A Look Back at 2025

In 2025, the George Washington University marked major milestones across academics, research, student life and institutional growth. It was a year shaped by the collective impact of GW's students, faculty, staff and alumni-felt on campus, throughout the D.C. region and around the world.

This fall, the university launcheda far-reaching strategic plan, Raising Higher: OneGW's Path to Preeminence, crafted with input from hundreds of GW community members. And last week, GW unveiled a refreshed brand-under the new tagline Proximity + Progress-refreshing its visual identity and communications to better reflect its character as D.C.'s largest research university while underscoring the value of its Washington, D.C., location.

That location in the heart of the nation's capital paid dividends as prominent people graced campus for speeches and appearances, including celebrated actor, comedian and television host Joel McHale; WNBA Finals MVP and alumna Jonquel Jones, B.A. '19, HON '25, at Commencement; U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor; and political figures such as Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.).

There were countless new academic and research-oriented developments at GW in 2025 - including expansions in programs, new institutional initiatives and research growth . And, of course, the people at GW continued to shine through innovation, perseverance and a shared commitment to making the world a better place.

GW Today writers Nick Erickson, Ruth Steinhardt, Greg Varner and Brook Endale, as well as John DiConsiglio and Brenda Wilson, shared some of their favorite and most noteworthy stories from the past year:

Winter

How to Manage in a World of Digital Overload
George Washington University professor Richard Cytowic tackles the overwhelming presence of screens in our lives.
From Jan. 27

Revolutionary Tales: Ukrainian Mariia Prishchak Finds Her Purpose
War changed her world overnight. Now the first-year student is studying international affairs at GW to change it.
From Feb. 28

Knee Deep: Senior Joins Art and Sports Luther Rice Fellow MC Daubendiek
A GW volleyball player and artist tells the bruising story of student-athletes through photos of one body part: their knees.
From March 12

Spring/Summer

GW Students Unite for Day for Nations
The SGA-sponsored event celebrated the many countries from which GW students come.
From April 1

GW Open Source Program Hosts Inaugural Conference
The two-day event highlighted innovation, collaboration and security in open source software.
From April 1

Women Leaders in the World of Diplomacy
The 25th annual Women's Leadership Conference presented a panel of women diplomats who discussed navigating global relations.
From April 7

Milken Institute SPH Hosts Forum Kicking Off National Public Health Week
Expert panelists discussed how to combat misinformation and other challenges.
From April 10

Women in Afghanistan Continue to be Resilient Amid Oppression
GSEHD professor Mary DeRaedt helps Afghan women trapped under the Taliban's oppressive laws find virtual support focusing on trauma recovery and community.
From April 15

InnovationFest Showcases the Breadth and Depth of GW Research
From global air pollution to toy-centric play therapy, researchers from across the university showed their work at the Charles E. Smith Center.
From May 5

New Documentary Uses Material in GW's Archival Collections to Focus on LGBTQ+ History
Nearing the half-century mark in his career, Washington Blade reporter Lou Chibbaro takes a turn in the spotlight.
From May 19

Ten Years of Transformation: Cisneros Institute Celebrates a Decade of Empowering Student Leadership
Since its founding in 2015, the Cisneros Institute has built communities, spearheaded scholarship and made students' dreams come true.
From May 27

Fall

Museum Weaves Together Power, Spirituality and Everyday Life in 'Enduring Traditions'
The second centennial exhibition celebrating the GW Museum and Textile Museum features pieces that tell communal stories.
From Sept. 8

From Stigma to Science and Support: Anthropology's Grinker Authors New Autism Narrative
As a researcher, educator and father, anthropology professor Roy Richard Grinker shares his personal and professional journey through autism's changing landscape.
From Oct. 3

Outside-In: GW's Rafael Castro Redefines the Modern Big Man
Once a guard, GW's preseason All-A-10 star brings versatility, poise and belief to a team with a highly anticipated season.
From Oct. 14

A GW Alumna Inspires Change After Seeing Some Youth Left Out of Schools in Ghana
Elaine Jeanette Walton partnered with her GSEHD professors to train educators and expand inclusive education in Ghana.
From Oct. 17

IDDP Hosts Discussion on Democracy in Trump's America
The IDDP event gathered political leaders and scholars to assess the state of American democracy amid growing polarization.
From Oct. 22

GW Experts Say 2025 Elections Show Voters Sought Affordability and Authenticity
Graduate School of Political Management panel says results that shifted left reveal priorities around credibility and everyday governance.
From Nov. 15

Atoms' 'Hidden Order' Could Be a Game-Changer for Semiconductors
Tianshu Li of GW Engineering co-led research finding that atoms in an alloy are not positioned randomly, but instead arrange themselves in "atomic neighborhoods."
From Dec. 1

From GW Research Magazine

The Particle Whisperers
GW experimental physicists are pioneering big science at the smallest scale. With cutting-edge tech and state-of-the-art systems, faculty and students are on the frontlines of a subatomic revolution.

Poetry in Motion
In her poetry and her classroom, English Professor Chet'la Sebree challenges the stories we tell ourselves about art, AI and how to make sense of the world.