Service is a staple of the George Washington University student experience. Washington Monthly’s 2024 College Guide ranked GW fourth for service among national universities. In the 2024-25 academic year alone, GW students recorded over 643,000 hours of service, with 2,300 students reporting their work through GWServes. A total of 525 students earned the national President’s Volunteer Service Award, including 269 gold-level honorees. And recently, the university was selected for 2026 Carnegie Foundation Community Engagement Classification.
Service is emphasized early as many students are first introduced to GW’s commitment to community engagement at Welcome Day of Service and Convocation, where the entire incoming class is welcomed to their new academic and civic life by faculty, staff and senior administrators. After Convocation, all new students participate in service with partners across D.C., underscoring the university’s emphasis on engagement as part of academic and civic identity.
The university also has annual service traditions such as the MLK Day of Service and Leadership, Veteran Day of Service and Give-A-Gift.
Assistant Vice Provost and Executive Director of the Honey W. Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service Amy Cohen shared with GW Today how GW students interested in service can get involved.
Q: Many students, especially at GW, are interested in giving back and volunteering within their communities but may not know how to find reputable organizations or service opportunities. What advice would you give students who are just beginning their service journeys?
A: That is such a great question! First, I would suggest some reflection on how much time they have available and what issues or causes they are most interested in. Then, I would suggest they take a look at the Pathways of Service and think about what kind of service is appealing to them. The GWServes platform allows students to search for opportunities for service by skill or issue area and has opportunities throughout the country. Remember to record your service in GWServes as well—100 hours recorded there makes you eligible for a GW President's Service Award and for those graduating, a silver service cord.