It may have been a bit different this year, but the traditional University of Houston-Downtown Ring Ceremony celebrating soon-to-be Gator graduates carried on in grand fashion.

A line of vehicles occupied by students and family members made its way down Girard Street under ceremonial red, white and blue decorative archways – then pulling to a brief stop as students were presented their rings in a custom wood UHD box during a drive-thru ceremony held Nov. 14. The event was made possible through a partnership with the Dean of Students Office and the Office of Alumni Relations.

As the ring recipients passed by, Dean of Students Dr. Meritza Tamez, Interim UHD President Antonio D. Tillis, Ph.D and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Dr. Eric Carl Link shared words of congratulations with the students. More than 60 students participated in the event.

“Because the pandemic has forced us to cancel several in-person events and host online celebrations for the past 8 months, we wanted to do something different that could offer more interaction while adhering to safety protocols to honor our Gators who earned their class rings,” Tamez said. “It was such a joy to see the smiles and excitement on the faces of our Gators and their families as they drove under the balloon arches to receive their rings. It personally lifted my spirit and I hope it did for them, too.”

In addition to receiving their custom Herff-Jones rings, students were also presented with a UHD Alumni mask, stuffed Gator and custom UHD cookie. FLASH Photography was also on site to capture the moment for the students.