Undergraduate Celebration

 

Columbian College graduates are invited to attend the in-person Undergraduate Celebration ceremonies on May 18 at the Charles E. Smith Center. The celebration is open to graduates receiving their bachelor's and associate's degrees, along with family and friends. Not sure which ceremony to attend? See the list of participating majors. Graduates will need to register themselves and their guests in order to obtain tickets.

All graduates are also invited to attend the May 19 University-wide Commencement on the National Mall. 

We look forward to celebrating the class of 2024! Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #CCASOnward.

 

 

 

Participating Majors

 

 

Livestreams

 

 

Celebration Program

The CCAS Undergraduate Celebration program will be available soon for download.
 

 

Our Speakers

 

Assistant Professor Fallon Goodman

Assistant Professor, Psychological and Brain Sciences
12 p.m. Ceremony

Fallon Goodman is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at GW. She directs the Emotion and Resilience Laboratory, where she and her team conduct research on how people overcome social anxiety, foster social connection, and build resilience to adversity.

Professor Christopher Rollston

Professor, Classical and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations
3:30 p.m. Ceremony

Christopher Rollston is Professor of Ancient Semitic languages, a devoted teacher, and Chair of the Department of Classical and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at GW. He holds an MA and Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University. He researches in a dozen ancient and modern languages, is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and is a first-generation college student.

Baylee J. Bogard, 2024 Distinguished Scholar

BA in Criminal Justice, Minor in Communication ’24
12 p.m. Ceremony

Baylee Bogard from Newport Beach, Calif., was a criminal justice major and communication minor. She interned at the Vogel Group, a bipartisan D.C. lobbying firm, and was a member of GW Mock Trial and Phi Alpha Delta where she explored the intersection between communication and public policy. Baylee also led a group of peers through a GW externship with the St. Johns County Clerk of Court to devise a branding strategy for the rollout of new county initiatives. Baylee’s leadership and service as a thought-partner led to successful outcomes for the Floridian community and the cultivation of a flourishing partnership for GW.

In addition, Baylee was an AI Strategy Intern with Edelman Smithfield. She leveraged this role to conduct independent research on the implications of GenAI in corporate messaging. Baylee’s research touches on the future of workplace communication and persuasion tactics, and she is an advocate for teaching responsible applications of artificial intelligence.

After graduation, Baylee will join Booz Allen Hamilton as an Organizational Transformation and Change Consultant where she will work on innovating solutions for public sector organizations.

Sonia Goyal, 2024 Distinguished Scholar

BS in Biology, Minor in Human Anatomy ’24
3:30 p.m. Ceremony

Sonia Goyal, from Clarksville, Md., majored in biology with a minor in human anatomy. As a GW Presidential Academic Scholar and Outstanding Academic Achievement Awardee, Sonia received awards from GW’s Physics and Chemistry Departments. As a recipient of the Knowledge in Action Career Internship Fund Award, she was engaged in clinical research at renowned institutions, including Children’s National Hospital and the National Institutes of Health.

Dedicated to supporting her fellow classmates, Sonia was selected as a physics learning assistant. Outside the classroom, she organized events to benefit local D.C. healthcare organizations in her role as Service Director for GW’s American Medical Women’s Association. Sonia channeled her passion for serving those in need and giving back to the community by volunteering at a women’s domestic violence shelter and helping raise lung cancer awareness through screening initiatives.

In the fall, Sonia will pursue her medical degree at GW’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Danielle S. Towers, 2024 Distinguished Scholar

BFA in Photojournalism ’24
3:30 p.m. Ceremony

Danielle S. Towers, from Glencoe, Ill., was a Corcoran Scholar majoring in photojournalism at GW’s Corcoran School of the Arts and Design. As co-president of the GW Chapter of the National Press Photographers Association, Danielle connected visual journalists through professional and creative events, and produced an annual group publication. Danielle also worked as a staff photographer and photo editor at The GW Hatchet, and as a communications assistant at Corcoran, documenting exhibitions, performances and school events.

Danielle has exhibited her photographs at the VisArts Center in Maryland, Photoville in New York, and Touchstone Gallery in Washington, D.C. Her photography has also appeared in Bloomberg Businessweek and the renowned music blog Stereogum. Danielle’s photo essay on dementia won first prize in the 2020 Humans of Dementia College Photo Competition.

Danielle’s photography focuses on stories about time, age, and memory. For her senior thesis, she documented the New Deal legacy of Greenbelt, Md., and its residents, to understand the vision of America that inspired the city. Danielle’s photographic explorations also include a testament to a dedicated couple who created a community garden in an abandoned U Street alley, and an homage to young adulthood at a summer camp in North Carolina. Danielle is looking forward to pursuing a career as a freelance photographer and photo editor.

 

Faculty Awards