'GWU students live up to first lady's volunteer challenge'

Way to go, GWU!

At the start of the school year, first lady Michelle Obama gave George Washington University a challenge: If the campus community logged 100,000 hours of volunteer service by May, she would speak at the school's graduation ceremony on the Mall.

Time for FLOTUS to start drafting her speech. On Monday, the university will announce that it has met the goal, with nearly a month to spare.

More than 3,800 students, faculty, staff and even trustees took up the call. They dug their Foggy Bottom neighbors out of the snow after winter blizzards, spent spring break helping to rebuild New Orleans, gave a D.C. high school a makeover, led a Brownie troop, helped low-income families navigate government agencies to obtain critical services, taught Sudanese refugees in Nashville and organized a prom for the elderly in the District.

"We thought we could do it, and we did it," said Helen Cannaday Saulny, the school's vice president for student and academic support services. "It has been really inspiring to see our students, faculty and staff embrace this challenge."

Obama congratulated the university in a statement: "GW has demonstrated an amazing and ongoing commitment to public service. I look forward to addressing graduates on May 16. You've earned it!"