Faculty/Staff Announcements

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Campus Updates

Clear the Air(way): Flu, COVID, RSV, and Pneumonia Vaccine Clinic

Employee Health and Well-Being, in partnership with the College of Public Health and Giant Pharmacy, will host a vaccine clinic on Tuesday, Nov. 12, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Fairfax Campus, Peterson Hall. Faculty, staff, and family members (ages 18+) insured through Anthem or Aetna can receive flu, COVID, RSV, and pneumonia vaccines.

Individuals insured under Kaiser or other carriers should verify their eligibility for this clinic with their provider or visit vaccines.gov to find an appointment elsewhere.

Vaccine eligibility:

Flu: All ages 6+ months, recommended once a year. (Note: This clinic is for participants ages 18+)
COVID-19: Recommended for ages 6+ months, regardless of previous vaccination (Note: This clinic is for participants ages 18+)
RSV: Recommended for ages 75+ or 60–74 at increased risk
Pneumonia: Recommended for ages 65+ or 19–64 with risk factors

Advance registration is strongly encouraged. Sign up for an appointment. For questions, email ehw@gmu.edu or call 703-993-6001.

November Staff Senate Meeting

George Mason University Rector Charles “Cully” Stimson will be the guest speaker at the Staff Senate meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 6, from 10–11 a.m. The general business meeting will follow from 11 a.m. to noon. Constituents are invited to attend in person on the Fairfax Campus in Merten Hall, Room 1201, or join the meeting via Zoom.

10th Annual Summit for Programs, Events, and Camps for Minors

Does your department or unit host programs, events, or camps (PEC) serving minors? If so, join the 10th annual PEC Summit on Thursday, Nov. 7, from 10–11:30 a.m., where policy stakeholders and service providers will answer questions regarding requirements and services. The summit will be hosted virtually on Microsoft Teams. Questions? Contact Buz Grover at hgorveri@gmu.edu or 703-993-5784.

Pizza and Perspectives: 2024 Presidential Election Debrief

Join University Life Mason Square for a panel discussion on the 2024 election, exploring the key factors shaping this critical moment in Virginia and national politics. Pizza and Perspectives will be hosted on Monday, Nov. 11, from 6–7:15 p.m. at Mason Square in the Van Metre Hall multipurpose room.

Expert panelists will analyze the current political climate and the potential impact of the 2024 presidential election. Enjoy free pizza while gaining valuable insights and connecting with fellow attendees. RSVP.

Panelists include:

Terry McAuliffe, distinguished visiting professor, Schar School of Policy and Government, and former governor of Virginia (2014–18)
David Ramadan, professor of practice, Schar School, and former member of the Virginia House of Delegates (2012–16)
Mark Rozell, dean, Schar School
Jennifer Victor, associate professor of political science, Schar School

First-Gen First-Year Students Networking Dinner with Faculty and Staff

Join First Year Connections within New Student and Family Programs and the First Gen+ Center for a networking dinner on Friday, Nov. 8, from 5:30–7:30 p.m. on the Fairfax Campus in SUB I. This is a chance for first-generation students in their first year (freshman or transfer undergrad students) to meet and connect with faculty and staff who were also first-generation students. There is no cost to attend, and dinner will be provided. Register. Contact Caroline Simpson with any questions.

Toys for Tots

This holiday season, help spread joy by donating to the Toys for Tots campaign. George Mason’s Office of Military Services is an official collection site, working alongside the Office of Contemporary Student Services to support children in need. Drop off new, unwrapped toys at either collection site through Dec. 12:

Office of Military Services: Fairfax Campus, Student Union Building (SUB) I, Room 1510
Office of Contemporary Student Services: Fairfax Campus, SUB I, Room 3600

All donations go directly to children in the community who might otherwise go without gifts. Make this holiday season brighter—thank you for your generosity! For more information, contact military@gmu.edu or 703-993-1316.

From Service to Success: Leveraging Military Experience for Career Advancement (Panel Discussion)

Join the Military, Veterans, and Families Initiative and the Veteran Alumni Chapter for an insightful panel discussion featuring three veterans who will share how their military experience has contributed to and enhanced their career paths. Panelists will share unique challenges and opportunities faced by veterans in the workplace, as well as the valuable skills and experiences they bring to their current careers.

This event will be hosted on Monday, Nov. 11, from 4:30–5:30 p.m. on the Fairfax Campus in Merten Hall, Room 1204. Learn more and RSVP.

Peer Advisor Application Open

University Studies is hiring Peer Advisors to co-teach "Intro to Mason" classes in fall 2025. This is an on-campus job opportunity for undergraduate students. Faculty and staff may encourage interested students to fill out an application and attend an information session.

Visit the website for more details. Information sessions are posted on Mason360.gmu.edu. Search for "Peer Advisor information session" under events.

The Annual Vernon M. and Minnie I. Lynch Lecture

The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution invites the community to attend the annual Lynch Lecture on Tuesday, Nov. 12, at 6:30 p.m. at Mason Square. Award-winning filmmaker Haile Gerima will discuss the topic of "The Monopoly of History through Cinematic Audiovisual Archive." Gerima will share his perspective on the politics and power dynamics of filmmaking and its role in liberation struggles. Learn more and register.

Training and Professional Development

Leading Your Team with Technology in a Hybrid Workspace

Join the University Life Supervision Collective on Tuesday, Nov. 12, from 2–3 p.m. for a virtual workshop focusing on strategies to support a hybrid workspace through intentional use of technology. In the session, participants will:

Reflect on workplace environment transitions (in-person, remote, hybrid) and impact of technology in their work
Consider challenges with technology integration on their team and strategize solutions
Engage in conversations on how to leverage technology to enhance collaboration

Prior to the session, participants should complete a brief survey to help inform the discussion. Resources will be provided for participants to continue the conversation with their teams following the session. RSVP.

Workshop: How to Handle Difficult Classroom Discussions and Situations in the Moment

Are you prepared to handle difficult discussions and charged situations in the classroom in the moment? Do you usually think of things later that you wish you would have said or done? In this workshop, participants will prepare and practice how to handle important and potentially tense classroom conversations in the moment. The workshop will focus on how to support everyone in the classroom—including instructors—during tense times.

This workshop will be hosted by the Stearns Center on Friday, Nov. 8, from 1–2 p.m. on Zoom. Register.

Apply for the Emerging Leaders Supervisor Series

Human Resources is now accepting applications for the next cohort of the Emerging Leaders Supervisor Series. The series begins in February 2025 and runs until May 2026. This cohort will be hybrid to accommodate those participants working fully remotely.

The goals of the Emerging Leaders Supervisor Series are to support participants as they:

Develop a leadership mindset
Create and implement a vision for their own leadership and their team
Lead a high-performing team
Learn tools and strategies to grow their self-awareness, relationships, and communication skills, which will support the above three objectives.

Get more details about the application process. Apply by Monday, Dec. 2. Applicants must be George Mason faculty or classified staff and must supervise at least one employee who is faculty or classified staff.

Resources for You

Queer Parents and Caregivers Meetup

The LGBTQ+ Faculty/Staff Alliance is hosting a Queer Parents and Caregivers meetup on Wednesday, Nov. 13, from 1:30–2:30 p.m. This event is open to all faculty, staff, and GTAs/GRAs who are LGBTQ+ parents, caregivers, and/or queer individuals in the process of building a family (or wanting to build a family in the future). The group will meet in the Women and Gender Studies Center (Fairfax Campus, Johnson Center, Room 240K). Coffee and tea will be provided, and attendees are welcome to bring a lunch. Enjoy some casual conversation with colleagues/friends. Contact Holly Mason Badra with questions.

Help Make College Dreams Come True

Interested in helping local high school students in non-traditional programs achieve their dream of a college education? Become a mentor with George Mason's Dreamcatchers program. Mentors attend monthly workshops on campus to assist students seeking to attend college upon graduating high school. Interested? Contact Buz Grover at hgroveri@gmu.edu or 703-993-5784 for more information.

Enhance Your Financial Wellness through Estate Planning

Having a complete estate plan can help you accomplish personal and financial goals, such as: choosing who will receive your assets, choosing who will handle your final personal matters, naming a guardian for your minor children, providing peace of mind for yourself and your loved ones, decreasing expenses, possibly lowering taxes, and ensuring your intended charitable gifts are made.

More information on estate planning is available through resources from the Office of Planned Giving, including a blog post and a ebrochure. For information on including George Mason in your will or estate plan, contact Aquanetta Betts, director of planned giving, at mylegacy@gmu.edu or 703-993-6971.

Bi/Pan Coffee Social

The LGBTQ+ Faculty/Staff Alliance is hosting a coffee social for those who want to be in community with other bi/pan individuals on Thursday, Nov. 14, from 9–10 a.m. in the Women and Gender Studies Lounge (Johnson Center, Room 240K).

Kritikos Anti-Racist Reading Group: Fall Sessions

The Kritikos Anti-Racist Reading Group will meet on Friday afternoons this fall. Kritikos engages in discussions on writing about the arts, critical studies, translation, the artist in society, and art as speech. Learn more.

Join them for the topic “Black Mental Wellness during Election Cycles” on Friday, Nov. 8, from 1–2:30 p.m. via Zoom. This event is free and open to the public.

Upcoming Performances and Arts Events at George Mason

Jazz4Justice™
Friday, Nov. 22, at 8 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts
Jazz4Justice™ brings attorneys, judges, students, and members of the Northern Virginia community together to celebrate their love of jazz. Proceeds from the evening benefit Legal Services of Northern Virginia, continuing its mission of service to the community, as well as providing financial support for the Mason Jazz Studies program for scholarships, trips, recordings, and student projects.

Enchantment Theatre Company: My Father’s Dragon
Saturday, Nov. 23, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. (SciTech Campus, Hylton Center, Merchant Hall)
Sunday, Nov. 24, at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. (Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts)
Elmer Elevator is on a mission to rescue a baby dragon held captive on Wild Island. How will he pull off such an adventurous rescue? With pure luck—plus chewing gum, lollipop sticks, and rubber bands. Celebrating the 75th anniversary of Ruth Stiles Gannett’s Newbery Honor-winning adventure book, My Father’s Dragon, Enchantment Theatre Company brings to life the story of an unlikely friendship between a courageous boy and a yellow and blue-striped dragon. Recommended for ages 4–10.

Canadian Brass: Making Spirits Bright
Saturday, Nov. 30, at 8 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts
“With their unbeatable blend of virtuosity, spontaneity and humor” (Washington Post), Canadian Brass kicks off the holiday season with a program of original arrangements and signature takes on beloved classics such as “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “Christmas Time is Here,” “Silver Bells,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” and songs of Hanukkah. 

Take 6
Sunday, Dec. 1, at 2 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts
The most awarded a cappella group in history, Take 6, brings its vocal genius to the Center for the Arts for a gospel-infused holiday concert. Heralded by Quincy Jones, experience vocal artistry with their silky-smooth program that slips and slides from jazz to pop to R&B, doo-wop, and blues.

Chanticleer: A Chanticleer Christmas
Sunday, Dec. 1, at 4 p.m.
SciTech Campus, Hylton Center, Merchant Hall
The holidays shine brighter when Grammy Award-winning Chanticleer comes caroling to the Hylton Center with their beloved program. With 12 expressive voices ranging from countertenor to bass blended with precision, clarity, and breathtaking beauty, “it’s impossible to resist the voices of Chanticleer” (San Francisco Chronicle).

Mason Wind Symphony Concert
Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music
Tuesday, Dec. 3, at 8 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts
The Mason Wind Symphony presents its second concert of the season with traditional and contemporary works for wind bands composed by a variety of composers.

Mason Symphonic Band Concert
Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music
Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 8 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts
This ensemble comprises both music majors and nonmajors from myriad academic disciplines. Conducted by director of concert bands, William L. Lake Jr., this concert will be inspiring and entertaining.

Fall: Dance Innovations
School of Dance
Friday, Dec. 6, at 2 and 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Harris Theatre  
The creative School of Dance students present their own choreography. Always relevant and fresh, this evening of works will have something for everyone. 

Love, Betrayal and Forgiveness – Scenes from Mozart’s Most Popular Operas
Dewberry School of Music
Saturday, Dec. 7, at 2 and 8 p.m.
SciTech Campus, Hylton Center, Gregory Family Theater
The Dewberry School of Music’s Mason Opera presents its fall 2024 performance. Featuring George Mason’s talented vocal students in collaboration with an instrumental chamber ensemble, these live, in-person performances will showcase great vocal skill and dramatic ability and deeply immerse the audience in the action of the story. 

Squirrel Nut Zippers: Christmas Caravan
Saturday, Dec. 7, at 8 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts
Swing into the holiday season with platinum-selling jazz-rock band Squirrel Nut Zippers. Serving up a blend of Delta blues, big band, klezmer jazz, and calypso sound in their holiday program, Christmas Caravan, Squirrel Nut Zippers is sure to get audiences dancing to songs from their albums and other holiday favorites. 

Sons of Serendip
Sunday, Dec. 8, at 4 p.m.
SciTech Campus, Hylton Center, Merchant Hall
“Silky beyond reason” (New York Times), the Billboard-charting foursome, Sons of Serendip, combines warm and inviting vocals, harp, piano, and cello. Enjoy an afternoon of songs from their holiday-themed album Christmas: Beyond the Lights, showcasing velvety harmony and fresh interpretations of traditional holiday tunes. 

Mason Symphony Orchestra and Choirs Winter Festival 2024
Dewberry School of Music
Sunday, Dec. 8, at 7 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts
Join a joyous concert celebration by the Dewberry School of Music to ring in the winter season. Showcasing Mason’s Symphony Orchestra and Choirs, this evening will feature holiday favorites and festive new works performed by extraordinary student artists, conducted by Soo Han, Thomas Colohan, and Michael Stern. 

December Studio Series
George Mason School of Dance
Tuesday, Dec. 10, at 6 and 8 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, de Laski Performing Arts Building, Room A301
Enjoy an evening of student work in one of the School of Dance studios, transformed into an intimate theater. 

American Festival Pops Orchestra – Holiday Pops: Songs of the Season
Friday, Dec. 13, at 8 p.m. (SciTech Campus, Hylton Center)
Saturday, Dec. 14, at 4 p.m. (Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts)
The American Festival Pops Orchestra returns with its beloved Holiday Pops: Songs of the Season. Led by Conductor Peter Wilson, enjoy seasonal favorites, including: “The Night Before Christmas,” narrated by Rick Davis, dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts and executive director of the Hylton Center, toe-tapping classics from the orchestra's embedded big band, and an appearance by the Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble under the direction of Darden Purcell.

Seán Heely’s Celtic Christmas
Sunday, Dec. 15, at 2 and 5 p.m.
SciTech Campus, Hylton Center, Merchant Hall
Washington, D.C.-based, award-winning Celtic fiddler, Gaelic singer, and harpist Seán Heely returns for a winter tour through the Scottish Highlands and across the Irish coast. Featuring Highland and Irish dancing and the MacMillan Pipe Band, the performance includes Gaelic carols tucked in with lively Irish tunes and familiar Christmas melodies. 