Master's Celebration

Columbian College master's graduates, along with their families and friends, are invited to attend the in-person Master’s Celebration ceremony on May 15 at the Charles E. Smith Center. Graduates will need to register themselves and their guests in order to obtain tickets.

All graduates are also invited to attend the May 17 University-wide Commencement on the National Mall.

We look forward to celebrating the class of 2026! Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #CCASOnward.

Our Speakers

Keynote Speaker: Alexander Nyerges

BA '79 (American Studies, Anthropology), MA '82 (Museum Studies)

Alexander Nyerges is serving his 20th year as director and CEO of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), one of the nation’s top 10 art museums. Prior to VMFA, he was the director of the Dayton Art Institute, the Mississippi Museum of Art, and the DeLand Museum of Art. Nyerges has curated and authored books on exhibitions, including his most recent, American, born Hungary: Kertész, Capa, and the Hungarian American Photographic Legacy, and his award-winning work as a photographer  has been the subject of several solo exhibitions. 

Faculty Speaker: Eiko Strader

Associate Professor of Public Policy, Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies, and Sociology

Eiko Strader is an associate professor of public policy, women’s gender and sexuality studies, and sociology, and director of graduate studies for the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program. She is an interdisciplinary scholar whose work examines how welfare state policies and institutions shape social inequality, particularly in relation to gender. Through her scholarship and teaching, she is deeply committed to improving equity and understanding how public policy can more effectively serve diverse communities.

Student Speaker: Lara McCallister

MS in Human Paleobiology

As a graduate student in the Human Paleobiology Program, Lara McCallister distinguished herself among both faculty and peers through her exceptional scholarship and research, and her ability to drive research forward.  Her interests in comparative and developmental cognition resulted in leadership roles in both the Social Cognition Lab, where she conducted injury communication research, and the Primate Behavioral Ecology Lab, where she researched social relationships among the chimpanzees at Gombe National Park, Tanzania. She was a trusted mentor and a primary resource for undergraduate students, offering guidance and support with complex lab work and academic presentations. Through her academic excellence, dedicated mentorship, and deep intellectual curiosity, Lara McCallister exemplifies the very best of graduate studies in CCAS.

Award for Excellence in the Mentoring of Master's Students

The Award for Excellence in Graduate Faculty Mentoring is given to a faculty member nominated by graduate students in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. Mentoring and advising are crucial to the intellectual life and career trajectories of graduate students across the arts, sciences and professions. A good mentor is a source of wisdom and expertise, an inspiring role model, a compassionate critic, a sounding board, an advocate and a career counselor.

• Michele Carlson, Program Head of Studio Arts, and Associate Professor, Printmaking, at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design