For Natalia Anzaldúa, trouble has been a constant companion.

Speaking on Sunday before the more than 8,000 graduates on the National Mall, the occupational therapy doctoral graduate recalled spending long stretches in the principal’s office as a child, questioning why things had to be done “one way and not the other.” Anzaldúa said GW was the first place that didn’t just tolerate her questions but helped shape her “trouble making tendencies” into advocacy.

“At GW, I was always encouraged to keep asking why,” Anzaldúa said.

Anzaldúa said she learned how to “tone it down” over time for her “mother’s sanity,” but she had the “gut feeling” that something was “off” whenever she did. She said she encourages the Class of 2025 to keep asking “why?” and, when they hold positions of power, to lead by keeping “the door open for others.” 

Anzaldúa drew inspiration from John Lewis, a civil rights activist, urging students to “get in good trouble.” She told graduates that getting in “good” and “necessary” trouble can “redeem the soul of America.”

“Let’s continue to do things the GW way, changing the world one revolutionary idea at a time,” Anzaldúa said.

Commencement arrives as students conclude an academic year marked by continued protests over the University’s response to the war in Gaza, with demonstrators renewing calls for divestment from Israel more than a year after local police dismantled the pro-Palestinian encampment in University Yard. Toward the end of the ceremony, about 40 students stood in the center aisle and unfurled banners at the beginning of University President Ellen Granberg’s charge to the Class of 2025, protesting the University’s handling of pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus. 

The demonstration also comes one day after student speaker Cecilia Culver condemned the University’s refusal to divest from Israel and disciplinary actions against pro-Palestinian protesters in her speech during the Columbian College of Arts & Sciences first graduation ceremony on Saturday. University spokesperson Kathy Fackelmann said on Saturday that Culver’s speech was “materially different” from her approved remarks and officials are investigating whether Culver violated the University’s event protocol or Student Code of Conduct.

During her charge, Granberg pushed graduates to “go boldly” and “raise high” as they enter a world in need of what she called “revolutionary” leadership. She said her two-year tenure as president has taught her three important lessons about GW, which include the importance of respectful dialogue and active listening.

“First, you’ve taught me that voices matter at GW,” Granberg said. “Some people think it’s about shouting the loudest or going viral, but GW’s way is to think deeply, listen generously and speak with understanding and respect.”

The second lesson Granberg said students taught her is that the ability to have difficult conversations is a GW “superpower.” She said countless “tough” debates across campus inspired confidence in students’ ability to confront pressing questions.

“This Class of 2025 has already shown that you have what it takes,” Granberg said.

She said students’ capstone and research project presentations she viewed this year have proved their “high spirit,” where they have shown their ability to ensure tomorrow will be better than today. 

“You’ve shown me the incredible possibilities that arise from an electric combination of resourcefulness, talent and a commitment to serve,” Granberg said.

As Granberg spoke, the student protesters chanted “There is only one solution, a student-led revolution” and held various signs during Granberg’s speech, including ones that read, “Ban MPD & ICE from campus,” “Disclose, divest now” and “Grads withhold donations, we won’t fund this Holocaust.”

Granberg did not stop her speech while the student protesters shouted chants. She also received a collection of boos from the graduate section earlier in the ceremony when Board of Trustees Chair Grace Speights first announced her to the podium.  

Event staff immediately escorted the roughly 40 students from the aisles to the back of the student section, where they stood and chanted for roughly three minutes before U.S. Park Police pushed the protesters to walk toward the right side of the venue toward an exit. They received a standing ovation from some of the seated graduates as the officers escorted the student protesters away from the ceremony. 

About 10 additional graduates exited the ceremony with similar signs condemning the University’s response to the war following the demonstration during the duration of Granberg’s speech. More than 100 graduates walked out of the Commencement ceremony last year during Granberg’s speech, protesting the war in Gaza and demanding GW divests from companies supplying arms to Israel.

2024 WNBA Finals MVP and Commencement speaker Jonquel Jones urged graduates to follow their “gut instincts” because doing so led her to GW and allowed her to grow as an athlete and as an individual. She said she started her college career at Clemson University, but her gut told her that she should transfer to GW and reunite with then-GW Women’s Assistant Basketball Coach Diane Richardson, who had previously sponsored Jones to come to the United States from the Bahamas to start a basketball career. 

Jones also said her path to GW from the Bahamas and now to playing for the New York Liberty taught her to value intuition, reserve time to “enjoy life” and that success requires both the right environment and people. 

“I told myself that walking away from what I knew meant I was giving up and not growing. But your gut doesn’t lie,” Jones said. “It whispers, then it nudges and eventually it shouts. And my decision to transfer to GW changed everything.” 

Jones said recovering from setbacks and moments of self-doubt — like initially resisting a pull toward GW before ultimately transferring — showed her that the path to success often unfolds in unexpected ways, shaped by time and experience. She told graduates to put in work and be open when stumbles in stride occur because their hardship shape people into who they ultimately become.

“Keep trusting yourself, keep putting in the work when no one is watching because your moment will come,” Jones said. “When that door finally opens, I want you to walk through it like you were meant to be there all along.”

Granberg and four students bestowed four honorary doctoral degrees to three GW alumni, including Jones, Washington Nationals principal manager Mark Lerner and Shenkman Capital Management President Mark Shenkman. GW also granted Eleanor Holmes Norton, D.C.’s 18-term nonvoting representative in the House of Representatives, a honorary degree for her service in the District.

GW Alumni Association President Maxwell Gocala-Nguyen welcomed the graduates to a community of 330,000 alumni around the world. During his speech, he recognized a group of about 10 alumni emeriti, who had graduated from the University more 50 years ago, present at the ceremony and who wore gold robes to represent the “enduring spirit and legacy” of GW.

Gocala-Nguyen said he wants the graduates to stay involved at GW and help support new and returning students. He said the association consists of graduates who “truly” work to make the world a better place, and their continued engagement with the University allows for “robust discussions” to continue due to graduates’ individual perspectives, expertise and insight. 

“Together, we can continue to evolve and grow GW’s outreach and impact, all while forging new friendships that may last a lifetime,” Gocala-Nguyen said.