The 15th Annual Excellence in Student Life Awards proved to be yet another disappointment. The members of the GW College Republicans would like to tell the readers of The GW Hatchet about what a productive year we have had since the Student Activities Center failed to recognize our achievements once again.

Since 1997, the College Republicans have grown from a club of 50 students to an organization of more than 300 active members. This year alone, we have hosted five members of Congress, organized numerous campaign trips to Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, participated in and sponsored diverse student organization activities and honored our veterans at Arlington National Cemetery. Plus, we brought members of the GW community to important political activities and fundraisers including the Christian Coalition Conference, where students met Elizabeth Dole, and the Republican Women Leaders Forum, where students will have the chance to meet with Governor George W. Bush and his wife, Laura.

The highlight of the year was when the College Republicans brought former Republican senator and presidential candidate Bob Dole to campus. This event alone was the most well-attended student-sponsored activity on the GW campus in the University’s history. Our parents and friends were able to watch as we were carried live on C-SPAN. No other student group, including ones that received awards, has brought national television coverage to our University. When GW President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg introduced Sen. Dole, he noted how surprised he was to see how many Republicans we have on campus. Obviously, the occupants of Marvin Center 427 failed to realize this when the winners of the awards were chosen.

When measuring the success of a student organization, the Student Activities Center will look at such accomplishments as the growth of an organization compared to previous years, the quality of the programs, and the impact the group has had on the campus community. Outnumbered on a liberal campus, the GW College Republicans have gone above and beyond what was expected of us and provided political awareness to the entire GW community.

We hope that for the sake of the credibility of the Excellence in Student Life Awards, our achievements do not go unrecognized next year.

-Written by the GW College Republicans.