State Rep. Yvonne Gonzalez Toureilles More than 600 prospective graduates are ready to cross the stage to receive their degrees during two commencement ceremonies to be held at the Steinke Physical Education Center at Texas A&M University-Kingsville Friday, May 21.

At the 4 p.m. ceremony, graduates from the Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Sciences and the colleges of Arts and Sciences and Business Administration and University College will receive their degrees.

The College of Education and the Frank H. Dotterweich College of Engineering will confer degrees at the 7 p.m. ceremony.

The keynote speaker is District 35 State Rep. Yvonne Gonzalez Toureilles. District 35 covers Atascosa, Bee, Goliad, Jim Wells, Karnes, Live Oak and McMullen Counties.

Two ROTC cadets will be commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the United States Army.

Xochitl Gomez and Morgan Lynne Tilburg will be honored during the 7 p.m. ceremony.

Kenneth Nelson, president of the Student Government Association, will present the Distinguished Student Awards.

Seferino “Nino” Mendietta, president-elect of the Javelina Alumni Association, will present the official university ring to one graduate, funded by the association.

Selection from the applicants is based on leadership, campus and community service, letter of recommendation, challenges while in school and honors and awards.

Gonzalez Toureilles was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in November 2004.

She currently serves as chair of the House Committee for Agriculture and Livestock, the first female and the second Hispanic to chair that committee.

She also serves on the House Committee on Energy Resources and is a member of the Democratic Caucus, the Women’s Health Caucus, the Mexican American Legislative Caucus and is vice chair of the House Rural Caucus.

In recognition of her leadership and diligence on behalf of rural communities and the agriculture industry, Gonzalez Toureilles has received awards from the Texas Association of Counties, the Texas Farm Bureau and the Association of Rural Communities in Texas.

She was named Legislator of the Year by the Justice of the Peace and Constables Association and was recognized by the Jim Wells Soil and Water Conservation Board for her efforts to preserve and protect water access and quality for the constituents of District 35.

The House Democratic Caucus named her Freshman of the Year.

Gonzalez Toureilles graduated with honors from University of Texas with a bachelor’s degree in French. She later enrolled in the University of Texas School of Law and received her doctorate of jurisprudence in 1996. After earning her law degree, she went to work for the State of Texas as a researcher at the Texas House of Representatives.

Her passion for public service then led to her employment as an Assistant Attorney General.

She is active in several organizations throughout District 35 including the Alice Counseling Center, the Brush Country Cattlewomen’s Association, South Texas Community Action Inc., Texas Democratic Women Association, the Coastal Bend Women Lawyers Association and the Coastal Bend Bar Association.