Dear Members of the Class of 2026:

It’s time to vote in the second round of the Commencement Student Speaker Competition. Schools have selected semifinalists, and their audition videos have been posted online. Make your voice heard and vote for the candidate you believe should proceed to the final round for the chance to represent your graduating class at Commencement on the National Mall.

The five videos with the most votes will be auditioned in front of a panel of judges from the GW community.

Voting ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 12.

We are aware that some graduates are experiencing issues registering after completing the Graduation Survey. Our partners at Tassel apologize for the inconvenience and are working to correct the issue.  If you need further technical assistance regarding registration for Commencement Week events, please contact the Graduate Support Center.

Registration for Commencement Week events is open. To register:

Graduating students must apply to graduate and complete the mandatory graduation survey before registering for Commencement Week events. Please wait 24 hours after completing the graduation survey before attempting to register for Commencement Week events once the registration system opens.

Review the Commencement Week school celebrations and receptions schedules and talk with your guests about which events they will attend. This will make the registration process much smoother.

Bags up to 5" × 7" × ¾" are 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 Commencement website.

WMATA Metro trains will not operate between the Crystal City and Potomac Yard stations (Yellow and Blue lines) on Saturday, May 16 - Sunday, May 17. WMATA will provide free shuttle buses. Plan for additional travel time if you will be affected by the service suspension.

Freedom250 will host an event near GW’s Commencement on Sunday, May 17. There may be an increased use of rideshare services and street closures surrounding that event that could impact graduate and guest arrivals. Updates will be posted as they become available.

Online sales end Thursday, April 2. Please contact Jostens at 1-800-854-7464 if you have issues with your online order.

Review the list of Frequently Asked Questions on the Commencement website.

Sign up to receive updates from Georgie, GW’s chatbot that provides 24/7 support to graduates and families. Text "Hi" to 1-877-838-0027 or visit Georgie on the Commencement website. Messaging and data rates may apply. You may opt out at any time.

Summer and fall graduates should check their email storage limit. All future Commencement Week-related messages will be sent to your GW email address. Once you complete your degree requirements, you are subject to the alumni email storage limit.

Make an appointment to take your Cherry Tree yearbook photo.  If you have questions about scheduling an appointment or participating in the yearbook, please contact the Cherry Tree directly.

If you need more information, please contact commencement@gwu.edu.

Raise High!

If you are a Summer 2025 graduate who participated in Commencement Week events in May 2025, you may opt out using the link at the bottom of this message.