Today, the Institute was brought to a close with a ceremony in which the seniors were congratulated for their success in their classes, internships and other activities. Each graduating senior stood before the audience assembled at the Four Seasons Hotel in Georgetown as the Institute’s president, William Keyes, read his bio and presented him with a diploma and lapel pin. Keyes was joined in the presentations by professors William Allen and Thomas Rustici. The two professors also gave brief remarks.
This ceremony was the first that was attended by the parents of every graduating senior. Some came from as far away as California. Also in attendance were donors, including Diana Davis Spencer of the Shelby Cullom Davis Foundation and Richard Walker, Vice President for Corporate Giving at Friedman Billings Ramsey. Spencer and Walker were presented gifts as tokens of appreciation for their support since the Institute’s founding. The gifts were group photos of current students and alumni taken on the Georgetown University campus during alumni weekend. The seniors also presented gifts to Keyes, Allen and Rustici, Institute staff, and the three Summer Fellows—Christopher Binns, Bernard Holloway and Fred Jones—who graduated one year ago.
A special feature of this year’s graduation was music performed by five Institute scholars. They opened the event with the National Anthem and Lift Every Voice and closed it with an improvisational piece that included all five singing, plus piano and beat box. The music was upbeat, causing everyone to leave on a most festive note.
Scholar-musicians John Harper, Barron Ryan, Brandon Piper and Clarence Mitchell performed an abbreviated version of their July 17 National Endowment for the Arts concert in the main conference room at Epstein Becker & Green, PC. The performers were introduced by the firm’s founder, Steven Epstein, who has supported the Institute since its establishment. The firm provided food and beverage for all of the attorneys and support staff in attendance. The performers ended the concert with an improvisational song about lawyers.
The Honorable Janice Rogers Brown has served on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit since 2005. She previously was an Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court. She spent much of her time with the scholars discussing her role as a jurist and the difficulties she sometimes faces in deciding tragic cases, such as those of habitual drug offenders who might otherwise be good people but run afoul of the law because of prior mistakes that have left them addicted. Beyond the law, she led a stimulating and thought-provoking discussion about the direction in which the country is headed and the role the scholars can plan in protecting American values
On Sunday afternoon, Institute alumnus Edward Sanders, a member of President Bush's White House staff, invited current scholars to visit the South Lawn to meet the President upon his return from Camp David. The occasion proved to be a wonderful opportunity, as the President appeared to be relaxed and ready to talk with the few fortunate individuals who were treated to this rare opportunity. After disembarking, the President walked along a rope line of individuals, most of whom were members of his staff and family and friends of staff members. When Mr. Keyes told the President of the caliber of young men he was meeting, the President said, simply, "the best and the brightest." When he described the mission of the Institute, the President responded, "Just tell them to contribute to the country.”
For the third year, Institute juniors visited the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for a private briefing with Secretary Alphonso Jackson. In previous years, the twelve students met around a conference table in the Secretary’s office. With a larger class of 24 scholars, this summer’s session was moved to a larger room in HUD’s headquarters, the Robert C. Weaver Federal Building. The discussion was no less intimate, with the Secretary answering questions ranging from the effectiveness of the federal government’s response to the Hurricane Katrina disaster to the constitutionality of HUD programs. As always, Jackson encouraged the scholars to continue to work hard, with the goal of becoming successful enough to be able to help other people. He also told the scholars that one of the benefits of their hard work in college is that it puts them in touch with others who will run the country one day.
John Murdock of the law firm Epstein Becker & Green, whose founder Steven B. Epstein was a founding supporter of the Institute, called together numerous Washington lawyers for a reception with Institute scholars. The reception was held in the moot court room at Hogan & Hartson LLP. Steven C. Lambert of Foley & Lardner LLP addressed the assembled lawyers and scholars, describing the relationship his firm has established with the Institute to educate young men about the practice of law.
Members of the National Endowment for the Arts, internship supervisors, fellow scholars and other friends of the Institute were treated to an exciting performance by scholars John Harper (Oberlin, Sr.), David Wilford (LaSalle, Sr.), Barron Ryan (Oklahoma, Jr.), Clarence Mitchell (Maryland, Jr.) and Brandon Piper (DePauw, Jr.). Harper is a Vocal Performance major and has won several awards for his singing. He plans to become a professional opera singer. He interned at the NEA during his first summer in the Institute. Ryan is a Music major, specializing in Piano Performance. He too plans to become a professional musician. He is interning at the NEA this summer. The students performed an impressive variety of selections, which included opera, gospel and show tunes. Ryan accompanied most pieces, though Mitchell played the piano and guitar while singing successive songs. The scholars exceeded everyone’s high expectations and received a prolonged standing ovation at the conclusion.