Faculty/Staff Announcements
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Campus Updates
First Fridays: Faculty and Staff Feast for $5听
Visit any Mason dining hall and show your faculty/staff Mason ID for a $5 meal the first Friday of the month. The next opportunity is Friday, Feb. 2. Visit to view the daily menu and learn more about each dining hall.
February Staff Senate Meeting听
罢丑别听听will feature guest speaker Missy Cummings, director of Mason's Autonomy and Robotics Center, to discuss her work in artificial intelligence.听听
Wednesday, Feb. 7听听
10 a.m. to 11 a.m. 鈥 Guest Speaker听听
11 a.m. to noon 鈥 General Meeting听听
Constituents are invited to attend in person on the Fairfax Campus in Merten Hall, Room 1201, or join the meeting via Zoom. The Staff Senate will collect questions in advance for consideration.听.听听听
Mason Lobbies
Mason faculty and staff are invited to join Student Government for the 11th annual 听event on Thursday, Feb. 15. Sponsored by Student Government, this trip to meet with state legislators in Richmond is an opportunity to advocate for Mason and issues that impact the university.
DocuSign Service for Faculty and Staff Expanded听听
Information Technology Services (ITS) recently expanded the DocuSign service for business and administrative needs at Mason. Previously, Mason had a limited number of envelopes (i.e., digital signature requests) for sending. With this expansion, the service now includes unlimited envelopes for sending and is available to all faculty and staff. Read more information about DocuSign on the听. Contact the ITS Support Center at 703-993-8870 or听support@gmu.edu听with questions.听
Mason Basketball Watch Parties
Grab some colleagues and head across the street from the Fairfax Campus to Banditos Tacos and Tequila on Wednesday, Jan. 31, for shopMason's first basketball watch party of the season. Enjoy 10% off with your Mason ID and get a chance to win听prizes when you RSVP. . 听听
Mason Men鈥檚 Basketball at Saint Joseph's听听
Wednesday, Jan. 31听听
6:30 p.m. 鈥 Watch party opens听听
7:00 p.m. 鈥 Tipoff听听
Location: Banditos Tacos & Tequila (10621 Braddock Road, Fairfax, Virginia)听听
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Study Abroad Fair
The Global Education Office will host the spring Study Abroad Fair on Thursday, Feb. 8, between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on the听Fairfax Campus in the Johnson Center, Dewberry Hall.听Students, faculty, and staff can learn more about global education, talk to faculty and partners, and enjoy some light refreshments. .
Crave: A Late-Night Dining Spot听听
Crave is for anyone with the human instinct to grab a late-night bite.听听is located on the Fairfax Campus in the Hub, serving fried favorites and satisfying snacks that will crumble your cravings. Stop by between 5鈥11 p.m. for a juicy burger, warm pretzel, crispy cheese sticks, and more. Cash, credit/debit, Bonus Funds, Freedom Funds, and Mason Money are accepted at this location.
Training and Professional Development
Volunteers Needed for ARIE Conference
The ARIE planning committee is seeking volunteers to help at the second annual听听from March 18鈥19 on the Fairfax Campus in the Johnson Center.
Volunteers make this event possible. Join in person or online for a day and a half of interactive workshops, panels, networking, research presentations, and a poster reception. This hybrid conference format will include livestreaming options.
Volunteers are needed to host sessions, help with registration, setup, cleanup, and more.听听by Feb. 16. Contact听arie@gmu.edu听with questions.
Resources for You
Professional Clothing Swap at Mason Square
Looking to spice up your professional wardrobe? Do you have professional clothes you would like to donate? Swap or donate your new or gently used professional clothes and accessories to the Professional Clothing Swap at Mason Square on Wednesday, Jan. 31, from 2鈥6 p.m., in Van Metre Hall, Room 222. This event is open to students, staff, and faculty.
University Life Mason Square is accepting clothing donations through Jan. 31. All pieces must be considered new or used with minimal wear-and-tear. If you drop off items prior to the event, you will receive a "ticket" based on how many items you donate. Bring your ticket to the swap event, and you can take as many pieces as you brought.
Any leftover clothing will be donated to Mason鈥檚 LGBTQ+ Center Trans Closet or Goodwill of Greater Washington. Contact University Life Mason Square at ularl@gmu.edu with questions.
Explore Discounts with Patriot Perks
Unlock exclusive savings with your Mason ID through Patriot Perks. Dive into a world of discounts at local businesses鈥攁ll you need is your Mason ID for a shopping spree filled with savings. Check out the list of participating merchants at听.
Guaranteed Ride Home听
If you're a faculty or staff member who bikes, carpools, vanpools, uses mass transit (e.g., bus, Metro), or walks to work at least two times per week,听you always have a backup ride with Guaranteed Ride Home (GRH). 听听
Sponsored by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, it鈥檚 free to sign up and free to use. Once you register, you can use GRH up to six times per year. If a qualifying emergency arises, call Commuter Connections, and they will arrange transportation for you (e.g., taxi, car rental, transit). 听听
It鈥檚 a good idea to sign up before you need it. Conditions apply. For details and to register, visit听the听听(scroll to Guaranteed Ride Home Program). Contact transpo@gmu.edu or 703-993-2828 with questions.听
Support Group for Working Mothers at Mason
The Support Group for Working Mothers at Mason is one way faculty, staff, and students can come together, discuss the issues confronting working mothers, and perhaps motivate changes on campus.听If you are interested in sharing stories and being part of an informal organization of working mothers,听听for meeting dates and more information. Contact听Heather Aleknavage听with questions.
Love to Bike? Winter Bike to Mason Day Is Friday, Feb. 9听听
Winter Bike to Work Day is the Friday before Valentine鈥檚 Day. Join Mason Parking and Transportation听on Friday, Feb. 9, for a little bike love. Stop by the Merten Hall Lawn on the Fairfax Campus between 7:30鈥9:30 a.m. with your bike for a beverage and some biking-related giveaways.
Koru Mindfulness Online Sessions
Mason students, staff, and faculty may participate in online Koru mindfulness sessions to strengthen well-being. This evidence-based curriculum teaches mindfulness, meditation, and stress management in ways you can integrate into your busy life. Studies suggest that Koru training leads to significant well-being benefits, such as better sleep, less perceived stress, and more self-compassion.听听听
听for upcoming spring semester sessions. Contact the听Center for the Advancement of Well-Being听with questions.听
Mason Community Arts Academy: Summer Arts at Mason
Registration is now open for exciting summer camps and workshops at听 (MCAA) in music, acting, visual art, film and video, and professional development for students ages four through adult.听听听
This summer, MCAA welcomes the second annual Mason Summer Band Camp, the re-imagined Mason String Camp, a new Children's Choir Camp, Acting for Young People, and more.听听听
A variety of full-day and half-day programs connect participants with Mason faculty, professional teaching artists, and experienced arts educators. Learn, create, and perform with other like-minded artists and make it a summer to remember.
Veterans and the Arts Initiative: Upcoming Workshops
罢丑别听听at the Hylton Performing Arts Center serves as an arts and community hub for military-connected people. The program offers free, hands-on workshops, art exhibitions featuring veterans鈥 artwork, and concerts for local veterans, servicemembers, and military family members.听听听听听听听听
Have you always wanted to try the guitar or refresh your skills? Musicians of all skill levels are invited to participate听in a 10-week series of virtual lessons with Glen McCarthy, guitar instructor for the Veterans and the Arts Initiative. Workshops are offered at听听补苍诲听. The workshops are open and free to veterans, servicemembers, military family members, and military caregivers.
Upcoming Performances at Mason听
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Saturday, Feb. 3, at 7 p.m.听听听
Fairfax Campus, Johnson Center, Cinema听听听
Join College of Visual and Performing Arts alum Jada Salter, BA Film and Video Studies 鈥20, for a premiere screening of her full-length documentary film,听Just The Two of Us. Experience the captivating documentary that dives into the extraordinary life of William "Bill" Salter, the renowned songwriter, composer, and musician, who has earned multiple Grammy awards. Through the lens of Jada Salter, Bill Salter's eldest granddaughter, embark on a heartfelt journey as she captures the essence of her grandfather's influential legacy. Prepare to be inspired by the remarkable story of Bill Salter and his unforgettable contributions to the world of music.
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Saturday, Feb. 3, at 7:30 p.m.听听听
Sunday, Feb. 4, at 2 p.m.听听听
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts听听听
Based on the writings of William Still, an African American leader on the Underground Railroad, Virginia Opera is thrilled to introduce the contemporary opera听Sanctuary Road by composer Paul Moravec and librettist Mark Campbell. In a pledge to nurture the next generation of artists, Moravec and Campbell transformed these daring stories of courage, perseverance, and sacrifice into an enthralling historical oratorio. Sung in English with English surtitles.
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Saturday, Feb. 3, at 8 p.m.听听听
Sunday, Feb. 4, at 2 p.m.听听听
SciTech Campus, Hylton Performing Arts Center, Merchant Hall听听听
Modern acrobats and aerialists Cirque Mechanics draw inspiration from the machinery that powers our world to tell ingenious stories that are eye-widening and heart-stopping. In Zephyr鈥擜 Whirlwind of Circus, Cirque Mechanics dramatizes humanity鈥檚 relationship to wind. In this exhilarating circus performance featuring a giant 20-foot-tall rotating windmill, performers embrace the energy of air to fly, balance, float, and more.听
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Tuesday, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m.听
Off-campus: Old Town Hall (3999 University Drive, Fairfax, Virginia 22030)听
This event features a performance of composer Damien Geter鈥檚 moving song cycle inspired by the haunting 鈥淐otton鈥 photography of acclaimed artist John Dowell, whose works are in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and other galleries. Each song in the cycle features the poetry of Nikki Giovanni, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, and other Black American poets, and explores the Black American journey through the lens of the cotton industry. Geter will participate in a talk back following the performance. This event is part of Virginia Opera鈥檚 second annual program.听
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Mason Exhibitions and Mason School of Art听
Thursday, Feb. 8, at 4:45 p.m.听
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts, and via Zoom听
Taekyeom Lee is an educator, maker, and designer whose research explores unconventional materials and digital methods to create 3D type, graphics, and even designed objects. This research began with two questions: Where does typography belong in the post-digital age? How do we bridge digital and physical experiences? 听
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Saturday, Feb. 10, at 8 p.m.听
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts听
Qu茅bec鈥檚 first professional ballet company, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, debuts at the Center for the Arts with a tribute to the awe-inspiring and monumental works of Beethoven with Dancing Beethoven. The program opens with the incredible Symphony No. 5 and concludes with Beethoven鈥檚 stirring Symphony No. 7, featuring choreography by the late Uwe Scholz and showcasing the ensemble鈥檚 precision, energy, and artistry.
Saturday, Feb. 10, at 8 p.m.听
SciTech Campus, Hylton Performing Arts Center, Merchant Hall听
Taiko sensation Drum Tao returns with its intensely energetic, highly visual, and pulse-pounding take on the ancient art of Japanese drumming. Merging a Samurai ethos with a rock 鈥榥鈥 roll attitude, Drum Tao presents an unforgettable show that is a feast for the senses. Athleticism and contemporary costumes blend with pulsating rhythms, captivating choreography, and vibrant sets.
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