Campus News

Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra will headline this year’s ARTS by George!

ckearney — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 16:22:51 +0000

Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra will headline this year’s ARTS by George! ckearney Mon, 03/16/2026 - 12:22

�鶹��Ƶ’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) announces the ARTS by George! benefit event, headlined by acclaimed actor and musician Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra. ARTS by George! takes place on Saturday, October 3, on George �鶹��Ƶ’s Fairfax Campus.

Jeff Goldblum. Photo by Pari Dukovic

The event raises vital support for student scholarships in visual arts, dance, music, theater, game design, film, and arts management, as well as for the �鶹��Ƶ Community Arts Academy, Green Machine Ensembles, and the Great Performances at �鶹��Ƶ season at the Center for the Arts. Tickets and sponsorships are available for purchase on the event website.

Goldblum’s storied career spans nearly six decades of award-winning work as a starring actor in film, television, and theater. He recently co-starred as the Wizard of Oz, alongside Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, in the global box office smash Wicked and its sequel Wicked: For Good. He has also produced film and television projects and is an Academy Award-nominated director for his short feature film, Little Surprises.

Goldblum’s many film credits include The Big Chill, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Fly, Independence Day, Jurassic Park, and Thor: Ragnarok. He has received Emmy nominations for his work on Will & Grace and for the National Geographic/Disney+ series, The World According to Jeff Goldblum, which he also executive produced. Onstage, he has starred in Broadway’s The Pillowman, the Off-Broadway production of Domesticated, as well as the London production of Speed-the-Plow.

Goldblum launched the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra 30 years ago. Since then, he and his band have performed for audiences throughout the United States and around the world. The group has released four albums with Decca Records, featuring guest artists that include Gregory Porter, Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus, Fiona Apple, Freda Payne, Haley Reinhart, Imelda May, and Maiya Sykes. On June 5, 2026, Goldblum and The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra are set to release Night Blooms, the companion album to Still Blooming, under Universal’s recently relaunched Fontana label, featuring Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Charlie Puth, dodie, Haley Reinhart, Melody Gardot, Scarlett Johansson, and others.

ARTS by George! begins at 5 p.m. in the de Laski Performing Arts Building with CVPA students and faculty collaborating in a series of showcases and exhibits in art, music, dance, theater, film, and more. At 8:30 p.m., Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra headline a performance in the Center for the Arts Concert Hall. The concert will feature contemporary arrangements of jazz classics and American Songbook standards, brought to life with Goldblum’s signature improvisation and charm.

�鶹��Ƶ Arts Board member Annie Bolger serves as event chair. Guests will enjoy a buffet dinner, immersive presentations by CVPA students and faculty, premium orchestra seating for the headlining concert by Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, an onstage toast and dessert reception following the concert including a special appearance by the artist, and free garage parking. Each ARTS by George! ticket includes a charitable donation directly supporting CVPA student scholarships and community arts programs. Since 2006, the event has raised more than $4.6 million for �鶹��Ƶ Arts.

Subscribers to the Center for the Arts 2026–27 season can add tickets for the 8:30 p.m. performance to their subscription package beginning on May 28. Individual tickets to the 8:30 p.m. performance go on sale August 4 through the Center for the Arts website.

Join us at ARTS by George!

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�鶹��Ƶ Now: Power the Possible

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Strengthening trust and resilience: How George �鶹��Ƶ’s new CRO is advancing enterprise risk management

ckearney — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 13:15:10 +0000

Strengthening trust and resilience: How George �鶹��Ƶ’s new CRO is advancing enterprise risk management ckearney Mon, 03/16/2026 - 09:15

Aurali Dade was recently named vice president for enterprise risk management and chief risk officer at �鶹��Ƶ. Learn more about her and her role.

Aurali Dade. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Tell us about yourself and what brought you back to George �鶹��Ƶ?

My journey with George �鶹��Ƶ started in 2012. In my first decade here, I served in a series of leadership roles in Research Integrity and Assurance, then Research and Innovation Initiatives, followed by serving as interim vice president for research, innovation, and economic impact. I then spent more than three years at the National Science Foundation funding nationally impactful research and education programs as an Intergovernmental Personnel Act appointee.

What ultimately brought me back was George �鶹��Ƶ’s sense of purpose and momentum. Stepping into the role—first as interim and now permanently—of vice president for enterprise risk management and chief risk officer (CRO) felt like a meaningful way to contribute to an institution that has been such a major part of my professional life. It brings together everything I care about: building strong governance, supporting strategic decision‑making, and creating systems that protect and enable the university’s mission. It felt like a natural homecoming to return and continue serving a community I believe in.

For someone who might not be familiar with enterprise risk management, explain what it is and how it protects our university?

Enterprise risk management (ERM) is an institution‑wide approach to identifying, assessing, and managing potential risks that could affect operations, people, finances, reputation, or mission. Rather than working in silos, ERM looks at the entire organization to understand what could go wrong, how likely it is, and what actions can reduce the impact. This helps leadership make informed decisions, prioritize resources, and respond to challenges proactively rather than reactively.

For a university, ERM acts as a safeguard that helps protect students, faculty, staff, and the institution’s long‑term stability. It helps ensure risks are spotted early around everything from safety and compliance to cybersecurity and financial stability. ERM also supports strategic planning by aligning risk awareness with the university’s goals, so innovations or new initiatives move forward with a clear understanding of potential challenges. In short, ERM helps the university operate responsibly, stay resilient, and maintain the trust of its community.

How has the ERM program evolved at George �鶹��Ƶ?

As George �鶹��Ƶ has grown, so has ERM. Our approach has matured to reflect and support George �鶹��Ƶ’s rapid expansion in size, complexity, and ambition. We’ve been intentional about building on the strong foundation that [Dr.] Julie Zobel established—she had a clear vision for how ERM could move beyond traditional risk mitigation and become a true strategic decision‑making and prioritization tool. One of the biggest shifts has been ensuring ERM stands on its own as an independent, university‑wide function, which has allowed us to take a broader, more holistic view of risk and its connection to institutional goals.

Today, ERM serves as the organizing concept for a wide range of efforts that address institutional risks. The unit encompasses work focused on policy management including policy standardization, maintenance, and strengthening our approach to governance at every level. Most importantly, ERM helps ensure every risk mitigation strategy intentionally ties back to George �鶹��Ƶ’s strategic priorities, helping the university invest its resources wisely and advance its mission with clarity and confidence.

You've updated the university's policy on policies, why is that important?

One of the important developments in the ERM and governance work over the past year has been the recent update to Policy 1101, our policy on policies. Partnering with Melissa Brockelman‑Post, assistant provost of academic affairs, we modernized the policy to create a stronger, more transparent framework for how policies are developed, reviewed, approved, and maintained going forward. This update wasn’t just procedural—it was designed to build consistency, strengthen accountability, and treat policy management as an essential component of institutional risk mitigation.

We also expanded and formalized our broader Policy Management Group, chartered by the provost and the chief operating officer. Bringing in more diverse campus perspectives— instructional, research, operational, academic, compliance, legal, student‑facing, and more—helps us anticipate issues early and avoid unintended consequences. This ensures that policies not only meet compliance requirements but work effectively in practice, support our strategic direction, and minimize downstream risk. It’s a great example of how ERM is strengthening our structures to help prevent or mitigate risks before they emerge.

What’s next for ERM at George �鶹��Ƶ?

This is an exciting new era where ERM does not just identify risks, it connects the dots across the institution and helps the university “see around corners.” As George �鶹��Ƶ continues to grow in size and complexity, ERM is becoming an even more strategic partner, helping leadership make informed decisions and anticipate challenges before they arise.

Looking ahead, we’re focused on leveraging new tools and technology to strengthen how we gather data, monitor risks, and identify trends. We continue to foster partnerships across campus, deepening our engagement and broadening our network. The next phase of ERM at George �鶹��Ƶ is about continuing to expand our impact, modernize our approach, and ensure we’re supporting the institution in a holistic and forward‑thinking way.

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George �鶹��Ƶ’s Marvin Lewis serves on NCAA Women’s Basketball Committee as March Madness nears

Katarina Benson — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 23:25:57 +0000

George �鶹��Ƶ’s Marvin Lewis serves on NCAA Women’s Basketball Committee as March Madness nears Katarina Benson Wed, 03/11/2026 - 19:25

Marvin Lewis knows a little something about the anxiety that comes with waiting for your team’s name to be called on Selection Sunday, and the euphoria that follows when that dream of playing in the NCAA Tournament becomes a reality.

Lewis, �鶹��Ƶ’s assistant vice president and director of Intercollegiate Athletics, is now in his inaugural season among those charged with making it happen for those lucky few as part of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee.

Lewis, who played in two NCAA Tournaments as a standout player at Georgia Tech and helped lead the Yellow Jackets to the 2004 NCAA Championship game, called his addition to the selection committee last April as the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) representative “a huge honor.”

Lewis was chosen for the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

“As a kid, I always dreamed of playing in the NCAA Tournament,” he said. “Then to have the experience at Georgia Tech to actually play in it, and then make it to the final game was special. But I feel like this is now a full-circle moment—with me now being an administrator helping to decide who’s in it. That’s probably the coolest thing for me. It’s pretty special.”

Lewis, however, won’t have much time to wax nostalgic because Selection Sunday is fast approaching on March 15, and there are scores of basketball games for him to watch between now and then from among the six conferences he’s been assigned.

He’s part of a 12-member committee charged with identifying the 31 best at-large teams to join the tournament’s 31 automatic qualifiers for the 68-team field that will compete for the national championship.

Committee members, who are led by chair and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Athletics Director Amanda Braun, have long been meticulously watching games, analyzing statistical profiles, reviewing results and weekly rankings, and applying a range of metrics and evaluation tools to build the most competitive tournament bracket possible.

“Over the past four months, I’ve watched more women’s basketball than I ever have,” Lewis said.

The selection to the high-profile committee is the most prestigious assignment yet for Lewis, whose star continues to rise in the field. But those who know him best are hardly surprised.

Former ACC Senior Associate Commissioner for Women’s Basketball Mary McElroy was the athletics director at Georgia State when she gave Lewis a reprieve from life as a certified public accountant by hiring him as an assistant athletics director for business in 2008. McElroy is a former Georgia Tech athletics department administrator and had known Lewis from their time there, recognizing his maturity and focus early on.

“I needed the help, and he had the experience and maturity I needed,” McElroy said. “So I took a chance on him.”

His new time-intensive duties mean that Lewis won’t be in Pittsburgh to watch the men’s basketball team compete in the A-10 Tournament. He’ll instead be in Indianapolis with fellow committee members as they absorb all the last-minute information before determining the women’s NCAA Tournament field.

Committee members cannot be present during discussions regarding the selection or seeding of a school or conference they represent.

“You just watch it on TV and everyone has an opinion or perspective on where their team should be seeded, whether their team should be in, or who should be placed in what order,” Lewis said. “But we spend hours debating, using the criteria the committee has established to make those determinations. It’s a lot more detailed than people would think.”

Under Lewis’ leadership, George �鶹��Ƶ Athletics delivered a historic 2024–25 season, capturing five A-10 Conference titles. Key highlights included:

Men’s basketball captured a share of the program’s first regular-season title, finishing with a school-record 27 wins and earning the team’s first National Invitation Tournament (NIT) appearance since 2009.
Women’s basketball won its first A-10 Tournament championship, recorded a program-best 27 victories, and advanced to the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance.
Men’s soccer secured the program’s first regular-season title, finishing 13–4–1 overall and 6–1–1 in conference play, while Head Coach Rich Costanzo was named A-10 Coach of the Year.
Women’s indoor track & field won first championship since 2014.
Men’s outdoor track & field won first championship since 2010.

The five championships marked the most conference titles in a single season in program history, surpassing the previous record of four titles set during George �鶹��Ƶ’s inaugural A-10 campaign in 2013-14. The achievement also represented the program’s most successful competitive year since the 1994-95 season. George �鶹��Ƶ student-athletes also earned 18 all-conference selections or individual titles, while 75 received weekly A-10 awards.

Lewis’ close relationship with A-10 Coach of the Year Tony Skinn, a George �鶹��Ƶ alum who helped lead the Patriots to the 2006 Final Four, helped pave the way for a breakthrough season for the men’s basketball program last winter.

The women’s basketball team also delivered a historic season under Head Coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis, who guided the Patriots to the program’s first A-10 championship and was later named a finalist for the Kathy Delaney-Smith Mid-Major Coach of the Year Award.

Lewis’s impact has been equally significant off the courts. During his tenure, a record number of student-athletes were named Peter N. Stearns Provost Scholar Athletes, including 78 in 2024-25 and 74 in 2025-26, the first time George �鶹��Ƶ has recorded back-to-back years with more than 70 honorees.

Beyond competitive success, Lewis has also focused on building the long-term foundation of Intercollegiate Athletics. In 2025, he introduced “Patriots United. Together We Thrive,” a five-year strategic vision designed to strengthen George �鶹��Ƶ Athletics through enhanced student-athlete support, improved resources and facilities, and deeper engagement with the Northern Virginia community.

His success and extensive college basketball background made Lewis an easy choice when the opening as the committee’s A-10 representative unexpectedly came up last spring. His appointment also marked the first time George �鶹��Ƶ has had a representative on the NCAA Division 1 Women’s Basketball Committee.

Lewis now gets to experience March Madness again, this time from a vastly different vantage point. Following the announcement of the NCAA field, he’ll attend tournament games at various sites before heading to the Women’s Final Four in Phoenix, Arizona.

“For a basketball junkie,” he said, “it doesn’t get much better.”

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BOV elects new leaders, approves academic program changes; hears campaign, research and admissions updates; approves room and board increase

Sarah Holland — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 19:39:14 +0000

BOV elects new leaders, approves academic program changes; hears campaign, research and admissions updates; approves room and board increase Sarah Holland Wed, 03/04/2026 - 14:39

The �鶹��Ƶ Board of Visitors welcomed 12 new members and elected new board leadership at its Feb. 26 meeting in Merten Hall on the Fairfax Campus.

The new rector is Michael J. Meese, formerly the vice rector. The new vice rector is Sumeet Shrivastava, MBA ’94, one of the dozen new members appointed to the board in January by Gov. Abigail Spanberger.

Returning visitor Armand Alacbay, JD ‘04, will continue in his role as secretary. The other two members of the board’s executive committee are new board members Anne Altman, BS Marketing ’82, and Paul Misener, JD ’93. Altman served on the BOV from 2006 to 2010.

Four of the board’s six standing committees are chaired by newly appointed board members.

“This reflects their willingness to serve and our commitment to bringing fresh perspectives into leadership,” Meese said. “I am very grateful for the willingness of the new and returning members to step into these roles.”

The new terms for the new executive committee and committee assignments will remain until the annual board of visitors meeting on July 31, 2026, when the board will reorganize based on the eligible board members.

In one early decision, the board voted to raise housing and dining meal plans by 4% to help offset rising costs in the state’s most expensive region and fund a backlog of deferred maintenance projects. The increase will be about $580 per student for the academic year. Rates vary by room style and meal plan. �鶹��Ƶ 6,000 students, or 15% of the university’s enrollment, lives on campus.

Even after that increase, George �鶹��Ƶ’s room and board rate for the 2026-27 academic year will be lower than the other five Virginia doctoral universities’ rates are for 2025-26.

“George �鶹��Ƶ strives to balance the continued pressures of inflation and the high cost of living with the need to provide affordable food and housing to our students,” said Julie Zobel, senior vice president and chief operating officer in administration and operations. “The proposed housing increase allows us to keep pace with inflation and cover the costs of operating and staffing 40 residence halls in an environment where costs continue to rise.”

Last year the university provided more than $2 million in housing grants for lower-income students, Zobel said. The university also offers a housing and food insecurity fund.

There will be a tuition town hall for students at 4:30 p.m. on March 23 in Merten 1203 on the Fairfax Campus. The BOV will hold a public comment session on tuition on March 31, committee meetings on April 15 and a full board meeting on April 30.

The board approved two items regarding academic programs. Pending approval from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, George �鶹��Ƶ will expand existing curriculum in the College of Education and Human Development to launch a BS in hospitality, tourism and events management, a change that will “align the degree more closely with industry standards and course demand,” Interim Provost Ajay Vinzé said.

The BA in government and international politics in the Schar School will become a BA in political science, a name change that will be clearer to students and families and align with national norms, Vinzé said.

Andre Marshall, vice president for research, innovation and economic impact, noted that George �鶹��Ƶ research expenditures have grown from $84 million in 2010 to $282 million in 2024 but added that recent federal policy actions have resulted in 53 terminated awards representing about $16 million in lost funding. The Grand Challenge Initiative, which will soon announce grant recipients, has focused the university’s research on areas most likely to attract external funding.

Marshall also highlighted the opportunities that Fuse at �鶹��Ƶ Square provides for collaboration across industry, academia and government. “There is a great community that is building there,” he said. “Not just with the faculty and the labs, but the tenants. Not the least of which is also the presence of �鶹��Ƶ Enterprise in order to support startups and commercialization of technologies that are coming out of George �鶹��Ƶ.”

One of the highlights of the meeting was a presentation on �鶹��Ƶ LIFE, an inclusive postsecondary program for students with intellectual disabilities, from program director Linn Jorgenson. �鶹��Ƶ LIFE is marking its 20th anniversary this year, and there will be more coverage of the milestone in The George in April. Student Nominzul Otgonbayar shared her experiences in the program. In Virginia, there are four universities with Inclusive Postsecondary Education Programs. George �鶹��Ƶ is the only university in the state to also have a Comprehensive Transition Program designation.

“That can only happen at a place as inclusive as this one,” Washington said. “There is a reason it is happening at �鶹��Ƶ and not other places – because everybody can be at home here. That is the kind of institution we have. That is who we are.”

David Burge, vice president for enrollment management, noted that the university enrolls more undergraduate students now – 28,137 – than at any point in its history. That influx has helped offset a drop in international students as a result of changing federal policy. “We are educating more Virginians than we have ever educated as an institution,” Burge said.

One reason for the undergraduate surge is the university’s direct admission partnerships with 40 high schools across eight Northern Virginia school divisions. Students who meet certain academic criteria are informed they have been accepted to George �鶹��Ƶ, even if they have not applied to the university.

“We have talented students in Virginia who were self-selecting out of college,” Burge said. “We are doing a better job of getting them in at this point.” A projected 30 percent of the university’s incoming freshmen this fall will be from direct admission.

“I can guarantee you within 10 years, this will be the norm of how institutions admit students,” Washington said. “And by that time – even before that – five years from now, we need to be on to something else.”

Trishana Bowden, vice president for advancement and alumni relations and president of the GMU Foundation, said the university has raised $620.3 million toward its $1 billion goal in the �鶹��Ƶ Now: Power the Possible campaign. She also offered a reminder for Giving Day on April 2.

“This day is about giving to George �鶹��Ƶ and to anything that you care about within our university, so it is something that strongly resonates with our community,” Bowden said. “We have seen the number increase every year and so we’re hoping that we will have the support of all our leadership boards and committees and advisory councils.”

Marvin Lewis, vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics, gave an overview of George �鶹��Ƶ student-athletes’ success in the classroom (3.4 overall cumulative GPA) and in competition, new facilities (a planned groundbreaking in late spring for the Basketball & Academic Performance Center) and upcoming Atlantic 10 championships that will take place locally – the outdoor track and field championships at George �鶹��Ƶ on May 2-3 and the baseball championship May 20-23 at Capital One Park in Tysons Corner, Virginia.

Washington gave a shoutout to George �鶹��Ƶ student Ilia Malinin, a gold medalist U.S. figure skater in the recently concluded Winter Olympics. Malinin schedules his course work around his skating training and competitions. “He is a contemporary student,” Washington said. “He is working, in terms of his craft and he is doing that while also being a student.

“At George �鶹��Ƶ, that’s Tuesday. We have a lot of folks like that and we know how to integrate and work with those young people while they are pursuing their dreams and also their academic pursuits.”

Watch full BOV meetings on Vimeo

Meet the new members of the BOV

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�鶹��Ƶ Korea welcomes largest class ever for spring 2026

Sarah Holland — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 19:11:30 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ Korea welcomes largest class ever for spring 2026 Sarah Holland Wed, 03/04/2026 - 14:11

�鶹��Ƶ Korea dean Joshua Park. Photo by Daiyoon Lim/�鶹��Ƶ Korea.

"Experiencing the same quality of education as our Virginia campus, right here in Songdo, one of Asia's most international cities—this is the realization of Two Nations, One �鶹��Ƶ."

With those words, �鶹��Ƶ �鶹��Ƶ Korea campus dean Joshua Park welcomed 272 new students to the Spring 2026 Convocation on February 27. It is the largest incoming class in the campus's history.

Undergraduate enrollment at �鶹��Ƶ Korea reached 202 freshmen, joined by 18 new Flex-Master of Laws (Flex-LLM) students. International students numbered 198, a 37% increase since spring 2025, underscoring the campus's growing reputation as a global learning environment.

Photo by Daiyoon Lim/�鶹��Ƶ Korea

The ceremony brought together leadership from both sides of the Pacific. Janette Muir, vice provost for academic affairs, a founding member of �鶹��Ƶ Korea, and Cheryl Druehl, interim dean of the Costello College of Business, made the trip to Incheon. Incheon Global Campus’s new chairman, Ju-young Byun, also joined the ceremony.

Muir called �鶹��Ƶ Korea "a place where the energy of innovation is alive" and urged students not to settle for just a degree. "Use this global education bridging two cultures to expand what you believe is possible," she said.

Photo by Daiyoon Lim/�鶹��Ƶ Korea

Park went on to challenge students directly. In an age of geopolitical uncertainty and AI-driven transformation, he said, the skills that matter most are global awareness and intellectual flexibility—the very values, he noted, that are embedded in George �鶹��Ƶ's brand, All Together Different.

George �鶹��Ƶ President Gregory Washington sent his congratulations via video from Fairfax.

Students at �鶹��Ƶ Korea follow the same curriculum and earn the same degrees as their Virginia counterparts, spending three years in Incheon and one in Fairfax—a path that has taken graduates to KPMG, Samsung Biologics, the United Nations, and graduate programs at the London School of Economics, Sciences Po, and Johns Hopkins, among others.

Photo by Daiyoon Lim/�鶹��Ƶ Korea

Learn more about �鶹��Ƶ Korea

In This Story

Gregory Washington

Cheryl Druehl

Janette Muir, PhD

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New Student Convocation

Patriots named co-regular season champions, earning 2nd seed in A-10 Tournament

Katarina Benson — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 18:20:51 +0000

Patriots named co-regular season champions, earning 2nd seed in A-10 Tournament Katarina Benson Mon, 03/02/2026 - 13:20

The George �鶹��Ƶ women's basketball team has captured a share of the 2026 Atlantic 10 Regular Season Championship—the first regular season conference title in program history. The Patriots closed league play with a program-best 16-2 conference record, marking their strongest Atlantic 10 ever.

George �鶹��Ƶ shares the title with Rhode Island after both teams finished atop the A-10 standings. The 16 conference victories set a new school record and cap one of the most successful seasons in program history. The championship also marks another major milestone, as the Patriots secure their first-ever stretch of three consecutive 20-win seasons—a testament to the sustained excellence being built at George �鶹��Ƶ.

The �鶹��Ƶ women's team finished with their best record. Photo by Matt Durisko/Magnolia Media PA

By virtue of their regular season finish and conference tie-breaker protocol, the Patriots have earned the No. 2 seed and a double-bye in the 2026 Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Championship. George �鶹��Ƶ will open tournament play in the quarterfinal round on Friday, March 6, at 5 p.m. on USA Network, facing either No. 7 Dayton or No. 10 George Washington.

Join the Patriots at the Henrico Sports & Events Center as they look to repeat as Atlantic 10 Champions during the 2026 Atlantic 10 Tournament. Tickets are available through the George �鶹��Ƶ Ticket Office; visit Ticketmaster or call the Athletic Ticket Office at 703-993-3270.

Need a ride? Hop on the fan bus and join the pregame pep rally inside the arena one hour before each game. To save your seat on the fan bus, email Jeff Danaher. Register for the pregame pep rally through the George �鶹��Ƶ Alumni Association.

Learn more about the �鶹��Ƶ Women's Basketball Team

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George �鶹��Ƶ Giving Day 2026: Asking �鶹��Ƶ Nation to lace up for community impact

Katarina Benson — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 14:50:05 +0000

George �鶹��Ƶ Giving Day 2026: Asking �鶹��Ƶ Nation to lace up for community impact Katarina Benson Mon, 03/02/2026 - 09:50

April 2 heralds the return of George �鶹��Ƶ Giving Day. This annual celebration of community and generosity is a 24-hour sprint where �鶹��Ƶ alumni, friends, faculty, staff, students, and families of George �鶹��Ƶ come together in a network of support, where every gift makes a difference.

The yearly event has been known as �鶹��Ƶ Vision Day in recent years; George �鶹��Ƶ’s Office of Annual Giving has returned to the Giving Day title to emphasize the real impact of each gift. They hope this year’s Race Day theme will energize and inspire the university’s donor community to lace up and give.

“Giving Day is an event we look forward to with the same energy and anticipation that defines a race day,” said Elijah Rosenthal, director of annual giving. “Just as every runner plays a role in a race, every donor helps drive our shared progress toward a meaningful finish.”

The Office of Annual Giving has a goal in mind: “We want to surpass last year’s participation, hoping to welcome more than 2,000 donors this year,” said Rosenthal. The day will feature matching and challenge gifts, social media campaigns, and campus-wide involvement, including on-campus recognition for faculty and staff, and an evening alumni/community celebration.

Supporters can “warm up” before the event by pledging their pace at givingday.gmu.edu, where they can even make a gift before April 2, fueling the causes that are most important to them. “There are so many impactful initiatives at George �鶹��Ƶ, and Giving Day is about the power of each donor to support the causes that they are passionate about, from academics to athletics, performing arts to research,” said Rosenthal.

Most of all, he added, it’s about racing toward George �鶹��Ƶ’s future and crossing the finish line together.

Pledge Your Pace for Giving Day

Learn the impact of giving

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Twelve new members join George �鶹��Ƶ Board of Visitors

ckearney — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:05:23 +0000

Twelve new members join George �鶹��Ƶ Board of Visitors ckearney Thu, 02/26/2026 - 10:05

The 12 new members that Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger appointed to the �鶹��Ƶ Board of Visitors (BOV) last month have been sworn in and took part in their first meeting Thursday.

New �鶹��Ƶ Board of Visitors member were sworn in before the February 26 meeting. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

The new appointees to the board include three prior George �鶹��Ƶ BOV members and six alumni.

Below are capsules on the new members. Visit the BOV website for longer bios on all 16 BOV members.

Anne Altman, BS Marketing '82, is co-founder and CEO of Everyone Matters Inc. The former IBM executive served on the BOV from 2006 to 2010 and also serves on multiple Costello College of Business boards at George �鶹��Ƶ, including the Dean's Advisory Council and the Baroni Center for Government Contracting board.
Bruce Caswell is president, CEO, and director at Maximus. He joined the government services company in 2004 after working in several capacities for IBM, including vice president of state and local government and education. He is a four-time recipient of the Wash100 award recognizing influential government contracting leaders.
Tom Davis is a partner at the Holland & Knight law firm. The former George �鶹��Ƶ BOV rector served 14 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. Prior to that he served on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors from 1980 to 1991, and as board chairman from 1991 to 1994. Davis was a BOV member from 2013 to 2021, including six years as rector. He also has been an adjunct professor at George �鶹��Ƶ.
Paul Misener, JD '93, is an engineer/scientist and founder and principal of Misener Innovation LLC. Misener served as a global vice president at Amazon.com for 23 years. He has served on the President's Innovation Advisory Council at George �鶹��Ƶ as well as on the advisory board of the Smithsonian-�鶹��Ƶ School of Conservation.
Trevor Montano, BS Accounting '00, is founder and managing member of investment firm West Potomac Capital LLC. The former chief investment officer at the U.S. Department of the Treasury served nine years as a member on the �鶹��Ƶ Foundation Board of Trustees and founded the Montano Student Investment Fund in 2018.
James P. Moran represented Northern Virginia for 24 years in the U.S. Congress, a tenure that included membership on the Appropriations, Foreign Affairs, Banking, Housing and Finance, and Government Reform and Oversight committees. He served as Alexandria mayor from 1985 to 1990.
Delbert Parks is vice president and site executive of Micron Technology Virginia in Manassas. He previously held leadership positions at Philips Electronics and Texas Instruments. He is a former member of the �鶹��Ƶ Foundation Board of Trustees and he also serves on the Virginia Business Higher Education Council.
Shawn N. Chambliss-Purvis, MS Information Systems '99, is president and CEO of IT company Sabel Systems. Previously she served as president and CEO for QinetiQ US and in leadership roles at Northrop Grumman, SAIC, and Lockheed Martin. She first served on the BOV from 2014 to 2019.
George D. Schindler is the former president and CEO of CGI, a global business and strategic IT consulting service firm he led from 2016 to 2024 after serving in many other leadership roles in the company. He currently serves on CGI's Board of Directors. He received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from George �鶹��Ƶ in 2024.
Sumeet Shrivastava, MBA '94, is president and CEO of federal consulting and software development company Unissant, after executive stints at ARRAY and ANSTEC. He has served in many capacities at George �鶹��Ƶ, including past chair of the �鶹��Ƶ Foundation Board of Trustees and past president of the George �鶹��Ƶ Alumni Association.
Sean A. Spence is a director on the Dumfries Economic Development Authority and chair of the Prince William County Superintendent Advisory Council on Sustainability. His professional roles include leadership positions at BDO, Deloitte, and Booz Allen Hamilton. He is an adjunct finance professor in the Costello College of Business.
Jennifer Taylor, MBA '98, is president and CEO of the Northern Virginia Technology Council. She previously served as vice president of industry affairs at the Consumer Technology Association and in senior leadership roles at AARP, the American Red Cross, and technology startups.

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SciTech Townhomes offer space and affordability, while staying connected to it all

lclarkg — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 20:27:47 +0000

SciTech Townhomes offer space and affordability, while staying connected to it all lclarkg Wed, 02/25/2026 - 15:27

As the anchor for Northern Virginia’s first Innovation District, �鶹��Ƶ’s Science and Technology Campus is going through a major growth spurt. The campus is powering new developments in high-tech industry sectors like life sciences, aerospace, and defense. A new, walkable Innovation Town Center is under construction near the front door of campus.

And George �鶹��Ƶ employees now have the option to live in the center of it all.

The SciTech Townhomes are part of a new residential community that is directly connected to �鶹��Ƶ's Science and Technology Campus. Photo by Stanley Martin

The SciTech Townhomes , a new residential development directly connected to the SciTech Campus, presents an opportunity for George �鶹��Ƶ to offer affordable, high-quality housing to faculty and staff. The university has purchased units with the sole purpose of renting them out to employees at affordable, below-market rates.

To date, George �鶹��Ƶ has committed to purchasing 20 units in the community developed by Stanley Martin. The Board of Visitors approved the purchase of the condominiums in May 2025.

Affordable housing for faculty and staff is a priority for George �鶹��Ƶ.

"The new residential community near the SciTech Campus presents a strategic opportunity for the university to invest in faculty and staff success,” said Julie Zobel, senior vice president and chief operating officer. “Affordable, high-quality housing for faculty and staff will help George �鶹��Ƶ attract and retain a talented workforce to serve our students. "

Faculty and staff are eligible to rent spacious two- or three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom units with private garages. A key benefit for faculty and staff renters? The affordability. Monthly rents start at $2,200. The most expensive units, at $2,800, include three bedrooms and private rooftop terraces.

Some units in the SciTech Townhomes include a rooftop terrace. Photo by Stanley Martin

The cost of living in the Northern Virginia region has long been a challenge when it comes to recruiting and retaining talented faculty and staff. Long commuting distances from more affordable areas can strain the well-being of employees and increase the university’s carbon footprint.

The availability of affordable housing near campus can be a key selling point for faculty and staff, particularly those who are early in their careers or relocating from another area. Cat Forst, administrative coordinator in the Psychology Department, came to George �鶹��Ƶ last April as a recent master’s graduate from Longwood University. Her role at George �鶹��Ƶ is her first full-time job.

“When deciding where to live, the SciTech Townhomes stood out because of their affordability, quality, and location,” said Forst. “Finding something affordable in Northern Virginia was a major priority. This opportunity allowed us to live in a beautiful, high-quality home at a great price, which felt too good to pass up.”

The SciTech Townhomes offer an affordable, high-quality housing option for George �鶹��Ƶ faculty and staff. Photo by Stanley Martin

Another resident of the SciTech Townhomes, who wished to stay anonymous, was drawn to the space and affordability of the units.

“We were living in a one-bedroom apartment before, and things were getting pretty tight with space,” she said. “The opportunity arose to tour the SciTech homes, and we fell in love. I like the area and feel it is a safe place to live and walk my dog.”

The townhomes are a strong option for those who work at the SciTech Campus, as well as those who work at other George �鶹��Ƶ locations. George �鶹��Ƶ Shuttles travel between the SciTech Campus and the Fairfax Campus, offering a free transit option for faculty, staff, and students. Riders can take the shuttle to the Fairfax Campus and connect from there to the Vienna Metro, �鶹��Ƶ Square, and beyond.

The SciTech Townhomes community will include a pool, clubhouse, playground, and pickleball courts. The Freedom Aquatic & Fitness Center and nearby trails offer recreation options within walking distance.

Other local attractions include the Hylton Performing Arts Center, restaurants and shopping in Old Town Manassas, public parks, breweries, and more. The homes are located within the boundaries of Prince William County Schools, including Ellis Elementary School, Marsteller Middle School, and Unity Reed High School.

The SciTech Townhomes are not the university’s first real estate investment to support campus housing for faculty and staff. �鶹��Ƶvale, located on the Fairfax Campus, offers 157 rental units with one-, two-, and three-bedroom floorplans. �鶹��Ƶvale units are available for rent by George �鶹��Ƶ employees or graduate students. Both communities are managed by Willow Bridge Property Company.

The SciTech Townhomes provide a vital opportunity for residents to live close to a world-class research university at a critical time, as the university anchors the new Innovation District.

“The Innovation District builds connections across research and industry sectors, supporting an innovative workforce,” said Amy Adams, executive director of the Innovation District and George �鶹��Ƶ’s Institute for Biohealth Innovation. “The new residential development supports the innovation district's trajectory, providing opportunities for employees and students to live, work, and learn in a dynamic, innovative community.”

To learn more about the SciTech Townhomes, contact the property manager and visit scitechtownhomes.com.

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George �鶹��Ƶ delivers first commercialization under Virginia’s Lab-to-Launch initiative

Katarina Benson — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 19:27:52 +0000

George �鶹��Ƶ delivers first commercialization under Virginia’s Lab-to-Launch initiative Katarina Benson Wed, 02/25/2026 - 14:27

�鶹��Ƶ has become Virginia’s first R1 research institution to commercialize a product under the state’s new Lab-to-Launch initiative, marking an early milestone in the commonwealth’s push to accelerate university research into the market.

Anthony Fung. Photo provided

In January, the George �鶹��Ƶ Research Foundation entered into a license agreement with serial entrepreneur Anthony Fung and his company Valorlox LLC for the patented technology GMU Dynamic Low Visibility Pneumatic Cofferdam, a coastal resilience system designed to protect against flooding. This is the first commercial product to move forward under the new statewide commercialization framework.

Invented at George �鶹��Ƶ by George L. Donohue, professor emeritus and founding director of the Center for Air Transportation Systems Research at the College of Engineering and Computing, the cofferdam is an inflatable, permanently anchored system that when deployed creates a water-tight barrier in under 16 minutes without heavy equipment to protect vulnerable communities from most flood events. When not deployed, the system functions as a low-profile boardwalk, blending into waterfront environments rather than standing as a permanent wall.

The cofferdam’s potential to protect communities from floods while supporting economic growth is what attracted Fung, the Valorlox LLC founder and the commonwealth’s former deputy secretary of technology.

His support—as well as that of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) and �鶹��Ƶ Enterprise—has helped move the project toward commercialization. Valorlox is the first company in Virginia to complete a Virginia Fast-Track License, which enables them to apply for up to $50,000 in VIPC commercialization funding.

“The cofferdam project brings together everything I’ve learned about business, government, innovation, and solving real problems,” said Fung. “It’s exactly the kind of challenge I want to tackle.”

The cofferdam’s commercialization demonstrates how the Lab-to-Launch initiative is intended to work: university research, streamlined licensing, and experienced entrepreneurs working together to move innovation into the marketplace. The team is currently working on a prototype.

George L. Donohue. Photo provided

Developed through a collaboration between VIPC and the state’s six R1 research university partners—�鶹��Ƶ, Old Dominion University, University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Tech, and William & Mary—the Lab-to-Launch initiative aims to significantly increase the number of startups emerging from Virginia’s universities and help move technological breakthroughs to the marketplace, through a “fast track license.” Instead of taking months, a licensing agreement can now take weeks.

“It’s been a strategy for the last five years,” said Paula Sorrell, George �鶹��Ƶ’s associate vice president for innovation and economic development. “George �鶹��Ƶ has created several programs to support the lab-to-market activities by providing wrap-around services for faculty. This not only helped build the pipeline of technologies ready for market and created the support system to make them successful, but then got this first technology through this terrific new state program.”

Designed for both commercial and residential use, the cofferdam system has potential applications for protecting homes, apartments, airports, military bases, hospitals, data centers, power generation facilities, tunnels, bridges, and rail systems.

“The potential for property damage avoidance in the future is hard to estimate, but could be huge,” Donohue said.

The invention has been years in development and Donohue shares the patents with former students, now George �鶹��Ƶ alumni Adel Youssef, BS Systems Engineering ’20; Lucciana Remy, BS Systems Engineering ’20; Faris Masri, BS Systems Engineering ’20; and Murat Gokturk, BS Systems Engineering ’20.

The George �鶹��Ƶ Research Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and aiding research and scientific investigation at George �鶹��Ƶ. GMRF manages patents and commercializes intellectual property by negotiating licensing agreements with motivated entrepreneurs and members of the business community. George �鶹��Ƶ has a number of technologies moving toward commercialization through the Lab-to-Launch initiative.

�鶹��Ƶ Enterprise^TM is the host to federal, state, and local programs that support a portfolio of more than 33,000 start-ups and small businesses across Virginia. Last year participating companies received more than $2.8 billion in follow-on funding, and more than 58,000 entrepreneurs, small business owners, students, and research faculty attended workshops and educational programs, received individual counseling, were assisted with product development, resided in an incubator, or received intellectual property advice.

The commercialization of the cofferdam technology also supports Building a Climate-Resilient Society, one of the six interconnected solutions of George �鶹��Ƶ’s Grand Challenge Initiative, a comprehensive research framework to secure the future we want. Learn more.

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