Faculty and Staff Announcements
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Campus Updates
Clear the Air(ways): Respiratory Virus Vaccine Clinic
Employee Health and Well-Being will host an on-campus vaccine clinic offering COVID, flu, pneumonia, and RSV vaccines on Thursday, Nov. 6, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Each of these vaccines can be co-administered. Select the vaccine(s) you would like to receive during registration. The vaccine clinic will be located on the Fairfax Campus, Peterson Hall, Population Health Center. Schedule an appointment.
Statewide Earthquake Drill on Thursday, Oct. 16
George Mason University will participate in the statewide earthquake drill at 10:16 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16. Participation is voluntary. This drill includes a test of the Mason Alert emergency notification system. The drill will end at 10:26 a.m.
Review the Earthquake Preparation and Response Guide provided by Risk, Safety, and Resilience at ready.gmu.edu/be-prepared. Follow the response instructions provided in the guide. For more information about George Mason's emergency management programs, visit ready.gmu.edu or contact 703-993-8448 or rsr@gmu.edu.
Internship Week Oct. 20-24
Internship Week is George Mason students’ opportunity to learn about internships and attend George Mason’s Internship Fair. University Career Services will offer virtual and in-person workshops during the week of Oct. 20–24, with free Handshake swag, prizes, and food. Get the details.
2006 Men’s Basketball Final Four Anniversary Autograph Signing
In celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Men’s Basketball 2006 Final Four run, stop by the George Mason Bookstore in the Johnson Center on Friday, Oct. 17, from 3–5 p.m. for an autograph signing event with Head Coach Tony Skinn and Lamar Butler, former Final Four players.
Check out commemorative merchandise available for purchase and receive a complimentary rally towel for the autograph signing. Capture a new memory from this historic Cinderella story.
October Is Campus Sustainability Month
George Mason celebrates Campus Sustainability Month every October. Join Facilities and Campus Operations' University Sustainability team, along with campus partners, for a month of engaging activities and events.
Grow food sustainably on campus, opt for reuse rather than single use to support the Zero Waste George Mason program, donate items you don’t want at a Patriot Packout Swap and Hop, apply for a grant from the Patriot Green Fund, and more. Make a sustainable impact, celebrate success, and learn how you can get more involved. Learn more.
Training and Professional Development
Faculty-Staff Enrichment Day
Faculty-Staff Enrichment Day is happening on Thursday, Oct. 16, from 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. on the Fairfax Campus, Johnson Center, Dewberry Hall. This year’s theme is “The Future We Choose: Courage. Community. Commitment.” The day includes interactive workshops, networking opportunities, a vendor fair, and thoughtful moments to reflect, recharge, and grow alongside colleagues.
All George Mason employees are invited to participate, and supervisors are encouraged to provide flexibility during work hours so teams can attend. View the agenda and session details. Register in MasonLEAPS.
Civic Learning Teaching Series
Learn to incorporate civic learning and community engagement into your course in this three-part series from the Office of Community Engagement and Civic Learning. Explore fundamentals, best practices, partner collaborations, reflection design, and student learning assessment strategies. Attend all sessions this fall or a single three-hour session in January. Questions? Contact Kristen Wright or visit the website. Register.
Values-Driven Explorer: Your Guiding Star
Join the Organizational Development and Knowledge Management program on Saturday, Nov. 15. for a full-day, virtual workshop designed to help participants clarify their “North Star” values and apply them in decision-making, ethics, resilience, and alignment in life and work. Through guided reflection, dialogue, and practical tools, participants will explore values as their compass—discovering detours, staying aligned, and finding the way back. Leave with clarity, courage, and a renewed commitment to living with intention. This workshop is free and open to George Mason faculty and staff. RSVP.
Intro to Mindfulness Online Cohort
Learn how to manage stress and enhance well-being through the Intro to Mindfulness program from the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being. The evidence-based curriculum of this mindfulness meditation program fits well into your busy life and can lead to better concentration, improved sleep, and increased self-compassion.
George Mason faculty and staff are invited to join the cohort online on Tuesdays from 4:30–5:45 p.m. on Oct. 21, Oct. 28, Nov. 4, and Nov. 11. Learn more and register.
Mental Health First Aid
George Mason students, faculty, and staff are invited to complete Mental Health First Aid training to learn how to help someone suffering from a mental health crisis, increase mental health literacy, and dismantle the stigma associated with mental health and substance use challenges. Register now for the next sessions, either Nov. 10–13 from 7:30–9:30 p.m., or Nov. 24–25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
October Manager Meetup: Understanding Work Culture
Join the University Life Supervision Collective for an interactive session focusing on workplace culture as an ongoing process that begins at hiring and continues throughout an employee's time with the organization. Participants will reflect on work culture experiences and the impact on work performance, productivity, and retention, and collaborate by sharing strategies to foster a positive workplace culture. This virtual session will take place on Thursday, Oct. 23, at 2 p.m. RSVP.
Workplace Stress Management with Sophrology
Learn how to manage stress well, reduce anxiety, and increase your morale at work with “Workplace Stress Management with Sophrology” sessions for George Mason faculty and staff. Register to join the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being for these online sessions, which will all take place from 9–10 a.m. on the following dates: Oct. 16 and Oct. 23. Learn more and register.
Resources for You
Trunk or Treat: Registration Now Open
The Mason Trunk or Treat—the spookiest, cutest, and fastest-growing George Mason tradition—is back for its fourth year on Saturday, Oct. 25, in Parking Lot L on the Fairfax Campus.
George Mason offices and departments are invited to decorate a trunk and hand out candy to all of the adorable, costumed kids. The event is open to families in the George Mason and local communities. The event runs from 4 to 6 p.m., and the best decorated trunks win frightfully spectacular prizes. Sign up today.
More than a Moment: Paint and Sip
Join a Paint and Sip event led by School of Art alum Girasol O’Neill on Wednesday, Oct. 15, from 5–7:30 p.m. on the Fairfax Campus in SUB I, Room 3B. "More than a Moment" offers students the opportunity to craft their understandings of culture through various mediums, reimagining cross-cultural education as a creative, unbounded endeavor. Attendees will receive a small canvas to decorate inspired by belonging and Hispanic/Latin American heritage. At the end, everyone will lay their canvases down to assemble a community tapestry. This will be photographed before attendees leave with their art piece.
All are welcome. This event is hosted by the Center for Leadership and Intercultural Engagement, Mason Exhibitions, LGBTQ+ Resources, and the Latino Alumni Chapter. RSVP.
Open Access Publishing and the Humanities: Mapping the Terrain
George Mason Libraries and the Center for Humanities Research are collaborating on an event series, “Open Access Publishing and the Humanities: Mapping the Terrain.” Join the first discussion, “Models for the Monograph,"on Friday, Oct. 17, from noon to 1:30 p.m. on the Fairfax Campus, Horizon Hall, Room 6325, and on Zoom. This event will feature leading open access publishers in the humanities. The event will be hybrid, with both an in-person and virtual audience, and with our speakers joining us virtually. Get more details and RSVP.
Upcoming Performances and Arts Events at George Mason
Mason Symphony Orchestra Concert Fall 2025
Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music
Wednesday, Oct. 15, at 8 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts
The Mason Symphony Orchestra, led by Soo Han, invites you to their first concert of the season. This concert will open with the “Overture” from one of Mozart’s prominent operas, The Marriage of Figaro. Duo-pianists Linda Apple Monson and Anna Balakerskaia will perform the whimsical Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns with the Mason Symphony Orchestra. The concert will conclude with the majestic Symphony No. 2 by Jean Sibelius.
Upcoming Events with Mason Exhibitions:
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Interdisciplinary Talk on Kurdish History and Identity
Friday, Oct. 17, 6–8 p.m.
Mason Exhibitions Arlington (3601 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia)
Three Kurdish scholars across George Mason will talk about their research, making connections to the artwork in the exhibit, Kî me Ez? - Who Am I?: Contemporary Kurdish Art in Diaspora. Join moderator Holly Mason Badra and panelists Arash Saleh, Golzar Salih, and Omer Pacal for a chance to think more about Kurdish experiences across disciplines. RSVP. -
Closing Reception: Poetry Reading with Holly Mason Badra and Zhawen Shali
Saturday, Oct. 25, 5–7 p.m.
Mason Exhibitions Arlington (3601 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia)
Authors Holly Mason Badra and Zhawen Shali will read from their books and discuss cultural and artist production and Kurdish communities. The authors will also respond to artworks in the exhibition.
Manassas Ballet Theatre: ‘Frankenstein’
Oct. 17–19, multiple performances
Science and Technology Campus, Hylton Performing Arts Center, Merchant Hall
Manassas Ballet Theatre opens its season with the frightful tale of Frankenstein. Set to an original, evocative score by Kim Reynolds and performed by the Kim Reynolds Band, the ballet brings this legendary classic to life in a thrilling blend of drama, emotion, and artistry. Experience the tragic story of creation and destruction through stunning new choreography and captivating live music that reimagine this frightful masterpiece.
Laurie Berkner Band
Saturday, Oct. 18, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts
Back by popular demand, “the undisputed queen of kindie rock” (USA Today) Laurie Berkner and her band perform a concert event for the whole family. Trick or treat yourself by wearing your costume for this performance of Halloween songs, as well as classics from the Laurie Berkner Greatest Hits album.
Mason Opera Scenes Performance
Monday, Oct. 20, at 8 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts
Join Mason Opera's talented students for a staged program of favorite opera scenes. The limited audience will have the rare opportunity to be seated on the stage of the Center for the Arts for this intimate presentation. Free and open to the public.
Mason Jazz Ensemble Concert
Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music
Thursday, Oct. 23, at 8 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts
The Mason Jazz Ensemble, directed by Jim Carroll, offers opportunities for improvisation, performance, recording, writing, leadership and service. The ensemble’s semester has been devoted to exploring what Jelly Roll Morton called “the Latin Tinge”—the vibrant Afro-Latin influences that have shaped jazz from its earliest days to the present. Highlights include Aaron Copland’s stirring “Fanfare for the Common Man” reimagined through a jazz ensemble lens; Dizzy Gillespie’s iconic Afro-Cuban masterpiece “Manteca;” Yoko Kanno’s explosive and genre-blurring “Tank!” from Cowboy Bebop; and “Chucho” by Paquito D'Rivera .
Chatham County Line
American Roots Series
Saturday, Oct. 25, at 5 p.m.
Science and Technology Campus, Hylton Performing Arts Center, Gregory Family Theater
Established more than 20 years ago in North Carolina, Chatham County Line produces an intoxicating blend of musical genres to create “a bridge between bluegrass traditions and a fresh interpretation of those influences” (NPR). The group has topped the Billboard Bluegrass chart four times and has 11 critically acclaimed albums to its name. Musicians Dave Wilson (singer/guitarist), John Teer (fiddle/mandolin), Greg Readling (bass/pedal steel), and Darren Jessee (drums) will have audiences clapping all night long.
Manassas Symphony Orchestra: ‘Romantic Impressions with Thomas Pandolfi, Piano’
Saturday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m.
Science and Technology Campus, Hylton Performing Arts Center, Merchant Hall
Under the baton of Maestro James Villani, the Manassas Symphony Orchestra proudly launches its 33rd season with the return of renowned American pianist Thomas Pandolfi performing Rachmaninoff’s iconic “Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor.” Celebrated by the Washington Post as “a master of both the grand gesture and the sensual line,” and lauded by D.C. Metro Arts for his “exhilarating...rare mix of technical accuracy and cool confidence,” Pandolfi promises an evening of unparalleled artistry.
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
Saturday, Oct. 25, at 8 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts
Returning to the Center for the Arts for the first time since 2008, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago aims to awaken the human spirit through contemporary dance. “A perfect storm of movement, music and choreography” (Los Angeles Times), Hubbard Street has performed globally in 19 countries and 44 states, presenting the works of today’s leading choreographic voices.
Time for Three
Mason Artist-in-Residence
Sunday, Oct. 26, at 2 p.m.
Science and Technology Campus, Hylton Performing Arts Center, Merchant Hall
Grammy and Emmy Award-winning trio Time for Three (TF3) defies convention and boundaries by showcasing excellence across different genres, including classical music, Americana, and singer-songwriter. Consisting of Charles Yang (violin, vocals), Nicolas "Nick" Kendall (violin, vocals), and Ranaan Meyer (double bass, vocals), TF3 combines their instruments and voices in a remarkable sound, establishing a distinct voice of expression. As a Mason Artist-in-Residence, TF3 will work with the community through classes and workshops in conjunction with its performance. Their concert at the Hylton Center will feature a special performance by the Gar-Field High School Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Dennis Leoni.
Dewberry School of Music Faculty Artist Showcase Recital
Sunday, Oct. 26, at 3 p.m.
Fairfax Campus, Center for the Arts
The Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music presents its annual showcase recital featuring its stellar faculty artists in magnificent solo and chamber performances. Free and open to the public.
George Mason School of Theater: ‘Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812’
Oct. 30 to Nov. 2, multiple performances
Fairfax Campus, Harris Theatre
From the celebrated and award-winning composer Dave Malloy comes Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, an electropop opera based on a scandalous slice of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace. In the opulent world of Moscow high society, impetuous and passionate Natasha Rostova awaits the return of her beloved fiancé, Andrey, from the front lines of the war. But after a surprising encounter with a roguishly charming stranger, Natasha’s world is thrown into turmoil. As she is torn between competing futures, Natasha’s friends must come together to help her, and themselves, find their way forward.