George Mason University Fifty-Fourth Commencement May 14, 2021 George Mason University Fifty-Fourth Commencement Friday, May 14, 2021 Welcome Germaine Louis Dean, College of Health Mason Memories and Human Services 20Kenneth Ball National Anthem Dean, Volgenau School Santiago Alfonzo Meza, BA Music of Engineering and Environmental and Sustainability Studies ’20 Accompanied by the Patriots Fife and Drum Corps Rick Davis and The 8th Green Machine Regiment Band Dean, College of Visual and Performing Arts Welcoming Remarks Alpaslan Özerdem Gregory Washington Dean, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School President, George Mason University for Peace and Conflict Resolution Presentation of the Mason Medal Mark Rozell to The Honorable Tom Davis Dean, Schar School of Policy James W. Hazel and Government Rector, Board of Visitors Ken Randall Commencement Speaker Dean, Antonin Scalia Law School Dr. Jill Biden Conferral of Degrees First Lady, United States of America President Gregory Washington Student Performance Alumni Toast “A Flame That Lights the Gloom” Sumeet Shrivastava, MBA ’94 ORDER OF CEREMONY Performed by the George Mason University Winterguard President, Alumni Association Presentation Alma Mater of Degree Candidates Green Machine Alumni and Friends Mark R. Ginsberg, Provost and Executive Vice President Closing Remarks Ann Ardis President Gregory Washington Dean, College of Humanities and Social Sciences Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm Dean, College of Science Robert E. Baker Interim Dean, College of Education and Human Development Maury Peiperl Dean, School of Business Mason’s rendition of “Pomp and Circumstance” is provided by the Green Machine Funk Band. Special thanks to Michael W. Nickens (Doc Nix).21 Letter from the President Congratulations, graduates! The faculty, staff, and administration of George Mason University are excited to join your families and friends and other special guests today at our fifty-fourth annual Commencement. You’re earning a degree from one of the nation’s top research universi- ties and one of the most diverse universities in the country. Because of your hard work, you are prepared for success. But that’s only part of the story. Your Mason journey has been unlike that of any graduating class in the university’s history. You’ve dealt with tremendous adversity over the past year and displayed a drive and resilience that will serve you in all aspects of life. When we needed you to be flexible in your mode of education to stay on track to complete your degree, you adjusted. When we needed you to be leaders in executing our Safe Return to Campus plans for the fall and spring semesters, you led. You’ve met every challenge thrown in your path. For these and so many reasons, this class—my first spring graduating class as Mason president—will always be special to me. About one-third of Mason graduates in recent years have been in the Gregory Washington first generation of their families to earn a four-year degree. For our President, George Mason University first-generation graduates today, congratulations on making family history and inspiring others. You exemplify the inclusive excellence we strive for at Mason. We discover and develop talent and provide the opportunity for that talent to grow and flourish. Today, all of our graduates join a distinguished group of more than 200,000 Mason alumni. They, too, take tremendous pride in your suc- cess and look forward to hiring you and working with you as valued members of the Mason Nation. Stay connected to this place where you learned so much about your- self. Nurture the relationships you established here. Come back to campus for homecomings and other events. And, of course, keep us apprised of your accomplishments as professionals and as citizens. We’ll be watching. And remember: Once a Patriot, always a Patriot! 2021 COMMENCEMENT PROGRAM 1 PHOTO CREDIT: CHERISS MAY PHOTO CREDIT: Commencement Address Dr. Jill Biden First Lady of the United States of America Jill Biden, EdD, is the First Lady of the United States, a community college educator, and a bestselling author. Dr. Biden also served as Second Lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. EARLY LIFE AND CAREER In 1976, Dr. Biden began teaching English at Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden was born on June 3, St. Mark’s High School in Wilmington, Delaware. She then became a reading specialist at Clay- 1951, in Hammonton, New Jersey, to Bonny mont High School. At that time, she was also Jean Godfrey Jacobs and Donald Carl Jacobs. pursuing a master of education with a specialty The oldest of five daughters, she grew up in in reading from West Chester University. She Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, just outside of completed her first master’s degree in 1981. Philadelphia. She graduated from Upper More- land High School in 1969, then graduated from In 1975, she met then-Senator Joe Biden. They the University of Delaware with a bachelor’s married at the United Nations Chapel in New degree in English in 1975. York City in 1977 and she became the mother 2 GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY of his two sons, Beau and Hunter. Their daughter, and survivors. She also released a children’s book in Ashley, was born in 1981. 2012, Don’t Forget, God Bless Our Troops, the story of their family’s experience with deployment through Dr. Biden taught English at Rockford Center psychi- the eyes of Dr. Biden’s granddaughter, Natalie, in the atric hospital while also pursuing a master of arts year her father, Beau, was deployed to Iraq. in English from Villanova University. In 1993, she accepted a job at Delaware Technical Community During her first White House tenure, Dr. Biden trav- College. In 2007, she received a doctor of education eled to nearly 40 countries, visiting military bases, (EdD) in educational leadership from the University hospitals, and refugee camps, and advocating for of Delaware. education and economic empowerment for women and girls. When Joe Biden became vice president of the United States and the Bidens moved to Washington, D.C., Dr. Biden’s advocacy for more cancer education and Dr. Biden continued her career at Northern Virginia prevention began in 1993, when four of her friends Community College, teaching throughout their eight were diagnosed with breast cancer. Following that years in office. year, she launched the Biden Breast Health Initiative to educate Delaware high school girls about the importance of early detection. After Dr. Biden and SECOND LADY then-Vice President Joe Biden lost their son Beau to As Second Lady, Dr. Biden focused on advocating brain cancer in 2015, they helped push for a national for community colleges, military families, and the commitment to ending cancer as we know it through education of women and girls around the world. the White House Cancer Moonshot. As the Obama-Biden Administration focused on recovering from the 2008 economic recession, Dr. LIFE AFTER THE OBAMA-BIDEN Biden worked to underscore the critical role of com- ADMINISTRATION munity colleges in the nation’s economy. She hosted Following the Obama-Biden Administration, then- the first-ever White House Summit on Community former Vice President Biden and Dr. Biden launched Colleges with then-President Obama and led the the Biden Foundation and the Biden Cancer Initiative. Community College to Career Bus Tour to highlight industry partnerships between community colleges Her New York Times bestselling memoir, Where and employers. She also became the honorary chair the Light Enters: Building a Family, Discovering of the College Promise National Advisory Board, Myself was published in 2019. That was followed by leading the effort to make community colleges free her second children’s book, JOEY: The Story of Joe for hardworking students. Biden, which was published in 2020. The daughter of a U.S. Navy signalman and the mother of Major Beau Biden, a soldier in the Del- FIRST LADY aware Army National Guard, Dr. Biden has been a As First Lady, Dr. Biden continues her work for edu- longtime advocate for military families. As Second cation, military families, and fighting cancer. She is a Lady, she launched Joining Forces with then-First professor of writing at Northern Virginia Community Lady Michelle Obama, an initiative to support ser- College. vicemembers, veterans, their families, caregivers, 2021 COMMENCEMENT PROGRAM 3 4 GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY Mason Medal Recipient The Honorable Tom Davis Tom Davis’s first foray into politics was at the Davis earned national recognition as chairman age of 14, when he was selected to serve as of the National Republican Congressional a United States Senate page for four years. Committee in 2000 and 2002, where he was He graduated from the Capitol Page School instrumental in maintaining his party’s majority in 1967 and matriculated to Amherst College, in the House of Representatives. In 2002, for where he earned his degree in political science only the third time in American history, the with honors. political party of the president picked up seats in the House in a midterm election. After graduating from the University of Virginia Law School, Davis was first elected to office in After the 2002 election, he was named chair- 1979, representing the Mason District on the man of the House Committee on Oversight and Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. In 1991, Government Reform, gaining national promi- he was elected countywide to serve as chair- nence once again by chairing hearings on the man of the board. Despite a severe economic use of steroids in baseball. downturn and a county budget deep in the Davis is a partner at Holland & Knight and red, Davis was able to implement numerous serves on several nonprofit and corporate reforms that resulted in Fairfax being named boards, including the George Mason University the best managed county in the country by Board of Visitors, where he served as rector for Governing magazine.