Past Meets Present at GW's Annual Aumni and Families Weekend

It was a grand celebration calling all Revolutionaries as the George Washington University commemorated its past and present during the annual Alumni and Families Weekend, held Oct. 18-20 with events at both the Foggy Bottom and Mount Vernon campuses. The gathering of alumni, families and friends served as a reminder of the enduring strength of the GW community. 

On Friday night, students of the past who left GW with a degree and great deal of school spirit gathered, caught up and danced away at the All-Alumni Party as the Grand Ballroom in the University Student Center transformed into a beachy paradise. Many of those same alumni also had an opportunity to reconnect at reunions for the undergraduate classes of 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014 held throughout the weekend. 

Mother Nature basked Washington, D.C., in glorious sunshine on a picturesque fall weekend. That made the changing colors stand out even more, especially at events such as the Vern Harvest, where community members could celebrate fall with pumpkins, apple cider, doughnuts, games and more. 

Saturday, Oct. 19, offered a diverse lineup of open houses with GW Athletics and deans from various schools, including the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Professional Studies, the Elliott School of International Affairs, GW Business, GW Engineering, GW Law and the Milken Institute School of Public Health. 

Later that afternoon, President Ellen M. Granberg outlined the formal development of the university’s strategic framework to the GW community. Speaking to a near-capacity crowd at Betts Theatre in the University Student Center, Granberg said during her first year she was consistently impressed by the GW community’s passion for not only changing the world but also building an institution that provides a strong platform for making that change possible. 

It didn’t take long for Granberg and her wife, Sonya Rankin, to realize what a remarkable place GW is in a special city like D.C., and during engagements she frequently heard desires to better leverage its strengths in education and research to foster a more adaptable and resilient community of global leaders prepared to tackle the world’s biggest challenges. The strategic framework, she said, is a tool for reaching those goals. 

“We must build a foundation for the next level of excellence,” Granberg said. She laid out the framework’s four guiding themes: advancing impactful knowledge production through interdisciplinary excellence, reimagining skill development for the future, redefining authentic leadership for modern challenges and turning ideas into action by being a global convener. Granberg noted how some of the groundwork has already been laid with significant investments in student life, enhanced career support and resources for faculty research. 

She shared that a committee of faculty and staff is working to flesh out these ideas and that a steering committee will take its feedback and develop a complete strategic framework, including timelines and budgets. The goal is to present a plan to the Board of Trustees next May, and she is excited to engage with the larger GW community to inform that plan. 

The strategic framework is key among Granberg’s initiatives as the university continues to embark on its third century of operation. Asked by an audience member what she’s most excited about in terms of future projects that promote the university’s goals, Granberg said she sees an amazing opportunity for GW to integrate its historical strengths in politics, policy, law and international relations with medicine, science, technology and AI. 

“This combination positions us to address complex issues like climate change, food supply and the health of democracy,” Granberg said. “I believe this is our unique opportunity moving forward, and it excites me the most.” The launch of the Global Food Institute, founded jointly by world-renowned chef and humanitarian José Andrés and GW, is one such example. 

Granberg noted that the three things she finds especially special about GW are its proximity, outstanding people and relentless pursuit of impact through research and education. These all add up to GW community members being deeply engaged and passionate about the world around them, she said. 

With current global conflicts eliciting strong passion among community members, Granberg pointed to new spaces and resources on campus that help the community engage meaningfully with one another and these topics, including the Center for Interfaith and Spiritual Life and the Division for Student Affairs, which is bringing in experts to train student leaders and staff on techniques that help bridge challenging dialogue across differences. 

“Today we are also focused on developing global leaders who will face increasingly complex and existential challenges,” Granberg said. “It is our duty to equip our students with the skills and courage needed to engage with these difficult issues.” 

Some of those students may even join the long list of GW alumni and community members in the halls of government. Frequently cited as one of the most politically active campuses, GW has educated more than 120 members of Congress, 79 ambassadors, two U.S. secretaries of state and two U.S. attorneys general. Granberg said that there is no better place to learn, debate or engage with the democratic process. 

 

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“It is our duty to equip our students with the skills and courage needed to engage with these difficult issues.”

Ellen M. Granberg 
President, George Washington University

 

“At GW, we do not just study democracy; we live it,” she said. 

Also on Oct. 19, one of the world’s most recognizable comedians, Trevor Noah, brought the house down at the Charles E. Smith Center. The event, called “A Night with Trevor Noah” and put on by the GW Program Board, gave GW students, families and alumni a night they’ll never forget as they listened to the former host of the Emmy Award-winning “The Daily Show” use his trademark smart satire in a two-hour laugh-a-thon. 

As the weekend drew to a close, one final event emphasized the university’s connection to the democratic process. The latest entry in GW’s series of “Democracy Dialogues” focusing on the presidential election was a conversation between historian Jon Meacham and NBC political analyst Charles “Chuck” Todd, ATT ’90-’94, Hon. ’22. 

In a friendly back-and-forth on Oct. 20, the two speakers outlined possible results of either a Trump or Harris victory at the polls.  

After brief welcoming remarks to a full audience in Jack Morton Auditorium, Traci Scott, M.A. ’96, introduced Granberg, who described the present moment as a pivotal time for American democracy and linked the event to GW history. 

“In 1821,” Granberg said, “GW was founded with a clear purpose to educate citizens of a young republic at the seat of their nation’s government, ensuring that the ideals and practices foundational to the American experiment and democracy would persevere for generations. Today that founding vision still animates our university.”