But nearly a month after the community organization Friends of Rose Park urged action at the November Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E meeting, little progress has been made on the park鈥檚 ongoing trash crisis. Neighbors are concerned that the popular annual event will add to an already growing problem.

Rose Park is located in northeast Georgetown, between P and M streets, NW, bounded on the east by Rock Creek Parkway. It is one of the area鈥檚 busiest public spaces, offering recreation and leisure to both residents and visitors.

As the number of visitors to D.C. grows and construction continues in the triangular area at M Street and 28th Street, the park鈥檚 trash cans have become overwhelmed. Neighbors say they are concerned that trash cans attract rats and pose a public health risk.

FRP and Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E are calling on the city government and the National Park Service to increase collection frequency, add more cans and introduce rat-proof trash cans.

According to , the official tourism and convention marketing organization for Washington, D.C., 27 million visitors came to the city in 2024. Thefound that Georgetown attracted 13.2 million domestic visitors that year, the highest number since the pandemic.

Gail Daubert, president of FPR, said the lack of trash cans along M Street has led pedestrians and construction workers to leave sandwich wrappers and drink containers in the park.

鈥淲e frequently pick up litter along that section of park, including lots of cigarette butts around those benches,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty disgusting. And the trash can at 27th Street and Olive Street is always overflowing.鈥�

Daubert said that if the trash situation is not addressed, the natural beauty of Rose Park will deteriorate, and the area will continue to attract rats and other pests. Rats pose a significant public health concern as they carry diseases and create unsanitary conditions for families, children, and all park visitors.

To improve trash management, Daubert said three steps are needed: increase the number and quality of trash cans, improve their placement, and increase collection frequency.

She added that many residents have expressed concern about trash cans with lids that require hand contact, saying they avoid using them. FRP is now fundraising to purchase closed trash cans that open with a foot pedal.

Chair of ANC 2E Gwendolyn Lohse said that Volta Park, located on the east side of Georgetown, is also undergoing renovations. If the new trash cans in Rose Park prove effective, the same type could be installed there.

Because Rose Park includes both city and federal land, Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Daniel Chao said the National Park Service and the Department of Parks and Recreation must cooperate to improve collection. Chao noted that the NPS has been more proactive than DPR in addressing the issue.

With winter events including Winter Market Night and upcoming holiday crowds, Rose Park will face heavier visitor pressure in December. However, the trash problem has seen little progress.

鈥淪adly, no updates yet on the trash can issue. Other than one trash can was added near M Street in front of Rose Park,鈥� Daubert said in late November.

Daubert did not provide further details on when additional trash cans will be installed.

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During the federal government shutdown, this has become almost his only daily source of meals. For privacy reasons, Mark declined to provide his full name.

Georgetown is often considered an affluent neighborhood, but its community organizations play an important role in the citywide relief network. These organizations assist not only local residents in need but also people from other areas who come to institutions such as the assistance center Georgetown Ministry Center, or GMC, for help.

Mark said he 鈥渏ust got out of the joint.鈥�

As a returning citizen, he said he has been unable to access sufficient government support during the shutdown. He said he comes to GMC for help but also takes on some volunteer work at the center.

鈥淒ump the trash, try and do my part, because they’re feeding me,鈥� he said.

Located near Grace Episcopal Church on Wisconsin Avenue, is the only assistance center in Georgetown providing help for vulnerable people that are mainly homeless.

Uncertainties of benefits.

For residents like Mark, the government shutdown has created uncertainty over basic food assistance.

The government shutdown has disrupted SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, which was expected to be paused this month.

Two federal judges in late October ordered the government to continue payments. On Nov. 9, a Senate vote advanced the reopening process. But the government still to the Supreme Court on Nov. 10 to freeze SNAP funding.

In , SNAP supported an average of 41.7 million people each month, about 12.3% of the U.S. population, according to the US Department of Agriculture. 最新蜜桃影像 of D.C. residents rely on SNAP, ranking second nationwide, USDA reported.

On Oct. 30, D.C. said she had authorized the use of local funds to keep SNAP running temporarily. But it still takes time for people in need to receive funds on their cards.

Responses from communities.

In response to the disruption to federal programs, nonprofits and local organizations have stepped in to support residents who would otherwise go without food and other necessities.

GMC Executive Director Claire Wilson said most visitors rely on SNAP and other public benefits to meet their basic needs and losing access to these resources has profound effects on their health and well-being.

Many GMC clients are scared and worry about going hungry, even though SNAP alone would not fully meet their needs, Wilson said.

鈥淚t is difficult to put into words how traumatic these past few months have been and to see it culminate in a loss of food assistance is devastating,鈥� Wilson said.

She added that GMC is entirely privately funded, so it has not been affected by the government shutdown. The organization also works with agencies that rely on federal support to fill gaps.

World Central Kitchen offers meals.

The shutdown has not only affected those who rely on benefits but also furloughed federal employees, many of whom face food insecurity. Restaurants that serve federal workers have also struggled.

World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit that provides meals to people affected by disasters and crises, is currently helping federal workers in D.C.

鈥淲e鈥檙e buying meals from local restaurants and sharing them with federal workers,鈥� said Laura Hayes, a senior manager at World Central Kitchen. 鈥淓veryone is being supported a little.鈥�

A long-term mission to help people.

For GMC, the suspension, reduction, and delay of SNAP is the biggest crisis in the past month, but helping vulnerable people is a long-term task.

As winter approaches, about 80-to-100 people now visit GMC鈥檚 drop-in center daily, nearly double the number in summer.

In August, President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency in D.C., and many homeless encampments were cleared as a result. Many people lost all their personal belongings, creating significant additional demand for clothing, toiletries, and sleeping bags.

Wilson said, GMC is working to meet these needs, providing showers, laundry, food, some clothing and supplies.

On Nov. 10, GMC launched its Winter Dinner Program, which runs from mid-November through the end of winter. Dinners are hosted on a rotating basis at different congregations in Georgetown.

Every day, volunteers drive to GMC to help deliver and distribute supplies to visitors.

鈥淲e have seen an outpouring of support for which we are very grateful,鈥� Wilson said. 鈥淎nd we want our community to remember that this crisis is a long-term one. With work requirements going into effect and costs rising, we are going to have to show up for our unhoused neighbors consistently.鈥�

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A 2 p.m. update on the school’s Planning and Facilities Management said an emergency generator is expected to be installed overnight to support sensitive research equipment, but a full restoration time is still unknown.

Bret McLean, the mechanical technician responsible for restoring power, said around 6 p.m. that the outage is very serious and crews will continue working through the night. He said power could be restored as early as tomorrow morning.

Access to the affected buildings is restricted. The Georgetown Office of Emergency Management told lab staff to ensure sensitive laboratory equipment was set to prevent damage from a power surge once electricity was restored.

In an email, the office said employees who need assistance should contact onsite staff wearing red vests or the Office of Environmental Health and Safety.

The emergency management team also instructed employees whose workspaces are affected to use alternative locations on campus, including Suite 401 in the Reiss Science Building, which provides workspaces and a lounge.

Classes in the affected buildings should follow faculty continuity plans, the office said in its email. Faculty may request alternate classrooms through the Office of the University Registrar, it noted.

The school first reported the outage to the campus community at about 10:30 a.m.

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The C&O Canal, part of a 184-mile national park that runs from Georgetown to Cumberland, Maryland, has been undergoing major restoration since 2023, including lock and wall repairs and flood prevention measures, which Romm told 最新蜜桃影像 are almost complete.

The Georgetown community has stayed engaged through volunteer events and celebrations, keeping the canal鈥檚 spirit alive during the closure.

Earlier this month, volunteers and families gathered along the Georgetown section of the canal for Canal Community Day and the inaugural Canal Day. People cleaned trash, maintained structures, and participated in educational and recreational activities, keeping the canal alive while the canal remained drained and boat tours suspended.

Families celebrate at Canal Day.

The inaugural Canal Day was held Oct. 18, attracting many families and tourists. Activities included live music, lawn games, model boat building, and meeting a donkey and a mule. Though the boat tours are suspended, children could still enjoy songs and watch a puppet show on the boat.

鈥淭he main goal is to remind people the canal is still here and to celebrate its magic,鈥� Romm said. 鈥淲e want to get the champagne out of the bottle and make sure everybody knows about it.鈥�

Georgetown Heritage is the organization that sponsors the canal boat tours. Its says its mission is to celebrate and elevate the history, heritage, arts and culture of Georgetown.

During the restoration project, the group focused on canal walking tours as well as programs of arts and culture in Georgetown.

The National Park Service launched a $12.7 million preservation and rehabilitation project in March 2023, aiming to protect key parts of the nation鈥檚 early transportation history and reduce flooding risks during heavy storms.

The restoration focused on repairing and stabilizing historic locks and stone walls along the canal between D.C. and southern Montgomery County, Maryland. The work aimed to strengthen aging structures, improve safety and resilience, and preserve the historic canal landscape, particularly the lower five miles that run through Georgetown.

Some sections of the towpath in Georgetown have been closed for extended periods of time to facilitate construction.

鈥淲e鈥檝e been very lucky they鈥檙e doing this maintenance work,鈥� Romm said. 鈥淚t鈥檒l hold water now for decades to come, and that鈥檚 great.鈥�

Community volunteers keep the canal alive

The Canal Community Day was held in Georgetown for the first time, just a day earlier, on Oct. 17. The volunteers, mostly students, wearing reflective safety vests and holding grabbers, removed trash, painted structures, performed maintenance, and managed invasive plants along the canal.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important to keep outdoor spaces clean and nice,鈥� volunteer Grace Wiczek said.

The C&O Canal Trust, the official philanthropic partner of the C&O Canal National Historical Park, has hosted the event for 18 years. This year marked the first time the Trust brought the program to D.C., after focusing primarily on canal sections in Virginia and Maryland.

In , volunteers contributed more than 7,000 hours, removing over 20,000 pounds of trash and vegetation and refurbishing over 200 structures.

鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to increase youth volunteer participation and educational outreach,鈥� said Lauren Riviello, the Trust鈥檚 president and CEO. 鈥淲e want to instill a strong environmental ethic and a love of outdoors, especially for this park.鈥�

Historical significance and looking ahead

Beyond the celebrations, the canal carries historical and educational value, drawing 4-to-5million visitors each year, Riviello said.

鈥淎merica doesn鈥檛 really have a lot of super old things, but this one is kind of old,鈥� volunteer Amanda Baron said, noting the canal offers a glimpse into Georgetown鈥檚 industrial past.

Romm said the canal does help visitors think about history. 聽鈥淲e run a lot of STEM-based tours that show how the canal was built all by hand, which was pretty amazing,鈥� she said.

Volunteers hope that when water returns, visitors will appreciate the canal鈥檚 historic and ecological value.

The National Park Service last year ended its philanthropic agreement with Georgetown Heritage, though Romm said the group will still work with NPS running the canal boat.

The philanthropic agreement with Georgetown Heritage was signed in 2019 with the goal of enhancing rehabilitation efforts, environmental and historic education, and community engagement along a 1-mile stretch of the canal in Georgetown. However, NPS announced in March 2024 that it terminated the agreement.

鈥淭erminating a philanthropic agreement is unusual and happens only after exhausting all other avenues to try to resolve the issues,鈥� NPS said at the time. 鈥淎s we move forward, the NPS will expand its work in Georgetown with longstanding park philanthropic partner C&O Canal Trust and will continue to foster partnerships with organizations that share similar missions, values, and goals.鈥�

According to the park service, the termination of the philanthropic agreement didn鈥檛 change the operation of the canal boat in Georgetown.

鈥淭he District of Columbia government funded the construction of the canal boat and Georgetown Heritage owns the boat, which it operates under a different agreement with the NPS,鈥� it said.

Jeff Wesser, a new D.C. resident, said he learned a lot about the history of the canal during the Canal Day and looks forward to joining the boat tours next spring.

鈥淚 like seeing the locks work, and when they have the canal watered,鈥� Baron said. 鈥淪o that you can actually paddle up and down it versus having it drained all the time.鈥�

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On Oct. 13, the District Department of Transportation arranged for workers to remove trees as part of a larger drainage project aimed at addressing flooding, ponding and erosion at the Mount Zion and Female Union Band Society cemeteries in Georgetown.

The main work on the project is scheduled to begin next year after several delays.

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) gave its final answer about the delayed project at an Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 2E public meeting on Sept. 29, 2025: it is expected to begin in spring 2026.

Commissioner Daniel Chao said that, since the project has been delayed many times, he needed a clear time when it will begin.

鈥淭his is fantastic,鈥� Commissioner Mimsy Lindner said. 鈥淭his project has been delayed, and it’s such an important project.鈥�

Afrom the D.C. Council鈥檚 Committee on Transportation & the Environment for fiscal year 2023 noted that the District has provided DDOT with $1.65 million to address stormwater problems at Mount Zion and the Female Union Band Society cemeteries by investing in stormwater management infrastructure improvements.

Congress also passed the in 2022, with the aim of facilitating nonfederal activities to identify, interpret, research, preserve, and record unmarked, previously abandoned, underserved, and other African-American burial grounds.

However, according to a letter from ANC 2E to DDOT, the drainage project鈥檚 construction date has been pushed back at least three times, even though the design of the infrastructure improvements has been completed.

鈥淐onstruction was projected to start in fall 2025. Due to delays in our contracting process and the availability of our crews, we expect construction to begin in 2026,鈥� Christophe Wassmer, the Ward 2 and Ward 3 liaison for DDOT, said. 鈥淲e understand that this project has experienced a lot of delays.鈥�

Wassmer said some of the delays were for items that were outside of the contract that had to be negotiated.

Wassmer said DDOT started the negotiation and the contracting process in November 2024. The process typically takes six to nine months to complete, but it took longer this time.

Different from previous delays, with the contract having been issued through DDOT鈥檚 Office of Contract and Procurement, delays now are related to DDOT crews currently being assigned to other projects, Wassmer said.

Important history behind the cemetery.

Mount Zion and Female Union Band Society cemeteries are in northeast Georgetown, bordering Rock Creek Park and the historic museum Dumbarton House.

The neglect of the two African American burial grounds can be seen vividly from two sides of Dumbarton House in Georgetown鈥攐ne side is Oak Hill Cemetery, a well-preserved cemetery historically reserved for White residents with few exceptions, where the tombstones of congressmen and cabinet members tombstones can be found; the other side is Mount Zion and Female Union Band cemeteries, where slaves, freedmen and mostly black citizens were buried and where unmarked gravestones lie in disarray and weeds have overgrown.

Mount Zion and Female Union Band Society cemeteries are among the oldest African American cemeteries in D.C. and among the few that still preserve a significant number of graves of former slaves.

According to an prepared for the D.C. Preservation League by EHT Traceries, a small business specializing in historic preservation, the cemetery has been used as burial grounds since 1808. Originally, it was used to bury white parishioners of Mount Zion Church and their slaves, but many white remains were removed westward from the old ground to the new Oak Hill Cemetery in 1849.

The overview also said that the cemetery was connected to the Underground Railroad. Its brick burial vault served as a hiding place for runaway slaves, making the cemetery not only bear witness to the early development of African American communities but an important symbol of free Black culture in the United States.

The cemeteries need protection.

The D.C. Preservation League has listed the cemeteries on its issued since 2012.

Lisa Frager, executive director of Black Georgetown Foundation, said that Georgetown鈥檚 infrastructure channels water directly into the site, therefore causing erosion at both cemeteries.

She added that, since some land has been taken under eminent domain, she serves as a liaison between the National Park Service, which is responsible for Rock Creek Park, and the D.C. government.

But efforts by the community and nonprofit organizations to preserve the two burial grounds as historic landmarks and urban oases never stops.

The most recent event was a held Oct. 6 that brought together gravestone restoration expert Jonathan Appell and representatives from four historic cemeteries in the Washington area to discuss how to restore and repair gravestones, monuments and stonework, focusing on the most common problems.

Frager said, 鈥淲e’re working to preserve the cemetery, making it a historic memorial park, where people learn American history, that a lot of people have forgotten.鈥�

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Local groups and government agencies are working toward an ambitious goal: making the river swimmable year-round. From large-scale tunnel construction to community outreach, advocates say momentum is building to restore the nation鈥檚 river and ensure future generations can enjoy it safely.

One recent example came on Sept. 20, when more than 50 kayakers took to the water for the inaugural Potomac Paddle Off at the Georgetown waterfront. Proceeds from the race supported restoration efforts, and organizers said the event highlighted both community spirit and the river鈥檚 potential comeback.

The region鈥檚 leading clean water advocate Potomac Conservancy hosted the event in partnership with Guest Services, a hospitality management company.

The event was open to paddlers of all levels, offering short-course and long-course options. Both options required participants to paddle beneath the historic Key Bridge in an upstream-and-back course.

鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting to see more than 50 people coming for the race,鈥� Guest Services CEO Nico Foris said at the opening ceremony. 鈥淭his is the kind of event that brings the community together whether you鈥檙e racing, cheering from the shore, or learning how to make a difference for our river.鈥�

Potomac Conservancy President Hedrick Belin said more people would get involved to protect Potomac when they have opportunities to get on the river and 鈥渄evelop a true joy of how special it is.鈥�

The 鈥淧otomac is both the nation鈥檚 river and our hometown river,鈥� Belin said, 鈥淸Participants] might volunteer for cleanups and lend their voice to strengthen clean water policies.鈥�

Community turns out for the paddle.

The event successfully drew participants from diverse backgrounds, including local students, new residents, immigrants, and professional paddlers.

鈥淲ithout this river,鈥� Aquil Abdullah said, 鈥渋t’s possible that I wouldn’t be here right now, because this river is where I learned to row.鈥�

Born and raised in Georgetown, Abdullah, a former Olympic rower, was invited to the event as the emcee.

鈥淭his is a great event as like a waterman,鈥� the winner of the long course race Ian Ross said. 鈥淚 feel like if you’re not an environmentalist, you’re probably super hypocritical, and you probably shouldn’t call yourself a waterman.鈥�

Ross added that it was important for everyone to have a piece in taking care of the river, since it was also the water they drank. Although he didn鈥檛 make a lot of money doing this work, he said it was worth it to him, and that was why he was there.

Harrison Tsui, who moved to Georgetown from New York in August to work as a legislative fellow for the House, said he had not known much about the river before participating.

The 鈥淧otomac River for D.C. is like East River for us in New York,鈥� he said, adding that the experience highlighted the importance of promoting awareness of environment protection.

Carol Wong, a volunteer, said the event encourages families to get involved while also raising funds for an important mission.

Ongoing efforts to improve water quality.

Potomac Conservancy and other organizations have made tremendous progress to restore the river鈥檚 health in last 20 years. The Potomac River鈥檚 health has improved from a dismal 鈥淒鈥� to a 鈥淏鈥� grade in the span of just 12 years by 2023, according to the group鈥檚 biannual .

Though great achievements have been reached, said Melissa Diemand, vice president of communications of Potomac Conservancy, work is not yet done because there still are issues because of pollution.

鈥淎nytime it rains hard in the region, there’ll be, unfortunately, raw sewage going into the river, and so there’s steps being taken to reduce that those overflow,鈥� Diemand said.

She added that one of the biggest challenges the team still faces is the continued loss of tree cover along the shorelines. These green buffer strips help filter the water, she noted, and it is critical to protect existing trees and forests, as has been done along the C&O Canal just upstream.

Various government agencies and organizations are actively coordinating efforts to protect the river.

began construction to stabilize the slope on Canal Road NW between Foxhall Road and the Georgetown University entrance on Sept. 20, the same day of the paddling race.

The slope stabilization is part of the $819 million Potomac River Tunnel Project, a 5.5-mile tunnel designed to sharply reduce untreated sewage and stormwater flowing into the Potomac River.

Crews plan to stabilize the slope by clearing loose material and trees, drilling about 725 steel dowels into the hillside, securing it with mesh, applying hydroseed, and replanting trees at the top, according to the project fact sheet.

The work is expected to take about six-and-a-half months. Temporary road lane closures may occur during off-peak hours, and the sidewalk will remain closed for the duration of the project.

Looking toward swimming in the river.

 鈥淭here used to be swimming historically, like 100 years ago,鈥� Belin said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 sort of our goal to get to a river that’s where you can swim in it or paddle in it 365 days a year without fear of getting sick.鈥�

 Other organizations, such as the Potomac Riverkeeper Network (PRKN), have also worked for years to end the decades-old ban on swimming in D.C.

PRKN has collected and tested weekly water samples from May to October for the past five years to determine when and where contact with the water is safe, according to the Swimmable Potomac Report 2024.

Data show that, on average, the water is safe for human contact more than 70% of the time across the five-year period.

PRKN Program Director Brent Walls said that everyone has a right to clean water and D.C. should protect the public’s right to swim in the Potomac River.

鈥淚t is our goal to have safe swimming almost every day of the year. This advocacy extends particularly to the District of Columbia, the only local jurisdiction with a decades-old, and now unnecessary, ban on swimming,鈥� he said.

But the water quality for Georgetown seems less encouraging. PRKN ended the water quality monitoring season for the Upper Potomac this September, and weekly reports this year from May through September show that at two monitoring sites in Georgetown, the water met swimmable standards only about half the time.

鈥淚t won鈥檛 get well overnight,鈥� Belin said. 鈥淲e will definitely have more swimming activities.鈥�

He said he remained optimistic about swimming in the river, and he hoped to see another Olympian in the future could say proudly, 鈥淚 grew up swimming in the Potomac River.鈥�

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These locals say the slowdown stems the presence of armed National Guardsmen on the area鈥檚 iconic streets, the threat of raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and rising costs.

President Donald Trump announced the deployment of the National Guard in the capital on Aug. 11, saying it was intended to combat what he called a 鈥渃rime emergency.鈥� The move now appears to be affecting the city鈥檚 tourist districts, including Georgetown.

鈥淪lower! Visitor traffic has been off and on since the National Guard arrived, and overall, it鈥檚 been getting slower and slower,鈥� said Michael Williams, a National Park Service employee responsible for the Old Stone House.

Williams said the Old Stone House, the oldest building in Georgetown, even though not a large museum, traditionally attracted many visitors interested in its history. But now, fewer tourists are stopping by, he said.

He added that inflation is also a factor, even in one of Washington鈥檚 priciest neighborhoods.

鈥淚f prices were better, we would likely see better visitor numbers,鈥� he said.

The combination of inflation and the federal surge also has placed a strain on Georgetown鈥檚 restaurants.

鈥淪ince the pandemic ended, business has steadily increased,鈥� Marcelo Rodriguez, manager of Angola Ristorante Italia, said. 鈥淭he National Guard鈥檚 deployment has discouraged some tourists from visiting, particularly Georgetown,鈥� he said.

The recent drop in customer traffic is worrying, he said.

Rodriguez鈥檚 concerns is reflected in citywide from OpenTable鈥檚 鈥淪tate of the Industry鈥� report, which found that the number of seated diners across D.C. have declined year-over-year since President Donald Trump announced the surge in federal law enforcement and the National Guard deployment, aside from the period of Summer Restaurant Week 2025.

鈥淭his isn鈥檛 a good signal. We don鈥檛 want to go through the struggles we faced during the pandemic this fall,鈥� Rodriguez said.

In addition, Rodriguez noted that stricter ICE enforcement this year has made hiring staff more difficult, as even immigrants with legal status are hesitant to take risks.

For general visitors, they can smell something has changed in the area.

Christina Hoehner, a visitor from Virginia who sometimes comes to Georgetown University to see friends, said her visit this time left her a different impression.

鈥淚鈥檝e started to dislike the vibe here. There are armed National Guard troops everywhere, even though Georgetown has always been a safe and lively area,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ext time, I might meet my friends somewhere else.鈥�

Hoehner added that while she understands the National Guard is also engaging in some beautification efforts in these two days, she still finds it silly given the number of professionals available to handle such tasks.

She is not alone in questioning the need for the National Guard deployment. Last week, Georgetown University students joined students from three other area universities in a walkout protesting the deployment.

In August, Destination DC, the official destination marketing organization for Washington, DC, said it expected D.C. will see a 5.1 percent decrease in international travelers over 2025. The organization said these tourists in particular are 鈥渃oveted鈥� because they spend four times as much as domestic visitors.

However, a member of the Georgetown Business Association board of directors, Christopher Dent, disagreed, saying he saw no federal surge affecting Georgetown tourism and business.

Tourism and business in Georgetown are as good as it has been or better, Dent told 最新蜜桃影像, though he declined to give any further explanation.

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As 2025 college graduates begin their job search, they have many things to consider, including the modality of work they are looking for. As part of a generation that has been able to take advantage of remote school and work, will their desires meet their future employers鈥� needs?  

Across all industries, companies are making a shift toward a future modeled after the past.  

In September, Amazon announced in a memo to employees that in the new year, they will be required to return to the office outside of extenuating circumstances or pre-approved exceptions.  

In November, the Washington Post announced that all employees will be expected to be in-person full-time starting June 2, 2025.

Both companies cited the benefits of in-person collaboration, and both faced immediate backlash.  

At the federal level, President-elect Donald Trump has signaled his intentions to crack down on teleworking through his new Department of Government Efficiency, or 鈥淒OGE,鈥� which will be headed by allies Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk.  

In an by Ramaswamy and Musk published by the Wall Street Journal, the pair nodded to the 鈥渓arge-scale firings鈥� that would result from the implementation of a full in-person work requirement, writing, 鈥渋f federal employees don鈥檛 want to show up, American taxpayers shouldn鈥檛 pay for the Covid-era privilege of staying home.鈥� 

Following the creation of DOGE, the Senate organized a Senate DOGE Caucus to work in tandem with the recently formed department. Last week, the group unveiled its 60-page , obtained by Politico, which accuses bureaucrats working from home of playing 鈥渉ide-and-seek鈥� and claims that taxpayers are suffering from them 鈥減honing it in.鈥濃��

American University junior Leehy Gertner sees return-to-work policies like those proposed by the incoming administration as 鈥渄ismissive鈥� of reasons people might be choosing to work hybrid or fully remote.  

Some, like Gertner, don鈥檛 see the choice to work from home as a 鈥減rivilege鈥� or as an act of 鈥減honing it in,鈥� but instead as employees taking advantage of opportunities they otherwise wouldn鈥檛 be able to.  

鈥淚 know that hybrid work started because of COVID, but it has become so much more for so many people, especially people who have children, or who can鈥檛 afford to live in the area where their work is done,鈥� said Gertner.  

Fellow American University student Cristian Benavidez is a senior who benefits from a remote opportunity, as it allows him to build his resume while staying in school. 

Benavidez currently has a hybrid internship through the federal government鈥檚 Pathways Program, and he called his schedule 鈥渁ccommodating.鈥� 

鈥淚 see the benefits of going in and meeting people, especially as I鈥檓 trying to grow with the company and get face time with people, but as a student, that鈥檚 not realistic for me,鈥� said Benavidez.  

Benavidez plans to do another year of school in a combined graduate program, but when he thinks about his hierarchy of needs for a future career, the ability to be hybrid is one of his main three deciding factors.  

鈥淚 like the idea of hybrid work. I like the idea of being more productive,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 do like being able to go in every now and then, but I go in more to, like, socialize with the people I鈥檓 working with, and it doesn鈥檛 just feel like I鈥檓 talking to a computer all day.鈥�  

Benavidez鈥檚 high school experience was tainted by the pandemic, and he said he got tired of virtual school quickly.   

鈥淚 think the older people I work with, they didn鈥檛 get tired of it because they got to spend time with their family, but as a kid, I didn鈥檛 get to spend time with my friends,鈥� he said.  

Jennifer Halperin has been a career adviser at Columbia College Chicago for nearly 20 years and has heard similar things from her students in terms of their wants and needs.  

From the start of the pandemic to the end of 2023, Halperin observed an impatience from students when it came to roles that required some in-person work, as they had gotten comfortable with the flexibility virtual classes provided them.  

This past year, however, Halperin has seen less of that, and instead has heard an increased desire for in-person interaction.  

鈥淚鈥檓 not sure if that鈥檚 sort of almost like a kickback or response to doing classes and spending a good chunk of their formative years online,鈥� Halperin said. 鈥淚鈥檓 seeing a lot more, not only willingness to work in-person or hybrid, but even students expressing that they want that.鈥�  

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) issues a survey every year to participating school career centers to be distributed to students that includes questions to identify the preferences of graduating students at four-year universities.  

Andrea Koncz, senior research manager at NACE, said that their most recent research, published in September 2024, shows that 51.3% of respondents want to work fully in-person, a 10% increase from their results in 2022.  

When asked about working a hybrid job, 42% of students indicated an interest in that modality. Koncz said the research questions did not specify how many days of in-person work were required for it to be considered hybrid nor did they touch on reasons respondents are interested in hybrid work.  

Employers, on the other hand, see the return to work as important for company culture and a way to ensure employees maintain a level of professionalism that may have been left behind during the pandemic.  

Kelsey Williams is the assistant director for employer engagement at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). Over the last couple years, employers have shared with her their qualms with hybrid work and their reasoning for wanting to return to in-person.  

鈥淲e saw during COVID that a lot of folks that recently were coming into the industry, it was really hard for them to acclimate into the work environment just because nothing felt tangible,鈥� Williams said.  

In conversations with partners of the career center at UNC, employers have expressed concerns about skill gaps they鈥檝e identified in the application pools coming out of the pandemic.  

鈥淚 do see employers saying that communication is a skill that is lacking with this next generation,鈥� she said. 鈥淎 lot of them missed out on developing some of those skills of talking to people in person.鈥�  

Jacki Banks, the associate director of employer relations and industry advising at Georgetown University, has heard similar things from employers regarding a lack of professionalism from recent graduates.    

鈥淭hey don鈥檛 know how to write a professional email or show up on time,鈥� Banks said, recounting what employers have told her. 鈥淕eneral business etiquette seems to be a real challenge for a lot of the newer students.鈥�  

Ultimately, Banks said the decision to move back to in-person work also depends on industry needs. While Banks鈥� students going into finance or consulting often are going straight into in-person work, those in more entrepreneurial or tech-focused fields might have more remote opportunities available to them.  

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The Lime website, one of the leading e-scooter providers in D.C. reads, 鈥淯sers shall park electric mobility devices in corrals when available.鈥� But there aren鈥檛 enough securing parking spaces for them, and Mimsy Lindner, ANC2E commissioner, thinks people wouldn鈥檛 use them anyway. 鈥淚 think people are lazy and they have to go right to the door, leave it in front of the coffee shop or in front of the bank, and not park it in a corral and walk half a block,鈥� she said.聽

It鈥檚 not unusual to dodge e-scooters when walking the sidewalks of Georgetown; sometimes, you have to step over them. There have been 157 complaints about scooter parking in Georgetown through the 311 system so far in 2024.

聽鈥淭hey are like litter throughout Georgetown,鈥� Lindner said. She鈥檇 just returned from Paris, where e-scooters are banned, 鈥淚t is embarrassing to think of our streets compared to the streets in Paris,鈥� she said.

It causes further issues with people with mobility needs. Lindner told 最新蜜桃影像 she鈥檇 seen visually impaired people walking in the street, and heard from constituents who use wheelchairs and can鈥檛 access the sidewalks because of the scooters.聽

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Captain Darren Haskis told the Nov. 4 ANC 2E meeting in Georgetown that although all other crimes are down in the year-to-date and 30-day time-period statistics, thefts are on the rise.聽

There were 56 thefts in October, largely from businesses on M Street and Wisconsin Avenue, such as CVS, Lululemon, and Alo. This is a 27% increase from the same period last year.聽

鈥淭hefts are a recurring problem that we are looking for different ways to address, especially when it comes to our retail corridor,鈥� he said, 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of work to be done.鈥�

A staff member at one of the large chain stores on M Street said it was against corporate policy to speak to media, so she spoke to 最新蜜桃影像 anonymously. She said their store has seen an increase in thefts, so the police check in multiple times a day, 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of police presence, so we feel really safe here.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 the location, everywhere on M Street always sees a lot of thefts,鈥� she said, but she couldn鈥檛 think how to improve the situation.聽 鈥淎ll the retailers here, they鈥檙e not going to prosecute, so there鈥檚 nothing left we can do,鈥� she said.

Emma, a visual team leader at Patagonia who declined to share her last name, said retail thefts there seem pretty consistent. 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 say it鈥檚 completely out of hand; for retail, it鈥檚 just something you work with.鈥�

Smaller independent businesses are taking matters into their own hands. Potomac Wine and Spirits owner Josh Feldman said, 鈥淧atagonia, right next door to us, seems to have theft almost on a daily basis. But in here, it鈥檚 a little different, we鈥檙e partrolled by our family and we don鈥檛 really allow for stuff like that to happen.鈥澛�

In addition to the family patrol, the store closes earlier to prevent crime, shutting at 8 p.m. on the weekends. It also has gated windows and a front gate, 鈥渟o it鈥檚 not easy access to the building,鈥� Feldman said.聽

鈥淪ome of these corporate stores, they have policies that they鈥檙e not supposed to go after anyone that steals product from them, even the security guards aren鈥檛 allowed to do that,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o the people that are stealing, they know that, and it makes it a lot easier. So I think that鈥檚 why you鈥檙e seeing a rise in theft.鈥�

Morgan鈥檚 Pharmacy, which has been in Georgetown for over 100 years, was the target of a theft attempt in September. Five people tried to break into the store at midnight, but the pharmacist, Noorhan Alkhalich, told 最新蜜桃影像 that the alarm system scared them off, and the police arrived within 40 seconds.聽

Alkhalich said they had improved their security system with more cameras, and she was not scared working in the store.聽

Community safety efforts聽

The Georgetown community has worked to address crime for years through their community of block captains. Over 85% of blocks in Georgetown have a block captain who volunteers to pass on crime and public safety information.

Helen Darling, block captain of the year, has been periodically keeping her block aware of nearby safety issues for more than ten years.聽

She鈥檚 noticed changes in Georgetown over the years. That you now have to get a clerk to unlock a section in order to buy lipstick, she said, 鈥淚t just seems bizarre to most Americans, and certainly most people who live in places like Georgetown.鈥澛�

Darling describes her role as modest. She often emails her neighbors to inform them of nearby crime or remind them to keep porch lights on. Recently, she received a call from a neighbor whose jewelry had been stolen while her house was being renovated. She wrote a report and sent it to her block.

鈥淭hey know that somebody’s telling them if there’s something to be concerned about,鈥� said Darling. 鈥淪o if they’re not hearing anything, then they don’t need to be concerned, and that actually is very reassuring when you live in a city.鈥�

While the block captain scheme is currently only in Georgetown, Darling thinks it would work well anywhere there is a sense of community with a low turnover of residents, 鈥淎 鈥榳e鈥� feeling,鈥� she said.

The police Darling says like the scheme, 鈥淭hey feel like we do something.鈥� She acknowledges, 鈥淲e are the part of the city that they鈥檙e really, really, really, really good to.鈥澛�

As a social scientist, Darling says she won鈥檛 say the scheme makes Georgetown safer as there would be no way to do that research. 鈥淒o I think it’s worth my time would be one question. The answer is yes,鈥� she said.

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