Author: Rebecca McCrory

The Mail Hub is a well-oiled, efficiently run machine for the 36,000 students at Mason. But to appreciate that fact, one has to understand the mechanism behind the mailroom.

Every student living on campus has the same address of 4450 Rivanna River Way; Fairfax, VA 22030, with each student receiving a unique four-digit mailbox number. Your student will keep that same code as long as they are living on campus.

To send your student mail, write their name as it is printed on their Mason ID and write perishable if needed. Did you know that mail is not delivered directly to the Mail Hub? Instead, it is delivered to the Fairfax Post Office, which is five miles away. Monday through Friday, mail is sorted at the Post Office and brought once a day to the Mason Mail Hub where it is sorted again. There are no deliveries on the weekends.

Students are notified via their Mason email account if they receive a package. Included in the email is a locker number and a code to access the locker. It is your student’s responsibility to retrieve their package within a reasonable period of time and not the Mail Hub’s responsibility to send reminder notices. Learn more about managing your packages at printandmail.gmu.edu/mail.

Students are not notified if they receive a letter. Each student has a file folder designated for them with received letters. Students must go the Mail Hub’s front desk and ask if they have received any letters. Important: If a family member sends their student a card with $20 in it, please notify the student and tell them to be on the lookout for the card. When students move out in May, many will realize they have letters dating back to August.

Please be kind and patient with the Mai Hub at the beginning of each semester. Many students are having packages mailed to them. The Fairfax Post Office and the Mail Hub, even with their staff of 10, are swamped dealing with the excessive amounts. Mail could be delayed up to two weeks at the start of each semester.

Mail Hub staff members are friendly and helpful. If you feel a package has not been delivered properly, call (703) 993-2845.

Beth Lang
Member
Parent and Family Council

Did you know that students who become engaged with their campus community are more likely to be successful during their time at Mason? Mason offers thousands of programs and events on campus every year, which might seem overwhelming for students as they try to navigate all of the opportunities on campus. The Patriot Experience is here to help make the transition to campus much smoother for students and help them become successful Mason graduates!

By getting involved with the Patriot Experience, students will have the opportunity to maximize their experience at Mason. The Patriot Experience provides amazing opportunities for students to grow, become a well-rounded student outside of the classroom, and find their place within the Mason community and beyond.

Our program organizes the events, activities, leadership opportunities, and programs on campus by placing them into 4 pathways: Well-Being, Global and Multicultural Competency, Career Readiness, and Civic Learning and Community Engagement. These pathways are designed to provide a structured path for students to get involved in an area they are passionate about, develop crucial soft skills along the way, and take advantage of the events, programs, and organizations Mason has to offer.

There are 3 levels of the program and students receive incentives upon completion of each level, such as our Student Success Reward pack to Padfolios. Students will also receive a certificate of completion for each level completed. Your student can download a comprehensive involvement record at any point within the program to show all of their Mason experiences. This record can be used during job or graduate school interviews to showcase the many ways your student was engaged in the community throughout their Mason career.

To help your student sign up for the Patriot Experience, visit patriotexperience.gmu.edu. To stay updated on upcoming events, follow us at @masonpatriotexp on Facebook and Twitter. If you have any questions, please email masonpe@gmu.edu.

Adrienne Thompson, Ph.D.
Associate Director for Student Success
University Life

Whether your student is beginning their first or last semester of college, Learning Services wants to share some tips for creating good academic habits! The study strategies needed in college change by semester depending on the level of difficulty in each class. At Mason, our professors empower students to take responsibility for their own learning. Students can take charge of their learning by following the four phases of the Study Cycle.

The Study Cycle

Phase 1: The first phase is to encourage your student to preview the material to be covered in class, before class. The professor will provide students with a syllabus which will include a course schedule with the reading assignments for each week. Students should read these chapters or articles prior to class to get a preview of what is going to be covered during the lectures. The reading will provide structure and help students understand the context of the information they will be learning about that week.

Phase 2: The second phase is to attend class. Class attendance may not be required or monitored, but your student should still go to class, take notes, and participate in discussions. Electronic devices should be silenced and put away to reduce distractions. Professors will often explain complicated concepts, clarify upcoming assignments, and facilitate group activities during class. Students who skip class will miss out on important information.

Phase 3: Phase three is to encourage your student to review notes as soon as possible after class. This is important because the material is still fresh in your student’s mind which will allow them to fill in any gaps, write out abbreviations, and flag any information that may be confusing. It is important to review notes regularly because there are fewer tests in college and they cover many chapters. If your student waits 4-5 weeks to review their notes before a test, they will have forgotten most of the information.

Phase 4: The final phase is to use intentional study sessions. In college, your student will be expected to “recall” the best answers. Self-testing is the most effective strategy to prepare for college exams because it provides an accurate assessment of recall. When re-reading, students tend to think that they remember the material because it looks familiar, but by self-quizzing, your student will have a better gauge of information learned. There are a number of ways your student can self-test including using flash cards, completing end of the chapter questions, recalling the main points of a lecture, and completing problem sets.

The study cycle is a weekly cycle. If students keep up with the reading, attend class regularly, review their notes, and study the material each week, preparation for exams will be manageable.

If your student needs assistance with any of these strategies, Learning Services can help. We offer academic success workshops, one-on-one peer academic coaching, and academic success videos. Your student can also find a list of campus tutoring resources on our website. Check out learningservices.gmu.edu for more information.

Vicki Dominick, MSEd
Associate Director
Learning Services

August 28-September 16	Welcome2Mason
August 29	Part-Time Job Fair
September 3	Labor Day (University closed)
September 4	Last day to add classes
September 9	National Grandparents Day
September 9-11	Rosh Hashanah
September 11	9/11 Day of Service
September 13-17	Sorority Recruitment
September 18-19	Yom Kippur
September 20	One Love Cultural Festival
September 22	First day of Fall
September 24	Midterm evaluations begin
September 28	Last day to drop classes