Campus News

9/11 Day of Service was a day of reflection and community service—for all ages

Lauren Reuscher — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 14:12:01 +0000

9/11 Day of Service was a day of reflection and community service—for all ages Lauren Reuscher Thu, 09/19/2024 - 10:12

��AV students, faculty, staff, and alumni gathered on Wednesday, Sept. 11, for the 12^th annual Mason Nation 9/11 Day of Service. Since its inception, the day of service has been an opportunity to reflect on the value of individual contributions toward social change and the ways in which individuals can support their community through service projects.

The Mason Nation 9/11 Day of Service took place across locations on the Fairfax Campus, with an opening ceremony and luncheon in the Johnson Center. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Over 200 George Mason students, faculty, staff, and alumni joined the day’s activities. Service activities occurred across campus, a service fair provided a chance to learn about year-round volunteer opportunities, and a luncheon honored first responders, active members of the military, veterans, and volunteers.

The event was hosted by University Life, and the planning team included campus partners from departments and offices around the university.

George Mason ROTC's Patriot Battalion Color Guard at the 9/11 Day of Service ceremony. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Service activities included a clothing, diaper, and wipe drive for Women Giving Back; a book drive to benefit the City of Fairfax Regional Library; assembling blankets and chew toys for the Prince William Animal Shelter; creating cards and flower pots for a local assisted living community, working in the campus Greenhouse and Gardens, and more. In partnership with Van Metre Companies, volunteers put together almost 300 snack bags to support children at Pattie Elementary School in Prince William County.

Volunteers work in the Innovation Food Forest for the 9/11 Day of Service. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Fourth and fifth grade students from Pattie Elementary also participated in the event. Members of the school’s P.O.P. Club (Paws of Positivity), a before and after school service club, visited George Mason for the day. Thanks to a grant from the Harvey S. Lowe, Jr. and Susan Hitchcock-Lowe Foundation, the university provided transportation, lunch, and project supplies for the students.

Students from Pattie Elementary School shared remarks on stage. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

During the opening ceremony and luncheon, students from Pattie Elementary took the stage to share what 9/11 means to them—children who, like many of today’s college students, were not born before September 11, 2001.

Students from the Pattie Elementary School P.O.P. Club joined the service activities. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

“In the P.O.P. club, we give back to our community through acts of service. Service is a way to show kindness and make our communities better. Whether it’s helping a friend, cleaning up trash, or doing something nice for someone, every little act of service counts. When we serve others, we spread positivity and help make the world a better place. So today, let’s think about how we can help out and make a positive change, just like so many people did on that day. Together, we can make a big difference.” –Trey, Pattie Elementary School student

Watch a video from Prince William County Public Schools to learn more about the P.O.P. Club and their visit to George Mason.

Topics

Faculty and Staff News

Prince William County

Volunteerism

Mason ROTC

Community Service

George Mason College of Public Health Professor Rebecca Sutter awarded $3 million Services to Afghan Survivors Impacted by Combat Program grant

Taylor Thomas — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 14:41:04 +0000

George Mason College of Public Health Professor Rebecca Sutter awarded $3 million Services to Afghan Survivors Impacted by Combat Program grant Taylor Thomas Fri, 09/13/2024 - 10:41

Afghan victims of combat arrive in the United States as refugees with unique health care needs. Rebecca Sutter, professor in the School of Nursing at ��AV, has been awarded a $3 million Services to Afghan Survivors Impacted by Combat (SASIC) grant to develop health service delivery infrastructure for Afghan survivors, refugees, and immigrants impacted by combat trauma and violence. The program, titled Healing and Educating Afghans for Resiliency-Virginia (HEAR-VA), will serve Afghan refugees residing in Northern and Central Virginia, where an estimated 95% of Afghans resettled in 2022.

HEAR-VA seeks to screen 500 individuals for eligibility and enroll 305 participants in care services.

Photo provided

“We are implementing a care coordination model where individuals, regardless of which HEAR-VA partner they interact with first, will receive screenings, and be connected with services that address their individualized care needs,” Sutter said. "What’s especially important is this program will be built not just for, but in partnership with actual Afghan survivors of combat and other refugees who are impacted by trauma and violence."

The SASIC grant was awarded from the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families, Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). The mission of ORR is to provide newly arrived refugees from Afghanistan with resources to begin healing combat-related trauma and facilitate sustainable physical, emotional, social, and economic well-being.

This interdisciplinary HEAR-VA initiative will be managed by the Mason and Partners Clinic in partnership with Virginia Department of Social Services Office of New Americans (DSS-ONA), the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services Office of Behavioral Health Wellness (DBHDS-OBHW), Health Brigade, Northern Virginia Family Services, and additional community partners. The program went into effect July 2024 and will extend through February 2026.

“This collection of partners is dedicated to creating an innovative program that will be community-based, community-driven, and community-led. We are building local capacity to serve vulnerable populations, not just for the duration of the grant, but long after we as the implementers have departed,” Sutter said.

In addition to her role as a professor in the School of Nursing, Sutter is the director of the Mason and Partners (MAP) Clinics. She is a credentialed Family Nurse Practitioner with expertise in community health care access and navigation to improve care and promote collaboration between public health, public safety, and health to ensure that evidence-based treatment is available for at-risk and marginalized individuals, families, communities, and populations.

Discover the nursing program at George Mason

In This Story

Rebecca Sutter, DNP, APRN, BC-FNP

Topics

Refugees

immigrants and refugee communities

Access to Health Services

Community Partners

Mason and Partners Clinic

Giving Voice to Contemporary Mexican Music

Tionge Johnson — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 20:42:25 +0000

Giving Voice to Contemporary Mexican Music Tionge Johnson Wed, 09/11/2024 - 16:42

The GRAMMY Award-winning Villalobos Brothers (10/26) are redefining contemporary Mexican music, while delivering positive messages of brotherhood, equity, and love.

The Villalobos Brothers

Drawing on their classical training from prestigious institutions nationwide, this lively trio of virtuoso fiddlers, singers, and songwriters blends Mexican folk music with Latin, jazz, rock, and classical, creating a fun-loving and cheerfully expressive sound that has delighted audiences across the United States and around the world.

As one of our Artists-in-Residence this season, the group will also offer opportunities for learning and workshops in our community.

Hailing from Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico, the brothers followed parallel but geographically disparate paths, studying classical music at the Manhattan School of Music, the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, and the Hochschule für Musik in Freiburg, Germany. They reunited in the early 2000s to play together, with a focus on original music.

“We all have this desire to find our voices, and to say something that is unique, and that is us," said Luis Villalobos, the youngest brother.

With a growing catalog of music that includes two full-length albums; notable performances at iconic venues like Carnegie Hall and Rockefeller Center; and collaborations with legends like Dolly Parton and the Chieftans, the brothers are well on their way to making their unique voices heard around the world.

Their residency activities at the Hylton Center will include:

A lecture/demonstration class at the Lifelong Learning Institute, Manassas
A family Día de los Muertos mask-making class at Manassas Park Library
Masterclasses with the Colgan High School orchestra and music technology students
Elementary school performance visits in Prince William County
High school orchestra masterclasses

All of these exciting community activities culminate in a powerhouse performance by the Villalobos Brothers at the Hylton Center on Saturday, October 26, at 8 p.m. Purchase your tickets to this trio of violin virtuosos today!

Video shown below: the Villalobos Brothers, Alberto (Beto), Ernesto (Ness), and Luis (Wess) perform their GRAMMY-winning work "El Pijul," accompanied by the Yakima Symphony conducted by Maestro Lawrence Golan.

Learn More About the Artist-in-Residence Program

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Hylton Center

Mason Artists-in-Residence

Campus News

Community Engagement

George Mason athletics facilities draw international usage

Colleen Rich — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 19:58:49 +0000

George Mason athletics facilities draw international usage Colleen Rich Tue, 09/10/2024 - 15:58

��AV's Fairfax Campus is becoming a popular destination for international soccer. Over the summer, George Mason Athletics hosted four international soccer programs: the Argentina men's national team, the Celtic FC men's team, the Aston Villa FC men's team, and the Arsenal FC women's team.

Soccer star Lionel Messi training at George Mason Stadium. Photo by Selección Argentina

The biggest name to step on the ﬁeld at George Mason Stadium came this summer when eight-time Ballon d'Or winner and international sensation Lionel Messi trained with the Argentina National team in Fairfax before competing in a Copa América Cup match at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland.

The reigning World Cup champions, Argentina, had planned to practice in Miami where they had the security measures in place for Messi, but a storm system threatened to strand them in Miami, making them unable to compete in their game in Washingon, D.C. So, with just a few days' notice, they thought of George Mason and asked to use our facilities. The Athletics events and facilities team coordinated training times, locker room usage, and the proper security to allow Argentina to train in Fairfax, and eventually go on to win the 2024 Copa América Cup.

It wasn't just this summer that George Mason has drawn international attention by hosting teams from around the world though. The university has had teams come on and off for years, but it was the summer of 2023 when the Arsenal men's team was looking for a place to train while gearing up to play the MLS All-Stars at Audi Field that some external money was invested in making the soccer ﬁelds world-class.

Arsenal women’s soccer training at George Mason Stadium. Photo by Art Pittman/George Mason Athletics

In 2023, after the Arsenal men trained at George Mason, the Pumas UNAM men's team from Mexico and the Aston Villa FC men's team from England came for the ﬁrst time. The success of these visits helped George Mason gain the international reputation of being a good spot to train for teams doing summer tours in the United States, which many teams do.

"Some of the big attractions that draw teams to us is we're one of the few universities or facilities in this area that has two natural grass ﬁelds right next to each other," said Todd Bramble, deputy athletic director for Intercollegiate Sports. "There are so many schools that maybe have one really good ﬁeld, but teams sometimes like to be able to utilize two ﬁelds. And most schools in this area have ﬁelds that are artiﬁcial turf, and the teams want nothing to do with that."

Being on the East Coast near two international airports also helps European teams with shorter travel, and the university's proximity to Washington, D.C., allows teams to experience the nation's capital as well.

"Our top tier ﬁelds and facilities enable us to host these world-class teams and expose the international soccer community to ��AV," said Marvin Lewis, assistant vice president, director of athletics. "Thanks to the leadership and commitment of our amazing facilities and events team, we've provided high-level experiences and outstanding service to the international clubs, which keeps them coming back."

Aston Villa men's soccer training at George Mason Stadium. Photo by Aston Villa

Aston Villa returned to George Mason this year because of the great visit they had in 2023, even though they had no games in the Washington, D.C., metro area. They used Fairfax as their home base and chartered planes to go to their games in Ohio, New York, and Chicago.

After the Arsenal men's team was in Fairfax in 2023, they recommended George Mason to their women's program, which was looking to take their program on an international tour for the ﬁrst time. The arrangement ended up being even more of a perfect ﬁt because Arsenal's game in D.C. was set to be the return of Northern Virginia native Emily Fox, who was returning to the team after winning the 2024 Olympic gold medal with Team USA.

These international program visits also beneﬁt the staff and student-athletes of George Mason. The soccer teams have been invited to private training sessions to gain inspiration and exposure from the players. The soccer coaches, strength and conditioning coaches, and athletic training staff share their spaces with the teams and have the opportunity to network. The teams also pay a rental fee to use the space, and that money is put back into George Mason’s programs, enhancing the experiences of the student-athletes.

"Hosting these types of events offers an excellent educational opportunity for our staff and coaches, as they witness up-close training regimens from different professional teams," said Lewis. "This positions them with a unique chance to exchange knowledge with others excelling in this competitive environment that is always looking for an edge."

George Mason Athletics news, schedule, tickets

More Campus News

9/11 Day of Service was a day of reflection and community service—for all ages
September 20, 2024
George Mason College of Public Health Professor Rebecca Sutter awarded $3 million Services to Afghan Survivors Impacted by Combat Program grant
September 13, 2024
Giving Voice to Contemporary Mexican Music
September 12, 2024
George Mason athletics facilities draw international usage
September 10, 2024
��AV’s Amarda Shehu appointed inaugural Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer
September 4, 2024

Topics

Athletics

Campus News

Strategic Direction

��AV’s Amarda Shehu appointed inaugural Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer

Melanie Balog — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 11:37:10 +0000

��AV’s Amarda Shehu appointed inaugural Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer Melanie Balog Wed, 09/04/2024 - 07:37

FAIRFAX, VA - ��AV has named Associate Vice President for Research for the Institute for Digital Innovation (IDIA) Amarda Shehu as the university’s inaugural vice president and chief artificial intelligence officer (CAIO). In this role, Shehu will lead the strategy and implementation of AI across research, academics, and partnerships for the university, maximizing opportunity and adoption in addressing the world’s grand challenges while leading on ethical considerations, governance, and risk mitigation.

“As the number one public university in Virginia and a top 10 U.S. university for innovation, as well as the first to offer a School of Computing and degree in cybersecurity engineering, George Mason is driven by inclusive access to research and education that provides insight and inspires solutions. There is an institution-wide recognition of the centrality of AI to the future of knowledge creation, scientific discovery, creative expression, workforce development, and campus operations,” said Andre Marshall, ��AV vice president for research, innovation, and economic development. “By collaborating with other units to build an AI growth roadmap for the university, Dr. Shehu will be a transformative force in taking George Mason to the top of this field and partnering in the region to advance the Commonwealth of Virginia.

As George Mason’s inaugural Vice President and CAIO, and one of the first at a U.S. university, Shehu will spearhead university-wide research and programs, attract AI talent, and ensure compliance with ethical standards and regulatory requirements. Shehu will work with the university’s chief risk officer and chief information officer on tools and platforms, as well as governance to ensure data privacy and security. She will also collaborate with academic divisions on new majors and expanded coursework.

“I knew when I started my research in this field over 20 years ago that AI would unleash enormous speed and power in innovation, which is at the heart of what drives George Mason,” Shehu said. “Power lies in our ability to harness this technology in sustainable and democratic deployment that improves society and the human condition. I am thrilled to work alongside brilliant faculty, students, staff, and industry partners to position George Mason at the forefront of AI in the Commonwealth of Virginia.”

Shehu is a professor in the Department of Computer Science in the College of Engineering and Computing, where she also serves as an associate dean for AI Innovation. She is the inaugural founding co-director of ��AV’s transdisciplinary Center for Advancing Human-Machine Partnerships. Shehu is lead PI on the George Mason-National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute Consortium (AISIC) cooperative research and development agreement within the Department of Commerce in response to the 2023 White House Executive Order on AI. As part of the Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Impact division’s leadership team, Shehu will continue to provide leadership for IDIA. A full biography is available here.

Shehu’s position comes at a time of rapid AI advancements at the university. In April 2024, George Mason launched the Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center (MARC), which will serve as the focal point for research in autonomy, robotics, and AI. In fall 2024, the university will launch a graduate certificate that focuses on responsible AI. Earlier this summer, George Mason was awarded a $1 million grant to establish the nation’s first Center for AI Innovation for Economic Competitiveness, which will bolster the economic competitiveness of small and medium enterprises across Virginia. Much of the work in AI will take place at the Fuse at Mason Square, the university’s new state-of-the-art research and entrepreneurship hub for students, digital innovators, researchers, and regional businesses opening this fall.

In This Story

Amarda Shehu

Learn more about Fuse at Mason Square

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Fuse at Mason Square

Campus News

College of Engineering and Computing

Center for Advancing Human Machine Partnerships

Getting to Know Provost James Antony

Colleen Rich — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 18:31:26 +0000

Getting to Know Provost James Antony Colleen Rich Wed, 08/28/2024 - 14:31

James Antony became provost and executive vice president at ��AV on July 1. He comes to George Mason from the University of California San Diego where he served as Dean of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs. Prior to that he was a faculty member and administrator at the University of Washington, Yale University, and Harvard University.

What attracted you to George Mason?

Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

I wanted to be at an institution that was developing the potential of the people who they were accepting and taking them to heights that maybe they, and others around them, might not have thought possible. George Mason, to me, fit that bill. We accept on the order of the 90 percent of the undergraduates who apply and, unlike other places that have a similar broad-access orientation, our students graduate at a very high rate. George Mason’s admissions process attracts amazing students without being exclusionary—we open opportunities here. We also do incredible work with our graduate and professional students. Overall, this place is very student centered.

There's a whole host of things that I'm learning now that reinforces my decision to come here as being a good one. The faculty I've met are incredibly student-oriented. They care about teaching and about what they're doing in the classroom. They care about the kinds of experiences they're constructing for our students. And, they care about doing all that while continuing to elevate this place as a research university—you might not find that same balance at other places. So, I keep finding more and more evidence that coming here was a great choice.

What are you looking to do in your first year?

I think there's nothing more important right now for a new provost than to come in and just hear the perspectives of faculty, of various kinds of leaders, to understand what's going on with our staff, to learn about our students, and to appreciate the cultures and the histories that embody this place. Over time, this listening will enable me to develop an agenda in terms of strategy and goals. I'm reading everything I can, and interrogating my own thinking about everything I believe I am learning so I can have what I hope are smart questions for folks when I ask them to explain things to me.

You were a first-generation college student, as are many George Mason students. How does that affect how you carry out your role?

The hallmark of my own first-gen experience was not really understanding how things worked. I was a slow starter, and it took me a lot of time to really learn how to navigate the university’s culture. At the same time, given my background, I knew how to be resilient in many ways. And I think this is true for many of our students here, as well. My sense is that first-gen students know how to get stuff done. A first-generation college student is somebody who has figured out how to navigate life’s complexities, and still get to our university’s doorstep. They are not coming here lacking in abilities or resourcefulness. Sure, they may not have family members or others in their immediate sphere who know how to help them navigate the university. And, they may lack financial resources. But in terms of personal commitment, smarts, and what we might call a “can-do” attitude, they're not lacking. Even so, we shouldn’t assume that they will readily navigate our institution in a seamless fashion. We have to make sure we create an educational environment that is supportive, and that allows them to reach their full potential.

One of President Gregory Washington’s goals is greater emphasis on grand challenge issues. How are George Mason faculty positioned for impact?

The George Mason faculty are positioned to have impact on grand challenges because they've already been having impact in ways that prepare us, as a university, to think about addressing big ideas. This is one of the youngest rising research universities in the country. This faculty as a collective has been steadily building its prominence as a research-based faculty with, frankly, a fraction of the resources that other universities enjoy. They are definitely getting noticed all over the country for the impact they're already having.

Provost James Antony welcome first-year students and their families during Move In. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

What if, while supporting them to do the work they are already excelling at, we were also able to strategically align our incredibly creative people around a set of issues that most could agree are so compelling that they will define the human condition for not just the next five or 10 years, but for generations to come? To me, that is the kind of question the framework of a grand challenge allows us to ask. It gives everybody a possible compass to direct some of what we do. It's not saying we only do the grand challenges—we still do the broad scholarship and creative work that represents the larger array of our interests. But, when possible, let’s imagine enabling the alignment of some of our folks’ work to tackle challenges that are bigger than George Mason.

What are your views on artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education, and why is it important for George Mason graduates to be fluent in AI?

Research into artificial intelligence can provide opportunities for our scholars to define the future of AI, independent of its application. I’m talking about basic research that helps us understand AI and helps us shape AI and its associated technologies and possibilities. There are so many questions of a technical nature. But there are also questions of application and impact, not the least of which all-important considerations of the ethics and moralities around AI. I am excited by the possibilities of pure scholarship in all these areas, enabling our talented faculty and students to study AI in all of its instantiations and to do really good work helping society understand, and use, AI.

Another opportunity is for our university to figure out where partnerships might exist with industry. We obviously have to think about partnerships that make sense, where the university can leverage its expertise to bring something to bear that advances scholarship, the development of our students, and service to humanity. But we may also be able to learn from the way in which industry is approaching this work. And we can certainly explore creating partnership opportunities and programs that benefit our students and faculty. We have an ethical obligation to teach our students about all this, and we have many exciting opportunities to explore with a variety of partners. The good news is that we are fortunate to have many smart, super talented, people at George Mason who are leaders in this work. As provost, my job is to enable such people.

One of your many areas of expertise is graduate education. Any particular plans or thoughts about here at George Mason?

A world-class research university has thriving programs at the master's and doctoral levels, as well as professional degree programs that are top-notch. Graduate and professional education is something that, when done really well, provides an outcome to the student who's pursuing the advanced degree, but also provides faculty an additional dimension to do their core creative and scholarly work. Special things happen in an intellectual space that brings faculty and graduate or professional students into collaboration with one another. But there's also an impact on society. We need to make sure that we are putting together a robust array of graduate and professional programs that not only advance scholarship, but also have impact on the lives of the average person out there. Those with advanced graduate or professional degrees, like the students we are training at George Mason, go on to have positive impacts on the daily lives of every person in our broader community. As provost, I will work with faculty and other leaders to think about what a vibrant future for graduate and professional education looks like for the George Mason of the future.

You’ve referred to George Mason being one of the most compelling institutions in the nation. How so?

What I see for George Mason is a future that will be positively stunning. We've got so much talent and potential that, on those dimensions, it will be hard to limit our possibilities. But, like many large public research universities, we will have to be strategic and creative when thinking about our future. The good news is we have a lot going for us. Our campus locations are ripe for development, and for becoming the kinds of built environments that, generations from now, will be leaps beyond what our founders could have imagined when we first opened as a university.

We are in one of the most compelling economic environments in the nation, not to mention within proximity to the nation’s capital—we have to continue building upon our successes leveraging our location.

At George Mason, we get to construct our own future. It's going to require lots of discussion, planning, and strategic thinking. It’s going to be a lot of work, and we will have to be bold. But I am so excited about being somewhere that has that kind of potential. For me, I like being in a place where the very best days lie ahead. I look forward to working with everyone to shape that amazing future.

Did you know...

The Office of the Provost has primary responsibility for George Mason's academic mission, including supporting scholarly excellence among faculty members and fostering academic success for students on all four campuses.

Learn more about the Office of the Provost

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Office of the Provost

ARTS by George! 2024 Celebrates Mason Arts, Culminating in Concert by Tony Award Winner Lea Salonga

Laura Mertens — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 18:26:26 +0000

ARTS by George! 2024 Celebrates Mason Arts, Culminating in Concert by Tony Award Winner Lea Salonga Laura Mertens Wed, 08/28/2024 - 14:26

��AV's College of Visual and Performing Arts Presents ARTS by George!, an Evening Celebrating Mason Arts

ARTS by George! makes its return to ��AV’s Fairfax Campus on September 28, 2024. Headlined by Tony and Olivier Award-winning singer and actress Lea Salonga, the annual benefit event raises funds for student scholarships at the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA), as well as for the Mason Community Arts Academy, Green Machine Ensembles, and the Great Performances at Mason season at the Center for the Arts. Since its launch in 2006, ARTS by George! has raised more than $4.1 million for Mason Arts.

“‘Something for everyone’ might be an overworked phrase, but it fits ARTS by George! perfectly,” notes Rick Davis, dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts. “From art and music to dance and theater, virtual reality to documentary film, the student showcases offer an unparalleled opportunity to experience the breadth and depth of what we do every day in Mason Arts. I learn something new every year and become an even prouder Dean.”

ARTS by George! begins at 5 p.m. by bringing hundreds of CVPA students and faculty together to showcase performances and exhibits, as well as to offer a behind-the-scenes look at their collaborative process. The seven CVPA academic units will be featured in showcases, which are a highlight of the annual event.

The School of Art will host an antique photobooth and give demonstrations of 3D art and letterpress printing, while Arts Management will host a display of the Free Little Art Gallery created by a graduate from the program. School of Dance will offer two presentations by faculty members—Christopher d’Amboise on dancing to the music of Stravinsky and Karen Reedy on Robert Battle’s “The Hunt”—which also include live dancing by students. Film and Video Studies will screen a selection of films by students, and Computer Game Design will offer a presentation titled “Unlocking the Future: Game Design with A.I. and Mixed Reality.” Students in the areas of jazz, opera, classical piano, and percussion will perform, representing the Dewberry School of Music; and students from the School of Theater will stage selections from 110 in the Shade, this fall’s musical, and student-written plays to be premiered in The Originals! 2024. In addition, two Mason Arts programs—the Green Machine Ensembles and Mason Community Arts Academy—will also offer performances throughout the event. These showcases will be held in the Harris Theatre, de Laski Performing Arts Building, and Horizon Hall. Guests will enjoy a buffet dinner and drinks over the course of the evening.

At 8 p.m., attendees will move into the Center for the Arts’ Concert Hall for a live Fund-a-Student appeal. The event culminates with a performance from Lea Salonga, starting at 8:30 p.m. Salonga will treat audience members to famous songs from her roles on Broadway and in animated films, and join them onstage for a champagne toast following the show. Beforehand, she will welcome George Mason students for an open soundcheck and Q&A.

ARTS by George! Chair and Mason Arts Board member Annie Bolger shared, “I’m thrilled to return as chair of this awe-inspiring event, which features George Mason’s impactful arts programs and highlights the talents of its amazing students. I invite our community to join us for what promises to be a very special evening, and to support us in raising critical funds for student scholarships and community arts programs so that the exploration and creativity continues for years to come.”

For high-resolution images, press tickets, and interview requests, please email kfranko@gmu.edu and pr@camillecdevlin.com.

**2024 ARTS by George! Schedule:**

5 p.m., Harris Theatre, de Laski Performing Arts Building, and Horizon Hall

Showcases by the talented students from George Mason’s College of Visual and Performing Arts, complemented by a buffet dinner and drink stations throughout the event.

8 p.m., Center for the Arts

Alumni performance and Fund-a-Student appeal.

8:30 p.m., Center for the Arts

An Evening with Lea Salonga, followed by an onstage champagne toast

Ticket and Sponsorship Information for 2024 ARTS by George!:

Individual benefit tickets are $350 per person and include entry to the student showcases, dinner, An Evening with Lea Salonga, champagne reception, and free garage parking. Each ticket includes a charitable donation portion directly supporting student scholarships and community arts programs.

Sponsorship packages begin at $2,000. To reserve tickets, become a sponsor, or for more information, please contact Susan Graziano at cvpagive@gmu.edu, 703-993-4188, or visit the ARTS by George! website.

Standalone tickets to only the 8:30 p.m. performance of An Evening with Lea Salonga are $50–$100 and are available for purchase through the Center for the Arts website.

The Premier Sponsor for ARTS by George! is Dominion Energy.

The Presenting Sponsor for ARTS by George! is Sandy Spring Bank.

Learn more about ARTS by George!

Purchase tickets for culminating concert, An Evening with Lea Salonga

“‘Something for everyone’ might be an overworked phrase, but it fits ARTS by George! perfectly.”

~ Rick Davis

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A Working Mother’s Triumph: Juggling Parenting, Career, and Master of Public Administration Courses

Andrew J Schappert — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 12:46:18 +0000

A Working Mother’s Triumph: Juggling Parenting, Career, and Master of Public Administration Courses Andrew J Schappert Wed, 08/28/2024 - 08:46

During her four years as a Master of Public Administration student at ��AV's Schar School of Policy and Government, Dana Staley held down a fulltime job, survived a global pandemic, and became a mother, in addition to the ample reading and writing required in a master’s program.

Dana Staley: ‘I appreciated that I was able to participate in classes in the evening so that I could still work full time.’

A year later, Staley, who graduated in 2023, has sage advice for those facing similar trying circumstances.

“If you find yourself in an impossible season of juggling too much and not knowing when rest will come again, keep going,” she said. “Keep pushing, surprise yourself, and don't be afraid to ask for help. The end will come, and it will be so worth it!”

That was her message in a recent LinkedIn essay that caught the eye of one of Staley’s former professors, Associate Professor of nonprofit studies Mirae Kim, who vivid recalls Staley’s ambition to complete her degree, not to mention her dedication to her family.

“I could never forget her,” said Kim, who teaches in the Schar School’s Center on Nonprofits, Philanthropy, and Social Enterprise. “She was one of the most engaged students in my recent semesters at George Mason.”

When Staley enrolled in the master’s program in 2019, she was working full time as the director of programs at a small nonprofit in Washington, D.C. Two years later, still deep into her studies and with a 9-month-old, she landed a position with Auxilio Partners as a nonprofit business consultant.

“I lead a team to support 15 different nonprofits nationwide in finances, human resources, risk management, compliance, and board governance,” she said, adding that her firm does the backend work “so that the organizations can focus more on their mission.”

While Staley was an exceptionally devoted student, the Schar School’s graduate programs are attractive to early- and mid-career professionals for many reasons, including location, flexibility, and higher education specialists to rely on for support. In Staley’s case, online conferences with professors were key to her success.

Dana Staley, ‘Mom with a master’s’

In fact, “I had [online] office hours to get support on an assignment,” Staley said. “I sat at my kitchen table, got on Zoom with my professor, and had my 4-month-old, Kai, in a baby bouncer next to me. It’s an image that will never be erased from my mind: All of my responsibilities tied into one simple memory.”

The success is summed up in the slogan on her favorite mug: “Mom with a master’s.”

Kim, who recalls that Zoom session vividly, understands the need for assistance beyond the classroom, as do other Schar School professors.

“It is not simply the instruction they appreciate, but when they feel supported, students are empowered to engage more,” she said.

“I appreciated that I was able to participate in classes in the evening so that I could still work fulltime,” Staley said. “I also enjoyed that many of my classmates were also working, so there were a lot of real-life experiences shared in the classroom. The professors were excellent and balanced the task of challenging us as students while understanding we all had many other responsibilities we were juggling.”

Staley closes her LinkedIn essay with this:

“Being a mom, being a student, being a professional—those are all experiences that, in their own right, are difficult...But as I look back, I am proud of what I accomplished and am forever grateful for my husband, family, friends, coworkers, and professors who cheered me on through it all.

“By the way, that Nonprofit Financial Management class has become invaluable in my work today!”

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Mirae Kim

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Historic gift speaks volumes about George Mason’s Forensics Team

Colleen Rich — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 17:34:55 +0000

Historic gift speaks volumes about George Mason’s Forensics Team Colleen Rich Fri, 08/23/2024 - 13:34

Decades of success for the ��AV Forensics Team are being rewarded through a landmark gift from Bruce Manchester and his partner and husband of 46 years, James “Fred” Emory. During Manchester’s tenure as director of forensics at George Mason, students won more than 10,000 individual and team awards in intercollegiate competition.

This historic planned gift from Manchester and Emory is the largest commitment to date pledged by a George Mason faculty member.

Professor Emeritus Bruce Manchester stands next to a photo of himself in the Horizon Hall exhibit: "Past, Present, Future: Mason's Core Remains Constant." Photo by Eduardo Macedo/Office of University Branding

Their gift will establish endowments to support the nationally recognized team in perpetuity. The pledge, in the form of a future bequest, will create endowed funds to support the positions of program director and assistant director, as well as provide lasting student support to the program through an existing endowed fund. Creating endowed faculty positions helps attract the best professors in the nation to George Mason to teach and lead this prestigious program.

“I could not have asked for a more rewarding career than I had at George Mason. I know how incredibly valuable the forensics program is to students, and I simply want to give back as much as I can to that program,” Manchester said. “As an educator, I want to make sure that George Mason students will always have the opportunity for a strong forensics education.”

Manchester arrived at George Mason in 1975, a time when the young university was eager to find exemplars of success to establish its reputation and credibility. He served as the director of the forensics program from 1975 through 1993, aided by assistant director Sheryl Friedley. The named endowed faculty positions honor Manchester, the George Mason team’s longest serving director, and Friedley, the team’s longest serving assistant director.

“I came here because I was fascinated by the idea of the challenge that George Mason was offering,” recalls Manchester, who is now retired and living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. “Here was a chance to be on the ground floor in a place that didn’t even have a communication degree, and to be directly involved in developing the degree program.”

Sheryl Friedley and Bruce Manchester, holding the trophy, and the winning Forensics Team members celebrate their national championship victory in 1979. Photo provided

The previous forensics director, Margaret Duffner, who started the program, had been affectionately called “Ma” by her students, Manchester says. “So when I got there, the team decided to call me ‘Doc’ since I had a PhD and was too young to be called ‘Pa’!”

Together, Manchester and Friedley put George Mason forensics in the national spotlight, winning the East Coast Championship an extraordinary 18 consecutive years. George Mason finished in the national top five for 16 of those years, including winning the American Forensic Association national championship in 1979. The pair coached a total of 119 national finalists.

Remarkably, the teams achieved these results even though at least half the team members over the years had no previous forensics experience, Manchester said. “In all the years I was director, we did not have a single student on scholarship for forensics. They were just regular students—they would see our recruiting signs on campus and decide to give it a try.”

“Forensics made them better speakers, better writers. They got better at their academics, their time management,” said Manchester. “If they were willing to put in the work and grow, I was willing to work with them. And I’m very proud of what they did and were able to achieve.”

Professor Emeritus Bruce Manchester (seated) gets a standing ovation at the Forensics Program's 50th anniversary celebration. Photo by Eduardo Macedo/Office of University Branding

“Cocurricular programs such as George Mason’s Forensics Team give students the opportunity to learn and collaborate across disciplines, to uncover insights and gain rich experiences that will contribute to their success after graduation,” said Ann Ardis, dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. “This extraordinary commitment from Manchester and Emory represents the ideals of how philanthropy can support teaching, students, and programs, to ensure support over generations.”

In the years since, the Forensics Team has continued its outstanding showings and is currently under the direction of Dawn Lowry.

After stepping down as forensics director, Manchester continued as a full-time faculty member in the Department of Communication through 2004, serving as associate chair. He was twice named Faculty Member of the Year by the ��AV Alumni Association and also received George Mason’s David J. King Teaching Award, among other honors. The Communication Department’s student award for outstanding academic achievement is also named in his honor.

For more than 20 years, Manchester was the vice chair of the American Forensic Association’s National Speech Tournament (AFA-NST) Committee. In 2004, the association permanently renamed its annual scholarly research grant as the Dr. Bruce Manchester Scholar Series.

Many of his Forensics Team members remain in touch with Manchester to this day. “Whether you were new to the team or a four-year veteran, the expectations were the same, and you were valued the same,” Manchester said. “We had a saying: ‘The most important thing is not to win, but to struggle.’ That was a motto we lived by. I wanted my students not necessarily to win, but to struggle—both on the team, and in the classroom. And if you do, I promise you that success will come from that.”

For 50 years, the team members have had as their highest goal a top five team award at the national championship. Manchester added, “As a result, teammates learn to count on each other, to help and support each other. The strength of George Mason’s Forensics Team is definitely its camaraderie.”

The gift from Manchester and Emory was announced at a reunion event marking 50 years of the forensics program at George Mason, which was attended by more than 140 alumni who traveled from 16 states and overseas.

“I feel so incredibly blessed to have experienced a career path and location for my work that was so fulfilling,” Manchester said.

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George Mason’s College of Education and Human Development expands collaboration with Google on new lab school

Colleen Rich — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 20:15:45 +0000

George Mason’s College of Education and Human Development expands collaboration with Google on new lab school Colleen Rich Mon, 08/19/2024 - 16:15

��AV’s College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) has received additional support from Google to launch the Accelerated College and Employability Skills (ACCESS) Academy with Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS).

Google provided seed funding last year to begin school planning and also submitted a letter of support to the Virginia Board of Education. Recently, Google doubled their initial commitment, totaling $400,000 investment in the school to date. This additional funding will support research design and evaluation, along with a summer bridge program for the school, scheduled to launch in the 2025-26 school year.

Approved by the Virginia Board of Education earlier this year, the ACCESS Academy lab school for students in grades 9-12 was created by George Mason in partnership with Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) and LCPS. ACCESS Academy will provide students with an alternative education pathway that emphasizes future-ready employability skills, innovative teaching and learning methods, and immersive experiences developed with industry partners, researchers, and instructional faculty.

“Google believed in our vision for ACCESS Academy from the very beginning, and we are now thrilled to collaborate with them to make that vision a reality,” said Dean Ingrid Guerra-López. “This collaboration is pivotal in our mission to equip the future workforce with essential skills and knowledge to excel in high-demand careers. We engaged Google early in the planning process to ensure that the ACCESS vision and plan was well-aligned to the rapidly changing job market, including artificial intelligence (AI).”

“We are proud to be a partner in the ACCESS Lab Academy to expand access to computer science education and tech career pathways,” said Shanika Hope, director of Google’s Education for Social Impact team. “The collaboration across George Mason, NOVA, and LCPS will ensure students are not only equipped with core computing skills but will thrive in high-demand jobs of the future. Together we are working to close equity gaps in computing education and give all students the opportunities they deserve to succeed.”

“NOVA looks forward to partnering with ��AV and Google on the ACCESS Academy to help prepare students for rewarding careers in information technology,” said NOVA President Anne M. Kress.

“ACCESS Academy is an innovative program to help prepare students with workplace skills that will help set them on a pathway for career and educational success,” said Ashley Ellis, chief academic officer, LCPS. “We are grateful for partners like Google that support and reinforce this innovation in education.”

CEHD will also be incorporating AI learning into the ACCESS Academy program, including the self-paced online course Google AI Essentials and Generative AI for Educators training course created with MIT. Google will also be collaborating with CEHD to design hands-on, immersive field experiences for ACCESS Academy students.

Roberto Pamas, CEHD School of Education faculty, will serve as the director of ACCESS Academy. Pamas and the ACCESS Academy leadership team are working with Google and the other lab school partners to develop the curriculum and course offerings and assess staffing requirements and other resource needs.

ACCESS Academy is one of two lab schools launching at George Mason. The Virginia Board of Education also approved funding for George Mason to launch the Shenandoah Valley Rural Regional College Partnership Laboratory School for Data Science, Computing, and Applications (DSCA), a collaborative partnership between the university and Frederick County Public Schools, as well as six rural and rural-fringe school districts in the Shenandoah Valley including Clarke County, Fauquier County, Page County, Shenandoah County, Warren County, and Winchester Public Schools, along with Mountain Vista Governor’s School and Laurel Ridge Community College.

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9/11 Day of Service was a day of reflection and community service—for all ages

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