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GW Commencement on the National Mall - Sunday, May 17, 2026

 

Live Stream


Doctoral Hooding Ceremony

Thursday, May 14, 2026 at 2:00 pm
Lisner Auditorium
Each graduate will receive 10 guest tickets.

GW Engineering Celebration

Friday, May 15, 2026 at 7:00 pm
Charles E. Smith Center
Each graduate will receive 6 guest tickets.


 

Guest Speaker


Sasha Pailet Koff, B.S. ’97

Sasha Pailet Koff is a transformation leader with more than 25 years  of experience across technology, consumer goods, healthcare, and  specialty chemicals.She is the Founder and President of So Help Me  Understand, LLC, a boutique advisory firm supporting C-suite leaders in  navigating complex supply chain and digital transformation decisions. 

She also serves as Managing Director of the Cyber Readiness Institute,  advancing practical cybersecurity solutions for small and medium-sized  businesses globally, and is a Partner with The Masters of Supply Chain,  a network of senior leaders focused on driving clarity and resilience in  increasingly complex operating environments. 

Previously, Sasha was Senior Vice President of Data, Analytics and  Automation at Dell Technologies. Prior to Dell, she spent more than two  decades at Johnson & Johnson, where she most recently served as Vice  President of Supply Chain Technology for Johnson & Johnson Consumer  Health. 

Sasha has been recognized as one of Supply Chain Digital Magazine’s  Top 100 Women in Supply Chain and was named a 2025 New Jersey Top  Innovator to Watch. She co-authors digital transformation case studies  with Harvard and MIT and frequently lectures at leading universities  including Columbia, MIT, and the George Washington University. 

She earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the  George Washington University and an MBA from Columbia Business  School. Originally from New Orleans, she now lives in northern New  Jersey with her family.

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Celebration Etiquette


Graduates are reminded that graduation is a joyful as well as solemn event. We ask that you express excitement in ways that will not prevent others from hearing the speakers and enjoying the ceremony. Cell phones should be turned to their silent operating modes to help ensure that all guests can hear and enjoy the graduation activities.  All students, out of respect for their fellow graduates, are asked to stay through the end of the ceremony and leave as part of the student recessional.

Please encourage your guests to use Metro if at all possible. If parking on or near campus is your only option, please factor in additional time to locate a parking spot. The availability of campus parking is extremely limited and not guaranteed. Guests may be redirected to seek parking in other public locations further away from the campus. The University parking garages are wheelchair-accessible. Please review the GW Parking Services website https://transportation.gwu.edu/visitor-parking for additional information.

Bag Policy for School Celebrations

  • Bags up to 5" x 7" x ¾" permitted, subject to inspection; expect longer waiting times and delayed entry if bringing a permitted bag. For more information and a list of prohibited items, see the GW Commencement website.

Travel Impacts

  • May 16 and 17: WMATA Metro will have no Yellow/Blue Line service between Crystal City and Potomac Yard stations.
  • May 17: Freedom250  event may cause street closures around Commencement and increase rideshare demand. 
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