Please take a moment to browse this newsletter and learn what has changed while you were out this summer and what GW IT has to offer. 

This summer, our teams worked to strengthen the foundation of our network across campus, and rolled out the new GWdevice network to take advantage of new features and provide a better experience. On August 16, 2024, GWdevice replaced GWconnect as our default network for your streaming, gaming, and smart devices. GWdevice offers an at-home experience, making it easier to connect your devices without needing to know the MAC address for your smart TV. We strive to bring you a modern network experience that keeps you connected. 

We are currently streamlining our wireless networks by designating eduroam as the primary network and retiring GWireless. Both of these were running on the same network, so this will unify that experience under one network - eduroam. Many universities now use eduroam as their primary network, simplifying the process of connecting when visiting other eduroam institutions.

The myGW website and mobile app are here to help you navigate and stay connected with the GW community. Customization options allow you to make the dashboard your own, highlight what matters most to you, and change the layout so it’s presented the way that works best for you. 

New widgets continue to be added, such as My Class Schedule, My Holds, Events at GW, and 101 Things to Do. 

The myGW mobile app is available in the Apple App Store and Google Play. More information, including training and support resources, are available on the IT website.

LinkedIn Learning offers high-quality courses from business management to programming, design, data science, and soft skills. Complete LinkedIn Learning courses to earn certificates and badges that can be added to your LinkedIn profile and showcase your expertise to potential employers.

Adobe has launched a new learning management system, Adobe Learn. Complete the bite size models to earn badges on things like health and science communication, presentation design, and storytelling through short form video. Badges can also be shared on your resume and LinkedIn to stand out to potential employers. 

Try designing in Adobe Express Premium, available to all full-time GW students. Accessible via web and mobile apps, Adobe Express Premium provides access to over 20,000 licensed Adobe Fonts, curved type, grids, and font pairs, enhancing your creative projects.

With a new semester brings a new round of social engineering email scams targeting the GW community. Every year we see a rise in scams trying to get your information or money, they include fake job offers, phishing attempts, and now even deep fake calls to your grandma. 

Everyone forgets their password once in a while. To ensure you can reset yours easily without needing to visit a Walk-in Support Center, add a secondary Two-Step Authentication (2SA) method. This secondary method simplifies identity verification, which is required for password resets. Using the Microsoft Authenticator App as your primary 2SA method not only secures your account more effectively than SMS texts or phone calls but also streamlines the password reset process by automatically verifying your identity.

A New Walk-in location is now open on the lower level of the new Campus Store. The Information Technology help desk is open Monday - Friday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Come see the new space!

Adobe Firefly is available to all GW students. Firefly is a part of Adobe creative apps and offers a stand-alone Firefly web app that allows you to create images, add or remove objects, fill in or expand images, and generate custom graphics and patterns. Adobe trained their initial commercial Firefly model on licensed content, such as Adobe Stock, and public domain content where copyright has expired.

Copilot is now accessible to all GW faculty, staff, and students. Powered by GPT-4, this generative AI tool assists with information retrieval, research, and content generation. When you log in with your GW UserID and password, commercial data protection is enabled, ensuring that your queries are not saved and won’t be used to train AI. All your information is deleted when you end your session. Learn more about Microsoft Copilot.

Zoom AI Companion is now available to all GW Zoom users. Zoom AI Companion is a generative AI digital assistant integrated into the Zoom platform and designed to enhance productivity. When enabled, it can provide meeting summaries, or you can chat with AI Companion about what you missed if you join late.  Learn more about Zoom AI Companion. 

On August 5, 2024, GW IT began requiring Single Sign-On (SSO) authentication to access your GW Zoom account, enhancing security. 

GW IT is here to help support your academic journey through technology and to keep you connected. Explore the GW IT Service Catalog on the IT website. 

Learn more about what software is available to you, including Microsoft 365 for your computer and Adobe Express, by visiting our Software Page and MyApps Page.

IT Help is our online knowledge base aimed at helping you find the answers you need right when you need them. You can find self help guides on how to download GW VPN or learn which network is right for your devices. 

Stay informed about technology issues by subscribing to GW Status to receive updates on Technology services.