C2M Student Organizations Reporter Audrey Mattaino

First members inducted into historical Phi Beta Kappa honor society

After years of work to bring a chapter to George Mason University, the Phi Beta Kappa honor society held its first induction ceremony on April 17, accepting 125 students, four alumni and 139 charter faculty members.

“It was a wonderful ceremony, combining the installation of our chapter and the induction of the first cohort of students,” said Marion Deshmukh, president of the Omicron Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, in an email.

Civil engineering students to bring water to Nicaraguan community

This summer, civil engineering students in Engineers for International Development will implement a project intended to bring accessible water to a small community in Nicaragua.

EfID plans to install a new well, a solar-powered water storage tank, and pipes to transport water to homes in the Grande Sabana community of Nicaragua. The community has two inefficient wells and no way to store water.

Mason wins PINK Representatives, chance for GMU PINK merchandise

Mason remained in first place in the PINK competition for three weeks (photo courtesy of GMU PINK Nation). 

After retaining the lead in a Victoria’s Secret PINK competition, Mason qualified to be in a PINK Representative Program.

“This means free parties, PINK events, concerts, merchandise giveaways and the opportunity to be included in the Victoria's Secret PINK Collegiate Collection,” said Brianna Carey, founder of the GMU PINK Nation campaign,  in an email.

The Victoria’s Secret website announced on Tuesday the top ten schools with the most online votes, which include Virginia Commonwealth University and James Madison University. The top ten schools win two PINK representatives for fall 2013 and the chance to have PINK apparel with their school's logo.

Students bring back Holi celebration

In collaboration with Student Government and Class Councils, George Mason University’s Indian Student Association is holding Holi Moli, a campus-wide celebration of the Hindu holiday Holi  on March 30. Students are encouraged to celebrate by throwing colored powder on each other.

 “When the executive planning board was figuring out what events we wanted to do this year, Holi was something we wanted to try to bring to campus again,” said Nupur Khullar, Vice President of the Indian Student Association. Mason has not had a Holi celebration in seven years.

Student organizations raise genocide awareness with art activism project.

On Monday, March 5, Mason’s Cultural Integration Association, Table for Two GMU and Mason’s Working Group on Displaced Populations hosted an art activism event called “One Million Bones” to raise awareness about genocide.

Students participated by sculpting clay bones in Dewberry Hall to send to the One Million Bones project. The Cultural Integration Association succeeded in obtaining 432 bones, just 68 short of its goal of 500.

Students provide input on Code of Conduct

George Mason University's Student Government held a roundtable discussion with students and University Life representatives on Tuesday Feb. 26 to gain input about the Student Code of Conduct.

“This is the first year we are sitting down to discuss the code in its entirety and get student feedback,” Rachel Grimesey, a student senator and junior government and international politics major, wrote in an email.

Mason’s first-ever Asian American fraternity initiated

Pi Delta Psi was recently initiated as Mason’s first Asian-American cultural fraternity chapter.

Considering that Mason has eight cultural interest sororities and fraternities, including one Asian-American interest sorority, the fraternity’s founders reasoned that Mason needed an Asian-American cultural fraternity.

Mason student government reaffirms shared governance, does not address UVa request

When confronted to condemn the University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors rector, George Mason University’s student government took a stance—to not be involved.

“We are not involving ourselves in the affairs of U.Va. nor its BoV; it is not in our place to do so,” reads Resolution 27, which upholds Mason’s student government’s belief in “shared governance.”

Mason observatory to hold public stargazing sessions

George Mason University’s astronomy observatory is holding informal stargazing sessions this semester for all members of the public.

The monthly event, “Evenings under the Stars,” includes viewings through the observatory’s telescope and discussions from speakers on different topics.

“We have had scientists from all fields speak, although most are astronomy related topics,” Harold Geller, the observatory director, said in an email.

Mason senior wins international science essay contest

Karl Haislmaier, a George Mason University senior physics major, won $25,000 in an international science essay contest in October 2012.

Haislmaier’s essay, entitled The Emergence of Complexity in the Universe as Viewed from a Holistic Perspective, won second place in the New Cosmic Frontiers astronomy essay contest.