June 5, 2009

MEDIA CONTACT: Thai Phi Stone
202-994-6424; tpstone@gwu.edu

NEW FEATURES FOR COLONIAL INAUGURATION CONNECT STUDENTS TO CLASSROOM AND CAMPUS LIFE

Orientation to Include Interactive Video Showcase

WASHINGTON--Under the recommendation of a campus-wide task force, The George Washington University's leading academic programs will take center stage during the University's award-winning Colonial Inauguration (CI) summer orientation. The changes to CI will highlight the quality of the GW educational experience for incoming members of the Class of 2013.

"The CI task force recommended a number of new ways to introduce incoming students and their families to exciting educational initiatives taking place across campus and to GW's cutting-edge learning technologies," said Donald Lehman, executive vice president for academic affairs. "The three-day, hands-on activities during CI showcase both the academic highlights of a GW education, as well as campus services and student-life programs."

The task force was led by Fred Siegel, GW's associate vice president and dean of freshmen, and was under the sponsorship of Dr. Lehman and Robert Chernak, senior vice president for student and academic support services. Among the group's recommendations was to introduce students to emerging programs for the fall, including a new Freshman Reading Program and a Freshman Day of Service.

Dean Siegel added, "I am proud to see my academic and administrative colleagues calling attention to GW's most exciting academic programs, through student and faculty research projects, lectures and discussions with prominent professors and panel presentations on experiential learning and civic engagement. These elements of CI demonstrate what the GW experience is all about--both in and out of the classroom."

The CI Kick-off, held on the first day of each CI session, serves as the academic welcome to University life and will feature GW President Steven Knapp, along with Dr. Lehman and Dr. Chernak. Dr. Chernak said, "As we embark upon our efforts to orient the Class of 2013 to campus, CI will include a number of new features, such as the addition of interactive academic technology and a culminating video production, which captures student voices in action and serves as the capstone of our welcome."

The video was created by GW's Office of Communication and Creative Services and produced in conjunction with Cortina Productions, an internationally recognized, award-winning media designer. It captures key elements of student life, both on- and off-campus and covers the academic lifecycle. The video also features voices from current students and graduates of the Class of 2009, challenging the incoming class to engage, connect, learn and discover the unique GW campus experience in Washington, D.C.

Another significant feature of CI is GW's Colonial Cabinet, a 37-person student staff selected during a competitive application process. Cabinet members represent GW's most engaged and highest performing students and include representatives from every undergraduate school, a range of student organizations and campus activities, 20 states and two countries. The Colonial Cabinet plays a key role in introducing more than 5,000 new students, parents and siblings to the many exciting aspects of GW life. The first session kicks off on June 15, 2009.

For more news about The George Washington University, visit www.gwnewscenter.org.

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