It has been a year like no other for GW.

The University kicked off 2021 with a desolate campus as students began a second full semester of virtual learning.

Our reporters were on the ground to cover the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. National Guard troops later filled the streets of Foggy Bottom as GW braced for the inauguration of President Joe Biden.

The spring semester came to a close with the news that outgoing University President Thomas LeBlanc would retire at the end of the 2021-22 academic year. His remaining year at GW turned into a semester when of Trustees Chair Grace Speights announced in September that former Washington University in St. Louis Chancellor Mark Wrighton will serve as interim president at the start of 2022 for up to 18 months while the Board searches for a permanent leader.

As classes were wrapping up in May and vaccines became widely available, officials decided to move forward with plans for an in-person fall semester. The roadmap for returning, dubbed “Onward GW,” included a vaccine mandate, a bi-weekly COVID-19 testing requirement for vaccinated students and an indoor mask mandate.

Thanks to your support, The Hatchet’s news team has been able to spend the fall covering breaking news on campus including the desecration of a Torah scroll in the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity house and mold outbreaks across campus that led to health scares for many students.

The Hatchet’s Editorial Board weighed in on some of the University’s biggest moves this year, including LeBlanc’s departure, GW’s decision to enroll in Metro’s U-Pass program and protests against the University’s handling of Title IX cases.

This year has given us the opportunity to share crucial information with the University community, but our mission is routinely threatened by financial strains. We rely on readers like you to continue delivering vital news and thoughtful analysis to the GW community and beyond.

I hope you’ll consider making a tax-deductible donation to The Hatchet here to ensure we can continue to cover the University as it gears up for a presidential transition and continues responding to the pandemic.

Thank you for reading The Hatchet in 2021 and from our entire staff, have a happy holiday season and a safe, healthy new year.