Home

We are excited to welcome Mr. Martin "Marty" Rodgers as this year’s Distinguished Speaker addressing the Class of 2024 at our College’s Celebration on May 18. Graduates will be inspired by his professional story and unique mindset.

He is Accenture's U.S. South Market Unit Lead and a member of its Global Management Committee and North America Leadership Team. He oversees more than 24,000 people across 15 states and Puerto Rico, where he is responsible for financial performance, service integration, talent management and corporate citizenship.

More information about Mr. Rodgers

Megan Dillard Murphy epitomizes resilience in the face of adversity. As the mother of four young daughters (7, 4, 2, and a newborn), she adeptly balances the complexities of family life with a full-time career; a work ethic that began with her first job at 15 years old. A first-generation graduate degree earner, Megan has always valued academic excellence. She hopes that her journey as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and drug addiction serves as a beacon of hope to others who might have had a similar start in life.

As a former TV news journalist, she brings storytelling prowess and media savvy to her role as a Public Relations practitioner. Originally from Texas and now residing in Kansas City, she embraces her Southern roots and Midwestern spirit. Megan holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Houston and a Master's degree from the George Washington University, showcasing her dedication to education and personal growth. She finds purpose in nurturing and guiding her children with love and grace, her deep love of books and reading, and the constant search for her next project. She is overwhelmed with fondness and gratitude when she reflects on her time at GW.
 

More information about Megan

2024 recipient Elizabeth Chen is a graduating student in the Homeland Security B.P.S. program. She is the Founder and CEO of Dedimus Potestatem, a company dedicated to leadership development worldwide. She has years of experience in advocacy, leadership development and education. 

About the Award

Dr. Richard F. Southby was a faculty member at the George Washington University from 1979 to 2006, having served as department chair, associate dean, interim dean of the former School of Public Health and Health Services, distinguished professor of global health, and executive dean in the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Health Affairs. He was granted emeritus status by the Board of Trustees in 2006. Dr. Southby was the founding director of the Police Science Program in the College of Professional Studies. The Dr. Richard F. Southby Police Science Prize is presented to an exceptional graduating student from the Bachelor of Professional Studies in Homeland Security/Police and Security Studies program. The prize was established by Dr. Southby’s wife, Dr. Janet R. Southby, Colonel, U.S. Army, Ret.

About the Awardee

Elizabeth Chen is the Founder and CEO of Dedimus Potestatem, a company dedicated to leadership development worldwide. She has years of experience in advocacy, leadership development and education. Elizabeth has worked with UN affiliates, international NGOs, startups, and grassroots organizations in North America, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East to advance the status of women and children and has written curricula for elementary, middle and high school advocacy programs. She is also a Diplomat with the World Jewish Congress. 

Before founding her company in New York, Elizabeth worked on a Democratic Presidential campaign and Congressional campaigns. She organized marches, and canvassing teams, trained volunteers for political campaigns, and helped develop campaign strategies. Elizabeth joined the CPS Homeland Security program because she believed she could make a more significant impact as a woman in the field of national security. Her father, uncle, brother, and husband are former and active-duty service members, and she wishes to do her part to increase the security of the United States and her allies worldwide. 

2024 recipient Lillie Thurman is a graduating student in the Strategic Public Relations M.P.S. program. She is a seasoned professional with a diverse background in communications and account management. She has worked with a range of clients across many sectors.

About the Award

The Founding Dean Arterton Award is given to the graduating student who epitomizes professional distinction and ethical conduct in political management. F. Christopher Arterton, who served as dean of the Graduate School of Political Management from its founding in 1987 to 2010, established this award to celebrate the core ideals valued by a school of professional politics. Before joining the GSPM, Professor Arterton taught political science at Yale, MIT, and Wellesley, achieving national recognition as a scholar of American politics and as a professional pollster. As the founding dean of the GSPM, Arterton advanced his vision that, beyond teaching abstract theory, institutions of higher education have an affirmative obligation to prepare their students for practical participation in democratic governance and electoral politics. In the process, Dean Arterton created the new academic discipline of political management. Having led the merger of the school into the George Washington University, Arterton subsequently expanded the school’s curriculum of political management to include programs in legislative affairs, strategic public relations, and the politics of governance. During the 23 years of Dean Arterton’s leadership, the GSPM emerged as the foremost academic institution of applied democratic politics in the world. 

About the Awardee

Lillie Thurman is a seasoned professional with a diverse background in communications and account management. She has worked with a range of clients across many sectors, including NBA team, the Miami HEAT, and major brands such as Shell, Samsung and Bath & Body Works. Outside of her corporate and sports industry background, she has substantial experience in government consulting, having worked with the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Lillie's expertise spans media relations, digital solutions, event management, crisis communication and strategic account management. She holds a B.A. in Communication & Information Sciences from The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa.

2024 recipient Guillermo Alejandro Noriega Esparza is a graduating student in the Political Communication and Strategic Governance M.P.S. program. He is a professional in political advocacy, promoting transparent governments that are accountable and, above all, respectful of human rights.

About the Award

During his time leading the Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM) from 2013 to 2016, the Honorable Mark Kennedy encouraged students to devote themselves to expanding the reach of freedom around the globe with the goal of making democracy work more effectively. The Mark and Debbie Kennedy Frontiers of Freedom Award recognizes the GSPM graduating student who best exhibits actions or preparations to promote or protect the expansion of political and economic freedom beyond the borders of the United States.

About the Awardee

Guillermo Noriega Esparza studied a bachelor's degree in International Relations at UNAM (2002) and a specialization in transparency, accountability, and anti-corruption in the University of Chile (2008). He is a professional in political advocacy, promoting transparent governments that are accountable and, above all, respectful of human rights.

As an activist, he has been dedicated since a young age to promoting democracy and governmental openness globally and actively participating and leading a coalition of civil organizations and universities that resulted in constitutional reforms regarding transparency and their respective regulatory legislations in his country of Mexico. His work has had a direct impact on the quality of life of the population, especially regarding the human right to health and political freedoms, particularly the right to free information among other democratic values.

As a public servant, he now holds the high responsibility of making the local government of Sonora, in northern Mexico, more efficient, transparent, open, and ethical, with significant results in the fight against corruption. His academic achievements and commitment to the democratic agenda and freedoms have earned him broad national and international recognition.

About the Award

The College of Professional Studies Distinguished Scholar Awards recognize the undergraduate and graduate students who best demonstrate the college’s core competencies of strategic thinking, communication, collaboration, leadership, and ethics.

About the Awardee

Before his journey at George Washington University (GW), Christopher was a student at James Wood High School in Winchester, VA. Simultaneously, he completed his Associate’s degree in General Studies at Laurel Ridge Community College. Right after high school and with the guidance of the GW admissions team, he embarked on a new adventure at George Washington University and dove headfirst into his Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology.

At GW, Christopher found a community in the GW Catholics and their Knights of Columbus. He also joined the GW Cyber Club and the National Society of Leadership and Success, enriching his university life. Amid his bustling schedule, he joined the Project Management Institute’s Washington DC Chapter, earning the PMI Disciplined Agile Scrum Master (DASM) certification and maintaining his Scrum Master certification from the Scrum Alliance.

His passion for IT guided him to an internship at Navy Federal Credit Union. There, he became a valuable member of the Service Desk team. Despite his professional responsibilities, he excelled academically, completing his bachelor’s degree in 20 months while maintaining a 4.00 GPA and honing his technical skills.

Christopher is now poised to embark on a new academic venture, aiming to pursue his Masters in Cybersecurity Strategy Information and Management at GWU. When he steps away from his academic and professional endeavors, he enjoys long runs, keeping himself healthy. Although he calls Northern Virginia home, his love for food and culture often leads him to explore the vibrant cityscape of Washington D.C. in his free time.

About the Award

The College of Professional Studies Distinguished Scholar Awards recognize the undergraduate and graduate students who best demonstrate the college’s core competencies of strategic thinking, communication, collaboration, leadership, and ethics.

About the Awardee

Casey Aimer holds master’s degrees in Publishing from The George Washington University and in Poetry from Texas State University along with a bachelor’s degree in Prose from Texas A&M University. He works for Science Advances in D.C. publishing high-impact open-access science research articles focused on sociology, organic chemistry, and physical and material sciences. He founded Radon Journal, an award-winning progressive science fiction publisher of prose and poetry. An accomplished spoken word and page poet, he is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association and is completing his first full-length speculative poetry book.

The 2024 recipient, Rachael Jonassen, is a part-time faculty member in the Sustainable Urban Planning program.

About the Award

This honor is awarded to the part-time faculty member in the College of Professional Studies who has provided extraordinary service to the students and the college. The award recognizes both enlightened teaching and meritorious efforts to advance the college and its programs.

About the Awardee

Rachael Jonassen is the Director of Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Management in the Environmental and Energy Management Institute at The George Washington University where she also holds appointments in engineering and in urban planning. She has served as a Senior Climate Scientist advising the U.S. government and as Program Director at the U.S. National Science Foundation and in leadership roles at the U.S. Global Change Research Program. Her work is featured in eight books and 70+ professional papers. Jonassen now serves on science panels at the U.S. National Academies, and advises on climate change with international bodies including the United Nations, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). For ADB, her most recent publication explains emission trading systems. She holds a Ph.D. and an M.S. from The Pennsylvania State University and a B.A. from Dickinson College.