Spring Commencement

General David W. Allvin named featured speaker for Spring 2026 Commencement

Katarina Benson — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 17:46:36 +0000

General David W. Allvin named featured speaker for Spring 2026 Commencement Katarina Benson Wed, 04/01/2026 - 13:46

General David W. Allvin, the 23rd Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, will be the featured speaker at 91��’s Spring Commencement ceremony on May 14 at EagleBank Arena.

Allvin served as chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force from November 2023 to November 2025, under President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump. His stint as chief of staff capped a nearly four-decade career defined by his Air Force’s focus on strategy, modernization, and international affairs.

General David W. Allvin. Photo provided

As chief of staff, Allvin served as the senior uniformed Air Force officer responsible for the organization, training, and equipping of 689,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces serving domestically and overseas. As a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Allvin served as a military adviser to the secretary of defense, National Security Council, and the president.

Allvin has received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal (three times), the Legion of Merit (twice), and the Bronze Star Medal.

He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1986. In addition to chief of staff and vice chief of staff, the four-star general’s many leadership positions included:

Commanding General, NATO Air Training Command—Afghanistan
Commander, 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, Kabul, Afghanistan
Commander, 618th Air and Space Operations Center
Director, Strategy, Concepts, and Assessments
Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Requirements, Headquarters, U.S. Air Force
Director, Strategy, Plans and Policy, Headquarters U.S. European Command
Vice Director, Strategy, Plans and Policy, the Joint Staff
Director for Strategy, Plans and Policy, J-5, Joint Staff

He is a command pilot with more than 4,600 hours in more than 30 aircraft, including 800 flight test hours and 100 combat hours.

Spring 2026 Commencement Information

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International Security and Law

International Security and Music: A Graduating 18-Year-Old’s Global Journey at the Schar School

Andrew J Schappert — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:19:07 +0000

International Security and Music: A Graduating 18-Year-Old’s Global Journey at the Schar School Andrew J Schappert Tue, 02/10/2026 - 12:19

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Josef Wolpert knew early that he wanted to understand how the world works when it comes to power, conflict, and security. As a graduating senior in 91��’s International Security and Law undergraduate program at the Schar School of Policy and Government, he has already begun carving out a path that blends academic rigor, regional expertise, and an unusually global perspective for someone his age.

Josef Wolpert plays the dombra, a traditional Kazakh musical instrument on Lake Kaindy in Southeastern Kazakhstan. Photo provided

He’s 18. He will, he said, “barely be turning 19 when I get my degree” in May.

When he began looking at universities in Virginia, several options were on the table. What ultimately drew him to George Mason was proximity—to Washington, D.C., to opportunity, and to practitioners.

“It seems like all the professors that are former FBI, CIA, DIA—whatever you want, they have it here,” he said. “If I’m going to follow this track, I want to be surrounded by those kinds of people.”

The decision has shaped his academic experience. Wolpert transferred to George Mason as a junior after completing two associate degrees at John Tyler Community College (now Brightpoint Community College) near his hometown of Richmond, Virginia. He entered one of the first cohorts of the International Security and Law Program, a one-of-a-kind degree program that prepares graduates to become leaders in the face of security threats, from weather disasters to cyberattacks to nuclear proliferation and more.

The program’s applied focus, Wolpert said, confirmed that he had chosen the right field—and the right place.

“That was mostly the deciding factor,” he said. “Just the amazing faculty that the Schar School has.”

Within international security, Wolpert’s interests have narrowed toward Russia, Eurasia, and cybersecurity, an emphasis shaped by both language and lived experience. Fluent in German as well as his native English, Wolpert studied abroad in Kazakhstan through the U.S. Department of State’s National Security Language Initiative for Youth, spending a summer immersed in Russian-language study and regional context.

That experience continues to inform his academic work. When he does research regarding Russia, he does it in Russian, which, he said, “is very helpful; it gives me an edge.”

That edge was on display in a recent op-ed he authored and published with the encouragement of Schar School Associate Professor Mahmut Cengiz, a renowned terrorism scholar and a research professor at the Schar School’s Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center. The assignment asked students to examine a threat to American security; Wolpert focused on Russia and cybersecurity, drawing on coursework, language skills, and personal networks.

The resulting essay, ”Russian Cyberwarfare Doctrine and America’s Counterstrategy,” was published in January by Modern Diplomacy, an international journal of global policy and academic analysis based in Bulgaria.

"Looking ahead five years,” said Cengiz, “I would not be surprised to see Josef serving as a security analyst or policy advisor focused on European and Eurasian affairs, where his German- and Russian-language skills, intellectual seriousness, and creative discipline will allow him to bridge analysis, strategy, and diplomacy."

As his undergraduate career winds down, Wolpert is weighing graduate school options, with the Schar School’s top-rated international security program at the top of his list.

“That’s my dream program,” he said.

When he is not studying and preparing for his future, Wolpert plays cello—and just about every other stringed instrument that crosses his peripatetic path.

“Music has always been a really big part of my life,” he said. “I really excelled at cello, and I’ve played in orchestras. I’ve met [famed cellist] Yo-Yo Ma on several occasions.”

Wolpert’s musical expertise goes beyond the cello.

“I’ve picked up several other instruments,” Wolpert said. “When I went to Kazakhstan, I picked up dombra, basically a two-stringed guitar. I also know how to play balalaika, which is a Russian three-stringed guitar. If I go somewhere and they have a local instrument, I always pick one up and figure out how to play it.”

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Class of 2026

Master of International Security

Schar School of Policy and Government

Schar School Student Spotlight

Schar School Featured Stories

Students

George Mason’s record-breaking Class of 2025 packed the house at Spring Commencement

ckearney — Thu, 15 May 2025 19:10:24 +0000

George Mason’s record-breaking Class of 2025 packed the house at Spring Commencement ckearney Thu, 05/15/2025 - 15:10

91�� honored its largest ever graduating class at Spring Commencement, turning the event’s “This Is Your Moment” theme into a tassel-turning time to remember for a record-breaking class of more than 12,000 degree and certificate earners.

The ceremony, livestreamed on George Mason’s YouTube channel Thursday morning from EagleBank Arena, honored graduates from 117 countries and 49 states as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and military installations.

91�� President Gregory Washington told graduates they are stepping into a time of “profound challenge and change” and urged each to determine their core values to help them make decisions, particularly the difficult ones.

“Your core values are your roots,” Washington said. “In ways large and small, they provide a foundation of support that will enable you to tackle challenges with a clear mind, a clear heart, and a clear conscience.

“When you know who you are, when you know what you stand for, you can proceed with purpose and dignity. Your values are your path. And your path will lead you to strategies and solutions.”

The Class of Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

During the ceremony, Washington asked three different groups to stand and be recognized—first-generation graduates (which accounted for 25% of the class), students who came to George Mason via a community college, and students who are current or former military members, or military dependents. Each sizable group received a warm ovation and underscored the individual paths each graduate took to earning their degree.

One of the most noteworthy singular paths that Washington shared was the one taken by Yevin Goonatilake, who in December became the university’s youngest graduate to earn a 4.0 GPA, at 15 years old. This spring, at 16, he became the youngest person in university history to earn a master’s degree (computer science), a feat that elicited astonishment from graduates and attendees alike. His path will continue at George Mason as he pursues his PhD.

The guest speaker, Martina Cheung, president and CEO of S&P Global, advised the graduates to not think of their career arc as a ladder, because sometimes the wisest decision is to move laterally, not vertically. That has been her experience within S&P. She left the position as president of the market intelligence division to become president of the company’s credit rating agency, exposing her to other aspects of the business and to new colleagues inside and outside the organization.

Double major Duy Ha Vu. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

“Looking back now, I realize leading two divisions instead of one actually better prepared me for becoming CEO,” Cheung said. “So the lesson here 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 especially clear.”

Board of Visitors Rector Charles “Cully” Stimson, JD ’92, presented Cheung with an honorary doctor of humane letters degree.

Student speaker Duy Ha Vu, a double major in public administration and business who moved to the United States from Vietnam, recalled personal triumphs, such as working at the Schar School of Policy and Government, founding a billiards club, and spending a semester at Mason Korea.

But Vu also recalled times of struggle and loneliness, particularly during the pandemic when he first arrived at George Mason.

“I stand before you not because I am the perfect student,” Vu said. “It’s because I never let those mistakes define me. And today, as I look at all of you in your caps and gowns, I see a room full of people who did that just that [too]. If you have made it this far, you have what it takes to go even further.”

Vu’s supporters included his mother, who had flown in from London to attend the ceremony.

Rector Stimson presents the George Mason Medal to Robert E. Buchanan. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Spring Commencement also provided an opportunity for the university to honor some of its most enduring champions. Stimson awarded the George Mason Medal, the university’s highest honorary award, to Robert E. Buchanan, a leading real estate developer who has served the university and Washington, D.C., civic causes for decades while also working with other business leaders to shape the region’s economic direction.

Receiving honorary degrees were civic and business leader Albert Dwoskin, another long-time university partner and advocate who has supported George Mason priorities across access, innovation, and inclusive excellence, and Carolyn Peterson, a passionate advocate for education and the arts whose steadfast support for George Mason also spans decades. Peterson accepted her honor at the Board of Visitors meeting earlier this month.

Scott Hine, BS Decision Science ’85, president of the 91�� Alumni Association, welcomed the new graduates to a network of nearly 250,000 alumni and encouraged them to stay connected to the university by attending events, guest-speaking in classes, mentoring students, and supporting George Mason through philanthropy.

“There is likely an alum in any industry you are joining, and there is likely an alum in any location in which you’re settling,” Hine said. “This is an incredible network that you should leverage.”

Some 41% of undergraduate degree earners in the Class of 2025 are in STEM and health sciences fields, as are 48% of advanced degree earners, an indication of the university supplying workplace-ready talent in high-demand fields.

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George Mason’s Spring 2025 Commencement in pictures

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

George Mason’s Spring 2025 Commencement in pictures lclarkg Thu, 05/15/2025 - 14:31

Spring 2025 Commencement at 91�� 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 Mason 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

91�� 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 Mason 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 Mason’s spring 2025 graduates

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

Commencement Speaker Martina L. Cheung’s remarks to George Mason’s spring 2025 graduates ckearney Thu, 05/15/2025 - 12:37

Remarks prepared for delivery

Hello, George Mason! 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 Mason’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 Mason 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 Mason Medal

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

Buchanan to receive the George Mason Medal ckearney Mon, 05/12/2025 - 14:40

Third-generation builder/developer Robert E. “Bob” Buchanan will receive the George Mason Medal, 91��’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 Mason Medal are characterized by a record of service to their community, state, or nation consistent with the level and quality of George Mason’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 91��, to discuss economy diversification and to create a plan for sustainable economic growth.

Buchanan and his wife, Sharon, have been active supporters of George Mason for years. Bob served on the Board of Trustees of the 91�� 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 Mason Board and the School of Art Advisory Council. In 2018, they established the Bob and Sharon Buchanan Fund for Marketing Mason 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 Mason honors a record number of graduates at Spring Commencement

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

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

91�� 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 Mason, 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 Mason’s mission of access and opportunity. About 1 in 4 graduates reports that they will be first-generation degree earners.

George Mason graduates have been successful in landing jobs. According to a Mason Career Plans Survey and supplemental data, 85% of Class of 2024 George Mason 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 Mason’s Spring Commencement

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

Martina Cheung to speak at George Mason’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 91��’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 Mason honors nearly 11,000 at Spring 2024 Commencement ceremony

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

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

91��’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 Mason graduates were the oldest George Mason 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 Mason President Gregory Washington addresses the Spring 2024 Commencement crowd from the stage at EagleBank Arena. Photo by Ron Aira/91��

George Mason 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 Mason 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. About 1 in 4 George Mason 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 Mason 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 Mason Lobbies, Mason Recreation, Patriot Leaders, supportive Mason 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 Mason 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 Mason alumni worldwide and across industries and communities.

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

New graduates celebrate at the end of Spring 2024 Commencement. Photo by Ron Aira/91��

Congrats, Grads! Visit the Alumni Association site

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