More than 80 alumni working in politics attended the GW Alumni in Politics group (GWAP) launch event on March 26 at Washington, D.C.’s Old Ebbit Grill. The group formed to connect graduates involved in various political pursuits and provide professional development and networking opportunities. GWAP members also will work to provide both financial and program support to the advancement of political educational programs within the university.

“GW has a tremendous amount of alumni in the national capital region and across the globe working as elected officials, civil servants, government appointees, lobbyists, and in related fields,” said Adrienne A. Rulnick, associate vice president for alumni relations and development. “GWAP will serve as a vital forum for all alumni — both recent and established — to connect, exchange ideas and open doors for new opportunities.”

Membership in the GWAP is open to undergraduate or graduate alumni who are involved in politics. The group will host quarterly events, offer increased access to the university, and provide a unique website that provides alumni directories, job postings, and blogs.

Notable GW alumni in politics include: CIA Director Allen W. Dulles, LAW LLB ’26, LLD ’59; Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, LAW LLB ’12; Sen. J. William Fulbright, LAW LLB ’34, LLD ’59; Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman, LAW JD ’69, LLD ’06; NASA Administrator Michael Griffin, SEAS MS ’98; FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, LLB ’16, LLM ’17, LLD ’35; Watergate Prosecutor Leon Jaworski, LAW LLM ’26; EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson, CCAS MA ’76; Secretary of State Gen. Colin L. Powell, GWSB MBA ’71; President of South Korea Syngman Rhee, BA ’07, LLD ’54; President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, LAW ATT ’95; U.S. Solicitor General and Independent Counsel on Whitewater Kenneth Starr, CCAS BA ’68; and Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, CCAS BA ’77.

There are 14 GW alumni serving in the 110th Congress: Sens. Kent Conrad, GWSB MBA ’75, (D-ND); Michael Enzi, GWSB BBA ’66, (R-WY); Daniel Inouye, LAW JD ’52, (D-Hawaii); and Harry Reid, LAW JD ’64, (D-NV); Reps. Jason Altmire, SPHHS MHSA ’98, (D-PA); Eric Cantor, CCAS BA ’85, (R-VA); John Duncan, Jr., LAW JD ’73, (R-TN); Steve Israel, BA ’82, (D-NY); Sam Johnson, ESIA MS ’74, (R-TX); Tim Mahoney, GWSB MBA ’83, (D-FL); Jim Ramstad, LAW JD ’73, (R-MN); Cliff Stearns, SEAS BS ’63, (R-FL); and Robert Wexler, LAW JD ’85, (D-FL); and Delegate Donna Christensen, SMHS MD ’70, (D-VI).

GW is rated as the most politically active campus in the country by the Princeton Review. After graduation alumni continue to shape the domestic and international political landscape. 

For information on joining GWAP, contact Mark Forrest at clubs@gwu.edu or call 202-994-3293.