More than 400 Biomedical Graduate Education graduates received master’s and doctoral degrees in various fields across basic and applied science, clinical disciplines, data science and pre-health training during the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Commencement. Imani Perry (L’02) delivered the commencement address and focused on the impact of a graduate degree.

Andrew Speidell (G’16, G’22), an alumnus of the Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience who was mentored by Italo Mocchetti, PhD, was honored with the prestigious Harold N. Glassman Distinguished Dissertation Award at the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences’ 2024 Doctoral Hooding Ceremony. The award recognizes students who successfully defended their dissertations in 2023 in three categories: humanities, sciences and social sciences.

From May 16-19, through sun and rain, the university conferred 6,252 degrees to the undergraduate and graduate students who comprise the Class of 2024, an accomplished group representing 49 states and 63 countries, with the youngest student graduating at age 20 and the oldest at age 44.

From Sanjay Gupta, MD, CNN chief medical correspondent, who advised graduates to ask the right questions, to Toyin Ajayi, MD, CEO of Cityblock Health, who encouraged the Class of 2024 to become trustworthy so they will be trusted, this year’s speakers left graduates with nuggets of advice to take with them into their next stage of life.

Lois Wessel, DNP, FNP-BC, associate professor in the School of Nursing, received the Professor James Slevin Engaged Scholarship Award for the 2023-24 academic year. The award “recognizes a campus educator who has offered or led a community-based learning course, co-curricular pedagogical initiative, or research project that successfully integrates learning objectives with community collaboration and solidarity while promoting student engagement with social justice issues and uplifting community voices.” Wessel was nominated for her outstanding clinical and health-based work with diverse communities in the DC area and her public advocacy.

The Gender+ Justice Initiative is offering fellowships supporting interdisciplinary research on gender, racial and economic justice with a focus on anti-racist work and intersectional feminism to Georgetown faculty members as well as graduate and undergraduate students. Those from marginalized communities, including people of color, women and LGBTQ+ individuals are encouraged to apply. Learn more here. Apply by June 10 and contact genderjustice@georgetown.edu if you have any questions.