Mason Expands Presence in Loudoun County

Residents of Loudoun County, Va., found that George Mason University is a little closer to home this fall as Mason broadened its distributed university concept by offering classes in that county.

Classes currently are held at a temporary location, but a permanent campus is projected to open by fall 2009 on 123 acres donated by Greenvest LLC, a North Carolina developer. The new campus will be located near the intersection of Routes 50 and 659.

The expansion, says university president Alan G. Merten, addresses a growing demand in Loudoun County for higher education.

“George Mason is pleased to be working closely with the leadership of Loudoun County as, together, we provide opportunities for area residents to have greater and easier access to their own educational growth,” says Merten. “Our long-term objective is to maintain a permanent and well-integrated presence in Loudoun County.”

At the Loudoun Campus, Mason plans to offer undergraduate degree programs and graduate-level programs in such areas as technology and management, teacher training, health professional training, and public administration. In addition, the campus will become a center for conducting research in medical imaging, biotechnology, and clinical trials, and for providing training and research in air transportation.

Mason is not new to Loudoun County. For several decades, the university has been serving the county through classes offered at the Center for Innovative Technology, located near Dulles Airport.

“We have enjoyed a strong and full partnership with the community for many years now,” says Merten. “Our intention is to work closely with the leadership of Loudoun County much as we have done with leaders from other parts of Northern Virginia. Working to meet the educational needs of area residents will make for a stronger and more prosperous region.”