At its spring meeting on Friday, the George Washington University Board of Trustees focused on the university’s progress and honored members for their commitment to the university.
After opening remarks from Chair Nelson Carbonell, B.S. ’85, the board approved a resolution to rename Ivory Tower residence hall in honor of trustee Mark Shenkman, M.B.A. ’67, who has donated $5 million to boost the university’s career services.
“Your gift is among the largest ever given by a sitting trustee,” said Mr. Carbonell. “You set an example for all of us.”
Mr. Carbonell and his family also made a multimillion-dollar gift to the university this year: $2.5 million to fund the Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Initiative. In recognition, the board next approved creating the Carbonell Family Professorship in Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders.
In his remarks, President Steven Knapp highlighted the week’s events, which included two major milestones for the university: the finalization of collaboration agreements with the Corcoran and the National Gallery of Art, and the opening of the Milken Institute School of Public Health building.
Dr. Knapp called the three-way partnership with the Corcoran and National Gallery of Art “a transformational opportunity to make our university a model of arts education in the heart of our nation’s capital.” It will create “an astounding array of possibilities for the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences,” he said.
Thanks to its new building, the Milken Institute School of Public Health may be “the most beautiful and strategically located public health school in the world,” Dr. Knapp said. The state-of-the-art facility is an example of the unparalleled opportunities George Washington students have to change the world, he said.
Mr. Carbonell thanked Dr. Knapp for his leadership.
“When we hired Steve Knapp back in 2007, we were very ambitious,” he said. “We wanted to bring someone in who could really be a transformative figure at the George Washington University and, Steve, you have exceeded our expectations.”
Charles Garris, chair of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee and professor of engineering, said faculty members appreciate the time and effort board members have invested in the review of faculty governance.
“Faculty are looking forward to next phase of collaboration with the board,” he said. “There’s a universal feeling that there will be improvements.”
In her remarks, outgoing Student Association President Julia Susuni said one of the highlights of the academic year was the university’s decision to relocate Student Health Service and the University Counseling Center in the center of campus.
“I am incredibly thankful and pleased that such a wonderful addition will be made to our campus in the coming year,” she said.
Nick Gumas, the incoming Student Association president, said that the SA’s top priority for the upcoming academic year is mental health services, including a peer counseling program.
“We want to ensure no student feels they are alone,” he said.
As thousands of students join the ranks of alumni with Commencement, President of the GW Alumni Association Steve Frenkil, B.A. ’74, said alumni involvement is at an all-time high.
“Alumni are more engaged than they’ve ever been, and university support of alumni has never been stronger,” he said.
The board also approved a new School of Medicine and Health Sciences clinical doctorate in occupational therapy and passed resolutions naming the Elliott School Strategic Initiatives Fund, created by Evelyn E. and Lloyd H. Elliott, and the Ruth Uppercu Paul Cancer Prevention Fund.