On the rainy morning of Saturday, May 23, 2026, the Michael M. Boland Jr. ’12 Arena in the Hanley Center glowed with the smiling faces of family and friends gathered to celebrate Georgetown Preparatory School’s 104th Commencement. One hundred twenty-nine young men received their diplomas surrounded by the full weight of 237 years of Jesuit tradition — the oldest Catholic and Jesuit school in the United States.

Headmaster John Glennon Jr. opened the proceedings by situating the Class of 2026 within the long arc of Prep’s history. “Today’s tradition reaches back into the past,” he said, “this our 237th year at John Carroll’s academy.” He invited those gathered to look forward — not to their own futures, but to those of the young men seated before them.

A Prayer of Gratitude and Mission
Vice President of the Yard Jamie Baker ’26 offered the opening prayer, asking that the faith formed at Prep “remains forever and continues to grow through every aspect of our lives.” He called upon his brothers to carry into college, career, and family the values instilled at Georgetown Prep — to go forth as men of faith, conscience, competence, courage, and compassion, and as men for and with others.

Student Address: Brendan Kozak ’26
President of the Yard, Senior Prefect, Kairos retreat leader, three-season athlete, and morning Mass reader Brendan Francis Kozak ’26 delivered the student address — organizing his remarks around a framework offered by one of Prep’s most beloved faculty members, Mr. Bob Barry: Who? Why? What?

On the question of who they are, Kozak painted a vivid portrait of a class that spans 5 continents, 12 countries, and 11 US states. In four years together, the Class of 2026 captured 20 IAC championships — 8 in their senior year alone. Forty-eight members served as Love in Action leaders and big brothers to incoming freshmen. Twenty-eight earned the distinction of Southwell Scholar. And their individual acts of service were equally remarkable: Ethan Shaw brought the lessons of freshman theology to veteran communities in Washington, D.C.; Constantine Polis led Prep’s Best Buddies chapter to become the largest donor to Best Buddies in Maryland; and Johnny Hughes, working summers as a lifeguard off the coast of Ocean City, New Jersey, saved 43 lives.

Kozak paid particular tribute to the parents in the room — those who endured beltway traffic, early winter mornings, and the particular helplessness of watching a son struggle from a distance. “You believe in us when we don’t believe in ourselves,” he said. He also honored the dorm parents who became a second family to Prep’s resident students, choosing love and presence even when it wasn’t easy.

On the question of why they came to Prep, Kozak drew on the story of his grandfather — the son of Irish immigrants who attended Regis High School in New York City and, even now, years into his battle with Alzheimer’s disease, lights up at the mention of the words Jesuit or Regis. “Those core memories instilled from his Jesuit experience,” Kozak said, “have stayed with him.” The Class of 2026, he suggested, is now building its own.

He walked his classmates through the memories that will define their time together — Open House in October 2022, when their collective enthusiasm earned them a holiday declared by Headmaster Glennon; the opening of the new residence hall and the family it created among day and resident students; Brett Cotton’s double-overtime goal against Landon; Michael Rose singing in a porta-potty during Twelfth Night; Noah Han at Prep Idol. 

His closing struck a chord that carried through the rest of the morning: “I think of this graduation morning like the final day of Kairos: saddened that the experience has passed, but excited to present our new selves to the world.”

“We are leaving this place, not each other. The memories and what we have learned will go with us. We are ready.”
— Brendan Francis Kozak ’26, President of the Yard

Fr. Van Dyke: “Do Not Be Afraid”
The heart of the ceremony belonged to Georgetown Prep President, Rev. James R. Van Dyke, S.J., whose commencement address drew on scripture, history, and Ignatian spirituality to offer the graduates a framework for the years ahead. Fr. Van Dyke centered his remarks on the phrase that appears 365 times in the Bible — once for every day of the year: “Do not be afraid.”

Acknowledging that life would bring real challenge “sometimes even to within an inch of your life”, Fr. Van Dyke did not offer comfort so much as invitation. “You can even embrace it,” he told the graduates, drawing on the words of beloved Coach Paro: adversity is our friend.

He turned to the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola to illuminate what genuine courage looks like — not the bravado of a soldier on the walls of Pamplona, but the humility of a man willing to sit in a fourth-grade classroom at thirty years old to learn Latin so that he might serve others. “It looks a lot like humility,” Fr. Van Dyke said, “but I think that’s what real courage sometimes looks like. And so does real love.”

Fr. Van Dyke closed his remarks with a reading of John Donne’s “A Hymn to God the Father,” before offering the final blessing — extending his hands, and inviting the entire faculty to do the same, over the newest sons of Georgetown Preparatory School.

A Bright Future Ahead
Headmaster Glennon offered a final word to the graduates as they prepared to process from the arena. Nodding to the rain outside, he reminded them that difficult days are part of every life — but so are beautiful ones.

“This will not be the last rainy day that you see. But there will be many beautiful rainbows too. You now possess something that can never be washed away: a Jesuit education from Georgetown Prep. Stay Humble. Stay Hungry. Hoya Saxa.”
— John Glennon Jr., Headmaster

Learn more about this talented class at www.gprep.org/2026