Coordinators of Grad Week, a list of activities for seniors in their last week of college, have increased advertising and added new events in an effort to attract more participants.
The week consists of a variety of events, ranging from bar nights at McFadden’s Saloon and an Atlantic City trip to a commemorative class photograph taken in front of the Lincoln Memorial. The week is one of the many initiatives being pushed by the University to ease students into alumni status.
Mayra Espinoza, student involvement coordinator for the Student Activities Center, said her office tried to promote the events earlier this year to increase awareness and a high turnout of seniors is expected.
Three new events, including a double-decker bus monument tour that took place on Saturday, the commemorative photo and a student leaders reception, are all intended to rally seniors together in their final week as undergraduates, Espinoza said.
Espinoza added she expects interest to increase as finals end for the senior class and said that her office has sold more than half of the available tickets for a day-trip to Atlantic City, a popular beach and gambling resort area in New Jersey.
“We’re at 100 tickets sold . we have 65 tickets left. We’re expecting to sell out soon,” Espinoza said.
The day trip to Atlantic City has been a Grad Week event since 2004, Espinoza said. Costs for travel, food and coin vouchers are included in the $25 ticket. The group will leave GW at 12:15 p.m. and return around 3 a.m. the next morning.
Dean Harwood, the director of Greek Life and assistant director of the SAC, will be a bus captain on the trip.
“I’ve gone in the past – it’s a good trip,” Harwood said. This will be his fourth time as a chaperone on the trip and he said he’s gone every year since he’s been working at GW.
Senior Tom Berube said he has already bought his ticket.
“It’s a good deal. I’ve got nothing else to do next week and I’ve never been to Atlantic City before.”
But Berube said he will pick and choose the other Grad Week events he attends. He said he doesn’t think he’ll make it to the Hall on Virginia Avenue installment of the sentimental “Back to” event, which allows seniors to revisit their freshman dorms, but is considering some of the bar events like McFadden’s Night.
Other events include a barbecue, where Grad Week T-shirts will be distributed, a multicultural alumni induction ceremony, and celebrations at bars like Sky Lounge and Nick’s Riverside Grill. The week will culminate in the annual Monumental Celebration at Union Station on May 16, the night before Commencement.
