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'Every Lobo makes a difference:' Family and friends celebrate UNM grads
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The closer his brother got to the stage, the wider the grin on Javier Casta帽eda鈥檚 face grew.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great feeling. It鈥檚 a blessing to be able to have him attend this school,鈥� Casta帽eda said of his younger brother, Jose Casta帽eda, who received his bachelor鈥檚 degree in theatre on Saturday from the University of New Mexico. 鈥淓very day, he finds new ways to not just impress me, but our family, and just keep on going.鈥�
The Casta帽eda family was one of thousands who celebrated this weekend as more than 2,000 students from the largest university in the state received their bachelor鈥檚 degrees, with family and friends packing the Pit for UNM鈥檚 spring commencement ceremony.
鈥淲e are not the same university we were before you walked through our doors. Every Lobo makes a difference, every Lobo has an impact, every Lobo makes us better,鈥� UNM President Garnett Stokes told attendees. 鈥淲e will watch with pride and certainty as you make your way into the world, but we also know that you are ready for it, for each of you has been well-prepared.鈥�
Across its campuses, UNM counted 3,636 students receiving degrees as part of the spring 2025 class, including associate鈥檚 degrees from its campuses in Gallup, Los Alamos, Taos and Valencia, according to a news release. Its main Albuquerque campus accounted for over 3,000 of those degrees, with 2,172 of those being bachelor鈥檚 degrees, 487 being master鈥檚 degrees, over 200 doctorates, 127 graduate certificates and 12 education specialists.
Before the ceremony began, Cynthia Garibay described her feelings as a mix of excitement and anxiety as she prepared to walk the stage and receive her business administration degree.
鈥淚t鈥檚 also exciting to know you鈥檙e on to bigger and better things,鈥� Garibay said. 鈥淚 already have a full-time job, but they are looking to promote me, so this degree definitely helps.鈥�
Before he made his way to the floor, Jose Contreras, an Anaheim, California, native who came to Albuquerque to study, excitedly pointed to a section of the crowd where 12 of his family members sat. They made the more-than 18-hour drive to watch him walk the stage.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited to just enjoy a meal with them, and just enjoy New Mexico for a weekend with them,鈥� he said. He also reflected on his time in college and the milestone just minutes away.
鈥淢y favorite experience in college is, I think, this moment,鈥� said Contreras, who earned degrees in electrical engineering and Spanish. 鈥淪eeing everyone鈥檚 faces from when we first started to now, I see all the years that have gone by, and I鈥檓 excited to just see this moment.鈥�
