Investiture

Well-being leaders emphasize the importance of focusing on student mental health

Colleen Rich — Wed, 27 Oct 2021 16:54:21 +0000

Well-being leaders emphasize the importance of focusing on student mental health Colleen Rich Wed, 10/27/2021 - 12:54

A panel of some of Mason's top mental health and well-being experts gathered to discuss student success strategies in October. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services

George Mason University student surveys conducted during the pandemic have shown increased levels of stress, anxiety, loneliness and isolation, mirroring national college student data, according to Rose Pascarell, vice president of University Life.

“I think Mason is at the forefront of responding to that proactively with our programs,” Pascarell added. “We’re trying to create a culture of well-being and equity.”

Pascarell was part of a six-person panel of Mason experts on mental health and well-being that discussed student success strategies as part of a week-long series of events marking President Gregory Washington’s Investiture.

“Student stress and anxiety are the greatest factors in determining student success,” President Gregory Washington said. “I wanted to have this panel to begin to evolve a collective consciousness among all of us around mental health issues.”

In addition to Pascarell, panelists included Rachel Wernicke, associate dean and chief mental health officer, University Life; Nance Lucas, executive director and chief well-being officer, Center for the Advancement of Well-Being; Leah Adams, assistant professor, Department of Psychology and Women and Gender Studies Program; Elisa Akins, psychology major, peer success coach; and Shekila Melchior, assistant professor, College of Education and Human Development.

Melchior noted the importance of well-being, diversity, and inclusion work at Mason. “Cultural competency goes beyond your stereotypical narrative to really getting to know our students and what matters to them, and honoring that,” she said.

The university is seeing a rise in the need for mental health services, Wernicke said, with Mason students seeking help for issues such as anxiety, stress, loneliness, and trauma. “We need to keep asking: What are the barriers to students seeking mental health services and how can we break them down?”

Adams said one issue is the way the huge need for mental health care often translates to a lag in obtaining services, both at Mason and in the greater community. Mason’s Center for Psychological Services is constantly working to increase accessibility to care, Adams noted. For instance, she said, the helpline that the center began for essential workers during the pandemic will eventually expand to help all community members.

Many of the students Akins serves as a peer success coach tell her they are feeling overwhelmed by stress due to time management issues and academic pressures, she said. “College is a stressful time. There’s so much information coming at you from all directions.”

Provost Mark Ginsberg noted that there is a level of compassion fatigue among faculty.

Wernicke said creating community and sharing stories is one way to relieve that.

“It’s really an ethical imperative for faculty and staff to engage in self-care, because otherwise we could cause harm,” Wernicke said.

The Mason Chooses Kindness initiative has brought our Mason community together around the pursuit of greater well-being, Lucas said. “If we can all commit to just being kind to each other, that’s going to really shift how we see each other and increase our well-being around our common humanity.”

As the pandemic continues and Mason leaders respond to changing mental health and well-being needs, “I think we’re a community in recovery, and we need to be continually learning,” Pascarell pointed out.

“The connections to well-being in education really matter,” Lucas said. The Center for the Advancement of Well-Being works to help all members of the Mason community thrive, she said. “Our center’s role as a catalyst for well-being is to have well-being be in the DNA of the whole university.”

Topics

Center for the Advancement of Well-Being

University Life

Students

College of Humanities and Social Sciences Center for Psychological Services

President Washington says ‘It’s Mason's time’

Colleen Rich — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 22:21:39 +0000

President Washington says ‘It’s Mason's time’ Colleen Rich Thu, 10/21/2021 - 18:21

Gregory Washington was invested at Mason's eighth president during an Oct. 21 ceremony in EagleBank Arena. Photo by Shelby Burgess/Strategic Communications

Declaring “It’s Mason’s time,” George Mason University President Gregory Washington laid out ambitious plans for the university at his Investiture ceremony and, in a moving close to his remarks, dedicated his presidency to Mason students.

“I want you to know that I see you,” Washington said, speaking directly to students in the audience at EagleBank Arena on Thursday afternoon and others tuning in to the event on GMU-TV. “I honor you. And I dedicate my presidency to you.

“I have lived, grown, and ultimately worked my way to this podium facing many of the obstacles you have. I know your journey because I am your journey. As I stand here, I am a living testament to the places your journey can take you.”

Before Washington’s remarks capped the nearly two-hour ceremony, Mason Rector Jimmy Hazel placed around Washington’s neck the Presidential Medallion that signifies the investiture of a new Mason leader.

During his remarks, President Washington committed his presidency to the students. Photo by Shelby Burgess/Strategic Communications

At the outset of the event, Washington entered the arena with his wife, Nicole, as the Green Machine blasted the Temptations’ “Get Ready,” a fasten-your-seatbelt anthem that foreshadowed Washington’s speech, a bold vision that includes “rescuing our future” to ensure a healthy planet, healthy people, healthy economies, and healthy societies.

“It is our job to conduct research to find solutions to our overlapping grand challenges—and to educate students to solve them,” Washington said.

He added that Mason is well-positioned to be a national exemplar of anti-racism and inclusive excellence because the university looks now like what America will look within this decade, with no ethnic group comprising more than 50% of the population, and Mason’s success at achieving comparable graduation rates from students regardless of racial or ethnic status.

“Who’s better to lead?” Washington asked. “An institution with diversity integrated at its core? Or one that predominantly serves one [ethnic] group? One that already looks like America’s future? Or one that looks like its past?

“I contend to you, it’s Mason’s time.”

Other highlights of Washington’s speech included calling for the establishment of a Mason-led medical school, focused on clinical training, on the Science and Technology Campus, and becoming the ultimate “Point B” institution for students pursuing a degree or needing help starting a business.

“We are not just in the knowledge and degree business,” Washington said. “We are in the success business. No matter where your 'Point A' is, we will get you to your 'Point B.'"

Mason alumna Charniele Herring, majority leader in the Virginia House of Delegates, served as host of ceremonies. Sen. Tim Kaine and Sen. Mark Warner, and many local and government officials and higher education leaders from throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia provided congratulatory greetings by video, including a message from Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam.

“Around our commonwealth, we have admired how you have guided Mason through a challenging period in your first 18 months on the job,” Northam said. “We’re proud to have you leading our state’s largest, most diverse public university, and we know that Mason will continue to grow and prosper under your leadership.”

The College of William and Mary President Katherine Rowe also spoke of Washington’s rapid emergence as a state higher education leader, noting that the job he accepted in February of 2020 was a different job than the one he inherited July 1 of that year.

COVID-19, the historic economic fallout of the pandemic, and the national racial justice reckoning following the murder of George Floyd forced Washington to revise his plans and priorities.

“In that intense time of partnership, you come to really discover who the people are who you’re working with,” Rowe said. “This is who I know as the person that you have as your new president—someone who is resourceful and creative, who’s laser-focused on mission, whose integrity shines through [in every] challenge that comes his way.”

Washington welcomed the two former Mason presidents represented at the event—Ángel Cabrera, who served as Mason president from 2012 to 2019 and is now president at Georgia Tech, and Eric Merten, representing his late father, Alan Merten, who served as Mason president from 1996 to 2012. Washington also thanked his predecessor, Anne Holton, who served as interim president the year before Washington arrived.

The event was one of both vision and reflection. Washington, a first-generation college graduate who grew up in Harlem, New York, recalled how his mother, Elouise Chisolm, worked multiple jobs to support her family and returned to school to earn her first degree the same year Washington earned his PhD in mechanical engineering from North Carolina State.

Chisolm was on hand at the Investiture, as were the Washingtons’ sons, Joshua and Kaleb, and other family members.

“She is why I understand the full power of education,” Washington said.

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Calvin Mackie tells Mason students: Build something impactful

Colleen Rich — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 20:22:14 +0000

Calvin Mackie tells Mason students: Build something impactful Colleen Rich Thu, 10/21/2021 - 16:22

Motivational speaker Calvin Mackie met with Mason student leaders as part of a week-long series of events celebrating Washington’s Investiture. . Photo by Shelby Burgess/Strategic Communications

Motivational speaker Calvin Mackie told George Mason University student leaders to take on the world with hope and passion.

“In order for you to do things you need to do for the 21st century, you’re going to have to, one, have belief in yourself. And you’re also going to have to have hope in this place called America,” he said.

Mackie, a friend of Mason President Gregory Washington and the founder of STEM NOLA, a nonprofit organization that engages communities to learn about opportunities in STEM, was invited to speak with the leaders of the university’s student organizations on Oct. 20, as part of a week-long series of events celebrating Washington’s Investiture. He also addressed staff and faculty in a separate campus event.

Calvin Mackie speaking to student leaders. Photo by Shelby
Burgess/Strategic Communications

Mackie shared his life experience—from being a first-generation college student to becoming one of 11 African Americans in 1996 to receive a PhD in mechanical engineering. He is also an award-winning mentor, a former engineering professor, an internationally known speaker and a successful entrepreneur.

“Hope is that little voice in your ear that whispers ‘maybe’ when the world is screaming ‘no,’” Mackie said, and added, “This is the only country where you can wake up and create a better world for yourself.”

Vanerio Montas, president of Collegiate Black Men at Mason, said Mackie made him realize that “in the end, if you keep pushing and keep working, you’ll be able to accomplish your goals.”

Mackie reminded students that they are part of a university led by a president who is committed to helping make that happen.

“As a student leader in multiple organizations, I left the event with a lot of motivational skills, and it boosted my confidence,” said Alyssa Kendrick, an officer of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. “As a minority in society, you feel like you might not have someone there to support you. This event helped remind me how President Washington is leading us and our university.”

While the audience often laughed at Mackie’s passionate storytelling, he left the students on a serious note.

“Get up every day, do something for yourself, put another stake in the ground, so that you never have to depend on anybody,” he said. “Then, when you put that stake in the ground and you generate something … don’t think it’s just for you.”

Oladunni Oni, president of the Black Justice Association at Mason, said Mackie reminded her that going back to help your community is what’s important.

“There’s people who otherwise never had opportunity and access like you,” Mackie said. “You begin to build a world such that when your eyes close, the world will know that you lived.”

That, Mackie said, is what leadership is all about.

Topics

Students

student organizations

President Gregory Washington's Investiture Address

Melanie Balog — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 19:51:46 +0000

President Gregory Washington's Investiture Address Melanie Balog Thu, 10/21/2021 - 15:51

In This Story

Gregory Washington

Remarks as prepared for delivery

Rector Hazel, members of the Board of Visitors, fellow university presidents, George Mason University students, staff, and faculty, honored guests, community members, and my family – thank you for your warm welcome.

I stand here on the shoulders of others who came before me, two of whom are represented here today. Thank you for honoring us with your presence Dr. Angel Cabrera, and Eric Merten, who is representing his late father, Dr. Alan Merten. And we owe a debt of gratitude to Anne Holton for her exemplary leadership as interim president.

It is one of the greatest honors of my life to be invested as the eighth president of George Mason University. Even after I arrived in the summer of 2020, it has been a long walk to this day.

On February 24, 2020, when I accepted the offer of a lifetime to become President of Mason, I did so in a world that no longer exists. On that day, the top story in The Washington Post was about the coronavirus – but it was in South Korea and Italy, far away from us. US unemployment was at 3.5 percent. And George Floyd was still alive.

By July 1, my first day in office, all that had changed. COVID-19 had driven us into lockdown, unemployment reached levels not seen since the Great Depression, and the recent murder of George Floyd forced the beginning of a fiery reckoning for racial injustices that communities of color have endured for centuries.

The very first question I received from a reporter was not about the pandemic, or our calamitous budget crisis. No, my first media question was whether I would change the name of George Mason University. Welcome to the new job!

So, we had many more questions than answers:

Could we keep students on track for graduation and post-college success?

Could we hold them financially harmless while many of them experienced their own financial crises?

Could we pivot from a familiar, traditional approach to instruction, to an online or hybrid model, without sacrificing quality – and flip the entire university overnight?

There were no easy answers. To borrow from Winston Churchill, we were forced to choose the worst possible solutions … except for all the others.

And yet, we have shown that the answer to all those questions was YES.

Yes – we graduated our largest, most diverse class ever. We grew enrollment 2.1%. Our students performed. Please give them a round of applause.

Yes – we transformed the campus to accommodate either fully remote, in-person, or hybrid formats for more than 10,000 course sections. Research grew by 8%. Our faculty performed. Please give them a round of applause.

Yes – we went from a $109 million deficit to a modest fund balance at the end of FY 21. We gave faculty and staff an average 5% raise. And we did it all without raising undergraduate tuition.

Yes – our staff implemented best-in-class COVID protocols that included our own, faculty and staff-created, rapid-return, large-scale COVID testing system. We opened our Fairfax and Manassas campuses to host mass-vaccination centers, while deploying our College of Health and Human Services mobile clinics into vulnerable communities to offer vaccinations. Most of this was accomplished with Mason staff and faculty volunteers.

We administered more than 110,000 vaccines to the public, and we took compassionate care of our students who were with us in quarantine and isolation. Our staff truly performed. Please give them a round of applause.

There’s an old saying in the South: “If you see a frog at the top of a flagpole, you know he didn’t get there by himself.”

I would be remiss if I did not thank our federal and state leaders, who offered bipartisan support to keep students in school, and faculty and staff in jobs, through emergency relief funding to support operations and offer financial aid.

Our alumni and supporters also deserve our gratitude for helping us to our 3^rd-best fundraising year on record. Our Board of Visitors and Board of Trustees helped lead us into the future.

Students, Virginia’s leaders care about you. Please give our alumni leaders, donors, and government leaders a round of applause.

And I, too, have had plenty of help. It started with the greatest example of hard work, tenacity, and steadfastness that I have ever experienced – in my mother. She had me at a very young age, but she continued to work hard raising us and making sure we had what we needed for success, sometimes working as many three jobs – and no less than two – even when she was in school.

That’s right, she went back to school, and she received her first degree in the same year I received my last! She is why I understand the full power of education.

And last but not least, I continue to have the best support system that anyone can have starting with my wife, Nicole. She has been at the core of every major decision that I have ever made. She has been a friend, a confidant, and my true partner.

The support I get from Nicole is bolstered by my sons, Joshua and Kaleb, my extended family, my church family, and my Pastor. They are all here today. I would not be here without all of you. THANK YOU!

As a community, we have made our way through the darkness and the uncertainty, and in doing so we discovered who we are and what we are capable of. We discovered that we are indeed Patriots in every positive sense of the word.

We understand better what it NOW means to be a Patriot. But this is not new for Mason.

Of all the four-year institutions in our state, it was not expected that we would be in this position of strength. But in our relatively short lifespan, we became America’s youngest-ever R1 university. We currently manage the nation’s fastest-growing public research portfolio. We are Virginia’s largest public university, its most diverse, and its most innovative.

And we did all of this with none of the advantages offered to institutions of our size and stature.

We have never received as many state dollars per student as our older, smaller sister institutions. We have no medical school to accelerate our research portfolio. And we have no billion-dollar-plus endowment to draw from. Believe me, I’ve looked, and continue to look…

We are not here because we insisted on being HIGHLY SELECTIVE in who we enroll. We are here because we are HIGHLY INCLUSIVE.

We are here because we did things that no one thought we could do, but didn’t bother to tell us. So, we just did them.

And we are here because we dream big and ACT ON our dreams.

We are passionate.

Purpose-driven.

And drawn to causes larger than ourselves.

We are Patriots.

And now what lies ahead?

Virginia is not just the cradle of America’s democracy. It is the cradle of the nation’s higher education, as well. The Commonwealth has always been known for great higher education institutions. It started in 1683 with the founding of the College of William and Mary.

Dr. Katherine Rowe, President of William and Mary, is here with us today. Thank you for being here.

William and Mary formed the basis of higher education in this country, and out of that great institution came Old Dominion University, Christopher Newport University, and Richard Bland College.

The next great institution in the state was the University of Virginia. The original governing Board of Visitors included Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe.

Monroe was the sitting President of the United States at the time of its founding, and earlier presidents Jefferson and Madison were the first two rectors. Out of this great institution came the University of Mary Washington.

Dr. Troy Paino, President of Mary Washington, is here with us today. Thank you for being here.

Most recently, the other great university to spring from UVA was, of course, George Mason University. Along the way, other great institutions were founded in Virginia, as well.

Why the history lesson? Because throughout our history great institutions have flourished because they were positioned for success by the right people at the right time and their curricula and offerings met critical needs for the state and nation.

I contend to you that NOW IS MASON’S TIME.

No other institution in our state is better positioned to address the three great challenges that lie before the nation:

The first great challenge is the transition to a fully multicultural America. And with that I mean, our nation will be without an ethnic majority by mid-century. Mason already has no ethnic group comprising more than 50%.

Who will be better prepared to lead?

An institution with diversity integrated to its core?

Or one that predominantly serves one ethnic group?

One that already looks like America’s future?

Or one that looks more like its past?

It’s Mason’s time.

The second great challenge is the massive economic transformation now underway. Technology brought on this sea change, and the pandemic has greatly accelerated it.

Automation and machine learning are now predicted to render drivers, bankers, accountants, paralegals, translators, even newspaper reporters and air traffic controllers – some 47% of the current US job market – vulnerable to extinction within 10 years.

On the other hand, healthcare workers, data analysts, software developers, and cybersecurity experts are going to be in high demand.

Today, for every 5 million unemployed people in the job market, there are 6 million unfilled jobs. And the situation is getting worse.

Virginia and the nation require institutions that can rapidly realign our emerging workforce with the evolving needs the economy.

Mason is the most innovative institution in our state. In recent years, we have created more new academic programs, than all the other Virginia institutions combined. And we have the discipline to close programs when it is necessary to move on.

It’s Mason’s time.

The final challenge we must prepare for is to tackle multiple simultaneous grand challenges, starting with the climate crisis and its relationship to all other threats.

Today’s students have a task before them that is as daunting as the challenges of another generation, a century ago. They endured the Great Depression, only to fight World War II, then Korea, then the Cold War. They won them all, and literally saved the world. For that, we call them The Greatest Generation.

Today’s college students are the NEXT Greatest Generation, because like their great-grandparents, they will confront interlocking existential threats. Only, this time they face:

The climate emergency.

Unprecedented public health challenges of a crowded planet.

The chaotically shifting economy.

Increasing wealth inequality.

And ongoing threats to democracy – not just globally, but here in the US.

Mason is the nation’s Number 1 university under 50 years old and the country’s fastest growing public research university. Our youth and speed make us well-positioned to respond to the changing needs because we are still changing.

In the next 10 years more than 40% of our faculty and staff will be new, due to retirements and growth. We are primed to take on these challenges with new talent and seasoned faculty, alike. Its Mason’s time.

Each of these challenges is daunting. But taken together, they can seem overwhelming. Thankfully, if all else fails, we have our students. Mason has always prided itself on putting students first. And they have shown us what they are made of.

After all, most of our students hail from historically disenfranchised communities. Three in 10 are first generation. Thousands of them are past traditional college age.

They have a vision for a better life, for themselves, their families, and their communities. And they are not strangers to adversity, occasional rejection, and hard work.

Yes, more is already demanded of this generation than any before them, and they have no choice but to face these demands head on. And so, WE have no choice but to prepare them and those who follow for a task that is nothing short of saving the world. And this forms the basis of who we are becoming, and what we stand for.

The United Nations has summarized its vision for meeting our existential threats with 17 Sustainable Development Goals to assure our planet’s future. But no one is likely to remember all 17 goals, so it helps to render them into four core beliefs that I am basing my presidency on.

They sum up what WE stand for, and what we aim to champion, as we prepare our students to save the world.

First, we stand for a healthy planet.

Mason has many unheralded qualities, not the least among them being our leadership in climate research and advocacy. From our Institute for a Sustainable Earth to the Center for Climate Change Communication and far too many other worthy endeavors to list by name, our scholars lead the way in developing new insights and translating them, both to our students and to the public at large.

We must also walk the talk, however, and we plan to do this with our campus master plan. The Mason campuses of the future will be pacesetters of environmental sustainability, with a defined greenbelt running through Fairfax and best-in-class energy standards and practices to reduce our carbon footprint. And we will be carbon neutral by 2040.

A flagship project is about to rise in Arlington that will remake that campus into a place we will call Mason Square, and bring scholars, students, and industry together. Digital innovation will occur in a LEED-Platinum building, which will be net-zero ready.

Second, we stand for healthy people.

Climate change and world population increases are combining to create unprecedented health threats to humanity. They now threaten the health of all ecosystems with environmental degradation and extinction the likes of which modern humanity has never seen. The impacts on human health are profound, and already underway.

For Virginia, this means the Commonwealth must keep pace with growing healthcare needs and a growing population. The Robert Graham Center estimates that just to keep pace with existing need, Virginia will require a 29 percent increase in practicing physicians by 2030.

This is not a spigot that can simply be turned on and off – building infrastructure to increase medical education capacity can be a lengthy, expensive, and tedious exercise.

I say to you today: It is time for Virginia to commit itself to establishing its next public medical school designed and optimized for the 21st century, that can be stood up relatively quickly and economically, with a focus on clinical training. And the university that should lead this effort is George Mason University.

As we look to protect the health of the Virginia public, we must also look inward to ensure the students who come to Mason are in the best possible environment in which to study, work, and live.

After all, we are preparing them to save the world — and so their well-being is of vital importance to us all. That means we must establish ourselves as the most diverse and inclusive campus in the country where equity and equality are not just slogans but a way of life. Mason was a founding institution in the campus wellbeing movement, having established one of the first centers for the advancement of wellbeing in the nation.

As a result, Mason is more competitive in attracting talent and more successful in retaining our diverse students, staff, and faculty by cultivating a welcoming, caring, and collaborative culture.

Third, we stand for healthy economies.

We will be a central catalyst of economic development for Virginia and beyond. This starts with talent, and an inclusive talent pool begins with the Mason Virginia Promise. The MVP is a pathway toward a bachelor’s degree or your own business for EVERY VIRGINIAN who wants it. We are the only institution in the state that can possibly pull this off.

We currently admit about 90% of the students who apply, and historically that was frowned upon because it typically led to high dropout rates. But our approach to student success means we consistently graduate more than 70% of those who begin with us – that’s above the national average – and we do it for all ethnic and racial groups.

Our African American, Latin American, Asian American and Caucasian students all graduate at about the same rates. You would be hard pressed to find five other large institutions in the country with this performance record.

If you don’t want a college degree, that’s okay. MVP will also help you establish your own business through the 29 Small Business Development Centers operating throughout the Commonwealth, all managed by George Mason University. If you just need a few courses to get you to a better opportunity, we are going to be there for you through programs like our Mason Talent Exchange.

We are not just in the knowledge and degree business. We are in the SUCCESS business. We will become the ultimate “Point B” institution. No matter where your “Point A” is, we will get you to your “Point B.”

And finally, we stand for healthy societies.

What we want is enshrined in the final words of this nation’s pledge of allegiance. We stand for liberty and justice – for all.

For the majority of 400 years, America looked one way and we are now moving towards America’s first fully multicultural society, where there will be no racial majority.

Change, especially in this area, does not come easily or without resistance. “We, the people” have a choice on how to approach this transition. We can be reactive, or we can be proactive. We can use this moment to bury our past mistakes and deny they ever existed or we can look at them with minds and hearts intent upon learning . . . reconciling . . . healing . . . and growing into our inevitable future.

When I came to Mason last year, I was so impressed and moved by how we approached the national reckoning with George Floyd, and the attention his murder focused on structural biases that persist from bygone eras. Many observers fully expected us to take down George Mason’s statue and take his name off the university.

We chose another path. It spoke volumes about the character of this institution. We have kept the name and the statue. But we have put them to work, as educational tools to open a wider discussion and understanding of the full duality of George Mason’s nature.

He was the author of some of the most radically progressive ideals in modern human history, which he embodied in the Virginia Declaration of Rights.

He was also a slaveholder who could not live up to his own ideals, nor even follow the example of other leaders of his time by at least emancipating those he had held in enslavement upon his death.

As the Enslaved People of George Mason Memorial so powerfully illustrates, our namesake is the very embodiment of the duality of America, whose ideals have served as a beacon to humanity for centuries, but whose actual example has at times fallen far short of those ideals.

In that spirit, we are pressing ahead with the Task Force on Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence, which is rooting out legacies of biased structures and practices wherever they may exist at Mason and replacing them with more inclusive approaches.

If we are to become a national exemplar of anti-racism and inclusive excellence, we must speak honestly about our past, present, and future. And we must take affirmative steps to establish and maintain a university atmosphere of inclusion, equity, and acceptance that our students require.

Rescuing our future to ensure a healthy planet, healthy people, healthy economies, and healthy societies will be the central organizing cause of the rest of our lives. It is our job to conduct research to find solutions to our overlapping grand challenges – and to educate students to solve them.

Finally, I want to speak to the students of Mason. I have described you today as serious-minded masters of adversity, with the weight of the world on your shoulders.

I want you to know that I see you.

I honor you.

And I dedicate my presidency to you.

In my own youth, I was one of you. I have lived, grown, and ultimately worked my way to this podium facing many of the same obstacles you have.

I know your journey because I am your journey.

As I stand here, I am a living testament to the places your journey can take you.

So, keep walking.

We will walk with you.

I will walk with you.

Patriots, as we leave this splendid ceremony, let’s gather around a common vision of a verdant planet, healthy people, vibrant economies, and free and inclusive societies.

That is a cause worthy of our passions. Bigger than all of us. And stretching beyond most of our lifetimes.

It is a cause we can’t help but throw our whole hearts and minds into.

And THAT is what it means to be a Patriot. Let’s get to work.

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Gregory Washington

President Washington sees growing role for Mason Korea

Colleen Rich — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 19:51:33 +0000

President Washington sees growing role for Mason Korea Colleen Rich Fri, 10/15/2021 - 15:51

President Gregory Washington took photos with many of the Mason Korea students on campus in Virginia this fall at the Mason Korea hybrid event, part of a week-long series of Investiture celebration events. Photo by Shelby Burgess/Strategic Communications

George Mason University President Gregory Washington said he envisions Mason Korea as an expanding presence, not only in its home country but throughout Asia.

“I see our Mason Korea Campus being an outpost for other countries in Asia for students to come and engage and to learn about Korean culture and what we do in the U.S.,” he said.

Washington spoke on Oct. 14 at a Mason Korea event in Horizon Hall on the Fairfax Campus, as part of a week-long series of events celebrating his Investiture. Participants gathered in person and virtually from the Mason Korea Campus.

“Mason Korea is important because we no longer live in a one-country world,” Washington said. “If we’re going to be successful in all of the endeavors that we need to be successful in tackling the big challenges that we face, we’re going to have to do them together—because what is done in one part of the world actually affects another part of the world.”

This fall, a record 84 students from Mason Korea are studying in Fairfax.

Mason Korea faculty, staff and students joined in online to celebrate with President Washington. Photo by Jae Hee Suh/Mason Korea

Hannah Park, a PhD student specializing in higher education and a graduate assistant for University Life who worked at the Mason Korea campus for three years before coming to Fairfax this semester, said she shared Washington’s hopes of better connecting the two campuses.

“Through this event, it shows that Dr. Washington cares about the campus in Korea and how he can further develop that partnership,” said Park, who was campus and office coordinator at Mason Korea’s Office of Student Affairs.

Robert Matz, Mason Korea’s dean, said he is delighted with how Washington has embraced Mason Korea’s mission through his commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence.

The Korean American Student Association entertained with a dance performance. Photo by Shelby Burgess/Strategic Communications

“We at Mason Korea are excited about your plans for Mason,” Matz told Washington. “And we’re excited to share your ambition for Mason and Mason Korea’s growth.”

A unique feature of the curriculum at Mason Morea is that students are require to spend a year studying at Mason’s Fairfax Campus.

To help ease the transition, Chae Rin Lee, a Mason Korea student ambassador majoring in global affairs, said she organizes school and sports events to allow the Mason Korea students to experience American culture and college life.

The Fairfax-based Korean American Student Association (KSA) also attended the event and had attendees in person and online clapping along to their dance performance.

Ching Duong, president of KSA and a senior information technology major, said the event lets Mason Korea students know that “when they do come to Fairfax, they have a place that they can go and have a sense of community.”

Washington agreed.

“No matter where you are from and no matter who you are,” he said, “we are all Patriots.”

Topics

Investiture week panel focuses on mental health, well-being as strategic priorities for student success

Colleen Rich — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 17:08:49 +0000

Investiture week panel focuses on mental health, well-being as strategic priorities for student success Colleen Rich Thu, 10/14/2021 - 13:08

Nance Lucas, Rose Pascarell, and Rachel Wernicke. Photo provided

Leah Adams, Elisa Akins and Shekila Melchior. Photos provided

The global pandemic has brought mental health and well-being to the forefront, and George Mason University provides a variety of services and strategies to the community for addressing those challenges.

That’s part of what will be shared at an Investiture week panel "Mental Health and Well-Being as Strategic Priorities for Student Success" on Wednesday, Oct. 20 from 2:30-4 p.m. in Merten Hall, Room 1201, on the Fairfax Campus. The event is open to faculty, staff and students.

“What’s great about having a panel as part of this process with the investiture of the president is that it really highlights the importance of this issue, and puts it in the spotlight,” said Rachel Wernicke, associate dean and chief mental health officer, University Life. “Mental health is one of our top concerns nationally and certainly as a priority here at Mason.”

Featured panelists include

Rose Pascarell, vice president, University Life
Rachel Wernicke, associate dean and chief mental health officer, University Life
Nance Lucas, executive director and chief well-being officer, Center for the Advancement of Well-Being
Leah Adams, assistant professor, Psychology Department and Women and Gender Studies Program
Elisa Akins, psychology major, peer success coach
Shekila Melchior, assistant professor, College of Education and Human Development

“Mason has taken on the challenge to respond to mental health and overall student well-being in a focused approach,” said Pascarell.

For example, Mason has a partnership with the Jed Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works to help universities implement a public health approach to the prevention of serious substance abuse and suicide, Wernicke said.

“Most recently, we’ve really taken an equity lens to these issues, in both assessing and evaluating and creating new programs,” Pascarell added. “That’s important on a campus that has such incredibly rich diversity.”

There are several public education initiatives that exist to try to increase awareness and understanding on campus of well-being and mental health issues. A few examples include a digital guide to provide specific tips and recommendations for how faculty and staff can support students who have mental health concerns.

A digital resilience badge is offered through the Center for Advancement of Well-Being. It’s six-part program designed for students, but is also available for faculty and staff. There’s also the Mason Chooses Kindness initiative—as part of the Patriots Thriving Together well-being and mental health awareness campaign.

“In celebrating President Washington's Investiture, I think it's important to reflect upon the commitments and accomplishments we've made as an institution around students' mental health and well-being,” said Lucas. “We'll also explore future directions as we continue advancing our work in mental health and well-being at Mason.”

“What I hope is taken away from this event is that our community understands that their well-being and mental health is a priority and that we are working hard to support it,” said Wernicke.

Pre-registration is required. Event participants must complete the Mason COVID Health Check and receive a “green light” status on the day of the event.

Topics

Students

University Life

Faculty and Staff News

Center for Advancement of Well-Being

President Gregory Washington to lead two faculty panels as part of Investiture activities

Colleen Rich — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 20:20:26 +0000

President Gregory Washington to lead two faculty panels as part of Investiture activities Colleen Rich Wed, 10/13/2021 - 16:20

George Mason University President Gregory Washington will lead two star-studded faculty panels as part of his Investiture activities next week.

Both panels will be in Merten Hall, Room 1201, and can be seen live on GMU-TV.

Thomas Lovejoy, Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera, and Virginia Espina. Photos by Creative Services

The first panel, which will include Mason’s Thomas Lovejoy, Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera and Virginia Espina, will be from 5-6:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 18, and will focus on what Washington has called the “grand challenges” facing both the Mason community and the nation as a whole. The topics will include biodiversity, immigration and human trafficking, and health and pandemics.

“We will talk about the grand challenges we see related to our area of expertise,” said Correa-Cabrera, an associate professor at the Schar School of Policy and Government. “I will discuss the challenges related to immigration and human trafficking.”

Robinson Professors Spencer Crew, Steven Pearlstein, and Hakeem Oluseyi. Photos by Creative Services and Strategic Communications

The second panel, which will take place from 2:30-4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 19, will feature Robinson Professors Spencer Crew, Steven Pearlstein and Hakeem Oluseyi speaking on “Issues of Our Time.” The panel will discuss key issues of the day, including the political climate, race, and science.

Washington will open each panel with an overview. Panelists will then have about 10 minutes each to discuss. The live and virtual audiences will then be able to ask questions. Pam Shepherd, from the Office of the Provost, will relay questions from the online audience.

Those attending the panels in person must complete a Mason COVID Health Check and receive “green light” status on the day of the event.

Topics

Robinson Professors

Calvin Mackie’s mission is to get more kids interested in STEM

John Hollis — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 19:30:40 +0000

Calvin Mackie’s mission is to get more kids interested in STEM John Hollis Mon, 10/11/2021 - 15:30

Dr. Calvin Mackie hopes to inspire more kids to STEM. Photo provided

Calvin Mackie’s youngest son was in the third grade when he came home and suddenly announced that he wasn’t interested in science anymore.

That didn’t sit well with Mackie, a former mechanical engineering professor, or his wife, who’s a pharmacist. So he knew he had to do something. It wasn’t long before he’d converted his garage into a temporary lab and had begun the kind of hands-on experiments on the weekends that would better engage his son.

His son, who is now a freshman at Howard University, was getting all As at one of Louisiana’s top magnet schools the following year when his friends began inquiring about how he’d come to know so much about science.

“Right then and there, he realized he’d been exposed to somebody and things that his friends were not,” said Mackie, the founder of the nonprofit STEM NOLA. “He really believed that if his friends had [this same exposure], they would be just as bright as him.”

It wasn’t long before a group of his son’s friends began showing up to Mackie’s garage on Saturdays as well.

It was then that Mackie had an epiphany of sorts, realizing that he had something to offer the larger New Orleans community.

“If [my son’s] friends were not being exposed, then think of the rest of the kids,” Mackie said.

Putting up $100,000 of their own money, Mackie and his wife, Tracy, founded STEM NOLA in 2013 in the hopes of making a positive difference for the larger New Orleans community in which they lived and help meet the demands of the 21st century.

A nonprofit organization with a mission to expose, inspire and engage the communities in STEM opportunities, STEM NOLA provides participants an interactive, hands-on learning experience that allows students and future innovators and entrepreneurs of all ages to gain added confidence in their abilities and chart a potential course for a career in a STEM field.

Students enrolled in STEM NOLA learn about 3D printing, coding, technology, engineering, robotics, animation, app development, gaming and much more.

His passion for STEM and inclusion is why Mackie will meet with students, faculty and staff at multiple events on Wednesday, Oct. 20, as part of the Investiture events for Mason President Gregory Washington.

He said it was important to him to be at Mason to celebrate as Washington, his good friend of 30 years, realized a lifelong dream. The two men first met in Atlanta back in 1991, when Mackie was president of Georgia Tech’s Black Graduate Student Association and trying to recruit Washington to come there for his PhD program.

They immediately hit it off thanks in large part to a shared love of STEM, and the two men have since worked together on a number of occasions with the aim of increasing STEM numbers among underserved communities.

“His dream was to be a college president, impact lives and set the direction of an institution,” Mackie said. “It’s important for us to acknowledge and celebrate when goals are met and made.”

Since 2014, STEM NOLA has served more than 80,000 students across 47 states and five different countries, most of whom have hailed from underserved or low-income communities. Nearly half of the participants are female, with more than 80% eligible for free or reduced-priced school lunches.

“It’s making a lasting impression,” Mackie said. “Our commitment is to give all children that which my wife and I and others have given to their kids. We’ve established a level of execution and operation that I don’t want to see change because everybody deserves it.”

Mackie has made the most of all the tools available to him to share his message, including his young brother, Anthony Mackie, the popular Marvel actor who recently became the first black Captain America.

Calvin Mackie said he hopes to eventually create a credit-to-career pipeline that allows for ample access to STEM for all students, no matter their family’s socioeconomic status.

“My ultimate goal is to have a million kids doing STEM on Saturday, every Saturday,” he said.

Topics

STEM

STEM outreach

Booking Link:
https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/deeplink/?ctyhocn=IADFAHH&groupCode=GMUP&arrivaldate=2021-10-18&departuredate=2021-10-24&cid=OM,WW,HILTONLINK,EN,DirectLink&fromId=HILTONLINKDIRECT

Your Guide to President Washington's Investiture

Colleen Rich — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 20:28:10 +0000

Your Guide to President Washington's Investiture Colleen Rich Mon, 09/27/2021 - 16:28

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF HAVING AN INVESTITURE?
Universities hold investitures to accomplish several goals. The occasion celebrates the university’s achievements, goals, and endeavors, and authenticates the president’s role as leader of the academic community. At Mason, we view Dr. Washington’s investiture as opportunity to welcome a new era and celebrate as a community.

WHO IS INVITED TO THE INVESTITURE?
All faculty, staff, students, alumni, contract employees, and other community friends of the university, as well as those who have been invited as official delegates and special guests, are welcome.

HOW LONG IS THE INVESTITURE CEREMONY?
The Investiture Ceremony is set to begin at 1 p.m. and will conclude by 2:30 p.m.

WHO IS INVITED TO MARCH IN THE PROCESSION?
All Mason faculty and selected student representatives will have the opportunity to march in the procession. In addition, delegates from other educational institutions and the entire platform party have been invited to process.

WILL FACULTY MARCHING IN THE PROCESSION BE REQUIRED TO WEAR REGALIA?
Yes, all faculty are asked to wear regalia. Deadline for faculty to order regalia is Thursday, September 30. Faculty will need to contact the University Bookstore if they need to rent regalia.

Please email sm366@bncollege.com or visit the bookstore on the Fairfax Campus. If you've rented before, the bookstore will have your information. If you have not previously rented, please provide your height, cap size, degree earned, and which college/university you attended.

If you rent regalia for the Investiture ceremony, you may keep it to wear at the Winter Graduation, and return it to the University Bookstore no later than December 17, 2021.

WHEN SHOULD FACULTY PARTICIPATING IN THE PROCESSION ARRIVE?

Faculty who are processing in the Investiture Ceremony should arrive at 11 a.m. at the South entrance of EagleBank Arena where they can attend a pre-ceremony luncheon and robing on the East Concourse. Faculty participating in the procession are also invited to a post-ceremony reception.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER INVESTITURE EVENTS THAT FACULTY, STAFF, STUDENTS, AND/OR THE COMMUNITY CAN ATTEND?
A series of Investiture events begins on Friday, October 15, and continues through Friday, October 22, with the investiture at 1 p.m. Thursday, October 21. Get the complete schedule here.

ARE THERE ANY COSTS TO ATTEND ANY OF THE EVENTS?
No, there are no costs associated with attending any of the Investiture events.

ARE PAPER TICKETS REQUIRED FOR THE INVESTITURE CEREMONY?
Paper tickets will not be required for the Investiture, although you must register to attend.

IS THERE A LIMIT TO THE NUMBER OF GUESTS I CAN BRING TO THE INVESTITURE?
No, there is no a limit to the number of guests you can bring to the Investiture.

WHY DO I NEED TO REGISTER?
Registration is currently required for all events on campus.

Attendees must complete Mason COVID Health Check and receive a “green light” status on the day of the event in order to be admitted.

WHAT ARE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY PRECAUTIONS? IS THERE A MASK REQUIREMENT?
Mason requires masks in all indoor areas and when physical distancing can’t be maintained outside.

Every attendee must complete the Mason COVID Health Check and be prepared to show their green status email to enter the event.

ARE CHILDREN WELCOME?
Children are welcome to attend the Investiture festivities.

WHERE SHOULD I PARK FOR THE INVESTITURE CEREMONY ON OCTOBER 21?
Guests should park in any surface lot on the Fairfax Campus. Lots A and L are closest to the EagleBank Arena.

IS THERE A COST FOR PARKING?
There is no cost for parking in any surface lot on October 21.

DISABLED PARKING
Designated disabled parking is available in Lot A on the south side of EagleBank Arena. Please show your DMV issued “Handicapped” Parking (blue or red permit) to parking personnel as you enter the campus. They will guide you to Lot A.

WHERE IS THE GENERAL ADMISSION ENTRANCE?

For the Investiture Ceremony the general admission entrance will be at the South entrance. Please park in Lot A or L.

IS THERE ACCESSIBLE SEATING AT THE INVESTITURE?
Accessible wheelchair seating is available for guests (plus an attendant) in the four main portal areas on the concourse level, Portals 4, 8, 13 and 17. All seating at the concourse level around the arena has been reserved for those needing easy access.

WILL THERE BE ASL INTERPRETERS DURING THE CEREMONY?
ASL interpreters will be present at the ceremony

FACILITIES
Accessible restrooms are located on the concourse level. Accessible water stations are located near the restrooms.

PROGRAMS
Programs will be available at the door and online at the Investiture website, president.gmu.edu/investiture

WHAT IS THE RECOMMENDED DRESS FOR THE DAY?
Business attire is recommended. The ceremony will be held indoors at the EagleBank Arena. Please be sure to wear comfortable shoes if processing.

I AM TRAVELING FROM OUT OF TOWN. IS THERE A LIST OF HOTELS IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA? AND WHERE DO I FIND DIRECTIONS TO THE INVESTITURE?
Room block dates at both hotels are good for October 18 to 24.

Fairfax Marriott at Fair Oaks
Address: 11787 Lee Jackson Highway, Fairfax, VA 22033

Virtual Tour Link: https://visitingmedia.com/tt8/?ttid=fairfax-marriott-at-fair-oaks#/360?group=0&tour=0

To Book:

Booking Link: (https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1631797047147&key=GRP&app=resvlink).
Call 1-888-236-2427 and reference George Mason University Presidential Investiture and the date of October 21.

Rate: $129/night

Hotel room rates are subject to applicable state and local taxes (currently 13%) in effect at the time of check in.

Amenities: Free parking, on-site restaurant/bar, fitness center, complementary wi-fi

Hilton Fairfax
Address: 12777 Fair Lakes Cir, Fairfax, VA 22033

Please note, this hotel is undergoing renovations in the main lobby. All services are still operational.

To Book:

Rate: $99/night

Hotel room rates are subject to applicable state and local taxes (currently 13%) in effect at the time of check in.

Amenities: Free parking, on-site restaurant/bar, fitness center, business center, pool (UNDER RENOVATION), and pet-friendly rooms, complementary wi-fi

WHERE AND WHEN SHOULD DELEGATES AND SPECIAL INVITED GUESTS ARRIVE?
Delegates and special invited guests can park in Lot A, in reserved spaces, and attend the President's Luncheon on the East Side Tent, EagleBank Arena, per personal invitation.

I'M A UNIVERSITY DELEGATE AND MARCHING IN THE PROCESSION. WHERE WILL WE ASSEMBLE TO DON OUR REGALIA?
All official delegates and special guests marching in the procession will don regalia in the Hospitality Room following the President's Luncheon at the tent outside the EagleBank Arena, Lower Level East entrance.

11 a.m. Arrive for lunch in the Hospitality Tent, Lower level, east side of arena
12:30 p.m. Robing in hospitality room; guests escorted to seats if not processing
12:45 p.m. Line up for processional
1 p.m. Procession/Ceremony begins
2:30 p.m. Ceremony concludes; return to Hospitality Room & Tent

Parking Information: Special guest parking is located in Parking Lot A, near the loading dock, located off Mattaponi River Lane. Signage will indicate the Special Guest Reserved parking area. Parking attendants will be available to assist.

Enter through the tent on the lowest level of EagleBank Arena.

IS THERE SPECIAL GUEST SEATING AT THE INVESTITURE?
There will be seating reserved for Investiture special invited guest and those participating in the processional. For all other guests, seating will be on a first come, first-served basis.

HOW CAN A GUEST CONNECT TO THE CAMPUS WI-FI?
Please follow the instructions here: its.gmu.edu/knowledge-base/guest-wi-fi-self-registration.

IF I CAN'T ATTEND, CAN I WATCH THE INVESTITURE LIVE? IF SO, HOW?
The Investiture is livestreaming for those unable to attend in person. Click to watch the ceremony: gmutv.gmu.edu/live/

IF I HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS, IS THERE SOMEONE I CAN CONTACT?
All questions can be directed to the Investiture team at gmuevent@gmu.edu.

Check the website at president.gmu.edu/investiture for more details.

Topics

Faculty and Staff News