This post was written by Hatchet Reporter Reva Singh.
During college, many students strive to leave a lasting mark so they can be remembered long after graduation. GW offers this opportunity to students, faculty and staff through its Wall of Fame. Though not as serious as an engraved plaque or game-winning trophy, the wall gives an opportunity for faces to be immortalized in caricatures for years to come.
Located in the Marvin Center on the fifth floor, the Wall of Fame has collected 215 portraits of individuals since its inception in 2000. The wall is made up of caricatures of individuals who have provided leadership and service to the university’s community and contributed to the quality of student life, said Stephen Roche, assistant director for the Student Activities Center.
Each year, a selection committee compiled by the Marvin Center, University Conferences and University Events chooses six people to be honored and placed on the Wall of Fame. Past recipients of the privilege include former president Stephen Joel Trachtenberg and past Student Association president Omar Woodard. Recipients can choose how they would like to be depicted – Trachtenberg choose to be posed with a pool cue in hand leaning over the eight ball for a game-ending sink. For the past five years the artwork has been drawn by local artist Marcia Klioze.
In order to be considered for the honor, individuals must be nominated in early January of each year through an online submission form, University spokeswoman Michelle Sherrard. Final decisions are prepared in April and the nominees are honored in May at a special induction ceremony where their pictures are placed permanently on the wall.
With six pictures added every year, the space allotted to the Wall of Fame is beginning to fill-up. However, Sherrard said inductees should not fear having their pictures replaced.
“They are not taken down. We continue to identify additional space and have several years before we have to worry about lack of space,” she said.