In this ever-changing environment, we know that finding information and knowing the most important items students need to engage in is more difficult than ever. Mason is a large community with many different departments and areas, and it can be challenging for new students particularly to learn this campus and its services, particularly in a virtual space. For 2020-2021, the university has made strides in creating new initiatives to keep students informed and provide access to important resources and information.
The Mason First Year webpage was created prior to the start of Summer Orientation and serves as a one-stop for new students to find answers to their frequently asked questions. Some of the areas of focus on this webpage are quick links that students visit often, a glossary of terms for Mason, and categories of the student experience that link to how to best resolve that issue or question. University Life resources, policies and procedures, and academic support are all examples of some of the ways students need assistance to be successful, and this web resource is the best way to find that help. The information curated here is useful for all class levels. For any student who has a question and doesn’t know where to go, we recommend they bookmark and start with this URL: orientation.gmu.edu/studentresources.
Even with a comprehensive web resource to connect to questions and items of assistance, new students don’t always know the best times to utilize the support Mason provides. This year, University Life is launching the Mason Rundown, a monthly newsletter sent to all new students at the beginning of each month during the 2020-2021 academic year with relevant and timely reminder of deadlines, events, and helpful resources. Our first edition went out on September 8 and showcased content around the deadline to add/drop classes for the Fall semester, on-campus employment opportunities, Welcome2Mason engagement opportunities, and navigating the Mason Student Services Center operations. Each edition will be customized to feature the most important aspects of the Mason experience as they acclimate to this new community. Encourage your new student to keep an eye out for the Mason Rundown each month!
The New Student and Family Programs team is hard at work engaging our new students as they move farther into their first semester and can be reached virtually Monday-Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. If your family has questions or needs assistance, feel free to reach out to us via email at orientu@gmu.edu or families@gmu.edu, via phone at (703) 993-2475, or our live chat at masonfamily.gmu.edu.
With Patriot Pride,
Rick Gray
Director
New Student and Family Programs
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