Sept. 17, 2003
Toast of the Townhouses
GW Community Celebrates Opening of New Facilities
By Greg
Licamele
The building was blessed, the ribbon was cut and open houses were conducted
as the greek letter communities celebrated Townhouse Row on Sept. 4, beginning
a new chapter in this form of student life that dates back to 1862 at
GW.
Five sororities and three fraternities now call the new building on 23rd
Street home. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony and Masonic blessing, University
President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg said this project was 15 years in
the making. He expects this building to lead to a more robust greek life
at GW.
Robert A. Chernak, senior vice president for student and academic support
services, challenged all 1,500 students who are members of greek communities
to extend their outreach.
What Im hoping for is that the greek world contribute not
just in the successful ways you have in the past to GW and DC, but also
in ways that are bolder, purer and more successful, Chernak said.
Norm Pentelovitch, president of the Interfraternity Council, said while
colleges across the country are providing less support to greek communities,
GW is clearly an exception.
We have been given an important opportunity to redefine what it
means to be a member of a greek organization at an urban college campus,
Pentelovitch said. With a lot of hard work and some luck, I believe
we can make all of our organizations stronger and can be a model greek
community for universities throughout the country.
Chernak said the entire greek community should not look at Townhouse Row
as a final step, but rather as a stepping stone for a potential Townhouse
Row 2.
During the celebration, the cornerstone of the new building was declared
level, square and plumb by members of the Grand Lodge of the District
of Columbia Free and Accepted Masons as they performed the traditional
Masonic cornerstone laying ceremony.
Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu
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Related Link
Archive:
Townhouse Row Set to Open Sept. 4
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