Category: August 2026

Kick off a new semester with Mason Athletics!

Staff are invited to kick off the new academic year with Mason Athletics on Thursday, August 27, at 7 p.m. for the men’s soccer regular season home opener against William & Mary.

Bring your family and your Mason spirit, and enjoy a fun evening at George Mason Stadium. The game is part of the annual IVth-Night Fall Carnival, hosted by Student Involvement.

After the game, stick around for post-game fireworks, scheduled to begin approximately 30 minutes after the final whistle.

Faculty and staff are eligible for discounted tickets, available online for $5 plus fees.

Come out, bring your Mason spirit, and help us start the school year with a win!

Exciting developments are coming to the Potomac Science Center! You are invited to a Town Hall meeting to hear about George Mason University’s Don Kelso Learning Pier project. George Mason University will be constructing a dock system that will host several research vessels in support of marine research and educational programs. The pier will provide faculty and students with access to the channel.

The townhall will be held on Wednesday, August 19^th from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Potomac Science Center (650 Mason Ferry Ave, Woodbridge, VA 22191).

The town hall meeting will provide information on the design plans for the project, the construction timeline, and an opportunity to ask questions. All are invited to attend. Any questions? Please contact Ethan Gardner, associate director of community and local government relations, at [email protected].

Fall Parking Permits

• Get ready for the new semester and purchase your Fall parking permit now. Sales are underway.
• Resources to help you choose the right permit:
  • Parking Permit Rates and Sales Information
  • Permit Regulations: Where Can I Park?
  • Parking and Transportation Quiz: Not sure which permit to choose? Take the quiz.

Check the Parking and Transportation Services website for more details on available options for staff.

Fall Shuttle Service

George Mason Shuttles’ fall service is set to start on the following dates. All shuttles are free with a valid Mason ID.

• Gunston Go-Bus: Service begins on Monday, August 17
• Sandy Creek to Vienna Metro: Service begins on Saturday, August 22
• Fairfax/SciTech: Service begins on Saturday, August 22
• On-Demand Shuttle: Service begins on Saturday, August 22
• West Campus Shuttle: Service begins on Monday, August 24
• Fairfax/Mason Square: Service begins on Monday, August 24

For additional information about shuttles, refer to the Parking and Transportation website.

Human Resources invites faculty and staff to submit engaging, practical, and forward-thinking workshop proposals for the upcoming Faculty-Staff Enrichment Day (FSED), taking place on Wednesday, October 21.

This in-person event is designed to foster personal and professional growth, collaboration, innovation, and learning across our university community. The theme, “People First, Future Ready,” reflects George Mason University’s commitment to building a workforce equipped with the skills, mindsets, and adaptability needed to thrive in a changing environment. As higher education and the world of work continue to evolve, preparing for the future requires more than adapting to change; it requires investing in the human skills needed to thrive alongside transformative technology.

The future of work is being shaped by changing technologies, evolving expectations, and new ways of collaborating. This year’s theme invites us to explore how we can remain people-centered while embracing innovation – creating practical solutions that strengthen leadership, improve the employee experience, and help our university work smarter, adapt more quickly, and make a greater impact.

They invite proposals that align with one or more of the focus areas below and equip participants with actionable ideas, tools, or strategies that can be applied in their work.

Focus Areas

Future-Ready Workforce
Building the skills, mindset, and learning agility needed to thrive in an evolving workplace. This theme focuses on continuous learning, career development, upskilling and reskilling, adaptability, and creating clear pathways for growth and advancement across the institution. It explores how individuals build the capabilities required to succeed as work, technology, and organizational needs continue to evolve.

Leading Through Complexity & Change
The future requires leaders at every level who can navigate uncertainty, hold competing priorities, and move forward when answers are not always clear. This theme explores leadership in complex environments including strategic decision-making, resilience, change leadership, managing paradoxes, influencing across differences, and helping teams remain focused and effective amid ambiguity and disruption.

Technology, Innovation & Humanity: Working Smarter Together
Thriving in the future workplace requires individuals and teams to navigate change, embrace new ways of working, and make the most of the tools and resources available to them. This theme explores how technology, evolving work practices, and innovative approaches can create greater capacity, improve productivity and collaboration, and help employees focus on the work that matters most. It examines how digital tools, AI, workflow improvement, and process redesign can be leveraged to simplify work, strengthen human connection, and enable people to work smarter together.

Trust, Accountability & Culture in Action
Creating workplace environments where trust, transparency, and accountability drive collaboration, engagement, and service excellence. This theme explores the behaviors, relationships, and practices that strengthen organizational culture and support high-performing teams.

Strategic Alignment & Personal Agency
Aligning individual work to institutional priorities while empowering employees to take initiative, influence outcomes, and contribute meaningfully to Mason’s mission. This theme explores creating ownership, driving purpose, and exploring the role each person plays in advancing shared goals.

Proposal Guidelines

• Title: Provide a descriptive and engaging title for your session.
• Presenter(s) Information: Include presenter name, title, department/unit, and brief biography.
• Description: Provide a concise summary (150–200 words) outlining the session topic, objectives, key takeaways, and interactive elements. This description will be used in promotional materials.
• Session Objectives: Describe what participants will be able to do, apply, implement, reflect on, or take away from the session.
• Target Audience: Specify the intended audience and any prerequisites or requirements.
• Session Format: Indicate the format (e.g., Workshop, Panel, Facilitated Discussion, Open House, etc.) and describe how participants will engage with the content.
• Duration: Sessions should be 30–60 minutes.
• Audio-Visual Requirements: Specify any technical needs.

Where To Submit

Submit your proposal via this online form. The deadline for proposal submissions is Friday, August 14, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Selected presenters will be notified by Friday, August 28, 2026.

Proposals will be Evaluated Based On:

• Alignment with the theme and focus areas
• Clarity of learning outcomes
• Practical application and participant takeaways
• Level of participant engagement
• Relevance to the George Mason community
• Overall quality and feasibility

They look forward to your ideas and to creating a Faculty-Staff Enrichment Day that helps our community become Future Ready while keeping People at the center of what we do.

Questions? Contact them at [email protected].

The election results are in! We are excited to announce both our newly elected and re-elected senators:

Fairfax Campus:

Stephanie Atkins, College of Education and Human Development

Matthew Berlejung, Information Technology Services

April Lopez, College of Education and Human Development

Georgina Mathies, Enrollment Management

Amanda Naylor, University Events

Emily Wang, Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning

Mason Square Campus:

Setarra Kennedy, College of Visual and Performing Arts

SciTech Campus:

Ethan Gardner, Government and Community Relations

Lorraine MacBride, Information Technology Services

Rizza Villacorte, College of Visual and Performing Arts

At-Large:

Lauren Reese, Information Technology Services

Thank you to our outgoing senators for your contributions and volunteerism:

Anthony DeMaio, College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Hannah King, College of Education and Human Development

Regan McClure, University Libraries, Mason Square

Tiffany Sandstrum, College of Education and Human Development 

Donna Tressler, SciTech Campus Executive Office 

George Mason University employees have access to Patriot Perks, a program that connects the George Mason community with exclusive discounts at local businesses and national retailers.

Through this initiative, faculty and staff can save on a wide range of everyday expenses simply by showing a valid Mason ID or using designated promo codes.

What You’ll Find

Patriot Perks offers discounts across a variety of categories, including:

• Dining and food services
• Health and fitness
• Entertainment and experiences
• Retail and apparel
• Travel and transportation
• Professional and financial services

How It Works

• Browse available deals online
• Look for offers marked for faculty and staff
• Present your Mason ID or follow the listed redemption instructions to save

The platform is regularly updated with new discounts, so there are always new opportunities to take advantage of.

Ready to start saving? Visit the official Patriot Perks website!