GSEHD Class of 2026 Celebrates Commencement With a Call to Lead, Grow and Find Joy


May 19, 2026

Keynote speaker Samuel Kambar Khoshaba speaks behind the podium on stage at the GSEHD commencement celebration, faculty and ceremony participants seated behind him on stage

Keynote speaker Samuel Kambar Khoshaba speaks at the GSEHD Commencement Celebration | Photo Credit: Erika Lopez-Cepero, GW Hatchet Photographer

More than 330 graduates from the GW Graduate School of Education and Human Development (GSEHD) celebrated their accomplishments at GSEHD’s 2026 Commencement Celebration at the Charles E. Smith Center.

The celebration featured reflections from Interim Dean Lionel Howard, keynote speaker and GSEHD alumnus S. Kambar Khoshaba (Ed.D. ’04), and student speaker Nanako Tojo (MA '26), who each encouraged graduates to carry a sense of purpose, optimism and resolve into the next chapter of their careers.

Khoshaba challenged graduates to find joy even amid the inevitable challenges of working in education, while Howard encouraged them to remain grounded in their motivations and recognize their capacity to create meaningful change. Tojo reflected on the shared journey of the Class of 2026 and called on graduates to use their knowledge to advance more inclusive and equitable communities.

The celebration and speakers’ messages were recently featured by The GW Hatchet in “GSEHD speakers implore graduates to seek joy, rely on their resolve in their education careers.”

Read the full story in The GW Hatchet