Dear GWSB Community,
As we look to the start of November, much of our focus is on Tuesday, November 3, U.S. Election Day. Recognizing both the importance of voting and the impact of the pandemic on the current election cycle, GW has designated next Tuesday as a university holiday. I hope that this will allow our GWSB community to better make its contribution by leveraging this day for voting, learning, and researching in support of our public service and civic engagement efforts.
And as we are approaching the end of midterms, I am delighted to share some highlights of how our talented students, alumni, faculty, and staff have continued to make an impact:
- Just launched: New research on the "2020 State of Homeownership in Black America: Challenges Facing Black Homeowners and Homebuyers During the COVID-19 Pandemic and an Agenda for Public Policy" authored by Vanessa Perry, Ph.D. Associate Dean for Faculty and Research. I invite you to read the GW Today interview with Dr. Perry and explore the research with detailed infographics.
- More opportunities: GWSB Grants for GW Graduates has been extended for the classes of 2020 and 2021. Tuition grants are now available for graduate program enrollment up to a year after completing a GW undergraduate degree. I invite you to review the GW Today article and learn more through an upcoming Info Session on November 4 and 9.
- For the first time: Our Institute of International Tourism Studies (IITS) hosted the Indigenous Tourism Forum which empowered voices from across the Americas to share solutions to contemporary challenges. GW Today provided coverage of the forum, and the recorded content is hosted by our colleagues in the tourism department.
- Back and even better: The second annual Entrepreneurship Week was even more student-led and focused under the theme of “Resiliency.” Read more about the event in the GW Hatchet’s coverage.
- Open to opportunities: Twice during October, our Graduate Industry Roundtables brought together alumni and leadership from industry to connect with students. Our undergraduate student leadership did a remarkable job providing Ready Set Grow and Past the Path events which empowered students to explore the potential of different careers. GWWIB Virtual Road Trips focused on NYC and Tri-City Days in their empowering company panels. All the events offered access to new connections and career considerations.
- Contemporary issue insight and impact: George Talks Business hosted guests providing insights on AI and emerging technologies for healthcare, socially responsible global investing, policy and impact, inclusive employment, and advice for small business. The GW Investment Institute partnered with alumni relations to host a fireside chat to share updates on the GWU PPE Factory.
- Global view: The Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER) hosted Trade Policy in 2021: Where does the Next Administration Pick up? and Working Globally During the Pandemic: The Outlook for Global Careers in a Post-COVID World to connect GWSB students with leaders around the world and across industries. The conversation focused on how students can succeed in the global arena within virtual roundtables.
- Staying connected: I really enjoyed meeting our GWSB parents during the Town Hall sessions as well as conversations with students, faculty, and staff who stopped by during the new Virtual Drop-In Hours. My hope is that we continue these informal meetings to help us stay engaged as a community, share updates, and provide an opportunity for us to continue to get to know each other. Thank you to all who were able to join and I look forward to seeing you at our next session!
Looking forward to November, there are additional exciting GWSB events across our community:
- The Pitch George Competition from November 5–21 is one of our premier entrepreneurial initiatives organized by the GW Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence (CFEE). Contest entrants from any GW school can present business ideas and receive valuable feedback on the viability of their business concepts and win startup capital.
- Mark your calendar for George Talks Business on November 5 featuring Sam Priyadarshi, principal and global head of Portfolio Risk and Derivatives at Vanguard. On November 18, Nate Morris (CCAS ’03), founder and CEO of Rubicon, will be interviewed.
More information about the events specific to our graduate and undergraduate students’ experience is included in weekly newsletters and the GWSB Event Calendar. For your content to be included on the calendar, please share information about any events you may be hosting with our community so that we can all continue to connect, learn, and grow together through the end of the semester and on into 2021.
Stay well and stay strong,
Anuj Mehrotra, Ph.D.
Dean