George Mason University (often referred to as GMU or Mason) is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax.[5] Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County. The university's motto is Freedom and Learning while its slogan or tagline is Where Innovation Is Tradition.[6] Named after American revolutionary, patriot, and founding father George Mason, the university was founded as a branch of the University of Virginia in 1957 and became an independent institution in 1972.[7][8] Today, Mason is recognized for its strong programs in law, economics, creative writing, and computer science.[9][10][11][12] The university enrolls over 32,500 students, making it the largest university by head count in the Commonwealth of Virginia.[13] Contents 1 History 2 Campuses 2.1 Fairfax 2.1.1 Design and construction 2.1.2 Housing and residence life 2.1.3 Student life 2.1.3.1 Johnson Center 2.1.3.2 Center for the Arts 2.1.3.3 Patriot Center 2.1.3.4 Fenwick Library 2.2 Arlington 2.3 Prince William 2.4 Loudoun 3 Ras Al Khaimah 4 Academics 4.1 Rankings 4.2 Schools and colleges 5 Athletics 6 Organizations 6.1 Media 6.2 Fraternity and sorority life 7 Presidents past and present 8 Notable alumni 8.1 Corporate/non-profit 8.2 Government and politics 8.3 Literary and media 8.4 Sports and entertainment 8.5 Other 9 Notable faculty 9.1 College of Humanities and Social Sciences 9.2 Department of Economics 9.3 College of Science 9.4 School of Public Policy 9.5 School of Management 9.6 School of Law 9.7 School of Recreation, Health, and Tourism 10 Accreditation 11 References 12 External links [edit] History The Virginia General Assembly passed a resolution in January 1956, establishing a branch college of the University of Virginia in Northern Virginia . In September 1957 the new college opened its doors to seventeen students, all of whom enrolled as freshmen in a renovated elementary school building at Bailey's Crossroads. John Norville Gibson Finley served as Director of the new branch, which was known as University College.[14] George Mason, (1725–1792) after whom the University is named. The city of Fairfax purchased and donated 150 acres (0.61 km2) of land to the University of Virginia for the college's new site,[15] which was referred to as the Fairfax Campus. In 1959, the Board of Visitors of UVA selected a permanent name for the college: George Mason College of the University of Virginia. The Fairfax campus construction planning that began in early 1960 showed visible results when the development of the first 40 acres (160,000 m2) of Fairfax Campus began in 1962. In the Fall of 1964 the new campus welcomed 356 students. Local jurisdictions of Fairfax County, Arlington County, and the cities of Alexandria and Falls Church agreed to appropriate $3 million to purchase land adjacent to Mason to provide for a 600-acre (2.4 km2) Fairfax Campus in 1966 with the intention that the institution would expand into a regional university of major proportions, including the granting of graduate degrees. On April 7, 1972 the Virginia General Assembly enacted legislation which separated George Mason College from its parent institution, the University of Virginia. Renamed that day by the legislation, George Mason College became George Mason University. In 1978, the George Mason University Foundation purchased the former Kann's department store in Arlington. In March 1979 the Virginia General Assembly authorized the establishment of the George Mason University School of Law (GMUSL) – contingent on the transfer of the Kann's building to George Mason University. GMUSL began operations in that building on July 1, 1979 and received provisional accreditation from the American Bar Association in 1980. The ABA granted full approval to GMUSL in 1986. Also, in 1979, the university moved all of its athletic programs to NCAA Division I. Enrollment that year passed 11,000. The university opened its Arlington campus in 1982, two blocks from the Virginia Square-GMU station in Arlington. In 1986 the university's governing body, the Board of Visitors, approved a new master plan for the year based on an enrollment of 20,000 full-time students with housing for 5,000 students by 1995. That same year university housing opened to bring the total number of residential students to 700. Through a bequest of Russian immigrant Shelley Krasnow the University established the Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study in 1991. The Institute was created to further the understanding of the mind and intelligence by combining the fields of cognitive psychology, neurobiology, and artificial intelligence. In 1992, Mason's new Prince William Institute began classes in a temporary site in Manassas, Virginia. The Institute moved to a permanent 124-acre (0.50 km2) site located on the Rt. 234 bypass, ten miles (16 km) south of Manassas, by the year 1997, and is now known as the Prince William Campus. The university graduated more than 5,000 students that following spring. While George Mason University is young compared to established research universities in Virginia, it has grown rapidly, reaching an enrollment of 30,714 students in 2008.[16] According to a 2005 report issued by the university, enrollment is expected to reach 35,000 students by 2011 with more than 7,000 resident students.[17] In 2002, Mason celebrated its 30th anniversary as a university by launching its first capital campaign, trying to raise $110 million. The school raised $142 million, $32 million more than its goal. The George Mason University logo, originally designed in 1982, was updated in 2004.[citation needed] In 2008, the School of Management celebrated its 30th anniversary. Also, in 2008 Mason changed its mascot from the "Gunston" animal to the "Patriot".[citation needed] [edit] Campuses This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2009) [edit] Fairfax The new Volgenau School of Information Technology and Engineering building. The main campus of George Mason University is situated on 677 acres (2.74 km2) just south of the City of Fairfax, Virginia in central Fairfax County, approximately 15 miles (24 km) west of Washington, D.C. The Fairfax campus is served on the Washington Metro by the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU station on the Orange line. A 15 minute shuttle in addition to the CUE bus, free for students with a Mason ID card, serves the students through routes from the Metro station to the University.[18][19] [edit] Design and construction In the early 1960s four buildings were constructed around a lawn in Fairfax, appropriately named East, West, North (later, Krug Hall), and South (later, Finley Hall). The first four structures, today dubbed "The Original Four," "around a lawn" were understood as a clear reference to the buildings around The Lawn of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. In addition, in the words of the architects, the architecture of the buildings was meant to reflect Jeffersonian influence through the use of red brick with buff colored mortar, white vertical columns, and sloped shingled roofs. Master plans were developed to incorporate further development, which saw new additions such as Fenwick Library and Lecture Hall. By 1979 master plan development was handled by the firm of Sasaki & Associates, which continued to work alongside the university in the years that followed. Student housing first became available in 1977. The 1980s saw the biggest expansion with new buildings being added on each year including the Patriot Center. Recent years have seen the most activity on campus. Innovation Hall, a new academic building, opened in 2003. Student apartment buildings Liberty Square and Potomac Heights opened in 2004 to accommodate an unprecedented demand from students. The fall of 2005 saw the number of residential students surpass 4,100. The Sandy Creek parking deck and Research I, a four-story 100,000-square-foot (9,300 m2) facility that includes faculty offices and instructional and research laboratories, opened in 2006. The latter includes a semi-detached tower that houses the Astronomy Department's rooftop telescope. The Fairfax campus is undergoing a massive, $900 million construction campaign (between 2002–2012) that includes a new Information Technology and Engineering building, a new Visual and Performing Arts building, a new dining hall, a renovated Physical Education building (in addition to the recently renovated Aquatic and Fitness Center), and a new residential building. Also, George Mason is planning a new hotel and conference center, and yet another new residential building. Even the roads are changing: the Patriot Circle has received a new roundabout this summer. By 2010, Mason will have over 800,000 square feet (74,000 m2) of new building space as compared to 2006. Not only is Mason experiencing a construction boom, but it also has another Master Plan and Library Master Plan in the works. The Fairfax campus is undergoing a complete transformation. [edit] Housing and residence life Liberty Square, an upperclassmen residence area which opened in 2003 Fairfax is the only campus of George Mason University with on-campus student housing. There are five housing areas housing approximately 5,000 students: President's Park, DUCC (Dominion Hall, University Commons and Commonwealth Hall), TAP (Townhouses, Student Apartments), YRC (Liberty Square and Potomac Heights) and the newest housing area Chesapeake (Tidewater, Blue Ridge, Shenandoah, Piedmont and Northern Neck). A sixth housing area is currently under construction to house an additional thousand students. York River Corner includes Liberty Squ
ncaa tournament george mason university wins a
CLEVELAND – As the ball emerged from a tangle of players and was launched downcourt Friday, a green and gold bash was raging in the lower and upper levels of Read the rest
george mason university school of law wikipedia the free
George Mason University School of Law (Mason Law or GMUSL) is the law school of George Mason University, a state university in Virginia, United States. Read the rest
george mason university wikipedia the free
George Mason University (often referred to as GMU or Mason) is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to Read the rest
george mason university office of admissions
Welcome to George Mason University! Our prime location just outside Washington, D.C. makes Mason the destination for students from all over the world. Read the rest
george mason university in fairfax virginia
George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. See George Mason University facts, admissions, cost, financial aid, programs, majors, sports, campus life info on Cappex.com. Read the rest
gomason com the official athletic site of george mason university
The George Mason University Official Athletic Site, partner of NeuLion, Inc. The most comprehensive coverage of George Mason University Athletics on the web. Read the rest
welcome to george mason university
Minutes from Washington D.C. - Founded in 1972, the university has grown into a major educational force and earned a reputation as an innovative, entrepreneurial Read the rest
george mason university facebook
Welcome to the official Facebook Page about George Mason University. Join Facebook to start connecting with George Mason University. Read the rest
george mason university information from answers com
George Mason University Contact Information George Mason University 4400 University Dr. Fairfax, VA 22030-4444 VA Tel Read the rest
george mason university
Type of institution: Public, 4-year or above: Federal Aid: Institution has a Program Participation Agreement with the US Department of Education for eligible students Read the rest