Latest Fourth Estate Articles

(Andrew T. Yarbrough / Fourth Estate)

‘I’m so happy everyone’s standing up for us,’ Stacy Reyes said, reflecting on the movement

BY ISABELLA PEARLSTEIN, STAFF WRITER

George Mason students gathered in Wilkins Plaza on Wednesday, Feb. 4, to protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions across the country and show opposition to the agency’s potential involvement in the upcoming career fair. The protest was organized by Democrats at Mason.

Students began gathering between Horizon Hall and the Johnson Center around 4 p.m. One student, freshman Ryan Emrich, held a sign that read, “I wish the ICE would hurry up and [expletive] melt.”

“I’m here protesting because the things that have been happening around the country have been just completely unconscionable and terrible,” Emrich said. “There have been deaths; there have been families broken apart. People [are] put in super inhumane conditions and that should not be allowed to continue.” 

Mylie Dillion, a freshman Government and International Politics major, echoed the same idea. 

“What’s happening in our country right now is inhumane… no one is illegal on stolen land, and we should not just be kidnapping people off the streets.” 

“I’m here because my brother-in-law is an immigrant, and I’m here just for the immigrant community, not just at Mason, but in this country,” Dillion said.

As the protest continued, individuals handed out signs that read “Abolish ICE.” 

“We should [not] fund anything that is essentially putting bounties on people’s heads,” freshman Christos Pethokoukis, a Theater major, said. “I think we should not be funding anything that is allowing domestic terrorists to terrorize anyone in America, especially when they’re actively shooting people.” 

As the protest continued, more students shared what they hoped to get out of the demonstration. 

“I think that [the federal government needs] to abolish ICE, restructure DHS and fully demilitarize customs and border patrol,” said sophomore Gabrielle Stutzer, a Government and International Politics major.

History major Alejandro Chavez said he believes funding for ICE should be reduced.

“I don’t agree at all that ICE should have as much funding as it’s currently gotten,” he said. “In fact, it’s taken away from a lot of other agencies. With the fact that ICE gets most of the funding and the way that they operate, it’s just not benefiting anyone right now.” 

On Feb. 3, a $1 trillion government spending bill was passed in the United States Senate and House. The Department of Homeland Security’s funding will continue through Feb. 13. Before the upcoming pause in funding, DHS was operating on an $85 billion budget. 

(Andrew T. Yarbrough / Fourth Estate)

Just eight minutes into the protest, Keely Calloway, president of the GMU Dems, addressed the protestors. 

“We are trying to make sure that GMU hears our voices and knows what we stand for and what the GMU students stand for,” she said. “We do not want DHS agents of any kind, CBP, ICE on campus. That includes career fairs.” 

ICE was one of the organizations present at the Spring 2025 career fair.

“ICE makes our communities unsafe. ICE makes every community unsafe,” Calloway continued. “It is unacceptable to have any ICE presence here on campus, and that is what we are here to show.” 

After her speech, Calloway and other students led protestors in many chants, including:

“No justice! No peace! No ICE in our streets!” 

“Say it loud! Say it clear! Get ICE outta here!” 

“iEl pueblo unido jamás será vencido!” (The people united will never be defeated!) 

Throughout the protest, several students addressed the protestors. 

“There’s no such thing as illegal immigrants on stolen land … We are here to talk. We want no defense contractors on campus. We want no ICE on campus,” a student speaker said.

Gabriel Cesar Muñoz Orellana, president of the Hispanic Latine Leadership Alliance, further addressed the crowd. 

“Why should the federal government, why should the Supreme Court say that skin color can be used as a form of prejudice? Why should we be targeted for something that we’re just born with?” he said.

Near the end of the protest, a student led the assembled crowd in song: “Pronto, muy pronto, cambiaremos este mundo. Soon, very soon, we are gonna change the world.”

(Isabella Pearlstein / Fourth Estate)

Freshman Stacy Reyes, an Elementary Education major, was moved to tears by the protest. 

“My dad’s an immigrant, and I come from a Latin family, so I think about that now. I worry about that,” she said. “It makes me feel happy to see there’s people of different races and different backgrounds here standing up for my family and people back home. I feel a little less alone.” 

(Addison Cox / Fourth Estate)

The loss sets up a pivotal game vs. Saint Joseph’s

BY TOMMY BUCKLES, STAFF WRITER

As George Mason led Duquesne 60-52 with 7:12 to play in the second half, graduate guard Jahari Long sliced through the paint for his second straight layup. The play fueled a raucous EagleBank Arena, but the Dukes weren’t done. 

Following the late-game 8-point lead, the Dukes would go on a 19-5 run to close out the game. Mason men’s basketball would lose its first home game since November 2024, falling to Duquesne 71-65 on Feb. 4. 

Duquesne’s graduate forward Alex Williams left the Patriots’ defense with no answer, scoring a game-high 25 points, including 20 in the second half. Junior guard Brandon Hall’s 5 steals put a defensive exclamation point on the Dukes’ 17 forced turnovers, 10 of which came in the first half. 

“[There’s] a lot to learn from, but we’ve got to keep our spirits right,” Coach Tony Skinn said about the loss. “There are certain things that are non-negotiable in this program… I just thought we had a bunch of weak moments, and that’s what pisses me off.”

Jahari Long and junior forward Riley Allenspach transformed their nine combined first-half points into a total of 35, utilizing high ball screens to put the Dukes’ physicality in conflict. Allenspach finished the game with a team-high 18 points and 7 rebounds in his first start back after missing three games due to an upper-body injury.

Coming into the game, Duquesne ranked 345th in the country in fouls committed per game. On paper, that stat seemed to play into the Patriots’ hands, who are one of the top teams in the country in terms of free-throw rate. Yet, Skinn’s team failed to capitalize, shooting 53% from the free-throw line. The Patriots would finish the game with a higher FG% and 3PT% than Duquesne, but they allowed the Dukes to go 16-21 at the line, a haunting stat in a 6-point loss. 

Junior guard Kory Mincy, Mason’s top scorer this season, injured his shooting hand with five minutes left in the first half. Mincy would return to the game, but the injury would hamper him for the rest of the game. The transfer from Presbyterian College scored an uncharacteristic 10 points in 36 minutes. 

With VCU’s win over Dayton on Friday, the Patriots are now third in the A-10 standings, and Skinn knows that the tests only get tougher.  

“No message yet,” Skinn said when asked his message to his players about the upcoming matchup.  “Just an overall message that the rest of our conference games are going to be tough games…We’ve gotta clean up.”

Saturday’s homecoming matchup vs. Saint Joseph’s tips off at 4:00 p.m. Students can register for tickets on Mason360, and the game will stream on ESPN+.

(Jordan Giles / Fourth Estate)

Patriots struggle in 30-13 loss to Rider

BY RITHVIK HARI, STAFF WRITER

Mason wrestling turned the Johnson Center into their arena on Jan. 30, hosting Rider University in the second annual Super Duel. With the matches taking place in the food court, spectators filled the railings along the second and third floors of the JC, looking down to watch the action below.

Fourth in the East Division of the MAC, the Patriots aimed to snap a two-game losing streak, as the second-place Broncos rolled into Fairfax off of five straight wins.

Rider would take an early 18-0 lead with four straight victories in the lower weight classes, but Mason’s nationally ranked wrestlers put them on the scoreboard. Junior DJ McGee earned four points for Mason, defeating freshman Gianni Maldonado 11-2. With the win, McGee recorded his eighth major decision of the season and improved his overall record to 18-2.

“DJ continues to roll and looks great,” Mason Coach Frank Beasley said. “He got another major one again. He’s one of the top guys in the country in majors.” 

The longtime Patriot coach also made sure to highlight graduate wrestler Drew Dickson’s impact. In only his fourth bout of the season, the 165-pounder defeated Rider’s Brendon Abdon to cut the deficit to 18-10.

“[Drew] looked great tonight. He’s putting people on notice. And last week I think it sent some shocks out there that he is for real,” Beasley said. “He’s a dangerous opponent for anyone.” 

During a match the previous week against Edinboro’s graduate wrestler Ryan Burgos, Dickson dominated the first period with a takedown and near fall, but Burgos fought back through the second, ultimately winning by a fall in the third period as time expired. 

In a duel between nationally ranked wrestlers, Mason’s graduate wrestler Logan Messer faced senior Enrique Munguia. Messer won 4-1, cutting the Bronco lead 18-13. 

Messer’s victory would be Mason’s final win of the night, as the Patriots would go on to lose in the 184, 197 and 285-lbs bouts. Rider’s Hogan Swenski would defeat freshman Herbert Billups to close out the night, giving the Broncos a 30-13 victory at the Johnson Center.

Despite the loss, Beasley praised the crowd for their support. 

“The guys got valuable experience in an incredible atmosphere,” the ninth-year coach said. “This is the best atmosphere in college wrestling. It might not be the biggest atmosphere, might not be the [biggest] crowd, but it’s a great atmosphere.” 

(Emma G. Schaible / Fourth Estate)

GMU Furniture’s newest construction

BY ISABELLA PEARLSTEIN, STAFF WRITER

As the Mason Nation experienced its first snow event of 2026, George Mason Furniture, an anonymous group of student builders, utilized their construction skills on a new medium: the igloo.

The igloo was built on Monday, Jan. 26 and situated on the Johnson Center East Plaza. It is large enough for people to walk inside. 

“[The igloo took] about 10 hours of work with four people not including breaks,” GMU Furniture said. 

Just across the way, another structure is being constructed in Wilkins Plaza in between the Johnson Center and Horizon Hall. According to GMU Furniture, “[the other structure] is a tower which is currently a work in progress.” 

(Emma G. Schaible / Fourth Estate)

According to GMU Furniture’s Instagram caption, the igloo is for sale, “Starting at $100!”

Several students took delight in seeing the igloo’s craftsmanship. Aiyana Pipkins, an elementary education major, shared her first impression. 

“I only saw the pictures of it because my friends showed it to me, and I just thought it was super cool seeing it now,” she said.

Camille Sergeon, a music major, said she “come[s] back every single day because it’s so beautiful. I love it.” 

Sergeon has also been in inside the igloo. “It’s surprisingly a lot warmer [in there] than it is out here,” she said.

“I think it’s very well done. It’s spacious. It’s beautiful,” Chelsea Reyes, a nursing major, said.

This is not the first eye-catching project GMU furniture has been behind. Last semester around Halloween, students may have noticed a large wood and hardboard pumpkin that disappeared and reappeared a few times at Wilkins Plaza. GMU Furniture chronicled the story of the “Big Pumpkin” on an Instagram Post with the caption, “The GMU anti-fun department will never diminish our Halloween spirit because [the] big pumpkin never [dies].”

(Andrew T. Yarbrough / Fourth Estate)

According to GMU Furniture, they “don’t really plan out projects too far in advance. Someone usually has an idea and we start making it within a day or two.” 

According to one of its members, GMU Furniture started around two-and-half years ago.

“The original goal was to make some money, but our revenue makes us look like a non-profit. Our company runs on lack of sleep and convincing our friends to do manual labor for free,” GMU Furniture said.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The material the pumpkin structure was made out of was corrected. (Tuesday, Feb. 3, 9:05 p.m.)

(Emma G. Schaible / Fourth Estate)

Democrat group on campus set to join nationwide protests this week

BY RENATA PERNEGROVA, STAFF WRITER

The Democrats at Mason are organizing an “ICE OUT” protest at the east plaza of the Johnson Center on Wednesday, Feb. 4 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The demonstration is happening in the midst of nation-wide opposition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations following the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. 

“We want to show very clearly that we oppose ICE, DHS or any law enforcement agents on our campus,” GMU Democrats President Keely Calloway explained. “We don’t want them here.” 

GMU Dems announced the event on their Instagram profile on Tuesday, Jan. 27. The day before, a phishing email circulated around the Mason community, spreading false information that ICE had recently visited campus. Mason’s Information Technology Services later confirmed this report was fake. 

Calloway said the timing of the announcement and the emergence of the misinformation was a “total coincidence” 

“We were brought to action by the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. [Pretti’s] death was a catalyst that set this whole protest in motion.” 

Renee Good and Alex Pretti are the latest of eight reported deaths connected to ICE activities across the country since the beginning of 2026. Good and Pretti were shot in separate incidents in Minneapolis during confrontations with ICE agents. After Pretti’s death on Jan. 24, criticism for the behavior and infrastructure of ICE and the federal government arose.

Calloway confirmed the protest organized by GMU Dems is a public event featuring student speakers, and is in collaboration with a number of other clubs on campus, including the Black African Heritage and Caribbean Coalition and the Latin Student Association. 

“We hope people will join as they’ll be leaving class; we welcome everyone,” Calloway said.

Calloway emphasized that the safety of each student on campus comes first. 

“We understand that there might be international students with complicated immigration status who would like to join us, but please don’t if it may put you in danger. We, who have nothing to lose, will be there standing up for you,” she said.

Addressing the issue of safety, Aidan Jacobs, GMU Democrats operations assistant, confirmed that representatives from the George Mason Police Department “will be on-site, ensuring it is a peaceful, orderly protest.”

“I can assure that none of our members will act in a way that is disruptive or against the regular conduct during a peaceful protest,” Jacobs said. 

He also emphasized that the protest is about protecting students rather than political strategy. 

“As a political entity, we are using our platform and our voice to speak out for students from the victimized or marginalized groups that have been expressly targeted by ICE,” Jacobs said. “We are not trying to take advantage of some sort of political issue for our party.”

The protest has the potential to gain the attention of the federal government in Washington, D.C. There has been conflict between the Trump administration and the university since mid-2025. 

Jacobs said the GMU Democrats are following the leadership of President Gregory Washington. “He has been an exceptional leader in protecting us and sticking up for our core values amid the threats from the government, and we are doing the exact same thing.” 

“The situation now is different in Virginia after the November election,” Calloway added. “There is a new governor and the state as a whole is under [the] radar in Washington, D.C., so we are less out there.” 

Mason is not the only university that will see a protest to resist ICE activities in the coming weeks. 

Student groups from the University of Minnesota have been involved in a recent anti-ICE mobilization and called for a national shutdown action on Jan. 30, while student groups at the University of California  organised on-campus walkouts which saw over 1,000 student participants. 

(Davon Marion / Fourth Estate)

Mason hold Billikens scoreless for nearly a quarter, stay perfect in A-10 play

BY PETER MAHLER, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

After more than two weeks without a home game, Mason women’s basketball returned to a snowy EagleBank Arena with a 66-51 win over the Saint Louis Billikens on Jan. 31. With the victory, the Patriots program-best conference record rises to a perfect 10-0.

Junior guard Zahirah Walton led the way with a 15-point, 9-rebound performance, but Mason’s defense was the star of the game. The Patriots suffocated the Billikens, holding them to 33% shooting from the field and 29% from beyond the arc. 

Junior guard Kennedy Harris made her presence known all game long, leading all players with five steals. Her effort was instrumental in shutting down Saint Louis’s half-court offense.

Coming into the game, Saint Louis had the second-ranked scoring offense among A-10 teams, but Mason’s fifth-ranked scoring defense prevailed. A Billikens team averaging 69 points per game mustered only 51. 

The Patriot defense had their work cut out for them in the paint. Saint Louis’s 6-foot-6 center, freshman Alyssa Koerkenmeier, led both teams with 17 points, imposing her will in the low post.

Coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis’s gameplan for Koerkenmeier was to “not let her settle in” and make sure to double her when the opportunity arose.

A backcourt violation by Mason on the opening tip set the stage for a strange first quarter. Despite holding Saint Louis to just 29% shooting in the first, Mason only led 16-14 after committing 5 turnovers and early foul trouble.

SLU had three times the number of free-throw attempts as Mason, but their woeful 10-of-18 performance from the line mitigated the damage.

The Patriots’ defense dominated after halftime. For nearly nine minutes of game time in the third and into the fourth, Mason held the Billikens 0-for-9 in a standout defensive stretch. 

During the nine-game win streak, the Patriots’ defense has been a constant, giving up just 53.0 points per game. Since losing to Princeton on Dec. 20, no opponent has put up more than 59 points.

“We have to punch first,” junior forward Louis Volker said while discussing the team’s mentality on defense, saying that their approach builds momentum and puts leads together.

Blair-Lewis’s philosophy on that side of the ball is firm. “Defense leads …everybody has to buy into that, no matter what it is, no matter who we’re playing. We’re going to do everything we can,” she said.

Efficient rebounding from Mason’s frontcourt, including 32 defensive boards, prevented the Billikens from establishing their presence in the paint. The Patriots outrebounded Saint Louis 42-32, swaying possessions in their favor.

Walton credited Volker and graduate forward Hawa Komara for boxing out and giving her opportunities off the glass.

Walton was everywhere on the court, adding seven defensive rebounds and six assists to another double-digit outing. Volker added five rebounds of her own to go along with an 11-point performance, making fourth-quarter threes to help put the game out of reach.

(Davon Marion / Fourth Estate)

The Patriots’ bench made the most of their opportunity, outscoring the Billikens’ reserves 22-1.

“Our bench is very much capable,” Blair-Lewis said. “Anybody can start. I think we have enough [bench] players that can start on another team.”

After a week of rest, Mason will travel south and face Richmond (8-1 in-conference) in a showdown of A-10 contenders. The defense will be tested once again, as the Spiders boast the best scoring offense in the conference. Fans can watch the 6 p.m. tipoff on ESPN+ on Saturday, Feb. 7.

[See image gallery at gmufourthestate.com]

(Freya Hutton / Fourth Estate)

Seeing our world through “animal” eyes

BY FREYA HUTTON, CONTRIBUTOR

Last year Mason’s Fairfax campus was visited by the famous Georgina, a red coated male fox who wooed the hearts of students and faculty alike.

While discussion surrounding Georgina continued for weeks, expressed through heartfelt
Instagram posts and Reddit comments, it inevitably culminated in a singular sobering moment.

Confirmed on Nov. 20, 2024, Georgina had been struck dead by a car outside Rappahannock Parking deck.

Despite the value placed on Georgina’s life and the shrine which appeared following his death, neither the university nor the student body sought to engage in any act beyond remembrance. I acknowledge this not to re-memorialize Georgina, but to reckon with a fault ascribed within our university’s various forests, conservation efforts and “animal” celebrities. Despite our efforts for environmental conservation, we have failed to protect and properly value the “animals” which inhabit our campus.

“Animal,” in its modern terminology, has been used to describe anything from lizards to mammals. However, this term is fundamentally rooted in a desire to separate ourselves from them. By classifying most other living beings as “animals,” we’ve resided ourselves to our own completely singular perspective. As a result, our current environmental endeavors often fail to even acknowledge the perspective of these “animals.” Quite simply, if we’re going to protect them, we should start listening.

From small critters to larger fauna, the impact of animals on campus may seem minute, but the research speaks for itself. Interaction and correlation with wildlife has shown substantial benefit to student health, happiness and even success.

Despite the proven benefits, and Mason’s own attempts to integrate wildlife into our campus through the various forested patches and open gardens sequestered across Mason, the university has never engaged in any substantial action to protect these “animals.”

Across every on-campus environmental endeavor the university has engaged in, there remains a complete lack of acknowledgement from Mason of even the possibility of wildlife encounters, let alone the active reality of daily wildlife appearances students currently experience.

Over the past semester, through consistent and extended interaction, I became what could only be considered friends with a female doe living with the geese by Mason Pond. I came to call her Dolly.

Though I expect Dolly to be less than five years of age, constant human interaction has softened her resistance to industrialism. No longer afraid of leaving the forests of Mason, she wandered the streets of campus, yearning to understand.

This understanding quickly became the basis of our relationship. As I taught Dolly to
stay out of the street and off sidewalks, she enlightened me to her experiences.

The wonder and multiplicity by which Dolly unapologetically approached every entity of her environment bewildered me. In interacting with Dolly, I was forced, not only to unpack the barriers I had built between me and the “animals” in my environment, but the very means by which I approached the world.

Dolly continues to encourage a sense of wonder and exploration within me — one entirely bound by her reactions to the foreign world we have constructed for her.

Inevitably, Dolly, along with every other “animal” which calls our campus home, has revealed a lesson we could all learn: empathy. The only difference between the way “animals” and ourselves approach the world is through wonder and kindness.

Our local fauna are not perpetuated by the same stoic cynicism we often attribute to ourselves. “Animals,” as we have chosen to call them, present an opportunity to see our world through inquisitive, empathetic and adaptive eyes. Neither Georgina nor any animal should see this campus as a threat to their lives.

As climate change and environmental degradation continues to strip away the land these creatures once called home, it becomes our duty to understand we are the cause of this disaster.
We must welcome these “animals” into our community, treat them with kindness and understanding, and reconcile that our environment would not be in such jeopardy if we had only started caring sooner.

(Sam Douglas / Fourth Estate)

New artificial intelligence tools keeps the university on track with rapid digital advancements

BY RENATA PERNEGROVA, STAFF WRITER

Throughout the fall semester, George Mason made concrete steps toward integrating artificial intelligence capabilities into its operations by launching an enterprise AI platform called PatriotAI. 

President Gregory Washington announced the launch of the initiative on June 4, 2025 as part of an inaugural component of the university’s “Integrate AI” ambition. Through a partnership with Microsoft and Cloudforce, the program aims to integrate artificial intelligence into academic and student services. These goals are in line with Mason’s stated commitment to innovation and digital transformation. 

“PatriotAI is a platform available to everyone with a George Mason account,” says Amarda Shahu, Mason’s Inaugural VP and Chief AI Officer who has been involved in the initiative since day one. 

The platform is compounded into six specific university-supported agents.  

“PatriotAI can be treated as a chat, the same way as other similar AI platforms. But we decided that we were also going to create some specialized agents to make it easier for our community,” Shehu said.

These six initial agents are called Patriot Chat, DocuMate, PatriotPal, NourishNet, CourseMat and SyllaBright. Each of them are designed with unique purposes to enhance learning, research, student life and administration across campus in a different way. 

Patriot Chat is a conversational assistant for general support and advice, similar to popular AI tools like ChatGPT. 

PatriotPal and CourseMate are aimed at supporting students’ learning processes. The new tools work to provide information about administrative procedures and paperwork, analyze research articles, interpret textbook materials, understand lecture content and help prepare for exams. 

DocuMate is an assistant for summarizing documents, formulating key concepts and conducting cross-document analyses. 

Syllabright is available for faculty members, helping to develop and refine educational materials and adapt concepts to multiple purposes according to specific course requirements. 

NourishNet offers guidance to students who experience food insecurity. It provides resources on how to access food programs on campus or in specific communities while avoiding the stigma that some students in this situation may experience. 

Shehu says the idea behind NourishNet resembles the spirit of Mason. 

“Since we are an access university, which makes us unique, a significant percentage of our students are food insecure. That is why we decided to integrate an agent that will work as a front door to what kind of programs are at this university to support food insecure students,” she said. 

All of these platforms are now available to all members of the Mason community on the PatriotAI platform webpage, which can be accessed by Google search or through PatriotWeb. 

Self-paced resources on how to use AI tools effectively while understanding its capabilities, limitations and ethical implications are also available. LinkedIn Learning is an accessible and free learning tool for active Mason students, faculty and staff.

Shehu says that there are growing communities of practice that form out of the desire to share experiences with PatriotAI. 

“Communities of staff meet regularly and exchange feedback and advice on how they are using the platform and in what areas it may ease their work,” she said. 

The university wrote that further development in the program will be based on user adaptation, feedback and experiences.  

Better AI literacy and increased engagement with PatriotAI are two main metrics for assessing the platform’s success. “

We keep doing surveys and collecting feedback to see what percentage of our community engages with it. At the same time, it is important that faculty, staff and students know what these tools are capable of and, perhaps more importantly, what they are not capable of,” Shehu said. 

(Detra Bell / Fourth Estate)

What you should keep in mind year-round

BY PHILIP WILKERSON, CONTRIBUTOR

Every February, the United States observes Black History Month. Campuses host programs, social media fills with quotes, and classrooms revisit familiar names. These moments matter, but they are not enough. Black history is not something I celebrate for 28 days. I celebrate it every month. 

I often think of history as a blanket made up of multiple threads, layered and interdependent. You cannot pull one thread without unraveling the whole. Black history is one of those foundational threads. To confine it to a single month is to misunderstand the fabric of American history itself.

Interwoven into the Black experience are the stories of women, Asian Americans, Muslim Americans, Indigenous peoples, immigrants, and countless other groups. Yet, because of the origins of the Black story in America — enslavement, exploitation, resistance and resilience — we often attempt to ignore it or push it to the margins. Doing so does not change history. It only limits our understanding of it.

Even the names we honor tell this complicated story.

George Mason, one of the authors of the Declaration of Independence and the namesake of our university, famously advocated for liberty and individual rights. Yet, he also enslaved people. 

This contradiction is not speculation. It is documented in his own words. In his Last Will and Testament, dated March 20, 1773, Mason wrote:

“I give and bequeath unto each of my four Daughters, Ann Mason, Sarah Mason, Mary Mason, and Elizabeth Mason, and to each of their heirs for ever, the following Slaves with their increase respectively from the date of this my Will. I confirm a Negro Girl named Penny to my Daughter Ann.”

How do we reconcile a man who argued for freedom while legally treating human beings as property? How do we sit with the discomfort of that truth?

The answer is difficult but necessary. This paradox is the American story: it is inseparable from the Black story in America.

George Mason University exists within that legacy, but it is also reshaping it. Our campus is contributing to history in real time. 

We have a Black president leading a major public research university. We have Black faculty and staff conducting groundbreaking research, mentoring students, and shaping national conversations. We have Black students and student leaders preparing to leave Mason and make their mark on the world.

That, too, is Black history.

History is often framed as the study of the past, something static and finished. I see it differently. History exists across the past, present, and future. The past gives us context. The present gives us responsibility. The future gives us possibility.

Understanding Black history is not about memorizing dates. It is about understanding where we come from and how that knowledge shapes how we move through the world today. 

Learning about our ancestors and their struggles, brilliance and resilience gives us strength. That strength shows up in classrooms, meeting rooms and moments when we are the only ones present.

This is why Black history matters year-round, especially at George Mason University. Mason prides itself on innovation, access and impact. But innovation without context is incomplete. Access without historical awareness risks repeating inequities.

So, this February, I offer a charge to students, faculty, staff and alumni. Engage with Black history not as something optional, but as something connected to your own story. Learn from the lives of Black leaders and everyday people whose courage shaped this university and this country.

Ask yourself how their story informs who you are today and who you hope to become tomorrow. History is not just something we study. History is something we are actively creating together every day.

[See image gallery at gmufourthestate.com]

(Addison Cox / Fourth Estate)

Students gather in Johnson Center to debut Homecoming 2026

BY KATIE PERSCHAU, CULTURE EDITOR

After a week of chilling temperatures and university closures, Mason students reunited in the Johnson Center on Thursday to bring the heat for the second annual Rally at the Court pep rally hosted by Mason Student Centers. The event was the official kickstart of Homecoming at Mason. 

The weeklong celebration leading up to the men’s basketball game against Saint Joseph’s is packed with events and performances. Some of the events include the Tip Off Party and Lip Sync Battle, women’s homecoming basketball game, day of service, comedy headliner performance, city crawl and the gameday tailgate.  

To open the rally, the Masonettes dance team showcased a spirited routine as students and visitors paused to take part in the celebration.

The performance was followed by a trivia game hosted by the men’s basketball team. Players quizzed students on fun facts about the university and statistics from the men’s basketball season. 

Junior Shaun Gervase, the rally’s show host, invited the Mason Cheer team on stage to lead the Mason Fight Song. The familiar tune echoed throughout the Johnson Center as students joined in and applauded the performance. 

Members of Student Involvement took the stage next to introduce the week’s upcoming events and encourage students to attend the various celebrations to support the men’s and women’s teams. 

(Addison Cox / Fourth Estate)

Gervase also encouraged students to submit their votes for the banner painting competition, a Mason homecoming tradition in which members of Fraternity and Sorority Life paint banners that hang from the balconies of the Johnson Center during the week. Gervase later announced the winners of the competition: Zeta Tau Alpha and Tau Kappa Epsilon’s banner featuring Mason jerseys and the slogan “Patriots Brave and Bold.”

(Addison Cox / Fourth Estate)

To close out the event, the Green Machine performed a series of upbeat songs, and student models walked the stage promoting Mason merch from the University’s bookstore.  

“We look forward to seeing you around at the various activities this week and next,” Gervase said. 

Homecoming events will continue from Jan. 30 through Feb. 7 at the Fairfax campus. 

(Art Pittman / George Mason Athletics)

Patriots overcome half-time deficit, poor free-throw shooting to bounce back

BY SAM DOUGLAS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, AND PETER MAHLER, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Four days after dropping their first conference game of the season, Mason men’s basketball bounced back with a 60-52 win over the Davidson Wildcats. 

Mason withstood a shaky first half by playing their brand of gritty, defensive-oriented basketball behind a raucous crowd at EagleBank Arena.

The Patriots held the lead for most of the first half, but a 15-1 run would have Mason down 6 going into the locker room. Offense was limited for both sides, and Mason’s atypical 6-for-13 performance from the free-throw line didn’t help.

Like many times this season, Mason rode a staunch second-half defense to victory. They allowed only 18 points after the break, including a seven-minute scoring drought from Davidson with less than ten minutes left to play in the half.

“Thank God for two halves of basketball,” Coach Tony Skinn said, referring to the team’s halftime adjustments. “Let’s learn from what just happened. We got another 20 minutes. Let’s fix it.” 

Junior Kory Mincy continued his stellar season, posting a game-high 19 points and 5 assists. The standout guard ranks second in the A-10 in scoring, averaging 16.4 points per game. Mincy has been lethal from beyond the three-point line, ranking in the top 10 for three-pointers made per game and three-point percentage.

“Me being in there, being able to help my guys out while they’re fighting hard down there, it allows me to be able to push the pace and see the floor,” Mincy said.

Coming into the game without junior center Riley Allenspach, their second-leading scorer and leader in rebounds, Mason had a major hole to fill in their five position. 

Even without Allenspach, Coach Skinn praised his big men for stepping in when needed. 

“Our five position is not our problem, because we’ve got Nick Ellington and [freshman forward] Emmanuel Kanga, and I thought that they stepped up tremendously tonight in different ways,” he said.

Stepping in as Allenspach’s replacement, graduate forward Nick Ellington made the most of his start, contributing a team-leading seven rebounds. He was also a defensive asset, recording two steals and a block.

Ellington’s eight points on 3-for-3 shooting helped catapult him to 1,000 career points.

“I’ve got a little girl, I can tell her like, ‘Man, I got a thousand Division I points on a historic Mason team,’” Ellington said, “Like that’s something I’m going to talk about for the rest of my life. Hopefully she can tell her friends that — she may even tell her kids that.”

Scoring for Davidson certainly dried up in the second half, as they shot just 28% from the field. Ellington was a major factor, racking up three of his defensive rebounds after the break.

“As bad as we’ve been in the first half, for the most part, we’ve been able to just kind of cut people’s water off in the second half,” Skinn said.

At 19-2, the Patriots haven’t always won pretty, but Skinn isn’t too focused on how they win.

“It’s my opinion, but if it ain’t broke, you don’t fix it, right?” he said.

The Patriots move to 7-1 in the A-10, and their 19-2 record is the best start in team history. Their run has included rivalry wins at EagleBank over VCU and GW, and they will travel to face St. Bonaventure in another conference matchup on Saturday, Jan. 31. Fans can watch the 6:30 p.m. tipoff on USA Network.

(Detra Bell / Fourth Estate)

Dear Editor and Mason Community,

My name is Nolan Fitzsimmons, and I am a recent graduate of George Mason University (BA Sociology ’25) and a current law student. I am writing to express my disagreement with the Mason Student Government’s recent decision to facilitate the impeachment and removal of its president, Mr. Isaiah Grays. 

The Student Government’s corruption allegation against him, which was premised on an alleged act of bribery, was weak because it relied entirely on the testimony of one witness. The Student Government’s quasi-judicial board, the Elections and Disputes Commission (EDC), deferred entirely to the testimony of this witness because he “[knew] the code well and [knew] the consequences of lying during this hearing” (see Appeal Discussion). 

How could Mr. Grays have defended himself if his accuser’s words were to be taken as fact barring the production of disproving evidence? Minimal evidence as well as procedural unfairness existed with regard to the Student Government’s corruption allegation against Mr. Grays.

Additionally, the EDC did not find that Mr. Grays had forged signatures. This was one of the Student Government’s most serious claims against him.

Furthermore, one of the main factual bases underlying the proceedings against Mr. Grays was that he allegedly contacted someone in place of the rightful liaison. That, even if true, does not constitute sufficient grounds for impeachment. Neither do the remaining unmentioned allegations against him. 

The milder sanction of issuing a censure was available to the Student Government. Barring exceptionally strong cause (which was not present here), a censure should have preceded impeachment. 

I resultantly write in protest of the Student Government’s decision to facilitate Mr. Grays’ impeachment and removal from office. 

Sincerely,

Nolan Fitzsimmons, BA ‘25

EDITOR’S NOTE: This letter was edited for length and clarity.

(Photo courtesy of Office of University Branding)

Costello College of Business dean assumes role ahead of Antony’s departure

BY RITHVIK HARI, STAFF WRITER

President Gregory Washington named Costello College of Business Dean Ajay Vinzé interim provost on Dec. 10. 

Less than a month earlier on Nov. 17, Washington announced that Provost and Executive Vice President James Antony would leave George Mason University in March 2026.

The announcement said Vinzé and Antony will work together in the coming months to “ensure a collaborative transition” as the university searches for a permanent appointment to the position. 

Vinzé joined Mason in 2022 as dean of what was then known as the School of Business. During his tenure, the college was renamed the Costello College of Business following its national recognition of new academic programs, faculty growth and increased enrollment. 

In an email sent to Costello students, Vinzé announced the temporary role change and emphasized his continued commitment to the business college. 

“While my heart remains firmly with the Costello College of Business — and I fully intend to return — this interim role offers an important opportunity to support the broader university community that has championed our college’s growth and success over the past three years,” Vinzé’s email reads. 

As interim provost, Vinzé will work with Antony in overseeing the university’s academic affairs and the allocation of resources for academic programs and functions. 

In the same message to Costello students, Vinzé wrote that Cheryl Druehl, senior associate dean for faculty affairs and research, will serve as interim dean of the Costello College during his tenure as interim provost. 

“[Druehl’s] leadership, deep institutional knowledge, and dedication to our shared priorities will help ensure the college continues its strong forward momentum,” Vinzé wrote. 

Shortly after announcing Vinzé’s appointment, Washington also announced the members of the search committee tasked with selecting Mason’s next permanent provost. 

The committee includes faculty and administrators from across Mason. It is co-chaired by Melissa Broeckelman-Post, assistant provost of academic affairs and professor of communication, and Solon Simmons, professor and director of the Narrative Transformation Lab at the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. 

In his announcement, Washington wrote he expects the committee to select a search firm and finalize a position description early in the spring 2026 semester. A search firm is used to help universities identify candidates that align with the university’s culture and vision. 

Washington added that interviews are anticipated to be conducted from April to May 2026, with a new provost expected to begin July 1, pending final approval.

(Sam Douglas / Fourth Estate)

Isaiah Grays officially removed from role as president

BY SAM DOUGLAS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

With his hand on “Robert’s Rules of Order,” Jonathan Dubois officially became undergraduate student body president of George Mason University. He was sworn in during the Undergraduate Representative Body meeting Jan. 22.

He replaces Isaiah Grays, whose reign as president ended in an impeachment process that has lasted the past three months. 

Grays was impeached in late October by the URB, then removed from office after a hearing with the Elections and Disputes Commission. He remained in his role as president throughout appeals to the EDC and the Faculty Review Board. Both appeals were rejected, causing his official removal from office.

Dubois was elected alongside Grays in May 2025, serving as Grays’ executive vice president. The ticket won a four-way race, finishing second in total number of first place votes received but winning due to the election’s ranked-choice voting system.

The victory was viewed as an upset; Grays and Dubois were elected as freshmen, beating several candidates with more student government experience. They won using a campaign promise of “Bringing the YOU back to GMU.”

Now, Dubois steps into a position that presides over the Undergraduate Representative Body and also has a non-voting seat on the newly transformed Board of Visitors, where he is the only undergraduate student permitted to speak during meetings.

(Sam Douglas / Fourth Estate)

According to the SG Code, when a student body president is removed from office, their executive vice president takes their place. When the executive vice president role is vacant, the vice president for membership training and development is supposed to take their role.

That position is currently vacant, meaning it falls on President Dubois to appoint his own executive vice president. Dubois and his selected executive vice president will serve until elections are held for the next undergraduate student body president at the end of the spring semester.

(Nathan Ferraro / Fourth Estate)

What you need to know about campus operations and travel this weekend

BY NATHAN FERRARO, MANAGING EDITOR

Mason students are bracing for extreme winter weather as the National Weather Service predicts between six and 14 inches of snow in Northern Virginia from Saturday to Sunday.

“I hope it snows a little bit, but not too much,” said freshman nursing major Marley Hancock. “Usually they say a lot more than it actually snows.”

“We got food in case the dining halls close,” she said. “We’re just hoping the dining halls don’t close.” 

Students are encouraged to sign up for the Mason Alert Emergency Notification System at ready.gmu.edu for alerts on any building closures or other emergency updates. 

“We monitor the weather and storm forecasts and spend time treating those areas before the snow arrives,” wrote Ariel Sierra, communications and marketing manager of Mason Facilities and Campus Operations, in an email. “Once the snow starts, we take a proactive approach and have multiple teams clearing snow.”

Friday afternoon at 4 p.m., Mason announced the university would be closed starting 10 p.m. Saturday through at least Sunday. 

A campus status webpage has been created to inform students of all relevant updates during the course of the weekend.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger declared a state of emergency for the commonwealth yesterday. 

“State agencies are mobilized, and we are working closely with local governments and utility partners,” read a quote from a Spanberger administration press release.

A cold weather advisory began 8 p.m. Friday night and will last until 10 a.m. Saturday.

Experts warn against travel over the weekend and predict that the Monday morning commute could be affected by “hazardous conditions.”

Mason Dining has an automatically updating webpage of dining options for on-campus students to utilize this weekend. 

“We will be publishing live updates there, as well as providing printed and digital communications at the dining halls,” Sofya Vetrova, district marketing manager for Mason at Chartwells, wrote in an email.

Residents can also check Mason Dining’s Instagram page for announcements.

Mason Recreation also has a webpage for altered facility hours.

“We have a team of staff that updates our website, social media, and communication channels to alert people of facility hours and changes as soon as possible,” a Mason Recreation representative said in an email.

“[Facilities and Campus Operations] recommends staying indoors during inclement weather.  Contact the … Customer Service Center by calling (703) 993-2525 to submit a work order. In the case of an emergency, call 911,” Sierra wrote. 

(Art Pittman / George Mason Athletics)

Mason wins seven straight games and stays perfect in A-10

BY PETER MAHLER, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

As students settled down during a much-needed winter break, Mason’s women’s basketball team did the opposite.

They turned up the intensity of their play during the holidays, winning seven straight games against conference rivals since an overtime loss to #20 Princeton on Dec. 20.

In that game, 47 combined points by juniors Zahirah Walton, Kennedy Harris and Louis Volker were not enough to outlast the Tigers. Mason lost a 71-69 nail-biter which they trailed by 14 in the third quarter.

Since then, the Patriots have responded by heating up at the right time in crucial games.

Mason edged Saint Joseph’s 66-59 on Jan. 18, denying them a chance at revenge for their loss to Mason in last season’s A-10 championship. It was an efficient outing beyond the arc, with the Patriots making 40% of their attempted three-pointers. Harris led the team with four made threes.

The win boosted the Patriots’ record to a perfect 7-0 against conference opponents, the best start in program history.

A-10 dominance has become the norm for Mason under Coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis. She holds an impressive 22-4 record in the conference, a stark contrast from the zero wins in-conference in the 2021 season before her hiring.

Blair-Lewis says that her players understand the standard set by previous Mason squads and recognize that championship-level play is required to win these types of games.

Mason has found different formulas for success. Throughout the streak, Mason has relied on dominant defensive performances, holding each of their opponents to under 45% shooting from the floor. 

In closer contests, like the 59-54 win against Loyola Chicago on Jan. 14, the Patriots depended on an efficient night from the free-throw line by Zahirah Walton. The Patriots’ top scorer made 10 of the team’s 14 free throws, pushing them to a hard-fought victory.

(Art Pittman / George Mason Athletics)

Sitting second in the A-10 with a record of 13-6, trailing only Rhode Island, the Patriots have found a way to win despite being the third-worst rebounding team in the conference.  

Blair-Lewis, recognizing the work that needs to be done between now and springtime, believes her team is yet to peak.

“We’re not even close right now,” she said following the Loyola Chicago game. “There’s a lot more in our bag … There’s a lot of season left, and there’s still a lot of time for us to peak.”

After defeating St. Bonaventure 57-48 on Wednesday, the Patriots will face Richmond at home on Sunday, Jan. 25, pending any inclement weather. 

An eighth straight win would further extend their unbeaten streak versus A-10 opponents. Students can watch the tipoff at 11 a.m through ESPN+. Due to the threat of heavy snow, no fans will be allowed in EagleBank arena. Additional information can be found on GoMason.com. 

[See image gallery at gmufourthestate.com]

What you need to know about the new BOV members

BY SAM DOUGLAS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Almost immediately after Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s inauguration on Jan. 17, sweeping changes have been made in the leadership at George Mason University.

On Jan. 17, the same day as Rector Charles “Cully” Stimson’s resignation, Visitor Robert Pence stepped down. This left the board with four active members: Vice Rector Michael Meese, Secretary Armand Alacbay, Visitor Jon M. Peterson and Visitor Jeffrey A. Rosen.

It is unlikely for the board to be depleted for long. Almost immediately after her inauguration, Spanberger announced 12 appointments to Mason’s Board of Visitors:

• Anne Altman: Altman is the co-founder and CEO of Everyone Matters Inc., which is a “social impact enterprise… dedicated to ensuring that everyone has equal access to citizen-based services, healthcare, and education,” according to its website. She previously worked for 18 years at IBM, including as general manager of U.S. Federal and Government Industries. She is a member of the Dean’s Council for Costello College of Business, where she earned her bachelor’s degree. She previously served on the Board of Visitors from 2007-2011.

 

• Bruce Caswell: Caswell is the CEO and director of Maximus, described as “a trusted service delivery partner and architect of government technology solutions,” on their website. Caswell also serves on the board of the Greater Washington Partnership and as chair of the Northern Virginia Technology Council.

 

• Shawn N. Chambliss-Purviss: Chambliss-Purvis is the CEO of Sabel Systems, which “[simplifies] digital complexity to accelerate mission delivery, connecting data, systems, and teams in secure, scalable environments built for modern missions,” according to their website. She was previously president and CEO at QinetiQ and held vice president positions at Northrop Grumman. She earned her master’s degree in Information Systems from Mason, and previously served on the BOV from 2015-2019.

 

• Tom Davis: Davis is a former U.S. representative who served Fairfax as Virginia’s 11th Congressional District representative for 13 years. He also previously served as rector of Mason’s Board of Visitors from 2014-2020 as well as being a trustee at the Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study. He currently serves as a partner at Holland and Knight law offices.

 

• Paul Misener: Misener is the founder and principal at Misener Innovation LLC, which is a “consultancy dedicated to helping organizations to innovate, advocate, and communicate their culture, processes, and products/services,” according to their website. Misener previously worked for 23 years at Amazon and earned his law degree from Antonin Scalia Law School.

 

• Trevor Montano: Montano is the founder and managing member of West Potomac Capitol LLC, which is “a specialist investment firm focused on financial and business services, clean energy and sustainable finance,” according to their website. He previously served as a chief investment officer in the U.S. Department of the Treasury from 2014-2017. He earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from the Costello College of Business.

 

• Jim Moran: Moran is a former U.S. representative who served Virginia’s 8th Congressional District for 24 years. He served as mayor of Alexandria, Va. from 1985 until 1990. Currently, he is the founder, president and CEO of Moran Global Strategies, which “provides top-quality government relations services such as lobbying, strategic consulting, advocacy, and policy development,” according to their website. 

 

• Delbert Parks: Parks is the vice president of front end manufacturing operations at Micron Technology. According to their website, they are “a world leader in innovative memory solutions that [transforms] how the world uses information to enrich life for all.” Parks has served as a member of the George Mason Board of Trustees since 2021.

 

• George Schindler: Schindler is a member of the Board of Directors at CGI, and previously served as the company’s president and CEO from 2016-2024. CGI is “one of the largest IT and business consulting services firms in the world,” according to their website. Schindler was also the featured speaker at Winter Commencement in 2024.

 

• Sumeet Shrivastava: Shrivastava is the president and CEO of Unissant, which “[pioneers] secure and intelligent data solutions to empower a transformative future,” according to their website. He previously served as president and CEO of Array Information Technology for five years and earned a master’s degree in Business Administration from the Costello College of Business. He also serves as a chair on the George Mason University Foundation’s Board of Trustees.

 

• Sean Spence: Spence is a senior manager of corporate finance at BDO, which “delivers assurance, tax, and advisory services to clients throughout the country and around the globe,” according to their website. He is also an adjunct professor of Finance in the Costello College of Business.

 

• Jennifer Taylor: Taylor is the president and CEO of the Northern Virginia Technology Council, which is “the trade association representing the Northern Virginia technology community,” according to their website. She previously held vice president roles at Consumer Technology Association, Caring Village LLC and AARP. She earned her master’s of Business Administration from Mason.

All of Spanberger’s appointments will have to go through confirmation hearings held by the Va. State Senate’s Privileges and Elections Committee starting today, before being voted on by the State Senate and House of Delegates. Former Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s 10 appointments to Mason’s BOV in 2025 were blocked by the committee.

The new appointments signal a shift to the left for the Board of Visitors, which had formerly been criticized for including members of the conservative think-tank The Heritage Foundation. 

According to the Federal Elections Commission’s individual contributions database, at least six of the 12 appointments have donated to Democratic causes, with Moran serving in Congress as a Democrat.

Due to Rector Cully Stimson’s resignation, Vice Rector Michael Meese will handle rector duties until the board elects a rector to a two-year term at the Feb. 26 full board meeting

EDITOR’S NOTE: A mistake was corrected where Tom Davis was stated as serving in Congress as a Democrat. (Thursday, Jan. 22, 5:51 p.m.)