GSEHD Commencement
The Graduate School of Education and Human Development
2025 Commencement Celebration
GSEHD proudly invites the Class of 2025 and your guests to our celebratory events.
Schedule of Events
GSEHD School Celebration
& Doctoral Hooding
Saturday, May 17, 2025
8:30 a.m. EDT
Charles E. Smith Center
Graduates will receive 8 guest tickets.
GW Commencement
Sunday, May 18, 2025
10:30 a.m. EDT
National Mall
Graduates will receive 6 guest tickets.
Where To Be When
- GSEHD School Celebration, Saturday, May 17
- 7:30 am - Participating faculty will arrive at the Smith Center and meet in Tin Tabernacle Club. (Please use the side entrance of the Smith Center on G Street NW between 22nd and 23rd Streets). Wear your regalia. Faculty processional line-up will begin at 8:00 am.
- 7:45 am - Graduates and guests will arrive at the Smith Center (600 22nd St NW). Graduate check-in will be in Funger Hall (2201 G Street NW). Once graduates are checked in, they will be directed to line up for procession. Wear your regalia.
- 8:15 am - Graduates will begin to process to the Smith Center.
- 8:30 am - GSEHD School Celebration begins. The ceremony is expected to end at approximately 10:30 am.
- 7:30 am - Participating faculty will arrive at the Smith Center and meet in Tin Tabernacle Club. (Please use the side entrance of the Smith Center on G Street NW between 22nd and 23rd Streets). Wear your regalia. Faculty processional line-up will begin at 8:00 am.
- GW Commencement on the National Mall: Sunday, May 18
Stage Location: The stage will be located at the base of the Washington Monument on the northeast corner at the intersection of 15th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. (1401 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC)
View map of National Mall, stage and entrances >
- 9:00 am - Entrances open.
- Graduates should report to Gate 3 wearing their regalia.
- 8:30-9:30 am - Participating faculty should report to the backstage check-in tent.
- 10:15 am - All graduates and guests must be seated.
- 10:30 am - Ceremony begins.
- 9:00 am - Entrances open.
- Additional Info to Note: Graduates & Guests
StagePass
Students: Be prepared to show the QR code from your StagePass, either on your mobile device or as a printout when you arrive at any commencement event. We recommend that you download or take a screenshot of the StagePass for each event. Be sure to include all of the QR code in your screenshot.To access your StagePass:
- Log in to the registration system and click “Print Your StagePass.”
- -or- Click on the link in the email titled, “Your StagePass for [EVENT NAME] is Here” to access the StagePass.
- Please note: Each event has a unique StagePass that may only be used at the event listed above the QR code.
Know What to Expect in Regard to Weather or Case of Emergency >
- Please note: In the event of inclement weather, umbrellas are allowed only outside of the guest seating area. We suggest that guests in the seating area bring ponchos or other wearable rain gear instead.
- There is no shade available in the graduate seating area, including no shade in the graduate ADA seating section. Graduates may not use umbrellas as they block the view of other graduates and guests.
- Graduates and guests should bring a reusable water bottle to the ceremony. There are several water stations available at the National Mall Commencement site.
Guest Tickets & Things to Note
- All guests (older than 2 years) must have a ticket for admission. Be prepared to show the QR code on your ticket, either on your mobile device or as a printout, when you arrive. If you did not receive one, please contact your graduate. The ticket must be for Commencement on the National Mall only.
- Please expect longer-than-anticipated lines at the entrance gates.
- Guest seating is available on a general admission basis.
- An ADA seating area is reserved for guests who have limited mobility; they may be accompanied by one guest. Visit the Commencement Accessibility webpage for details on ADA Seating and Drop-Off on the National Mall.
- There is no shade available in any guest seating area, including no shade in the ADA seating section. Guests may not use umbrellas as they block the view of other guests; umbrellas are allowed in the overflow viewing area.
- Please note: The plastic flooring used in all guest seating areas, which is required by the National Park Service, has a reflective surface that makes the seating area very bright and can increase the air temperature by 3 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit. The same flooring can become slippery to walk on if there is rain or condensation remaining from the morning dew. Use caution when walking on the flooring as it may be uneven in areas.
For more information, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions on the Commencement website.
- Log in to the registration system and click “Print Your StagePass.”
Watch the recording of the GSEHD School Celebration
2025 GSEHD Graduation Celebration Program
| Download Accessible PDF | Flip Through the Program Online |
GSEHD Graduation Speakers
Keynote Address
Dr. Lewis D. Ferebee (MA '00)
Chancellor of DC Public Schools
Student Speaker
Jacqueline T. Hatch
Master's in International Education
- Read More About Dr. Lewis Ferebee
Since 2018, Dr. Lewis D. Ferebee has served as Chancellor of DC Public Schools (DCPS). As a veteran education leader, he has over two decades of experience as a teacher, principal, and district leader. Under Dr. Ferebee’s leadership, DCPS has surpassed enrollment of a record 52,000 students, improved graduation rates by 12%, and was recognized by Harvard and Stanford Universities as a national leader in post-pandemic academic recovery. Most recently, the district achieved the greatest gains in 4th grade math among large-city districts, according to the Nation’s Report Card.
Prior to joining DCPS, Dr. Ferebee served as Superintendent of Indianapolis Public Schools, where he successfully raised the district's graduation rate by 15%. Before his tenure in Indianapolis, Dr. Ferebee was the Chief of Staff for Durham Public Schools.
As a leader within the education space, Dr. Ferebee has received extensive recognition for his accomplishments in advancing student achievement. He was named Principal of the Year in North Carolina’s Guilford County Schools, recognized as one of Education Week’s Leaders to Learn From, and received Marian University’s John A. Purdie Innovator and Mentor of the Year Award.
Dr. Ferebee earned his doctorate in educational leadership from East Carolina University, a master's degree in school administration from the George Washington University, and a bachelor's degree in elementary education from North Carolina Central University.- Read More About Jacqueline Hatch
Jacqui is a proud graduate of GSEHD’s International Education Program, where she focused on the nexus of Development and Higher Education. During her time at GW Jacqui served as a Lab Leader of the Refugee Educational Advancement Lab (REAL), and the International Education Association (IEA) President. She also worked in various government capacities, served as an associate board member and taught ESL for the Washington English Center, and contributed research to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the Institute of International Education (iie). Last Fall, Jacqui served as the inaugural United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Graduate Fellow at the Geneva Liaison Office (GLO) where she served as a panelist on the United Nations Forum on Minority Issues, pursuant to Human Rights Council resolutions, advocating for minority issues and self-representation in spaces of learning. She’d like to share her gratitude with her cohort and the IEP faculty for what has been an incomparable graduate experience.
2025 Dean's Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award
Dr. Elizabeth K. Eder (MAT Museum Education '83)
Elizabeth K. Eder, Ph.D. has worked at the Smithsonian Institution for more than twenty years, first as Assistant Director for National Education Partnerships at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (2005-2013) and then as Head of Education and Public Programs at the National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA) (2013-2018). Dr. Eder joined the Office of the Undersecretary for Education in 2018 as Program Director for PreK-12 Strategic Education Initiatives for all Smithsonian museums. In April 2020 she returned to NMAA to work on outreach and partnerships in the Office of the Deputy Director and then as Program Administrator for academic programs. From March 2024-March 2025 she served as Interim Head of Education at the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum where she advised the Leadership Team on strategies for building a new education department and collaborated with curatorial staff on the development of the museum’s forthcoming 2026 exhibition. She is currently a Research Associate at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and also serves as a consultant on museum projects in Japan, China, and Bulgaria.
- Read More about Dr. Eder
Dr. Eder came to the Smithsonian in 2005 after teaching social foundations of education at the University of Maryland College Park and Millersville University (PA) for five years. She has also worked as director of professional education programs at the American Association of Museums, head of school and teacher programs at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, and lecturer at the National Gallery of Art.
Dr. Eder is the author of Constructing Opportunity: American Women Educators in Early Meiji Japan, co-editor and author of Hidden Messages: Instructional Materials for Investigating Culture, as well as numerous book chapters and articles in juried publications. She is a frequent speaker at professional conferences and an invited lecturer at museums and universities. She has taught in the Johns Hopkins University Museum Studies Graduate Program for more than a decade. This semester (Spring 2025) she is teaching a graduate course in the History and Philosophy of Museums (in Global Context).
Dr. Eder has a B.A. in Design from American University, an M.A.T. in museum education from the George Washington University, and a Ph.D. in social foundations of education (comparative and historical) from University of Maryland College Park.
Questions?
If you have questions about GW's commencement ceremonies, refer to the Frequently Asked Questions or contact commencement
gwu [dot] edu (commencement[at]gwu[dot]edu). For GSEHD events, contact gsehdoslgwu [dot] edu (subject: Graduation%202023) (gsehdosl[at]gwu[dot]edu).
Plan Your Visit
Parking
GSEHD Events
Visitor Parking: Explore on-campus options >
Metro: Lisner Auditorium and the Smith Center are located 3 blocks from the Foggy Bottom/GWU metro stop on the blue, orange, and silver lines.
GW Commencement
Read more about parking, transportation, accessibility, etc. >
Lodging
There are many options for lodging across the D.C. area, including some options that are close to the National Mall. Be sure to ask any hotel if they offer a discount for the weekend of GW’s Commencement.
Things To Do
Explore these neighborhood favorites for food options and things to do around Foggy Bottom in-between celebrating your graduate. Explore historic sites, take in the arts, or enjoy some time outdoors.
Accessibility
GW is committed to providing universal access to all of our events. Please see the information regarding Smith Center and National Mall accessibility on the University Commencement website. Closed captions and ASL interpretation will be provided at each event.
Register for Commencement Events
Graduation Surveys
You must complete the survey before you can register for Commencement events (please wait 6 hours after completion before attempting to register for Commencement events). The survey is designed to help GW and GSEHD learn more about your experience and future plan.
Guest Tickets
Students must register themselves and their guests to attend Commencement events. Each graduate will receive up to the listed number of electronic guest tickets for each of the events above. If additional tickets are needed, you can add guests to the waitlist in case additional space is available. Guests who are 2 years old or younger do not require a ticket but must sit in the lap of a ticketed guest.
How to Register
Graduating students must apply to graduate and complete the mandatory graduation survey before registering for Commencement. If you have questions about the registration process, refer to the how to register guide or contact commencementgwu [dot] edu (commencement[at]gwu[dot]edu).
Regalia
All students participating in school celebrations and Commencement on the National Mall must wear regalia. Active service members may wear their dress uniform in lieu of regalia. Graduates may order regalia online through April 2.
Keepsakes
Information about additional purchases such as announcements, diploma frames, yearbooks and class rings will be shared in the future. The GW Campus Store offers alumni clothing and gifts.
GIFs: Search gwcommencement in the GIF feature of Instagram and Snapchat to add GW Commencement stickers to your stories.
