Greg Johnson

The George Mason University School of Business has partnered with Brown & Brown Insurance since 2008 in bringing campus audiences engaging, timely, and thought-provoking speakers through the Brown & Brown Speaker Series. Now the longest running speaker series at the university, 40 prestigious leaders have already taken the stage including Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Co-Founder of Cisco Systems Sandy Lerner, and CFO of Travel Channel Kellie Goldstein among many others.

Celia Miranda, now a senior majoring in information systems and operations management, attended a bootcamp for aspiring entrepreneurs when she was a high school senior. The bootcamp took place on the Fairfax campus of George Mason University. It was then and there that she learned what she wanted to do and where she was comfortable studying.

His sights set on the music industry, Daniel Cooper, a senior double majoring in marketing and management, has the drive, talent, and brains to make it big, but there was one more thing he needed–a little extra money to help him continue advancing his studies. Not coming from a family of means, Cooper realized he would have to find extra funds elsewhere to help finance his education. Thankfully for Cooper, generous people like Michael (MBA ’83) and Jane Anzilotti are part of his George Mason University School of Business extended family.

Before she began pursuing her MBA, Christina Snyder knew that women were underrepresented in business, not necessarily in the George Mason University School of Business, but certainly among leadership in the business world. Soon after starting her MBA studies at Mason, she discovered the Women in Business Initiative and the opportunity to apply for the Women in Business Initiative Endowed Scholarship. She leapt at the chance to apply, and she's so thankful that she did.

Attending George Mason University School of Business in the early-90s, Marie Robles, BS Accounting ’94, was mesmerized by the diversity she saw across campus. Students of all ethnic, religious, and other cultural backgrounds intermingled in the classrooms. Mason’s diversity made her feel at home. However, she’s aware that boardrooms and offices are often devoid of that inclusive and welcoming experience.

When Linh Le, a senior in the accounting accelerated master’s program, first arrived to George Mason University, she realized that even working multiple part-time jobs would still put tuition out of reach. Besides, she also understood that she would need that extra time to focus on her demanding courses. Adding to the hardships that she expected was the unexpected impact of COVID-19. She now finds herself on track for the accelerated program that would have been much harder to fund had she not applied for, and received, the Janis S. Reed Endowed Scholarship.

It had been 15 years since graduating from George Mason University when Michael Gallagher, MBA ’94, was approached by school officials about getting involved with the School of Business Alumni Chapter. He jumped in with both feet, serving several roles including chapter president and has sat on the Dean’s Advisory Board for the past three years.

An interdisciplinary hub within the School of Business, the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship supports Patriots from all of Mason’s programs and schools with a variety of courses and experiential learning opportunities outside of the classroom.

With nearly a quarter of its undergrad enrollment identifying as Asian American or Pacific Islander, the School of Business continues to be one of the most diverse schools within the most diverse university in Virginia.

The School of Business Alumni Chapter’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee relentlessly pushes for every Patriot to feel welcomed and included so that the school can continue ascending to new heights.