Getting to the Bottom of It

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, Maddie Flesch and Ida Liben speak with students who are committed to or were considering attending GW about their thoughts on the new three-year on-campus housing requirement.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, Max Porter and Lizzie Jensen for the last time as hosts speak with Student Government Association presidential hopefuls Liz Stoddard and MJ Childs about their campaigns for the position.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, host Lizzie Jensen speaks with GW professor and Regulatory Studies Center Director Roger Nober about the DC Metro's history and construction. Reporter Maddie Flesch sits down with local journalist and author of "DC by Metro: A History and Guide" to explore what makes the city's transit system so beloved, then stops by the Metro's 50th anniversary pop-up shop to check out the buzz.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, co-hosts Max Porter and Lizzie Jensen discuss D.C.'s pop-up prediction market themed bar, while reporter Aadarshini Vijesh speaks with GW Law’s Associate Dean for Strategy and Innovation Michael Abramowicz about the recent spike in online betting.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, host Lizzie Jensen speaks with Student Government Association President Ethan Lynne and Executive Director of Policy Mashal Sohani about their push to improve Ramadan dining hall options, while reporter Cassandane Smith chats with Muslim students to assess the University's dining changes.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, co-host Max Porter speaks with GW professor Yun Shen about what caused the historic Potomac sewage spill and what's being done to fix it, while reporter Maddie Flesch speaks with student activist Elias Theofilopoulos about the spill's public health and environmental justice implications.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, reporter Ida Liben speaks with Neil Flanagan of the Heurich House Museum about the history of D.C.’s architectural landscape and President Donald Trump’s vision for the city.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, reporter Maeve Hanscom speaks with GW historians about how they're commemorating the 250th anniversary of the U.S.' founding.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, reporters Maddie Flesch and Aadarshini Vijesh speak with a GW professor and a District journalist about what GW community members can expect as the 2026 mayoral race heats up.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, Crumbs & Whiskers employees talk to co-hosts Max Porter and Lizzie Jensen and reporter Maddie Flesch about their efforts to unionize and what led to the decision.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, three GW professors provide co-hosts Max Porter and Lizzie Jensen and reporter Ida Liben with insight on the ongoing American intervention in Venezuela and discuss troubling parallels with the U.S.' 2003 invasion of Iraq.

On this week's episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, co-hosts Max Porter and Lizzie Jensen take a look into the upcoming GW Men's and Women's Basketball season. Podcast reporters Aadarshini Vijesh and Jessica Rowe sit down with Senior Sports Editor Ben Spitalny and Basketball Editor Ryan Jainchill to break down what happened over the offseason and give their insight on the season ahead.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, co-hosts Max Porter and Lizzie Jensen break down the University's decision to slash expenditures in recent months as it responds to pressures from headwinds compounding higher education finances. Podcast reporter Ida Liben speaks with Gianna Jakubowski, The Hatchet's administration and finance editor, about the effects these cuts are having across campus.

On this week's episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, co-hosts Max Porter and Lizzie Jensen explore how the government shutdown is impacting GW students. Podcast reporter Maddie Flesch speaks with members of the GW community about the shutdown’s effects on internships, financial aid and campus employment.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, co-hosts Max Porter and Lizzie Jensen discuss the invasive spotted lanternfly's intrusion into Washington, D.C. Podcast reporter Ida Liben speaks with students and John Lill, a professor of biology at GW who specializes in insect ecology, about the bugs and how to approach them.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, co-hosts Max Porter and Lizzie Jensen discuss the Washington Commanders' planned relocation to Robert F. Kennedy Stadium in DC. Podcast reporters Alyssa Wismar, Jessica Rowe and Maddie Flesch speak to GW community members and Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2A Treasurer Sean Youngstone about how the Commanders’ homecoming will affect the Foggy Bottom and DC economies and culture.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, co-hosts Max Porter and Lizzie Jensen attend bipartisan discussions hosted by student groups after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and speak with attendees and organizers about the future of American politics.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, co-hosts Max Porter and Lizzie Jensen sit down with assistant news editor Gianna Jakubowski covering the University administration and finances beat and news editor Ella Mitchell covering metro news to rehash the top Foggy Bottom and GW stories from this summer.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, host Max Porter speaks with Kieran Laffey, the president of GW Ice Hockey, about Alex Ovechkin's record-breaking season and the Washington Capitals' Stanley Cup playoff hopes.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, host Max Porter speaks with John Richardson, the SGA president between 2011 and 2012, and Nick Gumas, the SGA president between 2014 and 2015, about life after office and the upcoming SGA elections.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, host Max Porter speaks with Vladyslav Zaytsev, a first-year and a member of the GW Ukrainian-American Student Association, about the negotiations between the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, host Max Porter speaks with reporter Aidan Farrell about his conversation with Alan Harwood, an urban planner who has helped plan the Fallen Journalist Memorial in D.C.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, host Max Porter speaks with student TikTok creators Marwa Medjahed and Cierra O'Sullivan about the Trump administration’s pause of a ban on TikTok and where they see the app heading next.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, co-hosts Max Porter and Lizzie Jensen follow reporter Aidan Farrell's sit down with Amber Taylor from the ACLU of D.C. to discuss the future of D.C. statehood activism under a second Trump administration and looming threats to DC's Home Rule.

On this week's episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, co-hosts Max Porter and Lizzie Jensen dive into how the return of pandas at the National Zoo will affect the local economy through conversations with Larry Yu, a professor of hospitality management, Seleni Matus, executive director of GW's International Institute of Tourism Studies and local business managers.

On this week's episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, co-hosts Lizzie Jensen and Max Porter speak with a member of the Foggy Bottom and West End Advisory Neighborhood Commission about the problems that have disrupted DC's 911 response system, potentially putting residents at risk.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, co-hosts Max Porter and Lizzie Jensen speak with a pair of GW historians to learn about the University's football team and why it no longer exists.

On this week's episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, co-hosts Lizzie Jensen and Max Porter speak with executive board members of GW College Democrats and GW College Republicans to discuss their plans to mobilize student voters.

On this week's episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, co-hosts Lizzie Jensen and Max Porter speak with members of GW's Fashion Business Association and the program associate at the George Washington University Museum and the Textile Museum to better understand the University's new textiles class offered this fall and the potential new textiles and dress studies minor offered next fall.

On this week's episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, co-hosts Lizzie Jensen and Max Porter provide a recap of the summer's top news stories and spoke with Hatchet News Editors to better understand how these stories will progress in the fall.

On this week’s episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, podcast co-hosts Lizzie Jensen and Max Porter discussed D.C. officials' plan to clear a homeless encampment in Triangle Park on Virginia Avenue between 21st and 22nd streets on May 15. They spoke with Shelly Byers and Kurt Johnson, who live in the encampment, and Yannik Omictin, a member of a local governing body that opposed the cleaning, to learn more about how locals have responded to the news.

On this week’s episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, host Lizzie Jensen spoke with Higher education expert Sandy Baum about the implications of the recently announced increase in GW tuition for the 2024-25 school year

On this week’s episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, host Lizzie Jensen spoke with GW TRAiLS guides and executive board members Spencer Wilcox, Liz Hartmetz and Jenna Brown about the organizations positive benefits for mental health amidst midterms.

On this week’s episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, host Lizzie Jensen spoke with author, activist and executive director of Campaign Zero, DeRay Mckesson, on his opposition to the new proposed DC crime bill.

On this week's episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, host Lizzie Jensen spoke with GW professor of physics, Neil Johnson, on his recently published research outlining the future of Artificial Intelligence and how "bad-actors" can use it to manipulate information.

On this week's episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, host Lizzie Jensen recaps the season's notable moments of men's and women's basketball teams with the Hatchet Sports team — Sports Editor Sandra Koretz and Contributing Sports Editor Ben Spitalny.

On this week's episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, Host Lizzie Jensen speaks to executive board members -- Erin Anderson, Amy Longtan and Lucia Kustra-- of GW's first and only human sciences fraternity, Delta Iota Gamma, on their expansion to a national board.

On this week's episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, Host Lizzie Jensen spoke with GW Student's for DeSantis president, Carson Sturgis, on the mission of his organization and presence of republican campaigning on campus.

On this week’s episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, Host Lizzie Jensen spoke to author, activist and 2024 democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson on her campaign and policies prior to her visit to GW on Oct 17.

On this week's episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, Host Lizzie Jensen spoke with Panda Palooza attendees and GW professor Bruce Dickson on panda diplomacy and the significance of the Smithsonian pandas' departure.

On this week's episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, Host Lizzie Jensen recaps the summer's top headlines with the Hatchet News team -- Academics Editor Fiona Riley, Metro Editor Erika Filter, Contributing Metro Editor Max Porter, Student Government Editor Hannah Marr and Contributing Student Life Jennifer Igbonoba.

On this week's episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, Host Lizzie Jensen spoke with community pickleball players and D.C. Parks and Recreation Interim Director Thennie Freeman regarding Mayor Muriel Bowser's plan to expand pickleball courts in D.C.

On this week's episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, host Sejal Govindarao spoke with a pair of GW professors with expertise in technology and political communication about their views on TikTok's future after Montana became the first state to approve a ban of the app.

On this week's episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, reporter Aidan English joins Hosts Sejal Govindarao and Max Porter. He discusses his conversation with Dwayne Wright, an assistant professor of higher education administration and the director of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at the Graduate School of Education and Human Development. Dr. Wright shared his insights regarding the impact of the tuition increase on diversity in enrollment.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, host Max Porter reports from Girl Up GW’s annual Women’s Gala that featured a series of female panelists who shared their experiences navigating their professional careers before a crowd of about 50 students.

On this week's episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, reporter Grace Eickel speaks with senior Mathena Jencka and discusses her work with D.C. lawmakers to propose legislation outlining sexual violence prevention rules for college campuses.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, Hosts Sejal Govindarao and Max Porter discuss the shortage of snow in D.C. this winter. Nikolay Shiklomanov, a professor of climate and environmental change at GW, joins the episode to share his expert insight.

On this week's episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, Hosts Sejal Govindarao and Max Porter speak with podcast reporters Lizzie Jensen and Jenna Toulan about how students, especially student-athletes, are reacting to the University's decision to reject "Hippos" as GW's next moniker.

On this week's episode of Getting to the Bottom of It hosted by Sejal Govindarao and Max Porter, Sejal speaks with senior Payson Thomas – a staff aide to Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, who was elected earlier this month after a five-day, 15-round voting process that consumed Capitol Hill.

On this episode of Getting to the Bottom of It, Hosts Sejal Govindarao and Max Porter dive into city leaders’ agenda to combat crime and gun violence in D.C. Ward 2 D.C. Council member Brooke Pinto joins the show to discuss her work to reform the District’s criminal code.