Spring Commencement

George �鶹��Ƶ’s Spring 2025 Commencement in pictures

Lauren Reuscher — Thu, 15 May 2025 18:31:54 +0000

George �鶹��Ƶ’s Spring 2025 Commencement in pictures Lauren Reuscher Thu, 05/15/2025 - 14:31

Spring 2025 Commencement at �鶹��Ƶ on May 15 at EagleBank Arena celebrated more than 12,000 graduates and certificate recipients. Graduates hailed from 117 countries, 49 states, and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and military installations. George �鶹��Ƶ photographers captured the excitement and spirit of the day.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Graduates and their loved ones packed EagleBank Arena for Spring 2025 Commencement. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

�鶹��Ƶ President Gregory Washington welcomed graduates and their loved ones to Commencement. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Graduate Samira Plummer-Brown sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” and the Alma Mater during Spring Commencement at EagleBank Arena. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Commencement speaker Martina Cheung, president and CEO of S&P Global, urged graduates to envision what they want their lives to look like in the distant future. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Student speaker Duy Ha Vu shared his inspiring journey as an international student with fellow graduates. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

George �鶹��Ƶ President Gregory Washington, Commencement speaker Martina Cheung, Rector of the Board of Visitors Charles "Cully" Stimson, and Provost James Antony. Photo by Eduardo Macedo

Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

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Commencement Speaker Martina L. Cheung’s remarks to George �鶹��Ƶ’s spring 2025 graduates

Colleen Rich — Thu, 15 May 2025 16:37:09 +0000

Commencement Speaker Martina L. Cheung’s remarks to George �鶹��Ƶ’s spring 2025 graduates Colleen Rich Thu, 05/15/2025 - 12:37

Remarks prepared for delivery

Hello, George �鶹��Ƶ! Good morning.

Thank you, Greg [Washington] and Rector [Cully] Stimson. Thank you so much for inviting me to join you on this very special day.

Martina Cheung at Commencement. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Board of Visitors, deans, faculty, staff, distinguished guests, family, friends, and graduates: It’s an honor to be here.

Graduates, I might not be the first to say it. But let me be the loudest to say it. Congratulations Class of 2025!

Look at where you are today and think of how far you’ve come. You’ve made it! But I trust you realize you didn’t get here all by yourself. Look out into the stands and to your left and right—- and find the parents, relatives, friends, and classmates who helped get you to this point. I invite you to give them a big round of applause for the roles they played and the help they gave you on your journey here.

Class of 2025! Thinking about what I should share with you today, I kept coming back to something. I know the unofficial rule book of commencement addresses says to avoid using clichés, but I want to discuss and dissect this one. It’s said you should always look before you leap. But that advice is woefully inadequate. It does not specify where to look. Or when to look. Or even what to you should look at.

So let me fill in the picture for you.

I suggest looking in three directions.

First, look around you.

Second, look far ahead.

And third, look inside.

Let me take you through each of these.

First, looking around—seeing what’s next to us, not what’s just before us— gives us the ability to see adjacencies, expands our thinking, and opens all kinds of new possibilities.

You’re graduating so you’re thinking about what’s way down the road. But if you don’t look at what’s at hand right now, you may miss something.

Apply this approach when you leave today. Most people think of their careers as a ladder. They see the goal as climbing the ladder with promotions or leaving one job to take a bigger one elsewhere.

The truth is, moving up is not the only direction. It’s not even always the best direction. Sometimes it’s the lateral move.

Three years ago, Imade a lateral move. I had been working for a few years as president of our Market Intelligence division. I had a great team. The job was rewarding. I loved it. Then, our former CEO Doug Peterson asked me to serve as president of our credit rating agency.

It wasn’t a promotion. It wasn’t a move up. And when I was a kid, let me assure you I never said, ‘When I grow up, I want to be the president of a Credit Ratings Agency,” but I took it anyway, because it was a great opportunity.

The move exposed me to different customers, a whole new set of colleagues, and the opportunity to meet regulators and policy makers all around the globe—all people that were important when I did move up.

Looking back now, I realize leading two divisions instead of one better prepared me for becoming CEO.

The lesson is: Don’t collect promotions. Collect experiences. That’s going to make you smarter, better prepared for what comes next, and it’ll give you a more reliable gut sense of what you ought to do when the answer isn’t clear.

Because I collected experiences and took lateral moves, there are not many challenges I see these days that I haven’t navigated in some way before, although… if someone can explain whether rubbing George �鶹��Ƶ’s toe over in Wilkins Plaza really does bring you good luck, I’d love to hear it!

The bottom line is: If something’s interesting, go for it. Don’t worry as much about the pay or the prestige. If it captures your attention, your passion, it’s going to get you where you want to go faster.

Vision not only opens you up to lateral moves; it also gives you a window into the benefits of taking on new assignments.

Renowned American virologist, Dr. Jonas Salk said, “The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more.”

That’ll work for you, too, and unlike Dr. Salk, you don’t have to cure a disease to prove it’s true.

The added work may not come with extra pay immediately, but I promise the way it expands your own vision can be golden.

During my 15 years at S&P Global, I’ve taken on several special assignments that were more than my day job.

In 2015 and in 2020, my boss asked me to lead the due diligence on the two largest acquisitions in our company’s history. This was on top of my normal responsibilities. I looked at these as opportunities for professional growth and development, to meet new people outside my network, and to develop what I like to call an enterprise mindset—not being siloed in your thinking but rather having an attitude of delivering value across the entire organization.

These projects required us to merge two separate companies, two distinct cultures, and two different leadership teams—and they taught me another valuable lesson. Mergers and acquisitions can be stressful events. Opinions can differ about strategy, synergies, and value. Assuming the person on the other side of the table has good intentions can help you lower the temperature and work toward your shared goals.

So that’s what you can learn looking laterally.

With that established, let me tell you my second point, the value of a long-term view.

Having a long-term view allowed me to envision my future far across an ocean.

I left Ireland in 2000 to come to the U.S. I was so proud when I became a U.S. citizen. When I was sitting where you are, I might not have known that this was exactly where I would wind up—but I was thinking about the life I wanted to shape, and the type of work I wanted to do.

In the U.S., I saw opportunities to work on exciting consulting projects for companies who are global leaders in their field.

I am a long-term thinker and a lifelong learner, and I wanted to be at the heart of innovation, technology, and value creation across many industries.

And I’m proud that I’ve contributed to the American economy. In the six years since I joined the S&P Global executive team, our company has returned nearly $28 billion to our shareholders in the form of dividends and share repurchases. That money has gone into the 401(k) accounts of workers saving for retirement. And we have supported tens of thousands of companies to help them grow their businesses, invest in new opportunities, and support employees and their families.

For me, this is very meaningful—a very real part of the American Dream.

By the way, speaking of long-term vision, if you don’t have a job lined up yet, don’t let it scare you. Start somewhere. Start anywhere. Figure out your long-term goal—and give yourself permission to change it if your experience leads you to do so. Taking a long-term view frees up your thinking to take lateral moves and to understand they are learning experiences, and it gives you permission to really start anywhere.

When I was a teenager, I started working for my father’s restaurant. It wasn’t glamorous and it wasn’t what I had in mind over the long term, but it was a great place to start. I learned about product quality, service excellence, and building customer loyalty. Those values still drive me today.

My long-term view was a little different back then. Things changed for me. They’ll change for you, too.

Your career is going to span decades. When you come to a crossroads, stop and ask yourself: Where do I want to be in five-to-10 years and what can I do over the next two-to-three years to help me get there? This can help you decide which way to go.

The third important skill I encourage you to hone is introspection.

Be honest with yourself. As you look within, also ask someone else for honest feedback—and tell them you want a candid assessment, not just encouragement.

When you leave here today, go find others who can help you. Look for mentors—people who are good at what they do and who enjoy what they’re doing. They can be relatives, professors, professionals, and entrepreneurs. Then… just ask: Will you be a mentor for me? Can I come to you for advice?

Don’t be afraid to ask just like that. Most of them will be flattered. It’s a pretty high honor to be asked to help figure out somebody’s life.

And then make this relationship mutually beneficial. What I mean is that the relationship should not be one-way learning, from mentor to mentee.

You might be surprised that mentors are going to learn from you, too. You’re smart, have incredible talents, interesting experiences, and a George �鶹��Ƶ education to boot! …. which means you have something valuable to contribute. You may be proficient in a topic your mentor knows very little about. The people you’re seeking out will benefit from your perspective as well as you benefiting from theirs.

I’ll let you in on a secret, too. You never outgrow needing a mentor. Even CEOs have mentors.

Taking time to reflect, acquiring new perspectives, and thinking about self-improvement are critical life skills.

On this day 25 years ago, Peter Drucker—a management expert, a very good one—said something that at the time was only beginning to be clear. He said that knowledge is our main resource, and knowledge workers are the main part of the workforce.

But now, some people believe that GenAI is going to upend that. I beg to differ.

The truth is the set of interests, perspectives, and passions that define your mental landscape creates an intellectual curiosity that is yours alone.

This quality is unique to you, like a fingerprint. It cannot be duplicated, cannot be imitated, and cannot be captured by silicon and software.

Critical thinking matters. Look within. No one else will have exactly the perspective you have—not now and not ever.

One of the keys to success, now and in the future, is to never stop learning. People need to learn skills of all kinds. Part of self-reflection is being intellectually curious.

In practice, that means learning everything you can about topics you’re passionate about or topics that intrigue you. For me—right now—it’s GenAI. At S&P Global, GenAI is a great enabler. It helps us to be more productive and it enhances our products and services. I’m constantly learning about it, asking questions about what our partners are doing with it, and how we can use AI to help our customers be better at their jobs.

The most successful people I know are lifelong learners demonstrating precisely why they’re successful!

Today may be the end of your formal education, but it’s just the start of a process of accumulating the knowledge, capabilities, and relationships that will serve you well for the rest of your life.

Over the course of your lifetime, you’ll be inundated with information. Some of it will be trustworthy. Some will be noise. Over time, you’ll learn who to pay attention to and what to take onboard.

The important thing is to be open-minded about feedback and keen on hearing from a diverse set of voices…and never stop learning.

In the days and years ahead, you’re going to face difficult challenges and make difficult choices. And when that happens, pause. Spend a little time in the gap between “when the question comes” and your reaction. Take a moment. Remember how to look before you leap.

Look around you.

Look ahead of you.

And look within.

That will give you the vision to clearly see the path ahead.

Congratulations Class of 2025! I wish you much success and I’m so excited to see what you do next.

Thank you.

Q&A with Martina Cheung

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Buchanan to receive the George �鶹��Ƶ Medal

Colleen Rich — Mon, 12 May 2025 18:40:16 +0000

Buchanan to receive the George �鶹��Ƶ Medal Colleen Rich Mon, 05/12/2025 - 14:40

Third-generation builder/developer Robert E. “Bob” Buchanan will receive the George �鶹��Ƶ Medal, �鶹��Ƶ’s highest honorary award, at the 2025 Spring Commencement on Thursday, May 15, at EagleBank Arena.

Robert E. “Bob” Buchanan. Photo provided

Those who receive the George �鶹��Ƶ Medal are characterized by a record of service to their community, state, or nation consistent with the level and quality of George �鶹��Ƶ’s public service in his own time.

Buchanan founded Buchanan Partners’ predecessor company almost 50 years ago and launched Buchanan Partners in 1998. Under his guidance, the Bethesda, Maryland-based company has become one of the leading full-service real estate firms in the Greater Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. His company has become a trusted business partner for investors worldwide.

In 2009, Buchanan founded the 2030 Group, an association of Washington area business leaders focused on regional long-term decision-making. Later, his Roadmap Project brought together leaders from across the Washington, D.C., metro area, including �鶹��Ƶ, to discuss economy diversification and to create a plan for sustainable economic growth.

Buchanan and his wife, Sharon, have been active supporters of George �鶹��Ƶ for years. Bob served on the Board of Trustees of the �鶹��Ƶ Foundation, was a member of the National Leadership Council, and served on the advisory boards of the Schar School of Policy and Government, the School of Art, and Science and Technology Campus. Sharon is also a member of the National Leadership Council and served on the Arts at �鶹��Ƶ Board and the School of Art Advisory Council. In 2018, they established the Bob and Sharon Buchanan Fund for Marketing �鶹��Ƶ to support the university’s promotional efforts across various media.

For several years, the Washington Business Journal included Buchanan in its “Power 100” list of the region’s most influential business leaders. He was selected as the 2017 Regional Leader Honoree by Leadership Fairfax Northern Virginia Leadership Awards. Buchanan received the Urban Land Institute’s Lifetime Achievement award in 2018. In 2022, he received the Williams Trophy Award from the Washington Airports Taskforce. In 2024, the Community Foundation of Montgomery County named Buchanan Philanthropist of the Year.

Spring 2025 Commencement Information

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George �鶹��Ƶ honors a record number of graduates at Spring Commencement

Katarina Benson — Mon, 12 May 2025 13:11:46 +0000

George �鶹��Ƶ honors a record number of graduates at Spring Commencement Katarina Benson Mon, 05/12/2025 - 09:11

�鶹��Ƶ will celebrate Spring Commencement on Thursday by honoring a record-setting number of students earning degrees, and 12,106 students total will be recognized for earning degrees or certificates.

Class of 2025 graduates represent 117 countries, 49 states, and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and military installations.

The ceremony is set for 9:30 a.m. Thursday at EagleBank Arena on the Fairfax Campus. Doors open at 8:30 a.m.

Tickets are required for guests to enter the arena. Graduates may access tickets here. For questions email gmuevent@gmu.edu. The event also will be livestreamed.

George �鶹��Ƶ, the largest and most diverse public university in Virginia, will award 11,415 degrees for graduates who have filed an intent to graduate from Summer 2024, Fall 2024, and Spring 2025 as of May 1. The university also will award 531 certificates.

Martina Cheung, president and CEO of S&P Global, is the featured speaker. Duy Ha Vu, graduating with degrees in public administration and business, is the student speaker.

The Class of 2025 is prepared to fill critical positions in the region and state’s workforce—41% of undergraduates are in STEM fields and the health sciences, as are 48% of those earning graduate degrees.

Commencement also will highlight George �鶹��Ƶ’s mission of access and opportunity. �鶹��Ƶ 1 in 4 graduates reports that they will be first-generation degree earners.

George �鶹��Ƶ graduates have been successful in landing jobs. According to a �鶹��Ƶ Career Plans Survey and supplemental data, 85% of Class of 2024 George �鶹��Ƶ graduates had a positive career outcome at or within six months of graduation, with a median salary of $70,000.

The top five majors among the 6,875 undergraduates in the Class of 2025 are business; information technology; computer science; psychology; and criminology, law and society.

For the 3,975 students earning master’s degrees, the top five majors are data analytics engineering, computer science, special education, curriculum and instruction, and business administration.

The top majors for the 400 students earning doctoral degrees are education, psychology, computer science, economics, and conflict analysis and resolution. There will be 170 doctoral candidates individually recognized at Commencement. Graduates receiving bachelor’s and master’s degrees will be recognized as a group at their seats.

There are 165 Scalia Law School graduates. The law school will hold degree celebration ceremonies Saturday, May 17, at 1:30 pm at the Concert Hall.

Spring 2025 Commencement Information

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Martina Cheung to speak at George �鶹��Ƶ’s Spring Commencement

Katarina Benson — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 15:09:28 +0000

Martina Cheung to speak at George �鶹��Ƶ’s Spring Commencement Katarina Benson Wed, 03/19/2025 - 11:09

Martina Cheung, president and CEO of S&P Global, will be the featured speaker at �鶹��Ƶ’s Spring Commencement on May 15 at EagleBank Arena on the Fairfax Campus.

Martina Cheung. Photo provided

Since 2010, Cheung, also a member of S&P Global’s board of directors, has held several positions with the New York-based company, including president of S&P Global Ratings, executive lead of S&P Global Sustainable1, and president of S&P Global Market Intelligence. Prior to joining S&P, she worked for Accenture’s Financial Services Strategy group and then as a partner at Mitchell Madison Consulting.

Cheung has been honored by a host of industry publications. In 2024, Pensions & Investments named her on a list of Influential Women in Institutional Investing, and INvolve for the second consecutive year named her to its 100 Empower Executives list.

American Banker last year placed Cheung on its list of the Most Powerful Women in Finance.

In addition, the Women’s Bond Club honored her with the Merit Award in 2022, and that same year she was honored at the Ascend A-List Awards for advancing Pan-Asian professionals. In 2016 she was inducted into the Academy of Women Leaders by the YWCA New York City.

Cheung earned a bachelor’s degree in commerce and a master’s degree in business studies, both from National University in Ireland, Galway.

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George �鶹��Ƶ honors nearly 11,000 at Spring 2024 Commencement ceremony

Melanie Balog — Thu, 09 May 2024 20:29:03 +0000

George �鶹��Ƶ honors nearly 11,000 at Spring 2024 Commencement ceremony Melanie Balog Thu, 05/09/2024 - 16:29

�鶹��Ƶ’s 2024 graduating class—the first whose members can say they earned a degree from a consensus top 50 public university in the country—was honored Thursday morning in front of an energized crowd at EagleBank Arena on the Fairfax Campus. The ceremony was also livestreamed.

The university celebrated nearly 11,000 degree and certificate earners, from 114 countries and 50 states, a significant number of whom filled every chair on the floor and spilled into the arena seating.

Some of the most enthusiastic celebrators of the newest George �鶹��Ƶ graduates were the oldest George �鶹��Ƶ graduates—several “Golden Patriots” who earned their degrees 50 or more years ago.

Guest speaker Barbara Humpton, CEO of Siemens USA, encouraged the graduates to remain optimistic even in times of uncertainty and to avoid trying to map out career moves too far in advance. She shared a personal story about working at a company for 27 years but being passed over for a CEO position because she was not considered executive material.

That setback inspired her to volunteer to take on new and challenging roles. She encouraged the graduates to “raise your hand” when opportunities arise that align with their sense of purpose.

“To be an optimist is to see the world as it is, identifying problems, and searching for ground truth,” Humpton said. “It’s about believing that you have what it takes to persevere, to find solutions amid difficulty, to recognize that your worst day might actually lead to your best.”

Vice Rector Jon M. Peterson presented Humpton with an honorary doctor of humane letters.

George �鶹��Ƶ President Gregory Washington addresses the Spring 2024 Commencement crowd from the stage at EagleBank Arena. Photo by Ron Aira/�鶹��Ƶ

George �鶹��Ƶ President Gregory Washington acknowledged the global events that have informed the experiences of the 2024 graduates, and noted that as graduates of Virginia’s largest and most diverse public university, they have a strong foundation for tackling these and other global challenges.

“I hope that your George �鶹��Ƶ education has prepared you to separate fact from fiction. To discern without demonizing. To listen as passionately as you speak—even when your heart races and your ears burn.

“Who better to bear the weight of lifting us out of our downward spiral than you—future leaders who these past few years have lived, learned, and engaged in one of the most diverse environments you will find,” he said.

As he does at each graduation ceremony, Washington asked the first-generation graduates to stand, and then asked the community college transfers who are graduating to stand. Both requests elicited a swell of rising green gowns and rounds of applause. �鶹��Ƶ 1 in 4 George �鶹��Ƶ graduates is first generation.

One of them was student speaker Zayd Hamid, a public administration major and Honors College student from Manassas Park, Virginia. He pointed out that graduates who started at the university in 2020 have gone from completing a �鶹��Ƶ health check every day during the pandemic to completing their hard-earned degrees.

One of the more active students at the university, Hamid gave special shoutouts to �鶹��Ƶ Lobbies, �鶹��Ƶ Recreation, Patriot Leaders, supportive �鶹��Ƶ alumni he has encountered, and Pell Grant recipients who like him needed federal financial support to achieve their academic goals. Hamid has lobbied for student financial aid on Capitol Hill and is ready to join with his fellow �鶹��Ƶ alumni in tackling other major issues.

“Leading with authenticity is the only way that we know how to lead,” Hamid said. “It’s up to our generation to solve the grand challenges facing humanity. We are the only ones who can.”

Alumni Association President Christine Landoll, BS Accounting ’89 and MS Taxation ’92, welcomed the newest alums and encouraged them to remain engaged with the university and to remember they are among an influential group of 235,000 George �鶹��Ƶ alumni worldwide and across industries and communities.

“Leverage this incredible network and connect and continue your �鶹��Ƶ story,” Landoll said. “Please take your �鶹��Ƶ pride with you wherever you go.”

New graduates celebrate at the end of Spring 2024 Commencement. Photo by Ron Aira/�鶹��Ƶ

Congrats, Grads! Visit the Alumni Association site

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George �鶹��Ƶ's Spring 2024 Commencement in pictures

Lauren Reuscher — Thu, 09 May 2024 19:22:24 +0000

George �鶹��Ƶ's Spring 2024 Commencement in pictures Lauren Reuscher Thu, 05/09/2024 - 15:22

Spring 2024 Commencement at �鶹��Ƶ on May 9 at EagleBank Arena celebrated nearly 11,000 graduates and certificate recipients. Graduates hailed from 114 countries and 50 states. �鶹��Ƶ photographers captured the excitement and spirit of the day.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/�鶹��Ƶ

George �鶹��Ƶ President Gregory Washington delivered Commencement remarks to an arena packed with graduates. Photo by Ron Aira/�鶹��Ƶ

Photo by Evan Cantwell/�鶹��Ƶ

Graduate Anissa Clay Zelaya sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” during Spring 2024 Commencement at EagleBank Arena. Photo by Evan Cantwell/�鶹��Ƶ

Photo by Evan Cantwell/�鶹��Ƶ

Photo by Ron Aira/�鶹��Ƶ

Photo by Evan Cantwell/�鶹��Ƶ

Photo by Ron Aira/�鶹��Ƶ

Interim Provost and Executive Vice President Ken Walsh, student Commencement speaker Zayd Hamid, Rector Horace Blackman, and President Gregory Washington. Photo by Ayman Rashid/�鶹��Ƶ

Photo by Evan Cantwell/�鶹��Ƶ

Congrats, Grads! Visit the Alumni Association site

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Student Commencement speaker Zayd Hamid learned how to lead through his many roles at George �鶹��Ƶ

Colleen Rich — Wed, 08 May 2024 16:02:22 +0000

Student Commencement speaker Zayd Hamid learned how to lead through his many roles at George �鶹��Ƶ Colleen Rich Wed, 05/08/2024 - 12:02

During Zayd Hamid’s first internship the summer before he came to �鶹��Ƶ, he worked at Manassas Park City Hall and learned about local government. One day, the assistant city manager took him to check in on their vaccine clinics. George �鶹��Ƶ was running those clinics, providing free vaccines in the middle of a global pandemic to communities in need.

Student Commencement Speaker Zayd Hamid. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

“After I saw [George �鶹��Ƶ] health workers serving my community, it just locked in that choice,” said Hamid.

After seeing George �鶹��Ƶ in action at his community center as an instrument of social and economic mobility, Hamid recognized that the university had the same qualities that he loved about Manassas Park High School. He knew he had made the right choice to enroll as a public administration major. Now, as he graduates in May, he’ll share his story as the student speaker at Spring Commencement 2024 on May 9.

As a first-generation Guyanese American student, Hamid has found his calling in empowering his generation of student leaders with the education and experience they need to solve the world’s grand challenges.

“The best way to describe my journey at George �鶹��Ƶ would be evolving leadership and being in those spaces where I could represent my fellow students helped shaped me into the leader I am now,” said Hamid, who is also a member of the Honors College.

He has been recognized at the state and national levels for his work supporting higher education funding and following graduation, he will continue that work through George �鶹��Ƶ’s master of public policy program.

Hamid put himself through college, working through the federal work-study program for over two-and-a-half years at George �鶹��Ƶ Recreation. In Spring 2023, he represented George �鶹��Ƶ students on a panel with the Association for Public Land Grant Universities speaking to congressional staff about the importance of the federal work-study program that he benefited from. Through the Schar School of Policy and Government, Hamid attended the U.S. Congress panel on education affordability.

“My story is built on the foundation of everyone who’s supported me—family, friends—and a lot of that support system as an adult has also been from George �鶹��Ƶ. I have so much support from faculty and members of the administration,” said Hamid.

During his time as an undergraduate, Hamid also took a leading role in �鶹��Ƶ Lobbies, an annual event in which Student Government brings students down to the state capitol in Richmond to lobby state legislators for legislative items that impact �鶹��Ƶ and its students.

This year, Hamid helped bring more than 70 students to meet with more than 30 offices in the Virginia General Assembly. He led a student team speaking to State Senator Danica Roem, who represents the Science and Technology Campus, and Delegate Will Morefield.

Roem, who is also Zayd’s hometown representative in the General Assembly, is one of his long-time role models. Hamid met Roem for the first time in his high school senior class council.

“We realized that we had no idea how to represent people or lead as students, so we called our representative and arranged a meeting and she made a really tangible impression on me,” said Hamid. “I spent a lot of my time in student government trying to live up to that model of leadership.”

In 2023, Hamid was the first-ever recipient of Student Advocate of the Year from the National Institute for Lobbying and Ethics (NILE). Hamid was approached by top lobbyist and George �鶹��Ƶ alum Bill McCabe of K9s for Warriors, who studied government and international politics at �鶹��Ƶ and got his master’s in public policy as Hamid plans to do. Hamid sees McCabe as a successful George �鶹��Ƶ alum in his industry and as someone whose level he strives to reach.

“Seeing McCabe go from doing �鶹��Ƶ Lobbies at a student level to being an award-winning lobbyist was incredible,” said Hamid. “It’s great to see someone in my industry get to those heights. The George �鶹��Ƶ degrees paved the way for him.”

"It's always great to meet students who are interested in pursuing policy and government affairs as their career after graduation,” McCabe said. “When I first met Zayd at NILE's Top Lobbyist Reception, I could instantly see his passion for the profession. His hunger to learn and develop as an advocate will serve him well whether it's at the federal, state, or local levels of government. I'm confident Zayd will thrive in whichever industry he chooses to pursue.”

Spring Commencement 2024

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