Petkanas, a senior in the Elliot School of International Affairs at George Washington University, won the university’s student speaker competition. On May 16, she will have the chance to speak at GW’s commencement ceremony on the National Mall along with first lady Michelle Obama.
How did you decide to participate in the competition?
I was talking to my mother and thinking about what George Washington University means to me, what kind of experiences I feel have led me to where I am today. And I wanted to take this opportunity to speak about my experiences at GW, which I think have changed me enormously in my goals and in the way that I think and what I want to do. I really didn’t envision it to go that far, but really, it did.
What are you going to talk about in your speech?
It touches on what unique experience GW has been, how it has prepared us to go into a world that is frankly scary right now — worldwide economic crises, the terrible job market, conflicts abroad. We have big responsibilities as the next generation of leaders and I think that GW prepared us in a way that is unique. There are a lot of things that we have to accomplish.
You will be sharing the floor with Michelle Obama. Have you ever met somebody of her caliber?
I am incredibly honored to be sharing the speech with Michelle Obama. I’m really excited, [to] see what she has to say. I do theater at GW, so I’m used to performing but I’m definitely not in front of 25,000 people and definitely not in front of someone like her.
Are you planning to touch base with her on some ongoing issues?
I’m not sure what time am I going to have when I meet her.
— Hristina Ninova
