From 1 to 5,000: First PhD Grad Helps Mark Milestone at Doctoral Hooding

05.17.2023

Jose Longoria-Trevino PhD’72 is applauded after receiving a doctoral hood from Dr. Juan González (left), dean of graduate education, and Dr. Richard C. Benson (right), president of UT Dallas.

When Jose Longoria-Trevino PhD’72 earned his doctoral degree from The University of Texas at Dallas, the University was only 3 years old. There were no mascots, school colors or traditions. In fact, Longoria-Trevino, as the first PhD graduate, simply received a certificate.

Since then, more than 5,000 students have received doctoral degrees from UTD, a milestone celebrated at the University’s recent hooding ceremony. As part of the celebration, Longoria-Trevino was at long last hooded.

“It was fantastic,” he said. “I never went through a ceremony when I earned my degree, so I greatly appreciate this.”

Longoria-Trevino said he worked very hard to finish his degree quickly but didn’t realize he would be the first UTD PhD graduate. The geoscientist is now retired after a long academic career.

He said the UT Dallas campus has changed a great deal since he left in 1972.

“It’s such a beautiful campus,” he said. “When I was here, there was only the Founders Building and the Founders Annex. Everything else was a field.”

Dr. Juan González, dean of graduate education, vice provost for global engagement and the Francis S. Johnson Chair for Graduate Education, wanted the ceremony to be memorable, so he found Longoria-Trevino in Florida and invited him to the ceremony.

“I was so pleased that we were able to honor Dr. Longoria-Trevino 51 years after he earned his degree,” González said. “It was a thrill for him and a thrill for us.”

In all, the May 12 ceremony recognized 104 students for earning their PhD degrees and 12 who received audiology doctorates. One of them was Joan Bernstein BA’08, MA’10, PhD’23, who at 88 is the oldest student ever to receive a doctoral degree from UTD.

Dr. Richard C. Benson, president of UT Dallas and the Eugene McDermott Distinguished University Chair of Leadership, applauded the graduates for their hard work. He encouraged them to apply their knowledge to work for the betterment of all people.

“You are contributing to the next generation of scholarly advances and new discoveries, and your ability to be guided by evidence has never been needed more,” he said.

–Phil Roth