George Mason University

Two-time Tony award winner Sutton Foster comes to the Center for the Arts

Two-time Tony Award winner Sutton Foster will be coming to George Mason University as part of the annual ARTS by George! fundraising event. Acclaimed by the New York Times as “the voice of a trumpet and a big, gleaming presence that floods the house,” Foster should draw in the crowd that the School of Music is looking for to get scholarships for its students.

Eastwood sheds light at the RNC on a president lacking leadership

Last week’s Republican National Convention was marked by a diverse array of speakers, many of whom have broken glass ceilings. The speakers included the first Indian-American Governor Bobby Jindal, the first female Indian-American Governor Nikki Haley, the first African-American Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and the first Latina Governor Susana Martinez, as well as diverse rising stars like Governor Brian Sandoval, Senator Marco Rubio and congressional candidate Mia Love. Last week’s lineup was a reflection of the cultural mosaic that is America.

Mason adds beekeeping to list of sustainability efforts

A new honeybee apiary is now housed at George Mason University as part of a project to improve campus sustainability.

Kathleen Curtis, executive assistant to the dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, presented the project to the Director of the Office of Sustainability.

Curtis was assisted by graduate student German Perilla.

“We needed to identify and rally the support of faculty members with expertise involving beekeeping and sustainability,” Curtis said. “That’s where [Perilla] came in. You can’t get much better than [Perilla].”

Despite initial concerns of mischievous students and those with allergies, the project received the sustainability department’s approval, as well as a grant from the Patriot Green Fund.

“Not only did we receive encouragement and support, but no office acted as a roadblock,” Curtis said. “They were all very supportive, which I thought was amazing.”

Curtis first became interested in bees and beekeeping as a young child in northern California.

“I fell in love with all things that crawl [and] hop and glide,” Curtis said. “I saw a bee tree once and became very curious. I decided at a very young age that someday I’d learn to manage bees.”

Curtis got the idea to start an apiary on campus in reaction to the ongoing decline in bee populations and American dependence on pollinated crops for food.

“Consideration of our world and our connection to it can increase because of the apiary,” Curtis said. “If we want to continue our way of eating, we need to find a way to keep the bees going.”

Curtis explained that local hives produce stronger bees that live longer and that student involvement could help increase hive populations.

“A lot of people are interested in bees, but a lot more do not know how to find out about them,” Curtis said. “Since Mason has a commitment to sustainability, we should have an apiary here. It’s a natural fit.”

Perilla, a graduate student in the zoo and aquarium leadership program who has worked with bees and pollination in Columbia, was integral to the management of the apiary. Perilla insists that working with bees can increase knowledge through many disciplines including project development, business administration, conservation and conflict resolution.

“We hope that the Mason community takes full advantage of this unique opportunity,” Perilla said.

Both Curtis and Perilla hope that the apiary will not only improve pollination in the area, but foster an attitude of sustainability on Mason’s campus as well as in the surrounding community.

“Sustainability is harmony, equilibrium between man and nature, and all species should thrive,” Perilla said. “The bees will determine in a tangible way if our behaviors and actions are in agreement with our idea of sustainability.”

Perilla plans to raise strong bees in order to make them available for everyone at Mason.

“The ultimate goal is to find permanent support from the university to be able to develop the full potential of what bees and beekeeping offer to our community,” Perilla said.

For Curtis, the bee apiary is more than just a sustainability effort, it is her passion.

“I am amazed by the bees’ simple complexity,” Curtis said. “The way the hive is run, the way they manage themselves. I don’t think I will ever learn enough about them.”

The apiary is located near Patriot Circle and Shenandoah Parking Deck.

Late Night Patriot "Year in Review" [UPDATED]

"Year in Review"

For the last show of the semester, Late Night Patriot hosted a "year in review", showcasing some of the great work the Office of Student Media has published over the 2011-2012 school year. They featured some words of wisdom from University President Alan Merten.

-Video highlights from the "year of change" in news.

-Weather outlook and last minute events to pay attention to in Weekly Rundown.

Will the real Mason Nation please stand up? [OPINION]

With 10 seconds left on the clock, the Rams were shooting free throws to add to their lead. The student section always stands during games, but at this point, they were urging the rest of Mason Nation (ironically, the fans who had to pay to be there) to join them.

“Stand up!” *Boom Boom* “Stand up!” *Boom Boom*

New gmu.edu designed for more direct navigation

George Mason University kicked off the spring semester with a new homepage. And when it came to the site's navigation system, the developers kept in mind a popular xkcd.com cartoon.

Flooding closes roads, suspends shuttle service


Two umbralla-wielding students cross a street intersecting Patriots Circle. A portion of the circle was closed on Thursday due to flooding. (Jake McLernon)

Heavy rain and flooding temporarily closed portions of George Mason University's main roadway Patriots Circle on Thursday afternoon, as well as other roads nearby campus.

Mason community joins together for The Hunt


A team of students consults The Hunt's solution sheet to see if they are on the right track to winning $1,000. (Jake McLernon) 

Fusing Cultures: Upcoming festival to feature international food, dance and fashion


People participate in last year's Cultural Fusion Fairfax event. This year's event kicks off Wednesday. (courtesy photo) 

Cultural Fusion Fairfax is returning to George Mason University for a third year from Oct. 6-27, opening with tables in the Quad, free food, information and activities.