By Jennifer Price
The George Washington University has completed 100,000 hours of community service, securing first lady Michelle Obama as its Commencement speaker.
“Congratulations to The George Washington University on meeting the 100,000-hour service challenge,” says Mrs. Obama. “GW has demonstrated an amazing and ongoing commitment to public service. I look forward to addressing graduates on May 16. You’ve earned it!”
Mrs. Obama will address a crowd of about 25,000 people at GW’s Commencement, which will be held May 16 on the National Mall. Mrs. Obama will be the third first lady to speak at GW’s commencement. Former first lady Hilary Rodham Clinton gave the 1994 commencement address, and former first lady Barbara Bush delivered a joint address with former President George H.W. Bush in 2006.
In September, Mrs. Obama promised to be the GW Commencement speaker if the university completed 100,000 hours of community service by May 1.
Over the last seven months, more than 3,800 GW students, faculty, staff and members of the Board of Trustees have participated in various community service projects throughout the Washington, D.C. area and beyond.
“When we received the challenge from the first lady, we knew there was no question that George Washington University students, faculty and staff would rise to that very exciting opportunity. But we had no idea we would reach the goal so far in advance of the May 1st deadline,” says GW President Steven Knapp. “Thanks to Mrs. Obama, service became the focus of school spirit for the entire academic year, pulling together the entire university community in a unique way.”
Members of the GW community completed a variety of service projects, including painting Habitat for Humanity homes with the first lady in September and giving a makeover to a Washington, D.C. high school on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Hundreds of GW students spent their winter and spring breaks rebuilding homes in New Orleans, comforting the sick in Ecuador and providing educational assistance to Sudanese refugees in Nashville, Tenn. Other projects included volunteering with a local Brownie troop, organizing a dance for senior citizens and working at local homeless shelters.
“I am extremely proud of our student body and the rest of the GW community for their contributions towards meeting Mrs. Obama’s service challenge,” says GW Student Association President Julie Bindelglass. “As a representative of GW students, I know that many of us have committed ourselves to making public service part of our daily lives. We are thrilled to host the first lady at our Commencement!”
As a celebration for meeting the service goal, students, faculty and staff are invited to Kogan Plaza today from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. for an ice cream social.
The challenge was part of GW’s overall commitment to public and community service. For the third consecutive year, the university’s commitment to service was recognized in February by the Corporation for National and Community Service and it was named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.
Through GW’s Office of Community Service, students, faculty and staff logged on to VolunteerMatch to find individual service projects that met their passions and interests. The online system tracked and managed community service activity.
While the GW community has completed the challenge, students, staff and faculty will continue participating in various service activities. Community service hours will be collected until May 1, the official service challenge deadline. The total hours achieved during the service challenge will be announced at GW’s commencement ceremony.
“GW students have spent hours visiting seniors at Vinson Hall Retirement Community, which includes retired military and non-military seniors," says Fred Johnson, director of special events and programs at the retirement community in McLean, Va. "Clearly, they have graduated well beyond the service challenge. It is obvious they have become committed to the aspect of community service, which has become extremely meaningful to them and to the seniors they have met with."