This year, the School of Continuing Studies will honor more than 800 graduates at the 2026 Commencement Ceremony. As graduates prepare to gather on Healy Lawn, many are looking ahead to what comes next, but this ceremony is also an invitation to pause.
For the Class of 2026, this milestone is both a celebration of achievements and a reflection of everything it took to get here: the challenges, the risks, the people who offered encouragement, and the dreams that carried graduates forward.
We are pleased to introduce three outstanding graduates as they share what led them to this moment and where they are headed next, from embarking on law school to advancing responsible AI in the workplace.
Ama Sarpong
Master’s in Cybersecurity Risk Management
“I’m going to attend Georgetown one day,” said Ama Sarpong during her daily commute as a caregiver, passing by the university’s historic campus. “I would just look at the building, the students, and wish I could go there.”
For Sarpong, that dream began long before she arrived at Georgetown.
She moved from Ghana 20 years ago to pursue her dream of attending college in the United States. Facing the challenges of building a life in a new country, she believed she could achieve what she set her mind to through consistency and faith.
“When you speak into existence, it fuels the Holy Spirit to help you achieve whatever you want,” she said.
It had been 12 years since Sarpong attended school after moving to the U.S. A wife and mother, she balanced caring for elderly patients and working in an Amazon warehouse while earning her undergraduate degree at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. After earning her bachelor’s, she was accepted to the Georgetown School of Continuing Studies for her master’s.
“I remember shedding tears and thinking, I cannot believe this dream that I had years ago is actually materializing,” said Sarpong. “My days were long, my responsibilities heavy, and my dreams seemed distant. Yet even in that season, God was planting seeds.”
Now, she will hold a Master's in Cybersecurity Risk Management from the School.
Sarpong’s father served as a prominent inspiration throughout her journey. A professor in Ghana, she inherited a deep respect for education and his ability to speak goals into existence. Before Sarpong had even decided which career path to pursue after being a caregiver, her father echoed her prayers and affirmations: “I cannot wait for you to graduate, to get your master's,” he said.
“His words were always ringing in my ear, and I always knew that I could do better for myself,” Sarpong reflected.
Sarpong currently works as a third-party risk manager and aspires to attend law school after her degree. “Law school has been on my mind, and stepping into that next chapter feels both inspiring and full of possibility,” she said. “Who knows? Perhaps I’ll find myself back at Georgetown someday.”
Ama’s Words of Wisdom
Curiosity is one of your strongest tools, and professors appreciate students who want to learn deeply. Also, network purposefully. The relationships you build with classmates, faculty, and alumni will open doors, broaden your perspective, and support you long after graduation.
Lisa Neary
Master’s in Higher Education Administration
“From a young age, I always knew that education was something that could change the trajectory of my life,” said Lisa Neary, an attorney and academic success professor at Roger Williams University in the Master’s in Higher Education Administration program.
As a child, Neary grew up in an underserved community in Phoenix, Arizona.
“I was raised by a single mom who had health issues, mental health issues, and it was a very difficult upbringing,” Neary shared. “Even though education wasn't pushed by my family, I saw in the outside world how education changed people's lives…and I was right, it did.”
Neary planned to practice family law, inspired by the experiences from her childhood and interactions with attorneys who helped her throughout her adolescence. A first-generation college student, Neary balanced working full-time during undergrad and law school while flying monthly between the East and West Coasts to care for her mother.
After earning her law degree, the emotional weight of the family law cases grew heavy. She eventually pivoted into higher education, working in the admissions office of her law school, where she fell in love with helping other first-generation students.
Her journey across the country, through different career paths, and toward a deeper calling in higher education reflects the School’s mission to transform the lives and careers of lifelong learners.
“I chose Georgetown SCS because of its commitment to developing leaders who want to make a meaningful impact in higher education. As a first-generation college graduate whose path into academia was far from traditional, I was drawn to a program that values both lived experience and rigorous scholarship,” she said.
Her capstone project at Georgetown focused on making the “hidden curriculum,” i.e., unwritten lessons that students learn in school beyond the formal academic curriculum, explicit for first-generation students. One day after commencement, she will begin a Ph.D. at Boston College to further develop policies and programs that expand opportunities in higher education.
Neary said this work includes helping students understand how to utilize support services, office hours, and other resources. As Neary prepares for her Ph.D. program, she plans to expand this capstone and engage with policy work or ways to help other universities incorporate the framework she’s created.
“Georgetown has allowed me to deepen my understanding of higher education leadership while continuing my work supporting first-generation and underserved students,” said Neary.
Lisa’s Words of Wisdom
Never give up. My path wasn't linear; I had so many interruptions, but I never lost sight of my goal. No matter how long it takes you, always hold on to your dreams and keep pursuing them with whatever it takes.
Shah Baig
Master’s in Technology Management
Shah Baig, a graduate of the Master’s in Technology Management program, arrived at SCS with an MBA from the University of Rochester and a commitment to lifelong learning.
As a child, Baig and his family moved from Pakistan to California. His appreciation for education was inspired early on by his parents, who emphasized learning as a lasting source of opportunity.
“My parents always instilled in me the value of education; it's something that no one can take away from you when you have it,” he said.
Baig works as a senior manager at Capital One, building software products that bridge security and artificial intelligence. He’s developed ideas he learned within the Technology Management program into patents for fraud prevention. He says that the best way to stay ahead of the fast-paced world of AI is to embrace continuous learning.
“You should continue to grow, continue to go outside and figure out what the world is doing so that you can make a better world for yourself,” he said.
Baig chose SCS because its programs combine real-world application with academic rigor. He sought a program that not only taught theory but pushed him to apply it directly to complex, modern problems such as AI adoption.
“SCS stood out for its practitioner-driven approach, where faculty and peers bring real industry experience into the classroom,” he said.
In the ever-changing world of AI, valid concerns from employees have emerged, such as being replaced, “and that's not something to brush away,” said Baig. “I just want to be able to provide as much value as I can to ensure that people are headed in the right direction.”
Looking forward, Baig is most excited about shaping how AI is responsibly integrated, especially in areas like fraud detection. “There’s a massive opportunity to redefine how systems distinguish between humans and machines, and I want to be at the forefront of that transformation.”
Shah’s Words of Wisdom
Be intentional about connecting your coursework to real problems you care about. The biggest value comes when you treat assignments not as academic exercises, but as opportunities to build something meaningful.
Honoring the Journey
For some, this milestone marks the realization of a dream years in the making. For others, it is the next step forward in a lifetime of learning. For everyone, Commencement is an opportunity to honor the journey that made this moment possible.
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