Over the last few weeks, New Student and Family Programs staff and University Life leadership explored alternate plans for Summer Orientation given the evolving coronavirus situation. We took into account the recent decisions from the state of Virginia regarding stay at home orders until June 10, the university’s plan to not hold events prior to July 1, and held conversations with institutions around the state and region.
With the health and safety of the university community being paramount, the decision has been made to move Orientation online for Summer 2020 and to cancel our Quill Camp programs. We did not make the decision lightly, but we feel a virtual option for Summer Orientation is the best alternative. We are committed to producing a high-quality virtual experience that will help students and families transition successfully into Mason.
In this new format, students will continue to register for an Orientation date. Students who have already registered will keep their spot. Some aspects of the virtual Student Orientation will still occur on the same day as their scheduled in-person program, while other content will be pre-recorded and available to view at their own pace.
We recognize the important role families play in their student’s development and success at Mason, and we strive to support families throughout their student’s college experience by serving as a centralized resource. For this reason, we are offering a virtual Family Orientation at no charge and will refund all guest fees.
The virtual Family Orientation will provide families access to both pre-recorded and live presentations, and offer an online space for informal discussions. We recommend families take advantage of these opportunities to discover university resources and to learn from other families about managing the transition.
We feel it is important to share this information to Mason families both new and experienced. Since our incoming family members will not attend a traditional, on-campus Orientation, our hope is that our experienced family members will help welcome, support, and encourage our new family members as they transition into our Mason Family.
We are still working out many of the details, and we ask for your understanding and patience during this expedited planning process. As we all work through this challenging time, we encourage you to connect virtually as a Mason Family.
- Like our public Facebook page, George Mason Family Programs, for the most up-to-date campus news.
- Request to join the closed Facebook group, George Mason Family Association, to connect with other Mason parents and family members!
- Mark your calendar for Family Weekend – November 13-15, 2020. Registration will open in August. For more information, visit masonfamily.gmu.edu.
If you have questions regarding these changes to Summer Orientation, visit orientation.gmu.edu, or contact our office at (703) 993-2475 or orientu@gmu.edu.
Rebecca McCrory
Associate Director of Family Programs
New Student and Family Programs
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