Mason Staff Senate
Join in on an interactive conversation with the Supervision Collective team to learn skills and strategies from one another on how to supervise introverts and extroverts in the workplace. Through these conversations, we hope to create community and belonging for all personality types to ensure efficiency as a team. We will be using excerpts from the book “Supervision Matters: 100 Bite Size Ideas to Transform You and Your Team” (pages 218-224) as a guide. Register now.
The Mason Working Moms Support Group is hosting a panel discussion with The Chick Mission on Tuesday, March 19 at 12:00. This will be a hybrid, brown bag lunch in Merten Hall 3300 or via Zoom.
This candid conversation will focus on fertility in various facets, from the basics and ways it relates to a career in medicine to the challenges of navigating it in the context of a cancer diagnosis and more. All are welcome to join this session to learn more about The Chick Mission and the work they are doing to ensure every young woman newly diagnosed with cancer has the option to preserve fertility through direct financial support, educational programs, and advocacy efforts.
Contact Heather Aleknavage if you have any questions or need additional information.
The Jack Wood Award highlights the outstanding contributions of faculty, staff, students, businesses/not-for-profits, community members, and elected officials/staff who demonstrate leadership in fostering mutually beneficial relationships between the university and the community. This illustrious distinction honors former Mayor Jack Wood, who played an instrumental role in establishing Mason in Fairfax and establishing Town-Gown relations between the university and the community. Awardees will be notified by March 29. The Board of Visitors will honor awardees on May 2.
Nominations are due by March 15. Self-nominations are welcome. Submit a nomination. Community relations/outreach professionals are not eligible. Questions? Contact Traci Kendall.
Role: In my role within University Events, I am the scheduler for all student events. I oversee all 25live requests submitted by registered student organizations (RSOs) and assist those students in planning successful events. Part of my role is to oversee our checklist process which was put in place to assist RSOs in planning and managing the larger events they throw. I also play a role in coordinating and running our overall university commencements in spring and winter. Last spring commencement I had the role of lining up and leading all of the graduates in their processional walk from Wilkins Plaza to EagleBank Arena, a pretty cool experience for sure. After that experience I have been tasked with continuing in the role of overseeing all outdoor operations we handle for commencements and degree celebrations.
Mason journey: My Mason journey started in 2016 when I started my undergraduate degree here. During my time in undergrad, I worked for Event Services for 3 years, and during my last year of employment served as the President of the Student Advisory Board advocating for my fellow student staff. I also served on 2 committees within the Advisory Board that assisted with coordinating student employment training and planned numerous events for the staff as well. I was a police cadet on campus from 2018- 2020 where I, along with my fellow cadets, conducted traffic control, patrol, and expanding our community presence. In 2020, I graduated with a BA in Criminology, Law, and Society. In 2021, I returned to Mason in a full-time position working for University Information (now Campus Information and Visitor Services) where I managed the university information desks and switchboard. In 2022, I switched positions to be in my current position within University Events. I also started a Juris Master’s in criminal justice at our Antonin Scalia Law School in January 2022, I am currently in my second to last semester of the program and will be graduating this December!
Best thing about working at Mason: The family that Mason’s environment creates. Over my entire time at Mason the friendships I have created have been the most memorable. At this point, all of my good friends I have met through one of my many jobs over the years at Mason.
Why serve on Staff Senate: Serving on Staff Senate just felt like the next best step in growing even more as a Mason staff member. I have always enjoyed being an advocate for others but also gaining knowledge. I thought this role would be the best of both worlds, especially since I love to connect with those outside of my day-to-day.
At the end of the day: I am a proud Mason alum and staff member who values every opportunity Mason has provided me. I am thankful for the opportunity to serve on the Staff Senate and hope to grow even more in this role.
The March Staff Senate meeting featured guest speaker, Mason Rector Horace Blackman, who leads the university’s Board of Visitors.
For those who missed the meeting, or would like to re-watch the session, the recording is now available, here.
Dr. Gregory Washington, president, George Mason University, has been invited as our April Staff Senate meeting guest speaker.
Wednesday, April 3
10 a.m. to 11 a.m.- General Business Meeting and special presentation from Greg Farley, Director, University Sustainability
11 a.m. to noon – Guest Speaker
Constituents are invited to attend in person in Merten Hall, Room 1201, or join the meeting via Zoom*.
Passcode: SS123
Call in: 301-715-8592 or 267-831-0333
Meeting ID: 946 9452 3314 / Passcode: 760740
*The Staff Senate is requiring that virtual attendees join our Staff Senate General Meetings with their Patriot Pass credentials. If you are already signed into Zoom using your Mason-licensed Zoom account, you should not see a difference. If you are not already signed into your Mason-licensed Zoom account, you will be told authentication is required to join, and prompted to sign in. For more information, please access our helpful FAQ document.
The Staff Senate represents all classified and non-student wage employees at George Mason University. Working closely with university administration, we address concerns that have an impact on the quality of work-life for the Mason community. The work of the senate is accomplished through open and continuous communication with its constituents. Find more ways to engage with the senate before, during, and after our general meetings.
The Support Group for Working Mothers at Mason is one way faculty, staff, and students can come together, discuss the issues confronting working mothers, and perhaps motivate changes on campus. The group meets in a hybrid format with virtual participation offered on Microsoft Teams. If you are interested in sharing stories and being part of an informal organization of working mothers, please visit the Working Mothers at Mason website for meeting dates and additional information.
Personal background: Dr. Tabatha Hargrove is a native of Suffolk, Virginia and is married with four children. She has a Miniature Pinscher dog named Tangie. As hobbies, Tabatha loves to read, roller skate, bake, and spend time with family.
Professional journey: Tabatha has over ten years of experience working in higher education. She has worked for the state for six of those ten years and transferred to George Mason in September 2022. She loves working for George Mason because the university is innovative and forward thinking. Her position allows her to embrace her broad-based background to serve each student holistically.
Professional background: Her broad background based in both Academic and Student Affairs includes the following: career and academic advising, tutoring and writing center supervisor, college success specialist, academic coaching and advising, as well as teaching and program administrator. This background has given her the knowledge, skills, and ability to help serve students in the Honors College as the Student Support Coordinator.
Why I serve on the Staff Senate: Tabatha joined the Staff Senate in August 2023 and although new to the Senate, she has served in the same capacity at her previous institution. Tabatha looks forward to serving and advocating for staff, along with helping her fellow staff senate colleagues on the Staff Engagement and Rewards committee and the Staff Senate’s 25th anniversary event.
Tickets are now on sale for the 2024 season at The Center for the Arts, Hylton Performing Arts Center, and the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Read more for details on upcoming performances, workshops, and shows. Mason faculty, staff, retirees, alumni, and students receive a handful of discounts and offers, both for single tickets as well as subscriptions.
February 12 – 18
Mason Artist-in-Residence
A.I.M by Kyle Abraham
Saturday, February 17 at 8 p.m.
Center for the Arts
MacArthur Genius Award-winning choreographer Kyle Abraham has developed a dance aesthetic that defies genre, mixing and morphing from social dance to classical dance styles and back again. The Center presents his visionary works using various dance and music styles to uncover the relationships between identity, history, and geography. This Black-led contemporary dance company aims to create a body of dance-based work that is galvanized by Black culture and history.
MALEVO
Saturday, February 17 at 8 p.m.
Hylton Performing Arts Center, Merchant Hall
With its attitude, thrilling footwork, and powerful drumming, Argentinian sensation MALEVO draws heavily from the Argentinian folk dance Malambo to create an exhilarating, innovative experience. MALEVO was named “Cultural Ambassadors for the National Identity of Argentina” and have been seen on NBC’s America’s Got Talent. Don’t miss their electrifying Hylton Center debut!
February 19 – 25
Dewberry School of Music
Mason Symphony Orchestra: A Tribute to Professor Anthony Maiello
Wednesday, February 21 at 8 p.m.
Center for the Arts
The Mason Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Soo Han, is comprised of outstanding string, wind, and percussion players from throughout the School of Music. This concert features winners of the School of Music’s student concerto competition.
Mason School of Theater
Twelve Ophelias
February 22, 23*, 24 at 8 p.m.
February 24 and 25** at 2 p.m.
*ASL Interpreted (ASL) and Talkback
**Audio Described
TheaterSpace, Fairfax Campus
Shakespeare’s Ophelia rises up out of the water dreaming of Pop-Tarts and other sweet things. She finds herself in a neo-Elizabethan Appalachian setting where Gertrude runs a brothel, Hamlet is called a Rude Boy, and nothing is what it seems. In this mirrored world of word-scraps and cold sex, Ophelia cuts a new path for herself.
Hylton Family Series
Giraffes Can’t Dance
Saturday, February 24 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.*
Hylton Performing Arts Center, Merchant Hall
The beloved storybook Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees celebrates its 20th anniversary with this imaginative musical adaptation told with puppets, African rhythms, and dancing! With a resounding message of the power of self-acceptance, Giraffes Can’t Dance will have everyone in the audience on their feet, confidently showing off their moves. (Recommended for ages 3 to 8)
American Roots Series
Tray Wellington Band
Saturday, February 24 at 5 and 8 p.m.
Hylton Performing Arts Center, Gregory Family Theater
Banjo virtuoso, two-time International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Award winner, and 2019 Momentum Instrumentalist of the Year, Tray Wellington leads the high-energy acoustic Newgrass sensation the Tray Wellington Band. The quartet pushes the boundaries of Bluegrass music, incorporating Bossa nova, jazz, and blues elements to create an exciting new sound that also honors traditional Bluegrass roots.
“Growing Pains” EP Release Concert, with Carlehr Swanson
Saturday, February 24 at 6 p.m.
Harris Theatre, Fairfax Campus
Join College of Visual and Performing Arts alumna, Carlehr Swanson, Bachelor of Music ’19, for a concert of her newly released EP “Growing Pains.” Growing up, Carlehr was enamored by the musical aspects of a church service. Through her “Growing Pains,” she puts an update-to-date spin on several genres close to her heart. “Growing Pains” is a six-track EP written by Swanson. Sonically, this EP combines jazz, R&B, and gospel music genres. Lyrically, these six tracks chronicle the slight discomfort one feels while arriving at adulthood. For Swanson, this project combines her interests in performance and music research, as each track provides a historically informed performance of the mentioned genres. This EP invites conversations about love, faith, and mental health and is dedicated to those 20-somethings who are just trying to figure “it” out. Following the performance, Swanson will greet fans and sign albums in the lobby of the theatre.
National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine
Volodymyr Sirenko, conductor
Natalia Khoma, cello
Sunday, February 25 at 2 p.m.
Hylton Performing Arts Center, Merchant Hall
The Kyiv-based National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine (NSOU) has been one of the most distinguished orchestras in Eastern Europe. In 2024, the official orchestra of Ukraine returns for its first tour in the U.S. since conflict in its country began. GRAMMY Award-winning Ukrainian conductor Volodymyr Sirenko leads the orchestra along with Tchaikovsky Competition winner, cellist Natalia Khoma.
Mnozil Brass: Jubilee
Sunday, February 25 at 3 p.m.
Center for the Arts
Hailed as one of the world’s premier brass ensembles, Austrian septet Mnozil Brass seamlessly combines slapstick comedy with classical, jazz, folk, and pop. Mnozil Brass takes its name from Gasthaus Mnozil, a restaurant across the street from the Vienna Conservatory, where seven young music students met and began playing at a monthly open mic in 1992. 30 years later, Mnozil Brass performs for sold-out houses around the world.
Songwriting Series for Military Kids
Sundays, February 25–March 17 from 1 to 3 p.m.
Online via Zoom
Students will explore the techniques of recording, producing, and performing original music at home in this four-week virtual series designed for military kids. Learn songwriting skills in a collaborative, virtual environment led by instructors from Mason Community Arts Academy and Veterans and the Arts Initiative.
February 26 – March 3
Gerson Lanza
Tuesday, February 27 at 1:30 p.m.
Hylton Performing Arts Center, Gregory Family Theater
Honduran tap dancer and choreographer Gerson Lanza captivates Hylton Center audiences in his love letter to the American percussive art form of tap, during an afternoon of syncopated rhythms and intricate footwork. For his Matinee Idylls debut, he will be joined by his jazz quintet featuring some of the best musicians on the East Coast.
Dewberry School of Music
Mason Wind Symphony & Symphonic Band Concert #3: “Persichetti Symphony No. 6”
Tuesday, February 27 at 8 p.m.
Center for the Arts
The Mason Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band open the Spring 2024 performance season with a joint concert performance. The Mason Symphonic Band will open the concert with traditional and contemporary works for wind bands composed by a variety of composers. The Mason Wind Symphony will present one of the cherished historical works for wind band, Vincent Persichetti’s Symphony No. 6. Nicolas Slonimsky described Persichetti’s music as “remarkable for its polyphonic skill in fusing the seemingly incompatible idioms of classicism, romanticism, and stark modernism (with) Italianate diatonicism.” Other selected works in this concert include the Mason Wind Symphony premiere of Nkeiru Okoye’s “Voices Shouting Out.”
Dewberry School of Music
University Singers: The Soundscapes of Austria
Wednesday, February 28 at 8 p.m.
Harris Theatre, Fairfax Campus
Experience the majestic melodies and rich harmonies created by the cultural heritage of the Austrian choral tradition. Austrian composers have made significant contributions to the sacred and secular choral canon, creating pieces that are cherished and performed by choirs worldwide. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn, Marianna Martines, Franz Schubert, Anton Bruckner, and Franz Schrecker are a part of this rich choral history.
American Roots Series
J2B2 (John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band)
Saturday, March 2 at 5 and 8 p.m.
Hylton Performing Arts Center, Gregory Family Theater
Four Bluegrass giants make up J2B2 (John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band), a quartet that delivers fresh interpretations of Bluegrass classics combined with the stylings of West Coast folk rock. Experience American roots music at its finest and “expect fireworks and amazing playing from some of the best string players in the world” (Yes! Weekly).
Camerata Ireland
Barry Douglas, piano and conductor
Celine Byrne, soprano
Eimear McGeown, Irish flute
Sunday, March 3 at 2 p.m.
Hylton Performing Arts Center, Merchant Hall
Camerata Ireland, a groundbreaking chamber orchestra, has delighted audiences across Ireland and worldwide since 1999. In this program, enjoy a nocturne by John Fields, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2, selections from Mozart’s most beloved operas, and a genre-defying musical collaboration between Barry Douglas (pianist and conductor), Eimear McGeown (Irish flute and whistle), and Celine Byrne (soprano).
Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey Siegel: Chopin and Liszt
Sunday, March 3 at 7 p.m.
Center for the Arts
In Chopin and Liszt, Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey Siegel explores the virtuosity of the two Romantic-era superstars. Both composers created impressive catalogues of melodious works and achieved a level of popularity not experienced by the virtuosos who preceded them. A masterful performer and communicator, Siegel demonstrates the Nocturnes of Chopin and the Hungarian Rhapsody by Liszt, while sharing stories about the lives and times of these 19th century legends.
March 4 – 10
The Peking Acrobats
Sunday, March 10 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Center for the Arts
For more than 30 years, The Peking Acrobats have revitalized Chinese acrobatics, fusing ancient athletic discipline with modern special effects to create a marvel of gravity-defying spectacle with amazing displays of contortion, flexibility, and control. Accompanied by live musicians, The Peking Acrobats execute daring maneuvers and display their technical prowess. The Peking Acrobats will leave you and the whole family breathless with an exuberant performance full of pageantry and amazing feats that need to be seen to be believed.
Mason Rector Horace Blackman, who leads the university’s Board of Visitors, has been invited to be the guest speaker at the March Staff Senate meeting.
Wednesday, March 6
10 a.m. to noon
10 a.m. to 11 a.m. – Guest Speaker
11 a.m. to noon – General Meeting (Agenda)
Constituents are invited to attend in person in Merten Hall, Room 1201, or join the meeting via Zoom.
Passcode: SS123
Call in: 301-715-8592 or 267-831-0333
Meeting ID: 946 9452 3314 / Passcode: 760740
The Staff Senate collected questions in advance for consideration. We will also be accepting live questions, time permitting.
The Staff Senate represents all classified and non-student wage employees at George Mason University. Working closely with university administration, we address concerns that have an impact on the quality of work-life for the Mason community. The work of the senate is accomplished through open and continuous communication with its constituents. Find more ways to engage with the senate before, during, and after our general meetings.