Dear Students,
I hope that you are well and settling into life on the Hilltop. Every year I look forward to the buzz of activity on campus as you join, or return to, campus with new ideas and renewed excitement to make this community a home for everyone.
The beginning of each academic year is a time of promise and opportunity. It is also a time to reflect on the values that animate our life at Georgetown.
When you chose to come to Georgetown, you chose to join a distinctive community, one rooted in a 500-year-old tradition of Catholic and Jesuit education and enriched by the remarkable resources of our home in Washington, DC. Student organizations play a crucial role in creating a vibrant, diverse, and joyful community, and I hope that you will make meaningful connections on campus through involvement in the student-led groups that make Georgetown a special place.
How to Get Involved in Campus Life
One of the hallmarks of our community is the opportunity to build relationships and to learn and grow outside the classroom. Co-curricular life at Georgetown is rich and varied. Whether you are a first-year or a returning student, you have the opportunity to explore a wide range of campus organizations and activities.
The coming weeks provide many events and activities hosted by student organizations:
- Georgetown Weeks of Welcome (GWOW) provides a variety of opportunities for engagement during the first three weeks of the semester. Join us for the Welcome Back Jack BBQ! (accompanied by good food, free t-shirts and lawn games), a movie night on Copley Lawn, GWOW’s Petting Zoo and more!
- The Council of Advisory Boards Fair (“CAB Fair”) will be held on Saturday, August 31, 2024, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Healy and Copley Lawns. We encourage you to attend and learn about the hundreds of student organizations that offer the chance to connect with other students, develop leadership skills, express creativity, and contribute to our vibrant community.
University Policies on Greek Life and Hazing
Georgetown University does not support a social Greek system. Social fraternities and sororities are not eligible for access to University benefits, nor do they have the benefit of University oversight. Georgetown’s decision not to support a social Greek system reflects our concerns for the inclusion and well-being of our students and is rooted in the values that have animated this university for more than two centuries.
Hazing can happen in a student organization, a sports team, a fraternity or sorority – any organization that has a membership process. Hazing is a violation of the University’s Code of Student Conduct and it is antithetical to the values of respect and care for each other that are at the heart of our community. Please review these resources for recognizing, preventing and reporting it. There are healthy ways to welcome new members, and they should never involve abusive, demeaning, or dangerous activities.
Code of Student Conduct
Georgetown’s tradition of Jesuit education honors the worth and dignity of all members of our community. An important expression of the values at the heart of this tradition is the Code of Student Conduct. All Georgetown students are expected to know and to abide by the code. Please read the code carefully and familiarize yourselves with it. We also welcome student participation in focus groups to discuss the Code of Student Conduct. If you have questions, please contact the Office of Student Conduct at studentconduct@georgetown.edu.
Your involvement makes Georgetown the community it is. Take these next few weeks to explore the many organizations and opportunities available to you on campus, to meet your fellow Hoyas and to experience the richness and diversity of life on the Hilltop. I hope to see you at the Welcome Back, Jack BBQ! and many of the GWOW events over the next few weeks.
Hoya Saxa!
Erika Cohen Derr, DLS
Associate Vice President for Student Affairs