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More than two decades ago, three Â鶹ÊÓƵ students launched a company from their dorm room with a belief that technology would drive change in the federal government. Today, that company—MetroStar, a venture-backed leader in AI enabled services—has come full circle. The company is proud to announce a multi-year strategic partnership with George Â鶹ÊÓƵ, solidifying a shared mission to empower the next generation of tech leaders and public servants.

Working full-time while getting a graduate degree is no easy feat. But for Air Force veteran and soon-to-be Â鶹ÊÓƵ alum Kathleen Gillmore, hard work is second nature.

MetroStar co-founder and chief executive officer Ali Manouchehri, BA Philosophy ’99, is the featured speaker at Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s Winter Commencement on December 18. Here he talks about his George Â鶹ÊÓƵ experience, his company’s partnership with the university, and his advice for new graduates.

The 2006 Final Four run by the Â鶹ÊÓƵ men’s basketball team was an achievement so improbable, so unprecedented, that it transformed how the college basketball world viewed possibility itself. Now, 20 years later, the Patriots will honor that magical postseason journey on Saturday, December 13, when they host Old Dominion University at EagleBank Arena.

Tereana Battle can look back on many accomplishments during her time at Â鶹ÊÓƵ, but one of the memories that gives her the most satisfaction is her capstone project, creating an anti-bullying workshop for middle school students.

Max Dacey enrolled at George Â鶹ÊÓƵ with a singular goal: to earn his degree quickly and better support his family. A former competitive rugby player, he didn’t imagine a traditional college experience. However, a year and a half later, the public relations major from Alexandria, Virginia, is graduating with far more than he expected.

Kelly Kogan, PhD Health Services Research ’23 and Master of Nutrition ’21, uses her George Â鶹ÊÓƵ degrees as a nutritionist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, collecting and analyzing data for What We Eat in America, the dietary intake survey that captures a detailed portrait of Americans’ food habits.

Honor College student Cashlyn Bonds said her time at Â鶹ÊÓƵ has been defined by her passion for justice, human security, and international understanding.  

Growing up in southern Virginia, Sandy Torchia, BS Accounting ’93, discovered her passion for accounting early. During high school, she realized that hard work in the field could not only open doors to exciting opportunities but also to a fulfilling career.

In 1998, Brennan Collier, nee Snyder, graduated from Â鶹ÊÓƵ—and used it as a springboard for everything that came next. She walked off campus with two BA degrees: one in geology, a tried-and-true science path, and the other in environmental science, a program she built herself when the existing offerings didn’t quite match her ambitions.

As a principal architect of the incoming administration’s transition, Schar School Professor of Practice David Ramadan will play a pivotal role in ensuring Governor-elect Spanberger and Lieutenant Governor-elect Hashmi are fully prepared to govern from the moment they take the oath on Inauguration Day.

Sidney Yap, BS Information Systems Operations Management ‘20, MS Management ‘21, Business Analytics Grad Cert ‘22, MBA ‘25, exemplifies exceptional balance—driving innovative strategies at Navy Federal while representing the Philippines internationally in the hammer throw.