George Washington University (GWU) George Washington University (GWU) is a private, comprehensive university in the United States, founded in 1821 and named for George Washington, a founding father of the United States, with whom the university has close ties. GWU has nine schools, including the Columbia College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Medicine, and the School of Law. In the 2014 USNEWS National Comprehensive University Rankings, tied with , , , ranked 52nd.