George Washington University

The George Washington University

Former names	Columbian College in the District of Columbia, Columbian University
Motto	Deus Nobis Fiducia (Latin)
Motto in English	God is Our Trust
Type	Private
Established	February 9, 1821
Endowment	$1.570 billion (2016)
Chairman	Nelson A. Carbonell, Jr.
President	Steven Knapp
Provost	Forrest Maltzman
Academic staff	2,663
Students	26,212 (2015)
Undergraduates	10,900 (2015)
Postgraduates	14,843 (2015)
Other students	469 (2015)
Location	Washington, D.C., U.S.
Campus	Urban – Foggy Bottom; Suburban – Mount Vernon; Suburban – Ashburn
Colors	Buff and Blue
Nickname	Colonials
Mascot	George, the Colonial
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I – A-10
Website	www.gwu.edu

The George Washington University (GW, GWU, or George Washington) is a private research university located in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, D.C., United States, with two other campuses including the Mount Vernon campus in the Foxhall neighborhood, as well as the Virginia Science & Technology campus in Loudoun County, Virginia. GW is the largest institution of higher education in the District of Columbia.

George Washington, the first president of the United States, had indicated to Congress through various letters, as well as his last will and testament, that he wanted to establish a university within the nation's capital. Washington left fifty shares of the Potowmack Company in his estate for a national university in the District of Columbia. However, due to the company's financial status, the university never received the shares. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on February 9, 1821, as the Columbian College in the District of Columbia. In 1904, it changed its name to the George Washington University in honor of Washington.

The university has ten colleges and schools: the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences (which includes the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design, the School of Media and Public Affairs, and the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration); the School of Business, the Elliott School of International Affairs, the Milken Institute School of Public Health, the College of Professional Studies (which includes the Graduate School of Political Management), the School of Engineering and Applied Science, the George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences, the Law School, the School of Nursing, and the Graduate School of Education and Human Development.