Weeks of Welcome

Weeks of Welcome at the George Washington University provides opportunities for students to connect, build relationships, learn about resources, and build a community at GW as they start a new semester. Welcome events showcase the many resources GW has to offer for academic success and student support, opportunities for involvement, and more.

Signature Events

A crowd of students posed at the MSCC Block Party

Schedule of Events

August 27th - September 30th

Welcome to GW! Events are added all the time, so bookmark this page and check back often to see what events we're adding to the schedule. Be sure to follow @StudentLifeatGW on Instagram and Tik Tok to get connected to the GW community, and for all the latest event updates.

Week 1 (August 27th - September 3rd)

Welcome Day of Service and Convocation

August 27th | 11 AM | Smith Center

Join the GW tradition of community and civic engagement! Come to Convocation where you will be welcomed to GW by President Wrighton, Provost Bracey, and all of the deans, then grab your lunch and head out to get to know your DC neighbors through service across DC and the region!

First Night

August 27th | 7 PM | University Yard

First Night is an annual community carnival event, with inflatables, food, giveaways, and lots of fun!

Adjustment and Transition Virtual Workshop

August 31st | 4 PM | Virtual

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is happy to offer our Adjustment and Transition Workshop! This 60 minute drop-in virtual workshop is designed to equip incoming students with effective, tangible skills and strategies to set them up for success as they navigate the transition to George Washington University. To join workshops, follow the link on the CAPS homepage.

Student Performance Showcase

September 1st | 7:30 PM | Lisner Auditorium

The Student Performance Showcase is a tradition started by GW Class Council to celebrate the diversity of talent within our performing student organizations. Its purpose is to kick off the beginning of the year with a thrilling showcase to get the student body excited about what these organizations have to show throughout the year. The Showcase is also followed by a mini performance org-fair, so that interested students can talk to the members about joining their organizations

Movie Night - Hosted by Program Board

September 1st | 8-10 PM | U-Yard

Join Program Board in U-Yard for our annual move night tradition! More information to come.

Adjustment and Transition Virtual Workshop

September 2nd | 1 PM | Virtual

Org Fair Friday

September 2nd | 4 PM | University Yard

Org Fair Fridays will showcase hundreds of student organizations throughout Weeks of Welcome. Each fair will introduce new and returning students to our vibrant community of organizations and student leaders. The Org Fair Fridays series will kick off on September 2nd with the 18th annual MSSC Block Party, a campus tradition that showcases multicultural, LGBTQIA, and faith-based student organizations and performance groups.

MSSC Block Party

September 2nd | 4 PM | University Yard

Faculty, staff and students who celebrate diversity join us for food, music and information sharing. More than 60 diverse student organizations and 10 departments participate. Student performance groups, music and structured dancing round out the day. The purpose of the Block Party is for new students to meet, mix and mingle with returning students, student organization leaders, faculty, staff and alumni.

Week 2 (September 4th - 10th)

Resiliency and Growth Mindset Virtual Workshop

September 6th | 4 PM | Virtual

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is happy to offer our Resiliency and Growth Mindset Workshop! This 60-minute drop-in virtual workshop is designed to promote student resiliency through a growth mindset lens. Students will leave with tangible skills and effective strategies to promote resilience throughout their time at George Washington University. To join workshops, follow the link on the CAPS homepage.

Meet the Greeks

September 7th | 5 PM | University Yard

Meet the Greeks is an opportunity for every chapter in all four councils to interact with each other and prospective new members.

Sustainability at GW

September 7th | 6 PM | GroW Garden

Want to get involved with sustainability at GW? 'Dig In' to a delicious plant-based meal at the GroW Garden with the sustainability community at GW. Learn about student organizations, internship opportunities, courses, and more. Join us at the GroW Garden on H St NW between 23rd and 24th Streets.

Dinner and Dialogue Series

September 7th | 7 PM | Mount Vernon Campus Post Hall

MVC residents will have the opportunity to join Vice Provost & Dean of Students, Colette Coleman, and a special guest for a delicious dinner and lively conversation. Vern residents, keep an eye on your inbox for a special invitation!

Resiliency and Growth Mindset Virtual Workshop

September 9th | 1 PM | Virtual

Org Fair Friday

September 9th | 4 PM | University Yard

Org Fair Fridays will showcase hundreds of student organizations throughout Weeks of Welcome. Each fair will introduce new and returning students to our vibrant community of organizations and student leaders. This campus tradition showcases multicultural, LGBTQIA, and faith-based student organizations and performance groups.

First Friday Dinner

September 9th | 7 PM | Mount Vernon Campus Post Hall

First Friday Dinners are a tradition for the GW first-generation community. They offer a casual setting for first-generation students to connect and build relationships with other first-generation students at GW, as well as learn about important resources on campus. Join us as we kick off the year on the Vern!

RHA Tye Dye Day

September 10th | 2pm | Anniversary Park

Come and customize your free RHA shirt to show off your Buff and Blue pride!

Week 3 (September 11th - 17th)

Org Fair Friday

September 16th | 4 PM | University Yard

Org Fair Fridays will showcase hundreds of student organizations throughout Weeks of Welcome. Each fair will introduce new and returning students to our vibrant community of organizations and student leaders. This campus tradition showcases multicultural, LGBTQIA, and faith-based student organizations and performance groups.

RHA Movie Night

September 16th | 7pm | Corcoran 101

Come by and enjoy a movie night with free snacks!

Week 4 (September 18th - 24th)

National Voter Registration Fair

September 20th | 10 AM | Kogan Plaza & Mount Vernon Campus Post Hall

National Voter Registration Day is a nonpartisan civic holiday celebrating our democracy. Celebrated every September, National Voter Registration Day involves volunteers and organizations from all over the country hitting the streets in a single day of coordinated field, technology and media efforts. National Voter Registration Day seeks to create broad awareness of voter registration opportunities to reach tens of thousands of voters who may not register otherwise. At GW, GW Votes will be registering student voters in Kogan Plaza from 10-3 P.M. and will be giving away free food, voting swag, and helpful resources on how to be an active participant in democracy while at GW!

GW Late Night: Silent Disco

September 22nd | 9 PM | Mount Vernon Campus Hand Chapel

Kick off your weekend with a Silent Disco hosted by the Office of Student Life! The Silent Disco will feature live music through a silent headphone experience. Join us in Hand Chapel on the Vern for music, snacks, and prizes!

WRGW Fall Gig

September 23rd | 7:30 PM | Square 80

WRGW Fall Gig is an outdoor mini concert that showcases local GW musicians and artists. It will be a great night of art and entertainment for new students and the GW community as a whole!

Org Fair Friday

September 23rd | 4 PM | University Yard

Org Fair Fridays will showcase hundreds of student organizations throughout Weeks of Welcome. Each fair will introduce new and returning students to our vibrant community of organizations and student leaders. This campus tradition that showcases multicultural, LGBTQIA, and faith-based student organizations and performance groups.

Fall Gig (WRGW District Radio Mini-Concert)

September 23rd | 7:30 | Square 80

WRGW Fall Gig is an outdoor mini concert that showcases local GW musicians and artists. It will be a great night of art and entertainment for new students and the GW community as a whole!

There are currently no events available.

"Go to all of the Welcome Week events! My first year I went to the Comedy Show which was hosted by Program Board and that inspired me to want to join Program Board to be part of creating events for the student body.”

Savannah DeLullo
Class of 2021

Share Your WoW Events

We encourage student organizations and campus partners who are hosting events during Weeks of Welcome to share their WoW events with the community. We look forward to hearing about your WoW events for Fall 2022 - more information about WoW events will be available this summer!

Adding Events in Engage

This option is recommended for student organizations. You can add your events directly to Engage. Be sure to use the "Weeks of Welcome" category for your events. If you need assistance with adding your events to Engage, please contact Org Help.

Adding Events to the University Calendar

The University Calendar is a great tool, and one that we use to create the automatic feed of upcoming events. You can submit your event online. In order for your event to populate on our Weeks of Welcome events feed, you must add "Weeks of Welcome" as a Tag in the event submission webform.

Sharing Events on Social Media

Follow @StudentLifeatGW on Instagram for weekly event spotlights, and be sure to tag us in your posts and stories so that we share your WoW events too! Events that are added to Engage and/or the University Calendar will be prioritized for promotion on our accounts.

Contact Student Life

If you need support troubleshooting Engage or the University Calendar, please contact Student Life and we will be happy to assist!