Pardee Celebrates Class of 2026 in twelfth Convocation Ceremony

The Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University celebrated the accomplishments of the Class of 2026 at its twelfth convocation ceremony on May sixteenth, 2026. The ceremony honored the varsity’s undergraduate and graduate diploma recipients.

Dean Scott Taylor greeted graduates alongside their households and pals, congratulating them on a spread of accomplishments, together with conducting analysis on six continents, incomes prestigious fellowships, and taking over management roles in pupil organizations. Eighteen college students earned honors of their main, with thirty-four graduating cum laude, seventeen magna cum laude, and 7 summa cum laude.

Scott seemed to what awaits college students after commencement, happening to say,

“You are stepping into meaningful, high-impact roles in the U.S. and around the world. Some of you will return to the public sector in your home countries. Some are commissioning as officers in the military. Others are continuing their education in International Affairs at peer institutions or attending law school. Some will be working in the tech sector or working with NGOs that empower youth, or supporting immigrants and strengthening communities. Many of you will be pursuing careers in management consulting, policy research, and risk analysis—advancing global causes across sectors and industries.”

Several awards had been introduced by Associate Dean Kaija Schilde and school members, together with:

• The Sharat Kumar Nambiar Memorial Foundation Prizes to Madison Larae Keefer, Grace Leslie Catlin, and Jasmine Hsiaowei Lee for tutorial excellence, introduced by Professor Jessica Stern. This prize is awarded to graduate and undergraduate college students who’ve demonstrated the best ranges of educational excellence in programs taken on the Pardee School and Boston University.
• The Ambassador Hermann Eilts Thesis Awards to Jacob Bolutife Rivelli for his MA paper “Linking the Chain Through Flexibility: Global Value Chains and Job Security in Africa,” and Mia Isabela Okaynezevic for her BA paper, “From Silence to Speaking Out: The Evolution of Victim Support and Public Reckoning with Conflict-Related Sexual Violence during the Yugoslav wars in Bosnia & Herzegovina (1993-2025),” introduced by Professor Rachel Brulé.
• The Carole A. Chandler Citizenship Awards to Jack Henry Whitten for his service as a Pardee Dean’s Ambassador, Editor-in-Chief of the Pardee Atlas Journal of Global Affairs, Social Chair of the Pardee Graduate Council, and instructing fellow, and to Isabella Simone Chaparro Will for her position as a Pardee Dean’s Ambassador, Front Office Assistant at 121 Bay State Road, and as Executive of Marketing for Pardee’s Urban Refuge initiative, introduced by Ambassador Mark Storella.

Schilde additionally took a second to congratulate the Pardee Honors candidates who took half within the year-long intensive thesis analysis program. This yr, the candidates introduced their analysis in Pardee’s First Public Defense Forum which allowed them to share their work with each school and the bigger Pardee group. Candidates included, Amerah Abderrazzaq, Cristell Bacilio. Elle Froemelova, Myla Indigaro, Mia Knezevic, Isabella Leblanc, Jasmine Lee, Jessica Lee, Aiden Long, Bella Moreno, Olivia Price, Daria Romaniuk, Fabian Salvador, Megan Sheehan, Roshan Sivaraman, Leo Solomon, Sophia Sorcigli, and Haoqing Yang.

Jacob Bolutife Rivelli then gave the Pardee pupil deal with, the place he shared his journey that led him to Pardee, from the delight his household feels of their Nigerian heritage to a job he didn’t love, however solidified his ardour for public service. He went on to replicate on the colleagues and pals he discovered at Pardee, and the shared drive all of them felt in making the world a greater place. He went on to share phrases of inspiration to his class,

“Whatever’s next is out of our hands, and we should embrace where life leads us. Civil Rights leader, W.E.B Du Bois, has some words that reassure me when life feels uncertain and daunting. He said, ‘Believe in life! Always, human beings will progress to greater, broader, and fuller life.’”

Next, Associate Dean Tim Longman introduced the school awards:

• The Gitner Family Prize for Faculty Excellence to Professor Alexander de la Paz for his dedication to instructing, mentorship, and pupil success.
• The Adil Najam Prize for Advancing Public Understanding of Global Affairs to Professor Jeremy Menchik for his educational and public engagement because the Director of CURA: The Institute on Culture, Religion and World Affairs.

In his acceptance speech, de la Paz shared his favourite tales of scholars and moments of discovery he fortunately facilitated. These tales included Saanvi Thakur’s work in humanitarian engagement with armed teams in civil warfare, Tatiana Azouri’s growth of a mannequin of the diplomatic self, college students who took his class “Laws of War”, and his many college students in IR 271. He concluded,

“Students, it has been a great privilege teaching and learning from you all. More generally, it is a great privilege to be at a place like the Pardee School that values teaching.”

Professor Paul Hare assumed the rostrum to learn out the names of the graduating class, with Associate Dean Kaija Schilde and Professors Min Ye, Jeremy Menchik, and Jack Weinstein providing their congratulations as they walked throughout the stage.

Dean Taylor returned to the rostrum to offer his commencement speech and shutting remarks. Here, he mirrored on bravery within the face of a worldwide viewers, and advocating for change when the dangers are extreme. He went on to say,

“Whether or not we conflate “bravery” and “courage” in our on a regular basis parlance, I feel each values ought to resonate deeply with us as college students of worldwide affairs. For ours is a time for bravery and braveness: In the face of tyranny; within the face of intimidation; within the face of Nationalism and Xenophobia; within the face of threats to educational freedom. We will need to have the braveness to face up.”

He drew from the actions of notable figures, together with Mandela, John Lewis, Madame Gisele Pelicot, Ahmed el Ahmed, and medical volunteers in Gaza, to Pardee’s personal Professors Menchik and Slobodian, whose acts of bravery ought to encourage this graduating class of future world leaders. As he closed his speech, he stated,

“In these moments, draw on the values instilled by your households, and honed at BU and Pardee. Draw upon our shared dedication to advance human progress; it’s not merely a slogan. To advance human progress, you need to get up on your fellow human beings, with bravery and braveness.

The subsequent stage of your journey begins at present. Go forth courageously. We might be rooting for you.”

Graduates then joined their pals and households for a reception, ending the ceremony.

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