Campus / en Mason is a hole in one for this freshman golfer /news/2023-09/mason-hole-one-freshman-golfer <span>Mason is a hole in one for this freshman golfer</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/266" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Damian Cristodero</span></span> <span>Thu, 09/21/2023 - 14:09</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--70-30"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p><span class="intro-text">J.J. Powell sat facing the door leading into the main floor of AV’s Johnson Center, and fixated on the steady stream of students entering the building.</span></p> <p><span><span><span>“Just watching people coming through that door,” he said. “I’ve never seen the amount of different people in one setting. It’s really cool.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Powell has a golf scholarship at Mason. He also is studying </span><a href="https://business.gmu.edu/programs/undergraduate-programs/bachelor-science-business/finance-concentration"><span>finance</span></a><span> in the </span><a href="https://business.gmu.edu/"><span>School of Business</span></a><span> to supplement what he hopes will be a career as a professional golfer.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>When considering where to attend college, the freshman from Richmond, Virginia, said Mason’s diversity—U.S. News & World Report ranks the university seventh among public institutions and No. 1 in Virginia—was a significant factor. </span></span></span></p> <p><iframe align="right" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="600" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MSAsmjg5AAc" title="YouTube video player" width="300"></iframe></p> <div style="background-image:url(https://content.sitemasonry.gmu.edu/sites/g/files/yyqcgq336/files/2022-10/img-quote-BGgraphic.png); background-size:60%; background-repeat:no-repeat; padding: 3% 3% 3% 6%;"> <p><sub><span class="intro-text">  One hundred percent, without a doubt,” Powell said. “I want to learn about people’s cultures, meet new people, and just be more aware and mature.”</span></sub></p> </div> <p><span><span><span>“He’s just a great kid, a really high-character person,” said Greg Pieczynski, head coach of Mason men’s golf team. “That’s something we look for, as well as golf ability.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Powell became interested in golf at age 6, he said, when he noticed his father playing a Tiger Woods video game. Eventually, his father took him out to a driving range to hit some balls.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Powell laughed recalling videos of himself swinging clubs at 9 and 10 years old. He could always make good contact, he said, and he knew how to think the game.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>But his mechanics?</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>“Probably not,” he said, “My swing was terrible.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Clearly that has been remedied as Powell, playing for St. Christopher’s School, was Virginia’s high school player of the year in 2022, and was all-state twice.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>“We know the talent he has and the ré</span><span>sum</span><span>é</span><span> he has,” Pieczynski said. “I think he was interested in us and heard about the benefits of playing for our team. We develop players and make them better. He was in a situation where he was looking for that.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>“We’ve also proudly built a reputation in a very short amount of time as a program that wants in-state talent,” Pieczynski added. “We have a diverse group on our team, which appealed to him as well.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Powell said he took to heart the words Mason President Gregory Washington delivered at New Student Convocation about how Mason’s campus already looks the way the United States will look in 2060.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>“If you’re so used to seeing one group of people and you get out into the world, it’s culture shock,” Powell said. “You don’t understand their background. So, it’s helpful, especially in the business world, to be able to work with different people.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>On the golf course, as well.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>“I just hope to gain knowledge and maturity,” Powell said. “I’m only 19, so I’m bound to make plenty of mistakes. But I hope Mason is going to shape me to be a really good role model for other kids growing up, or even my kids when I get older. I think Mason is the place for me to achieve that.”</span></span></span></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="442dbace-02fa-49d3-8971-6c838b8c3756" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="0c053b32-ebb7-4990-81b6-108e1728e283" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="06cdf0bf-1736-411f-876e-14faab414c3c" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="ecca5de4-7859-493a-987a-07cb85451765" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:call_to_action" data-inline-block-uuid="66190d67-b7f3-44b4-884e-ff430895fb55"> <div class="cta"> <a class="cta__link" href="https://gomason.com/sports/mens-golf"> <h4 class="cta__title">Learn more about golf at Mason <i class="fas fa-arrow-circle-right"></i> </h4> <span class="cta__icon"></span> </a> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="9c7b8d9b-efa5-47df-8c06-ce21279c05e3" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="03625c23-bd90-427d-9d9b-47cea52cdf1a" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="7319bf13-d559-4ff1-aff9-eed4d9c0fae3" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:news_list" data-inline-block-uuid="c78f7fa8-da3d-4dcb-9871-f67326ffb7c1" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocknews-list"> <h2>Mason Athletics News</h2> <div class="views-element-container"><div class="view view-news view-id-news view-display-id-block_1 js-view-dom-id-076fbc2bcc73437011c3e0af520eca26c84e977bdc40ce6f6ce249c42b1ee02f"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="news-list-wrapper"> <ul class="news-list"><li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-12/george-mason-bov-approves-design-student-athlete-center-adopts-institutional" hreflang="en">George Mason BOV approves design for student-athlete center, adopts institutional neutrality principles</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">December 11, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-12/world-mlb-no-longer-inside-baseball-statistics-student" hreflang="en">The world of MLB is no longer ‘inside baseball’ for this statistics student</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">December 6, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-09/george-mason-athletics-marks-50-years-womens-volleyball" hreflang="en">George Mason Athletics marks 50 years of women’s volleyball</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">September 25, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-08/first-year-setter-tuana-ozarpaci-learning-fast-about-us-and-division-i-volleyball" hreflang="en">First-year setter Tuana Ozarpaci is learning fast about the U.S. and Division I volleyball</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">August 29, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-08/retro-mason-muzzio-places-fifth-barcelona-olympics-1992" hreflang="en">Retro Mason: Muzzio places fifth at the Barcelona Olympics, 1992</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">August 5, 2024</div></div></li> </ul></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--30-70"> <div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/11731" hreflang="en">Campus</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/336" hreflang="en">Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/761" hreflang="en">Mason Athletics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/3106" hreflang="en">Finance</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/1061" hreflang="en">Costello College of Business</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/12501" hreflang="en">Costello College of Business News</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Thu, 21 Sep 2023 18:09:00 +0000 Damian Cristodero 108696 at Schar School Kicks Off Learning Communities with Appearance by President Washington and a Scavenger Hunt /news/2021-09/schar-school-kicks-learning-communities-appearance-president-washington-and-scavenger <span>Schar School Kicks Off Learning Communities with Appearance by President Washington and a Scavenger Hunt</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/586" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Andrew J Schappert</span></span> <span>Tue, 09/21/2021 - 11:18</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--30-70"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_associated_people" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-associated-people"> <h2>In This Story</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-associated-people field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">People Mentioned in This Story</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/president" hreflang="und">Gregory Washington</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/pmandavi" hreflang="und">Peter Mandaville</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/emcglinc" hreflang="und">Eric McGlinchey</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/helshazl" hreflang="und">Heba F. El-Shazli</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><figure role="group" class="align-right"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/styles/media_library/public/2021-09/schar-scavenger-hunt-library-challenge-400x400.jpg?itok=VH_esQVd" width="220" height="220" alt="Five students in masks stand in front of bookshelves." loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Searching the stacks: The scavenger hunt took Schar School undergrads into the Fenwick Library.</figcaption></figure><p><span><span><span><em><span><span><span>The Schar School of Policy and Government instituted three new “learning communities” for its undergraduate students for the fall of 2021: the Democracy Lab, the Undergraduate Research Community, and the International Relations Policy Task Force. In late August, the Democracy Lab students, who will share experiences on- and off campus, heard AV President Gregory Washington deliver a stirring inaugural address on racial justice. Also in August, all three communities participated in a whimsical-if-competitive scavenger hunt.</span></span></span></em></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Schar School students, many of them in their first year at Mason, were split into nine teams and given clues that sent them all around Mason’s Fairfax campus to complete different tasks. The clues guided students to fun, but also important, places on campus. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Students learned their way around campus and discovered some of the many resources available to them at Mason and the Schar School. They learned what the oldest buildings on campus are as well as where the newest one is; they learned where to find Mason’s president’s office (he wasn’t in), the library, the bookstore, and the writing center.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Students also discovered where they can go to find academic advisors, professors, or anyone in the Schar School who can provide answers to their questions. Some of the faculty were at the event to introduce themselves to the students—including learning communities faculty directors Peter Mandaville, Eric McGlinchey, and Heba El-Shazli—with the idea of making students more comfortable and therefore more likely to engage with and utilize their support team. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <figure role="group" class="align-right"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/styles/media_library/public/2021-09/Schar-Scavenger-Hunt-Molly-Reed-400x400.jpg?itok=Q-iyMZBe" width="220" height="220" alt="A young woman in a mask holds up several books." loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Democracy Lab resident advisor Molly Reed displays her scavenger hunt findings.</figcaption></figure><p><span><span><span><span><span><span>“The event was a great way to meet professors and students in Schar School in an informal way,” one sophomore participant commented. “I got to make friends with people that I have classes with but would not have been confident in speaking to them. My overall take away from the event was the importance of community and group members. The fact that we were divided into groups made the event more fun.” </span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>One of the biggest appeals of learning communities is the genuine community students build and the relationships formed with other students and faculty. The scavenger hunt kick-off was a good way to introduce students to the community as an initial step to becoming closer and to bolster success.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/13021" hreflang="en">Democracy Lab</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/13026" hreflang="en">Undergraduate Research Community</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/13031" hreflang="en">International Relations Policy Task Force</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/11731" hreflang="en">Campus</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/12776" hreflang="en">Schar School News September 2021</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/17756" hreflang="en">Democracy Lab Learning Community</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Tue, 21 Sep 2021 15:18:46 +0000 Andrew J Schappert 53456 at