Recent Posts

• One if by Land, Two if by Sea, Three if by Flying Saucer

  Lifestyle October 16, 2012 at 2:27 pm Comments are Disabled

  The idea of the end of mankind in the form of an alien invasion has loomed in people’s minds since the 1940s with the beginning of space exploration. Since then, Hollywood has created countless possibilities regarding what our first interaction with extraterrestrial life may be like. Extraterrestrial creatures may be vicious carnivorous beasts like in “Alien,” or have psychic powers and be technologically advanced as depicted in Independence Day. They might even be cute and cuddly like the Ewoks of Star Wars. Perhaps they will be nonsensically violent and weak to the sound of country music as shown in Mars Attacks! Believers and conspiracy theorists alike claim that we have already been visited in places like Roswell, Stonehenge and the Pyramids. Their evidence lies in photographs of debris, strange groups of lights and firsthand accounts from the edge-of-town crazies talking about probes in their heads.  Many of these theories and sightings have been debunked with more realistic explanations or have been revealed to be frauds. “Scientifically speaking, there is no evidence to support this hypothesis,” said professor of physics, astronomy, and computational science Harold Geller. Many people out there want to believe we are not alone in the universe, and […]

   

• Escape Post-Midterm Stress at Great Falls National Park

  Lifestyle October 16, 2012 at 2:25 pm Comments are Disabled

  As the humidity and heat of the summer fade, cool breezes usher in chilly nights and dew-soaked mornings. With a fantastic, firecracker explosion of color, fall is here! Just look at the red, gold, green, yellow, brown and orange colors of the trees. It’s difficult to fully capture the colorful magic of the season without a trip to Great Falls National Park. Located on the Potomac River in Fairfax County, Great Falls Park is best known for overlooking a canyon of seething, bubbling waterfalls, particularly impressive after a rainfall. The park includes a pleasant, grassy picnic area perfect for tossing a Frisbee around, eating, and lounging about. A visitor’s center contains a colorful and informative museum about the history of the land including the Native American tribes and early English settlers that used to call the area home. Hiking trails span the length of the park, allowing you to choose your own adventure by skirting the length of the Potomac on the River Trail or by losing yourself among the many tall trees that crowd the Ridge Trail. The longest trails are 3 miles long. The park encourages mountain biking and horseback riding. Particularly adventurous sorts can go rock climbing […]

   

• The Carouser Report: Coming Back to Reality

  Editorials October 16, 2012 at 2:25 pm Comments are Disabled

  I feel alive when I go to parties. The grip social media holds on me is lessened with every swig I take.  In my pocket I carry the control device, which dominates my daily life.  It becomes a useless piece of gigabytes after several drinks. Trying to use the keypad becomes impossible. A simple sentence is turned into random coding that will never be deciphered.  I am free. The people that surround me, in our celebration of collegiate camaraderie, are all I have now. Social media is a black hole. The lives we once lived have been sucked deep within. We spend our days wired to a social network from which there is no unplugging.  Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter are part of our daily routine, and there is no escaping the internet- ego we have created. But come Friday evening, a storm gathers on the horizon. We gather for our ritualistic festivities, and begin losing ourselves in a frenzy of fun. Soon enough we’ll be nothing more than cavemen. We lose the ability to coherently use technology. Lightning cracks and notifications cease. Perhaps in the process of going to parties and getting a bit sloshed, we’re leaving the daily realm […]

   

• Student Government Holds Flash Lectures

  News1 October 16, 2012 at 2:22 pm Comments are Disabled

  A recent culture trend has inspired Mason Student Government to put their own spin on the movement known as flash mobs. Instead of gathering people to spontaneously dance in a public place, professors will be performing unprompted lectures on different subject areas. Similarly to flash mobs, the lectures will happen at random times around campus with only a slight warning. Student Government will be announcing the events with slight warning of 20 to 30 minutes through social media. Twitter hashtags and retweets will be used to spread the word, as well as Facebook statuses. The idea of conducting flash lectures began last spring after Provost Peter Stearns suggested the idea. Other nearby universities that were participating in similar event inspired him to bring the lectures to Mason. From that point, Leslie Cook, a former member of Student Government who recently graduated, began this student-lead initiative. She created a major success amongst the Mason campus.  Successes that Phil Abburscato, student senator of Student Government, is continuing this fall with a new set of lectures. Based on last years turn out, a few students attend the lectures because of the social media announcements. However, the majority of the crowd is drawn in […]

   

• National Society of Black Engineers Hosts Seminar

  News1 October 16, 2012 at 2:21 pm Comments are Disabled

  As Veldesta Evans says, “Education is the equalizer for any African American. If you get educated, no one can take that away from you.” Evans spoke at the Terror Zone Summit  (TZS) hosted by the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) on Sep. 29. The event aimed to empower young African Americans and help them pursue careers in engineering and other fields in the technology world. Evans, along with several other speakers, provided professional tips and guidance to a crowd of dozens of Mason’s young African Americans. “I want to help young people understand what it is they’re up against when they get out into the world. And I just wish that when I was younger, I had somebody to help me along the way to help me get to the next step. Every time I am asked to help someone get there, I do it,” Evans said. Mason’s NSBE chapter, specifically its executive board, in conjunction with the Region II Regional Executive Board of NSBE, especially the Terror Zone Coordinator of NSBE, Will Dalton, organized the event. Mason’s NSBE executive board is comprised of President Christian Adounvo, Vice President Johnetta Saygbe, and Faculty advisor Dr. Gerald Weatherspoon. Weatherspoon is […]

   

• University Adds Official December Convocation For Graduates

  News1 October 16, 2012 at 2:19 pm Comments are Disabled

  As of this year, students who graduate this December have the choice of attending a formal convocation during the winter to honor their collegiate accomplishments rather than waiting until next May to walk with the rest of the students. The convocation is taking place on Dec. 20 and between 1200 – 1300 students, including doctoral, are expected to attend. Students interested in attending the ceremony will not be from participating in next May’s convocation, but they will still be able to have the traditional commencement where they are identified by their majors. Unlike the formal university commencement, convocations are important to many students because, by attending them, they are individually recognized for their achievements. “There was a sense that we needed to have some way to really honor the December graduates,” said Dr. Janette Muir, Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education. There have been graduate receptions held during winter in the past but last year’s gave way to a new idea.  Muir said that the reception held at Mason Inn last December was a product of success because it was so crowded. “Mason Inn was just too small for our needs,” Muir said. The ceremony this December will be held at […]

   

• Online Gaming Provides Opportunity for Scholarships

  News1 October 16, 2012 at 2:18 pm Comments are Disabled

  The increasing cost of a  college education has made it more difficult for students to pay their bills, inspiring students to find more innovative ways to come up with the money. A new company by the name of Grantoo has taken inventive steps to create different avenues for students to earn money for their tuition payments. With Grantoo, students can sign up to win money by simply playing games similar to the most well known Smartphone applications. Through fun and friendly tournaments, sponsoring companies like Nike and Citibank work with Grantoo to help make over $100,000 available to winning participants. Oct. 15, the first game will begin, which will essentially be a trivia. The game being held in November will be very similar to Draw with Friends, a modernized version of Pictionary. Even students who are not skilled at online gaming may want to log in. Grantoo’s main goal is to spread the word on student debt, so 25 percent of the money goes to students who are simply being active with the program by talking about it and referring friends. More people involved means more attention from high-money sponsors. What is really unique about this scholarship, however, is that […]

   
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  Alumnus Uses Mason Experience to Inspire College Goals in Students

  News1 October 16, 2012 at 2:17 pm Comments are Disabled

  The typical Mason Alum carries their Mason pride with them long after graduating. Susan Gregorash, a graduate from Mason for undergraduate studies, is able to display her Mason pride in her first grade classroom at Vega Elementary in McKinney, Texas. Influenced by the No Excuses University, a program built to encourage college readiness at a young age, Gregorash decorates her classroom with Mason gear to teach her young students about the importance of college education. “My kiddos know that I attended and graduated from George Mason University. They know that you can choose what you want to be and study different things at Mason,” Gregorash said, “Most importantly, they know that there are other great schools that can be found all over our country.” Vega Elementary is one of many schools across the country experimenting with such programs. The No Excuses University, founded by Damen Lopez in 2004, attempts to solve the problem of college readiness prevalent throughout the nation, primarily in poorer communities. He found that often kids in poverty do not hear about college until High School, and this often sets them up for failure when it comes to further education. Schools must apply to be a part […]

   

• Ombudsman Serves as a Mediator for Student Issues

  News1 October 16, 2012 at 2:14 pm Comments are Disabled

  The very nature of the college environment makes it susceptible to issues both inside and outside the classroom. To combat these issues, Mason provides the Office of the Ombudsman. Located on the third floor of Sub I is the Office of the Ombudsman which serves students as an independent party who assists  them as best as they can in matters that both involve academic and non-academic issues. Students may have already been visited by the Ombudsman in classes this semester, as they are launching their Civility Project. The project’s focus will be on promoting the core values of civil interactions in diverse community and to help initiate dialogue across campus on civility. “The role of the Ombudsman at George Mason University has evolved over the last decade,” said Dolores Gomez-Moran, Certified Organizational Ombudsman Practitioner. She has served for Mason’s Ombudsman’s office for 12 years and has seen the expansion of the responsibilities and outreach to the students grow over the years. The office itself was originally established at Mason in 1999, when Dolores was initially the Ombudsman for Student Academic Affairs. As a joint effort of the Office of the Provost and University Life, the responsibilities of the department grew […]

   

• Patriot Leaders Applications Now Available to Students

  News1 October 16, 2012 at 2:13 pm Comments are Disabled

  Students looking to spend their summer at Mason should look no further than the Patriot Leader program. Organized through the Office of Orientation and Family Programs and Services (OFPS), the Patriot Leader Program is a part of the office’s goal to provide a cohesive orientation, supportive system and purposeful experience. “Mason has had Orientation Leaders in some form ever since Mason has had new student orientation, however the position team and Patriot Leader team began to form in 2006,” said Student Program Coordinator at OFPS Matthew Crush. The Patriot Leader team is responsible for welcoming and assisting new members of the Mason community. Primarily, this responsibility is met through orientations held throughout the summer. However, Patriot Leaders also assist with Sibling Weekend, Freshman Move-In, out-reach events and Parents’ Weekend. Students interested in applying should know the following information. First off, Patriot Leaders, “must exhibit leadership qualities both inside and outside of the classroom, be full of Mason spirit, passionate about helping people and possess a desire to develop their own leadership potential,” said Crush.   Those who believe they possess these qualities are encouraged to submit their applications. All applications that are completed with correct information by Nov. 29 at […]