Thank You for a Commencement Worthy of our Nighthawks!

Today’s topic is NOVA’s commencement.

At Sunday’s commencement, we celebrated our newest alumni—students whose intelligence, dedication, resilience, drive and achievements make them boldly NOVA! Over 6,100 graduates completed their degrees, certificates and credentials this year, and about 1,600 joined us in the Eagle Bank Arena at George Mason University to walk with pride and joy across the stage, accompanied by the applause, cheers and tears of over 7,000 friends, families and supporters.

This was a day entirely about and for our grads; a day that recognized every moment of challenge and success they encountered on their paths to that stage. One of the highlights of commencement is a call and response in which our students are asked to stand and shout “I Am NOVA” to each statement that describes them. It was striking to see almost every single one of the 1,600 students rise when asked if they worked while attending NOVA; the majority of students rise when asked if they were first-generation college graduates; and about half rise when asked if they were parents. This is why, each year, NOVA’s commencement ceremony is remarkably moving and powerful. For so many of our students, the journey to graduation is not a wide, smooth road but a delicate high wire on which they carefully move forward inch by inch, all while balancing the competing demands of work, family, community and college. Their success is hard won and hard earned. It is deserving of all the pomp and circumstance we can fit into an afternoon and then some.

So, I want to extend my appreciation to the dozens and dozens of faculty and staff who committed to designing and delivering a commencement worthy of our students. For weeks and months leading up to the ceremony and then for hours before, during and after Sunday’s celebration, their dedication was tireless and extraordinary. It paid off wonderfully:  this year’s graduation was a grand celebration! I am beyond grateful to every member of this outstanding team, led by Chief of Staff Tykesha Myrick and Professor of Sociology Lisa Riggleman-Gross, for the care and creativity that they put into every single detail. Together, this amazing group made this day so very special for our inspiring grads, who will never forget hearing their names called out so loudly and proudly in recognition of all they have achieved. Thank you!

As we close the book on spring semester and move into summer, my messages will arrive every other week. Every member of the NOVA community gives so much of themselves to support our students’ success. I hope you will find some time over the next couple months for some well-deserved rest, relaxation and renewal.

Kind regards, Anne