The Mason Spirit

Lt. Col. Tracy Russillo, BS Law Enforcement ’88, a 28-year veteran of the Virginia State Police, is the first woman to be appointed deputy superintendent of the department. Prior to this position, she was also the first female to receive major and lieutenant colonel status.

Continue Reading Alumni Profile: Tracy Russillo

On the south side of the Fairfax Campus, between the Art and Design and Nguyen Engineering Buildings, there is a space where wild things grow. This outdoor classroom/learning lab is called the Green Studio, and George Mason University just might be the only university with such a space.

Continue Reading Where the Wild Things Grow

When communication major Katie Lai enrolled in a speech class at Las Positas College, she had no idea the course would completely change her trajectory. She found she was good at public speaking and was soon competing on the college’s forensics team.

Continue Reading Patriot Profile: Katie Lai

How a health practitioner asks about a patient’s habits may be one of the first steps to tackling Virginia’s opioid epidemic.

Continue Reading Fighting Addiction, One Question at a Time

Florida field exercise helps conflict students learn firsthand how to deal with a crisis.

Continue Reading From Simulated Disaster, Real Understanding

You might recognize Dan Walsch, PhD Communication ’11. For nearly 20 years, he served as Mason’s director of media relations and spokesperson and could be seen on the local news from time to time. He also taught public relations classes in the Communication Department for most of his 28-year career at Mason. In fact, teaching is what led him to his current position.

Continue Reading Meet the Mason Nation: Dan Walsch

Barbara Gomperts, MA English ’08, wondered how she was going to make one can of beans last three days.   She had $4.18 to spend on food each day for the next three days—a total of $12.54.   For Gomperts, a nutrition major, this was a project for the NUTR 626 Food Systems class, offered at Mason this summer. But for others, it’s a way of life.   Students in the class…

Continue Reading Rice, Beans, and a Serving of Reality

On January 8, 1973, Lt. Col. William L. Deane of the U.S. Army was declared missing in action in Vietnam. His daughter, Sharon M. Deane, MA History ’10, was 8 at the time. For 27 years, the Deane family waited and hoped for answers. In April 2000, his remains were interred at Arlington National Cemetery in a special ceremony recognizing his ultimate sacrifice.

Continue Reading A Daughter’s Tribute

Mason communications officer John Hollis is a history buff, seasoned journalist, and author whose second book was published in October from Hugo House Publishers. The Making of a Hero: The Life and Death of Sgt. Rodney M. Davis tells the story of Hollis’s wife’s uncle, an African American who was presented a posthumous Medal of Honor for saving the lives of five fellow Marines in one of the fiercest battles of the Vietnam War.

Continue Reading Much More to the Story

For the past two years, College of Education and Human Development professor Rebecca Fox has been living in two time zones. By day, she juggles the myriad demands on faculty; at night or early morning, usually on Skype, she is talking with colleagues in Lahore, nine hours ahead.

Continue Reading More Than 7,230 Miles Apart, Mason and Pakistani Professor Come Together