September 11, 2009

MEDIA CONTACT:
Michelle Sherrard
202-994-1423; mcs1@gwu.edu
 

MORE THAN 1,500 GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY FRESHMEN AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS VOLUNTEER TO SERVE D.C.-AREA VETERANS

First annual Freshman Day of Service culminates in Sept. 11 candlelight vigil

WASHINGTON-More than 1,500 GW freshmen will dedicate Sept. 11 to community service throughout the Washington, D.C., area during the University's first Freshman Day of Service. An effort to enhance students' education through civic engagement, the event will coincide with the last day of President Barack Obama's Summer of Service and the ServiceNation initiative.

      "Freshman Day of Service provides an opportunity for new students to enhance their GW education and contribute to the city that will become their home," says Freshman Service Coordinator Shannon Donahue. "The event focuses on 'serving those who have served us'-the many veterans who reside in the D.C. area as well as those who are currently serving overseas. Students will learn about the many service opportunities that GW and the community can provide."

      At George Washington, students are committed to public service and civic engagement. An estimated 50 percent of the 2009 incoming freshman class volunteered in their communities before arriving at GW. This commitment to the community continues after matriculation, as more than 2,000 undergraduates contributed 60,000 hours of service in the District and around the country during the 2008-2009 academic year. Additionally, GW is a top feeder school for Teach for America and was No. 1 in the country among medium-sized colleges and universities for the most Peace Corps volunteers in 2009. 

      Many GW faculty members participate in Service-Learning, a way of engaging students through classroom teaching and organized community service. Eighteen Service-Learning classes are being held this fall. University faculty and staff also support volunteerism through programs such as Adopt-a-Family and food and clothing drives throughout the year.

      The day of service will begin with an opening ceremony featuring Assistant Secretary of the Navy B.J. Penn, M.S. '80, at noon in University Yard. Volunteers will then travel to local service sites, including the Armed Forces Retirement Home, Anacostia Watershed Society and the Capital Area Foodbank, to volunteer from 1 - 4:30 p.m.

      A cookout for volunteers will be held at 5 p.m. in University Yard, followed by a 9/11 candlelight vigil at 6:30 p.m.

      Located in the heart of the nation's capital, The George Washington University was created by an Act of Congress in 1821. Today, GW is the largest institution of higher education in Washington, D.C. The University offers comprehensive programs of undergraduate and graduate liberal arts study as well as degree programs in medicine, public health, law, engineering, education, business and international affairs. Each year, GW enrolls a diverse population of undergraduate, graduate and professional students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and more than 130 countries. 
 

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