Vern Events & History
The Mount Vernon Campus is proud of its history and cherishes its beloved traditions.
SIGNATURE EVENTS
Community Cookout
Hosted in the fall as a part of Weeks of Welcome!
Kicking off the year, the Community Cookout is one of the first opportunities for the Mount Vernon community to come together on the Quad.
Vern Harvest
Hosted in the fall as a part of Alumni & Families Weekend!
An annual fall favorite, Vern Harvest is half carnival and half pumpkin patch but 100% Vern Pride. This event celebrates the vibrant sights, tastes and sounds of everything that makes the fall season spectacular on the Vern.
Thanksgiving on the Vern
Staying on campus during Thanksgiving break? Celebrate with delicious food and fun on the Vern!
Vern Lights
As the campus heads into finals and colder days, Vern Lights brightens the Quad with community members gathering to celebrate the lights and cheer of the season.
Lunar New Year
The Vern celebrates Lunar New Year, the start of the new year in many Asian cultures, with dancing, food, games and decorations.
Vern Tailgate
Save the Date: March 29, 2025
Feel the Vern! The campus turns out to cheer on the Revolutionaries in the spring with a cookout on the Quad and support for softball and women’s lacrosse.
Fountain Day
Save the Date: April 26, 2025
Students celebrate spring by turning on the fountain on the Mount Vernon Quad and coming together to celebrate their accomplishments and the Vern community.
Back to the Vern
Save the Date: May 14, 2025
The Mount Vernon community closes each academic year by inviting the graduating class of Vernies back to campus for one last celebration of GW achievement and success.
MOUNT VERNON CAMPUS HISTORY
The Mount Vernon Campus was formerly the home of the Mount Vernon Seminary and College, a private women’s high school and college. This educational institution was founded in 1875 by Elizabeth J. Somers. As the first school of higher education available to women in Washington, D.C., Mount Vernon Seminary and College played an important role in promoting women's education.
In 1945, Somers Hall and three of the Hillsides residence halls were established on the Mount Vernon Campus. Somers, renovated in 2010, now houses the first-year students in the selective Elizabeth J. Somers Women's Leadership Program, who continue to promote a vision for excellence in academic achievement, strong sense of community, and leadership development.
In 1997, the 121-year-old Mount Vernon College announced plans to merge with The George Washington University. In June of 1999, the last Mount Vernon College class graduated, and on June 30, 1999 the campus officially became the Mount Vernon Campus of The George Washington University. GW’s archives hold the collections of the Mount Vernon Seminary and College. If you are a faculty or staff member or alumna of Mount Vernon, please contact the special collections librarians for information about how you can contribute to the archives.
