Seniors raised a glass, gambled and revisited old haunts last week to enjoy their final moments at GW. Grad Week 2002 included the presentation of the senior gift, an all-night trip to Atlantic City and the annual back to Thurston night.

The Cinema Drafthouse Monday night featured screenings of Animal House and a slide show that displayed photos used to make the senior class gift, a photo mosaic.

Organizers said seniors donated photos to make the image of George Washington’s face.

Senior Radha Rajan, chair of the senior class gift campaign, said the group has been working on the project since last summer and came up with the idea for the mosaic in mid-October. She said the piece includes 2,016 photos submitted by seniors and hopes for it to be hung in the Marvin Center.

Rajan said the campaign solicited pictures until mid-April through listservs and phone calls.

“We wanted it to be unique and more representative of our class,” Rajan said. “Students appreciated the fact that they were able to be involved in the process.”

Students were given poster prints of the mosaic Thursday at the back-to-Thurston event, where about students gathered in the Thurston Hall Thursday for free beer to reminisce about their freshman year experiences.

Busloads of seniors drove to Atlantic City Wednesday afternoon to spend the night gambling, then returned at dawn the following morning.

Former Student Association President and senior Roger Kapoor said his freshman year was the most memorable part of his time at GW. He said being SA president was an “unbelievable experience,” but he will miss the “energy and enthusiasm of Thurston Hall” the most.

The week was sponsored by the Student Activities Center and Development and Alumni Affairs.

“Senior Week was awesome,” said graduate Seth Wong, who said he attended every event.

Wong said he will probably begin donating money to GW as an alumnus “once I start making money – maybe.”

“I don’t think one week can inspire you to donate how much they’re asking,” Wong said.

Graduate Andrew Goldberg said he will attend graduate school at GW next year.

“I’ve had a really great time at GW and I will definitely give back,” Goldberg said.
–Kate Stepan contributed to this report.