Student Life. Attendance requested of all graduates. Graduates will be presented with their graduation gift which is a desk-sized copy of the Servant statue.
Graduate Reception: 3:30 p.m. (Allen Family Student Center Commons Area). No tickets required; guests welcome. You can R.S.V.P by filling out The Graduate Reception Reservation Form. Please R.S.V.P. by April 15th.
Online Education Pinning Ceremony: Please contact the School of Education for time and location.
Saturday, May 10
Cap & Gown Pick-up: All graduates must pick up their cap & gown and announcing cards in AFSC Great Room at the time designated below for your academic school. Honors medals/cords will also be distributed at this time.
- 8:00 a.m. – 9:20 a.m. Aviation & Aeronautical Science, Arts & Sciences, Education, Theology & Vocation.
- 12:00 p.m. – 1:20 p.m. Business, Engineering & Engineering Technology, Nursing, Psychology & Counseling.
Student Line-up and Final Instructions: AFSC Great Room. Students must be in your chair and ready for the line-up and final instructions by the time indicated for your school:
- No later than 9:30 a.m. Arts & Sciences, Aviation & Aeronautical Science, Education, Theology & Vocation.
- No later than 1:30 p.m. Business, Engineering & Engineering Technology, Nursing, Psychology & Counseling.
Commencement Speaker
Phil Burks - Alumnus '74, B.S. Electrical Engineering Technology
Phil Burks is a 1974 graduate of LeTourneau and Founder & CEO of Burks GenCore Company, Inc.
Shortly after college, Phil began a rising career in sales with Motorola. An oilfield client offered a new position and opportunity for Phil to start a communication tower rental company and in 1980 Jecca Towers was born. Jecca owned towers and sold & installed towers for MCI, AT&T and various communication firms. Jecca grew to 65% cash flow and in 1988 Motorola made an offer that was accepted to purchase all assets of Jecca Towers, and The Genesis Group began.
In 1989, Genesis grew from a single DOS-based billing software product that Phil wrote in his bedroom, to now over 30 Windows and browser-based software products designed to enhance Motorola critical two-way radio systems. Genesis software is globally installed for government and industrial clients too numerous to mention. Genesis has also created a radical change for jail bail bonds with a product called eBonds that is reducing fraud and waste as well as digitizing a 100-year-old process. Genesis has grown to include over 60 full-time employees at their Tyler office, an office in London, and close affiliates in Melbourne, Australia and Mexico City. In April 2013, Phil stepped down as president and promoted Jim Nipp (VP of Business Development) to President. Phil remains as owner and CEO of the software enterprises.
Phil is currently in the process of retiring and spends many days mentoring young entrepreneurs, especially those with a Kingdom mindset. He is on the LeTourneau Board of Trustees and is the current president of R.G. Research & Development. He is the author of "How to Eat a Failure Sandwich", a book about how major failures and near failures built Genesis.
If you want to record your name for correct pronunciation at the ceremony:
Call 903-233-3215 and repeat the following phrase TWICE after the recording:
“My Student ID is [your ID number] and my name is [your full legal name].”
Do not exaggerate your name. Simply say your name as you would introducing yourself in a conversation.
Ceremony Regalia
All caps, gowns, and honors cords will be provided the day of the ceremony by the University through our vendor, Jostens. Regalia will be available for pickup on the day of the ceremony. You may keep all regalia.
Regalia Policy
Graduation stoles may be worn to highlight a student's academic or extracurricular achievement or to denote their affiliation with a particular group or field of study. Stoles should be respectful of the mission and ideals of LeTourneau University.
Honors College
Seniors that are currently in the Honors College and want to be recognized at the ceremony with this distinction, please contact Dr. Johnson’s office.
International Sashes
If you are a graduating international student, study abroad student, Global Service Learning participant, third culture kid (TCK), or missionary kid (MK), you are eligible to order an international sash that reflects the flag colors of your chosen country. Please fill out the International Sash Order Form by April 1st.
Veteran Cords
LeTourneau is proud to recognize graduating veterans and active-duty military personnel for service to their country by offering special red, white and blue cords to be worn with academic regalia during commencement. These cords are available through the Registrar’s Office upon verification of military status. Contact the Registrar (Registrar@letu.edu) for more detailed instructions by April 1st.
Professional Photography
Juays Photography, a commercial photographer who operates independently of LeTourneau University, will provide a candid photography service at the ceremony. Each graduate will have his/her picture taken at the moment he/she shakes the president's hand, and directly after walking across the stage. These can be viewed and purchased at Juays Photography.
Live stream
A live stream of both ceremonies will be available on letu.edu/graduation the day of. Afterward, links to the recordings will be available on our graduation video page for on-demand viewing.
