"When I dare to be powerful - to use my strength in the service of my vision - then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid." - Audre Lorde

As we kick off June and summer in DC, we’re celebrating the accomplishments, growth, and memories from this past semester. In this month’s edition, you’ll find a Semester Reflection Guide, a special collage honoring our 2026 graduates, wellness and academic support resources, and fun ways to enjoy the DMV this summer. We hope you take time to recharge, reflect, and celebrate all you’ve achieved!

To schedule a virtual or in-person meeting, contact our office at SMHSstudents@gwu.edu.

In this edition of the newsletter, you can find the following:

Ask an Expert Lunch - Tired & Wired: The neuroscience of overstimulation, cravings, and crashes

The Resiliency & Well-being Center (R&WC) and Office of Student Support (OSS) invite you to the next event in our Ask an Expert lunch series! Enjoy a free catered lunch and join an interactive roundtable discussion on Tired & Wired: The neuroscience of overstimulation, cravings, and crashes with Viktoriya Karakcheyeva, MD, MS, NCC, LCPC-SP, LCADAS, Associate and Behavioral Services Director of the R&WC.

Event Details: Wednesday, June 17th, 12-1pm.

Spots are limited and offered first come, first served; you can sign up by clicking the button or scanning the QR code above and you will be subsequently notified if your place is confirmed. 

Thank you to everyone who shared a photo! Congratulations to both graduates and those still working toward graduation on a successful semester. Raise High! 🎓✨

🌟Congrats to our raffle winner: Andeulazia Murdock, MD!

The GW Off-Campus Student Affairs (OCSA) Housing Website is a great starting point for exploring housing options. The site includes listings for both undergraduate and graduate students, along with message boards and additional resources to support your housing search.

Apartments in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia
Browse a non-exhaustive list of apartment communities located near the Foggy Bottom campus and in nearby Maryland and Virginia suburbs.

Searching for your first apartment can feel overwhelming. To help make the process easier, OCSA has created a helpful checklist of important details to keep in mind while touring properties so you can compare options confidently and make an informed decision.

Additional resources:

Frequently Asked Questions for Graduate Students

Frequently Asked Questions for International Students

Thank you to those of you who submitted a DMV recommendation! We received an overwhelming amount of engagement, which resulted in an extensive Navigating the DMV Guide. Click the button above to access the guide. If you have any additional recommendations, or missed our first call for submissions, don't worry! We will continue accepting submissions, and the guide will continue to be updated.

Click the button below to submit a recommendation.

The GroW Community Garden is looking for volunteers who can help out during gardening hours. The garden is located right behind the SMHS building and garden hours are Tuesdays 3-4pm, Thursdays 1-2pm, and Sundays 10am-12pm. You can register for a shift clicking the button above or scanning the QR code on the flyer. Come join us for some time in the sun and help grow produce that will be donated to Miriam's Kitchen!

June seasonal produce includes: berries, carrots, corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, and more!

For this month's seasonal recipe, try out this Mexican street corn pasta salad! This is a quick and low effort dish, perfect for an easy week night meal.

National Gallery of Art Block Party - 6/6, 10am - 4pm: The National Gallery will throw its largest ever public program, spanning the West Building, East Building and Sculpture Garden. Visitors can expect a series of art talks across the West Building American galleries and special exhibitions, artist-led community art projects (including a community collage quilt with local artist Trap Bob), a special appearance by The Racing Presidents of the Washington Nationals, kids’ activities (including story time, face painting, family yoga and an open play space), performances by local groups such as Batalá Washington Drum Band, East of the River Steel Drum Band, DJ RBI and the Eastern High School Marching Band and refreshing seasonal food and drinks.

Capital Pride - 6/12-21: For over 50 years, the Capital Pride Alliance has been the heart of DC's LGBTQ+ celebrations. The District goes all-out with its signature parade and a packed calendar of events, block parties, shows, special exhibits and more. 

Fête De La Musique, Make Music Day - 6/21: Faites la fête at Georgetown's iteration of the free, live music festival that has been celebrated in France for over 40 years. Listeners can catch R&B, Americana, jazz, bluegrass, spoken word or rock across the fest's locations throughout Georgetown's commercial district and at the French Embassy. Admission is FREE. 

Student Wellness Committee: "The Wellness Committee is a group of elected students from all programs within the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences with a passion for promoting wellness in our community. We believe that as students who are training to become healthcare providers, it is critical that we learn to care for ourselves by nurturing our own personal health and wellness, as we strive to care for others. This committee seeks to promote wellness by organizing events and initiatives that enhance student wellbeing and strengthen relationships within our programs. We consider many dimensions of wellness and work with the Office for Student Support (OSS) to ensure accessibility to resources and safe spaces, as well as provide events like movie nights, picnics, cookie decorating, therapy dogs, and other initiatives to promote connectivity and healthy habits." - Student Wellness Committee Leadership

For information on how to join the Student Wellness Committee, or to send suggestions/ideas for wellness events, please send them an email.

SMHS Student - Parent Support Network: The Office of Student Support (OSS) is excited to announce an initiative aimed at connecting student-parents across SMHS. We recognize that balancing academic responsibilities with parenting can be challenging, and we want to offer a supportive network to help navigate these demands. By filling out a short google form, you will have the opportunity to receive contact information for other student-parents who are also interested in joining this network. Click here to fill out the form.

Student Organizations: Interested in joining one of the 80+ student organizations SMHS has to offer? You can find a full list of them here, updated every semester.

Want to start your own organization? The Medical Center Student Council provides guidance on the process on their website, with enrollment periods open twice a year.

GW SMHS Event Promotion - OSS Newsletter Feature Request Form: Do you have an upcoming event or campaign open to all GW SMHS students? Need help getting the word out? Complete the brief form below to apply for your event to be featured in the next edition of our newsletter.

Deadline: The form must be submitted at least one week prior to the release of the newsletter edition in question. Editions are released on the first weekday of each month. 

Questions? Contact Emma Smith at emma.smith@gwu.edu.

Now is the perfect time to focus on your mental health and set yourself up for a strong start to the next semester. Whether you’re looking to begin therapy while your schedule is more flexible, or you want to get set up before things get busy, now is a great time to register for Talkspace. Don’t wait until stress builds - start therapy now, and head into the semester with healthy routines and a clear head. Register today!

Talkspace: As educators of our future healthcare professionals, we know how important mental health is and are pleased to offer all SMHS students a free subscription to Talkspace. Talkspace offers unlimited text messaging and four 30-minute video sessions a month with a licensed therapist and is a convenient, clinically effective, and confidential service. You will be matched with a therapist that suits you and your needs via a special algorithm. To register, go to www.talkspace.com/gwu and click "Get Started." You will then be asked to input your contact information and the organization keyword that corresponds with your SMHS program. Keywords include: GWU-MEDSTU (MD students), GWU-HEALTHSCI (Health Sciences students), and GWU-MEDRES (Medical Residents). 

Please note that after 12 months of using the platform, you will need to revalidate your account. You should receive notification 21 days and 7 days before your renewal deadline. Please follow this guide to help you revalidate. If you are unable to revalidate before your deadline, please reach out to Talkspace Partner Support using their Help Desk (click the button below) to be revalidated and request to continue with your current therapist.

Students who experience difficulty registering or revalidating should contact Alex Velto (alex.velto@gwu.edu).

Student Health Center:  The Student Health Center (formally CHC) is open and operating to assist students seeking medical, psychiatric, counseling, and psychological services. Physicians and counselors provide in-person treatment in the office, and virtual appointments are offered during regular business hours. Call 202-994-5300 to schedule an appointment.  

Hours:

Monday – Friday: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm (ET); extended hours until 7pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays

Saturday: 12:00 pm-4:00 pm

Sunday: 12:00 pm-4:00 pm on the Mount Vernon Campus

Resiliency and Well-Being Center: OSS frequently collaborates with the GW RW&C on matters related to individual and group well-being. The R&W Center takes an evidence-based, whole-person approach in the health and wellness (well-being) services it provides to the GW medical enterprise—SMHS, GW MFA, and the GW Hospital.  The R&W Center provides individual, departmental, and institutional-level services.  

Additional Resiliency and Well-Being Center workshop information can be found here.

Want to stay up-to date with OSS Events in 2026? Click here to add the Office of Student Support (OSS) Events Calendar to your Google Calendar. You can also check out the Events Tab on the OSS website to see event details.

Interested in meeting with our learning specialist, Terri Edwards, or with our Associate Director, Alex Velto? Use Zoom Scheduler to easily schedule a meeting!