Celebrating the Public Policy Program Class of 2024!
It might have been raining cats and dogs outside on May 18, but the future was bright inside Swem Library for the 2024 W&M Public Policy Program diploma ceremony. Students, faculty and guests came together to recognize six Master’s in Public Policy (M.P.P.) graduates and an all-time high 56 Bachelor’s degree graduates (B.A.) as members of the Class of 2024.
Opening the ceremony, Prof. Paul Manna, program director and the Hyman Professor of Government, thanked the many individuals who have contributed to Public Policy's success. Addressing the graduating students, Manna lauded them for their “persistence, dedication, [and] curiosity” and reminded them that W&M and the Public Policy Program community will “always be in your corner.”
Next, Peyton Bernstein, graduating with a bachelor’s in Public Policy with a minor in Data Science, spoke on behalf of the undergraduate students. Peyton called upon the audience to close their eyes and imagine the ceremony in its scheduled location, the sun-drenched Wren Yard. He drew comparisons between the historic building and the 2024 graduating class, highlighting three shared characteristics: resilience, sense of tradition, and inspiration. In closing, Peyton encouraged his fellow students to “be resilient...to follow that tradition of success... to establish yourself within the community as someone who can make that difference.”
Representing the graduate students, Ruth Bekele, who earned a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and Health Sciences (public health concentration) from W&M prior to embarking on her M.P.P., spoke about the importance of community and how shared experiences inform and enrich our lives. She underscored key principles she learned from communities in her life – perseverance from her family; service and solidarity from her friend network during the COVID pandemic; and support and camaraderie from her fellow M.P.P.s. Ruth concluded her remarks by calling on the graduating students to “embrace the responsibility of driving positive change in public policy, armed with the lessons learned from those who have stood beside us.”
Divya Mathew (M.P.P. ‘19), a senior policy analyst with AidData – a research lab at W&M, welcomed the graduating class to the esteemed ranks of the alumni of the Public Policy Program and encouraged them to utilize this valuable network as they move through their professional careers. She reminded them to always believe in themselves and their abilities, saying “you are here today and that means you have what it takes to succeed again and again and again.”
After the student and alumni speakers, Prof. Manna presented Katherine Kivimaki with the Megan Owen Award, which is given to the most outstanding female B.A. graduate in Public Policy who is from Virginia. This prize, endowed by Stephen and Abby Owen, honors the memory of their daughter Megan, who was an outstanding Public Policy graduate whose life was tragically cut short not long after she had begun her career in law and policy. Manna noted that Katherine’s esteemed record, which included having double majored in Public Policy and Environment & Sustainability, made her a perfect candidate for the honor. Katherine is currently working at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science as a research specialist.
Finally, the students, faculty and guests heard from keynote speaker the Honorable Stacy E. Lee (‘06), a judge on the Henrico County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. Judge Lee began with a reflection about how powerful it was for her as a new W&M graduate, in 2006, to listen to commencement speaker, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, as he told her class “You can be human only together. You can be prosperous only together. You can be safe and secure only together. And I believe in you.”
After sharing her experiences in policy making and witnessing “lifechanging decisions” in the federal and North Carolina governments and how they led her to a career in law, Judge Lee issued her opinion on the Class of 2024. She “ordered” the students to move through life as compassionate humans; to be brave and take risks; to be vigilant protecting their reputation; and to not lose sight of the importance of friends and family. But it was her final words to the graduating class that best summed up the day:
“It is therefore adjudged, ordered and decreed that you shall go forth armed with the arsenal of knowledge you have gained from this great College, and change this world - for the better - because the People, because Humanity needs you to.”
We look forward to the impact the Public Policy Class of 2024 will have on the world! Congratulations!
Watch a recording of the full ceremony.'
