Recent Posts

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  Student Chosen to Sing at Obama Campaign Rally

  Multimedia, News1 October 4, 2012 at 2:58 pm Comments are Disabled

  They called her name and she headed to the stage. As excitement kicked in, Christine Gonzales’ main concern was not to fall in front of all the photographers taking pictures as she was going up the steps. Gonzales, a Mason student, was given what she calls an amazing opportunity to sing the national anthem at one of President Obama’s campaign events in Woodbridge, VA on Sept. 21. “There were a lot of people from my back left all the way to as far as I could see. To my right, there was the American flag, huge. Behind me, it said ‘Forward’,” Christine Gonzales said. “I took a breath, looked around and started the song.” Singing has been part of Gonzales’ life since she was three years old. Back in San Diego, where she was born and raised, she and her sister, Melody, were in musicals and community based theaters. For six years, she did mariachi. She also plays the violin. Graduating next May, Gonzales entered Mason as a voice major for two years, but transferred to New Century College to concentrate in community and public engagement. “I decided that I don’t need a degree to sing or to enjoy music, […]

   
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  Twitter Account Gives Voice to Mason Public

  Featured, News1 October 4, 2012 at 2:51 pm Comments are Disabled

  Social media is constantly becoming a more integral part of the way society functions. Many companies, institutions and universities are beginning to use social networking sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, to connect to the world, including a wider base of customers and students. Mason recently became a huge player in this game with its implementation of the “Mason Nation Project.” Mason’s new president, Dr. Angel Cabrera, was the brain behind the project. With the help of the university’s Office of Media and Public Relations, the project is now in full swing. The idea was inspired by Sweden’s creative use of  its Twitter account. “The curators of Sweden are different every week and tweet on behalf of the country. Dr. Cabrera thought it would be really cool if Mason did something similar,” said Tara Laskowski, Mason’s social media coordinator and Office of Media and Public Relations senior manager. Following this model, Mason gives a new person access to the Twitter account @GeorgeMasonU each week. “This project reflects the diversity of the university, but it also compliments the social nature of our new president. Dr. Angel Cabrera is an avid Twitter user, and because of that, the Mason community has gotten […]

   

• Running Down a Dream

  Sports October 4, 2012 at 2:44 pm Comments are Disabled

  The men’s cross-country team hosted its first and only home meet of the season in Leesburg, Va. at Oatlands, the team’s relatively new home course. The competition was fierce for the men as they placed second against top teams such as La Salle University, the favorite to win the Atlantic 10, and American University, whose assistant coach was Mason’s former cross-country assistant coach. Andrew Gerard, who is in his eighth year as Mason coach, is the director of Track and Field and has completely revamped the cross-country program since he has arrived. With experience at such prestigious schools as William & Mary and Stanford, he was able to put cross-country on the radar in Mason’s sports program. “This year’s team is one of the most experienced and most accomplished teams I have ever coached at Mason,” Gerard said. “They could do some of the most unprecedented things ever done in the program. We have just been putting the last few pieces together and I look forward to a strong showing this weekend.” With six weeks until the end of the season, the team has been training extra hard. “We have been pushing hard these last few weeks. The boys are […]

   

• Rise of the Patriots: Improvements in Athletics

  Sports October 4, 2012 at 2:42 pm Comments are Disabled

  Athletic Director Tom O’Connor believes Mason’s athletic program is the model program in the CAA. The unforgettable Cinderella journey to the Final Four in 2006 started the beginning of a new era in Mason Athletics.  Most recently named the number one Up-and-Coming University this year by US News and World Report, Mason is still feeling the effects of its historic underdog run. Year after year, the sports program continues to thrive and gain more recognition.  Currently, the cross country and soccer teams are ranked 9th and 20th, respectively, in the nation.  Over the summer, four athletes from Mason represented the United States at the Olympics in London.  Last year, Men’s Outdoor Track and Field won the CAA championship while Men’s Swimming finished second place.  With a flourishing basketball team, yearly expectations are high once again. “I don’t want to say it’s a roller coaster but we’re always on the upper level with our sports programs across the board; somewhat of a measure is the won and loss records of teams or championships but, you also have to remember that it is a complete program,” said O’Connor on the state of Mason Athletics. “We don’t have any NCAA violations.  We’re at […]

   

• Mason Club Takes Hockey to New Depths

  Sports October 4, 2012 at 2:39 pm Comments are Disabled

  Mason is home to the highest ranked college underwater hockey team in the nation.  The team placed 10th overall out of several adult, club and college teams at the  national tournament this past spring. This semester, they are looking for recruits to replace graduating players, five of whom have gone on to play for the U.S. national team. Underwater hockey is more than just the subject of a random factoid mentioned on tours to prospective students; it’s a full fledged team that is part of a growing national community. Having originated from the United Kingdom in the early 1950s as a game called Octopush, underwater hockey has slowly been on the rise for the last half century. It has also found a home at Mason. The sport is similar to its icy counterpart except it is played in eight feet of water and does not require a goalie.  From above the waterline, it looks like feeding time at the aquarium, but under the water, it is a scene of precise passing, swift swimming and intense play. “Everyone should come out for one day and try it. I thought it would be a lot less interesting, but I came out and […]

   

• The Carouser Report: Carousing Safely

  Lifestyle October 4, 2012 at 12:17 pm Comments are Disabled

  In the dodgy world of journalism, the search for the truth is a sought out commodity. Fortunately for you, I am chock-full of it. Unfortunately, the powers that be see it otherwise. Like a stray scratching at the back door, the issue of college drinking is a permanent annoyance for those who have moved far beyond their college years. They like to use statistics to mash down the peeping blisters that glorify the drinking scene. An awful tragedy weighs heavy in the truth game. To that end, I can only say that for every horrific tragedy, hundreds are prevented by good folk who understand the phrase “Live tonight to party tomorrow!”  The burden falls on us to keep each other safe. In order to avoid the pithy, over-chewed rhetoric you’ve already heard about responsible drinking, I suppose, as always, I should give you some practical real world advice. It is a bad decision every time. Drunk driving is a ghastly sin. If you really need to get home, call a taxi, ride the bus, or call someone who hasn’t been drinking.  However, staying the night is your best option. Your bed will still be there tomorrow. I’ve slept everywhere: on […]

   
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  A New Take on Prohibition

  Lifestyle October 4, 2012 at 12:12 pm Comments are Disabled

  Book Review by Colleen Wilson In December of 1930, Jack, Forrest and Howard Bondurant were crossing a bridge with cars full of illegal moonshine when they were stopped by local sheriff deputies looking for trouble. Historical accounts of the event are unclear, but the altercation quickly turned violent and two of the brothers were shot. Decades later, Matt Bondurant, grandson of Jack, learned about the shooting and of the violent past his grandfather and great-uncles had experienced during Prohibition in rural Virginia. “In contemporary society everyone sort of universally agrees that [Prohibition] was a bad idea,” said Bondurant, author of “The Wettest County in the World.” “It was a terrible idea, so the people who were breaking the law during that time are not seen as criminals today, they were just more like interesting people.” The novel, which now sells under the title “Lawless” after the movie based on the same story, is a historical fiction about Frederick County, Va. during prohibition. Though the storyline is fictionalized, the characters are Bondurant’s ancestors and their real-life associates that Bondurant spent years researching. “My work is always heavily informed by research,” said Bondurant. “I write a lot about things that actually are. Sometimes […]

   
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  From Binding to Box Office: Former Mason Professor Matt Bondurant has Book Turned into Movie

  Multimedia, News1 October 4, 2012 at 12:02 pm Comments are Disabled

  Matt Bondurant caught his first break at Mason. After moving back to his hometown in Northern Virginia, Bondurant began interviewing for part-time academic jobs but was hired as a full-time faculty in Fairfax, a rare feat for an aspiring author with no publications to his name. “I was the guy with a Ph. D. and nothing else,” Bondurant said. Despite a heavy teaching load consisting of four composition courses, Bondurant published his first book shortly after coming to Mason. He immediately began working on his second book, efficiently using his infrequent free time to churn out another novel. “You have to manage your time,” Bondurant said. “But the teaching schedule allows some flexibility.” Because it is essential for an author to have numerous publications to his name in order to advance in the field of academia, Bondurant worked at an astonishing pace, publishing a book every three to four years. “If I hadn’t been under the gun, academically speaking, I would have spent another year or two on most of my books,” Bondurant said. “But, on the other hand, after three or four years, I get kind of sick of one thing. I invest myself in a world for three […]

   
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  Green Colleen: Upcycling Cereal Boxes

  Editorials October 4, 2012 at 11:51 am Comments are Disabled

  It’s hard to believe, but we are already five weeks into the semester. Almost all at once, the tests, readings and homework seem to have piled up, nearly crushing us under their weight. Around this time each semester, I start to become untangled. My laundry bin overflows, my hair is constantly in a messy ponytail and my desk becomes unrecognizable. Buried under a mountain of paperwork, I can hardly find a place to set up my laptop and get some work done. The environment is hardly conducive to a productive workspace. This week, I decided to shape up and get myself in order. I threw my laundry in the wash, brushed my hair and sat down to attack my desk. A short while later, I had a full recycling bin and stacks of neatly organized papers. The only trouble was that I still had no place to put them. Leaving them on my desk would only welcome the clutter back and stuffing the papers in the drawers would undo all of my work to organize them. The solution was upright desk organizers designed to hold papers and magazines. The problem was that I didn’t have any. A quick look through […]

   
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  Nutrition Impossible: A Guide to Eating Healthy, Even When on Campus

  Lifestyle October 4, 2012 at 11:47 am Comments are Disabled

  For many students, college is the first time away from home and their first real taste of freedom. It’s also the first time students do not get to sit down to a home-cooked meal every night. While most colleges offer healthy eating options, students tend to reach for the faster, unhealthier options, which can quickly lead to the freshman 15. Studies have shown that there are a number of reasons as to why students tend to gain weight at college, especially during their first year. College is a whole new social setting, and our culture associates being social with eating. When meeting up with friends, students almost always go to get something to eat. Southside is popular because you can swipe in and spend the whole day there, doing homework and getting up to grab something to eat every once in a while. Pilot House and Ike’s are popular for late night hang outs, giving students a chance to eat and chat early into the morning. Meal plans are designed to give students a wide variety of options as to what they can buy and how many times a day they eat. With a meal plan, a student can decide […]