Author: Rebecca McCrory

At Mason, we recognize the important role our parents and families play in their student’s development and success, and we are committed to supporting you through virtual family experiences and initiatives. While we are disappointed we can’t invite you to campus to join us in person, we are excited to engage you virtually in the comfort of your home!  

We invite all parents and family members, both of new and continuing Mason students, to join faculty and staff from around the university for our Virtual Fall Family Kick-Off event on Monday, August 17 from 4-7 p.m. EDT. You will gain access to key offices, learn important university information, and explore opportunities to support your student’s learning and success.  

Register for the Virtual Fall Family Kick-Off

Additionally, this event will also kick off our smaller virtual family experiences to be held throughout the fall semester. These virtual assistance and engagement opportunities include: 

• Resource videos that highlight various campus resources 
• Success coaching and academic support to help you support your student’s learning 
• Technology tips and well-being resources for families whose students are learning online
• Live workshops with key offices in which content-area experts will provide tips, advice and available resources
• Peer-led support that provides a space focused on family-to-family conversation and how to support each other and your students on this collegiate journey 

For more information about our virtual family initiatives, visit masonfamily.gmu.edu/virtual-family-initiatives or contact New Student and Family Programs at [email protected]. 

Rebecca McCrory
Associate Director of Family Programs
New Student and Family Programs

The 2019-2020 Housing Selection application will be available at 1 p.m. on January 28, 2019. The necessary links will be active at that time to apply for housing.  

Your student can complete the application using the George Mason Housing Portal. The application must be completed no later than February 4, 2019, at 4 p.m.   

Once a housing agreement is signed, your student is locked into the agreement. We advise your student not to sign unless they are serious about living here.  

Make a Plan. After all housing applications are submitted and approved, your student will have the opportunity to identify their group size and members.  

• Mason encourages students to go into the selection process with one or more buddies. Forming a group improves the likelihood of living with friends or compatible suite mates. 
• Groups can be composed of two, three, four or six people. Individuals select spaces after groups make selections. 
• Selection is done by seniority. 
• Certain types of spaces, such as large apartments and single rooms, are not widely available. Encourage your student to keep their budget in mind, and remember to factor in pricing, location, meal plan requirements, and access to halls over winter break. 

Selecting Their Living Space. Group leaders will choose the space and selection will take place in late February. Please refer to the 2018-2019 Housing Selection Cheat Sheet for an overview of last year’s selection process. The 2019-2020 Housing Selection Cheat Sheet will be posted prior to the application launch date on January 28. 

Visit housing.gmu.edu/apply for more information.  

Living Learning Communities (LLCs) are an opportunity for students to live on a floor or in a building with other students who share a common interest or major. The 2019-2020 LLC application opens Tuesday, January 29. 

Why LLCs?  LLCs provide students an opportunity to discover, explore, and apply knowledge through multidisciplinary projects, programs, and coursework in a wide array of different themes. LLC students create connections to their academic work in new and creative ways, receive additional academic and social support, and engage in transformative experiences. 

 LLC applications are due Tuesday, February 5 via the housing application: gmu.starrezhousing.com/StarRezPortal. If you have questions, contact [email protected] or (703) 993-6674. Visit housing.gmu.edu/housing-options/living-learning-communities/masons-llcs to learn more about LLCs. 

Amie Mbye
Family Programs Graduate Assistant
New Student and Family Programs

*To receive more articles like this straight to your inbox, sign up for the Mason Family Association at masonfamily.gmu.edu/mason-family-association. 

When you think of study abroad, you may imagine students wandering through the Louvre in Paris or visiting the Colosseum in Rome. While students are able to engage in tourist activities, these activities represent only a small portion of a student’s experience.

In addition to tourism, study abroad is an integrated classroom experience that can include volunteering, internships, and directed travel, as long as learning goals drives these activities. Mason students have engaged in a variety of activities while studying abroad such as studying Andean civilizations at an active research station in Peru, interning with a member of the British Parliament, and accelerating their language learning by being immersed in the target language.

Study abroad opportunities are available for many different majors and programs of study. For example, Mason’s bioengineering program has mapped a curricular match with the University Carlos III of Madrid with courses taught in English. Faculty in the biology department lead students to undertake transect surveys to evaluate the health of coral reefs, and students in the School of Business attend KEDGE Business School, an institution in the top 10 of the Grande École (Great School) system in France.

Although you and your student may think that study abroad is out of reach due to financial burdens, many program costs are equivalent to the cost-of-attendance at Mason. Financial aid and scholarships can be applied toward the expense of study abroad, and additional scholarships and travel grants are available.

If you and your student are worried about safety, we want to assure you that studying abroad is a great way to be independent in the world without being alone. Protocols are in place to vet programs with experts before they go. Your student will be prepared with information on how to stay as safe as possible while abroad. Emergency medical insurance is purchased to cover emergency medical care and evacuation in the case of medical concerns, natural disasters or other crises. Many programs are faculty-led, so a trusted advisor is there to guide students.

Visit the Global Education Office (GEO) online at studyabroad.gmu.edu or email [email protected]. to schedule a time to stop by the GEO office in the Johnson Center, Room 235. Your student can also attend George Mason University’s Study Abroad Fair on Thursday, February 14 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Johnson Center, Dewberry Hall.

Achim Loch
Senior Marketing and Outreach Specialist
Global Education Office

*To receive more articles like this straight to your inbox, sign up for the Mason Family Association at masonfamily.gmu.edu/mason-family-association.

Mason Families, we thank you for your continued involvement in the Mason Community! At Mason, we work year-round to recruit future Patriots and provide prospective students and their families with opportunities to attend university events in their local communities. Our goal is to spread Mason’s green and gold spirit far and wide throughout the United States, and we would love for you to be a part of this experience!

We are looking for folks with a special Mason connection to host and/or participate in regional events throughout the U.S. during the spring and summer months. These events are intended to bring prospective and admitted students, as well as their families, together with the Mason community to hear the wonderful stories that make our university unique.

If you are interested in attending, hosting, or learning how you can represent Mason in your local area, we invite you to take this short, 5-minute survey: www.surveymonkey.com/r/GZ959NY. We also encourage you to visit our Mason Admissions Volunteer Network (MAVN) website to learn more about the program: www2.gmu.edu/admissions-aid/mavn.

We thank you in advance, and hope to see you at one of the events!

Melissa A. Bevacqua, M.S.
Director
Undergraduate Admissions

*To receive more articles like this straight to your inbox, sign up for the Mason Family Association at masonfamily.gmu.edu/mason-family-association.