Festive Graduation Weekend Celebrates Class of 2015

May 20, 2015
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Columbian College Dean Ben Vinson snaps a selfie with 2015 graduates at the Celebration ceremonies in the Smith Center.

“Class of 2015, my charge to you today is to make history—do it by continuing to be the best you can be, do it by pausing every now and then to reflect like an historian on the seemingly disconnected aspects of your lives, do it by multiplying your moments, your life experiences into something greater for the benefit of our global society.”

—Ben Vinson, III
Dean, Columbian College of Arts and Sciences

As faculty, friends and family honored their achievements, the Class of 2015 celebrated a festive graduation weekend with words of wisdom, hugs, handshakes, well-wishes on future endeavors, and . . . the iPhone.

Apple CEO Tim Cook takes a photo at the George Washington University 2015 Commencement Ceremony
Apple CEO Tim Cook takes a photo of the graduating class Sunday following his Commencement address. (William Atkins/GW Today)

At the Columbian College Celebration ceremonies on May 15 and 16, Dean Ben Vinson congratulated students while urging them to continue to absorb new knowledge and allow their passion to guide them to create a meaningful life. To capture the milestone event, the dean whipped out a selfie stick and asked students to pose to record “this important moment.”

The iPhone took center stage once again during Tim Cook’s powerful Commencement address on the National Mall on May 17. The Apple CEO closed his speech with a photo “because this is the best view of the world.”

The weekend featured more than a dozen events—from individual school ceremonies to a senior class toast to Phi Beta Kappa inductions—to commend and recognize the 2015 graduates. Relive graduation highlights in the articles and videos below: