It’s Spring Commencement Day!
The day has finally arrived! Today’s the day! NOVA’s 57th Commencement to recognize our Nighthawks’ hard work and achievement. The big event starts at 10 a.m. (last names A thru K) and 3 p.m. (last names L thru Z). Again this year, the commencement celebration will be held at George Mason University’s Eagle Bank Arena, 4500 Patriot Circle, Fairfax, Va.
The Event:
NOVA’s 57th Commencement Ceremony
Platform Party, Presidential Party and Volunteers
Monday, May 15,
- 10 a.m. (arrive no later than 7:30 a.m.)
- 3 p.m. (arrive no later than 1:30 p.m.)
George Mason University, Eagle Bank Arena, 4500 Patriot Circle, Fairfax.
Enter through the Administrative Offices on the Lower East Side next to the loading docks.
Academic regalia is required for the Platform Party and the Presidential Party
The Speaker:
Our special commencement speaker will be Dr. Melissa Lucas, in the postdoctoral program at Yale and, well, a NOVA Alumna!
Melissa Lucas, Ph.D., is a trained applied developmental and educational psychologist, having recently earned her doctorate from the University of Virginia’s School of Education and Human Development. Currently, she works as a postdoctoral associate at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. Prior to Yale University, Lucas was an Institute of Education Science predoctoral fellow. Lucas holds a bachelor’s in psychology and sociology from Virginia Commonwealth University and associates in social science from Northern Virginia Community College.
Her research focuses on children and the socioemotional health of educators, especially those who represent minoritized populations, to nurture healthier and more equitable classroom and school environments. Lucas’ work explores how various aspects of schooling (e.g., policies, practices, relationships, cultural representations) influence Latinx and multilingual children’s socioemotional and linguistic development. She works to identify and amplify the strengths and assets in children, families, and schools that may buffer the deleterious academic, social, and psychological effects that culturally and linguistically minoritized children experience in response to bias and discrimination.
In her spare time, she enjoys Latin dancing and spending time with her dog, Tofu.
Please contact Lisa Riggleman-Gross (LRiggleman@nvcc.edu) or Dana Kauffman (TKauffman@nvcc.edu) if you have questions about Commencement.
Submitted by:
Kathy Thompson, Communications, KAThompson@nvcc.edu