A Virtual Graduation Celebration

Mabrouk to the MAAS Class of 2020!

!Mabrouk Due to the COVID-19 lockdown, we were not able to gather in person for our MAAS graduation this spring. However, that did not keep us from celebrating or marking this important milestone for our students. On May 15, CCAS hosted a virtual commencement ceremony via Zoom that featured guest speakers, live music, student videos, and a class photo. The event was livestreamed on YouTube so that family and friends could join us in real time. ! مبروك Congratulations to all our 2020 graduates:

Sima Aldardari Stuart Foster Grace Makhoul Emma Tveit Mohammed Alhammami Aaron Fowler Grant Marthinsen Saul Ulloa David Balgley Ruba Hafayda Alexandra Murray Robert Uniacke Diogo Bercito Lennon Jones Gregory Noth Jacob Uzman Eliza Campbell Jinseul Jun Sami Rafidi Jr. Caroline Zullo Marcus Chenevix-Trench Rashid Karriti Sydney Roeder Chirin Dirani Melissa Levinson Tajae Turner

Research Faculty:

Above: A group picture of the MAAS graduating class from the virtual commencement

As part of the virtual MAAS commencement, graduating students shared their musical talents and video messages to their classmates and professors about what the MAAS program meant to them. Clockwise from top: Diogo Bercito on piano, Emma Tveit on violin, Sima Aldardari singing and playing guitar, and video messages from David Balgley and Grace Makhoul.

Right: Speakers at the graduation ceremony included, from top, MAAS Academic Director Fida Adely, SFS Dean Joel Hellman, and CCAS Board of Advisors Chair and MAAS alum Laurie Fitch.