2026 CCAS Graduation Celebration Wrap-up

Columbian College celebrated the class of 2026 during four days of commencement festivities, including the CCAS hooding ceremony at Lisner Auditorium and the master's and undergraduate celebrations at the Charles E. Smith Center. 

On a sunny Sunday overlooking the iconic Washington Monument, graduates, families and friends gathered for the university-wide Commencement on the National Mall. CCAS political communications alumna Rebecca Kutler, BA '01, president of MS NOW, delivered the keynote address. The student Commencement speaker was another CCAS alum, Ethan Fitzgerald, BA '25, who earned a master’s degree in political management this year.

Words from Our Speakers

Download the Programs

 

Download Undergraduate Program (PDF)

 

Download Master's Program (PDF)

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Download Doctoral Program (PDF)

Faculty Awards

Robert W. Kenny Prize for Innovation in Teaching of Introductory Courses

The Robert W. Kenny Prize for Innovation in Teaching of Introductory Courses is awarded annually to a faculty member in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences who has shown innovation, creativity, and originality in teaching an introductory course in the Arts and Sciences. The recipient, who is among the most talented of our teachers, teaches an introductory or basic course during the academic year in a novel and innovative way. Professors receiving this award have encouraged their students to think differently, allowing them to take advantage of their academic experience at the George Washington University. The Kenny Prize honors former Dean Robert Kenny and his special dedication to stimulating experiences for GW students and his emphasis on the importance of introductory courses as students undertake their studies in the liberal arts and sciences.

• Sharon Roosevelt, Teaching Assistant Professor of Mathematics

Columbian Prize for Teaching and Mentoring Advanced Undergraduate Students

The Columbian Prize for Teaching and Mentoring Advanced Undergraduate Students is awarded to a regular, full- time faculty member in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences who demonstrates excellence in the teaching and mentoring of advanced undergraduate students. With this prize, we recognize exceptional achievement in one or more of the following areas of work: teaching an advanced undergraduate course, advising students, directing undergraduate research, designing a capstone experience, or mentoring students who achieve departmental honors and other distinctions.

• Anna Kimmel, Assistant Professor of Dance, Director of Undergraduate Studies; Undergraduate Faculty Advisor; Affiliate Faculty of the Honey W. Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service

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

Award for Excellence in the Mentoring of Doctoral Students

The Award for Excellence in the Mentoring of Doctoral Students is given to a faculty member nominated by students in the PhD and PsyD programs of the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. Mentoring and advising are crucial to the intellectual life and career trajectories of doctoral 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.

• Jisoo M. Kim, Korea Foundation Associate Professor of History, International Affairs, and East Asian Languages and Literatures

Student Awards

Undergraduate Student Awards

Congratulations to our undergraduate student awardees of the graduating class of 2026! Columbian College applauds your achievement.

American Studies

Elsie M. Carper Prize for Outstanding Senior Research Essay
Henry Bauck

Corcoran Art History

Outstanding Senior in Art History
Grace Suter, Noor Benzing

Outstanding Senior Combined Major in Art History and Studio Arts
Gianna Pilla

Chemistry

ACS Division of Analytical Chemistry Award
Issa Samba

ACS Division of Inorganic Chemistry Award
Sofia Horowitz

ACS Division of Organic Chemistry Award
Diego Asencio

ACS Division of Physical Chemistry Award
Zoe Wise

Alpha Chi Sigma Prize – Highest Academic Record in Chemistry Courses
Zoe Wise

American Institute of Chemists Prize – Graduating Undergraduate Student
Issa Samba

Byrne Thurtell Burns Memorial Prize
Issa Samba

Chemical Rubber Company Freshman Chemistry Achievement Prize
Zoe Wise

Chemical Society of Washington Prize
Nadim El-Najjar

Madeleine Reines Jacobs Scholar
Sofia Horowitz, Clare Trainor

William E. Fitch Prize
Issa Samba

Classical and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations

The Classical Association of the Middle West and South Award for Outstanding Accomplishment in Classical Studies
Calia Alexe, Ryan Gilhuly, Meg Heaney

The John F. Latimer Prize in Classical Studies
Elisabeth Delpouys

The Romeo Elton Prize in Greek
Hannah Faberman

Diane Harris Cline Memorial Prize for Classics and History
Ryan Gilhuly

The Staughton Prize in Latin
Lila Wolk

Yael Moses Prize for Excellence in Hebrew
Raphael (Rafi) Ivker

East Asian Languages and Literatures

Kim-Renaud Student Award for East Asian Languages and Literature
Nicholas Bird, Mark Sheehan

Economics

Hsieh Prize in Economics for the Best Economics Proseminar Paper
Andrei Yang

English and Creative Writing

Academy of American Poets University and College Poetry Prize
Claire Lee

Alice Douglass Goddard Prize
Bryanna Paulus

Astere E. Claeyssens Prize
Claire Lee

Dewitt Clinton Croissant Prize
Keilan Rosow, Samantha Weiner

E.K. Cutter Prize
Harper Goldstein

Julian Clement Chase Prize
Quinn Giordano

Natalie Roberts Friend
Amelia Nason

Sylvia Speck Prize
Riley Didion, Sarah Scherkenbach

Vivian Nellis Prize
Claire Lee

Geography

Muriel H. Parry Award
Bridget Kinnaman

Robert D. Campbell Prize
Madison Dias, Carenna Thompson

Thomas Foggin Award in Environmental Studies
Arabella Freeman, Maya Kaplun, Eli Brown

Corcoran Graphic Design

Award for Innovation Through Media
Sophia Noto, Ibby Farooq

Award for Excellence in Inquiry Through Design
Eve Harclerode, Ceri Matsuda

Spirit of Creativity
Rachel Barglow

History

The Gardiner G. Hubbard Memorial Prize
Grayson Lewis

The Jesse Fant Evans Prize
Christopher Carpenter

Corcoran Interaction Design

Undergraduate Award for Inquiry Through Interactive Media
Tamara Rushby

Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Interaction Design Award
Ariana Mayeri

Corcoran Interior Architecture

BFA in Interior Architecture Studio Award
Brianna Cole

Judaic Studies

The Yael Moses Award for Excellence in Hebrew
Raphael (Rafi) Ivker

Mathematics

Marvin Green Prize
Georgia F. Semenzato

Ruggles Undergraduate Prize
Shivani Regan

Corcoran Music

Barry Manilow Endowed Prize in Music
Brooke Shapiro

Harmon Choral Award
Lucy Schnaper

Organizational Sciences and Communication

Henigan-Stevens Communication Award
Hannah Morey Lane

Isaac Davis Communication Award
Hannah Burch

Joseph Zeidner Prize for Undergraduate Excellence in Organizational Sciences
Bianca Cecilia Rose, Madison Brooke Rosen

Philosophy

Excellence in Service to the Department of Philosophy
Harper Goldstein, Rose Ayaar

Gauss Prize for Excellence in Philosophy
Rose Ayar, Ryan Tiedemann

Physics

Francisco Prats Memorial Prize for Outstanding Student in Theoretical Physics
Rachel Wasserman

Gus. W. Weiss Prize for Outstanding Student in Physics (Undergraduate)
Olivia Nippe-Jeakins, Meghan Foster

James MacBride Sterrett, Jr. Prize in Physics
Jacob Rashap, Christy Elliott

The Berman Prize for Excellence in Experimental Physics
Logan Dempsey, Olivia Nippe-Jeakins

Frances E. Walker Research Fellowship
Sadie Burks

Barry Berman Research Fellowship (Undergraduate)
Logan Dempsey

Political Science

Howard C. Sacks
Kelly Chen

Joshua Evans III Prize
Anusha Trivedi, Rachel Bashe, George Togman, Scott Shlackman, Riley Didion

Lee Sigelman
Madison Spencer

Lee Sigelman Prize for the Study of Law
Aidan Cullers, Camille Smith, Kellen Hoard, Matias Romero

Psychology

Academic Excellence
Antonio Money, Leah Kahwash

PBS Community Service
Marcella Mancini

PBS Research
Edwin Kung

Psi Chi Prize in Psychology
Lilly Wuertz

Religion

Harry Yeide Prize for Excellence in the Field of Religious Studies
Sophie Lichtenstein

Theta Alpha Kappa Undergraduate Achievement Award
Sophie Lichtenstein

Romance, German and Slavic Studies

Buka Family Prize for Most Outstanding Student in German
Sophie Munson

Goodard Prize
Anna Zell

Lawton Prize
Jesús Véliz

Schoenfeld Prize for Excellence in German Studies
Adrian Rowe, Corinne Siebert, Katie Swatek

Sociology

Hilda Haves Manchester Award
Angel Liang, Lucy (Hyeonju) Park

Honey W. Nashman Outstanding Senior in Human Services & Social Justice Award
Amelia Wallach

Outstanding Senior in Sociology Award
Max Calman, Damian Galvan

William J. Chambliss Outstanding Senior in Criminal Justice Award
Chloe Rose, Nicole Solich

Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences

J.W. Hillis Undergraduate Student Leadership Award
Leili Thomas, Lora Lewis

The Craig Linebaugh Service Award
Kate Bryan, Madison Daggett

Statistics

Undergraduate Award for Academic Excellence
Michaela Eley, Eva Fulcher

Corcoran Theatre and Dance

Bradley William Sabelli Design Award
Olivia Goncalves

Kevin Peter Hall Memorial Theatre and Dance Award
Caley Plank

Maida Withers Impact Award
Emma Lang

Nancy Diers Johnson Theatre and Dance Award
Kelsey Kirker

The Elizabeth Burtner Theatre and Dance Award
Olivia Earley

The Tim Evans Memorial Theatre and Dance Award
Aidan English

Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies

Outstanding Contribution by an Undergraduate Major Award
Madison Bird

Undergraduate Feminist Scholarship Award
Hedy Hon

The "Making a Difference" Award
Reily Leadem

Luther Rice Undergraduate Research Fellowships

Luther Rice Undergraduate Research Fellowships encourage and support research projects initiated by undergraduate students and performed under the mentorship of faculty sponsors.

• Max Nathan Calman
• Benjamin Charles Cunningham
• Maddie Eliza Daggett
• Hannah Faberman
• Olivia Jean Fitzgerald
• Meghan Foster
• Katie Rose Gallagher
• Sehrin Arina Hossain
• Sandra Claire Koretz

• Lucia Kustra
• Anna Josephine Lignelli
• Sophie Eleanor Munson
• Olivia N. Nippe-Jeakins
• Rao Pranav Stuti
• Jordan Ross Tovin
• Rachel Hope Wasserman
• Ethan Ray Wertlieb
• Sahana Maree Withanachchi

Undergraduate Studies Award

The CCAS Office of Undergraduate Studies has launched its inaugural annual prize to an outstanding graduating undergraduate student. This award recognizes innovation and leadership in community service and/or activism and academic performance.

2025-26 Undergraduate Studies Awardee:
Jordan Ross Tovin

Graduate Student Awards

American Studies

Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellows Dissertation Grant
GJ Sevillano

Edward Alexander Bouchet Graduate Honor Society Inductee
GJ Sevillano

Anthropology

QIB Scholarship
Jowel Choufani

NSF Doctoral Dissertation Research Grant
Jowel Choufani

Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad
Michael Kaplan, Robert Allen Hildebrandt

Zelma Warren Bannister and William Warren Graduate Fellowship
Sarah Bender, Victoria Rainis

Lewis N. Cotlow Research Fund Award
Sarah Bender

Corcoran Art History

Leite Prize for Outstanding Work by a 2nd-Year MA Student in Art History
Tyler Christian, Angela Lewis

Lader Prize for Outstanding Work by a 1st-year MA Student in Art History
Menley Hunt, Ivy Johnson

Sons of the Revolution Award
Katherine Schrett

Art Therapy

The Katherine J. Williams and Prasad Family Multicultural Award
Christah Blackwell, Jessica Jones, Xinhang Xu

The Kwiatkowska Award
Christah Blackwell, Jessica Jones, Xinhang Xu

K Art Therapy Graduate Fellowship
Jiawei Cen, Malik Greene, Ali Huffstetler

Chemistry

Benjamin D. Van Evera Memorial Prize – Effective Graduate Teaching Assistants
Darren Dolan

Clinical Psychology

Edward Alexander Bouchet Graduate Honor Society Inductee
Alana Rule

Cognitive Neuroscience

Richard Walk Dissertation Award
Sanika Paranjape

Data Science

Michael Thacher and Rhonda Rundle Prize for Excellence in Data Science
Jupiter Kang

Economics

Hsieh Prize for Outstanding Teaching
Pedro Esteban Rodriguez Martinez

John W. Kendrick Research Fellowship
Pedro Esteban Rodriguez Martinez

Corcoran Fine Arts

Outstanding Student in Photography/Photojournalism
Hanna Leka

Outstanding MFA Student in Fine Arts
Jaqualine Hall

Forensic Psychology

Academic Excellence in Forensic Psychology
Shauna Drinnon, Emma Simpson

Forensic Sciences

The Lindsey Marie Ferris Award for Excellence in Crime Scene Investigation
Rowan Reade

Geography & Environment

Dorn C. McGrath Award
Ali Sorrels

History

Edward Alexander Bouchet Graduate Honor Society Inductee
Brittany Lee Lewis

Human Paleobiology

Lewis N. Cotlow Research Fund Award
Kathryn Ann Fish

Corcoran Interaction Design

Graduate Award for Inquiry Through Interactive Media
Minji Jeon

Graduate Award for Social Impact by Design
Shao-Hsuan Lin

Corcoran Interior Architecture

MFA in Interior Architecture Studio Award
Grace Becton

MA in Interior Architecture Studio Award
Taynna Souza Nunes

Corcoran Museum Studies

Nyerges and Gray Fellowship
Shannon Perry

Neuroscience

Edward Alexander Bouchet Graduate Honor Society Inductee
Kailyn Price

Physics

Gus. W. Weiss Prize for Outstanding Student in Physics
Hallie Fausey, Lucia Illari

The Parke Prize for Excellence in Theoretical Physics
Lucia Illari

The Berman Prize for Excellence in Experimental Physics
Andrew Sargent

Political Science

Harvard Belfer Center Predoctoral Fellowship 2024-2025
Stephen Rangazas

Professional Psychology

James Hansell Award of Excellence
Manon Pesme

Dorothy Holmes Cultural Factors Award
Geoffrey Matthew Bennett Hervey

Speech and Hearing Sciences

The Diane Brewer Leadership Award
Helen Kitrosser, Sydney Scher

Statistics

Minna Mirin Kullback Memorial Prize
Jilei Lin

Cornfield Award for Academic Excellence and Engagement
Kevin Cory, Michael Ehart

Trachtenberg School of Public Policy & Public Administration

Edward Alexander Bouchet Graduate Honor Society Inductee
Semret Mariam Kassa Seyoum

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Initiative to Support Promising Research Fellow
Semret Mariam Kassa Seyoum

Mercatus Center Adam Smith Fellowship
Jingwen Zheng

Humane Studies Fellowship
Jingwen Zheng

GW Dean’s Dissertation Completion Fellowship
Jingwen Zheng

Sigur Center for Asian Studies Field Research Grant
Jingwen Zheng

Lincoln Institute of Land Policy Research Grant
Jingwen Zheng

TSPPPA Community Service Award
Motunrayo Fatoke, Brad Wilson, Vannia Andrea Yalan Granizo

TSPPPA Leadership Award
Emily Cipolla, Sarah Davitian-Reiner, Maren Nicolaysen, Christian Schamberger, Vannia Andrea Yalan Granizo

TSPPPA Service Award
Sarah Davitian-Reiner, Addie Murphy, Maren Nicolaysen, Azia Richardson-Williams, Vannia Andrea Yalan Granizo

Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies

Emily B. Proctor Research Award
Kendall Rogers

Graduate Feminist Scholarship Award
Leah Bogan, Howl DeBruyn, Yaprak Eris

WGSS Endowment Award
Milica Milanović, Sergine Mombrun, Ash Williams

The Nicole Paul Endowed Prize in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Chloe Pennington

The "Making a Difference" Award: A WGSS Public Policy Annual Prize
Leah Bogan

The "Service to the Community of Women" Award
Willa Wei