2024: A Year of Moments that Mattered in a Multifaceted Graduate Student Community

The holiday season is upon us. The festivities create a sense of community, celebration and gratefulness. It is a great time to reflect on the last 12 months and begin making plans for 2025. As our Grad Hoyas celebrate this time of year with their loved ones, we want to take some time to celebrate our Hoyas and their achievements. 

It has been a great year for our graduate community: from cultural celebrations, diversity and inclusion stories, and all the connections that were made at Georgetown.

As we wrap up 2024, we hope these stories have inspired you to embrace strengths, hope and differences within our community. In 2025, we look forward to celebrating new opportunities and achievements of our Hoyas.

Cultural Celebrations

Cultural holidays often commemorate cultural values, identity and heritage. They create a sense of belonging to members of our community. Celebrating holidays from other countries and cultures help us understand and embrace the differences between one another. The Graduate School is dedicated to supporting students, faculty and staff to be their authentic selves.

• Celebration of Spring – A Hindu Hoya’s Reflections on Holi 
• ‘An Outlet for Narrative’ – Reflections from an Irish Dancer on St. Patrick’s Day
• ‘Celebration of Family’ – Reflections from a Vietnamese Student on Lunar New Year

Academic & Research Achievements

This year, we highlighted the research activities of several graduate students over the summer. These outstanding master’s and Ph.D. students reflected on their journey to Georgetown and their hopes for the upcoming year. Wrapping up 2024, we invite you to learn more about them.

• Ever Experienced Math Anxiety? This Doctoral Student is Looking Into the Problem.
• What One Doctoral Student Hopes to Uncover About the Influence of a Major 17th-Century Muslim Thinker in Southeast Asia
• Georgetown Doctoral Student Jackson Wolf on Summer Job Teaching Neurodivergent Students Reading Skills
• Master’s Student Hannah Kim on Summer Internship at Environmental Protection Agency in DC

Making Connections

This time of year is great for celebrating friends, family and loved ones. For our Grad Hoyas, they get to celebrate these with the life-long connections they made during their time at Georgetown. Our community is a great place for making professional connections, but did you know we like to play Cupid as well?

• ‘A Time for Community’ – Georgetown Muslim Couple Reflects on Ramadan and Eid
• Love & Friendship: Hoyas Who Found Lasting Connections at Georgetown University
• Georgetown Grad Students Gain Insider’s Perspective in Collaborative Alumni Mentoring Program

Inclusion & Diversity

In our community of diverse perspectives and life experiences, we highlight new volumes of student, alumni and staff stories and shed light on a variety of identities that contribute to the greater whole of our global Grad Hoya community.

• Building Bridges of Change: Georgetown Grad Students and Alumni Celebrate Pride Month
• The Diversity Within: Celebrating Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month – Volume 1
• Multidimensional Women of Georgetown – Women’s History Month

Moments That Mattered

Students and faculty at the Graduate School inspire us daily with their great achievements and perseverance despite obstacles. They constantly look for ways to improve our community with their innovative and multidisciplinary mindsets. As we reflect on these stories, we hope they inspire your goals for 2025. 

• ‘Part of the Solution’ – Georgetown’s Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs’ Connection to the Environment & Sustainability
• ‘Walk the Earth in Peace’ – Georgetown Alum Ken Rutherford on Losing His Legs and Finding Purpose
• A Neuroscientist, Historian and Social Cognitive Scientist Receive 2024 Harold N. Glassman Distinguished Dissertation Award

As we conclude 2024, we invite you to read through several student reflections in response to the question: what are you looking forward to most over winter break?

• “I’m most looking forward to spending quality time with my family and catching up with loved ones over winter break. Taking some time off to recharge feels essential, and I’m excited to start the next chapter of my graduate journey with renewed focus and energy.” – Nicholas Kynast (G’28), Ph.D. in Tumor Biology 
• “I am looking forward to starting my new job as a CNM/WHNP-BC at Greater New Haven OB/GYN!” – Ashley Luchini (G’24), Online M.S. in Nurse-Midwifery/Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
• “As a Fulbright student at Georgetown University, every day in the heart of transatlantic policy is a blessing. I cannot wait for the winter break to come to spend more time with friends and share Romanian Christmas traditions with them.” – Antonia Laura Pup (G’26), M.A. in Security Studies
• “This winter break I am looking forward to kicking back with a book and relaxing with family. I may also go to Ocean City, MD, and go walk on the beach!” – Sarah Chambers (G’26), M.S. in Data Science & Analytics
• “I am looking forward to finally visiting my hometown after four and a half years. I can’t wait to reconnect with family and friends, and I am especially excited to hike the Tiger’s Nest in Paro, Bhutan!” – Karma Dema (G’27), Ph.D. in Physics

Take care and happy holidays!