Housing
The WISE interns live in the dormitories at the George Washington University (GWU), located in the Foggy Bottom area of downtown Washington. Interns are assigned to 3 or 4 person dormitory rooms/ suites. Single rooms are not an option. WISE directly pays your housing costs for the 9 weeks of your internship. All campus buildings and residence halls are within walking distance of the two Metro stations serving the university. Both are on the orange and blue lines:
- Foggy Bottom-GWU (23rd and I Streets, N.W.)
- Farragut West (18th and I Streets, N.W.)
IMPORTANT:
GWU will send an e-mail directly to all WISE interns regarding your housing arrangements. Please review that e-mail for updated check-in times. Your WISE sponsors do not receive this information. If you anticipate check-in after 8:00 p.m., you will need to make prior arrangements with GWU to ensure that staff will be available. Please call the GW office at 202 994-CLLC to make these arrangements.
Check-out must be completed before 11:00 a.m. on the last day. Check-out also takes place in New Hall where you will return your access cards. Any change in this must be prearranged through the office to avoid additional charges. If you don’t return your keys, you are responsible for them and will be charged for any loss.
Summer Housing Staff:
Summer staff members live and work in the residence halls throughout the summer months. Staff members assist groups with check-in and check-out, provide information regarding campus and the Washington, DC area, and act as support staff in all residence hall offices. One staff member is on duty each night, and can be reached for emergency situations after regular business hours. GW Summer staff members will be the first to welcome you to campus and are there to provide assistance and support throughout your stay.
Summer Access to Residence Halls:
Hall access cards are distributed to each summer resident upon check-in. The electronic access device provides access to the front entrance, elevators, and stairwells of the residence hall in which the resident is housed. Residents must carry university-issued access cards and proof of identity at all times, and present them when requested. Additionally, visitors must also show proof of identity and be escorted by residents while in the building.
Parking:
Students contemplating bringing a car for the summer should be aware that parking on campus – or anywhere in DC – is very limited and in many cases, nonexistent. D.C. parking regulations severely limit opportunities for non-metered street parking and vehicles without DC plates. Some neighborhood street parking is available for two-hour time periods, but new regulations in effect prohibit parking for any length of time if you do not have DC plates and a DC parking permit. You will not need a car for your WISE-related activities. Neither will you need one for day-to-day getting around. Most DC residents do not own cars. You are encouraged to rely on public transportation. You will not be reimbursed for parking-related expenses. If you do want to bring a car, monthly leases are available in privately run garages all over the city. The average monthly lease costs about $200.
Mail:
Mail is delivered to each residence hall daily. Mailbox keys or combinations will be distributed to each resident upon check-in. AA damage fee will be assessed if lost. Also, feel free to use the “IEEE-USA, Suite 700, 2001 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036” address for your mail and packages. Be sure that all mail and packages being sent to IEEE are clearly marked with your name and “WISE.”
Also, if you wish to mail anything to DC prior to your arrival, feel free to use the same IEEE-USA address to ship boxes, bikes, etc…
What to Bring:
While GW’s Summer and Conference Housing is dedicated to making your stay on campus as comfortable as possible, certain items are not available in the residence halls. These items are as follows:
- Alarm clock
- Blow dryer
- Ironing board and iron
- Kitchen utensils/dishes/pots/pans
- Toiletries
- Sheets, towels, blankets and pillows
Safety:
Washington is a large urban area with both the pluses and minuses associated with big cities. The GWU dorms are in a generally safe area, but until you get a feel for the geography of Washington, do not go for walks alone at night in areas you do not know. The city streets comprising the campus are patrolled by campus police with the added benefit of the occasional U.S. Secret Service patrol due to proximity to the White House. The campus also uses Blue Light Phones to stay connected to students.