Letter from the President
Dear Alumni:
Welcome to another exciting year at Mason! This year will mark 20 years since I received my bachelor’s degree, and a lot has changed at Mason over that time.
In 1985, Mason had 15,000 students; 26 buildings on two campuses; and 25,000 alumni. We now have almost 30,000 students from 127 countries, making Mason the largest university in Virginia and the most diverse in the nation. There have been many enhancements to student life: most notably, more than 150 student-led organizations; housing for 4,000 students on campus; and a thriving residential life program that includes an extended-hours diner.
The university’s scope and scale have also grown, as evidenced by the number of new facilities and those under construction. Today, we have three established campuses, and we are in the midst of opening campuses in Loudoun County and the United Arab Emirates. In addition, a great new chapter in the university’s history will begin this academic year with construction of the largest project ever at Mason, which will include the creation of residence halls with more than 1,000 beds; a new dining hall; a fitness center and retail areas; and office and meeting space on the Fairfax Campus.
Along the way, the Alumni Association has grown as well. We’ve expanded our commitment to communicate with alumni and actively engage you in the life of the university. Almost all the schools and colleges now have alumni chapters. In addition, several affinity and cultural chapters have been formed, including the Black Alumni Chapter and the new Taiwan International Chapter. I encourage you to visit the alumni web site at www.gmu.edu/alumni for more information about the chapters.
While we keep you informed about where Mason is going, we hope you let us know where life has taken you and what you are doing. If you haven’t already signed up on our online alumni directory, please take the time to do so by visiting the alumni web site. You will receive MasonWire, the association’s monthly e-newsletter, and help us keep in touch with you.
Best wishes for a great year!
Catherine A. Lemmon
BA Communication ’86, MA English ’93