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The GW Hatchet

Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

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Officials name senior vice president, chief of staff
By Fiona Riley, Assistant News Editor • March 26, 2024

Commencement Guide

Stories: University preps for graduation | Va. Governor reflects on his days at GW | Students to speak at ceremonies | GW to give honorary degrees | Students to speak at ceremonies

Weekend Schedule


Friday, May 16
10:00 a.m.
The Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps Commissioning Ceremony
United States Navy Memorial.
This ceremony is for graduating NROTC students and their guests. For further information contact the NROTC office at 994-5880.

2:00 p.m.
Elliott School of International Affairs Celebration
Charles E. Smith Center.
Tickets required. For further information call 994-3002.

3:00 p.m.
University Interfaith
Baccalaureate Service
Western Presbyterian Church, 2401 Virginia Avenue N.W.
Sponsored by the Board of Chaplains. For information call 994-7129.

4:00 p.m.
Doctoral Hooding Ceremony
Lisner Auditorium.
The Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Business and Public Management, the Graduate School of Education and Human Development, the School of Public Health and Health Services and the School of Engineering and Applied Science will host a special hooding ceremony for their doctoral candidates and guests.

7:00 p.m.
School of Engineering
and Applied Science Celebration
Charles E. Smith Center.
Tickets required. For further information call 994-6080.

Saturday, May 17
8:30 a.m.
Graduate School of Education and Human Development Celebration
Lisner Auditorium (with additional seating in the Marvin Center).
Tickets required. For further
information call 994-2194.
8:30 a.m.
School of Business and Public Management Celebration
Charles E. Smith Center.
Tickets required. For further information call 994-8252.

10:00 a.m.
Phi Beta Kappa Installation
and Reception
Dorothy Betts Marvin Theatre.
The George Washington University Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa honors the newly elected members. By invitation.

12 noon
First Columbian College of Arts and Sciences Celebration
Charles E. Smith Center.
Tickets required. For further information call 994-6210.

12 noon
School of Public Health and Health Services Celebration
Lisner Auditorium.
Tickets required. For further
information, call (202) 994-5407.

3:30 p.m.
Second Columbian College
of Arts and Sciences Celebration
Charles E. Smith Center.
Tickets required. Call 994-6210 for further information.

8:30 p.m.
The Monumental Celebration
at Union Station
50 Massachusetts Avenue N.E.

Sunday, May 18
COMMENCEMENT
9:00 a.m.
Upon arrival at the Ellipse, graduates should proceed immediately to the procession formation site designated for their school. Graduates will be able to identify their school’s line-up location by the color-coded banners that will be in place on the Ellipse. Guests of the graduates are encouraged to sit in the section closest to their graduate’s school.

Graduates are strongly
encouraged to specify, before
the ceremony, the exact location where they will meet their guests
at the conclusion of the ceremony.

9:30 a.m.
The processions, led by the Washington Scottish Pipe Band, begin.

10:00 a.m.
The Commencement ceremony begins. The Commencement ceremony is expected to last about wo hours.

1:30 p.m.
School of Medicine and Health Sciences Celebration – Health Sciences Graduates
Lisner Auditorium.
Tickets required. For further information call 994-0437.

2:00 p.m.
School of Medicine and Health Sciences Celebration –
Doctor of Medicine Diploma Ceremony
Charles E. Smith Center.
Tickets required. For further information call 994-3501.

Transportation Schedule


Shuttle Bus Service
Those parking on the GW campus may walk to the Ellipse (about 12 minutes) or use the campus shuttle bus service located on I Street between 21st and 22nd streets. Shuttle buses are for all graduates and guests and will operate continuously from 7:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The buses will depart campus from I Street between 21st and 22nd Streets. The buses will depart the Ellipse from designated locations on 17th Street and Constitution Avenue near the Ellipse. Shuttle bus service can become crowded. Plan to board buses well before 9 a.m. if you plan to see or be in the academic procession.

Handicapped Accessible Shuttle Bus
Special shuttle buses will be provided for any guests who are in wheelchairs or who have mobility limitations. The buses will pick up riders on the north side of I Street between 21st and 22nd streets and will transport them to the Ellipse. The wheelchair accessible buses may be used both by the guest needing mobility assistance and the entire party traveling with them and will run regularly between the Ellipse and the campus. Following the ceremony the buses will be available to return guests from the Ellipse to the campus.

Metro Service
Guests may take the Metro to the McPherson Square station (near the White House) on the Blue and Orange lines, and then walk to the Ellipse .The Metro opens at 8 a.m. on Sundays. Guests may also ride the Metro to the GW/Foggy Bottom station and then take the shuttle buses to the ceremony from campus.
The GW/Foggy Bottom Metro station is located on 23rd and I streets, one block from where the shuttle buses will be located.

Taxis
A trip to the Ellipse from a downtown hotel via taxi will cost about $8 to $12 depending on the distance traveled and number of people. Taxis usually are available on Constitution Avenue after the Commencement ceremony.

Friday, May 16
Participants in the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony, the Elliott School of International Affairs celebration, and the School of Engineering and Applied Science celebration will receive one parking permit for Friday, May 16. Friday permits will be honored on a space-available basis at the University Parking Garage.

Saturday, May 17
Graduates from the School of Business and Public Management, the Graduate School of Education and Human Development, the School of Public Health and Health Services, and the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, will receive a parking permit valid in the University Garage or the Marvin Center Garage on a space available basis for Saturday, May 17.

Sunday, May 18
Each graduate will receive one parking permit for Sunday, May 18. This permit will be valid for May 18 only, for one space on campus in the University Parking Garage or the Marvin Center. Campus parking permits are valid on a space available basis. If guests are staying in hotels within the vicinity of the Ellipse, it is recommended that they walk to the Ellipse or take a cab rather than drive.
There is extremely limited general parking and extremely limited handicapped parking (for those with handicapped license plates and permits) near the Ellipse on a space-available basis. This is city-provided parking and is not reserved by the University. Guests are strongly encouraged to park on campus and utilize the shuttle bus service or use public transportation to go directly to the Ellipse.

University Parking Garages
Due to the large number of guests on campus throughout the weekend, parking on campus may be extremely limited.

Alternative Site/Emergency Plan Information
(202) 994-5050
24-hour recorded message on the status of Commencement Weekend events, available throughout the week from Monday, May 12, through Sunday, May 18.

GW Information Center
(202) 994-4949
This is the general information number for The George Washington University. The Information Center will have the most up-to-date information regarding Commencement. Staff members are available to answer questions from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday, May 12 through Wednesday, May 14, and 7 a.m. to midnight, Thursday, May 15 through Sunday, May 18. The Information Center is located on the first floor of the Marvin Center, 800 21st Street, N.W.

Registrar
(202) 994-4918
Students should call this number if they have inquiries about the status of their application for graduation. The Office of the Registrar is located on the first floor of Rice Hall and is open weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Information for the Deaf
and Hard of Hearing
(202) 994-8250
(VOICE-TDD)
This service is provided by the Office of Disability Support Services and is available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Graduation Hotline
(202) 994-GRAD
The Graduation Hotline will allow students to leave messages with any questions that are not answered by the GW Information Center or by this printed information. Every effort will be made to return calls within 24 hours, except on weekends. This hotline will be in service through May 16.

The University Police
(202) 994-6110 non-emergency
(202) 994-6111 emergency

The following are the numbers to call with specific questions about school celebrations and extra celebration tickets, if available.

Columbian College of Arts
and Sciences
Bachelor’s degree students (202) 994-6210
Master’s and Doctoral degree students
(202) 994-6210

Elliott School
of International Affairs
(202) 994-3002

School of Business
and Public Management
(202) 994-8252

Graduate School of Education and Human Development (202) 994-2194

School of Engineering
and Applied Science
(202) 994-6080

School of Medicine
and Health Sciences
Health Sciences Students
(202) 994-0437
Doctor of Medicine Students (202) 994-3501

School of Public Health
and Health Services
(202) 994-5407

Law School
(202) 994-6288

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