Did you know that George Washington University’s Mount Vernon Campus boasts a history richer than its leafy surroundings? Right here before you stands a place steeped in the legacy of women’s education. This wasn’t always a GWU campus. It began in 1868. Elizabeth J Somers a pioneer in women’s education started tutoring young ladies. Her small school grew. Seven years later in 1875 she officially opened Mount Vernon Seminary a day school for young ladies. It offered a six-year course of instruction. The seminary later became a junior college. Then it evolved into Mount Vernon College. It stood as a testament to Somers’ vision.
This wasn’t just any school. It attracted daughters of prominent Washingtonians. Senators congressmen even Alexander Graham Bell’s daughters attended. The students made the most of their location. They visited Bell’s laboratory. They tested the newly invented telephone. Imagine their excitement using this revolutionary technology. The college thrived for over a century. The curriculum was rigorous. Students tackled important issues in their senior essays. They wrote about women’s suffrage. They discussed child labor. They explored the effects of poverty. They analyzed prohibition. The students’ work reflected the spirit of the times. The location in Washington D.C played a key role.
The college relocated several times. It moved from 204 F Street NW to 1100 M Street NW. Later it found a home on Nebraska Avenue. Then World War II intervened. The Navy took over the Nebraska Avenue campus. The college found temporary space in a department store in Spring Valley. Finally a new campus on Foxhall Road opened. This site lasted until 1999. That year Mount Vernon College merged with George Washington University. A new chapter started. This merger preserved the legacy. The campus became George Washington University’s Mount Vernon Campus.
The George Washington University’s Mount Vernon Campus continues the legacy. Somers Hall houses the first-year women of the Elizabeth J Somers Women’s Leadership Program. It honors the founder’s vision. West Hall offers modern amenities. These include student housing dining and a fitness center. It has a recording studio a dance studio a black box theatre. It also has music practice rooms. The campus continues to thrive. Students have access to resources. They still benefit from a close-knit community. They have access to the nation’s capital. This is George Washington University at Mount Vernon College. A unique blend of tradition and progress. It represents a remarkable evolution in women’s education. It has been transformed but never forgotten.