July 19, 2012 – Georgetown University has signed a lease agreement for a new space to house the School of Continuing Studies, located at the intersection of 7th St. and Massachusetts Ave., NW, in the heart of downtown Washington, D.C. Scheduled to open in late 2013, the new Georgetown Downtown campus will extend the spirit of the Hilltop to fulfill the university’s mission of educating the whole person through reflection, service and intellectual inquiry.
“This expansion of Georgetown Downtown is a defining moment for the university,” said President John J. DeGioia. “Just as the construction of our Law Center did 30 years ago, this new home provides us with an opportunity to extend the impact of the university into new parts of the city and to broaden the reach of our work. We are excited to be aligning our interests with this vibrant and growing city.”
Inclusive Search Process
The search for a new space and location took nearly two years and was led by Robert L. Manuel, the former associate provost and dean of the school who is now president of the University of Indianapolis. “I am proud to have played a role in finding a new space for SCS and am confident that the new downtown campus will fulfill the university’s commitment to educational outreach and inclusivity,” said Manuel.
School and university leaders consulted with students, faculty, staff and alumni to identify the needs of the SCS community. Surveys and focus groups garnered responses that centered on accessibility and the learning environment. Results from the surveys and focus groups will continue to inform the design and construction phases.
“We look forward to joining such a vibrant community and know that our students will thrive in our new space and location,” said Interim Dean Walter Rankin.
State-of-the-art Facilities
The university is working with Studios Architecture to create a state-of-the-art space that reimagines the educational experience for the 21st century. The space will undergo a complete transformation and begin construction as a blank slate. Students, faculty, staff, alumni and community leaders will all find a home in the new Georgetown Downtown campus.
The new facilities will include classrooms with integrated technology, administrative offices, group study rooms, workstations, lounge and meeting spaces, a contemplative space, a media lab, a library resource center and café and more. There are four levels of leased space that cover 91,000 square feet, allowing for future growth.
Vibrant, Accessible Neighborhood
The new SCS space is located in the Gallery Place/Chinatown neighborhood, part of the Downtown D.C. Business Improvement District and one of the city’s most vibrant and accessible communities. Located just eight city blocks from the Georgetown Law Center, the Georgetown Downtown campus is centrally situated within a neighborhood that offers hundreds of amenities. Within walking distance of the campus are popular restaurants and cafés, retail shops and services, museums and hotels as well as the Verizon Center, which is home to Georgetown Hoyas men’s basketball.
There are abundant transportation options for anyone commuting to the campus. With a perfect Transit Score of 100, the campus is within six blocks of all five Metro rail lines serving the Washington, D.C. region. The Gallery Place/Chinatown station served by the red, yellow and green Metro rail lines is just steps away at the corner of 7th and H streets, NW. The campus is in close proximity to countless Metro bus stops, the DC Circulator, Capital Bikeshare stations and Union Station commuter train services. There is also easy access to Interstate 395 and Route 50 as well as convenient parking.
New and Expanded Programming
The Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies offers graduate degrees in human resources management, journalism, liberal studies, public relations and corporate communications, real estate, sports industry management and technology management, as well as over 25 professional certificates, summer school and special programs and the university’s only part-time bachelor’s program, and will be able to expand its educational offerings with the new space.
The school intends to launch several new master’s programs in the coming years. In fall 2013, for example, it will launch two of those programs—urban and regional planning as well as emergency and disaster management.
“SCS is committed to expanding its applied education and research opportunities,” said Rankin. “Our new downtown campus will allow us to better connect with the fields and industries our students study and to build upon Georgetown’s commitment to transformative education, women and men for others and social justice.”
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Related Information
Georgetown Downtown
School of Continuing Studies
Georgetown University Campus Plan
Studios Architecture
DowntownDC BID