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Mason Spirit is published three times a year by the Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations in conjunction with the Office of Communications and Marketing.
Alumni Profiles
Mark McGettrick: Shooting and Scoring in Big Business
By Jason Jacks on May 10, 2011
In the mid-1970s, Mark McGettrick, BS Business Administration ’80, was living in Laurel, Maryland, when he was recruited to play basketball for Mason. At the time, the team was transitioning from Division II to Division I, and McGettrick, a 6′ 3″ guard with an “okay” game, as he modestly described his playing abilities back then,…
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Celebration of Distinction 2011
By Mason Spirit contributor on April 28, 2011
On April 13, the George Mason University Alumni Association recognized its most prestigious alumni at an elegant dinner in the Mason Inn Conference Center and Hotel. During the course of the evening, Mason President Alan G. Merten took a few minutes to address the group about his upcoming retirement in June 2012 and reiterate his…
Meet Mason’s Biggest Facebook Fan
By Leah Kerkman Fogarty on November 1, 2010
The official George Mason University Facebook page reached 30,000 fans over the summer, and we wanted to show some love. So we launched the Mason’s Biggest Fan contest on Facebook and were blown away by the responses. From decorating basements as Mason man caves to naming not one, but two, sons for his alma mater,…
Jamie Konstas: Emotional Rescue
By Corey Jenkins Schaut, MPA '07 on November 1, 2010
Some little girls dream of being a teacher or a nurse. Some fantasize about becoming president or an astronaut. Jamie (Girolamo) Konstas, BS Integrative Studies ’00, knew she wanted to work for the FBI.
Ten years after graduating from Mason’s New Century College (NCC), Konstas is living her dream. She serves as a critical information link between law enforcement agencies across the country and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), where she is detailed by the FBI’s Crimes against Children Unit.
Early in her career as an intelligence analyst, Konstas recognized that child traffickers seemed to have a network, calling each other from other cities to find out where they could work or areas to avoid.
Debbie Hersman: Safety First
By Colleen Kearney Rich on November 1, 2010
From the window of her L’Enfant Plaza office in Washington, D.C., Mason alumna Debbie Hersman, MS Conflict Analysis and Resolution ’00, can see it all: planes taking off and landing at Reagan National Airport, vehicles on the interstate, boats moving along the Potomac River. It’s American transportation in all its glory, and it all comes…
Lee Thomas: A Voice for Those in Hiding
By Leah Kerkman Fogarty on October 21, 2010
Just as a sculptor needs his hands, a broadcaster needs his face. So when Lee Thomas, BA Speech Communication ’91, found patches of white on his scalp, he was understandably concerned. Thomas was subsequently diagnosed with vitiligo, a chronic condition that affects the skin’s melanin, the pigment that determines the color of your skin, hair,…
Where Everyone Knows His Name
By Corey Jenkins Schaut, MPA '07 on April 1, 2010
Twenty years is a long time in the restaurant business. Brion Sumser, owner of Brion’s Grille in Fairfax, attributes a lot of his longevity, success, and luck to his old stomping grounds across the street, George Mason University. As a former student-athlete for the men’s basketball team, Sumser made many connections with the Mason administration…
2010 Celebration of Distinction
By Mason Spirit contributor on April 1, 2010
Each spring, the George Mason University Alumni Association honors outstanding alumni, students, and faculty members for their achievements and contributions to the university and the community. The 2010 banquet took place on Wednesday, April 14. Debbie Hersman, Alumna of the Year Mason alumna Debbie Hersman, MS Conflict Analysis and Resolution ’99, has spent her career…
He’s Not a Doctor—But He Plays One on TV
By Leah Kerkman Fogarty on April 1, 2010
If you saw Scott Alan Smith, BA English ’86, on the street, you might do a double take. Maybe you recognize him from his salad days at Mason, but more than likely you’ve caught him in one of his guest roles on a number of different television drama series. His resume is impressive. From critical…
Global Social Entrepreneur’s Roots Are at Mason
By Corey Jenkins Schaut, MPA '07 on April 1, 2010
“If you’re living in an iron shack and drinking contaminated water, education isn’t going to be your priority,” says Muna AbuSulayman, BA English ’96, MA English ’96. The mother of two daughters, AbuSulayman has long carried passions for improving educational opportunities and life circumstances, particularly for women in the Middle East. These driving forces have…
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