The Mason Spirit

The Menefee family show their Patriot Pride.

Kathy Menefee: The Professional Student

When you are a full-time mother and a full-time hospital nurse executive, as well as a part-time student, it can be hard to find the time to breathe. And yet Kathy Menefee, who earned her MS in Nursing Administration in 1993, found plenty of time to talk to whoever would listen about her love for her alma mater.

She loves the nursing school, and was an adjunct faculty member for awhile. She loves the basketball games—either the home games or cheering for Mason at their away games—all while wearing her Final Four t-shirt. She also loves that her daughter is continuing the Mason tradition as an undergraduate student currently majoring in global affairs.

She and her husband visit Mason’s campus often, whether it’s for a basketball game, Family Weekend, Homecoming or just visiting with their daughter and her friends. Their Parson Russell terrier is a “Mason Mutt”—he dresses up in Mason gear himself to watch the games on television. Menefee also brings her passion for Mason into the community—she recently convinced men’s basketball coach Jim Larranaga to speak to a group of her health system leaders about leadership. “Now they’re all fans of Mason, too,” she says.

Favorite Mason Memory:

The look on my daughter’s face when we opened her acceptance letter to Mason, and the tears and happiness that followed for all of us. My husband and I have been as impressed as Mason parents as we were as Mason students through the entire process of visiting, applying and entering Mason. Of the six schools we visited, Mason was by far my daughter’s first choice – as soon as she stepped on campus, she had the same feeling I did years earlier of ‘belonging’ to the Mason community.

Why Should People Vote For You:

You should vote for me because I am a fan of EVERYTHING that Mason exemplifies – not only its athletic programs (although I must admit that there is absolutely nothing like a home basketball game at the Patriot Center!)!  I have had the good fortune to experience Mason from multiple perspectives: as a student, a parent, a recruiter, a customer, a donor, a fan and an alumni! Mason’s continued growth and creativity have positioned the school well for the future. My family and I are pleased and proud to have been a small part of that.

—Tara Laskowski, MFA ’05

Please check the blog on Monday, July 19, to vote for Kathy Menefee for Mason’s Biggest Fan.