The GW
HATCHET
May 18, 2026 Vol. 123
Iss. 2
AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER • SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904 • ONLINE AT GWHATCHET.COM
Commencement speakers dare Class of 2026 to ‘show up’ in face of uncertainty ARUNMOY DAS
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
ISAAC HARTE
CONTRIBUTING NEWS EDITOR
MS NOW President Rebecca Kutler graduated from GW in 2001, but Sunday’s ceremony on the National Mall marked her first University Commencement. Kutler, the keynote speaker for this year’s Commencement ceremony, said it was ‘ironic’ that she skipped her own commencement because one of the most crucial lessons she learned at GW was the “power of showing up” for those in your lives during hard times because you never know when you will need people to show up for you. She said her husband — who she met at GW — showed up for her during her breast cancer diagnosis by taking a leave of absence from his job, which allowed her to continue in her career, lead the charge of MSNBC’s rebranding to MS NOW and eventually become cancer free. “When I talk about showing
up, I don’t mean for big celebrations like this one,” Kutler said. “I mean think about how important it is to show up for your people when life gets hard, and pay attention to who is showing up for you.” Kutler encouraged graduates to battle “impostor syndrome” and show up when they are presented with opportunities, even when they feel they are not prepared for them. She said during her sophomore year at GW, she interned for the Hearst Corporation, where she got the opportunity to interview thenSenator John Kerry. Kutler said she pushed through the feeling that she didn’t belong there and showed up even as her hands were shaking to hold the microphone. “In these moments, a voice in your head may tell you that you don’t know enough to be there,” Kutler said. “Ignore that voice and show up anyways, because if you wait until you are 100 percent ready, you will never stop waiting.” See GRANBERG Page 5
KRIS PARK | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
Students celebrate during University Commencement Sunday.
Speights says Board tenure built ‘foundation’ for GW amid scrutiny of major decisions
GW’s endowment climbs to $3.4 billion, trustees report
GIANNA JAKUBOWSKI
ARUNMOY DAS
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
Outgoing Board of Trustees Chair Grace Speights said she believes she fulfilled her responsibility as the University’s top officer to forge a sustainable path for GW and that she’s leaving the University better off than when she started. Throughout her seven years at the Board’s helm, Speights has navigated GW through consequential decisions like changing the University’s moniker, divesting from fossil fuels and weathering the COVID-19 pandemic, but she also faced community criticism for decisions like the arming of GW Police Department officers and the rejection of demands for divestment from weapons manufacturers and companies with ties to Israel. With her tenure as chair ending
KRIS PARK | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Outgoing Board of Trustees Chair Grace Speights poses for a portrait.
May 31, Speights said in a sit-down interview with The Hatchet all her decisions have left GW with a foundation she is “proud” of and have solidified the legacy of her and her leadership at the University. “I do hope that my tenure is remembered for steady leader-
ship, a commitment to thoughtful governance and a focus on guiding GW through some pivotal moments, but preparing it for a strong future and a successful future,” Speights said. Speights said she has approached her tenure as chair with a “deep commitment” to
collaboration with University stakeholders, but community members have repeatedly expressed frustrations that the Board is insulated from student and faculty desires and has not sought community input in some of its consequential decisions. See SPEIGHTS Page 5
The University’s endowment rose nearly $590 million to $3.4 billion since the end of fiscal year 2025, trustees announced at their annual May public meeting Friday. Board of Trustees’ Finance and Investments Committee Chair and incoming Board Vice Chair Todd Klein said the University’s endowment — a pool of funds and investments, including gifts from donors, GW’s real estate portfolio and other assets that support its mission, managed by Strategic Investment Group — climbed from $2.81 billion at the end of FY2025 to nearly $3.4 billion as of March 31. Klein said the endowment outperformed its policy benchmarks across one, three and five-year periods, ranking in the top 10 percent of its peer schools over one and three-year periods. “The committee was pleased to hear pooled endowments continue to demonstrate strong, absolute, and relative performance,” Klein said. The University’s endowment has steadily increased over the last three years after a $200 million drop in 2024, from $2.8 billion in May 2024 to $2.6 billion in Sep-
tember 2024, with it rising again to $2.7 billion between January and April last year, $2.8 billion in June and now $3.4 billion. Co-chair of the Board’s Academic Affairs Committee Christine Barth said in her report while undergraduate enrollment remains “stable and on track,” Vice President and Dean of Enrollment and Student Success Jay Goff told the committee that graduate enrollment deposits for the next academic year are down by 25 percent. Barth said Goff attributed the decline to reduced international student enrollment, lowered interest in “some technical fields” and lower part-time student participation. Goff told the Faculty Senate and Staff Council in December GW’s total international student population fell by more than 10 percent, while graduate enrollment declined 6 percent in fall 2025 following President Donald Trump-era federal policy and visa changes. Officials directed school leaders in January to prepare for five, 10 and 15 percent budget reduction scenarios given lagging international and graduate applications, foreshadowing FY2027 budget cuts that officials later confirmed.
Thousands worship at National Mall for Trump-backed ‘Rededicate 250’ rally SHIVU SATHE
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
A national prayer event backed by President Donald Trump drew thousands of supporters and high-profile speakers to the National Mall between the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument ahead of America’s semiquincentennial. “Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving” — the first of 16 events hosted by Trump’s Freedom 250 organization leading up to the United States’ 250th anniversary — featured speeches from Christian and political leaders including video messages from Trump, Vice President JD Vance and several cabinet officials, as well as a live speech from
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. The nearly nine hourlong jubilee’s purpose was to rededicate the nation to God with speakers saying America was built on Christian values, and supporters said they came out to celebrate their faith and see elected leaders remind Americans of the value of prayer. While supporters and speakers emphasized Sunday’s event, which took place on a different side of the Washington Monument than GW’s Commencement Ceremony at the same time, focused on religion alone and not politics, all political speakers were from the Republican Party and Trump-allocated taxpayer dollars funded the event. Supporters at the event donned shirts reading “Free-
dom,” held signs reading “Jesus Saves” and joined speakers in prayer, raising their hands in worship and singing along to the series of Christian music performances throughout the rally. Johnson led the crowd in a lengthy prayer thanking God for protecting the United States through conflicts like the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, the influence of European fascism and the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Johnson said he prays that God will grant lawmakers the “moral authority” to rise above “partisan differences.” “We pray, Lord, you continually bless our president with wisdom and prudence and strength to govern our nation in accordance with your will,” Johnson said.
KRIS PARK | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Attendees of Rededicate 250 line up to enter the event on the National Mall.
PHOTO ESSAY: 2026 GRADUATES BID ADIEU TO GW IN CEREMONIES
KYRA WOOD | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER JERRY LAI | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER KRIS PARK | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR NICHOLAS WARE | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Graduates look toward the Washington Monument Elliott School of International Affairs graduates flip A graduate walks up to the stage at the School of Graduates toss their caps in celebration at during University Commencement Sunday. through their programs in the Smith Center Friday. Engineering and Applied Science ceremony Friday. University Commencement Sunday. WHAT’S
INSIDE
NEWS Peet’s Coffee renewed their lease in District House after the store announced its closure last month. Page 2
OPINIONS The Editorial Board argues the incoming provost should prioritize shared governance in his leadership. Page 6
CULTURE Two professors continue the tour of their award-winning film at a D.C. documentary film festival. Page 7
SPORTS Women’s basketball is set to enter next season with a revamped roster and coaching staff. Page 8