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In the months leading up to Family Weekend we want to give you and your family a closer look at some of the events you can look forward to participating in throughout the weekend! Check-in for Family Weekend begins at noon on Friday, October 16 and our schedule of events will kick off as soon as check-in opens, so we encourage you to arrive as soon as you can on Friday afternoon and jump right in on the fun!

From 4- 5:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon we will have two fun events taking place on the South Plaza of the Johnson Center, both of which are included in the $5 access pass fee for the weekend.

Taste of Mason
Throughout the weekend, various Mason Dining locations will be offering discounts to Family Weekend participants. When you and your family show your access pass, you will receive $1 off a purchase of at least $7 at participating campus dining locations. In order to give you a sneak peek at the discounts, we invite you to enjoy a sampling of various vendors and campus dining locations during Taste of Mason.

Career Carnival
While you and your family sample some of Mason’s dining options, we also want to engage you in interactive and informative activities with Mason’s University Career Services. Do you think a student’s major has to equal a career? Does your student know what to say in an interview? What kind of language makes and email professional and what should your student avoid doing during the job search? Stop by our table and connect with University Career Services while testing your knowledge.

We will continue to share event spotlights until the close of Family Weekend registration on Sunday, October 4 at midnight, and encourage you to register your family soon as space at some of our most popular events tends to fill up quickly. You can register your family, and also view a schedule of events by visiting masonfamily.gmu.edu.

Family Weekend is an amazing way to get a glimpse into your student’s life at Mason and enjoy a weekend of family-friendly fun. We hope to see you on campus October 16-18!

Kristen Wright
Graduate Assistant
Family Programs and Services

Whether your student is arriving on campus this fall for his or her first semester, or for the beginning of senior year, Parking and Transportation would like to share some information to help you and your student plan for a smooth commute to campus.

Parking Permits
Parking permits will go on sale on Wednesday, July 22 at parking.gmu.edu. Once your student has purchased his or her parking permit, the hangtag will be mailed to your student’s home address and he or she can print a temporary pass for use up to ten days in the meantime. Students who join Zimride.gmu.edu, Mason’s free rideshare network, will be able to buy a parking permit two days early on Monday, July 20.

Detours and Lane Closures
There will be some detours and lane closures on the northwest part of the Fairfax Campus beginning on July 8 as Mason breaks ground on a new building that will house the College of Health and Human Services. The building will be constructed in a space that is currently Lot H, which will be closing on July 8. Alternative parking options are available here.

Along with the closure of Lot H will come multiple phases of road closures and detours on the northwest part of the Fairfax Campus as Patriot Circle is rebuilt to the south of its current location between George Mason Boulevard and Aquia Creek Lane. You and your student can keep up with the latest construction and other impacts at http://building.gmu.edu.

Alternative Transportation: Mason Shuttles and Bicycles
Mason shuttles and bicycles are not only convenient, but are great green transportation options for your student to try this fall. There are currently six Mason shuttle routes with various on- and off-campus destinations including the Vienna Metro, Burke Centre VRE, regional malls, and our Science and Technology Campus (formerly Prince William Campus). All shuttles and the CUE Bus are free with Mason ID and are equipped with a bike rack. Schedules and maps for the shuttles are available at shuttle.gmu.edu.

Mason is also a designated Bicycle Friendly University with over a 100 bike rack locations, bike pumps, and fix-it stations. Students can register their bike at bike.gmu.edu to receive a free U-lock, bike lights, and maps.

If you have any questions about your new commute or need more information, please contact us at [email protected] or 703.993.2828.

Marinia Budimir
Transportation Coordinator
Parking and Transportation

Finding a job on campus is an important part of the first weeks of the semester, but can also be something that brings you and your student stress. At University Career Services, we want to help make your students’ job search as simple as possible by sharing a few important resources.

Hire Mason
If your student is interested in working on campus, one of the best and easiest things you can do to help is to refer him or her to HireMason. HireMason is our exclusive database which hosts a variety of positions, including on campus jobs and research opportunities. Once your student is registered for classes, he or she will automatically receive a HireMason account. At that point, all your student needs to do is log in and create a profile to begin searching for on campus employment opportunities.

Another helpful tool is the University’s human resource webpage, which lists job opportunities available on campus.

On-Campus Job Fair
Each fall, University Career Services hosts its annual On-Campus Jobs Fair. This job fair is another great way for your student to connect with employers from various departments within the University! This year’s fair will be on September 2 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. in Dewberry Hall.

Helpful Hints and Advice
In addition to a variety of campus resources, you can also be a great help to your student by helping him or her answer questions and providing advice on how to navigate the job search. A few important topics you can share with your student include:

1. Listen to your student’s career interests and try to be supportive as they may change throughout your student’s academic career.
2. Talk with your student about your industry, employer and job.
3. Share with your student which of their strengths, values and traits you most admire.
4. Provide personal referrals for your student to have career conversations or shadow contacts in your network.
5. Encourage your student to make an appointment with University Career Services early on in their time at Mason!

We hope this helps you and your student navigate the on-campus job search! If you have additional questions, you can visit our website at careers.gmu.edu or reach out to us by email at [email protected] or phone at 703-993-2370.

Carolyn Kleiman
Career Counselor
University Career Services

Orientation brings thousands of students to campus throughout the summer months, many of whom have one important thing on their minds: where to live come August. Whether your student is new to Mason or returning, it is essential to start now to make sure you secure your housing as soon as possible.

One of the best ways to get to know what off-campus housing is like in Northern Virginia is to attend the Off-Campus Housing Fair on July 16 from 2 – 4:45 p.m. in the Johnson Center. Properties will come to campus and will share information on what they have to offer. Even if your student is not looking for immediate housing, the fair gives students a great idea of what apartments around Fairfax are like. Furthermore, Off-Campus Student Programs and Services will be available to help with roommate, budgeting, and transportation options for new off-campus students.

Before the Off-Campus Housing Fair, your student can prepare by visiting the Off-Campus Housing website at och.gmu.edu. This will allow you to filter properties by price, location, transportation accessibility, etc. to find a great place to live. This website gets over one million hits throughout the year and is the recommended way to search for housing for Mason students, staff, and faculty.

If you have further questions, feel free to contact Off-Campus Student Programs and Services at [email protected] or 703-992-2475.

Emilie Dubert
Associate Director
Off Campus Programs and Services