Class of 2026 Celebrated for Leadership, Scholarship, and Service at Undergraduate Tropaia

Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business recognized its undergraduate students graduating with honors during the school’s annual Tropaia ceremony. Watch the video.

During the ceremony, Rita Zekas Sielicki Award recipient William Burke addressed his classmates, reflecting on the values that shaped the Class of 2026 throughout their four years on the Hilltop. The Sielicki Award is given to a student who demonstrates superior achievement in scholarship, fosters a culture of collaboration in an evolving global environment, and commits themselves to the service of their community.

Burke encouraged his classmates to remember that business leadership begins with people. “Whether you’re going into finance, consulting, marketing, entrepreneurship, or any other field, you’re going into the business of serving people,” said Burke. “Behind every transaction is a human need. Behind every quarterly report is someone’s work, someone’s innovation, someone’s risk.”

His speech centered on three reminders for the graduating class: to lead with humanity, to use education to open doors for others, and to pursue lives defined not only by success but by significance.

“We’re about to enter environments that will constantly measure us: promotions, bonuses, titles, and LinkedIn endorsements,” Burke said. “Those metrics aren’t meaningless, but they’re incomplete. The true measure of a life well-lived is found in the questions: Did I make things better? Did I treat people with dignity? Did I use my talents for something beyond myself?”

Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs Patricia Grant reflected on the unique journey of the Class of 2026, noting that students began college during a period of uncertainty and now graduate into a rapidly changing world shaped by technological transformation.

“You are prepared not just for the future, but to help shape it,” Grant said. “In a time when technology can generate answers in seconds, the qualities that will matter most are the very ones you cultivated here on the Hilltop: wisdom, integrity, empathy, discernment, and purpose.”

Grant also encouraged graduates to remain grounded in their values as they move into the next chapter of their lives.

“Pursue excellence, but also pursue wonder,” she said. “Build careers, but also build relationships. Embrace innovation, but never lose sight of compassion.”

During the Tropaia program, the following students received awards:

Academic Honors

Valedictorian Award

Francesco Donato

Salutatorian Award

William Burke

Reverend Joseph S. Sebes, S.J. Award (recognizes a student with significant overall contribution to the welfare and reputation of the school)

Mrudula Chodavarapu

Othmar W. Winkler Business for Impact Award (recognizes a student who demonstrates a strong concern for others and the less privileged, especially in the Washington, D.C., community)

McGinnis Harvey

Undergraduate Deans’ Award for Excellence in Business and Scholarship (recognizes graduating seniors who have made significant overall contributions in the area of social enterprise)

Steven Hansen
Luke Hogan

Rita Zekas Sielicki Senior Speaker Award (recognizes a student demonstrating superior achievement in scholarship, fostering a culture of collaboration in an evolving global environment, and committing themselves to the service of their community)

William Burke

Summa Cum Laude Students (Top 5% of students)

Accounting Awards

George Houston Accounting Achievement Award (recognizes a senior attaining the highest academic achievement in the field of accounting)

Audrey Paulson

Patricia Fairfield Award for Accounting Excellence (highest academic achievement in the field of accounting seeking a career in financial services)

Andrea Khoury

Alan Mayer-Sommer Award for Accounting Excellence (recognizes a senior attaining the highest academic achievement in the field of accounting seeking a CPA)

Anthony Chen

Thomas Cooke Award for Excellence in Tax or Pre-Law (recognizes a senior attaining the highest academic achievement in the field of accounting seeking a career in tax accounting or law)

Jack Kessenich

William Baber Award for Service & Excellence (recognizes a senior attaining the highest academic achievement in the field of accounting who has made tremendous service contributions to the Accounting Department)

Christian Szilagyi

Hoffman-Galasso Family Award (recognizes a senior who has made exceptional contributions to the Accounting Department)

Tyler Lee

Accounting Faculty Award for Academic Excellence

Luke Musser

Finance Awards

Lynn Doran Award for Academic Excellence in Finance (recognizes a senior attaining the highest academic achievement in the field of finance while providing outstanding service to fellow students)

Farhaan Amaria

Jon Lynch Award for Achievement in Finance (overall excellence in academic achievement and for a positive attitude in the classroom and toward the field of finance)

William Burke

Robert and Lauren Steers Award for Excellence in Real Estate Finance

Jonah Hill

Michael and Robin Psaros Award for Excellence in Investments

Tyler Lee

Psaros Center for Financial Markets and Policy Award for Excellence in Finance New Frontiers

Francesco Donato

Psaros Center for Financial Markets and Policy Engagement Award

Hailey Walker

Psaros Center for Financial Markets and Policy Award for Excellence in Scholarship

Rohan Mistry

Psaros Center for Financial Markets and Policy Award for Excellence in Financial Education

Pavlos Tentomas

International Business Awards

Interlink Capital Strategies International Business Scholar Award (recognizes a senior for outstanding performance in the study of international business)

Saanya Shah

Ilkka A. Ronkainen Award for International Business and Marketing (recognizes a senior for high academic achievement in both the marketing and international business fields)

Grady McDonough

International and Global Business Faculty Award for Academic Excellence

Daniel Skrzynski

Management Awards

Douglas M. McCabe Award for Academic Excellence in Management Studies

Jacqueline Luque

Elutions, Inc. Award for Academic Excellence in Leadership and Management Studies

Luke Hogan

William J. Usery Award for Academic Excellence in Negotiation and Mediation

Joshua Leff

William J. Curtin Award for Academic Excellence in Leadership

Mason Hall

Swift Glass Company Award for Academic Excellence in Innovation

Anjali Lauwers

Ciarrocchi Award for Academic Excellence in Management Studies

Marco Siy

Management Faculty Award for Academic Excellence in Human Capital and Human Resource Management

Stellina Sy

Marketing Awards

Johny K. Johansson International Marketing Award

Margot Barrett

IMAX Marketing Research Award

Yee Xin Cher

IMAX Marketing Scholar Award (recognizes a student with the highest cumulative GPA for marketing courses)

Sneha Selvaraj

Marketing Faculty Award for Academic Excellence

Isabelle Frangakis

Operations and Analytics Awards

Deloitte Award for Operations and Analytics (recognizes a senior for service and high academic achievement)

Anjali Lauwers

PwC Award for Service and Scholarship in Operations and Analytics

Karis Lu

Operations and Analytics Faculty Award for Academic Excellence

Alp Aygen

Baratta Center Award for Global Engagement (recognizes a senior for commitment to making a positive impact on a global scale)

Matteo Rotatori

Baratta Center Award for Academic Excellence (recognizes a senior for academic excellence and innovation in global logistics)

Ayman Alam

Faculty Awards

Joseph F. LeMoine Award for Undergraduate and Graduate Teaching Excellence

Rachel Pacheco, Associate Professor of the Practice of Management
Kenneth Sawka, Associate Teaching Professor of Strategy

Peter W. Gonzalez Jr. Award for Excellence in Adjunct Faculty Teaching

Jerome Romano

McDonough Student Body Government Professor of the Year Student Choice Award

Ross Cooper, Professor of the Practice of Accounting and Business Law