Lesson #010: "See you at CI!"

Fun fact: This is the CI logo. What is it, you ask? One hint is that it is not a G and a W, as some have speculated. Ask your small group leader when you come to Colonial Inauguration.

Lesson #010: "See you at CI!"

Hey, buff and blue Colonials! In case you’ve been wondering where I’ve been, I’ll tell you: I’ve been at Colonial Inauguration (@GWCI on Twitter)! Let’s back up a little bit…

At some universities, mom and dad pull up in their minivan three days before classes and drop off their students, at which point students are forced to sit in auditoriums and classrooms, learning about university services. Boring, right? I concur. At GW, we have our own brand of orientation and it is called Colonial Inauguration or CI.

Dozens and dozens of professional staffers and student staffers work for over a half year to put the pieces in place for a 2 ½ day spectacular. Chris Kim and Lauren Cattano, the 2012 CIHQ (Colonial Inauguration Headquarters) team, could better explain what it’s all about!

Colonial Inauguration is not only for students but also for the whole family. The siblings program is an opportunity for Future Colonials to get to know the place their older sibling will be living for the next 4 years (in fact, it is so impactful that about 10% of the Class of 2016 is made up of siblings of previous Colonials!). Parents also have an opportunity to get in on the action and learn to adjust to their child going to college, not only for their own purposes but so that they can be there as a resource for the student they are shipping off to a city that could very well be an eerie place had GW not had this orientation every summer.

In working with the Office of Parent Services, I get to witness the wide-eyed parents, students, and siblings as the Colonial Cabinet, CI Staffers, CIHQ, and administration “perform” an award-winning orientation. I can see the excitement in their faces! Even still, I will never forget my own CI experience back in 2010 with my group leader Aubrey, who actually inspired me to minor in creative writing! At CI, students gain resources, knowledge, and friends. I know this first-hand and, honestly, wouldn’t trade that experience for the world.

If you are a member of the class of 2016, be sure to look out for Alyse, who is one of our wonderful admissions bloggers and an excellent addition to the thirty-four member Colonial Cabinet. If you still have yet to come to GW, I don’t want to spoil all of the surprises, but, if you visit www.ci.gwu.edu, you can see for yourself just what CI has in store!

We’ll see you at CI!

Sincerely,

Matt

mtscott@gwu.edu

Science and Engineering Festival

Waddup Waddup!!

So today I had the opportunity of going to the USA Science and Engineering Festival. This two day long festival was hosted by Lockheed Martin and held in the DC Convention Center which is right off the Mt. Vernon Square Metro stop. It is held every year and is typically hosted on the National mall but was held in the convention center this year due to the recent bad weather. 

GW School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) was a sponsor of the festival so we had an booth where we taught kids about circuits and they got to color and make paper airplanes. Since I am the newly elected Junior Class Representative for the Engineer’s Council, other e-board members and myself along with other students from SEAS all came out to volunteer our time and scope out the festival. 

After working at the booth, I went over to see my corporate sponsor for my Jackie Robinson Scholarship, Northrop Grumman Corporation. They had a section at the festival as well where there were a number of demonstrations, presentations/displays, and giveaways. The whole day was a ton of fun and t was really great to see the familiar faces from the NGC corporate staff at the end of the day. 

If you are in DC now, the festival will be going on again tomorrow and there are a number of different presentations and special events that are going on in conjunction with the festival. You can visit www.usasciencefestival.org for more information. Go check it out (: 

Until next time: if you have any questions, comments or just want to chat-- always remember I am only an email away! anstone@gwmail.gwu.edu

Stay Classy Colonials,

Alyse

Curious George + Engineering = So much FUN (:

Happy Friday Readers (: 

I’d like to comment on the ridiculously GORGEOUS weather we are having today in Foggy Bottom. The environment on campus is definitely thriving today. I got out of class today and the Panhellenic Conference Council got an ice cream truck to give free ice cream to everyone on campus (free ice cream + gorgeous weather = happy Alyse). The Panhellenic Conference is the umbrella organization under which the social greek sororities on campus fall under if they are not under the Multicultural Greek Council umbrella organization or are a Professional Fraternity.  Social fraternities that are not professional and that do not fall under the Multicultural Greek Council are apart the umbrella organization called the Inter Fraternity Council.    

Wait... but my Friday gets even better-- the engineering org Engineers Without Borders was having a BBQ with footballs and nerf guns and a kiddie pool in Kogan Plaza (should have snapped a photo-- it was very dope sorry!). Although the food wasn’t entirely free, my gworld balance is definitely looking rough and I will take a $2 meal any day. Yep, today’s a good day.

Now back to the point of my post: so this past Wednesday, the engineering school (SEAS) hosted about 300 three to five year olds for a big Curious George event. With the help of a lovable student dressed up in a Curious George concert, we taught the kids about the various engineering disciplines through hands on activities in the Smith Center and then we ate lunch with them. It was an all around really fun event and fun day and everybody involved had an awesome time. I was on the planning committee since the event was run through the office I work at (Undergraduate Advising Office in SEAS) so I definitely had an awesome time because (a) I LOVE children and (b) I LOVE planning events. So it was a win win situation. I was looking for pictures to post for the event but everyone in the office is gone for the day and cameras have gone M.I.A. but once I find them, I will definitely post them up (: 

Until next time: if you have any questions, comments or just want to chat-- always remember I am only an email away! anstone@gwmail.gwu.edu

Stay Classy Colonials,

Alyse

Cab Doz Getaway

So if you haven't noticed, I've come from underneath my rock and you'll be hearing from me a lot  over the next couple of days as I avoid studying (:

Over this past weekend, I was kidnapped by my Colonial Cabinet fam (just kidding!). But all of the Colonial Inauguration staff (Colonial Cabinet and CI Staffers) went on a spring retreat/leadership getaway over the weekend. Although I can’t really say much about the retreat because its a surprise and a little bit on the down low, I can say it was an awesome bonding experience and although we left tired and smelly, we came back on Sunday loving each other more than we did when we left. 

Despite the fact that our more time intensive job commitments begin this summer, throughout the second semester we have weekly trainings, office hour commitments, and other events we have to attend including basketball games, April visit days for prospective students, and two retreats. We had our winter retreat towards the beginning of the spring semester and in past years this retreat is usually held the last weekend in the semester. But, because of some changes in schedule, we had it a bit earlier this year. 

Spring Retreat (:

At our winter retreat!

Chilling during GW's Spring Fling

Buff Out Basketball Game

Stuck together in a random elevator lol

With two trainings left in the semester and one more week of office hours, my cab fam and I  are getting ready to meet all the amazing incoming students. As a result of our overwhelming excitement for the summer, we have given ourselves the name “Cab Doz” which you may often hear us drop from time to time. 

If you are a prospective student-- GET READY!! This summer/fall is going to be exciting and fun but be sure to register for CI! I may have briefly mentioned it in an earlier post but once you register for CI you will be placed in a small group. Each Cab member is a small group leader. We will be there to make sure everything runs smoothly for you, and to also answer any and all questions you may have. The faster you register, the faster you hear from us, and get some Cab Doz lovin (: 

Until next time: if you have any questions, comments or just want to chat-- always remember I am only an email away! anstone@gwmail.gwu.edu

Stay Classy Colonials,

Alyse

NYC for the Day!

Last week, I had the pleasure of going on a trip to New York City to represent the Undergraduate Engineering School through the School of Engineering and Applied Science Student Peer Advisory Network (SEASSPAN). SEASSPAN is that mentor program I had previously mentioned I am apart of-- definitely one of my favorite on-campus commitments. 

So, the mentor program president and myself went up to NYC to attend a dinner with an undergraduate admission office and a professor from the engineering department. We attended a dinner at Atlantic Grill in Manhattan for students who had been admitted into the engineering school. And then I got to stay in this cute little bed and breakfast style hotel about 10 block uptown. 

Atlantic Grill- The yummy restaurant we ate at

Working in the undergraduate office for the engineering school and being a mentor has really showed me I love talking to students and their parents about GW and SEAS so I had a great time on the trip. It was obviously also nice to have a fabulous three course dinner and stay in a hotel on a “school night”, for free.

The trip ultimately showed me the beauty of living in DC though because as a GW student, we do have the option of getting away to New York for the day when ever we feel like it. Although the train can often be rather expensive, the bus is dirt cheap and sometimes only  $1 when you book it in advance. And the buses are SO nice! They have wireless internet, comfortable, nice seating, and you can sit on the top floor of the bus with all the nice windows. To top it all off-- the bus stop is right at Union Station which is easily metro accessible. Life is good as a GDub student! 

Until next time: if you have any questions, comments or just want to chat-- always remember I am only an email away! anstone@gwmail.gwu.edu

Stay classy future Colonials,

Alyse

Cheesecake Paradise

Wassup Colonials! 

I know its been a while-- as many of us can tell you April becomes one of the busiest times of the year here at GW. Although it has been very busy, no time is ever a bad time to make some cheesecake! So, as I continue to blog you will probably realize that I LOVE food. I love going out to eat amazing food, I love cooking different kinds of foods whenever I have time, and I also love to bake. 

Since this is a common theme amongst all members of the Stone family, there are a few good family recipes-- one of which is my ultimate favorite: sweet potato cheesecake. So my friends and I, after finishing classes and doing our homework for the day, set to the task of making the cheesecake-- neither of them knew much about baking or cheesecakes but it was a learning experience for everyone. I think we could have assembled the cheesecake faster if we weren’t so out of it but it took about 45minutes to assemble the cheesecake and then it baked for about an hour. You have to let it cool, so we put it in the fridge over night and enjoyed it the next day (nommm!).

I have a huge sweet tooth and used to love running over to the Cheesecake Factory back home in LA when I needed a fix but the closest cheesecake factory is a couple of metro stops away (which really isn’t that far at all). So when I get lazy and need a fix I result to making my own. With Wholefoods right across the street from my dorm, Jackie B. Kennedy Onassis Hall (JBKO), shopping is always made easy. (I think I live in the best sophomore dorm on campus-- just saying). And I guess I should also add that Wholefoods does have an amazing bakery, I just have a habit of getting very specific food cravings. 

My mother would kill me if she found out I blogged about the family recipe so if you ever  want to try to make a sweet potato cheesecake, www.allrecipes.com is a good website to go through to find anything you might be itching to make. It is common for GW kids to bake and make amazing desserts that you would usually only get from the comfort of your home. In addition to there being baking clubs on campus, once you become a sophomore, you are guaranteed to have a kitchen in your room for all the upperclassman dorm options which is awesome. Just remember to buy the right pans and a mixer and you will be all set (:

Until next time: if you have any questions, comments or just want to chat-- always remember I am only an email away! anstone@gwmail.gwu.edu

Stay classy future Colonials,

Alyse

Wassup Current (and Future) Colonials!

My name is Alyse Stone! I am a sophomore Mechanical Engineering major in the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS). 

Although born and raised in New York, I rep Los Angeles and frequently identify myself as a California beach girl since I attended high school there. On campus, I am an engineering mentor, formally known as SEAS Student Peer Advisory Network (SEASSPAN) and live in the sophomore SEAS living community. I attend the Engineering Council meetings, I am a Colonial Cabinet member, and I work in the undergraduate engineering office as a personal assistant to the advising staff, tour guide, and receptionist. Off campus, I am a Jackie Robinson Foundation scholar, and I am sponsored by and intern at the Northrop Grumman Corporation. I guess you could say I like to keep myself busy. 

Although my schedule is a lot of times, jam-packed, this week acceptance letters went out to the Class of 2016. (Congratulations by the way!) So, at the beginning of the week, we had an Engineering Open House so prospective students would have the opportunity to meet faculty members and current students. As a staff member of office and an engineering mentor, that is one of our major events for the school year. In addition to the open house, the Colonial Inauguration website went live. http://ci.gwu.edu/students/

2012 Colonial Cabinet Members

For all you prospective and recently admitted students out there, the Colonial Inauguration Program (CI) is GWU’s orientation program for incoming students. That student can be a freshman, a transfer, or an international student. There are four different orientation sessions during the summer that are designed specifically for incoming freshman students, and then there is a fall session in August specifically for incoming transfer and international students. My job as a Colonial Cabinet Member is to run the orientation program (along with other CI staff), and mentor incoming students to assure their transition to GW runs smoothly. Definitely check out the website as it gives more specific details about the programs, students and faculty involved, and other pertinent information. Each colonial cabinet member also has a video that is designed to introduce, what we felt, were important aspects of the university that should be highlighted. I know that my position for CI is definitely going to be the highlight of my summer and school year. (I am so excited for it!) For all of you declared 2016‘ers, I am so looking forward to meeting you!

Until next time: if you have any questions, comments or just want to chat-- I am only an email away! anstone@gwmail.gwu.edu

Stay Classy Colonials,

Alyse