Category: Uncategorized

Summer break has arrived and your student may be interning, taking class, traveling, or working a summer job. Even though the summer can be filled with downtime, there are a number of things your student can do to plan for the next academic year and get ahead!

Resume Updates
Even if your student is currently interning or working, it is never too soon to be thinking about the next job or internship! Encourage your student to spend some time updating his or her resume this summer and have at least one other person edit the document for content and grammatical errors. Your student can schedule an appointment to meet with University Career Services over the summer to discuss his or her resume with a Career Counselor, or visit the Career Services website for specific resume building tools.

Tip: If your student is preparing for a job search next year, encourage him or her to create a master resume with all of his or her professional, extracurricular, and volunteer opportunities. When the time comes for your student to tailor his or her resume for a specific position, this will save time!

Informational Interviews
Is your student interested in a particular industry and wants to learn more about what that job is like? Encourage him or her to schedule an informational interview with someone currently working in that field. This is a great way for your student to network and learn more about career opportunities. For more information on information interviews and for a list of sample outreach emails, visit http://careers.gmu.edu/students/interview.cfm.

Tip: Make sure your student has a list of questions before the informational interview. This will help your student standout and be prepared to make the most of the opportunity.  

Volunteer
Volunteering is a tremendous way for your student to give back, learn new skills, and explore future careers. Your student can develop important soft skills that employers are looking for while developing a sense of civic responsibility. If your student is interested in continuing to volunteer when he or she returns to campus there are many opportunities available through Social Action and Integrative Learning!

Tip: Encourage your student to be strategic with his or her volunteering and look for opportunities that are related to a career or field or study he or she wants to learn more about! 

We hope these tips help you provide your student with ideas and resources to make the most of the summer and get a head start on planning for next year!

Kristen Wright
Graduate Assistant
Family Programs and Services

June 1	Summer term B begins
June 4	Last day to add/drop summer term B class (no tuition penalty)
June 18 - 20	Summer term A exam period
June 20	Last day of classes summer term A
June 29	First day of summer term C classes

Your feedback is important to us, so we want to remind you to complete our end of the year survey by May 22, 2015. The purpose of the survey is to create a space for family members to share their feedback on the programs and services we offer. We utilize the results of this survey to make changes in order to better serve you, our Mason families, and encourage you to provide your own feedback by participating in the 2015 family survey. Please click here to access the survey.

If you complete the survey by May 22 at 5 p.m. (ET), your name will be entered for a chance to win $50 of Mason Money to be added to your student’s Mason ID!

Thank you in advance for assisting Orientation and Family Programs and Services as we work to grow and develop our programs and services for Mason families. 

Kristen Wright
Graduate Assistant
Orientation and Family Programs and Services

As we wrap up spring semester and Commencement celebrations, we begin to gear up for this year’s Family Weekend, which takes place October 16-18, 2015!

Family Weekend is a long-standing tradition here at Mason and is a time for families to come back to campus and experience the same spirit that our students enjoy throughout the year. By participating in this weekend of fun-filled events, you can gain a glimpse into your student’s life at Mason, its academic excellence, and the energy of our vibrant campus.

Schedule Of Events
This year’s schedule of events is filled with opportunities to experience Mason, the Fairfax community, and the destinations in the greater DC area. Our schedule features student performances, Mason Madness, a 5K run/walk, theatre performances, athletic events, and so much more! We will continue adding events to the schedule throughout the summer and encourage you to like the George Mason Family Association on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to see event updates.

Family Of The Year Award
Think your family has what it takes to be this year’s Family of the Year? Be on the look out for an opportunity for your student to nominate your family for the Alan and Sally Merten Family of the Year Award, which will be presented during Family Weekend.

Registration
Registration will open in June and will remain open until October 4 at midnight. In the meantime, you can check out our newly redesigned Family Weekend website at masonfamily.gmu.edu and start planning for your weekend at Mason!

Once registration opens, you should register early to reserve your space for some of our most popular events that will reach capacity quickly. To see the current schedule of events, pricing, and frequently asked questions, please visit our website at masonfamily.gmu.edu.

We look forward to seeing you at Family Weekend in October!

Kristen Wright
Graduate Assistant
Office of Orientation and Family Programs and Services