While some students are content simply to visit the National Cherry Blossom Festival once a year, others have contributed to D.C.'s largest annual tourist event by participating in events or volunteering time.
The festival, which runs until April 15, kicked off March 31 with Opening Ceremony, which included speeches by D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty and Japanese Ambassador Ryozo Kato. The two-week festival is the single-largest annual event in the District, drawing an estimated 1.7 million visitors, most who pass through the Foggy Bottom Metro station on their way to the Mall.
Students have already participated in the National Cherry Blossom Festival Marathon March 31 and other student athletes, such as the men's and women's crew teams, compete in tournaments celebrating the festival.
Junior Kathleen Kuever volunteered to be a goodwill ambassador for the National Cherry Blossom Festival this year after hearing about the position through the University's Japanese department. The position requires acting as a translator, VIP escort and friendly face for the entire two-week festival.
Kuever said ambassadors are chosen based on their knowledge of Japanese culture and an interest in strengthening the Japanese-American cultural exchange. Access to the Japanese embassy and organizations in the city are big perks of receiving the position, she added.
"I do feel like I represent the college and I try to be a good representative for GW," she said.
The best part of the festival, Kuever said, is the Sakura Matsuri Street Festival April 14. Four blocks of Pennsylvania Avenue are closed to traffic for martial arts and musical performances accompanied by an outdoor marketplace and Japanese beer gardens. Kuever said she is proud to be continuing GW's 11-year history of providing goodwill ambassadors and advised students to attend at least one event during the coming weeks.
"I would definitely recommend everyone going down and seeing some events or even just going down and seeing the trees," Kuever said. "(Washington) is one of the only cities outside of Japan where you can see the trees like this."
The festival, which runs until April 15, kicked off March 31 with Opening Ceremony, which included speeches by D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty and Japanese Ambassador Ryozo Kato. The two-week festival is the single-largest annual event in the District, drawing an estimated 1.7 million visitors, most who pass through the Foggy Bottom Metro station on their way to the Mall.
Students have already participated in the National Cherry Blossom Festival Marathon March 31 and other student athletes, such as the men's and women's crew teams, compete in tournaments celebrating the festival.
Junior Kathleen Kuever volunteered to be a goodwill ambassador for the National Cherry Blossom Festival this year after hearing about the position through the University's Japanese department. The position requires acting as a translator, VIP escort and friendly face for the entire two-week festival.
Kuever said ambassadors are chosen based on their knowledge of Japanese culture and an interest in strengthening the Japanese-American cultural exchange. Access to the Japanese embassy and organizations in the city are big perks of receiving the position, she added.
"I do feel like I represent the college and I try to be a good representative for GW," she said.
The best part of the festival, Kuever said, is the Sakura Matsuri Street Festival April 14. Four blocks of Pennsylvania Avenue are closed to traffic for martial arts and musical performances accompanied by an outdoor marketplace and Japanese beer gardens. Kuever said she is proud to be continuing GW's 11-year history of providing goodwill ambassadors and advised students to attend at least one event during the coming weeks.
"I would definitely recommend everyone going down and seeing some events or even just going down and seeing the trees," Kuever said. "(Washington) is one of the only cities outside of Japan where you can see the trees like this."
