Mason Spirit, Spring 2022

SPIRIT

S P R I N G 2022

A M A G A Z I N E F O R T H E G E O R G E M A S O N U N I V E R S I T Y CO M M U N I T Y

R E E L I N G I N T H E Y E A R S | P L A N T I N G T H E S E E D S O F S U CC E S S | F O C U S O N T H E F U T U R E

In celebration of the university’s 50th Anniversary, Mason was recognized by the Virginia General Assembly for “extraordinary efforts to promote educational access and excellence in the commonwealth” with proclamations read in the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate on February 3. Photo by Bob Brown/Richmond Times-Dispatch

About the Cover The cover shows the jumbotron at the Capital One Arena celebrating Mason during the Atlantic 10 basketball tournament this spring.

Photo by Ron Aira. Cover design illustration by Jeeun Lee Namgoong.

This year the Mason Nation supported the Green Machine during Mason Vision Day. See story on page 5.

Connect with George Mason University on social media for news, events, and more! @georgemason @georgemasonu @georgemasonu @georgemasonuniversity

#MasonNation gmu.edu

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DEPARTMENTS

Reeling in the Years Mason has experienced so many changes over these five decades, from the price of parking permits to the inception of dearly held Mason traditions. Here’s a look at student life by decade.

Planting the Seeds of Success The university’s story wouldn’t be complete without paying special attention to the role philanthropy has played in bringing Mason to where it is today.

With a Future This Bright, We’re Going to Need Shades With so much planned for the years ahead, Mason is just getting started. Check out what you can look forward to in our next half century.

45 CLASS NOTES

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3 FROM OUR READERS

ALUMNI PROFILES

4 @MASON 13 PATRIOT PROFILE

From the Alumni Association President

44 Virginia “Ginny” Espina, PhD Biosciences ’13 47 Shaza Andersen, BA Area Studies ’89 49 Alexander Hammett, BA Film and Video Studies ‘21

MORE ON THE WEB When you see this graphic, follow it to the magazine’s website for more: spirit.gmu.edu.

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MASON SPIRIT

FIRST WORDS

A MAGAZINE FOR THE GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY

spirit.gmu.edu

DIVERSIT Y, INCLUSIVIT Y, GRIT, AND AUDACIT Y Reflecting on George Mason University’s first 50 years informs how we think about its future. We believe there are four characteristics that got Mason to where it is today and will get us to where we want to go tomorrow—diversity, inclusivity, grit, and audacity.

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These attributes make us different. We embrace different.

Our diversity of origin, identity, circumstance, and thought allows us to see the world more completely and to think more creatively, which yields greater impact in solving grand challenges. Not only are we Virginia’s most diverse, no other university in America has Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter living next door to Antonin Scalia like we do with two of our schools at Mason Square, our renamed campus in Arlington. Mason Square has become a place where we are redefining collaboration among students, faculty, industry, and government.

Mason offers an opportunity for success for everyone through various programs, including the Mason Virginia Promise, a pathway to a bachelor’s degree—while meeting 100 percent of the students’ financial need—or help starting a business for any Virginian who wants it.

Some universities judge their worth by how many applicants they exclude. We’re proud to accept 90 percent of those who apply, because ultimately more than 80 percent graduate, with the same high levels of academic performance across demographics. We feel we have the greatest impact serving the many, not the few. And Mason offers students access to the best in faculty and academic programs in proximity to the Nation’s Capital, one of the most dynamic regions of the country.

Our grit is ingrained. It had to be. For decades starting in the late 1940s, influential Virginians around the state resisted the idea of a major university in Northern Virginia. The university’s founding fathers had to fight for anything we earned, and we are still fighting: for our fair share of resources, for recognition, and for respect.

Our students can relate. Many have had to overcome bias or barriers to attend college. Some are the first in their family to pursue a degree, while others are working full time and raising families. Some come to Mason out of the military or to shift careers. There is no “typical” Mason student. But there is a shared tenacity and grit that keep them striving for more.

M A N AG I N G E D I TO R Colleen Kearney Rich, MFA ’95 A S S O C I AT E E D I TO R S Melanie Balog Priyanka Champaneri, BA ’05, MFA ’10 Rob Riordan, MPA ’19 E D I TO R I A L A S S I S TA N T Madison Rudolf CO N T R I B U TO R S Mariam Aburdeineh, BA ’13 Damian Cristodero Jeanene Harris John Hollis Rebecca Kobayashi Katie Maney Anna Stolley Persky Anne Reynolds Corey Jenkins Schaut, MPA ’07 Preston Williams D E S I G N A N D I L LU S T R AT I O N Claire Brandt Joan Dall'Acqua Jeeun Lee Namgoong Azriel Towner P H OTO G R A P H Y A N D M U LT I M E D I A Ron Aira Shelby Burgess Melissa Cannarozzi Evan Cantwell, MA ’10 Sierra Guard P R O D U C T I O N M A N AG E R Brian Edlinski E D I TO R I A L B O A R D Stephanie Aaronson, BA ‘94 Deputy Vice President for Communications and Mason Media Paul G. Allvin Vice President for University Branding and Chief Brand Officer

Finally, our founding fathers were audacious. Audacity led to our launching an engineering program and acquiring a law school, neither of which the state wanted us to have. That audacity also led to Mason researchers developing a large-scale COVID-19 testing system in record time to meet our community’s critical needs, and to a Carter School team brokering a peace agreement with warring factions in the Congo.

Trishana E. Bowden Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations

Diversity. Inclusivity. Grit. Audacity. These four words have defined Mason’s story and will shape our next half century. We have big plans, and I look forward to including you in all of them.

Jennifer W. Robinson, JM ‘02 Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations

Gregory Washington President, George Mason University Follow President Washington on Twitter at @gmupres.

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Kathleen Diemer Associate Vice President for Advancement Relations Robin Rose Parker Assistant Vice President for Communications

Mason Spirit is published three times a year by the Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations and the Office of University Branding. George Mason University is an equal opportunity employer that encourages diversity.

FROM OUR READERS

Still Proud to Be a Patriot ➤I received my master’s in music education from Mason in 1988. I look forward to receiving the Mason Spirit magazine in the mail. I always read a few articles while having breakfast, savoring the glossy spread along with my raspberry on English muffin. This issue (Fall 2021) was no exception… …until I got to the article titled “What Does It Mean to Be a Patriot?” The intro was good and appealing. Then the bios began. The first three were athletes who participated on the 2006 basketball Final Four team. Then there was a soccer player and a rugby player. Since Mason isn’t known particularly as a “jock” university (my undergrad was from the Ohio State University for reference), this was kind of a visceral jab. It sort of felt like reading about that guy who lives on his laurels from the high school football team (even though those quoted athletes did go on to bright futures).

I would have started with the really interesting story of the student who bumped into Patriots in London. As it was, I only read a few more bios and then sat down to write this. Apologies to everyone I skipped.

On a happier note, before the pandemic, I had an opportunity to come on campus for the first time in many years. I got lost several times—it has expanded so magnificently. There were funny little robots running around! But it still had the same feeling of comfort in diversity—the opposite sense I had when touring other Virginia campuses when my children were doing college visits—and the energy of purpose I knew in 1988.

I remember posting a photo and a caption on my Facebook page—”still proud to be a Patriot.”

Jeanne Crowley, MM Music Education ’88

Back for Basketball ➤I wanted to let you folks know that yesterday I attended my first Mason basketball game in many years. The last time I went to a game was when Jim Larrañaga was the coach over a decade ago. Mason beat GW [George Washington] 69-62. The atmosphere at EagleBank Arena was great. Doc Nix and the Green Machine, the Masonettes, and the cheerleaders were very entertaining. I am a loyal Mason alum!

Greg Paspatis, BA History ‘83

We want to hear from you.

Letters to the editor are welcomed.

Send correspondence to Colleen Kearney Rich, Managing Editor, Mason Spirit, 4400 University Drive, MS 2F7, Fairfax, Virginia 22030.

Or send an email to spirit@gmu.edu.

Thank You Some of the photographs in this issue are from the Broadside Photograph Collection and the George Mason University Photograph Collection held by the University Libraries’ Special Collections Research Center (SCRC). We would like to thank the SCRC archivists for their help and support throughout the year in pulling together these memories.

Need to change your address or update contact information with us? Or prefer not to receive the magazine in the mail any longer?

Just let us know via email at development@gmu.edu.

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4 Did your class or group celebrate a tradition that you would like to share with the Mason Nation? Tell us about it at spirit@gmu.edu.

To learn the Fight Song from Doc Nix, visit bit.ly/gmufightsong.

Subscribe to the official Mason YouTube channel to watch more! @georgemason university

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Mason Nation United in Tradition

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oday, Mason has several bustling campuses with an ever-growing student population from all 50 states and 130 countries. There’s so much that unites this diverse community in the Mason experience, including one very particular thing: the university’s numerous fun and quirky traditions.

Decorating George 1 Often draped in Mason gear and grasping green and gold balloons, the George Mason statue is an unmissable landmark on the Fairfax Campus. To advertise activities or celebrate university milestones, student groups jump at the chance to dress and decorate George.

The Magic Toe 2 Statue traditions include superstition as well. Students often rub George’s golden left toe on their way to class, especially before a big paper or hard exam. Why? For good luck, of course. On the flip slide, legend says that stepping on either of the plaques around the statue could mean you won’t graduate in four years. Worse yet, a prospective student who steps on the plaque won’t even get in.

A Photo with George During Commencement season, many new alumni and their families dash to Wilkins Plaza to snap a picture with the statue. Can you say you’ve officially graduated if you haven’t had your photo taken in your cap and gown with one of the best-known landmarks on campus?

Bench Painting 3 The benches on the Quad in front of Student Union Building I are still a popular gathering spot. Each spring, more than 500 student organizations fiercely compete for the opportunity to paint their own bench with their group’s name, mission, and colors.

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Winter Homecoming 4 This longstanding Mason tradition is uniquely nontraditional.

For over a decade, the Mason community has turned out in full support each February (yes, February) for Homecoming.

This winter celebration gives the Mason Nation the opportunity to gather and show their Patriot Pride for the university’s prized men’s and women’s basketball teams.

Class Signs 5 While rubbing George’s toe simply caught on, other traditions have been specifically planned to support and commemorate Mason students. Take, for instance, the opportunity for incoming students to adorn their class sign with personal signatures each summer at Orientation. The signs are displayed on the Fairfax Campus and, upon graduation, the Alumni Association hosts a champagne toast at that year’s sign to welcome the newest Patriot alumni.

Fight Song “Patriots brave and bold!” There’s nothing like rocking out with Mason’s Green Machine to “Onward to Victory!” by Michael “Doc Nix” Nickens to rally a crowd and spark school spirit. You know all the words, right?

— Madison Rudolf

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Q&A with Alan Byrd, Dean of Admissions lan Byrd joined George Mason University as its dean of admissions in November 2020. Prior to Mason, Byrd served as the chief enrollment officer at the University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL), where he earned his PhD in educational leadership and policy studies. During his time at UMSL, Byrd set several new milestones for the university in enrollment growth, diversity, and graduation rates, while creating innovative new financial aid programs.

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Why did you choose Mason?

I was very impressed with the strength of Mason’s academic programs, the faculty, and its location so close to Washington, D.C. However, I was most impressed with the diversity and success rates of the Mason student body. I’ve spent a great deal of my career closing achievement gaps for underrepresented students, and to see that Mason was so solid and consistent at graduating all students at similar rates regardless of their backgrounds—that blew my mind.

Come Together

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pril 7 was this year’s Giving Day, which has been retooled for the milestone anniversary and is now called Mason Vision Day. Mason Vision Day provides an opportunity for the Mason community to come together to identify and support a deserving campus initiative. This year, more than 500 donors contributed more than $176,000 to support the Green Machine.

The Green Machine was chosen from nearly 50 submissions from the Mason community. In addition to having student musicians from every school, the Green Machine comprises alumni, faculty, staff, and even parents. It’s also more than a pep band—there are nine groups that make up the Green Machine Ensembles.

Learn more at masonvisionday.gmu.edu.

What are some of your goals for the Office of Admissions?

One thing that I noticed about Mason when I applied for the job is that we have very ambitious enrollment goals. Early on, I saw video of President Washington talking about Mason possibly growing to 50,000 students. That number might seem like a heavy lift in this climate, but I like our ambition and competitive spirit. I’ve worked in admissions and enrollment management for the last 21 years, and I’ve led multiple institutions to record enrollment. For me, 50,000 students is just another challenge. It gives me the opportunity put the things that I’ve learned over the course of my career to work and to do it on a larger scale. I am also very excited for the opportunity to expand our college access initiatives. As a first-generation college student, I’m a firm believer that higher education has transformative power for all.

There’s an opportunity for Mason to become a beacon of hope for every student in this region and throughout the state.

What was your experience like as a first-generation student?

I’m from a typical Midwest working-class family. My father was an open-road truck driver who left to work for weeks at a time. My mother primarily worked for the post office but usually had two or three jobs to make ends meet. They worked hard to create a better life for me and my siblings. I was very fortunate that I was able to earn both an athletic and academic scholarship to attend college. It meant a lot for me to be the first in my family to earn a college degree. Therefore, I take great pride in providing these opportunities for as many others as possible, especially for talented students who don’t believe they can afford college. W —Colleen Kearney Rich, MFA ‘95 Spring 2022 M A S O N S P I R I T | 5

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Say Hello to Mason Square

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CONCEPT RENDERING BY MASON INNOVATION PARTNERS/EYP

o reflect its stature as the new centerpiece of the Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor, George Mason University’s Arlington Campus is being renamed Mason Square, an urban destination of learning, collaboration, and economic development.

On Wednesday, April 6, as a part of the 50th Anniversary celebrations, Mason broke ground on Fuse at Mason Square, the new technology-forward building in Arlington.

“As the largest producer of computing graduates in Virginia, Mason is building a new model for education’s role in economic development,” says Mason president Gregory Washington. “Mason Square brings scholars, students, industry, and the region together at a destination unlike any other—one that will take ideas and research to market faster and drive policy and technology solutions forward for decades to come.”

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Designed for the needs of the next generation of Northern Virginia’s technology workforce, Fuse at Mason Square is a first-of-its-kind facility bringing together the public and private sectors in collaboration. Fuse will house faculty and students working with the Institute for Digital Innovation and their partners and graduate programs from Mason’s new School of Computing.

Developed in partnership with Mason Innovation Partners, led by Edgemoor Infrastructure and Real Estate, the nearly 345,000-square-foot Fuse will be a LEED Platinum, smart, net-zero-ready building with Fitwel 2-star and RELi resiliency certifications. It will feature a green roof for energy-efficient heating and cooling, an agile floor design to enable responsive team or project growth, and specialized labs for robotics, virtual reality, simulation, security, and data visualization.

Fuse at Mason Square will also feature community seating in a double-height atrium, a 750-seat theater-style multipurpose room, retail space, a public plaza, and a below-grade parking garage. Estimated completion for the building is summer 2025.

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obinson Professor James Trefil is the third George Mason University faculty member to reach the milestone of 50 years of service, but his story is a bit different.

Trefil taught at the University of Virginia before joining Mason’s then brand-new Clarence J. Robinson Professors Program in 1987.

A theoretical physicist and huge proponent of science literacy, Trefil has written extensively about science for a lay audience, including more than 50 books. With his colleague, Robinson Professor of Earth Science Robert Hazen, he created and taught the popular PROV 301 Great Ideas in Science, a class for nonscience majors that introduces ideas that have shaped the field, from the building of Stonehenge to the Big Bang.

A fellow of the American Physical Society, the American Association of the Advancement of Science, and the World Economic Forum, Trefil has received numerous awards including the Andrew W. Gemant Award and the inaugural AAAS Science Book Editor’s Award.

We sat down with him via Zoom to talk about his life, work, and role in Mason’s history.

On Mason’s early days Coming to Mason back then—we’re talking about the 1970s and 80s—it reminded me of these towns in Western movies with unpaved streets. I remember they brought the new faculty together for a reception at what was then the Patriot Center. We were looking out toward what would become the Center for the Arts. At that time, it was

just a swamp, and they had a drawing of what it was going to be like in the future with all these buildings. But I remember looking at that drawing and thinking, “In your dreams.” But it happened.

Watching this university grow has been an amazing experience.

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James Trefil Celebrates 50 Years of Service

On science literacy I wanted to teach what I called a scientific literacy course. The idea is very simple. To live in the United States in the 21st century, you really should know a little bit about science. You don’t have to be a scientist, but you should be able to read the newspaper. Then if somebody is talking about whether the use of stem cells is moral, you should know what a stem cell is. The course doesn’t have a lot of math in it, but it has these great ideas.

Robinson Professor Bob Hazen and I have taught it for many years. The first time I offered it I limited the enrollment to 10, because I didn’t know if I could actually do it.

But it went well. Bob and I are now working on the ninth edition of a textbook that came out of this course, The Sciences: An Integrated Approach. It’s used at a couple of hundred universities around the country.

Hear Robinson Professor Trefil’s story in his own words at bit.ly/jimtrefil.

Subscribe to the official Mason YouTube channel to watch more! @georgemason university

On establishing a College of Science I think probably the most important thing that I did for Mason was to chair the committee that founded the College of Science. I was asked to chair because I was the only scientist they could find who didn’t have a stake in how things turned out. In the end, I wrote the proposal that the Board of Visitors approved, and we now have a College of Science, which was important at that time. We were just getting into being a major research university. The College of Science has helped us do that. W —Colleen Kearney Rich, MFA ‘95

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Voices, Loud and Clear

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hen Wendi Manuel-Scott walks through the Enslaved People of George Mason Memorial, she sees more than an acknowledgement that the namesake of George Mason University was both an American patriot and a slaveowner.

She sees the result of Mason students asserting their voices.

“We want students to feel empowered,” says ManuelScott, a professor of history in the School of Integrative Studies. “We want students to carve out spaces to make our communities more inclusive and sustainable for all.”

That is exactly what happened in 2016 when students, mentored by faculty, delved into the littleknown legacy of George Mason IV. The result was the Enslaved Children of George Mason Project, which revealed the lives of the enslaved people who lived and worked at Gunston Hall, Mason’s home in Northern Virginia.

That project led to the Enslaved People of George Mason Memorial, which was dedicated in April as the centerpiece of the redesigned Wilkins Plaza on the Fairfax Campus and is the focal point of how the university is addressing its identity as it relates to a complicated patriot.

The memorial includes panels describing the lives of two of the enslaved at Gunston Hall: Penny, who was gifted by Mason to his daughter, and James, Mason’s personal attendant.

A fountain lined with a pattern of stones symbolizes an African custom practiced at Gunston Hall.

Enslaved people used the Gunston Hall site to pray

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and look to their origins across the sea, says Mason history professor Benedict Carton.

The fountain includes a quote from Roger Wilkins, the late African American civil rights leader, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, and Robinson Professor, for whom the plaza is named.

The four quotes added to the base of the George Mason IV statue, which is also part of the memorial, “exemplify four Masons in one,” says Mason historian George Oberle, BA History ’96, MA ’99, PhD ’16, director of the Center for Mason Legacies.

The quotes highlight the brilliant legal scholar, who penned the Virginia Declaration of Rights, which was the basis of our nation’s Bill of Rights; the defender of freedoms for a limited few; the enslaver of Black men, women, and children; and the father of nine who provided for his family.

“The memorial is an opportunity to face the fullness of who Mason IV was and who we are as an institution, in the past and present,” says Manuel-Scott. “The memorial gives us an incredible opportunity to reckon with the past and care for those erased by structures of inequality and domination.”

“It is a weighty responsibility,” she says. “An opportunity not to be taken lightly.”

—Damian Cristodero

Watch the video: bit.ly/EPOGM22 Subscribe to the official Mason YouTube channel to watch more! @georgemasonuniversity

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MASON

Mason Marks 50 Years with Yearlong Celebration Watch the video bit.ly/Masonat50.

Need some Mason at 50 gear? Visit bit.ly/Mason50thswag

Subscribe to the official Mason YouTube channel to watch more! @georgemason university

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n Friday, April 7, 1972, Virginia governor A. Linwood Holton Jr. signed into law Virginia General Assembly Bill H 210, which separated the college from the University of Virginia, and George Mason University was born.

Mason is celebrating that first half century and setting the tone for the next 50 years with a yearlong celebration that included a week of festivities in April.

“We are excited to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the university this year,” says 50th Anniversary Committee co-chair Rachel Lubar Quinn, BA ‘01, assistant vice president for events and operations in the Office of University Branding. “We are planning numerous events throughout the year to celebrate all the accomplishments the university has had over the last 50 years as well as the exciting plans for the future.”

During the week of April 4, the Mason Nation gathered on the Fairfax Campus to dedicate the Enslaved People

of George Mason Memorial and join in the 50th Anniversary Commemorative Celebration on April 7.

April 7 was also Mason Vision Day, formerly Mason Giving Day, during which people joined together online to support the Green Machine (see page 5).

Other events in April included two groundbreakings, one at Mason Square (formerly the Arlington Campus) and another at the Science and Technology Campus, and Mason Day on April 22.

“Our alumni have such fond memories of Mason, and we are excited to include them in all aspects of the 50th celebration,” says Jennifer Robinson, JM ‘02, 50th Anniversary Committee co-chair and associate vice president for alumni relations.

Those who have visited one of the campuses may have noticed that the university is also “decorating” to show our Patriot pride and create awareness of this

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From left, a Mason student takes a selfie during the 50th Anniversary Celebration on April 7 in the Johnson Center. President Gregory Washington ushers in Mason's next half century. Mason alumni Lamar Butler and Folarin Campbell talk about their time at Mason as student-athletes and members of the 2006 men's basketball team.

special milestone. Those who live in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area may have also noticed one of the Mason at 50 advertisements on Metro buses in traffic or the large splash ads at Dulles International and Reagan National airports. All are designed to help keep the spotlight on Mason throughout the year.

Additionally, Mason Athletics kicked off its yearlong celebration of women in sports, commemorating the 50th anniversary of Title IX at the women’s basketball game against George Washington University in January. In honor of the anniversary, Mason Athletics has put together a public service announcement and a series of “What It Means to Me” videos capturing the voices of Patriot alumnae who have thrived in athletics and in their careers in part due to the opportunities provided by the landmark legislation that prohibits sex-based discrimination at educational institutions.

Along with profiles of alumni, coaches, and administrators, Mason will look back at some of the milestone achievements of its women’s programs. You can find those videos at bit.ly/GMUTitle9.

A special 50th website—50th.gmu.edu—has been built to engage the Mason Nation in this special milestone and help those who are new to Mason learn how we got to this moment. The yearlong celebration will continue in the fall, and the website will provide a running list of events.

“It is a wonderful opportunity to bring people back to campus to showcase our amazing university,” says Quinn.

—Colleen Kearney Rich, MFA ‘95

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icking just one singular long-standing tradition at George Mason University is hard, but Mason Day usually comes out on top. The first Mason Day took place four years before the university’s first Commencement, and it’s been the event to look forward to ever since. Few things in Mason’s history have so consistently united the campus community.

■ It came from a University of Virginia tradition. In 1965, as a branch campus of UVA, George Mason College celebrated its first Founders Day (Thomas Jefferson’s birthday) on April 13. Yet the college couldn’t resist honoring George Mason on the very next day, April 14. Just a few years later, the college skipped TJ’s birthday altogether and celebrated only Mason Day on Friday of that week.

■ It was a nonstop party in the 1970s. During the 1970s, Mason Day moved away from soft drinks and informal speeches and became a mini-Woodstock, where bands played into the night and the beer flowed freely. By the late 1970s, there was a push to include Thursday night, and though this was never official, students could be found camping out the night before. Classes ended at 2 p.m. on Mason Day because the campus was quite small and everything was within earshot of the festivities.

■ Say bye-bye to the beer trucks. In 1987, Virginia raised the drinking age to 21. By 1988, beer was no longer served on Mason Day, but the bands played on and attendance grew.

■ Taking this party to the parking lots. In the 2000s, the festivities moved to Lot L on the Fairfax Campus to better accommodate the crowds. Soon, the music was joined by amusement park rides and food trucks.

■ The bands! The selection of the musical groups has always been up to the student committee running the day. The bands that have visited serve as markers for the time, including The Ventures, Clarence Clemons and the Red Bank Rockers, Slickee Boy, Oingo Boingo, Gavin McGraw, Violent Femmes, The Black Eyed Peas, and My Chemical Romance, to name a few.

—Colleen Kearney Rich, MFA ‘95

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Five Fun Facts about Mason Day

Charlotte Woodward

PAT R I O T P R O F I L E

George Mason University sociology student Charlotte Woodward has tirelessly advocated for the rights of people with disabilities—and she is being recognized for her efforts. In December 2021, U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced federal legislation named for her: the Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act (S.3301), designed to prevent discrimination by health care providers against people with disabilities who need organ transplants.

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE: In their statement, the senators noted, “The bill is named after Charlotte Woodward, an advocate with Down syndrome who received a heart transplant nine years ago and has fought to raise the issue of organ transplant discrimination in various states, including her home state of Virginia.”

FACING THE CHALLENGE: More than 25 states currently prohibit organ transplantation discrimination, but discrepancies exist across state laws, and delays in delivering relief to patients has made enforcement difficult.

Woodward’s February 2020 testimony before the Virginia General Assembly was an important step in seeing state legislation passed—unanimously—that prevents disability-based discrimination against people who need life-saving organ transplants.

NOW IT’S HER JOB: She works for the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), a human rights organization that supports and advocates for the Down syndrome community. As the community outreach associate, she has met with legislators, taken part in numerous advocacy events, served as editor in chief for an upcoming NDSS magazine, and has starred in several TikTok videos, one of which has had 4.4 million views.

ON A MISSION: In her advocacy for equal rights for the disabled community, Woodward is working on issues ranging from helping people with disabilities move into community employment settings to protection of federal benefits for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities who wish to marry. “I want society to be aware of the lived experiences of people with disabilities, as well as the abilities that they bring to the world, even though they were born into a world that wasn’t made for them.”

WHAT SHE DOES FOR FUN: An enthusiastic baseball fan, Woodward enjoys following the Washington Nationals. She is learning how to play electric guitar and has participated in the Global Down Syndrome Foundation fashion show, Be Beautiful Be Yourself.

PHOTO PROVIDED

QUEEN OF HEARTS: Born with Down syndrome and a congenital heart defect, Woodward underwent four surgeries as a child and received a heart transplant in 2012. She celebrated her 10-year “Heart​iversy” in January of this year. Since her lifesaving heart transplant, she has advocated for persons with disabilities to receive equal access to similar opportunities.

“I’ve been an advocate my entire life, and I’m always looking for the opportunity to help other people.”

Year: Senior Major: Sociology ​with a concentration in inequality and social change Hometown: Fairfax, Virginia

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REELING IN A lot can change in 50 years—and a lot can stay the same. As we celebrate Mason’s 50th Anniversary, we’re taking a look at all the changes Mason has experienced, from big transitions to smaller shifts. From the price of parking permits to the inception of Mason traditions dear to students past and present, we’re a very different institution from our beginnings in 1972—but in the ways that matter most, we’re exactly the same.

Photos provided by University Libraries’ Special Collections Research Center except where noted.

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THE YEARS

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1970s

“Students who use the university parking area must register their car(s) with the University Security Office.... Each vehicle must display on the left rear bumper the decal obtained for $1.00 from the Security Office at the time of registration.”

—From the Student Handbook, 1973–74

’72 In 1972, Mason acquired the North Campus (formerly Fairfax High School) because the university needed more classroom space.

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The Student Apartments, Mason’s first on-campus housing, opened in October 1977 and housed 498 students.

’79

In 1979, Mason acquired the Inter­ national School of Law and moved it to Arlington. A year later the school received accreditation from the American Bar Association. In 2008, the law school made the top of the U.S. News & World Report list of up-and-coming law schools.

1970 Fall enrollment is 2,134 undergraduates and 256 graduate students for a total of 2,390.

The Rathskellar in Student Union Building I was the hangout on campus.

’72

On Friday, April 7, 1972, Virginia Governor A. Linwood Holton Jr. signed into law Virginia General Assembly Bill H 210, which separated the college from the University of Virginia. With the stroke of a pen, George Mason University, as we know it today, was born.

James Corrigan, BIS ’81 In the historic 1972 photograph (above) of Governor Holton signing into law the General Assembly bill that separated George Mason College from the University of Virginia, a young man in a light-colored jacket stands just behind the governor’s right shoulder. Lean, bearded, James Corrigan, BIS ’81, keenly watches the signing.

“What I’m looking at is the pen,” he says with a laugh, nearly 50 years later. “Because I’m going to get the pen!”

Souvenir or no, Corrigan, then the student body president, recognized that he was a witness to history. “I knew when they made Mason a university, that things were going to be incredible,” he says. “The growth would be massive.”

Corrigan’s first years at Mason, from 1969 through 1972, were busy ones. A triple major in psychology, sociology, and social work, he also joined his fellow students in the political activism of the time. From working with the Vietnam Moratorium Committee, to distributing flyers with birth control information, to organizing with other Virginia universities’ student government presidents to work for desegregation, Corrigan advocated for change.

“Students wanted a say in what was happening in their education,” he says. “They wanted the university to become integrated, they wanted diversity on campus, they wanted diversity of opinions, and a good number of them wanted an end to the war. These were turbulent times in many ways, and what I tried to do was reflect the desire of the student body.”

After a break from his studies, Corrigan returned to Mason in the summer of 1980 to complete his degree. A friend had introduced him to the Fortran programming language, and he enrolled in computer courses through the Bachelor of Individualized Study (BIS) Program. With five computer courses in his final semester, he achieved his goal.

“The BIS program allowed me entrée into the technology field that was my life’s work,” he says.

Corrigan appreciates the university as it was in its earliest days. “I’d like to think that foundation that we laid, which also allowed for all kinds of opinions…that epitomizes what Mason was: people who value their own opinions and respected each other.”

—Anne Reynolds

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1980s ’84

’81 By 1984, more than 2,000 students lived on the Fairfax Campus.

’82

Mason’s Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), known as “The Patriot Battalion,” began in 1982 and frequently conducts training with other universities throughout the Washington, D.C., areas.

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Mason joined the NCAA in 1981.

1980 Fall enrollment is 13,293 in 70 degree programs.

International students represent 58 countries.

’87

Track-and-field athlete Rob Muzzio, BS ‘87, became Mason’s first NCAA individual national champion. He later went on compete in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.

’85

’85

In 1985, Mason became a founding member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA).

On November 24, 1985, George Mason University women’s soccer defeated North Carolina 2-0 to claim the first-ever NCAA National Championship at Mason in front of a record crowd of 4,500.

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1980s ’84

Created in 1984, the Clarence J. Robinson Professors Program attracts preeminent academics and award-winning scholars dedicated to teaching undergraduates.

’86

In 1986, the media descended upon Mason when economist James Buchanan won the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for his work on public choice theory. Buchanan led the Center for Public Choice at Mason until his retirement in 2007. He died in 2013.

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PHOTO BY EVAN CANTWELL

’87

Founded in 1987, the Early Identification Program supports the academic, career, and personal development of first-generation college-bound students.

Like many Mason students, Carolyn KreiterForonda earned her degrees while working full time and going to school part time. By day, she was a teacher at West Springfield High School in Northern Virginia, while at night she took classes at Mason.

“They kept adding new courses and degree programs, and I kept taking them,” she says. As a result, she holds three graduate degrees from Mason: MEd ’73, MA English ’79, and DAEd ’83. And she shares a milestone with the university: Her doctor of arts in education was the very first doctoral degree awarded by Mason.

Kreiter-Foronda began writing poetry at Mason, studying with poets Peter Klappert and Ai. Klappert is now professor emeritus of English, and Kreiter-Foronda says she grew quickly as a writer under his guidance.

“Not only was he a gifted teacher, but he was also a brilliant writer who knew how to talk about poetry in a way that even the beginning student could understand,” she says of her former professor. “Peter was the best critic of the genre that I’ve encountered in my 50 years of teaching.”

Kreiter-Foronda has published 10 books of poetry, cowrote a poem-play titled River Country, and coedited three anthologies.

Her work has appeared widely in magazines and journals. She has won numerous awards, including the Art in Literature: The Mary Lynn Kotz Award for her book The Embrace. In 2006, then-governor Tim Kaine appointed her Virginia Poet Laureate, a position she held until 2008.

In 2007, she was recognized by Mason’s Alumni Association as Alumna of the Year.

Kreiter-Foronda retired from Fairfax County Public Schools after 31 years, which allows her more time for her art. She is also an accomplished painter and sculptor and continues to teach, conducting art-inspired writing workshops for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Statewide Partners Program.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Carolyn Kreiter-Foronda, MEd ’73, MA ’79, DAEd ’83

’83

In 1983, Mason awarded its first doctoral degree, a doctor of arts in education.

—Colleen Kearney Rich, MFA ‘95

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1990s ’91

PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES

In 1991, Mason biology professor Geoffrey Birchard was asked to take half of a "clutch" of Komodo dragon eggs from the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., because the zoo couldn't handle all of them. In 1992, after incubating for 220 days, the very first Komodo dragon born in captivity outside of Indonesia hatched. Named Kraken, she was on exhibit at the National Zoo until her death in 2004.

The Freedom Aquatic and Fitness Center on Mason’s Science and Technology Campus is the result of an innovative partnership between Mason, Prince William County, and the City of Manassas.

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PHOTO BY EVAN CANTWELL

In 1995, telephone registration began.

’99

1990 Enrollment is 20,308.

International students represent 86 countries.

’96

’90

After more than 10 years of fundraising and a few years of construction, the Center for the Arts Concert Hall opened on October 6, 1990, with award-winning composer Marvin Hamlisch serving as host on opening night. Since then, the venue has welcomed millions for arts experiences with renowned artists from across the globe and has served as a cultural hub for Northern Virginia.

PHOTO BY STEVE J. SHERMAN

PHOTO BY ALEXIS GLENN

In 1996, the University Learning Center was dedicated and named for retiring President George Johnson. The JC, as it is affectionately referred to, quickly became the heart of the campus.

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PHOTO BY EVAN CANTWELL

1990s ’96

The George Mason Statue was dedicated on April 12, 1996. Created by Wendy M. Ross, the seven-and-a-half-foot statue shows George Mason presenting his first draft of the Virginia Declaration of Rights, which was later the basis for the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights.

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PHOTO BY NEIL ADAMS

’94

In 1994, Mason broke ground on 120 acres in Prince William County that was donated by IBM and local real-estate developers.

Originally called the Prince William Institute, that parcel, now the Science and Technology Campus, anchors the Innovation Park in that county. It opened for classes in 1997.

Now in its 23rd year, Fall for the Book is Northern Virginia’s oldest and largest festival of literature and the arts, bringing in authors such as Stephen King (pictured) and Amy Tan. Partners include the Fairfax County Public Library, the Fairfax Library Foundation, and the City of Fairfax.

PHOTO BY ALEXIS GLENN

’99

Archie Kao, BA ’92 Kao with Homecoming Queen Christina Bartlow, BA Government and Politics ‘91

about the event, which was declared a success with more than 2,000 people attending.

When actor Archie Kao, BA Speech Communication ‘92, was student body president in 1990–91, student life on campus was high among the priorities for Mason’s Student Government (SG). In fact, in an editorial Kao wrote for the Broadside in 1990, he promised that “a concentration of SG activity would be devoted to formation and promotion of programs that afford students as enriched a university experience as possible.”

At the time, Mason was still struggling to shed its image as a commuter school. Among the activities Kao was promoting was a winter formal called Patriot’s Ball and Homecoming, which then centered around soccer. Kao was elected Homecoming King for that 1990 celebration and was even quoted in a Washington Post article written

This was a few years before Kao starred as Kai Chen, the Blue Power Ranger of Power Rangers Lost Galaxy, and then moved on to CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, where he played audiovisual surveillance specialist Archie Johnson for 11 seasons. During his time on CSI, he was named by People magazine as one of the “Hottest Bachelors” of 2006. In recent years, the bilingual actor has divided his time between Los Angeles and Beijing, appearing as a series regular on Chicago P.D. and the Chinese series Breath of Destiny, My Dear Boy, and Nothing Gold Can Stay, among other projects.

Originally from Alexandria, Virginia, Kao considered law school and a career in politics before he was drawn to Hollywood. He had the good fortune to work with the late Betty White on his very first TV job on the short-lived sitcom Maybe This Time in 1996. On what would’ve been White’s 100th birthday, Kao shared a TV clip on Instagram (bit.ly/ ArchieKao) with a story about how White interceded with producers on his behalf so he wouldn’t miss the holidays with his family. “Betty White literally saved my Christmas,” he writes.

—Colleen Kearney Rich, MFA ‘95

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2000s PHOTO BY RON AIRA

PHOTO BY DAVID SMITH

’02

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In 2002, ArtCarved began selling an official George Mason ring, which includes the university seal on one side and the statue of George Mason with a background of the Johnson Center on the other.

’02

In 2002, Vernon L. Smith won the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for his pioneering work in the field of experimental economics.

Smith returned to campus in November 2016, just shy of his 90th birthday, for a ceremony renaming the Metropolitan Building on the Arlington Campus to Vernon Smith Hall.

2000 PHOTO BY ALICE PROUJANSKY

Enrollment hits 23,408, with a residential population of 2,860 and 116 degrees offered.

Students hail from 130 countries.

’00 In 2000, Deborah Willis, PhD Cultural Studies ‘03, won a MacArthur “Genius Grant” while a doctoral student at Mason. She is the only Mason alum to be awarded the fellowship.

’04

PHOTO BY EVAN CANTWELL

Mason became the largest public university in Virginia as it entered the new academic year with the largest student head count of any of the commonwealth’s four-year institutions.

’04

In 2004, Mason graduation gowns turned green—and environmentally friendly. In 2011 the university switched to Green Weaver caps and gowns, which are made from 23 20-ounce plastic bottles.

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2000s

’06

PHOTO BY EVAN CANTWELL

The Mason Nation celebrated the Patriots men’s basketball Cinderella run to the NCAA Final Four.

In 2011, the custom-built 32-inch Ritchey-Chrétien telescope was installed in the Mason Observatory by crane and had its “first light”—its first celestial observation after installation—on the evening of July 9.

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PHOTO BY EVAN CANTWELL

’11

PHOTO BY EVAN CANTWELL

In 2008, just two days into analyzing data as part of an astronomy field experience, Lisa Horne, BS ‘09, then a junior majoring in astronomy at Mason, discovered a galaxy. Horne was part of a select group of undergraduate students involved in the Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA (ALFALFA) Survey team, a major national project looking to map the sky. Her galaxy, called AGC #310842 (the number is based on when it was discovered) and sub-named “Lisa H,” is about 500 million light years away.

’08

Whitney Ward, BA ’08 When looking for a college, Columbia, Maryland, native Whitney Ward, BA Communication ’08, knew she wanted a place close to home so her family could come to her games.

The former Mason women’s basketball player says she was also swayed by the Patriot Center (now EagleBank Arena), Mason’s 10,000-seat arena. “I don’t think there are many women’s basketball teams that fill their arenas, but it still gave me the feeling of pride that I was playing at a Division I school that had the resources to support where I wanted to be in my athletics.”

PHOTO BY MASON ATHLETICS

Redshirted in her freshman year to recover from a torn ACL, Ward suffered the same injury her senior year, so a professional basketball career wasn’t in the cards for her.

“Injuries just chased me,” says Ward. “You’re playing basketball your whole life and that’s kind of your identity to some extent. Then [I had] to figure out who is Whitney from here on out.”

Now a commercial real estate entrepreneur in Atlanta, Georgia, Ward owns a real estate investing platform that provides services for her own principal acquisitions company as well as other companies. And it was that transition from college to the real world that makes her want to give back to Mason, specifically to student-athletes.

Ward is working with Mason’s women’s basketball head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis to start a mentorship program for the women’s team called Patriot Partners. Blair-Lewis had a similar program when she coached at Mount St. Mary’s.

Ward says they will partner an alumna with a current student-athlete in an effort to get an alumni network started and reconnect with the team. So far, she has about 20 alumnae volunteering.

“Everyone is really excited about it,” says Ward.

“These ladies are doing great things. There’s so much talent that comes through Mason.”

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2010s ’15

PHOTOS BY EVAN CANTWELL

Doc Nix and the Green Machine, Mason’s pep band, topped the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Best Pep Bands list in 2015.

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’10

The Office of Student Scholarship, Creative Activities, and Research was created in 2010, pairing undergraduates with faculty mentors and making student research a priority.

2010 Enrollment hits 32,067 with students enrolled in 186 programs. Almost 5,000 students are living on campus.

PHOTO BY EVAN CANTWELL

PHOTO BY EVAN CANTWELL

’13

In 2013, Mason joined the Atlantic 10 Conference.

’15

In 2015, Mason engineering students Viet Tran, BS Electrical Engineering ‘15, and Seth Robertson, BS Electrical Engineering ‘15, figured out that a thumping bass can do considerably more than get a party started when they concocted a fire extinguisher that uses low-frequency sound waves to douse flames as their senior design project. The media went crazy for the idea, and the duo received calls from around the world.

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2010s ’16

PHOTO BY RON AIRA

Names were changing in 2016. A $10 million gift from businessman and philanthropist Dwight Schar in 2016 inspired the School of Policy, Government, and International Affairs to become the Schar School of Policy and Government, and with a gift of $30 million to support the law school—the largest gift in Mason’s history—the Board of Visitors approved renaming the school the Antonin Scalia Law School.

’19

’15

In 2015, the Patriot Center became EagleBank Arena.

PHOTO BY JOHN BOAL

Starship robots first rolled onto the Fairfax Campus in January 2019, delivering food from campus eateries to hungry students, faculty, and staff. Mason was the first college campus to partner with Starship Technologies, and other universities soon followed.

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’18

In 2018, the Alumni Association celebrated its 50th anniversary with a gala in EagleBank Arena.

’18

In 2018, Mason and Northern Virginia Community College partnered to create ADVANCE, which provides streamlined pathways to more than 100 four-year degrees, saving students time and tuition dollars. More than 1,800 students participate in the program.

PHOTO BY EVAN CANTWELL

We’ve barely scratched the surface! To take your own trip down memory lane, check out the interactive timeline and some of the retrospective features on 50th.gmu.edu

Kevin Loker, BA ’12 Kevin Loker calls himself a curious person. That curiosity, as well as an urge to be involved, is what fueled his time at Mason.

“I was pretty involved in high school, and Mason presented far more opportunities for personal growth, as well as giving back to the community in some way, so it was a very enriching experience for me,” says Loker, BA Anthropology ’12. “I was able to pursue a lot of interests that I have and meet new people.”

PHOTO BY EVAN CANTWELL

Loker, a member of the Honors College, joined Mason’s Catholic Campus Ministry, which is where he says he met “people who are good for you while you are a student and good for you after you graduate.”

That included his future wife, Laura Mitchell, BS Economics ’13.

The 2012 George Mason University Alumni Association Senior of the Year, Loker ran Connect2Mason, a

website that covered student and university news, for three years. Two years after his graduation, Connect2Mason merged with the school newspaper, Broadside, to form Fourth Estate.

Loker interned for the Washington Post Live as an online content editor. He then worked for a year after graduation as a digital coordinator for the Online News Service. For the past nine years, he has worked at the American Press Institute, where he is director of strategic partnerships and research.

Interestingly, Loker says his anthropology studies are what best prepared him for his journalism career. “[The American Press Institute is] kind of an applied think tank for the journalism space, and my anthropology classes really influenced me in what I think communities are and should be for people,” Loker says. “It expanded my knowledge of different sources to turn to and gave me a good curiosity to think about journalism not in a J-school way.”

—Damian Cristodero

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PL AN T I N G T H E

SEEDS OF SUCCESS After 50 years, philanthropy continues to grow this university and help it meet the needs of an extraordinary region.

By Rob Riordan, MPA ’19

There’s a saying that the best time to plant a tree is 50 years ago. The second-best time is today.

PHOTO AND ILLUSTRATONS BY GETTY IMAGES

At George Mason University, we thrive in the shade of trees grown from seeds planted decades ago. That’s why the university’s story wouldn’t be complete without paying special attention to how philanthropy has helped bring Mason to where it is today. From tiny beginnings, the university now raises about $100 million in a typical year, and in the last few years its permanent endowment has grown dramatically, to nearly $200 million.

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It may surprise some to think of a public university as benefiting from private donations, but in fact charitable support is a major factor in the success of any growing university, public or private.

“When our alumni and friends donate, they give more than just their money,” says Trishana Bowden, vice president of advancement and alumni relations and president of the George Mason University Foundation.

“They give us their vote of confidence. They are choosing to invest in the success of our students. That’s a very important trust, and we seek to honor it every day.”

SETTING DOWN ROOTS Like the rest of the university, philanthropy at Mason was in its seedling stages in the 1970s. When George Johnson arrived as president in 1978, he began to bolster the young university by forming close relationships with regional business leaders. Among them was Clarence J. Robinson, a Mason advisor and supporter since the 1960s.

Upon his death in 1983, Robinson’s will granted half of his substantial estate to the university. Robinson had told Johnson that he wanted his bequest spent on people, not buildings. Johnson used the funds to establish the Robinson Professors Program, which attracted some of the nation’s top academics, like scientist Robert Hazen, and renowned professionals,

like the late Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Roger Wilkins. Robinson’s gift was one that helped put Mason on the map.

A few years later, another prominent businessman, Shelly Krasnow, partnered with Mason for the goal of developing a scientific institute “for the betterment of mankind.” When Krasnow died in 1989, the millions generated from his bequest of real estate were used to establish the Krasnow Institute, which contributed greatly to Mason’s emerging stature as a research powerhouse.

That’s not the only time that land donations played a significant role in Mason’s story. Point of View, the conference and retreat center that the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School

for Peace and Conflict Resolution opened in 2016, is located on 120 acres in southern Fairfax County, a gift from the late Edwin and Helen Lynch.

And the university president’s residence and property, known as Mathy House, was obtained in part through a 1983 gift from longtime benefactor Joseph “Sunny” Mathy.

Thirty-seven acres in Loudoun County, donated in 2009 by the Van Metre Corporation, were eventually sold a decade later, generating $20 million in funding for the current expansion of Mason Square (formerly the Arlington Campus).

The George Mason University Foundation (GMUF), the independent nonprofit organization dedicated to accepting private funds for the

GROWTH OF THE ENDOWMENT

2002 $30.5 million

2007 $54.6 million

2014 $70.2 million

2021 $189.2 million

2018 $91.8 million

1994 $12.5 million

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“So many people have seen the importance of the arts not just in their own lives, but in the lives of their friends and neighbors and the community at large.”

—RICK DAVIS

university’s mission, was formed in 1966. By 1998, the foundation reached what was then a major milestone: Its permanent endowment passed the $25 million mark. That year the foundation launched Mason’s first comprehensive fundraising campaign, aptly named The Campaign for George Mason University. The campaign concluded in 2005, having raised a total of $142 million.

THE ARTS GROW IN THE NORTHERN VIRGINIA COMMUNITY Beginning in the 1980s, President Johnson focused strongly on the performing arts as a way of uniting the community behind Mason. “George Johnson and his wife, Joanne, ​ organized big fundraising events for the arts. They were very successful, and they really helped get the ball rolling,” says Paul Kyle, a generous donor, fan, and Mason advocate for three decades.

“Many of the real estate developers and the regional banks at that time were leaders and benefactors in supporting Mason,” says Kyle, who joined the foundation’s Board of Trustees in 1998, was chair from 2003 to 2005, and remains a member today. “There was a groundswell of support across that whole community. They all recognized the value of Mason being here.”

The construction and opening of the Center for the Arts in 1990 were among the fruits of the labor of the Johnsons and many others.

PHOTO BY RON AIRA

The arts have continued to be fertile ground for philanthropy at Mason. “So many people have seen the importance of the arts not just in their own lives, but in the lives of their friends and neighbors and the community at large,” says College of Visual and Performing Arts dean Rick Davis, who arrived at Mason in 1991 and was appointed dean in 2015. “And then they realize that through philanthropy, they can make their love of the arts visible, as a lasting legacy.”

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“So, you look around our college and you see great names like de Laski of the beautiful de Laski Performing Arts Building and Dewberry of the Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music—and many more,” Davis continues. “When you get inspired by something, this is a way to give back that can inspire others as well.”

FOUNDATION TOTAL ASSETS BY FISCAL YEAR 2020 $459,289,058

500

Total Assets (Millions)

400 2015 $375,389,646 2010 $243,255,706

300

200

2005 $158,462,978

100 1985 $8,584,272

1990 $29,770,129

1995 $35,468,920

2000 $78,880,075

0 YEAR

THE GIVING TREE BLOSSOMS Our donors often say that at Mason they can see the impact of their gift right away. Because of the university’s youth and its commitment to admitting and graduating students from every background, Mason is a place where donations get put right to use to benefit students.

That was certainly the case with the Student Emergency Assistance Fund, begun in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 crisis. One of the most compelling episodes in the history of philanthropy at Mason, the fund showed the

power of many “small” gifts pooled together to make a difference in the lives of students. Through the Patriots Helping Patriots initiative, more than 4,200 donors contributed more than $900,000 to student emergency funds across Mason in a single year—money that helped hundreds of students struggling financially to pay rent, buy textbooks, and stay on track to graduate.

A vital Mason tradition is the forming of “friends of” groups, through which donors engage with each other and with the students their giving supports.

Many of these groups center around the College of Visual and Performing Arts, the Center for the Arts, and the Hylton Center and are especially popular and impactful. The Patriot Club, established in 1975, is another group of loyal donors and avid fans who support scholarships and facilities for Mason student-athletes in 22 Division I sports.

Philanthropy at Mason reached new heights with the Faster Farther campaign.

By its completion in 2018, the university had raised a record $690 million from 73,000 different donors. This

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The naming of the law school was made possible by two of the largest gifts in the university’s history, which funded scholarships for hundreds of law students over five years. More history was made in 2019 when the law school received a bequest of $50 million—the university’s largest ever—establishing the Allison and Dorothy Rouse Endowment, funding 13 new faculty chairs.

The names that grace buildings on several campuses bear witness to Mason’s history, honoring families who have made landmark gifts. Names like Nguyen (2009), Hylton (2010), and Peterson (2018), etched on Mason’s brick and steel facades, are tributes to the generosity of those donors.

The Hazel name is honored on the law school building in Arlington, and also through faculty positions and scholarships funded by the family.

Many others are recognized within campus buildings, their support enabling the classrooms, labs, galleries, and other spaces that serve the needs of students, faculty, and visitors.

Philanthropy also helps fund iconic projects like the Enslaved People of George Mason Memorial, dedicated in April on Wilkins Plaza at the center of the Fairfax Campus.

PHOTO BY RON AIRA

PHOTO BY CRAIG BISACRE

PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES

era included the naming of four schools in recognition of extraordinary philanthropic gifts: the Volgenau School of Engineering (2006), the Schar School of Policy and Government (2016), the Antonin Scalia Law School (2016), and the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution (2020).

Mason Square (formerly the Arlington Campus)

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Science and Technology Campus

THE PROMISE OF NEW GROWTH

“It’s our time as alumni to lead. The responsibility to move Mason forward for the next half century now lies with us,” says Alumni Association president Sumeet Shrivastava, MBA ’94. “Leadership means participating, advocating, and donating. That is how we can carry Mason to even greater heights.”

PHOTO BY CPT J. JENIEC/GMUPD UAS UNIT

Among the ambitious goals for the next several years are an $84 million fundraising need to help construct the new building in Arlington, a potential medical school to be located at the Science and Technology Campus, and a new headquarters for the School of Business.

While in the beginning the regional business community took the lead in building Mason, now the support of our rapidly growing alumni base, currently surpassing 220,000, will be critical to Mason’s success.

Fairfax Campus

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PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES

Over the next decade, philanthropy will become even more important to the university’s success. While more than 2,200 students receive donor-funded scholarship support annually, thousands more go without. That figure will need to grow dramatically to match the rising need. Similarly, it will take increased philanthropy to fund the endowed chairs and professorships that attract high-caliber faculty members.

WITH A FUTURE THIS BRIGHT, WE’RE GOING TO NEED SHADES 50 Years? We’re just getting started.

Mason has so much more planned.

BY PRESTON WILLIAMS

George Mason University has a history of rapid growth, rising to challenges, and embracing change. It has become part of our identity.

We thrive on academic and geographic expansion and on the eagerness to introduce new and innovative programs. We launch initiatives, open buildings, produce groundbreaking scholarship, and provide access to high-quality education.

We grow. It is what we do.

As we look to our second half century, it helps to envision the world Mason is preparing our students to enter. It is getting more diverse, more technology driven, more crowded, and more affected by climate conditions. Our job is to keep pace with that change.

That tireless drive to repair the world of today, and build the world of tomorrow, is what unites us at Mason. Patriots know the world is going to change.

Because together—we will be the ones who change it.

Take a look at some of Mason’s plans.

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CONCEPT RENDERING BY MASON INNOVATION PARTNERS / EYP

Developed in collaboration with Mason Innovation Partners, led by Edgemoor Infrastructure and Real Estate, Fuse at Mason Square will be a LEED Platinum, smart, netzero-ready building.

REIMAGINING MASON’S CAMPUSES Mason is in the middle of an intensive master planning process that has welcomed all voices—about 5,000 participants registered their ideas through an interactive online mapping survey, and another 2,000 participated in town halls or dozens of stakeholder meetings. Phase 2 of the process concluded in December 2021.

The master plan process emphasizes five points, which are shortened and paraphrased here: n Put strategy first by establishing distinct identities for the three primary campuses. n Cluster academic activity in a compact manner to encourage collaboration and surround these areas with student life to create a sense of place. n Make every dollar and every square foot count by efficiently using resources, with buildings and open spaces working together to serve the greater whole. n Connect places, people, and communities—both internal and external—and be mindful of aesthetics both with structures and the natural environment. n Embrace environmental stewardship to act sustainably.

FAIRFAX CAMPUS The long-term plans for a reimagined Fairfax Campus include a compact academic core linking three quads

surrounded by student residential and recreational activity to enhance the student experience, promote health and well-being, and define a sense of place. A linear park would wind through campus. Outdated buildings would be replaced by modern facilities to better serve Mason students, faculty, and staff. More faculty and staff housing would also be added.

ARLINGTON CAMPUS The 345,000-square-foot new building, Fuse at Mason Square, is home to the Institute for Digital Innovation and programs from the new School of Computing, and will enhance a campus now known as Mason Square, an anchor in the Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor. (See story on page 6 for details.)

A welcoming front plaza and mixed-use space will serve as an inviting pedestrian-friendly civic space for Mason and the host community.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CAMPUS The planned Innovation Town Center, to be built adjacent to the SciTech Campus in Prince William County, will blend into the campus with a proposed “main street,” providing seamless community connectivity to Mason buildings, including the Hylton Performing Arts Center. The new Life Sciences and Engineering Building will deepen the academic footprint on the SciTech Campus.

Spring 2022 M A S O N S P I R I T | 41

PHOTO BY LATHAN GOUMAS

CONCEPT RENDERING BY EYP

The new Life Sciences and Engineering Building on the Science and Technology Campus will provide highly specialized instructional labs, classrooms, and support spaces.

LEADING IN PUBLIC HEALTH Finding collaborative solutions to improving the public’s health is now more important than ever. Mason offers an interprofessional model to eliminate health disparities and to prepare the next generation of health leaders.

Toward these efforts, the university anticipates launching Virginia’s first College of Public Health in the near future.

Mason is also continuing to explore the possibility of adding a medical school on the SciTech Campus to focus on clinical training and help the state keep pace with growing health care needs.

MASON VIRGINIA PROMISE One of President Gregory Washington’s signature programs, the Mason Virginia Promise, delivers on his belief that Mason is first and foremost in the “success business.”

Mason junior Carlos Alvarez-Ayion helps Matias Nicholls of the Early Identification Program during a cybersecurity class at STEM Fusion.

For some students, that pathway to success—a Mason bachelor’s degree—begins at community colleges throughout the state. Those students will have access to transfer partnerships similar to the national model transfer partnership ADVANCE, which Mason has established with Northern Virginia Community College.

Other Virginia residents might be less interested in earning a degree and more interested in starting or growing their own business. They can receive guidance and

42 | 50 T H . G M U. E D U

support from the 27 Small Business Development Centers that Mason manages throughout the commonwealth.

With Mason’s infrastructure and statewide business resources, the university is well positioned to deliver on this promise.

As part of the Mason Virginia Promise, the university will expand the Early Identification Program (EIP), which works with area school systems to find potential college students from underrepresented groups and provide them with academic support to help them reach their academic goals. EIP has ushered more than 1,900 students to Mason degrees.

MASON TALENT EXCHANGE Another signature program, the Mason Talent Exchange, upskills and reskills workers for success in the postpandemic economy. There are more than 6 million unemployed people in the United States and more than 10 million job openings.

Mason will work with employers to provide the evolving talent they need by offering students microcredentials, courses, and certificates to meet that demand. Employers will do their part by providing scholarships and experiential learning opportunities to help develop their future workforce.

IN THE

NOW

NEXT 10 YEARS,

MASON HAS:

MASON WILL:

39,500+ PHOTO BY SHELBY BURGESS

STUDENTS

3,300+ STAFF

GROW STUDENT ENROLLMENT BY

GROW THE NUMBER OF FACULTY BY

GROW THE NUMBER OF STAFF BY

ADD AT LEAST

1,600+

10,000

FACULTY (FULL-TIME)

148

BUILDINGS

DYNAMIC NEW PARTNERSHIPS The digital innovation headquarters that Mason is building at Mason Square in Arlington is the kind of publicprivate partnership that will inform future growth at the university. These alliances will attract and engage Mason partners from industry, education, government, and the community, creating ecosystems that benefit the region.

The major innovation hubs in the country—Silicon Valley, Raleigh-Durham, and Boston, to name a few—all have universities that work together, and with industry and government, to maximize their potential and impact.

Mason has started this process with a pilot space in Vernon Smith Hall at Mason Square, foreshadowing the work that will be done in the new building.

CARBON NEUTRALITY Mason will be a leader in environmental sustainability with a goal to be carbon neutral by 2040. A defined greenbelt will run through the Fairfax Campus, and the new building at Mason Square will be certified as LEED Platinum and net-zero ready. Mason is accelerating action in response to the climate crisis by developing

400

400 5

NEW BUILDINGS

a new Climate Action Plan, an initiative led by a partnership between Mason Facilities and the Mason Sustainability Council’s Carbon Neutrality Task Force.

Mason’s Institute for a Sustainable Earth and Center for Climate Change Communication will continue to bring together the university community to pursue climate research and advocacy.

TELL OUR STORY Mason’s 50th Anniversary provides the opportunity to share the remarkable Mason story locally, statewide, nationally, and globally. Even in our own region, many are unaware that Mason is the largest and most diverse university in Virginia or has one of the nation’s fastestgrowing research portfolios.

In the past year, Mason has embarked on an extensive branding campaign to advertise in airports, on Metro, and in high-profile digital outlets—and even on campus—to heighten awareness of the George Mason University of 2022.

The Mason of 2072? You’ll have to stay tuned for that.

Spring 2022 M A S O N S P I R I T | 43

PHOTOS BY EVAN CANTWELL

class notes

Answering Research Questions that Matter

F

or as long as she can remember, Virginia “Ginny” Espina, PhD Biosciences ’13, has been captivated by science, a passion largely driven by her inquisitive nature.

“I’ve always asked questions,” says Espina. “Why? Is there a better way? How can I take what I already know and make a difference in the world?”

That same curiosity drives her in her research. “My laboratory philosophy toward research is ‘why, what if, and just try it,’” she says.

Virginia “Ginny” Espina

One does not have to look very hard to spot the differences she has made—Espina’s career is packed with accomplishments. A research professor at Mason’s Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, Espina founded the CAP/CLIA-accredited clinical proteomics laboratory for clinical trials, where she serves as technical director and manager. Espina also holds multiple patents with several colleagues from Mason.

Espina has been instrumental to Mason’s efforts to keep the university community safe during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In October 2020, Espina and her team pivoted to concentrate their research on COVID. In less than six weeks, they were able to develop and verify a saliva-based COVID diagnostic test that is currently being used at Mason. Espina also assisted in the creation of a COVID antibody test that monitors vaccine and virus responses.

44 | 50 T H . G M U. E D U

“Being part of the effort to fight the pandemic was exciting, but anxiety-producing,” says Espina. “However, we can now use what we learned for future infectious disease outbreaks and for our research platform in general.”

When not in the lab, Espina enjoys getting her family actively involved in science, from asking them to provide saliva samples for quality control to brainstorming ideas with her children for their science fair projects. Her interactions with her family have led to one of her defining moments as a scientist: the realization that she needed to be able to translate her research to make it accessible to the everyday person.

“As I explained my work to [my children], it dawned on me that being able to communicate your findings is what research is all about,” says Espina. “Success in research is the ability to describe what you do to many people.”

While Espina aims to leave a body of work for other researchers to build upon, her ultimate goal is to kindle a love for science in those she mentors.

“I want to instill a sense of curiosity and wonderment about the world,” says Espina. “Take that leap, be bold enough to just try something, and never be afraid to ask, ‘What if?’”

—Katie Maney

class notes

1970s

Janice (Lewis) Winters, MEd Elementary Education ’73, PhD Education ’00, is the dean of education for the Northern Virginia Baptist Association (NVBA), located in Gainesville, Virginia. She is the first woman in that role in the 144 years of the NVBA. Paul F. Nichols, JD ’78, is the 2021 recipient of the Virginia State Bar Family Law Section’s highest honor, the Betty A. Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award. The award recognizes substantial contributions made to the practice of family law in Virginia. Nichols has practiced law for nearly 43 years with the firm of Nichols Zauzig, located in Woodbridge.

1980s

Kathryn Trotter, BSN ’82, was elected to the board of directors of the National Association for Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health.

Trotter is a certified nurse midwife, a family nurse practitioner, and the lead faculty for the women’s health nurse practitioner major at Duke University’s School of Nursing.

Rita Kathleen Chow, BIS ’83, has received the Southern Gerontological Society’s 2021 Rhoda

Jennings Distinguished Older Advocate Award, in recognition of outstanding advocacy and leadership for older adults in the southern United States and for modeling successful aging through innovative contributions to society. While at Mason, Chow, who is an RN, received the 1983 Bachelor of Individualized Studies Award for Outstanding Project in the Public Interest.

David Brickley, JD ’84, is the founder and president emeritus of the September 11th National Memorial Trail Alliance. In 2001, Brickley dreamed of a 1,300-mile trail through six states connecting the three 9/11 memorials, remembering those who died that day.

President Biden signed legislation designating the National Memorial 9/11 Trail in October. Brickley was also a member of the Virginia House of Delegates for 22 years.

Carolyn (Kovach) Jarecki, BS Finance ’87, is a board-certified guidance coach at an elementary school in Wisconsin.

In response to the vast increase in children’s mental health issues during the COVID-19 shutdown, Jarecki wrote a book for parents titled Your Best Kid in 21 Days, based on her years of work with coaching children. It is available on Amazon.

Ed Linz, MEd Special Education ’88, published a new book, They Never Threw Anything Away: Memories of the Great Depression by Americans Who Lived It. The book is based on a series of more than 50 interviews conducted across the United States with different socioeconomic groups and provides a unique oral history of this challenging era.

Thomas Quinn, BA Government and Politics ’88, was appointed a magistrate in the 20th Judicial District of Virginia, following his retirement from the commonwealth’s executive branch.

Deborah L. Stevenson, BIS ’88, published 48 hardback photo books documenting historical sites in countries where she traveled, including Europe, Asia, North Africa, the Middle East, Australasia, the Caribbean, Central America, and the United States.

1990s

Michael Van Patten, MBA ’90, the chief financial officer of True Influence, a marketing technology firm, received a Prominent

Patriot alumni award from the School of Business in 2020.

Kevin Murphy, BS Public Administration ’91, was elected chair of the Norfolk City Planning Commission in January 2022. The Planning Commission is a seven-member body, appointed by the City Council, responsible for the review of land use and zoning matters for the city of Norfolk.

Miriam Van Scott, BA English ’92, published her debut novel. Bandun Gate, from Darkstroke Books, is a fact-based tale of paranormal activity set along the haunted shores of Charleston, South Carolina.

The story was inspired by actual events, including her daughter’s abduction, the discovery of a “cursed” site, and interactions Van Scott had with exorcists and cult members while researching the underworld.

Christian Curtis, JD ’93, authored the book Anthropolitics: The Rise of Homo Civilis, which was listed as a #1 new release on Amazon.

Heath Gertner, BA History ’93, wrote Dedicated to My

Muse and Other Inspirations, a poetry collection that represents the culmination of the author’s effort to honor his late mother’s memory— as she, more than anyone else, had urged him to move past his doubts and simply create.

Chiraporn Tatum, MAIS ’93, worked as a fitness instructor in Paradise, California, for almost 20 years, as well as an associate faculty member teaching kinesiology for 15 years at Butte-Glenn Community College in nearby Oroville.

She lost her job and her house when the Camp Fire struck Paradise in 2018.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, she wrote a novel, Paradise on Fire: An Incredible Life of a Woman of Three Worlds, which has been published as an e-book and is now available in print via Amazon.

Rhonda Vetere, BA Speech Communication ’93, has been named a Global Ambassador for Endurocad and ran the Cape Town Marathon in October with her friend, South African Olympic medalist Elana Meyer.

Vetere also participated in her third Serengeti Girls Run

What’s New with You? We are interested in what you’ve been doing since you graduated. Moved?

Gotten married? Had a baby? Landed a new job? Received an award? Submit your class notes to alumni.gmu.edu/whatsnew. In your note, be sure to include your graduation year and degree.

Spring 2022 M A S O N S P I R I T | 45

class notes

Dear Fellow Patriots,

T

he most enjoyable journeys tend to be full of unforeseen opportunities and moments of satisfaction. As my two-year term as Alumni Association president ends on June 30, it’s a moment for me to reflect on my Mason journey—and more importantly, on Mason’s own impressive journey.

My Mason journey began in the 1990s, sparked by my late father. After our family immigrated from India, my father earned a master’s degree in computer science and served as an adjunct faculty member at Mason. When he started his own company in the 1980s, some of its earliest successes were aided by the Mason students and alumni he hired. A decade later, the MBA Program allowed me to work and take classes simultaneously, which helped propel my own career. My wife received her engineering degree here, and we’re proud that one of our sons is about to graduate from the School of Business.

It’s been an honor to serve our alumni in this role, and this is not an end to my Mason journey—merely a transition point. My goal now is to continue making an impact by helping the university tackle even bigger challenges.

in Tanzania, where she ran 55 miles with armed guards to raise awareness about human and animal rights issues.

fax County Public Schools after 23 years as a learning disabilities and science teacher at W. T. Woodson High School in Fairfax.

Jennifer H. Allen, PhD Environmental Biology and Public Policy ’96, an associate professor in the department of public administration in the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University (PSU), has been selected as the Portland Professor in Environmental and Natural Resources.

Allen has spent more than 30 years working on sustainable development issues at the local, regional, and international levels. She currently serves as chair of the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission and as a senior fellow for climate resilience at PSU’s Institute for Sustainable Solutions.

Vernon L. Carter, BIS ’99, is the coauthor of A Man Inspired by God: The Art, Music, and Ministry of Elder Anderson Johnson, along with his wife, Yvonne Johnson Carter. The book is available via Gorham Printing.

Vernon Carter graduated from Mason with a degree in museum and gallery acquisition with a concentration in art history.

With Patriot Pride,

George Oberle, BA History ’96, MA ’99, PhD ’16, George Mason University history librarian and assistant professor, is a winner of this year’s I Love My Librarian Award. The director of the Center for Mason Legacies, Oberle was recognized by the American Library Association for his amplification of historically underrepresented voices and the dedication he brings to uncovering and teaching about hidden histories. He is one of just 10 librarians selected from more than 1,300 nominations from library users across the country.

Sumeet Shrivastava, MBA ’94 President, George Mason University Alumni Association

Jeff Root, MEd Special Education ’98, retired from Fair-

Mason continues its journey, too. Fifty years since becoming an independent university, that journey is far from over and is one worth celebrating and reflecting upon.

When the community and business leaders of that era helped establish Mason, they knew Northern Virginia needed its own university to fulfill the region’s potential for growth. Mason has since emerged into national prominence and global impact, dramatically surpassing that original vision. We can take pride in knowing that our alma mater is a place where everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow, and accomplish great things.

Our five decades of alumni comprise a dynamic group 220,000 strong. Just as we have benefitted from the help of others, we now have the responsibility to move Mason forward for the next 50 years. We, the alumni, must pick up the torch by participating, advocating, and donating. That is how we carry Mason to even greater heights. Fellow Patriots, it’s our time—and more importantly, it’s Mason’s time.

46 | 50 T H . G M U. E D U

Shawn Purvis, MS Information Systems ’99, was appointed president and CEO of QinetiQ U.S., a security and defense contractor.

A former member of the Board of Visitors, Purvis was previously corporate vice president at Northrop Grumman.

2000s

Jennifer Vasquez, BA Government and International Politics ’01, was named vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion by the NBA’s Golden State Warriors.

Most recently, Vasquez led Amgen’s global diversity, inclusion, and belonging efforts. She holds a master of science degree in intercultural studies and an MBA from Florida International University.

Jennifer Gauthier, PhD Cultural Studies ’02, has authored a collection of poetry, titled naked: poems inspired by remarkable

class notes

Rohit Bhargava, MA English ’03, wrote the book Beyond Diversity, published in November. It is his eighth book, including the best-selling Non-Obvious.

Bhargava is an entrepreneur, marketing strategist, speaker, author, and an adjunct professor of storytelling and marketing at Georgetown University.

Julia (Kang) Chang, BA Communication ’03, was crowned Mrs. Maryland America 2021. She has been published in Korean and U.S. media publications, had tea with Maryland first lady Yumi Hogan, and graced the Mrs. America stage. Her platform, Master Your Motivation, inspires men and women to break through their limiting beliefs to reach big goals.

Chang is also a 4th-degree Taekwondo master, mom of three, and mindset + motivation coach. Her workshops are available online via juliachang.net.

Victoria Jabara, MS New Professional Studies ’04, established the Khalid Jabara Foundation with her brother Rami to develop children’s programming centered on peace and justice. Their efforts to prevent future tragedies surrounding discrimination inspired the federal Jabara-Heyer (continued page 48)

PHOTO BY RON AIRA

women. Gauthier’s poems seek to uncover the voices of women who have been forgotten or neglected by official history, as well as women whose contributions are just being recognized.

Entrepreneur Fully Embraces Change

L

ike many George Mason University students, Shaza Andersen, BA Area Studies ’89, balanced several responsibilities alongside her academics. She participated in Student Government and other activities, and also worked as a bank teller. Through experiences like those, Andersen found that being fully involved in everything she does has never disappointed—whether as a student or in her career.

Andersen’s work experience as a student confirmed that banking was right for her. When she graduated, she accepted a job at a bank and a place in their management training program. In the following years, Andersen says that she never considered any job beneath her.

“There is no substitute for showing up and doing the work…,” she told the graduates at Mason’s Winter Graduation in December 2021, “and nothing can replace the importance of the network of relationships you build as you grow your life and career.”

Andersen, who came to the United States from Lebanon as a child, has lived through many changes and learned they are not to be feared. She instead treats change as opportunity. This mindset helped her become the chief operating officer of WashingtonFirst Bank, which she guided from a single branch to significant financial success. “Starting a new bank from scratch was just the challenge I needed because it forced me to grow,” Andersen says.

After that bank was acquired, she had both the team and the network in place to found Trustar Bank in 2019, where she is currently chief executive officer. Trustar Bank is the first Virginia community bank to be chartered in more than a decade.

Andersen has been recognized by American Banker as one of the Top 25 Women to Watch, twice selected as a Top Banker by SmartCEO magazine, and recently named one of Washington’s Most Powerful Women by Washingtonian magazine.

Andersen is quick to point out that nothing she accomplished was done overnight or alone. “It’s important to have the courage to take risks and trust people to be part of the journey,” she says.

In addition to leading Trustar Bank, Andersen is the founder of the Trustar Youth Foundation, which aims to improve the lives of children in the Washington, D.C., area. She and her husband, Marc Andersen, BA Economics ’90, also serve on Mason’s School of Business Dean’s Advisory Council.

“Explore what you love, don’t seek out overnight success,” she says. “Whatever you do, do it with passion because life isn’t lived on the sidelines.”

—Rebecca Kobayashi

Spring 2022 M A S O N S P I R I T | 47

class notes NO HATE Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden on May 20, 2021. The legislation provides local, state, and federal governments with funding to update their crime data collection standards to the new National Incident-Based Reporting System.

Jong Lee, MS Information Systems ’04, received a master of divinity degree from Knox College at the University of Toronto and is currently a pastor at Toronto Full Gospel Church in Ontario, Canada.

Joshua Montgomery, BS Accounting ’04, has joined

IOMAXIS as its new chief financial officer. Montgomery has nearly 20 years of experience in financial planning and analysis, corporate finance, mergers and acquisition, and operations in the defense and government services sector. Previously, Montgomery served as a finance executive at Peraton, Altamira, and Oceus Networks. Montgomery also holds an MBA with a concentration in finance from Marymount University.

Chris Lepore, BS Finance ’05, was promoted to vice president of projects at Tradier Brokerage. Lepore

helped start the company eight years ago and has been leading the brokerage support team.

Jerry Thornton, BA Economics ’06, MBA ’11, is the owner of Bryant’s Cider, in Richmond, Virginia, which was awarded gold at the 2021 U.S. Cider Open. The first-place finish for their Brite Good Brut Cider was Bryant’s first gold medal in an international competition, after winning multiple bronze medals in 2020.

Andrew Yarrow, PhD History ’06, authored the book Look: How a Highly Influential Magazine Helped Define

Mid-Twentieth-Century America, published in fall 2021. Look, one of the greatest mass-circulation publications in American history, had an extraordinary influence on mid-20th-century America.

accolades. Ford, who is a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, lives in Richmond with her husband and fellow alum, the poet Scott Weaver, MFA Creative Writing ’07, and their daughter, Cypress.

Kelli Jo Ford, MFA Creative Writing ’07, received a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship in Creative Writing.

Ford’s debut novel, Crooked Hallelujah, was named one of the best books of 2020

by Publishers Weekly and was on the long list for the 2021 Carnegie Medal for Fiction, among other

El Mehdi Marhoum, MS Telecommunications ’07, was selected as one of the 2021 Arab Americans 40-Under-40 by the Arab America Foundation. He is the first Moroccan Arab American to receive that recognition.

Folarin Campbell, BA Communication ’08, has been named assistant director of (continued on page 50)

GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2021–22 Sumeet Shrivastava, MBA ’94, President Christine Landoll, BS ’89, MS ’92, PresidentElect Yoshie Davison, MSW ’09, Vice President, Live Darcy Kipp Kim, BS ’02, MPA ’20, Vice President, Work Raymond Wotring, BA ’05, Vice President, Play David Atkins, BS ’90, Treasurer Ailsa Ware Burnett, BS ’93, MA ’96, MPA ’07, Historian

Janae Johnson, BS ’11, MAIS ’15, President, Black Alumni Chapter

Michael Marino, BA ’11, President, Lambda Alumni Chapter

Vacant, College of Education and Human Development Alumni Chapter

Daniel Logroño, BS ’20, President, Latino Alumni Chapter

David P. Brown, PhD ’04, President, College of Engineering and Computing Alumni Chapter

Vacant, Antonin Scalia Law School Alumni Chapter (contact lawalum@gmu.edu)

Kathi Huddleston, PhD ’08, President, College of Health and Human Services Alumni Chapter

Brennan Georgianni, MPP ‘16, President, Schar School of Policy and Government Alumni Chapter

Daniel Lash, BS ’97, President, College of Humanities and Social Sciences Alumni Chapter

Mary Bramley, BA ’07, Director-at-Large

Mark Monson, BS ’74, President, College of Science Alumni Chapter

Harold Geller, MAIS ’92, DA ’05, Directorat-Large

Molly Grimsley, BA ’81, President, College of Visual and Performing Arts Alumni Chapter

Steve Kann, BA ’85, Director-at-Large

Sawyer Dullaghan, BS ’15, President, Green Machine Alumni Chapter

Jimmy Martin, BA ’07, Director-at-Large Molly McLaurin, BA ’08, Director-at-Large

Elizabeth Stern, BA ’09, President, Honors College Alumni Chapter

Scott Hine, BS ’85, President, School of Business Alumni Chapter Tim Plum, MS ’16, Chapter Representative, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution Alumni Chapter Christopher Jones, MA ’99, President, Veterans Alumni Chapter Natalia Kanos, Student Government Representative

Whitney Ward, BA ’08, Director-at-Large If you would like to become involved in the Alumni Association, please contact the Office of Alumni Relations at alumni@gmu.edu.

48 | 50 T H . G M U. E D U

class notes

PHOTO PROVIDED

Mason alum Alexander Hammett (in the foreground) on the set of Tale of Tarot with the film’s director of photography Quinn Wolverton from Nova Cat Films.

Making Movie Magic

W

hen Alexander Hammett, BA Film and Video Studies ‘21, returned to campus last fall to participate in the annual Best of Mason film showcase, he not only had a chance to offer advice to incoming and current film students, he also served as a shining example of a successful graduate.

While winning the award might have been a surprise to Hammett, Mason film professor Nikyatu Jusu wasn’t caught unawares.

“His directing award for his most recent work comes as no surprise based on his presence in my course. I recall Alexander to be curious, self-motivated, highly collaborative, and charismatic,” says Jusu, who In 2021, not long after graduating, Hammett received Miami Indie Films’ is assistant professor of directing and screenwriting at Mason. “[I’m] excited for his bright journey ahead.”

Best Director Award for Tale of Tarot, a film written by fellow Mason alum Aaliyah-Janay Williams, BA Film and Video Studies ’21. At the At the Best of Mason, Hammett and other speakers explained the prosame festival, the film also won for Best Actress, played by Shalom cess of making films during the pandemic and recapped their time at Omo-Osagie.

Mason and what they learned. Hammett says Mason’s College of Visual and Performing Arts was instrumental in helping students believe The film, set at the turn of the 19th century, explores relationships through the eyes of two sisters who are trying to find a comfortable life. in themselves. The audience also had the opportunity to view Stuck, Hammett’s senior thesis film.

The plot includes a love triangle, but Hammett says the film’s biggest takeaway is to have faith in your loved ones. The film is available to Hammett’s creativity extends beyond the director’s chair. He recently stream on Amazon Prime. wrote the script and starred as a lead actor in a horror film, Dantae’s Inferno, directed by Omo-Osagie of 1939 Studios and released in Hammett says he wanted to enter Tale of Tarot, filmed in May and June November 2021. He is also working on a web series called Command 2021, into as many festivals as possible. “It was great to know that the that is in post-production.

Miami Indie Film Festival was one of the few that were still open for submissions at the time.”

“My message to students is that you should take the opportunities, “It was honestly a great surprise,” Hammett says of the award. “This is the take the chances, be on sets, be everywhere,” says the rising filmmaker/ screenwriter/actor. “Because just being there is getting a step closer to first piece I’ve directed that wasn’t at Mason, and to see how putting in where you want to be.” the effort and time can really pay off was rewarding.”

—Jeanene Harris

Spring 2022 M A S O N S P I R I T | 49

PHOTO PROVIDED

class notes

Michael Seium, MS Sport and Recreation Studies ‘18, served as a “chef de mission” for Team Eritrea at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. He wrote, “It is a unique situation [that] an African country gets to participate in the Alpine skiing.” Seium is an Eritrean-born sports broadcast journalist who has taught at Mason as an adjunct.

the Patriot Club, the group of Mason Athletics boosters.

A former Mason men’s basketball all-conference standout, Campbell was a vital member of the 2006 Final Four team. He led Mason to two NCAA tournament

of school management and leadership from Harvard University and his doctor of education degree from Lamar University, with a dissertation on standards-based report card models. His third book,

Are you an alum who owns a business?

List it in our alumni-owned business directory.

Go to bit.ly/masonbiz to find out more. berths and scored 1,545 points during his career.

After graduating, Campbell played professional basketball in Europe for 12 seasons.

Greg Hill, BA Sociology ’09, has been working at Comcast Business in Colorado since 2018. He loves hiking there with friends and has also participated in Mason alumni events in Denver.

Keith David Reeves, MEd Curriculum and Instruction ’09, received the certificate 50 | 50 T H . G M U. E D U

Trailblazers for Whole School Sustainability: Case Studies of Educators in Action, is now available from Routledge.

Reeves currently serves as an administrator at Discovery Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia.

2010s

Sasha Rosser, BS Neuro­ science ’11, a data scientist at the University of Wisconsin, is also a nationally touring stand-up comedian.

Since comedy clubs started opening back up in 2021, Rosser has been headlining across the Midwest and touring across the country.

In the summer of 2021, Rosser also co-founded Madison Indie Comedy, producing a diverse range of recurring showcases that blend stand-up with improv, music, storytelling, drag, and burlesque.

Adaora Ifebigh, MPP ’12, joined Sol Systems as the director of impact in November 2021. Ifebigh was also selected in January as part of the inaugural environmental justice fellowship at University of California, Davis.

Ian Baldwin, JD ’15, has been elected senior counsel in the Portland office of Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman. In his practice, Baldwin handles a variety of complex civil litigation matters involving construction, catastrophic injury, employment, product liability, and commercial and business disputes.

Previously, he clerked for the Honorable Kathleen M. Dailey of the Multnomah County Circuit Court. While attending Mason, Baldwin was an active member of the Moot Court Board, placing first among his class in the first-year moot court competition.

Jennifer Sklarew, PhD Public Policy ’15, and Dann Sklarew, PhD Environmental Biology and Public Policy ’00, have both joined the full-time faculty of Mason’s Environmental Science and Policy Department. As assis-

tant professor of energy and sustainability, Jen is enjoying managing the MS concentration she created in energy and sustainability policy and science, along with her teaching and research.

Now a full professor, Dann is advocating for hunger-free campuses and co-chairing Mason’s Carbon Neutrality Task Force, while empowering students to practice what they are taught in order to realize more sustainable development.

Henry Yuan, MA International Commerce and Policy ’15, was appointed by former Virginia governor Ralph Northam to serve a four-year term as a member of the Virginia Asian Advisory Board. The board advises the governor of Virginia on issues of Asian American and Pacific Islander interest, with a focus on the areas of commerce and trade.

Raina Aide, BS Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources ’17, works for the U.S. Forest Service in the Inyo National Forest near Bishop, California, in the Eastern Sierra region. While at Mason, she was the first resident advisor for the Outdoor Adventure Learning Community, served as president of Rho Phi Lambda National Honorary Fraternity for parks, recreation, and leisure studies majors, and received the Thomas L. Goodale Award for Most Outstanding Student in Parks and Outdoor Recreation.

Alexander Kruszewski, BS Physics ’17, BA English ’17, was selected for the 2021 class of WW Pennsylvania Teaching Fellows by the Institute for Citizens and Scholars (formerly the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation). This highly competitive program recruits both recent graduates and career changers with strong backgrounds in STEM fields and prepares them to teach in high-need secondary schools. Each fellow receives $32,000 to complete a specially designed master’s degree program based on a yearlong classroom experience.

In return, fellows commit to teach for three years in highneed Pennsylvania schools.

Peter Mansouri, BS Applied Information Technology ’17, recently launched a podcast, Level 99, to help those in the tech field to motivate each other and grow their careers.

2020s

Jennifer Sokol, MEd Curriculum and Instruction ’20, was invited to participate in the Pivotal Educators Network as part of the 2021 cohort. Pivotal Educators is a nationwide group of educators working to increase college opportunities for students from marginalized communities.

class notes

Obituaries ALUMNI AND STUDENTS

Carmen L. Fernandez, BA Psychology ’70, d. September 17, 2021 Patrick F. McIntyre, BA Business and Public Administration ’70, d. November 6, 2021 Harry J. Barnes, BS Business Administration ’72, d. October 24, 2021

Kit C. Hudson, BA English ’77, d. July 26, 2021 Dorothy F. Iden, BSEd Early Education ’77, d. August 1, 2021 Theodore Miserendino, JD ’77, d. October 7, 2021 Irene Sines, BA Psychology ’77, d. October 15, 2021

George R. Edwards, BA History ’72, d. September 24, 2021

Richard J. Calissie, BS Business Administration ’78, d. November 6, 2021

Elizabeth B. Fordham, MEd Elementary Education ’72, d. September 22, 2021

Patricia L. Duffey, BSN ’78, d.

August 27, 2021

Carmelita T. Davey, MEd Elementary Education ’73, d. December 17, 2021 Harry S. Ghadban, BS Business Administration ’73, d. December 9, 2021 Edward F. Wilkins, BA Psychology ’73, d. November 5, 2021 Jane H. Howard, BSEd Elementary Education ’74, d. September 23, 2021 Juanita M. Oliver, BSEd Elementary Education ’74, d. July 30, 2021 William Allan Burt, MBA ’75, d. October 18, 2021 John M. Goricki, BA History ’75, d. October 21, 2021 Marcy W. Crimm, BSN ’76, d. December 6, 2021 Margaret M. Edelman, MEd Counseling and Development ’76, d. November 24, 2021 James E. Tingle, MEd Special Education ’76, d. December 13, 2021 James S. Eisenhower, JD ’77, d. August 11, 2021

Veronica Y. Mitchell, BA Sociology ’78, d. September 3, 2021 Maria C. Barone, MEd Curriculum and Instruction ’79, d.

December 3, 2021 Dianne E. Gray, BA History ’79, d. July 23, 2021 Roger A. Bolland, MEd Education Administration and Supervision ’80, d. August 21, 2021

Gloria L. Green, MEd Education Administration and Supervision ’83, d. September 16, 2021

John C. Kruesi, JD (Banking) ’93, d. October 11, 2021

Anita F. Kapper, MBA ’83, d. September 12, 2021

Laura C. Ingles, BSN ’94, d. November 8, 2021

Marc T. Moore, BS Administration of Justice ’09, d. November 30, 2021

Kenneth J. Moody, BIS ’83, d.

July 16, 2021

Cheryl L. Zey, BSEd Physical Education ’94, d. November 19, 2021

Michael T. Smith, BS Administration of Justice ’09, d. August 23, 2021

Katherine D. Harrison, BA English ’95, d. July 15, 2021

William S. Habel, MS New Professional Studies ’10, d. July 29, 2021

Foxhall A. Parker, BS Business Administration ’84, d. November 19, 2021 Barbara B. Pendleton, BA History ’85, d. August 29, 2021

Peter M. Hesser, BS Accounting ’97, d. August 20, 2021

Robert L. Atkinson, BS Electronics Engineering ’86, d. October 5, 2021

Amy E. Gebhard, MS Statistical Science ’98, d. August 23, 2021

Marguerite C. Cauley, BA English ’86, d. August 4, 2021

Helen M. Graves, BA Psychology ’98, d. November 13, 2021

Joyce M. Schargorodski, JD ’86, d. October 18, 2021

Carol M. Roxbrough, BIS ’98, d. October 31, 2021

Helen G. Momsen, BA Art (Studio) ’87, d. November 26, 2021

Sadie B. Brown, JD ’99, d. July 15, 2021

Robert W. Bauer, BS Law Enforcement ’88, d. October 20, 2021

Mary G. Shannon, BIS ’80, d. August 17, 2021

Ann M. Prince, MS Biology ’89, d. August 13, 2021

Michael K. Tasker, JD ’80, d. May 6, 2021

William A. Selepack, BS Accounting ’89, d. August 8, 2021

Barbara B. Zittrer, BSEd Early Education ’80, d. November 28, 2021

David L. Inglefield, JD ’91, d.

July 29, 2021

Frances L. Herrity, BA History ’81, d. September 21, 2021

Caren M. Ambrose, BSN ’92, d. August 7, 2021

Richard A. Dill, JD ’82, d. September 5, 2021

Kelly A. Beck, BS Marketing ’92, d. September 6, 2021

Madeline R. Kennedy, MSN ’82, d. September 4, 2021

Claudine A. Massih, MS Information Systems ’92, d. September 17, 2021

Janice K. Zischke, MSN ’82, d.

December 2, 2021

Brian R. Busick, BS Finance ’94, d. July 6, 2021

Robert S. Thomas, BA Government and Politics ’92, d. September 16, 2021

Stephen D. Meilinger, BS Finance ’02, d. July 23, 2021 Denise R. Torelli, BS Administration of Justice ’04, d.

December 3, 2021

Samantha J. Zwilling, MA New Professional Studies ’08, d. September 3, 2021

Dorothy M. Horwath, MEd Special Education ’11, d. November 30, 2021 Kimberly D. Lemus, BA Integrative Studies ’11, d. October 7, 2021 Chi-Yi Lin, CerG Health Information Systems ’11, d. August 10, 2021 Nicholas G. Streaker, MS Telecommunications ’12, d. October 6, 2021 Ruth E. Butts, BSW ’18, d. November 21, 2021 Caroline M. Butler, former student, d. August 18, 2021

Sanjay S. Singh, BS Finance ’05, d. July 21, 2021

Rufus L. Carter, former student, d. November 7, 2021

Lynda C. Turner, MA New Professional Studies ’05, d.

October 25, 2021

Joseph J. Dudash, former student, d. August 30, 2021

Laurie A. Hilton, MEd Special Education ’06, d. August 29, 2021 Wendy A. Bilen Thorbjornsen, MFA Creative Writing ’06, d. July 12, 2021 Kim M. Bloomquist, CerG Computational Social Science ’07, d. October 27, 2021 Mary K. Laing, BA English ’08, d. July 10, 2021

Lee J. Goncalves, former student, d. July 22, 2021 Barbara J. Hampton-Barclay, former student, d. July 27, 2021 Brandi A. Lash, former student, d. September 6, 2021 Zachary N. Mustin, former student, d. September 22, 2021 Benson K. Ting, former student, d. July 26, 2021

Spring 2022 M A S O N S P I R I T | 51

class notes

FORMER FACULTY/STAFF Rita M. Bodie, d. September 17, 2021

Joseph S. D’Agostino, d. November 13, 2021

Jerre W. Hale, d. October 10, 2021

William Mulheron, d. March 17, 2021

William A. Nitze, d. July 30, 2021

Russell A. Cargo, d. October 17, 2021

Pearl W. Domzalski, d. October 17, 2021

Mauricio Herman, d. July 18, 2021

Patricia A. Nash, d. August 6, 2021

Thomas M. Storey, d. October 8, 2021

FACULTY, STAFF, AND FRIENDS Michael Buschmann, Eminent Scholar and chair of Mason’s Bioengineering Department, died on March 2, 2022, in Vienna, Virginia. He was 59. Born in Saskatchewan, Canada, Buschmann met his wife, Caroline Hoemann, also a Mason researcher, while working on a PhD in medical engineering and medical physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His post-doctoral research in cartilage tissue engineering lead to him being awarded the Melville Medal of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 1997. While teaching at the Polytechnique Montreal, he built a research group working in the areas of cartilage tissue engineering and mRNA delivery. The husband-and-wife research team worked closely on many projects while founding three biotech companies and raising two sons. The couple was recruited to Mason in 2017, where he helped grow the relatively young Bioengineering Department. While at Mason, Buschmann also founded another spinoff company to develop safer and less expensive mRNA vaccine technologies. He recently became a naturalized U.S. citizen.

He is survived by his wife, his son, his mother, an older brother, a nephew, and a niece.

Gerald A. Hanweck Sr., professor of finance, passed away peacefully on December 6, 2021. He joined Mason in 1986 and taught courses in corporate finance, applied global macroeconomics, financial institutions, and financial markets at the undergraduate and MBA levels. Hanweck served as the area chair for finance and as the associate dean for graduate programs during his 35-year tenure with Mason’s School of Business. He was also a visiting scholar in the Division of Insurance and Research of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) from 2000 to 2007. During his career, he served as a consultant to government agencies, banks, and businesses, and as an expert witness in litigation involving financial institutions and government agencies. Hanweck published research in numerous academic and professional journals and cowrote two books. He held a BA in economics from Stanford University and a PhD in economics from Washington University. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, and their three children.

Lois E. Horton, professor emerita of history, suffered a stroke and passed away on September 22, 2021. She was 78. Born in New York, she graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa with an MA in psychology, and Brandeis University with a PhD in social policy. Horton joined Mason in 1979, eventually becoming a member of both the history and sociology programs and department chair. She retired in 2008. Horton was a renowned scholar of African American history and the author, coauthor, or editor of nine books. She lent her knowledge of public history to numerous museums, government agencies, media platforms, educational institutions, and social justice organizations. Horton received many academic honors and served as a visiting professor at the University of Hawai‘i and the University of Munich. She is survived by her son, her daughter-in-law, three grandchildren, her sister, and several nieces and nephews.

52 | 50 T H . G M U. E D U

Thomas E. Lovejoy, professor of environmental science and policy, passed away on December 25, 2021, at the age of 80. Admired at Mason and beyond, Lovejoy was one of the world’s leading conservation biologists, an internationally respected climate scientist, and the first to coin the phrase “biological diversity.”

Following a distinguished career at various organizations including the World Wildlife Fund and the United Nations Foundation, Lovejoy joined Mason’s College of Science in 2010. He also became the founding scientific director for Mason’s Institute for a Sustainable Earth. A recipient of countless honors, Lovejoy was inducted into the National Academy of Sciences in April 2021. He served on science and environmental councils under the Reagan, Bush, and Clinton administrations and as science envoy for Presidents Obama and Biden. He was also the founder and president of the nonprofit Amazon Biodiversity Center and the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project in the central Amazon. Lovejoy received BS and PhD biology degrees from Yale University. He is survived by three daughters and six grandchildren.

Martin J. Sherwin, professor of history, died October 6, 2021, at his home in Washington, D.C. He was 84. Sherwin taught at Mason since 2007 and was nationally renowned for his scholarship on the nuclear age. His 2005 book written with author Kai Bird, American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, received the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for biography or autobiography, the National Book Critics Circle Award for Biography, and the English-Speaking Union Book Award. Sherwin held a bachelor’s in history from Dartmouth College and a PhD in history from the University of California, Los Angeles. Throughout his career, he received numerous academic honors and fellowships, served on the faculty at four other prestigious universities, and founded the Nuclear Age History and Humanities Center at Tufts University. Sherwin is survived by his wife, Susan (Smukler) Sherwin; his son, Alex Sherwin; a sister; and four grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Andrea Sherwin.

Anna Wyczalkowski, associate professor of physics and astronomy, passed away suddenly on December 30, 2021. She was 61. Known affectionately as “Ania,” she was born in Warsaw, Poland, and began her academic endeavors at Warsaw University. Her love of science prompted her to move to the United States, where she transferred to the University of Maryland and acquired her PhD in physics. In 2001, Wyczalkowski joined the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Mason and was promoted to associate professor in 2015. The department is setting up a special scholarship in Wyczalkowski’s honor for the physics and astronomy learning assistants, with who Wyczalkowski worked closely. She is survived by her husband of 36 years, Andrew, and son, Marek.

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LOCAL COLOR—Last fall, international graffiti artist TakerOne painted Fauna of Belmont Bay on a wall at Mason’s Potomac Science Center. His mural, which features species native to the area, is part of the Murals at Mason’s larger eco-consciousness mural series titled Elements, and the result of a university-community partnership. Photos by Evan Cantwell