Community & Resources for FGLI Students

Events

GSP strives to create a community for our students, both on-campus and beyond, that is a strong launching pad for the rest of their college experience. Our programming is focused on initiatives that foster a supportive and caring environment – a “home away from home” for our participants. The program also hosts workshops and panels on navigating a wide range of topics – some past topics have included: study abroad, budgeting, summer options, time management, branding 101, and more. Check our events page (opens in a new link) for the latest programming! If you are interested in participating in any of these events and the information isn’t available, please reach out to gsphoyas@georgetown.edu for more information!

Project Move-In: Alumni and staff volunteers meet new GSP students — who would otherwise arrive alone — at DC airports and train stations to provide a warm welcome to Georgetown and help move students into the dormitories. Generous GSP supporters donate for our yearly First-Year New Bedding Initiative.

Annual Induction Ceremony: This ceremony welcomes new GSP students to the university and the GSP community at the beginning of the academic year.

Sophomore Retreat: Second-year students at Georgetown are invited to this motivational event to help them overcome the typical “sophomore slump”. Previous iterations have included great speakers and panelists, dancing and meditation, and wellness workshops.

GSP Tailgate during Parent’s Weekend: Typically, GSP hosts a tailgate cookout where all GSP students, family, friends, supporters, alumni and volunteers are invited! This event is special as it is one of the few times of the year that the entire GSP community comes together. We love to welcome parents from out of town as well as alumni & volunteers who are just as a part of our GSP community!

Break Programming: This initiative provides dinners and events for GSP students who remain on campus for the holiday breaks, including Thanksgiving, Spring Break, and Easter Break. Events have included a Thanksgiving dinner at the Daily Grill, bowling at Pinstripes, trips to Annapolis and Baltimore, dinner at Cactus Cantina, and more. Students should read the weekly email for more information on how to sign up!

GSP Community Dinners: These casual dinners allow students an opportunity to meet new people and talk with peers and staff about the current campus, social, or academic issues.

GSP Intramurals: These student-run events afford opportunities for fellow students to connect casually outside the classroom.

Annual Graduation Celebration: GSP students, their families, alumni volunteers, and mentors gather to celebrate students’ accomplishments and community at the end of their time at Georgetown.

Resources

GSP students and families can access an array of tools, created specifically with GSP students’ interest in mind, before and throughout their time at Georgetown. We find that students who use these tools are more likely to have a positive and enriching experience. If you have any questions about the following, please email gsphoyas@georgetown.edu.

Bridge Housing
Bridge housing accommodations are provided for independent students or those who may have housing insecurity during campus closures. The students must meet the strict criteria outlined to ensure the resource is available to those with true need. More details on the Bridge Housing Initiative, which is comprised of a committee of various campus partners including GSP, can be found on their website.

Georgetown Virtual Tour
Haven’t gotten the chance to visit campus before attending? Want to share a bit of campus with family & friends? Virtually visit campus at your own pace with Georgetown YouVisit tour (opens in a new tab)! At each stop, viewers can see 360-degree photos with voice-over narration and captions based on Blue and Gray tour guides’ script.

GSP Welcome Packet
To prepare our first-year students for the transition to college, we prepare a welcome packet to share the most up to date information. Our Welcome Packet (opens in a new tab) is created by current students, for new students. Our welcome packet includes Parent Guides (designed by GSPer Chris Rivera (C ’24)) and Thrive Guides (designed by GSPer Larissa Johnson (C ’27)), which are created to share with incoming students and their loved ones tips for thriving and navigating Georgetown. They include amazing information on anything and everything from moving in on the first day, buying books, meeting with professors, and juggling academic demands with social life. GSP’s bilingual Parent Guides help prepare GSP parents and loved ones for what they can expect during a student’s transition to Georgetown. These resources are mailed, via postal service and electronically, to each first-year student the summer before arrival on campus for the fall semester!

GSP Tutoring Resources
While GSP does not offer a peer tutoring program, we are able to support students in their academics in two ways. GSP has compiled a list of tutoring resources (opens in new tab) which we update at the beginning of each semester! Some of these resources are free, but students in the program are also eligible for GSP tutoring grants if those free resources across campus may not cover the need!

First Year Dare to Thrive Challenge
Some years we host a Thrive Challenge, which is made up of “challenges” for first-year students which activities proven help them start their Georgetown experience on the right foot. Students who complete all challenge activities win a prize. Challenges have included: attending office hours with a professor, visiting the career center, meeting campus partners, exploring resources available to them and more!

GSP Social Services (opens in a new tab)
GSP has done research on local social services that students can access. From immigration, housing, psychologists, dentists, etc. you can search through the various tabs to find what you need! Can’t find it here or know of a service we can add? Feel free to reach out to gsphoyas@georgetown.edu.

GSP Weekly Email
Tailored especially for GSP students, this e‐newsletter includes announcements about programming initiatives and university resources. It is the single most comprehensive way we communicate to students.

GSP Social Media
GSP students can follow our social media channels to stay informed. Typical posts include relevant articles, announcements of upcoming GSP events, reminders to complete important activities (e.g., class registration), news about job, internship, and mentoring opportunities exclusively for GSP members, as well as posts and photos of recent GSP events and activities. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.