Mason Now: Power the Possible

A new rainwater harvesting system is coming to George Mason University’s Presidents Park Greenhouse, thanks to a donation from the Society for a Secure and Sustainable Water Future, a nonprofit organization based in James City County, Virginia, and dedicated to advancing long-term water sustainability through practical solutions, sound policy, and public education.

Through a generous $3 million gift from Department of Physics and Astronomy Professor Paul So’s SYYK Foundation, George Mason’s College of Science will be able to advance the education of the next generation of quantum scientists.

George Mason University’s Student Support and Advocacy Center offers programming and individual consultations to support student well-being across a spectrum of services. To serve the increasing number of students experiencing basic needs insecurity, the center hired Dwayne Hamilton Jr. in 2023 as the university’s first assistant director for Basic Needs Services.

For many university students, scholarships are more than financial support. They represent a bridge to opportunity, enabling students to pursue their dreams and aspirations. At George Mason University, scholarship donors help pave the way for education that will shape students’ futures and prepare them to serve their communities.

At its final meeting of the academic year, the George Mason University Board of Visitors  saluted graduates from the Early Identification Program, received an update on the men’s basketball program from Coach Tony Skinn, and passed a six-year capital plan, among other actions, including approval of a tuition and fees increase for 2026-27.

As the university’s Grand Challenge Initiative (GCI) enters its second year, George Mason University today announced funding for seven catalyst research projects and the launch of the Grand Challenge Research Exchange—quarterly convenings for all GCI-related research to accelerate solutions to the grand challenge of our time.

The George Mason University community came together in a powerful show of support on April 2, raising a record $2.95 million during the university’s 24-hour Giving Day. More than 1,900 donors made 3,229 gifts to 293 funds across the university, helping expand opportunities for students, strengthen academic programs, and support initiatives that advance George Mason’s mission.

Recently, the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) at George Mason University marked the 20th anniversary of the Mason LIFE program. To celebrate, a luncheon was held at the Center for the Arts that brought together alumni, families, faculty, and community partners in a powerful show of community and commitment. 

The scholarship in honor of Dr. Barry Berkey and his wife, Velma Berkey, will cover an entire year of tuition for an undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Nursing student. This is the first full scholarship endowment at the College of Public Health.

George Mason University alumnus Robert “Ken” Hedrick Jr., BA History ’71, said his philanthropy is rooted in the examples set by both sets of his grandparents, who were neighbors in a farming community in West Virginia. His paternal grandparents fed anyone who walked by the farm, and his maternal grandparents regularly took in foster children. Both families were always first to share what they had.