Latest Fourth Estate Articles

Executive Vice President of University Life Rose Pascarell speaks at the tuition town hall on March 24 in Merten Hall. (Grace Miller / Fourth Estate)

BY GRACE MILLER, STAFF WRITER

A $492 increase in undergraduate tuition and fees has been proposed by George Mason administration for fiscal year 2027. 

In a tuition town hall held by Student Government on March 24, Executive Vice President of University Life Rose Pascarell and Interim Chief Financial Officer Dan Stephens explained the changes.  

The proposed tuition increase is $360 for undergraduates and $504 for graduate students, with no increase for the law school. This indicates a 3.5% increase for in-state students, both undergraduate and graduate. It is a 1% increase for out-of-state undergraduates and a 1.4% increase for out-of-state graduate students. 

Student fees are proposed to increase by 3.5% overall, which is $132 for undergraduates and graduates. Stephens said the increase is designed to “keep affordability measures” for both in-state and out-of-state students. 

“It’s going to be done in a very equitable way, which I appreciate about the way we handle our money with tuition alone,” said Declan Rees, a second-year Philosophy major and chair of the Administrative and Financial Affairs Committee for Student Government, which arranged the town hall. 

Even with the proposed increases in tuition, the university will have an operating deficit of about $4 million. The deficit will be covered by the university’s reserve funds, which are mostly composed of unspent state appropriations from previous years. 

Stephens described the university as “fiscally prudent.” 

“We do have [reserves]. We just cannot operate forever [on them],” he said.

The university has been implementing a new budget model initiative to address “consistent overspending” since spring 2025. The FY27 budget is “exploring technology improvements … and refining the model based upon each year of performance,” according to the university’s Fiscal Services.

Va. House bill HB30 sets aside $11 million for George Mason, while Va. Senate bill SB30 allocates $7 million to Mason for FY27. 

“President Washington is constantly advocating in Richmond,” Stephens said. 

Even if the university received $11 million, it would take a 4.5% increase in the in-state tuition rate to balance the budget without dipping into the reserves, according to university figures.  

The increase responds to factors including a lack of state appropriations, rising utility costs, Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program costs and increases in state-mandated employee benefits.  

At the town hall, Pascarell and Stephens emphasized George Mason’s rank as a top 50 public university, its R1 status and employment rates after graduation. 

“What is amazing about the Mason success story is the fact that all of those accolades… were accomplished by a university that faces significant funding challenges when compared to our peer schools within the state,” Stephens said. 

“Peer schools” refers to public R1 universities in Virginia. Compared to its peer schools, George Mason receives the least funding between tuition, mandatory student fees and state appropriations. George Mason currently receives $10,544 in state appropriations per student for full-time enrollment, compared to Virginia Tech’s $12,212, the next highest peer. 

The highest funded peer, William & Mary, receives $15,510 per student. 

The proposed figures at the town hall are not finalized, as the Board of Visitors will have the final say. 

NEXT STEPS:

• The BOV hosted a public comment session March 31 in Merten 1201 at 9 a.m.
• The Finance and Land Use Committee will meet to assess the tuition increase April 15. The meeting is public and will be livestreamed.
• The full board will hold a final vote on the proposed tuition increase and FY27 budget at their public April 30 meeting.

Fenwick Library on March 26 under normal operation since the March 13 bomb threat. (Emma G. Schaible / Fourth Estate)

BY EMMA G. SCHAIBLE, NEWS EDITOR

George Mason students on spring break across the country received an urgent Mason alert warning of a bomb threat near Fenwick Library and calling for evacuation of the area Friday, March 13. 

Mason Police and other law enforcement provided an “all clear” three hours later; the case remains under investigation. Upon receiving the threat, Mason Police evacuated the library and conducted a thorough search. The library remained closed for the rest of the day.

Similar to six other Virginia colleges and universities who received threats, Mason had received the threat via an email. The threats came just one day after a shooter attacked a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps group at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. 

Mason Police explained that hoax threats have become more common nationwide in the last few years. These calls are referred to as “swatting,” where a person makes a false report to emergency services to trigger an armed law enforcement response to a public area. 

Dispatchers are trained in recognizing and managing active threat incidents, with every call treated as legitimate until deemed otherwise. 

Mason Police was assisted by several other public safety partners, including Fairfax City Fire & Rescue and the Fairfax County Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit. Other federal law enforcement teams also assisted. 

In a written statement to Fourth Estate, Mason Police reminds students to “be alert to suspicious behavior and report any concerns or observations to police immediately.” 

Students should expect security officers, cadets and Mason Police EOD K9 teams on routine patrols both inside and outside of buildings. K9 units can be recognized by their green uniforms.  

“Being alert and responsive community members is the biggest way you can help police keep the campus safe,” Mason Police continued. 

Mason Police can be contacted 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on all campuses by calling police dispatch at 703-993-2810 or texting through the RAVE Guardian safety app.

The 2026 Antisemitism Report Card shows the university’s overall grade remained unchanged despite progress being made, according to university officials. (Detra Bell / Fourth Estate)

BY RITHVIK HARI, ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

The Anti-Defamation League published its annual Campus Antisemitism Report Card in early March, evaluating 150 institutions across the United States. Despite making strides in disclosed administrative actions and in campus conduct, George Mason’s grade remained stagnant in the 2026 report, maintaining its C grade from the previous year.

According to their website, the ADL is dedicated to fighting “all forms of antisemitism and bias.”

The report card grades universities on an A through F scale, determining the grade by evaluating factors such as administrative policies, Jewish life on campus and campus conduct and climate concerns. 

Mason received a “Corrections Needed” grade partly because the university has not taken a clear stance on the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Campaign — an international movement that seeks to pressure and delegitimize Israel through diplomatic, financial, academic, professional and cultural isolation, according to the ADL.  

The ADL also flagged perceived levels of anti-zionist activity within student government, student groups and faculty and staff activity as a reason for the grade.

The ADL recognized Mason’s progress in the publicly disclosed administrative actions category, where the league said the university advanced from meeting expectations in 2025 to exceeding them in 2026.

The report card also noted that the Jewish life on campus was excellent, but identified that Mason does not have a Jewish Alumni Group or a group supporting Jewish employees. 

Among Washington, D.C., area institutions, Mason and the University of Maryland at College Park both earned C grades, while George Washington University and Georgetown University each received B’s. American University and Johns Hopkins University topped the regional rankings with A grades.

The share of institutions earning an A or B climbed from 41% in 2025 to roughly 58% in 2026 according to an ADL press release. The release also emphasized that just because institutions are getting higher grades, that doesn’t mean antisemitism on college campuses is gone. 

Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL’s CEO, spoke in the same press release. 

“Universities that have taken a comprehensive approach — reviewing policies, clarifying expectations, and strengthening enforcement — are seeing meaningful progress,” he said. 

However, Mason’s Vice President for University Life Rose Pascarell, argued that “ADL’s oversimplified methodology leads to a misleading conclusion, which we find problematic …”

“They’ve arbitrarily given us a C grade,” she wrote in an email to Fourth Estate. “We disagree.” 

“In Mason’s case, the ADL rates Jewish life on campus as ‘excellent,’ administrative transparency as ‘above expectations,’ and campus climate concerns as ‘medium’ (based on information that is older than their stated rating period),” Pascarell wrote.

Mason Hillel’s Executive Director Dawn Savage said that “countering antisemitism is a core part of the work that Mason Hillel is engaged in every day.”

“As the central address for Jewish life on our campus, we will continue to work with campus administrators to make George Mason University a welcoming and safe place where Jewish students and all students can receive a world-class education without fear of hate, antisemitism or a hostile learning environment,” Savage said. 

“We are grateful for our partnership with campus administrators and their dedication to supporting the Jewish community at Mason.” 

As part of its evaluation of campus climates, the ADL also pointed to specific student organizations it believes contributes to concerns about antisemitism. The ADL describes the Students for Justice in Palestine organization as “a network of anti-Zionist student groups on university campuses across the U.S.” 

The ADL also claims that the national chapter of SJP and individual chapters of SJP have “justified and/or glorified the Hamas-led October 7 attack on Israel.”  The Mason chapter of SJP did not respond to a request for comment.

The ADL attributes grade improvements at certain universities to those institutions adopting its six key recommendations for combatting antisemitism in higher education. 

“Nonetheless, along with our campus partners, we are committed to creating a thriving Jewish community where students feel welcome and safe and can successfully pursue their academic and social interests,” Pascarell said. 

“We invite the ADL to become more familiar with Mason and our Jewish students and to work with us to publicly support and highlight our efforts.” 

Mason’s stagnant grade reflects a broader national discussion about how universities balance inclusion of all students while also ensuring each student remains safe and feels respected. The ADL notes that while institutions are making strides, higher grades serve as a measure of an institution’s will to address antisemitism, not a sign that the problem has been solved.

Roughly half of George Mason’s instructional staff is made up of adjunct faculty. Non-tenured faculty make, on average, $14,000 a semester in the U.S. and face increased job instability compared to their tenured counterparts. (Detra Bell / Fourth Estate)

BY LEEN EL-ALI, STAFF WRITER

Instructors are an integral part of each university student’s academic life. To the average student, interaction between them and their instructor is standard procedure: attend a lecture, submit the assigned homework, study for an exam and repeat. It’s a routine that doesn’t elicit much thought. 

But what many students don’t realize is that — beyond the two-hour lectures — their instructors face a world of struggle and exploitation. 

The issue lies in the university system’s over-reliance on contingent faculty to facilitate educational instruction. According to the American Association of University Professors, the term contingent faculty “includes both part- and full-time faculty who are appointed off the tenure track.” 

This encompasses all instructional faculty who are hired by the university with no guarantee of a permanent job.  

The conditional nature of contingent employment, its poor compensation and the absence of university support places immense pressure on educators. 

This pressure can go so far as to drive them completely out of academia. The American Federation of Teachers found that over 66% of the contingent faculty members surveyed contemplated leaving academia from 2020 to 2022. 

Among the most pressing issues driving educators out is the unstable nature of the job. Contingent employment is a type of “casual labor” that employers seek out on an as-needed basis. In the same survey, three out of four respondents stated that their “employment is only guaranteed for a term or semester at a time.” This breeds a grueling cycle of job insecurity.  

That insecurity pressures educators to adjust their lives in order to hurriedly accommodate for a teaching gig. When asked how far in advance respondents were notified of their employment before the semester, almost 22% said they were notified only two weeks or less in advance. 

Dr. Simone Kolysh, an academic coach and a former adjunct instructor at the City University of New York, said they “started using the word precarious” to describe what it feels like to be subjected to such unstable employment conditions. 

When given these last-minute offers, they said they felt “desperate and unsure as to whether [their] entire schedule will even work” for both the semester and their personal life. 

Kolysh said they pursued a contingent faculty position in order to support themselves through their graduate degree.  

Dr. Kolysh’s case is not unique — in fact, many contingent faculty members are graduate students who are financially dependent on their contingent employment. The instability of their livelihoods is made even more outrageous when graduate students are expected to juggle an unpredictable employment status and last-minute contractual offers on top of their own academic pursuits.  

Kolysh stated that in order to pay for their graduate degree, they would have to teach “four or five courses a semester.” Kolysh did this while also attending “four to five classes” for their own degree. This brings to light another flagrant issue posed by the system — shocking underpayment.

Contingent instructors are paid based on the number of courses they teach. The amount of compensation is adjusted based on how many credits the course is worth. In 2025, the average pay per credit hour for adjuncts in the United States was $1,166. In total, a full-time course load – four three-credit classes – would make about $14,000 a semester. 

This compensation is egregious considering that the average cost of living for a family of four in the United States is $80,352. A former adjunct professor in Atlanta who asked to remain anonymous expressed his frustration with “how much work instructing [was] in relation to the pay.” 

He disclosed that during his time as an adjunct, he would be compensated a mere $7,000 for teaching three courses a semester.

Adjuncts at George Mason University are no strangers to underpayment. At the George Mason School of Business, an adjunct instructor in the spring semester of 2022 would receive $5,775 for teaching a 3-credit undergraduate course — only $23,000 a semester for a full-time course load. 

When asked about his compensation, a former adjunct professor at Mason who asked to remain anonymous stated that he was compensated only $16,000 for four courses.

American universities over-rely on contingent faculty. According to the American Association of University Professors, over 68% of university and college faculty members held contingent positions in 2023. 

This accounts for a majority of higher-level educators in the United States. At George Mason University, over 47% of the university’s instructional labor is made of adjunct positions. 

Education is the very foundation on which the university is built on. Students attend these institutions with the prospect of receiving an education, and contingent faculty members are doing the heavy lifting in providing students with one. It is shameful to know that the people keeping our institutions running — the foundations upon which our universities are built — are being underpaid, over-worked and exploited. 

Proper compensation, health benefits, and job security must be guaranteed for contingent faculty members at George Mason and beyond. Knowledge is the foundation of any functioning society, and our educators are the key to this knowledge. 

We must ensure their invaluable work guarantees them the basic right to live.  

The George Mason club archery team is pictured at the 57th USA Archery Indoor Nationals near Harrisonburg, Va. (Clair Ward / Club Photographer – GMU Club Archery)

BY ETHAN NAVARRO, STAFF WRITER

Many Patriots unwind from daily stress by competing in fast-paced club sports, drawn to high energy and quick-decision action. By contrast, the GMU Club Archery team practices a thoughtful discipline where focus and patience outweigh speed. Each shot requires precision, consistency and confidence. 

Members of the club explained how personal discipline, team support and lessons of the sport contribute to their success at Mason. 

Archery looks glamorous in film and TV, but its real-world practice is rooted in repetition and composure. 

“No one is inherently born to do archery,” Tiya Maroboina, the team’s current president, said. “People think it takes natural talent but it actually takes work. You learn from failing and the little wins can feel more rewarding than the big ones.”

Maroboina noted archery’s impression as a careful or even an intimidating sport doesn’t help public perspective on its safety. 

“In the media it looks kinda scary, but it’s actually safe and low-injury,” she said. “Most issues are about form or equipment, not accidents, and in fact, even bowling is more dangerous.”

There’s certainly more than meets the eye with this sport. At a competitive level, archery is defined not just by physical conditioning but also by improving mental focus. The team’s training emphasizes refining posture, technique and timing until it becomes second nature.

“Archery is 30% physical, almost like golf, but is 70% mental,” Coach Dean Villanueva said. “It’s a difficult skill to learn, putting yourself in that state of mind consistently.”

Villanueva joined the team after retiring from coaching another archery club in Northern Virginia, bringing both years of experience and a holistic approach to teaching.

“I ask how they slept, how they’re eating and how they feel — not just how they’re shooting on the range,” he said. 

That attention to well-being and balance, he believes, translates into life skills. He also relishes the challenge of coaching students with varied skill levels. 

“I focus on bringing everyone up, so they can compete alongside the top archers,” he said.

For junior Al Rahman, the sport dismantled his previous assumptions. 

“It’s like when you watch basketball and think ‘I can do that easily!’” he said. “Then, when you’re on the range, you realize how much focus and effort it takes.”

Club archers are students first, scheduling practices and committing to tournaments around classes. Another member, senior Kyle George, said he learned to treat archery as his leisure time. 

“School comes first, so we try to schedule everything around that,” he said. “It’s part of the process and eventually archery became my leisure time outside classes, so it’s not stressful for me. Sometimes, we’ve done homework at tournaments.”

Maroboina acknowledged the early strain of balancing responsibilities, but stated that her support network — both inside and outside the club — has made it easier to balance her commitments. 

“It was a bit emotionally taxing at first, but making new friends on the team allowed me to enjoy it more,” she said.

The team continues to welcome brand new archers. However, they face logistical issues, with practices being held off-campus at Bull Run Shooting Center, nearly 14 miles away. 

An approximately 25-minute commute to practice demands punctuality and greater planning from the team. The range is rented through maintaining positive connections, but not officially dedicated to the team. 

Maroboina and Villanueva said the club is working hard to coordinate practices at an outdoor facility or to request for a practice space at the university.

With only 13 club bows and limited range time, the group can outgrow their practice window.  Still, members are quick to welcome both newcomers and experienced shooters.

“At tabling events, people ask if it’s okay if they’ve never shot before,” Maroboina said. “We tell them, ‘Of course!’ We’ll teach you.”

With Villanueva leading them to self-improve in this manner, team morale stays high no matter what. 

“We lost but we also won — seeing everyone give it their best and having a fun time,” he said, recalling a scrimmage against James Madison University.

George, the senior, mentioned off-range moments like playing basketball with teammates or shared trips to spots on campus as his favorite memories. Rahman fondly recalled eating post-practice spicy chicken nuggets with his club friends at Wendy’s. 

For many, these friendships and the tight-knit community keep them coming back. 

“There was actually a time I didn’t like archery,” George said. “But this club brought me back. My dad even drove eight hours to bring me my bow just to be with the team.”

Club members share an ambitious spirit and motivation to grow. 

“We’re focused on being a competitive club,” Rahman said. “We want to keep competing in bigger competitions — local and national!”

Maroboina highlighted the club’s official status with USA Archery’s collegiate program, citing it as a credential that brings both recognition and opportunity. 

“Our biggest goal is growing the team, finding a larger indoor facility as well as a good outdoor one,” she said. “The potential of our team in representing Mason is great.”

Villanueva looks to the future with optimism, emphasizing a legacy of talented students and the next generation of archers. 

“We have great people in this club today,” he said. “I want to make sure we retain that and grow it in the years to come.”

For Villanueva, the message is simple regarding students curious about the sport: give it a shot. 

“How do you know if you don’t try?” Villanueva asked. 

For those who choose to take up archery, it becomes more than just a sport. In closing, Villanueva said, “You can take the arrow out of the bale but you can’t take the arrow out of the heart.”

New members of the Board of Visitors are sworn in at Merten Hall during their meeting on Feb. 26. In one of their first actions as part of Mason’s governing board, they unanimously approved an increase in room-and-board. (Sam Douglas / Fourth Estate)

BY SAM DOUGLAS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

George Mason’s Board of Visitors met on Feb. 26, voting to increase the price of room-and-board at the university by 4%. 

The housing rate for a traditional double room will rise from $8,390 in fiscal year 2026 to $8,730 in fiscal year 2027. Concurrently, the rate of an Independence meal plan will rise from $6,050 in FY26 to $6,290 in FY27. Room-and-board rose by 3.5% last fiscal year.

The motion to improve the 4% room-and-board increase passed unanimously, and was the first major decision for the board since 12 new visitors were appointed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger.

According to Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Julie Zobel, the increase allows the university to keep up with external housing options such as The Main on University and will help cover the costs of operating the residence and dining halls.

“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,” Zobel explained.

Even with the increase, she stressed that Mason still prioritizes affordability.

“When compared with our peers for room and board, George Mason is the most economical option in the Commonwealth,” she said.

The increases come as the university continues to deal with financial fallout from recent federal government decisions involving immigration, resulting in a decrease of international student and graduate student enrollment.

President Gregory Washington said that even as Mason’s undergraduate population continues to grow, the loss of graduate students is hurting the university. 

“That has a fiscal outcome for us,” he said.

Despite these challenges, Mason projects to host 40,500 students on their Fairfax campus in the fall, and the current number of undergraduates is the largest in school history.

A potential increase in tuition rate is expected to be discussed at the board’s public comment session March 31 and voted on at the full board meeting April 31. Mason was one of the only public universities to not increase in-state tuition for FY26, instead voting to increase student fees by 2.5% last May.

In his president’s report, Washington highlighted the difficulties the university is facing, dividing them into four categories: demographic, fiscal, political and technological.

“This is the most difficult time we’ve had in our history,” he stated.

The university continues to deal with lawsuits from the federal government, as well as technological advancements in artificial intelligence. 

“We were one of the most scrutinized institutions in the country. I expect that some level of scrutiny will continue. And as a family, we will have to manage through that scrutiny together,” Washington said. 

The board also discussed potential improvements to athletic facilities on campus. Currently in progress is a 30,000 square foot Basketball and Academic Performance Center addition to the Recreation Athletic Complex (RAC). The project broke ground in spring 2026 and will be finished by the end of 2027.

BY EMMA G. SCHAIBLE, NEWS EDITOR

When Jonathan Dubois was sworn in as Undergraduate Student Body Executive Vice President on May 1, 2025, he was fairly certain his involvement in student government would begin and end there.

His parents jokingly asked “So next year, what are we looking at? We’re looking to try it again next year?” alluding to a future run for president. 

Months later his parent’s dreams would come true. Jonathan Dubois was sworn in as the Undergraduate Student Body President Jan. 24 after his running mate, Isaiah Grays, was impeached and removed from office in the last weeks of the fall semester.

Jonathan Dubois speaks at an Undergraduate Representative Body meeting on Feb. 12 in Merten Hall. (Sam Douglas / Fourth Estate)

Now president, Dubois said he will not run for the presidency again, but he still hopes to “make an impact in the larger student body, regardless of what my position is or what I’m doing.”

Dubois is a sophomore at Mason studying International Security and Law in the Schar School of Policy and Government. He decided to join student government because he said he “thought student government was an opportunity to make a broader impact.” 

“I had a great experience my freshman year, and I wanted to be able to help other students also have that same experience, or have that same joy when they come to Mason,” Dubois said.

Dubois was born in Congo, but spent a significant amount of his formative years in South Africa, coming to the United States in 2023. He explained that he came to Mason because it had everything he wanted. 

“I was looking for a university that would particularly help me deal with international politics,” Dubois said.

Dubois emphasized that this background motivates his policy positions. He said he prioritizes “making sure that every student has what they need … that just everybody always is on a fair playing field to achieve.” 

His most ambitious goal for this semester is to prevent Mason from raising tuition. 

“That’s the most ambitious [goal], just because there’s so many factors that go into it … whether it’s in regards to inflation or faculty wages going up, or certain projects the school wants to take into account,” he said.

To describe student government in one sentence, Dubois said, “Student government advocates for student needs, using all the tools within their power to achieve the necessary means of meeting those needs and causing instrumental change … for the student body.” 

Jonathan Dubois speaks at the Board of Visitors meeting on February 26 at Merten Hall. (Sam Douglas / Fourth Estate)

In addition to serving as student body president, Dubois is involved in the African Student Association, Black Filmmakers Association, HLLA, No Lost Generation and other advocacy-based organizations. 

When asked about his favorite dining hall, Dubois said he prefers Southside over Ike’s, but argues the best dining hall on campus is the Globe. His favorite hangout and study spot on campus is the Paul Robeson room in the Johnson Center.

If the student body were to know anything about him, Dubois said he wants them to know, “I have a very high social battery… I love conversating … If you ever do see me somewhere, feel free to, like, stop and have a conversation.”

In a closing thought, Dubois’ advice to the student body is to “get as much outside of your comfort zone as possible, just meet people and be genuine with people.” 

EDITOR’S NOTE: Accompanying video was shot by Adam Roth.

The top level of Rappahannock Parking Deck on the morning of Wednesday, March 25. (Sam Douglas / Fourth Estate)

BY BASIL MUSTAFA, STAFF WRITER

On March 2, George Mason’s student government attempted to bridge the gap between parking administration and the student body by holding a parking town hall. 

Director of George Mason University Parking and Transportation Josh Cantor, along with representatives from SP Plus, the third party that Mason uses for parking enforcement, spoke at the meeting. They discussed how parking is funded and the effects of weather on transport. 

They also fielded questions from audience members. 

Before the event started, students discussed among themselves their gripes with transportation, specifically shuttles from West Campus and Mason Square Campus.

Owynn Wise, student government’s campus operations liaison, began the meeting by introducing the administrators before Cantor took over.

Cantor described how parking and transportation works at Mason. He credited much of Mason’s progress in parking on their partnership with SP Plus, as they are able to assist Mason in completing parking and transport projects much faster. 

“Universities and governments are not known for being very mobile and fast when it comes to [making purchases], so it’s a huge advantage that [SP Plus] brings nationwide resources,” Cantor added.

Mason’s shuttle program, however, is run through a partnership with Reston Limousine.

Cantor defined parking and transportation as a self-funded auxiliary, meaning that it doesn’t use any government funding or tuition dollars. Cantor said the 15,000 to 16,000 parking permits that Mason sells a semester is what is responsible for most of the funding.

He also mentioned that the Mason Pond parking lot is being renovated this summer.

As the event continued, Cantor talked about attempting to appropriately advertise shuttle services to Mason students and staff. He highlighted the importance of explaining where routes go, and the timeliness of the shuttles.

Although the event was advertised as a town hall, the low attendance and hefty amount of information provided by Cantor fostered a more lecture-style event. 

Before the event, Wise explained that the majority of complaints he has received about parking at Mason pertained to “the cost of parking passes, as well as bus issues.”

Wise also spoke of how important attendance would be to the success of the event, and referred to the recent changes in the dining halls as a result of successful student government town halls.

Quinnipiac’s junior center Anna Foley (left) and senior forward Ella O’Donnell (center) guard junior forward Zahirah Walton (right) as she attempts a jumper. No shot came easy against the stingy Bobcat defense. (Mitchell Richtmyre / Fourth Estate)

BY BRIAN A. HAYUM, SPORTS EDITOR AND PETER MAHLER, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Mason women’s basketball fell short of a 15-point comeback against the Quinnipiac Bobcats on Thursday. The 71-64 loss knocks the Patriots out of the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament, ending their season.

Quinnipiac showed why they are the second-ranked defense in the country, holding Mason’s offense to 37.5% FG. 

“The leading scorers for George Mason; holy cow,” said Quinnipiac senior guard Jackie Grisdale. “We knew we were going to do the best that we could on them. I thought we handled everyone else really well, and we found our flow offensively.” 

The Bobcats had a shooting night to remember, making at least half of their shots, including 8-16 from 3-point range. Grisdale scored 21 points (6-11 FG), including half of Quinnipiac’s eight 3-pointers, a game-high. 

The Patriots struggled to score efficiently throughout their campaign, ending with a 39% FG for the season. Those struggles carried over to the invitation tournament. 

“We finished the game with [around] 30% [shooting],” Coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis said. “They shot 50%. [You’re] not going to win a lot of games like that.” 

Freshman guard Ella Ryan’s logo 3-pointer midway through the first period was an early sign of the Bobcats’ offensive barrage.

Four Bobcats scored double digits. Grisdale, senior forward Ella O’Donnell, Ryan and junior guard Karson Martin combined for 61 points on an efficient 56% shooting from the field.

Juniors Zahirah Walton (24 points) and Kennedy Harris (17 points) carried Mason’s offense. However, Mason lacked the depth to keep pace. No other Patriot scored more than five points, leading to a 15-point deficit with 5:30 left in the third quarter.

Walton (left) sits beside Mason Head Coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis (right) while she delivers her final post-game remarks of the season. She commended her players for their hard work and for bringing home Mason’s first-ever A-10 regular season title. (Mitchell Richtmyre / Fourth Estate)

Walton powered the late comeback, exploding for 17 points in the final 20 minutes. The battle at the basket was a tale of two halves. After getting dominated in the paint 18-10 in the first half, Mason outscored the Bobcats the rest of the way, 20-12. 

Quinnipiac Coach Tricia Fabbri, who announced her retirement after 28 years with the team, expressed respect for Mason and their star player.

“Walton’s special,” she said, noting the preparation it took to beat the A-10 regular season co-champions. “Look, I’ve got a lot of coaching friends that said, ‘I’m sorry that you drew them in the first round.’” 

Before the game, Blair-Lewis was seen on the court handing Fabbri a gift.

“Tricia and I go way back,” Blair-Lewis said. “I was a really young coach at Mount St. Mary’s when she was [at] Quinnipiac; we were in the same league, so she’s done a lot for this game. [In] 31 years, she’s seen a lot of wins and a lot of losses, but she’s poured into a lot of lives, and so I just wanted to honor her and just thank her for what she’s done for the game.”

After the loss, Mason players leave the court for one last time. Even in defeat, the Mason cheerleading squad cheers them on. (Mitchell Richtmyre / Fourth Estate)

The loss to an old rival concludes an otherwise successful season for Blair-Lewis’s Patriots. Mason went 23-10, won its first-ever regular season title and posted a historic third straight 20-win season. Blair-Lewis couldn’t help but appreciate all that her team has done.

“[I’m] really proud of the work that we put in and the legacy that we’re building, especially off of the backs of [Kennedy] and [Zahirah],” she said. “They have come here, they have made their mark, we’ve done what we said we were going to do and we’ve been a part of really building something spectacular.”

From left to right, chefs Steve Craig, Armani Copeland and Kevin Yarbrough after winning the Student’s Choice Award for best barbecue on March 18, 2026, at Southside. The trophy is displayed at Ike’s following the event. (Sofya Vetrova / Mason Dining)

BY ISABELLA PEARLSTEIN, STAFF WRITER

Mason Dining hosted a March Madness-like competition, dubbed “Smokin’ Madness,” where teams of chefs representing Southside and Ike’s competed for the best barbecue onWednesday, March 18.

Students were allowed to vote for their favorite plate during the event by scanning QR codes that were displayed throughout the dining halls. According to Sofya Vetrova, the district marketing director for Mason at Chartwells, Ike’s won the Student’s Choice Award with almost 70% of the votes.

Freshman Zach Thurow, a Government and International Politics major, tried both teams’ barbecue and picked Ike’s as his favorite plate. 

“The brisket was amazing,” he said. “And then the sauce on the chicken, I just dipped the brisket in it and it made it even better.”

Eva Janes, a junior Global Affairs major, was at Southside when she ate both teams’ dishes. She also picked Ike’s as her favorite. 

“The smoky flavor of the beef was just amazing and the mac and cheese had a nice wet cheese pull as opposed to a more baked quality,” she said.

The Ike’s station at Southside shows off their barbecue on March 18, 2026. (Isabella Pearlstein / Fourth Estate)

According to Vetrova, the menu for the Ike’s team consisted of slow smoked beef brisket, pulled pork and smoked chicken for the main dishes. The sides were smoked pork belly potato salad, collard green gumbo with smoked turkey and andouille sausage, five- cheese mac and cheese and southern style cornbread and apple cider.

A panel of guest judges, separate from the student votes, voted Southside as the winner for “creativity and execution,” Vetrova said.

The Southside menu consisted of Texas style beef brisket, sweet smoky pulled pork and sumac citrus chicken thighs. The sides were smoked gouda and cheddar mac and cheese, pickled watermelon salad, fried brussels sprouts with bacon onion jam and Kickin’ Bourbon BBQ sauce, according to Vetrova.

Each team had a Mason executive chef accompanied by chefs from other universities.

Executive Chef Armani Copeland from Mason, Kevin Yarbrough from George Washington University and Steve Craig from Louisburg College made up the Ike’s team.

Southside’s team had Executive Chef Brandon Liming from Mason, Tim Howland from Carnegie Mellon University, Robert Marquez from American University and Darelle Bey from University of North Carolina Greensboro. 

Mason Dining partnered with Game Changer Smoker for the event. Chefs from the company smoked the meats for both teams in a trailer on Wilkins Plaza in front of Southside. 

“We smoked [the meats] for the last two days,” Executive Chef George Charbel said.

The event extended outside of Southside and Ike’s onto Wilkins Plaza. Tents from Game Changer Smoker, Monster, Mason Dining, Mason Athletics and Student Involvement were set up in a “tailgate-style.” Monster and Game Changer Smoker handed out free samples to students.

Game Changer Smoker sets up their table to hand out samples of brisket on March 18, 2026, on Wilkins Plaza. (Isabella Pearlstein / Fourth Estate)

“[The smokers are] used a lot in universities, but we’re also in stadiums and restaurants across the country,” Game Changer Smoker employee Hunter Rice said.

“Mason Dining is considering bringing Game Changer to campus; however, at this time, we cannot guarantee this, as there are several moving parts still under consideration,” Vetrova said.

Mason Dining is looking to have more student engagement and community opportunities.

“Following the success of this year’s competition, Mason Dining plans to continue the Chef Throwdown in the future,” Vetrova said.

Cherry blossoms reach peak bloom during the Cherry Blossom Festival on March 29, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Katie Perschau / Fourth Estate)

BY KATIE PERSCHAU, CULTURE EDITOR

Every year, locals and visitors fill the National Mall to witness the peak bloom of the Washington, D.C., cherry blossoms during the National Cherry Blossom Festival. This year the festival takes place from March 20 to April 12, and it includes many events perfect for a spring excursion from Mason’s campus. 

The Opening Ceremony on March 21 in the DAR Constitution Hall celebrates the gifting of the cherry blossom trees from Japan in 1912. It will feature Japanese and American artists and performers. Tickets are $5, making the ceremony an affordable way for students to experience a lively artistic display.

For students who prefer celebrating the festival beneath the blossoms, the Kite Festival on March 28 at the Washington Monument is a unique and awe-inspiring event worth attending. 

Hundreds of visitors picnic on the monument grounds and fill the sky with colorful kites as live music creates a vibrant atmosphere welcoming spring to the capital. Students can pack a blanket or bring a kite and enjoy a cost-free afternoon surrounded by nature and community. 

Festival-goers fly kites on the Washington Monument grounds at the Kite Festival on March 29, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Katie Perschau / Fourth Estate)

The festival also provides opportunities to learn about Japanese and Japanese-American history through seasonal exhibitions in the Smithsonian museums. 

The National Museum of Asian Art has several events and displays during the festival, including a “Kyoto Kimono” pop up on March 27 and March 28 with vintage Japanese kimono robes available to try on. The museum also has free showings of three anime films from April 4 to 5. 

The Smithsonian American Art Museum will host a cherry blossom celebration on March 28, featuring a taiko drum performance and a scavenger hunt through the museum’s galleries.

To fully experience the cherry blossom season, don’t miss the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade on April 11. Students can watch the floats and performers along Constitution Avenue without purchasing a ticket, but reserved seating at the beginning and end of the parade route is also available to purchase on the festival’s website. 

Students searching for a photo-op with the blossoms can find a perfectly pink backdrop at the Tidal Basin and Jefferson Memorial. Crowds can make getting a good shot difficult, so planning your visiting time in advance is important. The area sees less visitors on weekdays and in the mornings and evenings according to the festival’s website. 

Whether you wish to experience the distinctive arts and culture of the nation’s capital or get outside after a long winter, there is something for every Mason student at the National Cherry Blossom Festival. 

Students taking part in Mason Lobbies stand in front of the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, Virginia on March 5. They are preparing to go lobby to state representatives. (Isabella Pearlstein / Fourth Estate)

BY RITHVIK HARI AND ISABELLA PEARLSTEIN, STAFF WRITERS

Eighty-one George Mason students traveled to Virginia’s Capitol in Richmond on Thursday, March 5, to meet with state legislators and lobby on behalf of Mason. 

“It’s very great to talk to people who have the power to make [a] difference,” said History major Andrew Tonkinson. “It felt like they were ready to listen and they enjoyed listening to people.”

Griffin Crouch, chair of the Undergraduate Representative Body’s Government and Community Relations Committee and one of the lead organizers for Mason Lobbies, explained the event’s purpose.

“Mason Lobbies empowered students to advocate for funding for GMU —  including financial aid money,” he said. 

Crouch said the students aimed to advocate for “ICE off campus for student safety, protecting free speech of student protesters, protecting out-of-state students’ access to reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare, public sector collective bargaining so students, staff, faculty have a seat at the table and more!”

Mason students gathered early on the Fairfax campus to meet with their groups and discuss lobbying strategies before leaving for Richmond.

Mason students in Richmond, Virginia during Mason Lobbies on March 5. Green and gold scarves were given to participants as they got off of the bus. (Isabella Pearlstein / Fourth Estate)

As the buses arrived at the Va. General Assembly, students received green and gold scarves and broke off into their groups alongside a group leader, who received folders with information to hand to legislators during the meetings.

After assembling into their small groups, the students entered the Va. General Assembly. Students listened to an address from Mason President Gregory Washington, as well as Mason alums House Majority Leader Charniele Herring and Senator Saddam Salim.

During Washington’s address, he emphasized the importance of the students’ presence at the Capitol.

“Your voice matters, more than you know,” he said. “It’s about exercising your voice.” 

“You have the opportunity to impact this process,” Washington said. “Tell your story. Have fun. Engage our legislators.”

Majority Leader Herring opened her address with an affirmation of Patriot pride. 

“I am so proud to be a Patriot,” she said. 

She also talked about her journey through the Mason STEP program and how much it helped her succeed.

“Your voice is needed. You’re going to do great things,” Herring continued. “I am so proud of you all.”

Senator Salim focused on his journey as a Mason student and becoming a state senator. He ended his address emphasizing the effect of his community on his position. 

“This seat is not mine; it’s each and every one of yours,” he said.

After the addresses, students left for their meetings. Each Mason Lobbies group had four meetings between 9 to 11 a.m. where the groups met either senators or delegates. If a representative was unavailable, groups would meet with their chiefs of staff. 

Nathan Pittman, a Mason alum who was a former student body president and is currently chief of staff for senator Ryan McDougle, talked about the timing of Mason Lobbies. 

“Coming around now is great and having your voice heard is great,” he said, acknowledging that the event was occurring just before a vote on the Va. budget.

Pittman had also been a participant in Mason Lobbies. 

“I went all four years,” he said. “[It] definitely has an impact.”

Senator Danica Roem mentioned the importance of student lobbying and its role in humanizing public policy. 

“My job is to serve my constituents,” she said. “Student voices matter.”

Students gather outside the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, Virginia on March 5. The students talked to state legislators, lobbying issues important to them. (Isabella Pearlstein / Fourth Estate)

After their meetings, the student leaders and President Washington reconvened at the Capitol.

“Having them speak their truth … it is immeasurable to us,” Washington said before walking into the Capitol. 

The rest of the students went to the Credit Union House of Virginia, an event venue, for lunch and to discuss their experiences and takeaways from the day.

Government and International Politics major Emily Sherwood and her group were moved to tears during their meeting with Senator Russet Perry’s chief of staff, expressing gratitude for Perry’s support of transgender health care.

A’Mya Holland, a Government and International Politics major and newcomer to Mason Lobbies, said the event was impactful and informative for her.

“I definitely enjoyed talking to different legislators and [being] able to express to them my Mason story … and how their bills impact me greatly as a student.”

It was also Government and International Politics major Anvi Chitti’s first Mason Lobbies. Though she was nervous at first, she was helped by their group leader and friends.

“It was really fun, too, talking to senators and delegates that actually come from the area that I live in,” Chitti said.

This year marked the first in-person attendance of Mason Lobbies for Tonkinson, the History major, because last year’s event was held virtually. He discussed how impactful it was to have the opportunity to speak to elected representatives in their offices.

“It felt very good to kind of have that power to talk to them and say ‘hey, this is what your own constituents feel, and this is what we want to see,’” he said.

Zayd Hamid, a graduate student studying Public Policy, has been going to Mason Lobbies since 2021. This year was his last time attending.

“There are so many brilliant, talented undergraduates that have time left here,” he said. “It is my sincerest hope that they dedicate at least part of their time left here towards continuing this great work.” 

(Greg Fiume / A-10)

BY SAM DOUGLAS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND BRIAN A. HAYUM, SPORTS EDITOR

Five days after a dominant win over nationally-ranked Saint Louis, George Mason men’s basketball ended their season with a stunning 63-57 loss.

The fifth-seed Patriots lost to No. 13 St. Bonaventure in the second round of the A-10 tournament on March 12 in Pittsburgh. 

Graduate guard Jahari Long led Mason with 17 points, including 14 in the first half. Junior forward Riley Allenspach had another strong game, logging a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double. 

“I expected better,” Coach Tony Skinn said. “I’m frustrated.” 

“My seniors didn’t go out the way I expected them to,” he said. “The highs and lows of this sport: you win at home against one of the better teams, not just in our league, but in the country. Then you come back, and you lay an egg in the second half; it’s unfortunate.”

Long had a first half to remember, scoring 14 points (5-7 FG, 3-5 3PT) in the first 14 minutes of the game. Mason’s floor general capped off his torrent start with a step-back 3-pointer, giving Mason a 26-17 lead with 5:56 left in the half. 

The Patriots would make 3 of their final 9 shots before the half, holding a 10-point lead over the Bonnies at halftime.

St. Bonaventure, playing with added motivation after Head Coach Mark Schmidt announced his retirement at the end of their season after his 25-year-long coaching career, stymied Long and the Patriots’ offense in the second half.

“This moment is for those guys,” Schmidt said, who has coached at St. Bonaventure since 2007. “They’re the ones that put in the time; I just walk up and down the sideline.” 

“They’re the ones that put in the work.”  

The size and physicality of senior forward Frank Mitchell stifled Mason. Mitchell had a productive outing with 14 points and 7 rebounds, but the 6-foot-7-inch, 280-pound Bonnie’s defense proved to be game-wrecking for the Patriots. 

Mitchell led a ferocious defensive effort, recording 5 steals in the second half. 

“Frank Mitchell is Frank Mitchell, you’re not going to be able to do anything about that,” Skinn said.

Junior guard Dasonte Bowen also had a day to remember for the Bonnies, playing all 40 minutes and racking up 20 points. Bowen continuously drew foul calls against an aggressive Mason defense, making all nine of his attempts from the free-throw line.

Going into the game, the Patriots were favored over St. Bonaventure. The Patriots won both regular-season meetings against the Bonnies, including a win in Fairfax on Feb. 28. 

The result is a disappointing end for a Mason team that won 18 of their first 19 games of the season — the best start in program history. The team slipped down the conference standings, losing 5 of 7 games in February, but bounced back with a win against ranked Saint Louis in the final game of the regular season.

With four seniors graduating and the daunting prospect of the transfer portal, Skinn and his staff will have to regroup in the offseason and look forward to next season.

“No matter who it is in our league, anybody can beat anybody,” he said. “And you try to think about the offseason, we’re going to graduate some guys, and we all know how it goes.” 

“You may lose a guy or two in the [transfer] portal. We’re going to have to regroup, I’m aware of that, that doesn’t scare me at all.” 

The Patriots’ season may not be over yet, as they could compete in the National Invitation Tournament. The NIT features teams that were not selected for March Madness. 

The competitors for this year’s NIT will be announced tonight at 9:30 p.m.

(Addison Cox / Fourth Estate)

BY BRADY LANDRY AND SAMUEL GATEWOOD, STAFF WRITERS

Mason men’s basketball (23-8, 11-7 in A-10) closed out the regular season with a statement win at home against No. 25 Saint Louis University (27-4, 15-3 in the A-10), defeating the Billikens 86-57 on March 7. 

After losing five of seven games in February, a top-25 win gives Mason a springboard of momentum heading into this week’s A-10 tournament.

“This was the game we needed. It’s been a long season, a lot of ups and downs,” Coach Tony Skinn said. “We needed a moment against a really good team to get our swagger back before heading into Pittsburgh.” 

“I’m super happy, proud of these guys … this is the type of win that you need before going into your conference tournament.”

Mason dominated Saint Louis on defense, holding them to their lowest point total of the season on 39.7% FG, and outperforming them in rebounds, 41-26. Five Patriots scored in double figures on the offensive end, but it was graduate guard Jahari Long’s night. 

Long notched 21 points and 9 assists, becoming only the second Patriot ever to record over 20 points and 8 assists in a game. 

In addition to Long’s performance, the Patriots received contributions from multiple players. Forwards Emmanuel Kanga and Nick Ellington logged double-doubles, as Ellington celebrated Senior Day by making the first 3-pointer of his collegiate career.

Sharpshooting junior guard Kory Mincy had his best performance since injuring his shooting thumb during the Patriots’ loss to Duquesne, scoring 15 points (6-11 FG, 2-5 3PT).  

The Patriots took their first double-digit lead of the game thanks to a layup from Long with 1:10 left in the first half. Mason didn’t look back, going into the second half with a 9-point lead and proceeding to outscore the Billikens by 20 after the break.

Mason made their mark in the second half, going on a 17-0 run and leading by as many as 34 points.

Looking ahead, the Patriots will enter the A-10 tournament as the No. 5 seed and will play St. Bonaventure on Thursday, March 12, in Pittsburgh. The game will be available to watch live on USA Network. 

(Keith Lucas / Sideline Media / A-10)

BY BRIAN A. HAYUM, SPORTS EDITOR AND PETER MAHLER, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

No. 1 Rhode Island defeated No. 2 George Mason women’s basketball 53-51 in the A-10 Championship game on March 7, holding the Patriots to 32.2% FG and ending their title-defending run. 

“I thought the game was a slugfest,” Coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis said. “At the end of the day, we didn’t put the ball in the hole like we needed to.”

Mason’s top two scorers, juniors Zahirah Walton and Kennedy Harris, came into the game fronting most of the offensive load for Mason. The duo were averaging a combined 39 shots per game, but the Rams’ defense made maintaining that record difficult. 

The duo combined to make only 9 of their 36 shots from the field for a 25% shooting percentage. 

“I would live and die by the shots that we took, and all of those shots we make 100% of the time, but today they just didn’t connect,” Blair-Lewis said.

Rhode Island’s Albina Syla led the charge on the glass with 10 rebounds, including 7 on defense. The Finnish center added 9 points and a block, winning tournament MVP in the process. In three games, Syla averaged 14.7 ppg and 10 rpg.

Mason’s defense blitzed the Rams in the first quarter, holding Rhode Island to 7 points (3-for-8 FG) and forcing seven early turnovers. Mason entered the second quarter with a 15-7 lead, but the Rams swung momentum, outscoring the Patriots 17-10 in the period. 

The Patriots looked vulnerable even as they held the lead at half, and the Rams began seizing control of the game. Rhode Island tightened its grip with a 6-0 start in the third quarter, keeping Mason to just 9 points on a woeful 3-of-11 shooting.

(Keith Lucas / Sideline Media / A-10)

Mason missed a crucial opportunity during a six-minute stretch in the fourth quarter where both teams suffered a scoring drought. Trailing by 3 with five minutes left, the Patriots went 0-for-4 from the field — including misses from Walton and Harris — before Brooklyn Gray’s layup ended the stalemate and pushed the Rhode Island lead to 5 with 1:57 remaining.

Senior Jada Brown drained a second-chance 3-pointer, bringing Mason to a 3-point deficit with 15 seconds remaining, but the last-ditch effort wasn’t enough. 

After a season where her team returned to the A-10 title game and claimed the school’s first-ever regular season championship, Blair-Lewis displayed perspective and a sense of pride. 

“Yes, this is not the outcome we wanted, but it was exponential growth … and [the players] grew as human beings,” she said. “Somebody had to win, and somebody had to learn.”

Having clinched an automatic bid into the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament (WBIT), the Patriots aren’t done yet. Fans can watch this historic Mason squad when the tournament begins Thursday, March 19.

(Keith Lucas / Sideline Media / A-10)

BY BRIAN A. HAYUM, SPORTS EDITOR AND PETER MAHLER, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

George Mason women’s basketball (21-8, 16-2 in A-10) is one win away from punching their ticket into the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row. 

The two-seeded Patriots defeated No. 3 Richmond (26-6, 15-3 in A-10), 60-45, in the A-10 semifinals Saturday, booking a spot in the championship game against top-seeded Rhode Island this afternoon.

Coming off the heels of an emotional comeback overtime victory against Dayton, the Mason defense imposed their will, holding a Richmond squad with two top-10 scorers in the A-10 to under 50 points for the second time this season. 

Mason’s defense shut down A-10 Player of the Year Maggie Doogan, who was the top scorer in the conference during the regular season (21 ppg). Doogan managed just 10 points against Mason on a 27% field goal percentage, her second-lowest total of the season.

“We knew that we had to come out and be very formidable defensively, because they had a really good offensive squad,” Coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis said. “I thought our ladies locked in today, and [juniors Zahirah Walton and Kennedy Harris] just came to put the nail in the coffin offensively.”

Walton and Harris carried the load for the Patriots on offense, combining for 42 of Mason’s 60 points. Walton scored a team-high 24 points, was 9-24 from the field and added 9 rebounds, including 6 on offense.

Harris, who sustained a lower-body injury the day before, returned with another double-digit game, scoring 18 points on 38% from the field.  

(Keith Lucas / Sideline Media / A-10)

With Richmond’s campus just miles away from Henrico, Harris commended the Mason Nation for their energy this weekend. 

“They’re always loud, and they’re always supporting us, so that just gave us the energy to do what we used to do on the court,” Harris said.

Harris anchored a strong backcourt, recording four steals that include a pivotal play in the second quarter. Stripping the ball from junior Ally Sweeney, Harris tiptoed along the sideline and finished the basket on the fast break with less than 3 minutes left in the first half.

Mason now has a chance to repeat as A-10 champions, and Harris believes her team is battle-tested and confident.

“I think we’ve been in every type of situation when it comes to any game we have played,” Harris said. “So I think now it’s just that we’re using all of that to our advantage, and we’re prepared.” 

With an A-10 title on the line, fans can watch the Patriots take on the Rhode Island Rams (26-4, 16-2 in A-10) at 4 p.m. on ESPN2. 

(Keith Lucas / Sideline Media / A-10)

BY BRIAN A. HAYUM, SPORTS EDITOR AND PETER MAHLER, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

According to ESPN analytics, junior guard Kennedy Harris’ turnover with 3:51 left in regulation gave George Mason women’s basketball (21-8, 16-2 in A-10) a 1.4% chance of advancing to the A-10 tournament semifinals. 

Against all odds, the Patriots mounted a 10-point comeback late in the fourth quarter, forcing overtime and defeating the Dayton Flyers (17-14, 9-9 in A-10) 87-85 thanks to a buzzer-beater by junior forward Louis Volker.

Tied at 85 with less than two seconds remaining, Dayton’s Molly O’Riordan denied Mason forward Hawa Komara at the basket, but the ball took a fortunate deflection into Volker’s hands for the game-winning score.

“I think I got my swagger back!” Volker yelled at the camera following the thrilling finish. 

Her impact was felt well before the decisive play, wrestling 3 offensive rebounds in the overtime period and anchoring the defense.

“To me, it felt like a movie,” junior Zahirah Walton said. “It was all in slow motion. It was crazy, but I was very proud of Louis, because she made those extra plays for us.” 

Though six Patriots notched at least 8 points, Dayton’s offense overwhelmed them until the decisive final minutes. 

“I’m glad this game is over,” said Coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis after witnessing her team give up 46 points in the paint.

Dayton’s frontcourt punched Mason in the mouth early. O’Riordan, junior Fatima Ibrahim and junior Ajok Madol were a mismatch nightmare in the paint, combining for 47 points on 74% shooting.

“There was a lot of miscommunication between our guards and how we wanted to switch,” Blair-Lewis said. “It gave them an opportunity to post up a smaller guard.” 

Dayton, coming off a 62-54 win over No. 10 George Washington the day before, was battle-tested and well-prepared for the Patriots.

“I give it up to Dayton,” Blair-Lewis said. “They had a great gameplan. They came off a great win last night; they were just high-spirited. Sometimes, those are the toughest teams to play.” 

Although the Flyers flew up and down the court on offense, the Patriots kept up the pressure, scoring 26 points off 21 Dayton turnovers.

On their last breath, and after allowing Dayton to land over 50% of their shots, it was the defense that brought Mason back.

Down 2 with 2:16 left in regulation, freshman Mary Amoateng deflected a bad pass by Dayton’s senior Nayo Lear, which Walton then pounced on to solidify the comeback. 

Amoateng missed two free throws that would’ve put Mason up four with 11 seconds left, leading to a game-tying layup by Lear with 6 seconds left. 

Harris, who led the game with 24 points, began the game on fire, landing 5 of her first 6 shots during an 11-point first quarter. Despite sustaining a lower-body injury near the end of the first half, she came up huge during overtime, landing her first three field goal attempts in a back-and-forth exchange where the score was tied four times until Volker iced it.

After scraping past Dayton, the Patriots will face No. 3 Richmond (25-6, 15-3 in A-10) today at 1:30 p.m. in the conference semifinals. They previously overcame the Spiders in a 46-37 grudge match on Feb. 16 after falling 71-57 a week before.

(Quang Vu Minh / George Mason Athletics)

BY PETER MAHLER, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

On the heels of a five-game win streak that culminated in the program’s first-ever regular season title, George Mason women’s basketball (21-8, 16-2 in A-10) will travel to Henrico, Virginia, for a chance to defend last year’s A-10 tournament championship.

On a dreary Tuesday afternoon at EagleBank Arena, Coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis performed the hallowed rite of cutting down the nets, celebrating another successful season in front of her beaming players and not letting the bad weather rain on their parade.

Since before the season began, Blair-Lewis has championed the mantra, “Believe Big Squared,” saying that exponential growth, not just wins, is what the team would be chasing during the 2025-26 season. 

“The expectation was to be back in the same spot,” junior guard Kennedy Harris said, referring to the team’s preseason mindset. 

“We had different teams, different teammates, new energy — but I feel like this energy has brought us to the same spot and even better,” she said.

Inheriting a program that went winless in conference play the year before, Coach Blair-Lewis has completely transformed Mason’s trajectory, leading the Patriots to three straight 20-win seasons for the first time ever, cementing herself in school history.

Blair-Lewis, who holds a 55-30 career record in the A-10, praised her team’s selfless chemistry, noting that they care more for each other than they do for themselves individually.

“They have worked so hard, they have believed in the assignment, they believed in each other, they believed in this coaching staff … There’s a standard here and they understand that,” Blair-Lewis said with the netting still in her hands. 

“It’s been so easy to coach them because they are competitors by heart, but they’re sisters by blood.” 

For star junior forward Zahirah Walton, the team chemistry begins off the court during team dinners — one of many moments where she and her teammates come together.

Walton, named All-Conference First Team on Tuesday, has been a constant presence since stepping onto campus in 2022. After averaging 11 ppg and 14.8 ppg in her first two seasons, Walton delivered her best campaign yet, leading the Patriots with 18 ppg — good for second in the A-10 — as well as in rebounds, assists and blocks.

“It’s a great feeling, for sure, working hard in the summer, and seeing the results pay off,” said Walton. “I think it’s a [testament] to hard work. It’s going to show regardless. If you keep working, it’s going to show up.” 

Blair-Lewis says that Walton is relentless. “I think that, when you are one of the best players in the A-10 — and everybody is focusing on you night in, and night out — for her to show up every single day to the best of her ability … that takes a lot,” Blair-Lewis said. 

“It takes a lot of consistency, and even in the tough games where she struggles sometimes to score, she was still able to be out there for her teammates and defend and fill in the other categories besides scoring … She is a pro in her game,” Blair-Lewis said.

Harris joined Walton on the All-Conference First Team and earned All-Academic honors, while graduate forward Hawa Komara was named to the All-Defensive Team. Freshman guard Mary Amoateng capped an impressive debut, landing on both the All-Rookie and All-Defensive teams.

The Patriots rode a 10-0 start to their A-10 schedule before losses to third-in-conference Richmond (25-6, 15-3 in A-10) and co-regular season champion Rhode Island (25-4, 16-2 in A-10) back in early February exposed cracks in their armor.

Mason struggled in those outings, shooting a combined 32% (45-of-140) and averaging just 60 points. The defense uncharacteristically gave up over 70 points in each matchup — a significant departure from their season standards of 67 points scored and 60 allowed.

“During that little segue in our season, we were struggling to score,” Blair-Lewis said. “And so our conversation was, ‘That’s not the only way to impact the game. Let’s get back to our defensive prowess.’”

Blair-Lewis, Walton and Harris all point to the 46-37 win against Richmond as the season’s defining moment — a game where Mason’s defense singlehandedly avenged an earlier loss.

“I think we responded really well to adversity during the hard time that we were dealing with as a team… and that showed that we can respond and be the team that we want to be,” Harris said.

Blair-Lewis echoed Harris’s sentiment, saying it fueled them for the rest of the season and challenged them to rely on their defense to help spark their offense.

(Quang Vu Minh / George Mason Athletics)

Mason hasn’t lost since defeating Richmond on Feb. 16. On top of a stout defense that is holding opponents to under 60 ppg, Walton, Harris and Amoateng have powered the Patriots’ offense to the longest win streak of any team heading into the tournament.

“I think the wins come when you do things the right way and you have an expectation from your players to grow like we want them to grow,” Blair-Lewis said. “And not just haphazardly. Let me be efficient in everything that I do so it shows up somewhere else.” 

Mason will look to continue their “herstoric” run going into the A-10 tournament, where they will face No. 7 Dayton. Fans can tune in tomorrow on ESPN+ to watch the 5 p.m. tipoff.

(Isabella Pearlstein / Fourth Estate)

BY ISABELLA PEARLSTEIN, STAFF WRITER

Spring break is just around the corner, and if you’re staying in the area or find yourself walking along Constitution Avenue or the National Mall in D.C., take time to visit the National Museum of American History. The museum has many exciting exhibits on a variety of different topics, from food history to lowriding culture in the United States. 

The museum consists of three floors and is split into an east wing and a west wing.

For those interested in the evolution of food and food culture in the U.S. after World War II, the first floor exhibit simply titled “Food” is the place to go. Standout displays in the exhibit include famous American chef Julia Child’s kitchen, the world’s first frozen margarita machine and innovations in making wine and brewing beer.

(Isabella Pearlstein / Fourth Estate)

The next dazzling site is the “Corazón y Vida: Lowriding Culture” exhibit, located on the third floor in the West Wing. The exhibit details the art form, traditions and Chicano origins of low riding culture in the United States. 

Two of the most striking displays in the exhibit include two Chevy Impalas “El Rey” and “Gypsy Rose.” The “El Rey” display features an interactive plaque that allows you to feel the engraved metal and paint job.

Another must-see exhibit on the third floor is “Entertainment Nation,” which includes props and costumes from “Star Wars,” the Muppets and other popular films. There are many recognizable displays in this exhibit: Dorothy’s ruby slippers from “The Wizard of Oz,” Walter White’s hazmat suit from the show “Breaking Bad” and Dana Scully’s FBI badge from “The X-Files.” 

(Isabella Pearlstein / Fourth Estate)

The “First Ladies” exhibit located next to the “Entertainment Nation” exhibit showcases various gowns worn by several first ladies. It also features the different state china services the first ladies brought into the White House that date back almost 100 years.

Presenting many intriguing topics and artifacts, the fun and interactive displays at the National Museum of American History make the museum the perfect place to visit this spring break.

(Addison Cox / Fourth Estate)

BY BRIAN A. HAYUM, SPORTS EDITOR AND BRADY LANDRY, STAFF WRITER

George Mason men’s basketball (22-7, 10-6 in A-10) ended its four-game losing streak with a 71-58 win over the St. Bonaventure Bonnies on Feb. 28. The Patriots were led by junior forward Riley Allenspach and senior guard Masai Troutman, who combined for 42 points and 7 of the team’s 12 3-pointers. 

The Patriots’ 12 3-pointers are the most they’ve made in a game since Nov. 24 against Ohio University. 

“To be able to get this win, to try to find some momentum as our season gets a little bit closer to March, I think it’s important for our guys, our spirit, and hopefully we can find our way in March,” said Head Coach Tony Skinn.

The Patriots opened the game with an offensive explosion in the first five minutes. Troutman started the party from deep, hitting a corner 3-pointer to beat the shot clock to take a 5-0 lead.

Allenspach and junior guard Kory Mincy would make the next two 3-pointers before a 3-point play from Mincy capped off an exhilarating 14-2 run. The Bonnies failed to respond, as the Patriots went into the half with the lead for the first time in nine games. 

“It’s no secret that this whole year we’ve had trouble with our starts,” Allenspach said. “The message coming out of the locker room to start the game was we have to punch them first.”

Head Coach Mark Schmidt’s Bonnies cut the Patriots’ lead to 5 with a 7-0 run to start the second half, but the resilient Patriots would respond with an 8-0 run that saw their lead stay intact for the rest of the game.

The Patriots also got a strong performance out of graduate guard Jahari Long, who scored 11 points and a team-leading 6 assists. One of the lone bright spots during the Patriots’ four-game losing streak, Long is averaging 9.6 ppg and 4 assists in his last 5 games.

The Patriots, who entered the game allowing an average of 79 points per game during their four-game losing streak, put on a defensive showcase against the Bonnies, holding them to 58 points. 

When asked about his team’s defense following the game, Coach Skinn said they were “much, much better in [their] transition defense.”

Mason lost senior guard Fatt Hill to a lower-body injury near the end of the first half. He did not return for the rest of the game. The injury is a major blow to a Patriot offense that needs all the firepower it can muster heading into postseason play. 

Hill, who started his fourth game of the year on Saturday, was averaging 10.7 ppg on 49% FG coming into the game. His status for the final two games of the season and the A-10 tournament is undetermined. 

Looking ahead, the Patriots will look to start a new winning streak when they take on the VCU Rams (22-7, 13-3 in A-10)  in Richmond today at 7 p.m.  The game will be streamed on CBS Sports Network.