New Students Come from Far and Wide to Begin Their GW Journeys

August 19, 2024

Authored by:

Nick Erickson

Childhood best friends EJ Padron and Savannah Coolidge loaded up the back of Padron's black Honda truck and headed north-way north-together to begin the next chapters of their lives and friendship when they left their hometown of Davie, Fla., just outside of Fort Lauderdale on Friday evening. They arrived 16 hours later Saturday morning at Thurston Hall on the George Washington University's Foggy Bottom Campus in downtown D.C.

It was a surreal day to share with one another as both Padron, an incoming political science major, and Coolidge, an incoming criminal justice major, officially began their GW journeys during the university's annual move-in weekend.

"Just so excited to finally be here," said Padron, who shared a big and special hug with his mother, Raiza, when she greeted him at the truck-Raiza flew in Saturday morning to be there with her son as he etched the first pages of his next chapter in life.

Padron's Florida license plates reflected the many miles some students and parents covered as those on the back of the stuffed SUVs and cars backed into the sidewalk in front of university residence halls read Massachusetts, Michigan, New York and just across the river in Virginia-among others.

Operation REV UP!, GW's high-energy move-in experience, took off as more than 2,200 first-year students moved into their Foggy Bottom or Mount Vernon Campus residence halls on Friday and Saturday, while another 250 pre-registered students moved in on Wednesday and Thursday.

While it was an exciting and proud day for all, the hugs were even tighter as parents and supporters passed off their children, who have already done so much with their lives to find themselves at GW, to the hallowed halls of a university more than 200 years old.

"It's a bittersweet moment. I'm a mess," said Rhona Hewitt, who drove from Brooklyn, New York, with son Jaiden Plaisir, who plans to study accounting, for his Friday move-in.

But overall, the pride was palpable throughout the weekend.

"Just very proud," said Ramon Claudio, who moved his daughter, Adriana, into Potomac Hall on Thursday morning. "We have been planning this for a long time."

At Thurston Hall on Friday, GW President Ellen Granberg led a welcoming committee that included her wife, Sonya Rankin, staff and the Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Colette Coleman.

Midway through Granberg's visits to Thurston, Potomac and Madison GW Student Government Association President Ethan Fitzgerald, a junior, and Columbian College of Arts and Sciences Senator Jacob Wilner, a sophomore, joined the welcoming committee.

"Move-In Day is one of the happiest days of the year," Granberg said. "It is such fun and such a privilege to get to welcome all the families. They're so excited. They're so proud of the children. We're looking forward to the year and getting to know them all better."

Friday was the first of two days where first-year students not in pre-orientation programming were allowed to move in. Scores of students, followed by siblings, parents and supporters, lined the walkway in front of Thurston Hall, setting up a grid lock at the elevator, with GW students serving as bellhops and Student Affairs and other staff lending assistance with bins, and removing packaging material. Water, fresh drinks and chips kept the energy up.

Lively musical tunes kept the beat up and the operation moving.

A bright day, not too hot and slightly overcast made it easier and the staggered schedule of move in times kept the process bearable. The rain also held off on Saturday to ensure a smooth and dry move-in for all.

On Friday, the welcoming crew of GW leaders soon met students who had come even greater distances from overseas, including Germany, China and India.

Weaving her way through the crowded lobby and hallways of Thurston, Granberg knocked on the door of incoming student Lydia Moreau, who has lived with her parents in the province of Yunnan, China, for 17 years where her parents, Scott and Vicky, run apple and cherry orchards. Moreau will have the company of roommate Amanda Dong, an international affairs major from Beijing, whom she met for the first time in person on Friday although they began communicating conveniently through the GW portal last May.

The portal allows students to register for on-campus housing, to select dining plans and access other facilities. So, Melissa McQueen was able to coordinate with Amy Jensen via social media to come up with a perfectly decorated room of soft white drapes, pink ottomans and bed linens.

"Everything's just been wonderful," McQueen said.

"We're so blown away by how orchestrated the wonderful welcome is that we received," said her mother, Tracy McQueen. "It's far exceeded our expectations. It's a great way to start and gives parents a great peace of mind that the school has got it so together."

Coleman said this year the Division for Student Affairs designed Operation REV UP! to include fun elements such as music and gifts of GW hats, stuffed hippos, GW embossed notebooks and mugs for students and family members with staggered move in times to make the move go more smoothly.

Below are photos from Move-In taken by GW Senior Photographer William Atkins: