GW Community Comes Together for Alumni and Families Weekend
From student organization reunions to fall harvests to laughs with Joel McHale, the annual weekend showcased the university’s spirit and togetherness. From student organization reunions to fall harvests to laughs with Joel McHale, the annual weekend showcased the university’s spirit and togetherness. From student organization reunions to fall harvests to laughs with Joel McHale, the annual weekend showcased the university's spirit and togetherness.
Across both the Foggy Bottom and Mount Vernon campuses, the 2025 Alumni and Families Weekend invited the GW community to reconnect, reminisce and celebrate what makes the university special. Themed “Back to the ’90s,” the weekend mixed nostalgia with school spirit, from the All-Alumni Rewind dance party filled with retro hits and flannel fashion to the Vern Harvest Festival, where students, alumni and families enjoyed pumpkin decorating, fall treats and live music under crisp October skies.
“Alumni and Families Weekend is one of the most meaningful moments of the year for our community,” said Associate Vice President of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving Patricia Carocci. “It’s truly inspiring to see the way our GW family reaches across generations to celebrate all that connects us.”
President Ellen M. Granberg joined the festivities throughout the weekend, including the annual Spirit of GW Awards, which honored five alumni and friends whose leadership, generosity and accomplishments embody the university’s values. Honorees included Cheryl A. Thaxton, CERT ’13, D.N.P. ’18, Gregory S. Stevens, M.A.T. ’01, Gilbert R. Cisneros Jr., B.A. ’94, and Jacki Cisneros and Josh N. Kuriloff, B.B.A. ’81.
The celebration also featured a leadership dialogue with President Granberg and alumna Carrie Potter, performances by GW student groups, open houses across schools and a night of laughter with comedian Joel McHale at the Smith Center. By the time families gathered for Sunday’s jazz brunch, one theme carried through every event: the sense of connection that unites GW across generations and keeps the university’s spirit thriving.