Hello GW,

Welcome to the first installment of our summer newsletter! It's good to be back.

First of all, thank you so much to those of you who attended the community workshops for GW’s Master Plan! We hope that you’re excited to be a part of shaping our campus, and we’ll keep you in the loop about how the Master Plan is progressing — especially with regards to any sustainability efforts. We hope that you crushed your final exams; but, if things didn’t go as smoothly as you had hoped, it’s okay. There are significant extenuating circumstances going on right now, so if this semester wasn’t your best, that’s completely understandable. Try not to stress too much over grades; no matter where you’re headed after GW, everyone understands that this was a difficult time for a lot of students. Take it easy and get some much needed rest.

To the class of 2020 - congratulations! You were dealt a tough set of cards for your final semester; be proud of yourself for pulling through. Although graduation and commencement were different, your achievements do not go unnoticed. Know that those of us at Campaign GW are thinking of you and are super excited to see where you go from here. Raise high, always! Sincerely,  The Campaign GW Team

happening this week: Congrats to the Class of 2020

Below are some special features of a few of the former Campaign GW interns who graduated as a part of the class of 2020! We hope your experiences at GW will shape, inform, and bolster your future - wherever you may be headed. Here’s to you, and thank you for your contributions to Campaign and the greater GW community.

Uma Atre “Working as one of the CampaignGW interns helped define my professional and academic passions. It introduced me to the sustainability community at GW and helped me implement important sustainability changes around campus.  My favorite memories were helping run GW Composting drop offs. As someone who loves cooking, curbing my own food waste was the major step I took to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Thank you to Sam, John, and all the CGW interns I worked with.” Anna Gallicchio “My favorite Campaign GW memories come from exploring new places on campus while turning off lights for [our annual campus-wide celebration of] Earth Day! Or, those fun 8 AM times outside Thurston Hall during Colonial Inauguration.”

Colin O'Brien  “I would say my best memories at Campaign GW were probably getting to spend the summer after my freshman year with the interns, getting new students involved, and just seeing all the enthusiasm that so many incoming first years had for sustainable programs. And also just seeing how much Campaign GW evolved over my 4 years to become more creative and student driven/oriented.” Meredith Liu "Campaign GW was one of the highlights of my college career; it was an experience that made me realize how much of an impact just one person or organization could have. Campaign also made me learn how wonderful it is to wake up every day to go to a job that I absolutely adore and can have measurable influences on, which eventually inspired me to apply for Teach for America."

Robert Dickson “As of January, I am a full time employee of GW's Business and Auxiliary Services team. I am incredibly appreciative of John Ralls and Samantha McGovern for bringing me on a few years ago and supporting my development and growth. I am continually impressed with the efforts of current Campaign GW staff, who work to energize the student body around campus development, sustainability and other duties as assigned.”

want to fight summer boredom? look no further.

Now more than ever, it is important to establish practices of mindfulness and calm to ground ourselves in the present. Check out this guide for making a gratitude journal —explore the benefits, use the templates, and try out some of the prompts! You won't regret developing this skill.

The embroidery tutorial that our intern Esther created a few weeks ago is now a blog post! You can check it out here on the Sustainable GW blog . If you end up making anything, please tag us on social media! We love to see everything you create during these times.

TedEd is offering #EarthSchool —an online platform that is immersive and connective, aimed to get more students involved in eco-awareness and green living. Click here to “enroll” in Earth School and discover informational resources and sustainable activities, all built to increase appreciation for our planet.

Aspiring for a green thumb during lockdown? National Geographic has created this amazingly simple guide for making an at-home herb garden . Grow some fresh herbs of your own and liven up your cooking with this environmentally-friendly project.

INTERN RECS

The Campaign GW interns have compiled a great list of books, TV shows, podcasts, and movies over the past few months to share with you! Hopefully something sparks your interest and can fill your free time at home.

Books

From Here To Eternity A mortician travels around the world to learn about the funerary customs of various cultures, while critiquing American culture surrounding death. Author Caitlin Doughty is hilarious, while still being respectful, and part of her focus is on more environmentally-friendly funeral options. Ishmael Written by Daniel Quinn, it is a surprisingly engaging story about man’s relationship with the world. The book examines the hidden cultural biases driving modern civilization, and explores themes of ethics and sustainability. Bad Feminist This series of short essays blends pop culture and author Roxane Gay’s personal experiences, exploring the complexities of intersectional feminism. It offers a raw, engaging, and humanistic approach to feminism at large.

TV Shows

The Society In this post-apocalypse-esque show, a group of teenagers are tasked with building and running a society, in an alternate reality version of what was previously believed to be their hometown. It’s mind-gripping and incredible! Harlan Coben’s shows: The Stranger, The Five, and Safe In these 3 books by Coben adapted into 3 TV shows, mystery, crime, death, intrigue, and suspense take on new meanings and are amplified. Each show will have you on the edge of your seat, are totally binge-able, and will shock you in the end.  Normal People Based on the novel by Sally Rooney, the series details the individual lives and collective love story of two young adults through high school tribulations, college awakenings, mental health struggles, and self discovery. It is a truly honest, vulnerable representation of romance and life’s hardships. 

Podcasts

Binge Mode Each season is devoted to a different pop culture franchise—including Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Star Wars, etc. Dive deep into the intricacies of each character, episode, or chapter from your favorite series! This Podcast Will Kill You This podcast tackles issues surrounding public health and epidemiology, making it especially relevant right now. Listen and get informed! My Favorite Murder A combination of classic true crime and comedy, this podcast explores crime stories (both iconic and lesser-known), coupled with a bit of humor to take the edge off. 

Movies

The Freedom Writers Based on a true story, a movie about a high school teacher in racially divided Los Angeles who is tasked with uniting and inspiring a group of students who are deemed incapable of success. The story is a testament to the power of education and having someone believe in you. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Based on a wonderful book, this film tells the story of a group of friends coping with the German occupation during World War II. It is a heartwarming tale of resilience, love, and remembering those lost. The Half of It A Netflix film that takes a new perspective on the typical coming-of-age story. Even if you’re someone who doesn’t usually like this kind of movie, the story is unique, inspiring, and a true tear-jerker.

REMOTE VOLUNTEERING

The University of Wyoming Raccoon Project , a research group that studies the behavior and cognition of urban carnivores, is examining how urban wildlife adapts to environmental change. They need your help in reviewing video footage of nocturnal experiments! It’s an easy-to-use platform; all you have to do is go through the frames of footage and draw a box around any animals you see (color-coded based on species). Check it out here !  The Koster Seafloor Observatory aims to understand how climate change and human activity are influencing Sweden's marine ecosystems. They need your help identifying habitats, species, and litter recorded in over 3,000 hours of underwater videos. You will watch video clips and identify items from a related key! Your work will help explain how fauna on the seafloor have altered in response to warmer waters, fishing activities, and changes in environmental protection. Get involved by clicking here .

thanks for sticking with us. In case you missed the previous newsletter, you can check it out here . We want this newsletter to serve as a central point for our community while our eco reps are scattered around the world, and we welcome your thoughts and ideas . In addition, if you know someone who would like to start receiving the newsletter, please share this sign up link with them. We are a student organization under the umbrella of Facilities at GW with a focus on sustainability and student outreach. As we navigate this challenging time and transition from spring into summer, Campaign GW wants to provide a dependable and light-hearted resource to the GW community. Our Instagram , Twitter , and Facebook will continue to be updated with remote events, activities, and news. We hope that you are able to stay safe and healthy, and please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with questions or concerns.

See you soon,