Excitement is building as George Mason University moves towards hosting its in-person Commencement exercises on Monday, May 20. The College of Humanities and Social Sciences fully joins in the anticipation, as it plans for its degree celebrations to be held later that day.
At EagleBank Arena, starting at 2:00 pm, the college will host the degree celebration for the Humanities and Interdisciplinary Programs. Doors to the arena open at 1:00 pm, and guests will be able to enjoy the spirited sounds of Mason’s exemplary pep band, the Green Machine, as they wait for the arrival of their graduates.
Graduates and their guests to the Humanities and Interdisciplinary Programs celebration will be addressed by Kathy Hollinger, MAIS ’96. Kathy is the president and CEO of the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), where her bold, visionary leadership has brought sustained growth and visibility to the diverse array of restaurants and food service companies and organizations as they moved through the disruption wreaked by the COVID-19 pandemic. For her effective stewardship, she has received accolades including the Washington Business Journal’s 2021 Power 100 List and the publication’s COVID-19 Response Leader of the Year. She was honored as the 2021 Washington Woman of Excellence by Washington, D.C., mayor Muriel Bowser. Kathy and her husband, Anthony, live in Washington, DC with their son, Bijan.
At 6:00 pm on May 20, EagleBank Arena will be the setting for the degree celebration for the Social Sciences. Doors will open at 5:00 for guests, who will also be greeted by the Green Machine.
Addressing the social sciences graduates and guests will be Dan Lash, BS Economics ’97. Dan is a partner at VLP Financial Advisors and has been active in the profession since 1996. He joined VLP in 1998. In that time, Lash has developed a unique ability to talk honestly and directly to his clients, helping guide them past their short-term worries and encouraging them to focus on their bigger financial picture. Lash is a passionate advocate for the financial planning profession and served on the FPA National Capital Area Chapter board for eight years and as chapter president in 2016. He currently serves on the advisory board of Mason’s School of Business Financial Planning and Wealth Management Program. He is also the current president of the CHSS Alumni Board and current board member of the George Mason University Alumni Association. A life-long resident of Northern Virginia, he resides in Fairfax with his wife, two children, two cats, and one dog.
May 16, 2022
