Title:A fiesta for the ages at John Carroll Weekend Puerto Rico

Each spring, the Georgetown University Alumni Association (GUAA) hosts John Carroll Weekend to celebrate the university, its alumni community, and the Georgetown University Alumni Association’s highest honors: the John Carroll and Patrick Healy Awards. The event, which changes locations each year to showcase a different city, is open to alumni and friends from all class years and each of Georgetown’s schools.

This year, over 1,100 Hoyas gathered in Puerto Rico, La Isla del Encanto, April 16-19 to take part in cultural tours, rainforest hikes, intellectual programming, dance lessons, and cherished social events, including the annual President’s Welcome Reception and John Carroll Award Banquet.

“John Carroll Weekend is a reminder that Georgetown’s story has always been written by its people—alumni who show up, who lead, who welcome, who build community wherever they are,” said GUAA President Gail Gillis-Louis (C’75) at the signature banquet. “Puerto Rico has done that with extraordinary spirit and a loving heart.”

Touring Old San Juan, El Yunque Rainforest, and more

The Alumni Association and the weekend’s chair, Federico C. Stubbe Jr (B’98, Parent’29), assembled a dedicated advisory committee to introduce their island to fellow Hoyas. The four-day event included activities for every interest level, showcasing different corners of San Juan as well as nearby rivers, parks, golf courses, and beaches.

Georgetown professors and local guides gave tours of Old San Juan’s historic forts and landmarks, well-loved eateries, and museums. The topics included urban revitalization, Puerto Rico’s unique history and blend of cultures, and even rum!

Outside the city limits, Puerto Rico offered great opportunities for golf lovers, beachgoers, and hikers. The El Yunque Rainforest, the only tropical rainforest within the national forest system, is a short drive away so tour participants were able to see waterfalls and local birds. Visits to the Manatee Conservation Center — and meeting the center’s patients — were especially well-loved.

Signature events, plus an unforgettable after-party

This year’s opening reception was held at the Antiguo Casino de Puerto Rico, a Beaux Arts building dating from 1917. Local musicians made sure it was a festive start to the weekend.

On the final evening, the black-tie John Carroll Awards Banquet was held at the Coca-Cola Music Hall. Julia Farr (C’88, Parent’19, ’21, ’24), the Alumni Association’s executive director, conferred John Carroll Awards upon six outstanding members of the Georgetown community:

• Timothy J. Brosnan (C’80, Parent’16,’16,’21)
• Frank A. Ciatto (B’88, L’94, Parent’21,’26)
• Michael G. Ryan (C’74, Parent’09,’11)
• Catherine R. Sansbury (SLL’89, Parent’21,’25)
• Federico C. Stubbe Jr. (B’98, Parent’29)
• Michael F. Williams (SFS’98, L’01, Parent’23,’24,’26,’27,’28)

Plus the Patrick Healy Award to Jeanne Ruesch (Parent’02,’09).

This year’s gala was the most highly attended awards banquet in the event’s history.

Following the gala, everyone gathered at DISTRITO T-MOBILE for an epic after-party, with dancers, performers, and even a zip-lining Hoya.

Program spotlight: Thinking Forward

This TED-style event featured a selection of the university’s most forward-thinking professors and leaders. Sessions included:

• Tadayoshi (Yoshi) Kohno, the McDevitt Chair in Computer Science, Ethics, and Society and professor in the Department of Computer Science and the Center for Digital Ethics, spoke to the “security mindset” needed when working with generative AI systems. With this mindset, one routinely asks “what might go wrong with this technology, and what can we do about it?” Kohno discussed his research on automotive cyber security, risks with synthetic DNA, and risks with modern generative AI systems.
• Melissa Bradley (B’89), professor from the McDonough School of Business and 2024 John Carroll Award winner, focused on “Unlocking America’s Hidden Economic Engine,” explaining what America is quietly losing by continuing to concentrate capital in the same narrow circles. She makes the case that when capital repeatedly flows to familiar founders, networks, and profiles, the country doesn’t just exclude talent; it forgoes innovation, job creation, market expansion, and long-term competitiveness.
• Amy Kenny, the director of Georgetown’s Disability Cultural Center, shared how many innovations in our everyday lives—including texting, touch screens, and the electric toothbrush—were invented by and for disabled folks. This session asked the audience to consider how the ingenuity of disability culture benefits everyone.

Tour spotlight: Roots & Rhythms

Hosted by the Black Alumni Council (BAC), this immersive excursion brought participants to Loíza, the cultural heart of the island’s Afro-Puerto Rican community.

Participants were able to explore the deep roots and enduring influence of Africa on Puerto Rican history, music, and dance. Following a history presentation by Marta Moreno Vega and Maricruz Rivera Clemente, participants enjoyed a sampling of traditional Afro-Puerto Rican cuisine and joined an interactive Bomba workshop celebrating the rhythms, movements, and stories that shaped Afro-Puerto Rican identity.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the Roots & Rhythm experience,” shared Minnie Quartey (C’05, MS’06, G’23). “I felt the sense of community and culture, and it was a beautiful morning well spent. Candid conversations about history and the island and authentic tastes of Puerto Rican cuisine made the experience feel like we were a part of the community and not a tourist. I hope these experiences continue to be a part of the JCW experience!”