Texas Wesleyan University continued to recognize its 125^th  anniversary at Friday’s robing convocation.

The convocation, which has been a Wesleyan tradition since 1927, began at 11 a.m. and took place at Nicholas Martin Hall.

The ceremony began with an invocation given by Abbey Borghee, Student Government Association president and graduating senior.

University President Frederick Slabach then delivered his statement of purpose of the event saying that the ceremony gives students the opportunity to honor those professors that have guided them on their educational journey.

“Texas Wesleyan University is a place where individual members of the faculty go out of their way to assist and encourage students in realizing their full potential,” Slabach said.

Trista Allen, vice president of the Alumni Board of Directors, congratulated the graduating seniors on their transition from students to alumni.

“The Alumni Association looks forward to formally welcome you to full membership into the extended family that is Texas Wesleyan,” Allen said.

Tre Adams presented Starnisha Bodie and Jonathan Bravo with the Guardian of the Golden Shears Award.

“For more than 70 years, the Golden Shears Award has been presented to outstanding student leaders,” Adams said. “It is indeed an honor to be called a Guardian of the Golden Shears.”

The award honors students who excel in academics, possess leadership skills, and are active on campus. Bodie and Bravo were each given a blue and gold pin containing the letter “R”, the number “38”, and a pair of golden sheep shears to symbolize Wesleyan’s mascot, the ram.

The families and supporters of the around 150 graduating seniors then watched as Joe Brown, dean of freshman success, called each student to be robed by the faculty member of their choice.

Wesleyan’s spring commencement will be held 10 a.m. Saturday at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth.