Matthew Galewski’s path to becoming Residence Hall Association president began in part with laundry.
As a sophomore and resident in 2109 F Street, Mr. Galewski became active in his hall council and part of a campaign for new washing machines.
When that drive was successful, he began to assume more of a leadership role in the Residence Hall Association, the student organization with the mission of supporting and improving residence life at George Washington University.
Originally from Whitman, Mass., Mr. Galewski is now a senior in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences majoring in political science. He was elected RHA president last spring and spoke with George Washington Today about his role and the association’s priorities.
Q: Who serves on the Residence Hall Association? How is it composed?
A: The RHA represents 27 residence halls on GW’s Foggy Bottom and Mount Vernon campuses. Each has five council members elected by their hallmates, including executive, vice, programming, communications and finance chairs. These hall council members make up the RHA’s general body members.
The RHA is led by a seven-member executive board, which includes a president, executive vice president and treasurer, and other leadership positions. The executive board and general body each meet biweekly.
Q: What are the RHA’s top priorities?
A: Our team is committed to increasing collaboration with other student organizations in advocacy and programming. We are looking to partner with organizations on issues that affect campus life and have increased our co-sponsorship funding so that we can support the programming efforts of other student groups.
In addition to our two flagship annual events—Target Takeover and Martha’s Marathon—the RHA is engaging in events and initiatives in the halls that are aimed at one of three goals: building community among residents, promoting student health and wellness, and encouraging academic success and professional development. Programming in the halls is also focusing on collaborating with house staff, faculty-in-residence and other campus partners.
One of the major advocacy issues that the RHA has focused on this year has been campus construction. Development projects, such as the Science and Engineering Hall and Law Learning Center, can have a significant impact on the residents living in neighboring halls. Our priority is to ensure that the concerns of residents are recognized and addressed.
Q: Can you tell me about the RHA’s two traditional events, Target Takeover and Martha’s Marathon?
A: Target Takeover is a back-to-school shopping event in which free buses take students from campus to a local Target, which is closed to everyone but GW. It’s one of the RHA’s most popular campus-wide events and drew record attendance, about 3,000 students, this year. Students left the event with busloads of merchandise with which to furnish their new residence hall rooms.
Martha’s Marathon, the RHA’s spring semester campus-wide program, will occur again this February. This event—which awards the winners of auctions and raffles the opportunity to live in some of GW’s best housing picks—raises tens of thousands of dollars for university housing scholarships. The first ever Martha’s Marathon was held in 1966 in the men’s gymnasium, and Martha’s is one of our proudest traditions.
Q: What is your role as president?
A: I feel that my most important role as president is building relationships with members of the GW community. Fostering positive relationships with on-campus residents, hall council members, other student organization leaders and members of the university administration will help to deliver on the RHA’s priorities this year.
Additionally, as RHA president I am responsible for leading the RHA Executive Board. This year, Cameron Smither, the RHA’s executive vice president and treasurer—a new role created in a restructuring of the RHA last year—and I have really taken a dual approach to leading the team.
This year’s leadership team is an excellent group, and I have very much enjoyed working with them. Together, we bring a diversity of strengths to the table, and each member shows a serious commitment to the work we do.
Q: What are some of the benefits of living on campus?
A: By living on campus, students are connected to valuable opportunities and resources, such as support from house staff members and faculty-in-residence and access to programs that encourage personal success. The housing programs offered at GW—from the different housing assignment options to the various living and learning programs available—provide students with the opportunity to make the most of their GW residential experience.
There are a lot of benefits to living on campus beyond the nice rooms. And for juniors and seniors who choose to continue to live on campus, I think that it’s great that GW Housing helps to make sure students are given that opportunity.
Q: Where do you live?
A: South Hall. It’s a great place to live. This year is actually my fourth year living on F Street, and living in South Hall is the perfect way to round out my residential experience here at GW.