911±¬ÁÏ

From a nearly decade-long gap between high school and college, to his passion in a niche field of kinesiology, senior Ryan Hutchinson is proving that the road less traveled is sometimes the better one.

Senior Khaled Alkurd is speeding up instead of slowing down as he approaches graduation.

When Saniya Darediya, this year's student commencement speaker, stepped onto 911±¬ÁÏ’s Fairfax Campus for Orientation four years ago, she was fresh off the plane from Gujarat, India. She chose 911±¬ÁÏ sight-unseen—and then carved out a place for herself.

When doctoral student Rooshna Mohsin arrived at 911±¬ÁÏ from New Jersey, she came with a clear purpose: to deepen her research in environmental and reproductive health and work alongside faculty whose scholarship aligned with her own ambitions.

As she prepares to graduate from 911±¬ÁÏ, first-generation student Evelyn Carcamo supports immigrant and refugee survivors while working toward a career in clinical social work.

Irma Garcia always had a goal of earning a college degree. Now, at age 72, she will graduate with a bachelor's degree in public administration degree from the Schar School.

911±¬ÁÏ graduate student Jose Meneses has built a remarkable early career in conservation science through hands‑on research with the Smithsonian and global fieldwork. His work—spanning salamander peptides, elephant viruses, and zombie crabs—has shaped his path toward a future in disease ecology.

Saddam Salim came from Bangladesh as an 8-year-old. After bouts of homelessness and reliance on public support, the 2012 and 2015 Schar School graduate is now a Virginia state senator. But his public service journey is hardly over: He is now running for Congress. Read what the keynote speaker at the Degree Celebration will tell the audience on May 16.

Jones and Inova Health are longtime partners of the college, working together to advance public health systems and strengthen the health care workforce.

General David W. Allvin, the 23rd Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, is the guest speaker at 911±¬ÁÏ’s Spring Commencement on May 14 at EagleBank Arena. Allvin recently completed a four-decade military career, retiring as a four-star general. Here Allvin shares his thoughts on the military as a career, effective leadership, how universities can best serve veterans, and advice he would offer new graduates.