In his welcome message to students, Georgetown University president Dr John J DeGioia cited the importance of the university’s foundational values of academic excellence and public service especially during a global crisis, saying, “You represent great hope for our world. We look forward to joining you on the extraordinary journey ahead. It's a privilege to share this moment with you, and to wish you the very best as we begin this new year. Welcome to Georgetown."
GU-Q dean Dr Ahmad Dallal, said, “Class of 2025, tonight you will be making history as part of a long line of men and women, who for more than two centuries have become sons and daughters of Georgetown University. This history will become your story, and my hope is that today’s ceremony is the start of a memorable chapter, one that you remember fondly.”
Representing the faculty, Dr Phoebe Musandu, associate professor of history, urged the incoming class to recognise their achievements, and the privilege and opportunity which Georgetown’s globally recognised university education provides through its interdisciplinary Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service degree, offered in four majors: International Economics, International Politics, Culture and Politics, or International History, with options to pursue minors or earn certificates in area studies.
Student body representative Khushboo Shah said, “If at all in the next four years you need help - look within this community. I assure you that there will always be a peer, a staff member, or a faculty, you can confide in and who will support you.”
The celebratory notes of the university’s Alma Mater song, a tradition that dates back to 1894, concluded the time-honoured proceedings.
