Lavender Graduation 2011

Monday, May 2, 2011
5:00-8:00pm, Copley Formal

2011 Keynote Speaker

Congressman David Cicilline
1st Congressional District of Rhode Island
Georgetown University Law Center ’86

David Cicilline was born on the South Side of Providence and later moved with his family to Narragansett, Rhode Island. In 1983, he graduated magna cum laude with a degree in political science from Brown University, where as an undergraduate he established a branch of the College Democrats with his classmate, the late John F. Kennedy, Jr. He earned his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and served as a public defender in the District of Columbia before returning to Rhode Island to open a practice in civil rights law and criminal defense.

In 1995, David began his career in public service in the Rhode Island House of Representatives, where he quickly earned a reputation as a fierce champion of political reform and gun safety, and his dedication to ethics in government won him Common Cause’s #1 ranking.

In 2002, David was elected mayor on a pledge to restore public confidence in City Hall, reestablish financial responsibility, and revitalize the city’s neighborhoods. As Mayor of Providence, David received national awards for fiscal reporting and earned A’s from all three major bond-rating agencies. During his tenure, Providence realized a drop in crime to its lowest rate in more than 40 years, bucking the national trend. The city also conducted expansive education reform, instituting a new core curriculum and award-winning after-school programs, and revamping school facilities and teacher hiring guidelines.

Pledging a pragmatic and commonsense approach to Washington, David was elected to serve Rhode Island’s First Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives on November 2, 2010. As a Member of Congress, David will be the 1st District’s strong voice and relentless advocate in Washington as he fights to create well paying jobs for Rhode Islanders, fund new “green” energy initiatives that help protect our environment while also putting people back to work, invest in our nation’s schools so that our children have the education they need to be tomorrow’s leaders, and reform and improve the quality and cost of our health care system. David will also be leading the effort to bring our brave men and women home from Afghanistan and increase funding for veterans benefits.

2011 Lavender Graduation Program

Invocation
Patrick Rogers, S.J.
Director, Main Campus/Campus Ministry

Welcome
Todd Olson, Ph.D.
Vice President, Division of Student Affairs

President’s Remarks
John J. DeGioia, Ph.D. (Col ‘79, Grad ’95)
President, Georgetown University

Introduction of Keynote Speaker
Carol J. Lancaster, Ph.D.
Dean, Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service

Keynote Speaker
David Cicilline (Law ’86)
Congressman, 1st Congressional District of Rhode Island

A Reflection on Our Time at Georgetown
Ellen Greer (SFS ‘11)

Building Our Legacy: The Work Continues
Matthew LeBlanc
Program Coordinator, LGBTQ Resource Center

Presentation of Awards
Kevin Flannery, Teddy Semon, Allie Villarreal, Kitt Wolfenden
Mitch Bailin, Associate VP & Dean of Students, Law Center

Recognition of Graduates

Closing Remarks
Sivagami Subbaraman
Director, LGBTQ Resource Center

Dinner and Reception

2011 Award Recipients

Commitment to the LGBTQ Campus Community

Presented to: Joe Graumann

This award recognizes excellence in leadership and inspiring others for a better Georgetown. During his time at Georgetown, Joe served as Publicity Chair and Co-Chair for Georgetown Pride, expanding the organization and making it into a stronger, more inclusive and effective group. Joe was also a RA in the Justice and Diversity in Action Living Learning Community. He is an excellent example of an LGBTQ leader on campus, and we’re all proud to recognize him for his work on campus.

LGBTQ Leadership Beyond the Gates

Presented to: Ellen Alexander Greer

This award recognizes significant work in education, service, and advocacy for a better Georgetown and beyond. Ellen’s leadership in the LGBTQ community began with her involvements in the OUT for Change Campaign in 2007. Ellen was later elected to the GU Pride Board and produced a number of shows with the Nomadic Theater group including the “Still Me” project. She interned with the Human Rights Campaign Executive and Board Relations departments, introducing her to the organization and the local D.C. Government. Her internship also allowed her to assist in planning and executing the Spring 2010 Board Meeting and Equality Convention in Washington D.C.

LGBTQ Bridge Builder

Presented to: J.C. Hodges

This award recognizes excellence in integrating the LGBTQ perspective into the broader Georgetown community by building connections across campus. J.C. is known for his sustained engagement with the Protestant and Catholic communities through Campus Ministry. He has been an outspoken gay presence and has organized programming around issues of religion, sexuality, and gender. Additionally, in his work with Georgetown Pride, he developed connections with other organizations and offices, including United Feminists, the Women’s Center, and the Women and Gender Studies Program.

Outstanding Ally to the LGBTQ Community

Presented to: Courtney Ulrich

This award recognizes the courage to promote equality among ALL communities here at Georgetown. Courtney has been an active voice for equality since arriving on campus. She performed in The Laramie Project and helped to develop and direct “Still Me,” a play about coming out as a member of the LGBTQIA community. Beyond the theater she also stood as a model for others by speaking up against language bias on and off campus, while also vocalizing her support for all LGBTQ rights.

Faculty/Staff Commitment to the LGBTQ Community

Presented to: Bill McCoy

This award recognizes a staff member’s excellence in leadership and inspiring others for a better Georgetown. Under Bill’s guidance, the OUT for Change Campaign was able to achieve the success that it did and assist with the expansion of the LGBTQ Resource Center. For many years, he has continued to support the LGBTQ community in many different capacities in his role in the Center for Student Programs. One nomination stated, “without him, none of us might be here. He is the foundation of our vibrant community, is a trailblazer for our faculty and staff support, and has always been a champion for LGBTQ issues on this campus.”

Presented to: Ricardo Ortíz

This award recognizes a faculty member’s excellence in leadership and inspiring others for a better Georgetown. Ricardo is recognized for making a concerted effort to break away from heteronormativity and gender binaries and to more fully explore social inequality. Students appreciate that his creation of a safe space in the classroom promoting openness, intelligence, and critical thinking and that his assignments provide a forum to express and explore their own feelings.