Research on Alumni Using the Georgetown University Archives

While comprehensive research on former students will likely require an in-person research visit, there are some resources available which can be searched online. These are described below.

The main Georgetown University yearbook is Ye Domesday Booke, which was first produced in 1901. Digitized volumes from 1901-2011 can be browsed and searched via DigitalGeorgetown. Note that no yearbooks were produced in 1903, 1906, 1907, 1945, and 1946 and that many of the pre-World War I yearbooks were produced by Law students with coverage limited to that school. Physical volumes from 1901-2017 are available for use in the University Archives.

DigitalGeorgetown Search tips:

• If the person you are searching for has an uncommon last name, start by searching on just the last name 

• Try variations of the name you're searching on to make sure that you find all relevant articles, e.g. if you are searching for references to John Joseph James, try John James, Johnny James, John J. James, etc.

• Use quotation marks to search on a discrete phrase, e.g. a search on "John Joseph James" will find that exact name. A search on John Joseph James without quotation marks will look for references to John AND Joseph AND James but not necessarily together

• You can sort or limit searches or search results chronologically by using the blue Date Created facet on the right side of the screen. You'll need to scroll down to see it

• Allow for misspellings of unusual names and try variations or truncation. You can truncate by using *, e.g. a search on Solinsk* will find results for Solinksy, Solinski and Solinska

• If you search on a name and get a list of results, you can navigate to the part of any item on the list of search results that mention that name by clicking on the title of the item in blue, then clicking on the blue ViewOpen link at the top of the screen, then holding down the control and f keys on your keyboard at the same time, and entering  your search term in the box which appears in the top right corner

Researchers should note that the East Campus (Foreign Service School, the Business School and the Languages and Linguistics School), as well as the Nursing School, the Dental School and the Medical School have at times produced their own yearbooks. A description of these school-specific yearbooks can be found in the Student Publications section of this guide’s Researching in the GU Archives page.

• Georgetown College Journal, 1872-1920

  The College Journal was the first printed newspaper produced by Georgetown students. A monthly publication, it is a combination of student newspaper, literary publication, and alumni bulletin. The printing of letters and reminiscences from “Old Boys” extends its coverage of campus life and events to well before the Civil War

  Digitized issues can be browsed and searched via DigitalGeorgetown. See the DigitalGeorgetown search tips above. Physical copies are available for use in the University Archives. Request them via the Aeon request system

• The Hoya, 1920-present

  The Hoya, Georgetown’s best known student newspaper, was first published in 1920. Digitized issues from 1920-1939 and 1959-1980 can be browsed and searched via DigitalGeorgetown. See the DigitalGeorgetown search tips above. Physical copies from 1920 to the present are available for use in the University Archives. Request them via the Aeon request system. Note that there is no index for the physical volumes. Issues from 1998 onward  can be searched on The Hoya’s website. The search box is found under the About Us tab at the top of the landing page

• Georgetown Voice, 2001-present
  Issues from 2001 onward can be searched on the Voice’s web site. The search icon is found at the top right of the landing page. Physical copies from 1969 to present are available for use in the Booth Family Center for Special Collections. Request them via the Aeon request system. Note that there is no index for the physical volumes

The Georgetown University Alumni Association produced an Alumni Magazine between 1948 and 1968. In addition to news about on-campus happenings and Alumni Association events, this publication contains class notes and other references to former Georgetown students. It has been digitized in its entirety and can be browsed and searched via DigitalGeorgetown. See the DigitalGeorgetown search tips above. Physical volumes are available for use in the University Archives. Request them via the Aeon request system.

Almost 500 photographs from the University Archives of alumni, students, faculty, buildings, campus or events can be browsed or searched through DigitalGeorgetown. See the DigitalGeorgetown search tips above. Originals of these images can be examined in the University Archives; request them via the Aeon request system. Please note that researchers will be provided with gloves to wear when handling photographic materials.

For a list of non-digitized photographs which may be helpful to in-person researchers, please see the Researching in the GU Archives page of this guide.

The Washington Post provides surprisingly detailed coverage of happenings on campus, particularly in the late 19th and early to mid 20th centuries. It includes articles on athletics and other student activities such as plays and debates, as well as naming graduates in its annual coverage of the University’s commencement ceremony. The Georgetown University Library offers digital access to the Post’s historic archives (scroll down and select that publication from the list) which cover the period 1877 through 1994. Note that this access is available ON-SITE to all. OFF-SITE access is limited to those who can authenticate using the ID number on their GOCards. If you do not have a GOCard (which is the official identification card at Georgetown University), you cannot access the Post archives from off-campus.