UHP Seniors, you’re invited to network with recent UHP alumni over happy hour!
Who: UHP Seniors only, must be over 21
What: Meet UHP alum in different career tracks over appetizers and drinks
When: Friday, October 23, 5-7 PM
Where: Elephant and Castle (900 19th St NW)
Why: Receive guidance about preparing job applications, tips for interviewing, on-campus recruiting events, how to best leverage your UHP affiliation in your job hunt, and more!
Spots for the event will be limited, so please RSVP ASAP to Eydie Costantino at eydie@gwu.edu. One drink ticket will be provided for each student. Appetizers will be provided.
Category: Events
UHP Hike at Harpers Ferry
Harpers Ferry is a small town in West Virginia, famous for being situated on a spit of land where the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers meet. It is surrounded by foothills of the Shenandoah mountains which offer amazing views of the town, such as this one:
For those interested in transportation history, it was central to shipping routes along the Chesapeake & Ohio canal (the very canal that lives by the Vern) and connected to major railroads headed West (and East). For those interested in Civil War history, you may remember John Brown‘s raid of the armory in an attempt to rouse a slave revolt.
And for those of us who attended the hike on Saturday, it offers a personal history as well – that of a partly cloudy day spent in nature with colleagues and friends!
We set out from the Townhouse at 9:30, after a hearty breakfast of bagels and muffins and bananas. The ride was about an hour and a half, through some pretty nice green landscapes. Once we got there, we took shuttles from the parking area to the historic town, and from there walked across a railroad bridge and along the canal to the Maryland Heights trailhead. That made a grand total of three states and DC – Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland. The hike was about an hour and a half, but basically went straight up a mountain – which was not expected. There weren’t even switchbacks!
The view though, pictured above, was worth it (please note this is the only picture that I took). And there were dogs. So many dogs.
We took our sweet time coming back down the hill and some people even took a few minutes to cool off their feet in the Potomac. Those of us who didn’t took a few minutes to poke our head in the bookstore and use the bathrooms before the long drive home (which included either napping or playing the greatest word game ever, shoutout Mary).
You can find pictures of the hike here, and keep an eye out for next semester’s adventure!
If you’re interested in going to Harpers Ferry on your own, it is accessible by car, or by rail (MARC train, but it only runs during the week).
And a huge thank you to Professor Mark Ralkowski and GW Trails for their planning, coordination, and guidance, and to Eydie Costantino for making sure we were all well fed! Also thanks to Program Officer Mary and Administrative Coordinator Alex for their help with directing the masses. You guys made our day possible AND amazing!
Final review: 10/10 would recommend.
UHP Community Hike with Professor Ralkowski
The weather is becoming more bearable each day, and to celebrate, we’ll be hosting on our annual community hike with Professor Ralkowski!
The Honors hike will take place on September 26th from 9am to 4pm, and it’s a great opportunity to get out of the bustling city and enjoy some fresh air with other UHP kids and faculty! The cost to participate is $5, which includes the bus trip to Harper’s Ferry as well as a delicious lunch provided by GW Deli.
You can sign up to attend here, and don’t forget to tell your friends! Drop off your $5 at the UHP townhouse before Friday, Sept. 25th after you’ve signed up online.
Food for Thought with Prof. Ralkowski
From Professor Ralkowski himself:
“I recently edited a book called Louis C.K. and Philosophy: You Don’t Get to Be Bored. In this Food for Thought talk, I will tell you a little bit about the book—where the idea for it came from, how I found the authors and put it together, what I wrote for it, the work that a couple of honors students did on it—and then we can discuss some of the philosophical ideas in Louis C.K.’s comedy. He asks all of the most important questions:
Have you ever wondered whether misery is wasted on the miserable? Is it true that the only thing happier than a three-legged dog is a four-legged dog? Why is it that everything is amazing and nobody is happy? Has your cell phone made you forget how to be a person? Who didn’t let the gorilla into the ballet?
I hope you can make it to the talk! We’ll spend the hour eating a free lunch and talking about these questions and lots of others like them. I also promise to show some good clips, including one of a three-legged dog.”
You don’t want to miss an hour of philosophy, comedy, animals, and free lunch in the UHP Townhouse Club Room on September 25 from 12:00-2:00pm. RSVP and save your spot here.
Welcome Back Open House!
School is starting, and here at the UHP we’re very excited that our office is coming alive again! After the months of quiet, monotonous days in the Townhouse, we’re ready to bring it to life… but we need your help!
Come join us for an Open House on Thursday, September 10th from 1pm-3pm in the Club Room. We’ll be hanging out with some sweet snacks, eager to socialize with the lovely students of the UHP. Freshman, Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors, and faculty- everyone is welcome!
Study Ablog: Reminiscing about my Semester in England
Hi everyone! My name is Kaley and I am senior majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in marketing. Last fall, I studied abroad at Royal Holloway University of London located in Egham, United Kingdom (right outside of London), and it was truly one of the best experiences of my life. I’m coming up on one year since I left for my study abroad program and the nostalgia is at an all time high!
Yesterday, I had lunch with my friend Eileen, who I met on our study abroad program (she’s a GW UHP student too!). We reminisced about our incredible adventures, like exploring the great city of London, enjoying a scenic train ride along the coast of Scotland, or simply laughing with our new friends over some ciders at the pub.
Studying abroad is such an incredible experience, it truly feels like a dream. I lived in a victorian castle in England, ate a baguette in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, took a boat ride on Loch Ness in Scotland, and soaked in the thermal baths of Budapest, just to name a few of the ways I spent my time!
In many ways, studying abroad is like being on an extended vacation. You get to explore new places, meet new people, and there is an incredible feeling of excitement and freedom that usually comes along with a vacation. Hopefully, you’ll have the opportunity to travel to other cities and countries too. There is nothing quite like the experience of seriously asking yourself “Hmm, do I want to go to Budapest next weekend, or Paris?” Pro tip: travel in Europe is super budget-friendly!
There are also many ways that studying abroad isn’t like an extended vacation, and really it’
s just life. Sometimes life is boring, stressful, or overwhelming. Life requires laundry to be done, rooms to be cleaned, and school work to be completed. But, that’s what’s so great about studying abroad– it’s a unique opportunity to experience life in a new way. I learned so much about myself, what I am capable of, and what is important to me.
If anyone is on the fence about studying abroad, I’d say 100% GO FOR IT! I was really intimidated by the idea of living in another country for a semester. In fact, I don’t think I fully decided to study abroad until I found myself on an airplane heading to London for three months, but I am so glad that I did!
Freshmen Honors Community Welcome [Event]
Freshman move in is right around the corner, and we are so excited for you to get here! There’s going to be a lot going on your first week at GW, but don’t miss the Honors Community Welcome dinner, exclusively for incoming Honors freshmen, on Wednesday, September 2nd from 6-8 PM in Post Hall on the Mount Vernon Campus.
This is going to be a super fun, no-pressure way to get to know your new peers, meet some staff and faculty, and grub on some free dinner! We can’t wait to assimilate – I mean welcome – you to the Honors Program!
Call for papers "The City As Global Political Actor" for international workshop on 9-11 March 2016 in Antwerp (Belgium)
On 9-11 March 2016 UCSIA organizes an international academic workshop on “The City As Global Political Actor” at the University of Antwerp, Belgium.
This workshop aims for a critical reflection on the popular claim that the city has the capacity to address problems that are too intractable for nation-states.
Confirmed guest lecturers:
- Martin Melosi, Director, Center for Public History, University of Houston (USA)
- Enzo Mingione, Professor of Sociology, University of Milano-Bicocca (Italy)
- Gilles Pinson, Professor of Political Science, Universities of Bordeaux and Paris (France)
- Jennifer Robinson, Professor of Human Geography, University College London (UK)
- Kevin Ward, Professor of Human Geography, University of Manchester (UK)
The workshop consists of a two-day international meeting with specialized lectures and presentations and debates by invited senior and junior scholars. The aim is to offer a platform to scholars to present their research on the topic and exchange their ideas on research findings. Such a meeting may open up new multidisciplinary horizons to think about the topic. Besides empirical research, also conceptual or methodological contributions from various disciplines are welcomed for submission.
Researchers, doctoral students and other experts are welcome to submit their application until 15 November 2015. Full details on www.ucsia.org.
Organizing committee:
- Bert de Munck, Centre for Urban History, Faculty of Literature and Philosophy & Urban Studies Institute, University of Antwerp
- Stijn Oosterlynck, Centre on Inequalities, Poverty, Social Exclusion and the City & Urban Studies Institute, University of Antwerp
- David Bassens, Political, Economic and Urban Geography & Cosmopolis Centre for Urban Research, Department of Geography, Free University of Brussels
- Luce Beeckmans, Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Ghent
- Ben Derudder, Human Geography, University of Ghent & Globalization and World Cities research group and network (GaWC)
- Robert Kloosterman, Economic Geography and Planning, Centre for Urban Studies, University of Amsterdam
- Luc Braeckmans, Philosophy, University of Antwerp and Director of Academic Affairs, UCSIA
- Barbara Segaert, Scientific Coordinator, UCSIA
Contact: Ms. Barbara Segaert, Project Coordinator, barbara.segaert@ucsia.be, T +32 (0) 3 265 45 94
More information: www.ucsia.org
Incoming Freshmen: Honors Adventure Bound (August 24-28, 2015)
Hey Class of 2019,
What are you doing the week before classes? Join the Center for Student Engagement and Honors Professor Mark Ralkowski with Honors Adventure Bound!
This unique Adventure Bound trip combines amazing outdoor experiences, exclusively for incoming freshman enrolled in The University Honors Program! Connect with other Honors students and upperclassmen while rock climbing, spelunking, and chatting around the campfire. Transition to life at GW by moving in early before embarking on this trip to the beautiful wilderness just outside of D.C. While tent camping and roasting marshmallows with other incoming freshman you are bound to have fun!
CLICK HERE to register for this trip!
What's Up Alum: One Year Out
The following blog post was written by Khadija Lalani, UHP alum and current PAF fellow.
Last Thursday, four awesome UHP Alum participated as panelists on our first Alumni Panel. Thank you to those who attended, and for those who couldn’t make it, this won’t be the last of Alum events, so keep your eyes peeled!
Our alum had plenty of career insights and wisdom to share. Here are some of the highlights:
Humility is important: After four challenging and intellectually stimulating years at the UHP, you finally land a job at your dream workplace, walk into the beautiful space, and your manager asks you to complete the glorious task of…making copies. Say what now? While making copies is clearly not what you pictured doing after earning your degree, it is critical to have the humility to recognize that everyone in the workplace starts somewhere. Rio Hart, now at the Brookings Institution, shared some feedback his supervisor provided him after his first few weeks. While he excelled at researching and writing, he admitted falling short on managing his boss’s calendar and other more menial tasks. Rio emphasized that this feedback was a learning experience, and made him realize the importance of giving your best to every task, no matter how inconsequential it may seem.
Passion is key: Andrew Hori, now a cook at Rose’s Luxury, described his experience breaking into the culinary world. It certainly wasn’t easy, and still isn’t easy. In his field, the Jose Andres’s of the world are few and far between. Andrew knows that achieving success in the kitchen requires tremendous time, unparalleled work ethic, and a lots of personal sacrifice. Nonetheless, he loves cooking and is at his best when working with food. In addition to his talent, his passion for food is evident, and motivates him to spend time learning in the kitchen, even on his occasional day off.
People are people: When answering a question about making friends and maintaining a social network after graduation, Shailly Gaur provided valuable insights. She currently serves as a scribe at Children’s National Medical Center, and is very close with a number of her colleagues, who vary in age, experience, and background. However, she noted that when you spend your days working side by side, a sense of teamwork, camaraderie, and friendship is likely to develop. Whether she is spending time with old friends from GW, or heading out with some colleagues, Shailly has been able to meet new people through shared interests and experiences. At the end of the day, people are people.
Time is precious: Reflecting on her time in undergrad as well as her current schedule as an Analyst at Deloitte, Rachel Weiss highlighted the importance of valuing your time. Her work schedule is more regimented now, and she no longer has the flexibility of time she had while in school. However, she does spend her time out of the office more deliberately than before. She noted, “since your time is limited, you think more about how you want to spend your time, and who you want to spend it with.” This resonated with the others on the panel, who agreed that there is more freedom after graduation to be more intentional and selective about making out-of-office plans.
