George Mason University

George Mason University

Established	1957
School type	Public University
President	Alan G. Merten
Location	Fairfax, Virginia
Enrollment	29,728 (2005)
Faculty	4,265
Endowment	[1]
Campus	Suburban, 806 acres (total for three US campuses)
Sports teams	Patriots
Website	http://www.gmu.edu

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George Mason University's Fairfax campus

George Mason University, also referred to by locals and students as simply "Mason" or "GMU," is an institution of higher learning in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with campuses in Arlington, Fairfax, and Prince William County, Virginia, all in the suburbs of Washington, DC. The university is named after American revolutionary, patriot and founding father George Mason.

The university traces its roots back to the 1950s when it was part of the University of Virginia system. It became an independent university (but still publicly funded) in 1972. Its faculty boasts Nobel Prize-winning economists James M. Buchanan (1986) and Vernon Smith (2002). Another economics professor, Walter Williams, is well-known as a syndicated columnist and occasional guest host of the Rush Limbaugh radio show. The law school is ranked among the top 50 in the United States, and the Industrial/Organizational Psychology graduate program is consistently ranked in the top ten in the nation.

While GMU is a relatively young university, it has grown rapidly, reaching an enrollment in 2005 of 29,728 students. The University's stated goal is to become the major public research university of the U.S. national capital area.

The school's sports teams are called the Patriots. The university's men's and women's sports teams participate in the NCAA's Division I, and are in the Colonial Athletic Association. The school's colors are green and gold. A notable athlete who has come from the school is current Chicago White Sox catcher Chris Widger.

The George Mason University logo, originally designed in 1982, was updated in 2004 to reflect the changes the university has undergone since that time.

Academic and Research Units

File:Gmulogo.gif

George Mason logo 2004-present

File:Gmulogo-old.png

George Mason logo 1982-2004

GMU consists of twelve academic and research units:

University learning

George Mason has been greatly expanding the scope of the University by hiring very well-known and influential professors to work at the University. The University's economic department alone has two professors who have won the Nobel Prize: James M. Buchanan and Vernon Smith. The school of journalism's professors include Roger Wilkins, who shared the Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the Watergate scandal with Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein while he was working at the Washington Post.

The University has additional strength in the basic and applied sciences with critical mass in proteomics, neuroscience and computational sciences. Research support comes to Mason faculty from such agencies as the National Institutes of Health, NASA, the National Science Foundation and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

The school is ranked by Princeton Review as the most culturally diverse university in the nation. The school has students from more than 135 countries and has recently opened a campus in the United Arab Emirates.

George Mason University is also known for its top tier graduate program in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, which is currently ranked sixth by US News and World Report.

GMU also operates the popular Ropes/Challenge Course in the United States (~20,000 participants per year) at its Hemlock Overlook Center for Outdoor Education

Famous alumni

William P. Winfree, Ph.D., Class of 1973 - Physicist.
Anna Escobedo Cabral, Originally part of the law school class of 2007 but currently on sabbatical to fulfill her duties as Treasurer of the United States.
Karl Rove attended from 1973-1975, but did not earn a degree.

External links

v t e Colleges and universities in Virginia
Public	Christopher Newport University College of William & Mary Eastern Virginia Medical School George Mason University James Madison University Joint Forces Staff College Longwood University Marine Corps University Norfolk State University Old Dominion University Radford University Richard Bland College University of Mary Washington University of Virginia University of Virginia's College at Wise Virginia Commonwealth University VCU School of Dentistry VCU School of Education VCU College of Health Professions Virginia Community College System Virginia Military Institute Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University VT-WFU School Biomedical Engineering & Sciences Virginia State University Virginia–Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine
Private	Appalachian College of Pharmacy Appalachian School of Law Art Institute of Virginia Beach Atlantic University Averett University Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond Bluefield University Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing Bridgewater College Christendom College DeVry University Divine Mercy University Institute for the Psychological Sciences Eastern Mennonite University ECPI University Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Emory and Henry University Fairfax University of America Ferrum College George Washington University Virginia Campus Hampden–Sydney College Hampton University Hartland College Hollins University Jefferson College of Health Sciences John Leland Center for Theological Studies Liberty University University of Lynchburg Mary Baldwin University Marymount University Patrick Henry College Randolph College Randolph–Macon College Regent University Roanoke College Shenandoah University Southern Virginia University Sweet Briar College Union Presbyterian Seminary University of Management and Technology University of the Potomac University of Richmond Virginia Theological Seminary Virginia Union University Virginia University of Lynchburg Virginia Wesleyan University Washington and Lee University
Defunct	Art Institute of Washington Blackstone College for Girls Cordoba University Eastern College Elizabeth College Fauquier Institute Frederick College Gibbs College Marion College Richmond Professional Institute Saint Paul's College Stratford University Sullins College University of Northern Virginia Virginia Intermont College Westwood College
Complete list

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History	2010–2013 Colonial Athletic Association realignment 2021–2026 NCAA conference realignment
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