Sponsored by:
When Cristian Moran crossed the commencement stage at Freeman Coliseum on December 16, it was not only a remarkable achievement for a working-class, first-generation student, but it also signaled a historic milestone for Texas A&M University-San Antonio, which reached 20,000 graduates since it first opened in 2009. Moran serves as a powerful symbol of the tens of thousands of Jaguars who preceded him at Texas A&M-San Antonio.
As the University’s honorary 20,000th graduate, Moran was nominated and selected for his academic excellence. He has proven himself to be a scholar, researcher, mentor and advocate whose journey exemplifies resilience and transformation — a story that reflects A&M-San Antonio and its community.
“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’s story is one example of the many paths A&M-San Antonio students take. Originally from Houston, he grew up in a hardworking immigrant family. His parents never finished elementary school and everyone in his immediate and extended family worked some form of construction. Cristian did too, starting at 9 years old.
“Painting, sheetrock, carpentry, cement — pretty much everything,” he said.
For a long time, he assumed construction would be his future as well. But even as Moran worked alongside his father, uncles and cousins on residential projects across Houston, he sensed he might take a different path.
Moran arrived at A&M–San Antonio in 2021, marking not only his first time living away from his family, but his first experience envisioning a career outside manual labor. Still, it was difficult at first, as he faced challenges — loneliness, imposter syndrome — but he found support through faculty and peers.
“Honestly, without their help, I probably would not have lasted,” he said.
Moran began as a political science major, driven by a passion for advocacy and social justice. But an advisor’s guidance shifted his trajectory.
After switching majors to computer information systems, he worked as a research assistant with Dr. Gongbo Liang, assistant professor of computer science.
“He helped me realize that technology, data and computation could become tools for social impact,” Moran said. “I could still build, but just in a different form. That’s where it clicked.”
One of the research projects they worked on together used AI to analyze traffic fatalities across San Antonio communities. “For an undergraduate, his initiative, maturity, and professionalism were truly exceptional,” Liang said.
Moran used the AI research project to garner a first-place award for his undergraduate poster presentation at the 10th Annual Student Research Symposium in 2024. That validation, he said, convinced him that he was on the right path.
“I could see myself continuing research at a very high level, impacting communities across the country.”
Moran’s leadership extends beyond the research lab. He became a fellow in the Achievement Initiative for Minority Males and an officer in the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. He also spearheaded initiatives to support underrepresented students in STEM.
“Cristian is a significant leader and community advocate,” said John Edward De La Rosa, assistant director of First Year Academic Advising. “His commitment to mentorship and outreach reinforces his character and his ability to lead with purpose and empathy.”
Looking back, Moran said the life he’s leading now seemed unimaginable when he was in high school. His accomplishments mirror the determination and ambition of thousands of Jaguars who have earned degrees while balancing jobs, families and other responsibilities. One thing they all share: the belief that education can change lives.
Now that he’s earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in Computer and Information Sciences, he plans to apply to Ph.D. programs and continue his research trajectory.
Though his career may take him across the country, Moran said he ultimately wants to return to Houston.
“I eventually want to go back to where I grew up,” he said. “To use my new skills and motivation and apply them to the communities that brought me up.”
As Moran continues his journey, he carries with him the grit and sense of responsibility shaped by his family, as well as his own intellectual drive. While he may be the University’s 20,000th graduate, his story represents the thousands of other A&M-San Antonio students who have used education to reshape their lives and are now making San Antonio a better place to live, work and raise a family.
