George Washington University Athletics
GW Student-Athletes Become the First of the Class of 2019 to Graduate
5/14/2019 4:52:00 PM | Baseball, General, Men's Rowing, Softball, Women's Rowing
Baseball, Rowing and Softball Student-Athletes Attend Athletics Commencement
WASHINGTON- It is Commencement Week at the George Washington University and for 23 student-athletes on four GW Athletics teams who will be competing this week, that meant participating in a ceremony unlike any other.
Betts Theater in the university's Marvin Center held a standing-room only crowd, as seniors on the baseball, men's rowing, women's rowing and A-10 Co-Champion softball teams were the first of the GW Class of 2019 to have their degrees conferred by President Thomas LeBlanc.
Surrounded by family and friends, teammates and coaches, administrators and faculty, the graduates were honored in a ceremony that closely resembled the pomp and circumstance of a typical Commencement, but this one had a twist.
Replete with the processional into the theater led by University Marshal Sylvia Marotta-Walters, academic remarks from Provost Forrest Maltzman, and the President's charge, Athletics Commencement truly got rocking when the capacity crowd filled the intimate theatre with a rousing edition of the Fight Song.Â
After opening remarks from Maltzman, which noted that GW student-athletes commence with a higher graduation rate than the rest of the student body, SAAC President Bob Hobert gave the student commencement address. The men's rowing senior identified that after he and his fellow graduates reached the pinnacle of their Division I careers as student-athletes upon their graduation, now they must work even harder, "starting yet again at the bottom of a really tall totem pole…as freshmen of real life."
Yet Hobert reminded the assembly, the Class of 2019 has trained for what's next during countless hours wearing the Buff and Blue. Together they are "ready to tackle adversity. Ready to adapt, to grow, succeed and fail." As importantly, "to make GW proud."
As they proudly sang,Â
Â
All our lives we'll be proud to say,
We hail from GW.
Oh by George we're happy we can say,
"We're GW, here to show the way!"
So Raise High the Buff: BUFF!
Raise High the Blue: BLUE!
Loyal to GW.
You bet we're,
Loyal to GW! FIGHT!Â
ÂGallery: (5/15/2019) Athletics Commencement 2019
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Betts Theater in the university's Marvin Center held a standing-room only crowd, as seniors on the baseball, men's rowing, women's rowing and A-10 Co-Champion softball teams were the first of the GW Class of 2019 to have their degrees conferred by President Thomas LeBlanc.
Surrounded by family and friends, teammates and coaches, administrators and faculty, the graduates were honored in a ceremony that closely resembled the pomp and circumstance of a typical Commencement, but this one had a twist.
Replete with the processional into the theater led by University Marshal Sylvia Marotta-Walters, academic remarks from Provost Forrest Maltzman, and the President's charge, Athletics Commencement truly got rocking when the capacity crowd filled the intimate theatre with a rousing edition of the Fight Song.Â
After opening remarks from Maltzman, which noted that GW student-athletes commence with a higher graduation rate than the rest of the student body, SAAC President Bob Hobert gave the student commencement address. The men's rowing senior identified that after he and his fellow graduates reached the pinnacle of their Division I careers as student-athletes upon their graduation, now they must work even harder, "starting yet again at the bottom of a really tall totem pole…as freshmen of real life."
Yet Hobert reminded the assembly, the Class of 2019 has trained for what's next during countless hours wearing the Buff and Blue. Together they are "ready to tackle adversity. Ready to adapt, to grow, succeed and fail." As importantly, "to make GW proud."
As they proudly sang,Â
Â
All our lives we'll be proud to say,
We hail from GW.
Oh by George we're happy we can say,
"We're GW, here to show the way!"
So Raise High the Buff: BUFF!
Raise High the Blue: BLUE!
Loyal to GW.
You bet we're,
Loyal to GW! FIGHT!Â
Â
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Rowing
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