Family, friends and staff gathered to celebrate Columbian College of Arts and Sciences master’s students in the Smith Center Friday.
Faculty and student speakers prompted graduates to discover their intuition, celebrate those who have helped them achieve success and stay engaged with the University after graduation.
Here are three takeaways from the ceremony:
1. ‘Re-awaken your intuition’
Gelaye Debebe, an associate professor of organizational sciences and the faculty speaker, shared a story about a golden statue of Buddha in Thailand. Debebe said people covered the statue with plaster to protect it from war, but the secret of the statue’s true form was forgotten until a monk realized it was actually gold.
Debebe said the story serves as a metaphor to help students find their voice and authenticity.
“The story of the golden Buddha suggests that the inherited identity is not locked in,” Debebe said. “We all get the wake-up call, an event that knocks off a piece of our plaster, our externally defined sense of self, giving us a glimpse of our potential.”
She said graduates should remember and thank those who have helped them succeed throughout their lives and education, but must also rely on their intuition.
“When you get a wake up call, chip away the plaster like the monks did,” she said. “Reawaken your intuition and the spirit of curiosity and receptivity, and listen very carefully. Your intuition will unmask who you are not and help you discover who you are.”
2. ‘Celebrate your village’
Jasmine Cannon, a student speaker and the recipient of the Distinguished Master’s Degree Scholar award, shared African proverbs she said graduates should “carry” throughout Commencement weekend and after graduation.
Cannon said the proverb “It takes a village” reminds graduates to celebrate friends and family who supported them throughout their lives and education.
“This accomplishment isn’t just for me, it’s for my village as well,” Cannon said. “I hope you get the time and the chance to celebrate your village as much as your village is celebrating you.”
Cannon said the proverb “I am because you are, you are therefore I am” encourages graduates to remain involved with the University after they receive their degrees. She asked students to join the GW Alumni Association, become a mentor for students or attend an alumni weekend.
“This proverb reminds us that, as a collective, we are reflections of each other,” she said. “Our wins and losses are shared and we share the responsibility to look out for each other and take care of each other after we leave this campus.”
3. Take risks and stay engaged
Paul Wahlbeck, the interim dean of CCAS, shared three pieces of advice in his charge to the class: be grateful, take risks and stay engaged. Wahlbeck said students’ journeys through life are comprised of “hundreds of special moments,” including Friday’s celebration.
“This commencement ceremony, with all of its traditions and pageantry, is emblematic of the passing of knowledge from one generation to the next,” he said. “Your graduation regalia symbolizes the power of knowledge and its transformative force to improve the world through your work.”
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