GW rolled out the red carpet this month to honor its outgoing president.
University President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg party-hopped on a trolley from Thurston Hall, to New Hall, to Ivory Tower and finally to the Mount Vernon Campus Quad with an entourage of administrators, students and special guests on the evening of May 1. An announced crowd of about 500 students attended the event.
Thurston Hall had balloons that spelled out President Trachtenberg’s initials. Trachtenberg entered New Hall on a red carpet. Tattoos of Trachtenberg’s headshot were available at Ivory Tower, where the University president autographed pictures and body parts. On the Mount Vernon Campus Quad, student leaders spoke about how Trachtenberg inspired them during college.
Trachtenberg said he was pleased by the event and especially liked the plaques honoring him, which were mounted on the walls at each of the residence halls he visited during the house party.
“This is great, when I want to visit New Hall in the future, and they ask me for identification when I try to get in, I can just walk them over here and point to this plaque,” Trachtenberg said at the H Street residence hall.
Trachtenberg said he felt “a little like Terry Bradshaw with my name plastered on the side of a bus.”
Roger Kapoor, former Student Association president from 2001 to 2002, spoke at each location along the tour and praised Trachtenberg’s dedication to the University.
“SJT has demonstrated a high level of commitment to GW and its students through enhancing its prestige and reputation,” Kapoor said. “The best thing on campus is not any one of these amazing residence halls, but SJT himself.”
Each residence hall Trachtenberg visited had a theme. Thurston Hall was carnival themed, New Hall was rock star themed, Ivory Tower was backstage-pass themed and Mount Vernon was a buff and blue extravaganza.
James Kohl, director of House Life for GW Housing said the SJT House Party was designed to “celebrate President Trachtenberg’s tenure and commitment to GW.”
Many who attended a stop on SJT’s House Party tour appeared in high spirits about the special opportunity to interact with Trachtenberg.
“We don’t get to see SJT too often,” said freshman Curt Sonnet. “He always seems to be meeting with distinguished guests, so this was a great opportunity to see him interacting with students.”
Other students had mixed reactions about the festivities.
“This event was good for the free stuff,” sophomore Nick Thulin said. “However, I feel bad for the people who live here.”
Trachtenberg said he was thrilled that no one had mentioned a word about Commencement. However, he brought the topic up himself at the party on the Mount Vernon Campus Quad.
“Although everything that needs to be said has been said, I happen to have a commencement address here that needs to be read somewhere,” Trachtenberg joked.
