Comets Get Ready for Launch of Spring Commencement Ceremonies

On May 10, U.S. Space Force Capt. Jessica Thompson MBA’21, MS’21 will return to the place where her career trajectory took off.

Thompson will deliver the keynote address during University Commencement, where The University of Texas at Dallas will celebrate its most recent graduates, including this spring’s class and Comets who earned their degrees last fall and summer. A focus group of students recommended her as a possible choice to UTD leadership.

“I’m grateful to know that I made a difference while I was here, and I’m honored to have the opportunity to make a difference on a larger scale by delivering the keynote address,” she said.

Thompson said her education at UT Dallas propelled her career in a new direction.

“UT Dallas gave me the ability to pivot and take advantage of new opportunities, making the next right decision to set me up for success in ways I never dreamed of,” said Thompson, who made history as the Space Force’s first commissioned officer in July 2022.

Thompson served in the Air Force for five years as a linguist and intelligence analysis supervisor before attending the Naveen Jindal School of Management, where she earned two graduate degrees — in business administration and in information technology and management — as well as a graduate certificate in cybersecurity systems. In 2020 Thompson was named the school’s graduate student of the year.

“Being an officer requires you to apply both business and leadership skills, and my education at UT Dallas allowed me to make an impact in Space Force right away,” she said. “The ability to analyze complex problems, propose a solution driven by data, and deliver information in a way that makes sense to senior leaders helps me succeed.”

In her address to graduates, Thompson hopes to inspire students as they embark on the next chapter of their lives.

“I want to create space for them to pause and reflect on the success of all the small choices they made that led them to this point and to honor the community that supported their journey until now — and beyond this milestone.

“We are all part of a larger system that impacts us just as much as we influence it. UT Dallas absorbed my energy, gave me the support I needed and helped me launch into an entirely new direction.”

More than 5,100 students are expected to participate in the 13 school ceremonies and the doctoral hooding, which opens the schedule May 10. A total of 2,847 bachelor’s, 2,487 master’s and 98 doctoral degrees are expected to be awarded.

Individual schools will hold spring commencement ceremonies May 13-15 at the Activity Center and the Edith O’Donnell Arts and Technology Building Lecture Hall.

Two ceremonies for the Jindal School will be held May 13, along with ceremonies for the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences.

Three more events for the Jindal School, as well as the ceremony for the Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology will be featured May 14.

On May 15, three ceremonies will be held for the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, along with events for the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences and the School of Interdisciplinary Studies.

After each school commencement ceremony, giveaways and photo opportunities will be available at the Grads on the Green event at the Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center.