My Fellow Revs,
One of the most joyful and proudest moments in the life of a university is commencement when the entire community celebrates and honors our students’ remarkable achievements. At GW, this ceremony takes on special meaning as we join one another on the National Mall, sharing a tradition that reinforces our identity as Revolutionaries and building on our university’s storied history here in the nation’s capital. For our graduates, this ceremony is also a doorway to the next stage of their journey as GW alumni. In my role as president, this is one of the most exhilarating moments of the year.
Our 2026 Commencement ceremony will take place on Sunday, May 17, 2026, and I am pleased to announce that Rebecca Kutler (B.A. ’01) will deliver the keynote address.
An award-winning television news journalist, Rebecca has risen to the highest levels as an executive leader in the world of TV news. Under her visionary leadership as president of MS NOW (formerly MSNBC), the 30-year-old news brand has been transformed into a modern, digital-first newsroom that reaches 32 million Americans every week on cable and millions more online. In fact, in 2025, Rebecca’s first year as president, MS NOW generated nearly eight billion combined views across YouTube and TikTok, recorded more than 140 million audio downloads, and reached 30 million people online each month at ms.now. This reach and impact exemplify the leadership skills and determination to make a difference at the heart of a GW education, and I look forward to hearing Rebecca’s inspiring story and advice at the ceremony in May.
In addition to Rebecca, who will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, we will honor three other individuals whose leadership, philanthropy, and public service have transformed their fields and communities. The university will bestow honorary degrees upon Virginia Ali, and GW alumni Willie Iġġiaġruk Hensley (B.A. ’66) and Michele Anthony (B.A. ’77), recognizing their extraordinary social and cultural impact and the many ways they demonstrate GW’s commitment to changing the world.
As co-founder of Ben’s Chili Bowl, Virginia Ali has built and sustained one of Washington, D.C.’s most iconic institutions, creating a space that has served as a cultural landmark and community anchor for more than six decades. Her steadfast leadership during the 1968 unrest, when Ben’s Chili Bowl remained open to provide food, safety, and stability, and her lifelong commitment to small business advocacy, community development, and cultural preservation, demonstrate a legacy of profound civic impact and enduring significance. Virginia will receive an honorary Doctor of Public Service.
Michele Anthony (B.A. ’77) has built an exceptional career working at the highest levels of the global music industry. Not only has she risen to Executive Vice President of Universal Music Group and former President and Chief Operating Officer of Sony Music Label Group U.S.—two of the world’s most influential music groups—but she has also demonstrated her commitment to advancing social impact, supporting artists, and expanding opportunity within the music ecosystem. All of this distinguishes her as a leader of national and international prominence. Michele will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.
Willie Iġġiaġruk Hensley (B.A. ’66) is a pioneering leader whose decades-long career has profoundly shaped Alaska’s political, economic, and cultural landscape. His central role in securing passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971, along with his leadership of the Alaska Federation of Natives and decades of public service advancing economic self-determination and institutional development for Alaska Native communities, reflects a legacy of national significance. Willie will receive an honorary Doctor of Public Service.
These honorees join a long tradition of distinguished GW Commencement guests, a legacy that dates back to GW’s first commencement exercises in 1824 with the Marquis de Lafayette and Henry Clay in attendance.
As the Class of 2026 prepares for this celebration, I look forward to joining our graduates, their families, and our entire university community at this time of recognition, reflection, and inspiration.
Warm regards,
Ellen M. Granberg
President