Recent Posts

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  Freshman’s parkour video goes viral on YouTube

  Featured, Lifestyle, Multimedia February 4, 2013 at 1:04 pm Comments are Disabled

    When Omar Zaki first laid eyes on a parkour video on YouTube when he was in high school, he never considered that one day one of those videos would be his own; especially one that would earn over 45 thousand views. “Just like anybody else, I saw the videos when I was younger and thought ‘That’s crazy, I could never do that, forget it’ and put it to the back of my mind,” Zaki said. The skills he showcases in the video, which follows him running, jumping and flipping across Mason’s Fairfax campus, has been nearly two years in the making. “It started when I met my best friend Adam, and he and I were talking about wanting to try it,” Zaki said. “Coincidentally, around the same time, my step dad was at work and one of his co-workers gave him the name of a parkour gym called Urban Evolution.” Urban Evolution is one of several parkour gyms in the Washington D.C., Virginia and Maryland area that allows for individuals to be trained in the skills of parkour, freerunning, gymnastics, break dancing aerial acrobatics and more. “The first thing I say to anyone learning parkour is this: you learn […]

   
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  Sophomore convinces world-renowned experts to speak at Mason

  Featured, Multimedia, News, News1 February 4, 2013 at 12:56 pm Comments are Disabled

  Rejection knocks most people down, but when sophomore Peter Pham is on a mission, it is hard to tell him no. Pham, an integrated studies major, spent months trying to get in touch with some of the most intelligent and respected professionals in the international relations field and was discouraged to learn that his phone calls and emails were largely ignored or fielded by secretaries. So he decided to try something different. This past summer Pham took a road trip and visited his idols in person to convince them to come to Mason and speak to his Patriots for Foreign Service club. His trip covered ground between the University of Chicago, Princeton, Harvard and Yale. Perseverance paid off, and Pham was able to convince Dr. Joseph Nye, the former dean of the Kennedy School at Harvard, a renowned political scientist to speak in Dewberry Hall at 9 a.m. on Feb. 6 to speak on the presidential advancement of American foreign policy in the twentieth century. The event is open to the public and Pham encourages anyone with an interest in foreign service, despite their degree program, to attend. “We are looking for people who want to work in foreign service, […]

   
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  Exhibit showcases new international campus in Korea

  Featured, Multimedia, News, News1 February 4, 2013 at 12:55 pm Comments are Disabled

  Far from the humdrum suburbs of Fairfax, Mason’s new satellite campus is becoming a reality in Incheon, South Korea. To introduce the new campus in a more visual way, the Office of Global and International Studies is hosting an exhibit in the Johnson Center 123 Gallery from Feb. 4-8 each day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. “This will be a Mason campus with its own personality,” said Anne Schiller, Vice President for Global and International Strategies. “It will be both different and familiar and help students expand their global understanding.” Set to accept its first Mason students in 2014, Songdo Mason is a university built into the concept of an aerotropolis, or an airport city. Built on 1,500 acres of land reclaimed from the sea, Incheon, located near the capitol city of Seoul, is within three and a half hours of one quarter of the world’s population. “East Asia has always been an area of commitment for Mason,” Schiller said. “This is a natural continuation of the commitment Mason already made with the Korean government.” Songdo University Global Campus is one of many initiatives in a city that hopes to become the world’s gateway to East Asia. “American education […]

   

• MLK: Evening of Reflection

  News1 February 4, 2013 at 12:55 pm Comments are Disabled

  Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream message, as interpreted by Mason students and faculty, was the center piece of Tuesday night’s Evening of Reflection event, hosted by the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Multicultural Education (ODIME) and the MLK planning commitee. The night commemorated King’s life, legacy and his dream. “[The MLK Planning Commitee] want[s] you to appreciate the legacy you have been given, and it is an unearned legacy,” said Dr. Wendi Manuel-Scott, director of African American Studies, in her official welcome speech. “We want you to consider that it is only through your commitment to making a difference today and tomorrow and the next day that you earn your legacy.” The night kept a humble pulse as several presenters spoke about their admiration of King. The presenters included university president Angel Cabrera, Manuel-Scott, Dr. Marquita Chamblee, director of ODIME and the Annointed Vessels of Unity student gospel choir.  “From the welcome to the closing remarks – stories were told, music was sang, questions were asked, people were charged with tasks – to help attendees reflect on the work of Dr. King and their own contributions,” said Walter P. Parrish, assistant director of ODIME. All three guest speakers […]

   

• Students recognized for community service in social justice

  News1 February 4, 2013 at 12:54 pm Comments are Disabled

  Anartia Gamboa and Johnetta Saygbe are the kind of people who put others ahead of themselves. Gamboa spends her time volunteering with the D.C.-based organization HIPS, Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive, and Johnetta spends hers advocating underrepresented student groups and improving healthcare delivery for pediatric HIV/AIDS populations of the African Diaspora. Both were the 2013 recipients of the Spirit of King Awards. The award is given to students and faculty who, according to the MLK Committee’s website, “has made exceptional contribution to the development of an inclusive learning environment.” Both were nominated by a faculty member who believe that they express those qualities. “I’m not really the type of person that’s really used to a lot of acknowledgement,” said Gamboa, a senior Global affairs major. “I guess I don’t really do what I do to get rewarded in any way. It makes me a little bit uncomfortable to be totally honest. But at the same time, it does feel great to be recognized for the things I have done.” Saygbe was honored to receive an award that holds so much meaning for her and for many others. “The award celebrates the power of a dream, of an individual taking hold of […]

   

• Mason-Insecure: An investigation into wireless problems at Mason

  News1 February 4, 2013 at 12:52 pm Comments are Disabled

  What’s the problem? In the last few weeks of fall semester and the first few weeks of spring, there was an influx of complaints through the #GMUProblems hashtag and Twitter handle complaining about the wireless internet connection. Students are having difficulty connecting to and staying connected to the WiFi offered in the dorm rooms across campus, which can make completing homework and accessing Blackboard difficult. Slow WiFi in the dorms is caused a tragedy of the commons. Each access point only has so much bandwith to distribute and the more students who are using the service, the slower the internet. There are a few commonly diagnosed reasons for problems with Mason-Secure. What are the causes? Distance from wireless antenna: The closer you are to an access point, the stronger the signal to your device. Increased distance can also lead to possible interference sources. Interference: Radio frequencies from other devices such as a microwave could interrupt your connection. Conflicting Wifi signals: If your device is competing with a personal hot spot, an incorrectly configured computer, a non-Mason supported access point or a wireless printer, it may have trouble connecting. Expired passwords: Reset your PatriotPass on password.gmu.edu. While passwords will still work […]

   
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  The life and times of Nobel Laureate James Buchanan

  Featured, News1 February 4, 2013 at 12:50 pm Comments are Disabled

  Modest, intelligent and hardworking, are just three adjectives that President Emeritus Alan Merten believes would describe George Mason University’s first Nobel Prize winner, Dr. James (Jim) Buchanan. On Jan. 9, the former professor of economics, Buchanan, passed away at the age of 93 in his home in Blacksburg, Va. Dr. Merten believes that Dr. Buchanan’s accomplishment with his Center for the Study of Public Choice and eventual Nobel Prize in economics helped Mason become the university it is today. “Fourteen years after [the university] was started up it had a Nobel Prize winner,” Dr. Merten said. “Without Jim, George Mason just would not be what it is.” Buchanan’s work is often times attributed with putting the young George Mason University on the map. “The history of George Mason is one of continual progress and continual advancement, always moving forward. There are four things in the life of George Mason that catapulted it up another dimension. The first one is in 1986, when Jim Buchanan won the Nobel Prize in economics,” Merten said. Merten was not the only university president who believed that Buchanan and his team’s accomplishments were instrumental in the success of George Mason University. President Emeritus George W. […]

   

• Relationship Status: It’s Complicated

  Editorials January 29, 2013 at 9:10 pm Comments are Disabled

  If I were in a relationship with George Mason University, I’d consider breaking up. Yes, I love Mason and we’ve been together for two and a half years now, but something is lacking. The most important factor in any relationship, whether it is romantic, platonic or professional, is communication and Mason and I just can’t seem to get on the same level. Both as an editor at the newspaper and a student, I often feel as though I’m out of touch with what goes on at the Fairfax campus, not to mention the comings and goings of Prince William and Arlington. I cannot even count the number of times I have heard music blasting from the Johnson Center, only to stumble upon a huge event that I had not heard even a whisper of. If it’s difficult for me, I can’t even begin to think how commuter and off-campus students feel. The worst is when I get an email time-stamped after the start time of an event or past the deadline for an internship. Thanks for the descriptive paragraph that piques my interest for something that no longer exists, Mason. As the new editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, the problems […]

   

• Everything the sixth man missed over break

  Sports January 29, 2013 at 8:57 pm Comments are Disabled

  Men’s basketball With the absence of their sixth man behind them, Mason seemed to struggle slightly over the winter break. They went 4-3 during the break with two of the losses being in conference games. With two wins since students have returned against Hofstra and Towson, the Patriots are now 5-2 in conference and 12-7 overall. The team seems to still be settling into a rhythm. Many losses can be attributed to the Patriots’ foul trouble. In the game against the University of South Florida, Mason closed the gap to just a two-point deficit, but gave up four free throws late in the second half. They fell to USF 57‒61. The same scenario was seen when the Patriots made it to 80‒74, then gave up another four free throws in the final seconds of the game. The Patriots seemed to be hit or miss for a while with losses, and then winning games by ten or more points.  They also had their first blow out of the season against Old Dominion ending the game at 71‒46. Many believe that Mason have found their offensive footing with their win against Towson. Bryon Allen replaced Anali Okoloji in the starting lineup and […]

   

• Healthy new talent key for women’s tennis

  Sports January 29, 2013 at 8:54 pm Comments are Disabled

  With a new semester comes a new season for Mason athletics. The women’s tennis team kicks off their season with matches against Appalachian State University and James Madison University. While injuries have plagued the team,  they have been working hard over break  focusing on ways to stay healthy. With a packed schedule from February to April and multiple matches every weekend, staying healthy and coming out strong will be key in making it far in their season and show that they are contenders in the competitive CAA conference. With the leadership of Coach Stephen Curtis and Senior Captain Kiersten Pappas, this experienced and talented team looks to beat tough competitors such as The United States Naval Academy, University of Delaware and George Washington University in the season.  Mason has held well against them before but look to further improve, “We have an excellent team with an impressive freshman class,” Pappas said, “In the fall season they overcame their nervousness and stepped up. And I know that we will come out strong against tough teams and show that we are a force to be reckoned with”. Despite the girls’ talent and hard work, the road has not been easy. Pappas only […]