George Washington University announces revolutionary new moniker
'Moniker Madness' underway at George Washington University
George Washington University is changing its school nickname from the Colonials to something new, and they are asking for input from students on what the new moniker should be. GWU Student Roxanne joins the DMV Zone to talk about the new choices.
WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - Let's go Revolutionaries!
That's what students at George Washington University will be cheering next school year after the school announced the new moniker Wednesday — ending 12 months of focus groups, surveys, and community campaigns launched to replace its former name, Colonials.
GWU narrows down options for new moniker to final 4
The George Washington University has narrowed down their options for a new moniker to four finalists: Ambassadors, Blue Fog, Revolutionaries and Sentinels.
Revolutionaries, the school says, represent graduates, staff, and students who are "not afraid to break boundaries and change the game" and "go beyond what’s conventional or expected to focus on shifting mindsets and creating a new future."
In March, the university narrowed down its options for a new moniker to four finalists: Ambassadors, Blue Fog, Sentinels, and Revolutionaries.
On Wednesday, GW alum Chuck Todd introduced the new name in a breaking news-style video that featured feedback from students, graduates, a professor, and President Mark S. Wrighton.
"This is an exciting day for the George Washington University Revolutionaries," said President Mark S. Wrighton. "I am very grateful for the active engagement of our community throughout the development of the new moniker. This process was truly driven by our students, faculty, staff and alumni, and the result is a moniker that broadly reflects our community—and our distinguished and distinguishable GW spirit."
In order for the moniker to be completely official, the GW Board of Trustees had to approve the recommendation from the Moniker Advisory Committee. In June 2022, it was the board that decided the school would no longer use the Colonial term given the "division among the community" about it. GW had used the Colonial moniker since 1926.
GWU to discontinue use of Colonials moniker due to 'division,' slavery connotations
The George Washington University has announced they will discontinue the use of the Colonials moniker "given the division among the community" about it.
The calls to change the name started in 2018 after 538 GW students signed a petition, saying Colonials was "extremely offensive by not only students of the university, but the nation and world at large."
While George will remain the university's mascot, GW plans to work on developing a visual identity for the Revolutionaries moniker and begin the process of stamping it on athletic uniforms, merchandise, and signs around the campus.