George Washington University
The George Washington University (GW or GWU) is a private federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. Originally named Columbian College, it was chartered in 1821 as Washington, D.C.'s first university by the United States Congress, GW is one of six universities in the United States with a congressional charter.
Former names | Columbian College (1821–1873) Columbian University (1873–1904) |
|---|---|
| Motto | Latin: Deus Nobis Fiducia |
Motto in English | "God is Our Trust" |
| Type | Private federally chartered research university |
| Established | February 9, 1821 |
| Accreditation | MSCHE |
Academic affiliations | |
| Endowment | $2.6 billion (2023) |
| President | Ellen Granberg |
| Provost | Christopher Bracey |
Academic staff | 2,663 |
| Students | 26,457 (2021) |
| Undergraduates | 11,502 (2021) |
| Postgraduates | 14,955 (2021) |
| Location | , United States |
| Campus | Large city, 43 acres (17 ha) |
| Newspaper | The GW Hatchet |
| Colors | Buff and blue |
| Nickname | Revolutionaries |
Sporting affiliations | |
| Mascot | George |
| Website | www |
GW is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity." It is a member of the Association of American Universities. The university offers degree programs in seventy-one disciplines, enrolling around 11,500 undergraduate and 15,000 graduate students. The school's athletic teams, the George Washington Revolutionaries, play in the NCAA Division I Atlantic 10 Conference. GW also annually hosts numerous political events, including the World Bank and International Monetary Fund's Annual Meetings.
The university's alumni, faculty, and affiliates include 16 foreign heads of state or government, 28 United States senators, 27 United States governors, 18 U.S. Cabinet members, five Nobel laureates, two Olympic medalists, two Academy Award winners, and a Golden Globe winner. GW has over 1,100 active alumni in the U.S. Foreign Service and is one of the largest feeder schools for the diplomatic corps.