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AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904

The GW Hatchet

Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

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Weekend Commencement events and ceremonies

Cameron Lancaster | Contributing Photo Editor
Hatchet File Photo by Cameron Lancaster | Contributing Photo Editor

Commencement week is packed with events for graduates, families and faculty. The University has compiled them all, but if you don’t want to scroll through the schedule, here’s a condensed list of some of the largest celebrations and ceremonies.

FRIDAY, May 16

8:30 a.m. – Columbian College of Arts and Sciences Master’s and Doctoral Programs Celebration in the Smith Center, 600 22nd St. NW. Tickets are required. The event features student speaker Maggie Unverzagt Goddard, an American Studies major, and faculty speaker David Karpf, an assistant professor of media and public affairs.

David Shambaugh, the speaker for Photo courtesy of the Elliot School of International Affairs.
David Shambaugh, the speaker for the Elliot School of International Affairs celebration. Photo courtesy of the Elliot School.

11:30 a.m. – Elliott School of International Affairs Celebration in the Smith Center. Tickets are required. Speakers include David Shambaugh, professor of political science and international affairs, and student speaker Max Sanders.

3:00 p.m. – Phi Beta Kappa Induction Ceremony in Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st St. NW. This event, honoring students in the top 10 percent of their senior class, is invitation only and tickets are required.

3:30 p.m. – School of Business Undergraduate, Master of Business Administration and Doctoral Celebration in the Smith Center. Tickets are required.

7:30 p.m. – School of Engineering and Applied Science Celebration in the Smith Center. Tickets are required and you should hand in a copy of your graduation survey in order to pick them up from the dean’s office in room 106 of Thompkins Hall.

Irene R. Foster, speaker at the first ceremony for the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. Photo courtesy of the Department of Economics.
Irene Foster, faculty speaker at the first ceremony for the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. Photo courtesy of the Department of Economics.

SATURDAY, May 17

12:00 p.m. – Columbian College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Degree Programs Celebration No. 1  in
the Smith Center. Tickets will be distributed in Phillips Hall, room 209 on Friday from 12 to 4 p.m. The celebration will include speeches from distinguished scholar and speaker Brandon Aversano, an American Studies major, and assistant professor of economics Irene Foster.

3:30 p.m. – Columbian College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Degree Programs Celebration No. 2  in the Smith Center. Tickets will be distributed in Phillips Hall, room 209 on Friday from 12 to 4 p.m. For this second ceremony, the distinguished scholar and speaker is Alexandra Kralick, a biological Anthropology major, and the faculty speaker will be Melani McAlister, associate professor of American Studies and international affairs.

Hatchet File Photo.
José Andrés, the University-wide Commencement speaker. Hatchet File Photo.

SUNDAY, May 18

9:30 a.m. – University-wide Commencement on the National Mall, between 7th and 14th streets. All schools come together on the Mall for University-wide commencement, featuring keynote speaker José Andrés. The ceremony begins at 10 a.m. Make sure to check the weather: It rained during last year’s ceremony.

2:30 p.m. – Law School Celebration in the Smith Center. Keynote speaker and alumnus Bruce Sewell is Apple’s general counsel and senior vice president of legal and government Affairs.

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