November 13, 2007 

MEDIA CONTACT: Judith Evans
(202) 994-6467; evansjud@gwu.edu
Adela de la Torre
(202) 994-6424; adelita@gwu.edu
EVENT CONTACT: Inaugural Office
(202) 994-1600; inaug@gwu.edu

GW'S GLOBAL ALUMNI COMMUNITY CELEBRATES INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT STEVEN KNAPP, THURSDAY, NOV. 15, 2007

Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), BA '66, To Keynote Luncheon; Alumni Panel Discussions Feature Distinguished Graduates; Career Networking and "Lunch with Alumni" Sessions Allow Students and Graduates to Share Experiences; Evening Events Include Student Performance at Lisner Auditorium

WASHINGTON - The George Washington University alumni will honor the university's 16th President, Steven Knapp, and celebrate his dedication to GW's lifelong and worldwide community with a day-long series of panel discussions and student-alumni networking events featuring prominent graduates on Nov. 15. All events are free and open to alumni, students, and the university community, but registration is required online at http://inauguration.gwu.edu or by calling (202) 994-1600.

Knapp will be inducted into the GW Alumni Association by its president, Richard Crespin, BA '93, during a continental breakfast. The breakfast, which is free and open to graduates and the GW community, will take place 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. in the Marvin Center Continental Ballroom, 800 21st Street NW, third floor.

The luncheon session features keynote speaker, Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), BBA '66, who will be introduced by his college roommate and lifelong friend Edward "Skip" Gnehm, BA '66, MA '68, GW Kuwait Professor of Gulf and Arabian Peninsula affairs. Enzi will discuss his experiences at GW and the importance of higher education in today's global community. Prior to Enzi's keynote, the "Lunch with Alumni" program will match GW alumni and students for a discussion of their GW experiences and career aspirations. 
 
"We are delighted to offer an entire day of events that showcase the diverse talents of GW alumni and provide opportunities to interact with the president, fellow graduates, deans, faculty, and students," said Laurel Price Jones, vice president for development and alumni relations. "The program exemplifies President Knapp's focus on alumni engagement and his goal of fostering a lifelong and worldwide GW community."
 
The nine panel discussions featuring GW alumni cover a variety of fields, including law, business, science and technology, education, international affairs, global health, and politics. Among the distinguished alumni panelists are: GW Trustee and former First Data Corp. Chairman and CEO Ric Duques, BBA '65, MBA '69; Sytel Inc. Founder and Chief Executive Jeannette Lee, BA '83; Senior Advisor for The American Institutes for Research and former D.C. Schools Superintendent Floretta Dukes McKenzie, EdD '85; E-Trade Chief Information Officer Greg Framke, BA '82; and Founder and President of Omni Med Edward F. O'Neil, Jr., MD '87. 
 
"The distinguished alumni participating in these events represent a vibrant and diverse community of 220,000-plus alumni in more than 145 countries," said Crespin. "The GW Alumni Association strives to offer alumni additional opportunities to connect, provide feedback, and give back to their alma mater. President Knapp has been incredibly supportive of these goals, as have the accomplished GW graduates joining us during Inaugural Week. Together, we can proudly look back on our shared heritage and work toward creating an even brighter future for GW."  

Students, alumni, faculty, and staff are invited to celebrate the inauguration of Knapp at a free student performance revue in Lisner Auditorium at 8 p.m. The show includes works by Balance, GW's only student ballet company, and Generic Theatre, the university's oldest theater company.  Also that evening, DanceWorks Fall 2007, a semi-annual modern dance concert of GW students, faculty, and guest artist Sean Curran will take place in the Dorothy Betts Marvin Theater at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets are available for $15 general admission and $10 students and senior citizens at theatredance@gwu.edu.

The George Washington University will celebrate the inauguration of Steven Knapp as GW's 16th president with a week-long series of academic and enrichment activities culminating in the President's formal installation on Friday, Nov. 16.  For more information, please visit http://inauguration.gwu.edu or call the Inaugural Office at (202) 994-1600.

For more news about GW, visit the GW News Center at www.gwnewscenter.org.

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