Swiderski just graduated from Georgetown and was one of the two student speakers at the university’s Senior Convocation. The 22-year-old studied philosophy, politics and economics and wants to work in sub-Saharan Africa before pursuing further degrees.
What are you doing after graduation?
I’m still exploring my options. At Georgetown, I studied how philosophy helps clarify what we owe to noncitizens who live here. I’m now keen to see how that dynamic plays out in other parts of the world. So one option is work in sub-Saharan Africa, where there are many refugees and internally displaced persons. And after a year or so, I would like to pursue degrees in philosophy and law, to tie it all together.
How would you sum up or evaluate your Georgetown experience?
It’s so tough to sum up because there were so many parts to it, and it just doesn’t feel like it’s over. Georgetown made me a sharper thinker and a more imaginative, outgoing person, so I guess I will always bear the imprint of the place.
You spoke at a Commencement Week ceremony. What message did you try to leave with your classmates?
I talked about loyalty and community. And about how odd it is that people keep talking about leaving college for the “real world.” What if the four years of community we experienced at Georgetown are the real thing? How can we now export that sense of solidarity to society more broadly?
What adjustments do you expect to make in living abroad?
I spent last summer living and working in Bangladesh, so I have a good sense of my threshold for the unfamiliar. If I do head somewhere I’ve never lived before, I’ll be sure to bring lots of dark chocolate. It helps me deal with stress.
— Emily Babay
