Who would have guessed that twitter was the best way to enact change? Social media platforms, such as twitter, have increasingly become more and more influential in bringing change to areas that need it.

On March 3rd, Twitter user @faith_branch tweeted “Hey @TarletonPrez if we can fit 15k in the stadium…what about increasing or getting rid of a ticket limit graduation?? – a girl with a big family :)” This tweet was retweeted and liked by her peers that also shared the same views.

The eight ticket maximum for graduating seniors forces them to pick and choose which of their close families and friends they get to bring to their college graduation. Dr. Hurley agreed that while he could not get rid of the ticket limit for graduation, he would look into increasing the ticket allotment. Originally undergraduate and graduate students were allowed eight tickets for graduation and were eligible to receive four extra tickets (for a total of twelve tickets).

Dr. Hurley tweeted back “Faith, that’s a great point. We can’t have unlimited tickets (we are down roughly 6,500 seats due to construction) However, I think increasing it to 12 or 14 can happen.” Now, students are allotted twelve tickets and are eligible to receive up to two extra tickets, for a total of fourteen tickets. Hopefully this ticket increase will keep students from having to tell family members they can not attend graduation.

Graduates want to be surrounded by people that greatly influence them, especially first-generation students that have become a milestone for their families. This twitter post sparked, alumni to share that previously there was no limit at graduation in years past. Many students have larger family sizes and having a cap on graduation tickets limit the amount of their family members that get to watch their accomplishments and celebrate as they walk across the stage. Watching graduation from a television screen or from outside the stadium just is not the same thing.

With Tarleton State University’s transition to a NCAA Division I institution, many more changes are coming to the programs and the stadium itself. The stadium should begin to see some expansion within the upcoming weeks that will increase capacity to around 24,000. So could we see some more increases to graduation tickets in the near future? Stay tuned!

https://tarletonsports.com/news/2022/3/4/football-memorial-stadium-expansion-to-begin-in-coming-weeks.aspx