When it comes to Washington, D.C., Christian Washington, CCAS BA ’06, LAW ’09, is an expert — and it’s not just because he’s a legislative analyst at the District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities, and Banking.
Not only did Christian earn two degrees from GW; he also grew up in the nation’s capital and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Tenleytown.
Perhaps that’s why when asked to recount his favorite moment as student in D.C., Christian says, “there are just too many to narrow down!”
While a GW student, Christian was involved with the Black Law Students Association and Phi Alpha Delta, a professional law fraternity. He also spent several semesters interning at various branches of the D.C. government, including a stint as a law clerk on the D.C. Superior Court and on the D.C. city council. These experiences, he says, had a huge impact on his career.
“My experience at GW helped shape me as a person and a professional,” Christian explains. “I was a very involved student while at GW, so I saw volunteering as a great way to continue that involvement as an alum.”
For the past five and a half years, Christian has maintained a high level of involvement with the university through volunteering. He loves planning events, mentoring current students, and getting other alumni excited about giving back.
In 2012, Christian was elected vice chair of the GW Black Alumni Association (GWBAA). From 2014 to spring 2018, he served as chair of the organization. Founded in 2004, the GWBAA organizes programming and events aimed at strengthening community among alumni invested in “continually enriching the network of Black GW graduates.”
Since he started volunteering with GWBAA, Christian has helped the group maintain a strong presence on campus.
“As Chair, I worked closely with the Office of Alumni Relations to set the direction of the group, and act as an alumni ambassador on behalf of the university,” Christian explains. “The diverse nature of my volunteer activities provides me a unique perspective related to issues facing the university.”
Two of the GWBAA’s signature events include the Black Alumni Reunion and the IMPACT Awards. An IMPACT Award is the highest form of recognition bestowed on distinguished Black alumni by the GWBAA Executive Committee.
Planning a number of signature events and leading an entire alumni network may seem ambitious. But for this life-long D.C. resident, it’s a rewarding source of pride and joy.
“GW is a truly special place,” Christian says. “As one of our old mottos used to go, ‘Something happens here!’”
