Oct. 20, 2004

Graduate School of Education and Human Development Celebrates a Centennial of Leadership

By Greg Licamele

The 100th anniversary of GW’s Graduate School of Education and Human Development (GSEHD) culminated Oct. 15 with a convocation led by President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg as he was scheduled to award President’s Medals to two luminaries in the field of education: Lee Shulman of The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching; and Wang Shenghong, president of Fudan University in China. Trustees, faculty, alumni, students, city officials and education leaders attended.

“This celebration is in recognition of GW’s contribution to guarantee all Americans access to the highest quality of education and human service programs,” said Mary Hatwood Futrell, GSEHD dean. “That commitment is as strong today as it was in 1904, when GW began offering programs for the teachers in the Washington metropolitan area.”

Highlights included remarks by former student L. Trenton Marsh, MA ’04, who spoke at GW’s 2004 Commencement; the National Anthem sung by Washington National Opera tenor Giancarlo Baci; and an original fanfare, “Centennial Celebratio,” composed by Benno Fritz of the Academic Brass Band. Also, professor emerita and renowned artist Sue Ann Robinson presented an original piece of art commissioned by GSEHD’s museum education program. The artwork will become a permanent part of GW’s art collection. A special exhibition, “Celebrating 100 Years of GSEHD,” is currently on display at Gelman Library.

The 100-year milestone was recognized nationally and locally. Sen. Kent Conrad (D–ND), a 1975 GW alumnus, honored Oct. 15, 2004, as GSEHD’s 100th anniversary in the Congressional Record. The flag that flew over the US Capitol building that day was in honor of GSEHD. DC Mayor Anthony Williams issued a Mayoral Proclamation recognizing Oct. 15, 2004, as a day of recognition for GSEHD’s achievements in the fields of education and human development, and the DC City Council passed a resolution citing GSEHD’s contributions to the citizens of the District of Columbia.

That commitment to the city continues into the next century as $10 million has been pledged to redesign teacher education programs in the DC Public Schools.

In honor of GSEHD’s 100th anniversary, this year’s New Directions conference was entitled “Education and Human Development: Past, Present and Future.” This annual event brought Virginia Secretary of Education Belle S. Wheelan to campus. She spoke on the future of schools of education.

Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu