More than 1,000 graduated received their diplomas Friday afternoon in UCCS’ first in-person graduation ceremony since 2019.

When his grandma died about 10 years ago, Noah Ruybal found himself in a dark place.

Ultimately, he was connected with a social worker, who, he said, saved his life.

Because of that relationship, he wanted to help people overcome their struggles. A couple of years ago, he started that journey by enrolling in a new social work program at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs.

On Friday, he walked onto the stage at The Broadmoor World Arena to become one of the first social work graduates of UCCS. In all, the program produced 22 master’s and seven bachelor’s degree students.

Before the ceremony, Ruybul spoke with joy about his accomplishment but not without giving credit to the social worker who inspired him to help others.

“I wanted to help someone the way she helped me,” said Ruybul, who was named the Outstanding Bachelor of Social Work student in his graduating class. “Honestly, if it wasn’t for her, I don’t know if I’d be here.”

He was one of 1,222 students who

walked the stage Friday. In all, UCCS boasted 1,583 graduates this school year; not all attended the graduation ceremonies.

Those who did walk Friday — there were two ceremonies, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon — did so in front of an audience for the first time since 2019.

The COVID-19 pandemic upended graduation plans nationwide as schools scrambled to find a way to acknowledge their students’ accomplishments without compromising health and safety.

UCCS held virtual ceremonies in 2020 and in spring 2021.

This year, graduates had the chance to smile and wave to family and friends in the stands as their names and accomplishments were announced throughout the arena.

For the social work program, the graduation was a long time coming.

It was launched in fall 2020 after years of efforts by community leaders to get the program started at UCCS, said Catherine Simmons, professor of social work and the school’s director of the Master of Social Work Program. It was a challenge to start a program during the coronavirus pandemic, she added.

“But our students are courageous and amazing and flexible,” Simmons said, referring to adjustments as virtual learning and wearing masks when they’re in class. “They’ve done an incredible job ... the past few years.”

Many of the students will move on to working at such places as counseling centers, psychiatric hospital and criminal justice facilities.

The UCCS School of Public Affairs boasts the social work program, which aims to provide practical, hands-on skills along with the potential to create positive change for individuals and communities.

For Ruybal, it’s been a long journey to get to his graduation Friday.

The Pueblo native graduated high school in 2012 and enrolled in a college to study business. After a semester, he realized that field wasn’t for him. He ended up taking a break from school to figure out what he wanted to do with his life.

A couple of years ago, he decided to enroll at UCCS to study psychology. But he changed his mind again about his major when he went to a welcome event for UCCS’ new social work program.

“It’s been a wild ride being part of the first students of the program,” he said, adding that he’s been grateful of his classmates and advisers.

“I felt really good when I stepped on campus. It’s giving me an experience that people in other social work programs aren’t getting.”

He will continue his studies in the UCCS’ Master of Social Work Advanced Standing Program.