Washington, DC
Founded in 1821
George Washington University (GWU), founded in 1821 and named after the first President of the United States, George Washington, is a private research university located in the heart of Washington, D.C. The university has three campuses, with the main campus located in downtown Washington, D.C. It has nine schools and over 20,000 students, making it the largest university in Washington, D.C.
GWU is renowned for its strong contributions to politics, diplomacy, law, and business. It has earned the reputation as the "cradle of politicians," with many of its alumni serving in the White House, the U.S. Department of State, and international organizations such as the United Nations.
In the 2020 US News rankings, GWU ranked 70th among U.S. universities. Its Elliott School of International Affairs has consistently been ranked among the top institutions for international relations, with its graduate program ranked 7th and undergraduate program ranked 8th in the world by *Foreign Policy* magazine over the past two decades.
Popular programs at George Washington University include International Relations, Public Affairs, Law, Business, Public Health, Nursing, and Education.
Notable alumni include Colin Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State; Syngman Rhee, the first President of South Korea; 20 U.S. governors; 118 U.S. senators and representatives; Abby Joseph Cohen, Managing Director at Goldman Sachs; Lee Kun-hee, Chairman of Samsung; Julius Axelrod, Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist; and Yang A. Zhang, a computer scientist.