South Texas College of Law Houston will present Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD) degrees to 235 graduates May 16 at 10 a.m. at the George R. Brown Convention Center.
The Commencement speaker will be Augustin “Augie” Rivera, Jr., chair of the Texas Board of Law Examiners and general counsel for the Del Mar Community College District in Corpus Christi. Rivera joined Del Mar College’s administration in 2015 after more than 27 years of private practice in civil trial and appellate law.
In 2011, Rivera was appointed by the Supreme Court of Texas to the Texas Board of Law Examiners, and he has served as chair since 2019. A past National Association of College and University Attorneys board member, he currently serves on the board of the Texas Association of Community College Attorneys, chairs the Texas Board of Law Examiners, and is 2025-26 vice chair of the Hispanic Lawyers Section of the State Bar of Texas.
Rivera is a frequent speaker on community college board ethics, governance, and free speech, presenting nationally for a number of higher education organizations. He was appointed as a member of the Board of Trustees of the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) in 2018, has served on a number of NCBE committees, and is slated to become chair of the board.
He received the Distinguished Citizen of the Year award from the South Texas Council Boy Scouts of America in 2023, has held leadership positions with numerous civic organizations, and is an active community volunteer. A native of Driscoll and a lifelong resident in South Texas, he earned his BA in history from Yale University and his JD from Stanford Law School.
Ryanne Jaroudi ’26 will be honored as the May valedictorian. She has served the law school with distinction and excellence, earning multiple CALI (top grades in a course) awards and serving as a Langdell Scholar.
She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in organic chemistry and biology from University of Houston Clear Lake, receiving a federal research grant. She chose the field of law for her post-graduate education.
In her first year of law school, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor that proved to be benign. With a renewed focus, she recovered and continued her studies. She participated in the summer international study program in Prague, Czech Republic, and in the fall international exchange program in Prague.
She speaks Arabic and Mandarin, and has a passion for boxing. This summer she will begin working with Shook, Hardy, and Bacon L.L.P., where she previously served as a summer associate.
Friends and family can watch the ceremony live at stcl.edu/commencement.
