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Summer 2016 Wraps with Inspiring Speech from FAU Student Tevin Ali

August 9, 2016 The Washington Center

TWC 2016 Commencement

TWC wrapped up the summer 2016 semester recognizing outstanding participants and hearing from alumna Kim Berryman ‘05, an award-winning producer for CNN. 

Following an enthusiastic opening address from Jonathan McTague, a student from Suffolk University and intern with Grant Thornton, LLP, students heard inaugural remarks from President-Elect Christopher Norton. Several students were also recognized for their achievements this semester with an award presentation:

  • Academic Excellence - Aspen Drude, University of West Florida
  • Civic Engagement - William Humphries, Stockton University
  • Emerging Leadership - Carlos Andino, Elon University
  • Global Citizenship - Machhadie Assi, University of Michigan - Dearborn
  • Innovation - Julie Eller, Stockton University
  • Professional Growth - Tevin Ali, Florida Atlantic University

Welcoming students to TWC’s 55,000 strong alumni community was alum Kim Berryman ‘05, an award-winning producer for CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper.” Berryman embodies what every TWC student hopes to find by interning in D.C. After falling in love with the District during her 2005 internship, Berryman quickly transferred to George Washington University, using D.C. as her campus. Berryman urged students to be open to every possibility that comes their way, letting the passion burning inside of them guide their decisions.

“I would leave you all with two pieces of advice: Let your passion guide you and the decision you make, and don’t take any person, experience or task for granted. You’ll be surprised at what experiences and connections pay dividends in the long run,” Berryman said.

Closing out the summer, Florida Atlantic student Tevin Ali gave fellow interns a charismatic charge during the final student address of the day. Ali, who interned with STEMconnector, urged students to go above and beyond, even when they think they've already reached their potential.

"Imagine what your perfect day looks like. Then ask yourself: did I do that today? Did I live out my dream today? That's why we all came here to D.C. - to realize our full potential and follow our passion."

Click here to view photos from commencement.

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The Washington Center

The Washington Center is the largest and most established student internship program in Washington, D.C. Since our founding, we've helped more than 60,000 individuals from across the U.S. and around the globe expand their academic pursuits into rewarding jobs and careers. We use our scale and expertise to deliver solutions that open career pathways for learners, solve recruitment challenges for employers, while helping create greater access, equity, advancement and representation.

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