Our City
We encourage you to explore the richness of GW’s city and discover the exciting benefits of living, learning, having fun and getting around in D.C. With the nation’s Capitol as a backdrop, the White House as our next door neighbor and the National Mall as our back yard, it is hard to imagine a more vibrant and rewarding college experience than that found at The George Washington University.
Liveable City
Washington, D.C., has been called the most livable city on the East Coast, and when it comes to city living, the nation’s capital is very welcoming, of manageable scale, easy to get around and filled with students and young professionals. Our city has the vitality and excitement of a place doing the nation’s business, populated with people from every country and culture. It is a city reflecting our shared heritage and history, with constant reminders through its historic architecture, government buildings and monuments, and many parks and green spaces.
GW students quickly discover that the city offers amenities and activities that support and enhance their collegiate lives, including an extensive variety of museums, restaurants, businesses of all kinds, a full array of professional sports teams and many bookstores and libraries. They also find many choices for banking, shopping, public transportation, places of worship, dance and music venues, gourmet restaurants, coffee bars and more.
GW students find all this and more just steps away from our two distinctive and vibrant campuses. The safe and very accessible Metro subway system and myriad other transportation options put the entire city at the students’ disposal.
Fun Facts about D.C.
Size: 68 square miles (including 8 square miles of water surface)
Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for all)
Origin of District’s Name: Named after George Washington and Christopher Columbus
District’s Bird: Wood Thrush
District’s Flower: American Beauty Rose
District’s Song: The Star-Spangled Banner
District’s Tree: Scarlet Oak
Places of Worship: Protestant 610; Roman Catholic 132; Hindu 17; Jewish 9; Muslim 6; Buddhist 4; Sikh 3
City parks: 300 (800 acres)
Radio stations: AM 9; FM 38
Television stations: 19
Embassies: 186
Number of Colleges: 12
Number of College Students: 50,000 undergraduates
Famous People from D.C.
Carl Bernstein, journalist
John Foster Dulles, statesman
Goldie Hawn, actress
Noor al-Hussein, former queen of Jordan
Leonard Rose, cellist
Duke Ellington, musician
Dave Chappelle, comedian/actor
Marvin Gaye, singer
Connie Chung, journalist
William Hurt, actor
Al Gore, former U.S. Vice President
Ben Stein, TV personality
John Philip Sousa, composer
Helen Hayes, actress
Explore our City: Fletcher's Boat House
Watch the GW crew teams practice on the Potomac River from Fletcher's Boat House at 7:00 am everyday.
The GW Experience
Students
An Incubator for Ideas
GW student entrepreneurs may apply for spots in entrepreneurship incubator.
A Home Away from Home
Twins study medicine and public health at George Washington.
Student Co-Produces New Album
George Washington student José Curbelo helped produce an album of northern Uruguayan music for Smithsonian Folkways.
A Call to Service
GW students traveled to Guatemala, Honduras, Los Angeles, New Orleans and Puerto Rico as part of the fourth annual Alternative Winter Break program.
Faculty
Teaching Campaigning in Cairo
GSPM professors teach practical skills to emerging politicians in Egypt.
South African Youth Perform at GW
Latest collaboration between Professor of Theatre Leslie Jacobson and the Bokamoso Youth Centre premieres Friday.
A Life-Changing Course
Today’s reading by Aryeh Lev Stollman, author of “The Far Euphrates,” is the first of six from visiting artists in this spring’s Jewish Literature Live course.
Alumni
Medical Alumni Can ‘Adopt a Doc’
New scholarship program enables graduates to put a face and name to donations.
GW Alumni, Graduate Student Win Fulbrights
Fifteen alumni and one doctoral student will conduct research around the globe with 2011-12 Fulbrights.
Furry Friend Gets Kids Excited About Learning
George Washington alumna helped create a curriculum for elementary school students centered on the dog who used to serve as the postal service’s mascot.