In the biggest graduation ceremony in its history, the public policy school bids farewell to 300 students at the Berliner Philharmonie.
In a festive culmination of the Hertie School’s 20th-anniversary year, the university came together on 24 June for a very special reason: to celebrate the Class of 2024. In the Kammermusiksaal of the magnificent Berliner Philharmonie, we congratulated about 300 graduates, our biggest graduating class to date. This year’s graduating class includes eight PhD graduates, about 20 graduates from both our Executive Master of Public Administration (Executive MPA) and our Master of Data Science for Public Policy (MDS) programmes, and over 100 graduates from both our Master of International Affairs (MIA) and Master of Public Policy (MPP) programmes.
“For all of you, this is an achievement that is years in the making – one that came after many hours of classes and long nights in the library,” Hertie School President Cornelia Woll said to the graduates. “Your hard work has paid off, and we are so happy to be able to mark this joyful occasion with you and your loved ones today!”
President Woll was especially proud of the graduates for the way they exchanged constructively about issues close to their hearts, in particular the war in Gaza. “Two weeks ago, we invited all Hertie students to participate in our 20th Anniversary Forum to speak about whatever issues they felt are not adequately addressed at the Hertie School. Even in disagreement, you stood up with your convictions and demonstrated a sharp spirit, openness and respect. I could not have asked for a more optimistic message before letting you out in the world,” she said.
MPP graduate Danayt Bokrezion and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid address the audience
This year’s student speaker was MPP graduate Danayt Bokrezion. Her parents from Eritrea, a country commonly ranked as one of the least free in the world, Bokrezion spoke on the importance of freedom and the pressure that democracies around the world are currently facing. “Being free and living in a democracy are not a given,” she stressed. She praised her fellow graduates for their determination to tackle challenges like the climate crisis, security and human rights. “We are in a room full of graduates who care enough about the world to study politics. Who try to understand what is going on in order to make things better,” she said. “Today, I want to celebrate all of you, all of us, in this great achievement that we have accomplished, and I am excited to see what we will have achieved by the time Hertie turns 40.”
This year’s commencement speaker was Helga Maria Schmid, Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-Operation (OSCE) in Europe. In her speech, the seasoned diplomat implored students to stay optimistic about the future and to become active. “Please be positive about the future. Please be ambitious. Please get involved,” she said. “As you move forward, I urge you to embrace the roles of leaders and changemakers. Whether you find yourselves in public service, academia, the private sector or civil society, remember that you can make a real difference. Be courageous in your pursuit of justice, equality and security for all, and never underestimate the impact that a group of committed individuals – or just one individual – can have on the world.”
Master’s Thesis Poster Competition winners
At the end of the ceremony, President Woll recognised the four winners of the Master’s Thesis Poster Competition. It is a well-known tradition at the Hertie School that all graduates are asked to compellingly visualise their thesis on a poster. After a team of PhD researchers shortlisted the best entries, a jury made up of faculty and staff chose the winning posters. This year’s winners are:
- Benedetta Di Cesare (MIA winner) – Beyond the battlefield: Analyzing the effects of the Crimea Crisis on Russian cyberwarfare
- Sany Cruz (MPP winner) – When Parents Fall Short: The Role of Schools in Fostering Teenagers’ Political and Civic Interest
- Steven Kerr (MDS winner) – From Clicks to Cases: Leveraging Wikipedia Pageviews to Predict Mpox Cases in the United States
- Wojciech Białożyt (Executive MPA winner) – Europe at War. Democracy as European Security Factor
On to new horizons
For the new graduates of the Hertie School, it’s off to careers in the public sector, the private sector, academia and non-governmental organisations. Joining our global network of 2,700 Hertie alumni, our 2024 graduates will work and thrive around the world.
Congratulations, Class of 2024!