I thought it was rather apropos to dedicate this week's school spotlight to one with a presidential name, so here are Five Fun Facts about The George Washington University, commonly referred to as GW:
1) GW was founded in 1821 through an Act of Congress to fulfill George Washington’s vision of an institution in the nation’s capital dedicated to educating and preparing future leaders. GW's school colors, buff and blue, are a tribute to the colors George Washington wore in battle.
2) GW is the largest higher education institution in Washington D.C. and uses the state capitol as a classroom - there are actually classes held at the U.S. capitol, as well as at George Washington's Mount Vernon estate. Its location just 4 blocks from the White House and steps from many government and non-government agencies gives students access to countless research, internship and career opportunities.
3) GW established the first political communications major. GW offers several combined undergraduate/graduate programs for students who know they are passionate about studying political science: BA/MA in Political Science, BA/Master of Public Administration, BA/Master of Public Policy, BA/Master of Professional Studies in Political Management, and BA/Master of Professional Studies in Legislative Affairs.
4) The GW campus is now 50% solar-powered for electricity and hopes to be carbon neutral by 2040. The Solar Institute is part of the university's Sustainability Collaborative and has established itself as a "leading source of research and knowledge on solar energy trends and policy."
5) The GW undergraduate experience involves a strong focus on service and civic engagement. GW features 70 community-engaged scholarship courses, and last year, the GW community logged 703,331 hours of community service.
