SAN ANTONIO, Dec. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — As Cristian Moran walked the commencement stage yesterday, he did more than celebrate a personal milestone. As Texas A&M University–San Antonio’s honorary 20,000th graduate, Moran symbolizes thousands of Jaguars who preceded him and have transformed their lives through higher education. A significant feat in the University’s history as the youngest institution in the Texas A&M University System.
This year’s commencement saw over 700 graduates cross the stage in San Antonio.
For Moran, a first-generation student raised in a working-class immigrant family, the moment represented years of hard work and perseverance. Originally from Houston, Moran grew up watching his family work in construction and began helping on job sites by age nine.
“Painting, sheetrock, carpentry, cement—pretty much everything,” he said.
Moran started as a political science major with a passion for advocacy and social justice. After speaking with an advisor, he realized he could pursue these goals using technology and switched to computer information systems.
Soon after, he joined a research project with Dr. Gongbo Liang, assistant professor of computer science. Together, they applied AI to analyze traffic-fatality patterns across San Antonio communities, identifying factors that disproportionately affect underserved neighborhoods.
“After that, I could see myself doing research at a very high level,” he said.
During his time at the University, Moran worked on several innovative research projects, presented at national conferences, and co-authored publications. He also served as a fellow in the Achievement Initiative for Minority Males and an officer in the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers.
As the University’s 20,000th graduate, Moran embodies the achievement of thousands of Jaguars who have completed degrees while balancing jobs, families, and responsibilities—and the thousands more yet to come.
“The 20,000th graduate is more than a number — it represents lives changed and futures opened across South Texas. The Board of Regents is proud to celebrate this milestone and the students who made it possible,” said Texas A&M University System Regent John Bellinger.
Moran graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Computer and Information Sciences from the A&M-San Antonio College of Business. His long-term dream is to serve as a senior researcher at a major computing institution.
“I want to take my skills back to the communities that raised me,” he said. “I want kids who grew up like me to see what’s possible.”