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The George Washington University, in Washington, D.C., has changed its moniker from the Colonials, long criticized for celebrating European imperialism, to the Revolutionaries, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.
The Board of Trustees, which announced last year that the university was seeking a new moniker, said the name suggestion came from GWU president Mark S. Wrighton and an advisory committee. Other finalists included the Sentinels, the Ambassadors and the Blue Fog, which the Post said was a favorite of students.
The new name references George Washington’s role as a general in the American Revolutionary War. Washington himself will remain the institution’s mascot and namesake, despite criticism over the fact that he owned slaves.
“This is an exciting day for the George Washington University Revolutionaries,” Wrighton said in a statement. “I am very grateful for the active engagement of our community throughout the development of the new moniker.”
