A Stage for Hate

Weaponizing Platform and Privilege at GW's Commencement Ceremony

The following entails a summary of, and a letter written in response to, disturbing events that unfolded at George Washington University’s Columbian College of Arts & Sciences commencement ceremony on May 17, 2025. During the ceremony, a student who graduated in December, Cecilia Culver, took the stage. Hands visibly shaking, she clutched a sheet of paper and somehow found the confidence to deliver a four-minute tirade of anti-Israel rhetoric unchecked. Her remarks were met with roaring applause from the crowd, punctuated by every inflammatory and demonizing statement about Israel and the University leadership. Even more troubling, Associate Dean Kavita Daiya, serving as master of ceremonies, followed Culver’s speech by thanking her for “sharing [her] words and [her] views,” implicitly endorsing and legitimizing her divisive and hateful remarks.

Despite explicit prior warnings from a concerned parent group—including clear recommendations on how to respond if boundaries were crossed—GW enforced no measures to curb the hateful disruption. As of May 21st, the University announced an investigation and announced that Culver’s remarks were not those she vetted with the University. After the ceremony, Culver was quoted as stating, “There was just never any point where I was not going to say something.”

GW has now banned Culver from campus—a somewhat meaningless punishment for a student who has publicly accused GW of “using tuition to fund genocide” and is unlikely to return. According to the GW Hatchet, Dean Daiya’s GW profile is no longer accessible via the CCAS Administration page, the Department of English faculty page and the Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies Program website. Daiya is also no longer listed on the MyGW Directory, though the reason is not immediately clear.

GW Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine has come out defending Culver. As stated in an Instagram post, the group claims that the University continues to “double down” on their investigation of Culver, despite threats to her increasing. A line from their draft email to the university reads, “Ms. Culver is a stellar example of the type of student GW should seek to cultivate.”

Prior to the measures taken by the GW administration, on May 20th, in response to the widespread outrage expressed by graduates, students parents, alumni, and community members, I sent a letter on behalf of myself and some Jewish peers to GW leadership detailing the deeply inappropriate nature of the ceremony and outlining necessary corrective actions. The letter, attached below, has already garnered over 700 signatories and has been featured in various outlets, among them The GW Hatchet, Algemeiner and The Washington Post.

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Dear President Ellen M. Granberg, Provost Christopher A. Bracey, Vice Provost Collette Coleman, Dean Paul J. Wahlbeck, Associate Dean Rachel Riedner, and GW Trustees,

We, the undersigned—GW students, recent graduates, alumni, parents, academics, and concerned community members—are writing to express outrage and profound disappointment regarding the events that unfolded during the noon commencement ceremony of the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. Graduation should be a milestone marked by dignity for all communities and a celebration of scholarship. Instead, we witnessed the public degradation of these values—an alarming failure that occurred under the watch of your GW administration.

The commencement speech delivered by Cecilia Culver—filled with demonstrably fabricated accusations of genocide and apartheid directed at Israel—was far from a moment of “bravery.” It was a blatant misuse of an institutional platform to promote divestment from Israel and incite hatred through an inflammatory and spurious politicized speech. A commencement speech should unite the student body through shared memories—not divide it with political opinions and hate.

 Even more disturbing was the crowd’s visceral reaction of fervent applause and the decision of some students and families to leave the ceremony. Culver’s stunt and the jeering applause prevented equal opportunity for all to unite under the accomplishments of the class of 2025. 

 This was not merely a disruption—it was a targeted, ideologically charged tirade that desecrated what should have been a unifying academic celebration. Jewish and Israeli students and their families were publicly alienated. Others, regardless of background, were stunned and appalled. It is all the more troubling that this act was allowed despite explicit prior warnings from concerned parents, who urged the GW administration to take precautionary measures such as cutting the microphone if boundaries were crossed and informing attendees of consequences if violations occurred. These warnings were ignored, and no consequences were enforced.

University officials responsible for managing the sound system failed to intervene. As a result, Culver was allowed to incite and spread vitriol unchecked for nearly four minutes. GW’s subsequent apology and public statement—claiming that the views expressed did not reflect those of the institution—and the announcement of an investigation are wholly insufficient.

Equally egregious was the conduct of Associate Dean of Academic Innovation Kavita Daiya, who served as master of ceremonies. After Culver’s speech, she stated, “Here at Columbian College, we represent a variety of views, and we thank you for sharing your words and your views.” The mere thanks to Culver for expressing her opinion, combined with the lack of intervention from the University, represented a dereliction of duties to return the celebration to neutrality.

There is a stark difference between fostering intellectual diversity and normalizing vitriol and incitement. Dean Daiya’s comment, made in her official capacity, not only legitimized Culver’s speech but surrendered the event—and the institution—to the mob. Her response constitutes an abdication of leadership and a violation of GW’s stated values. The Jewish and Israeli community, constituting some 25% of the student body, as well as other attendees, felt that neither diversity nor the inclusion of Jewish values and beliefs were present. A swift and proper response from the University condemning Culver’s speech in a way that cannot be interpreted as weakness was entirely absent.

To set an affirmative precedent for ensuring a safe and welcoming community at GW, swift and serious action must be taken. The undersigned therefore strongly urge the immediate rescission of Cecilia Culver’s diploma until she issues a public apology retracting her statement to the university community, acknowledging the antisemitic nature and inappropriateness of her conduct. Comparable disciplinary action was taken by NYU under similar circumstances; GW must hold itself to a no lower standard.

Associate Dean Kavita Daiya must also publicly apologize for her role in legitimizing and appearing to support Culver’s incitement, rather than giving it no attention at all, cutting the microphone, or making an unambiguous statement condemning Culver’s speech as inappropriate and hateful. Regardless of intentions, harm was caused by Dean Daiya’s actions, or lack thereof.

Anything less would signal that rules at GW are optional—and that the administration is willing to tolerate the politicization of sacred academic milestones and the demonization of entire communities under the guise of so-called social justice activism. 

Hollow statements or apologies unaccompanied by real consequences not only erode institutional credibility but also set a chilling precedent for future campus discourse, free expression, and continue to embolden destructive activism: the very activism that led to last spring’s encampment.

GW has the responsibility to reaffirm its core principles, demonstrate moral clarity, and begin restoring trust among its students, graduates, alumni, and the broader community. This is a defining moment, and the university must take this opportunity to redefine itself. We would like to trust that GW will make the right choice.

Sincerely,

Sabrina Soffer, GW 2025, B.A. Philosophy, Public Affairs Focus, and Judaic Studies 

Signatories.