Frequently Asked Questions about the Mount Vernon Campus:

Where is the Mount Vernon Campus located?
The Mount Vernon Campus is a fully integrated part of The George Washington University, providing academic courses, residential options, and student life programs.  The campus is located on Foxhall Road in upper Northwest Washington, less than 3 miles from the Foggy Bottom Campus.  Surrounding the campus are private homes, the shops and restaurants of Foxhall Road and MacArthur Boulevard, the Kreeger Museum, the German and French embassies, and the residences of the Belgian and Spanish Ambassadors.  Georgetown is just a short distance to the south of campus and upper Wisconsin Avenue and Tenleytown are just a short distance to the north.  The campus was formerly the location of the Mount Vernon Seminary and College, which was founded by Elizabeth Somers in 1875 and acquired by GW in the mid-1990s.

How do I get to the Mount Vernon Campus?
A. The easiest way to Mount Vernon from Foggy Bottom is to take The Vern Express. It runs regularly between both campuses 24 hours - 7 days a week during the academic year. At Mount Vernon, The Vern Express stop is located in front of Somers Hall, adjacent to The Quad.  On the Foggy Bottom Campus, The Express stop is located at 21st & H St from 6AM to 10AM on weekdays, and Fulbright Hall (H Street & 23rd) at all other times. For more information on The Vern Express click here. If you are driving to Mount Vernon,
click here for directions.

What special academic programs and courses are offered at the Mount Vernon Campus?
There are three residential academic programs based at the Mount Vernon Campus:  Elizabeth Somers Women’s Leadership Program (WLP), Columbian College Dean’s Scholars in Globalization, and University Honors Residential Program.  For more information on these academic programs, click here

What is Mount Vernon Campus Life?
Mount Vernon Campus Life (MVCL) supports the marketing and outreach efforts of the campus, specifically by providing student activities as well as event and transportation services for those who make use of the campus, especially those who live within the campus residential house, all with the intent of fostering a vibrant sense of campus life and community.

How many residential houses are there on the Mount Vernon Campus?
There are six residential houses on the Mount Vernon Campus: Clark Hall, Hensley Hall, Merriweather Hall, Pelham Hall, and Somers Hall, and Cole Hall.  Most residential house rooms are doubles sharing private bathrooms in a suite configuration, although Pelham is largely singles with community bathrooms.  For the 2006-2007 academic year, the residential houses are full, with approximately 480 students living in them, the majority (240) in Somers Hall.  All class years are represented within the campus residential houses, with nearly 420 freshmen and the remainder upperclass students (mainly sophomores and juniors).  Among the freshmen living at the Mount Vernon Campus during the 2006-2007 academic year, nearly 90% of them preferenced a Mount Vernon Campus residential house as a first or second choice or are participating in an academically based living and learning program at the campus.  For complete information on living at Mount Vernon, click here.

Can students have cars on the Mount Vernon Campus?
There is limited student parking on the campus. Students pay for parking by semester. Only students who are residents of the Mount Vernon Campus or commuter students that are taking all of their classes at Mount Vernon and reside outside of the 20052 zip code area can park at Mount Vernon. Students may not park on W Street or any residential street that surrounds campus. Students with permits can park in either the Mount Vernon Parking Garage or the Pelham Hall lot. For more information on parking at Mount Vernon visit Parking Serives' website by clicking here.

 Where can I eat at the Mount Vernon Campus?
A. The Ames Dining Hall is Mount Vernon's main eatery.  It's complemented by the Grounds for Change coffeehouse.  For more information on these venues, including their hours, click here.

In addition, there are several off-campus dining options that accept Colonial Cash. For a listing of these places click here.

Can my student organization hold a meeting or event at the Mount Vernon Campus?
A. YES! Student organizations can use most facilities on the campus free of charge. Check out Event Planning at Mount Vernon to get complete information about reserving a room, advertising and getting assistance from Mount Vernon Campus Life.

What kind of events happen on the Mount Vernon Campus?
There is a wide range of activities to participate in at Mount Vernon. Here is a sampling of past, and future campus activities: Coffeehouses, film series, Wacky Wednesdays, Halloween parties and hall decorating contests, comedy nights, Welcome Week events, outdoor movies, events for African American History and Women's History months, karaoke, oscar parties, kukuwa dance workouts, yoga sessions, catholic masses and much more. The Mount Vernon Programming Council, House Proctors, Academic Mentors and Hall Councils are some of the student groups that plan activities at Mount Vernon. Students are always welcome to propose new events, and the Mount Vernon Programming Council can provide co-sponsorship money in some cases. Contact Mount Vernon Campus Life at 202-242-6673 for more details.  For complete information on What's Happening at Mount Vernon, click here.

What security features are in place on the Mount Vernon Campus?
A. The University Police Department (UPD) provides security for both the Mount Vernon and Foggy Bottom campuses. At Mount Vernon, UPD officers are located at the campus entrance Gatehouse 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They regularly patrol the entire campus, including inside each building. Blue light emergency phones are placed strategically around the campus in the event of an emergency. Guests must be signed in at the Gatehouse. For more information on UPD click here.

In addition to the University Police, the residence halls maintain an on-call duty system of House Proctors and a 24-hour professional staff Community Director on-call to handle issues in the residence halls.

How do people travel between the Mount Vernon and Foggy Bottom campuses?
Throughout the academic year, the campuses are connected by “The Vern Express” (formerly the Foggy Bottom-Mount Vernon Campus Shuttle), a shuttle service that runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and offers up to 500 departures a day throughout the academic year, with more limited service provided during the summer and semester breaks.   The travel time between campuses is approximately 10-15 minutes, which is comparable to the travel time between buildings on opposite ends of the Foggy Bottom Campus, although travel time on The Vern Express can be slightly longer during the morning and evening rush hour periods.  For more information on The Vern Express, including its departure schedule, click here.

If you have additional questions that were not answered by this FAQ, you're invited to submit your inquiry via email to mvcl@gwu.edu.