2021 Next Stop GW #4 - Fall Preview

Hello Families, 

While I am having trouble containing my excitement because it’s my favorite time of year, I have a hunch that some of you are feeling a mixture of joy and trepidation as your student is preparing for this momentous next step. It’s okay to shed a few happy or sad tears. We are here to support and guide your student…and you, too! After all, you are part of our community.

As Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, let me share a some of the advice that I recommend to students who are finding their way as they transition to college. First, be your authentic self. Demonstrate in word and deed who you are and who you aspire to be. Second, reach out to others to make friends and you'll find your community. Third, embrace diversity. At GW, you can find all sorts of interesting people from all walks of life.

To help your student find their place here at GW, we will be offering plenty of opportunities to make connections through some of the non-academic areas of their collegiate journey like participating in student organizations and on-campus living. This starts in earnest later this month with orientation followed by our Weeks of Welcome that will culminate in Our Moment, Our Momentum: The GW Centuries Celebration Weekend from Oct. 1–3.

After months of planning, the fun part is about to begin—welcoming our new and returning students for the start of a new academic year.  I can’t wait, can you?

Tasks Your Student Should Complete This Month:

• UPLOAD both your COVID-19 vaccination documentation and all of your other required immunizations TODAY to the mychc.gwu.edu medical portal. Students without approved immunizations and vaccines will not be able to move into their residence halls. Your student can check their medical portal to make sure they are in compliance.
• COMPLETE the three (3) mandatory new student online training modules by Aug 29. You received an email to your GW email the last week of July with instructions.

  Failure to complete Part I of each course by the deadline will result in a transcript or registration hold for spring 2022. If you didn't receive the email or have access issues, please contact [email protected] (include your name, GW email, GWID, and classification i.e. first-year or transfer).

• LOGIN to GW Engage with your @gwu.edu email address. Browse 500+ student organizations. This is also where they can locate events during the year.

• COMPLETE the Student Involvement and Navigating Your New City sections of the Online Orientation. Deadline for completion is Aug 22.

• REVIEW the Buff & Blue Book's Student Life section this month.
• DOWNLOAD the GW Mobile app. This is where you will locate move-in details and your Orientation schedule (families, too!)
• READ email communication from CLRE (hint: move-in details), university emails, and Orientation Leaders. They will receive more emails this month with reminders and details leading up to move-in to help them prepare.

GW Aetna Student Health Insurance: Opt-Out Waiver Period - After Your Student Registers for Classes - Sept 12 

Health insurance coverage is a mandatory requirement for ​​ALL enrolled undergraduate students, including F-1 and J-1 visa-holding international students. All undergraduates are automatically enrolled in the GW Student Health Insurance Plan provided by Aetna Student Health. 

If your student is still covered by your U.S.-based and sponsored family health insurance plan and you plan for your child to use your current coverage during the academic year if your student visits our health center or any other local provider, your student MUST WAIVE OUT of GW Student Health Insurance automatic enrollment each and every year. 

The GW Aetna Student Health Insurance waiver period ends Sept. 12. If your student DOES NOT WAIVE OUT of the mandatory health insurance plan, you will see a charge for “SHIP” coverage on your student’s tuition e-bill account. You can waive after your student is registered for fall semester classes.

**If you intend to keep your current health insurance plan, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with how your insurance coverage works outside of your geographic area (i.e. copays, deductibles, networks).

In-Person Family Orientation Options: Sunday, August 22

Panel Discussion: The College Transition: How to Thrive at GW

This session is designed to provide an overview of the experience your student will have at GW. Faculty, staff, and students will discuss ways to support your student as they navigate this transition to our community.

• Click here to register for the panel discussion held at 1 p.m.

• Click here to register for the panel discussion held at 3 p.m.

Raise Up GW Community Fair: 4-6 p.m. on U-Yard (students & families)

Join our campus partners to learn how well-being plays an integral role in your success at GW during our community fair! Particpants will learn more about the Raise Up GW initiative while entering to win prizes from the GW Campus Store!

Care Package Send Off: 4- 6 p.m.* - we'll provide the box, you provide the non-perishable food items, supplies, a note, and clearly printed (or written) label. Then, we'll deliver it to your student 2-3 weeks into the semester. The box will be 10x10x10 inches. You can find us at the Raise Up GW Community Fair on U-Yard. 

*Missed the time frame? Stop by the Admissions & Alumni Welcome Center on the 1st floor of the University Student Center (800 21st St, NW) on Monday, August 24 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to pack your box!

Your student will receive a Guide to New Student Orientation in the next couple of weeks outlining their schedule and other details for the week of August 22. We will also update our website with these details.

Just Announced: Mask Mandate 

On Friday, GW reinstated the indoor mask requirement in university-owned or -operated facilities for everyone regardless of vaccination status. This updated guidance is consistent with the District's decision to again require that people wear masks in indoor public settings beginning July 31. D.C. takes action based not only on guidance from the CDC, but also as a precaution as COVID rates have increased locally.

Fall 2021: In-Person Instruction

This fall courses will be in person, and students will be expected to attend in person. If you have questions about course registration, please contact your academic advisor. Please be aware that there are very few courses at the undergraduate level that are fully online, so it is not possible for you to plan a remote curriculum. Read the latest update about the in the classroom experience for undergraduates, here.

We are thrilled to invite the entire GW community to gather together in Washington, D.C., from Oct. 1-3, 2021, for Our Moment, Our Momentum: The GW Centuries Celebration Weekend. This culmination of our bicentennial includes in-person events and activities for alumni, students, faculty, staff and GW families, as well as Commencement for the Classes of 2020 and 2021, opportunities to honor our Monumental Alumni and a closing Bicentennial Celebration.

More information on the schedule of events and registration will be released in the coming weeks. In the meantime, be sure to mark your calendar and stay tuned.