Dean Barratt with her husband, Will Hayes, and son, Nick Hayes.

From the parades to the fireworks, the Independence Day celebrations in our nation’s capitol are spectacular affairs. This year, my family and I attended President Knapp’s Fourth of July reception on the top floor of 1957 E Street, which has a fabulous view of the Washington Monument. Shortly after 9:00 pm, the fireworks rose over the buildings and booms echoed through the streets in celebration of our country’s independence. After the incredible finale, we saw the firework celebrations of at least six other communities in the distance.

Fourth of July in our nation’s capitol is also a reminder of The George Washington University’s heritage. In 1799, George Washington expressed in his will his “ardent wish” for a University to be established in the District of Columbia. He envisioned a place “to which the youth of fortune and talent from all parts [of the country] might be sent for the completion of their education in all the branches of polite literature, in arts and sciences, in acquiring knowledge in the principles of politics and good government.”  Washington believed the nation’s capital was the logical site for such an institution and left a bequest toward that objective.

We strive to fulfill George Washington’s vision with our dedication to the breadth and depth of the arts and sciences. It was his initial leadership that inspired our University, and indeed our country, to its great successes.

I hope your Fourth of July was filled with flare and excitement! Tell me how you celebrated our country this summer.