Alumni Association & Chapter News 

• Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration

• Johnson & Strachan Distinguished Speaker Series--Newt Gingrich

• Homecoming 2009

• Mason Symphony Orchestra Alumni Concert

• CVPA Hosts 4th Annual "Arts in the Real World"

For information on other Mason Alumni activities, visit the Alumni Events Calendar.

University News

• Obama Delivers Major Economic Speech at Mason

• Princeton Review's Best Value Colleges Includes Mason

• Mason Partners with Consultants to Guide Government

• Presidential Early Career Award Goes to Mason Astrophysicist

From the Campus Scene

Then-President-elect Obama delivered a major economic speech at Mason's Center for the Arts on January 8. Photo by Evan Cantwell

Patriot Sports

• Mason Across the Nation--HOOPla in Norfolk

• Edgar Named CAA Scholar-Athlete for Men's Soccer

• Patriot Club Bus Trips

Alumni Association News

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration

Alumni are invited to join students, faculty, and staff for an evening of reflection to celebrate Dr. King's legacy on Wednesday, January 28 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Johnson Center's Dewberry Hall on the Fairfax Campus. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski III. Please join us! EVENT INFO>

Johnson & Strachan Distinguished Speaker Series—Newt Gingrich

Former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, is the inaugural speaker for the School of Management's Johnson & Strachan Distinguished Speaker Series. He will speak on February 5 in the Center for the Arts on the Fairfax campus. Tickets are free, although space is limited. Reserve your tickets today! EVENT INFORMATION>

Homecoming 2009

No one has SWAGGER like us! Plan to join fellow alumni and the entire campus community for Homecoming 2009, February 8-14. Alumni Association highlights will be a reception for faculty/staff alumni, a beer-tasting event, and a VIP (Very Important Patriot) hospitality tent at the annual pre-game block party on Saturday, February 14. HOMECOMING INFO>

Mason Symphony Orchestra Alumni Concert

On February 17 at 8:00 p.m., Mason’s Symphony Orchestra will present an alumni concert featuring many accomplished alumni musicians. All alumni are invited to attend this exciting musical event in the Concert Hall on the Fairfax campus.

The following alumni are scheduled to participate:

• Colonel Michael Colburn, MA `91, Conductor of the United States Marine Band;
• Dr. Jeffery Taubenberger, BS `82, composer/conductor and molecular pathologist at NIH;
• Angela Pregano-Knight, BM `91, soprano with the Washington Opera;
• John Kocur, BM `06 graduate student in Jazz Studies at Howard University;
• Melanie Campbell, BM `06, dramatic soprano, graduate student at New England Conservatory of Music;
• Marshall Jones, BM `05, conductor, graduate student at Mason; and
• Vincent Oppido, BA `08, conductor/composer, graduate student at Mason. 

A special pre-performance reception will be held in the Concert Hall, and all alumni are invited to attend. For complimentary tickets, please contact Professor Anthony Maiello, at 703-993-1383 or amaiello@gmu.edu, and tickets will be left at the will call window in your name on the evening of the performance.

College of Visual and Performing Arts Hosts 4th Annual "Arts in the Real World"

The CVPA Alumni Chapter hosts its 4th Annual "Arts in the Real World" career evening on Wednesday, February 18 at 6:00 p.m. in the Alumni Atrium in Mason Hall on the Fairfax Campus. Please join us for a FREE dinner buffet, networking opportunities, and career advice from a panel of CVPA alumni from art and visual technology, dance, music, theater, film, and arts management. For more information, please contact Leticia Moreno at lmoreno1@gmu.edu.

University News

Obama Delivers Major Economic Speech at Mason

Mason's Center for the Arts Concert Hall was the venue for then-President-elect Barack Obama's major address on the economy, which he delivered on January 8. MORE>

Princeton Review's Best Value Colleges Includes Mason

The New York-based education services company features Mason on its list of America’s 100 “Best Value” colleges for 2009. Mason is the only school in the Washington, D.C., region to be selected. MORE>

Mason Partners with Consultants to Guide Government

In the interest of better public policy, the relationship between federal government employees and contractors is getting scrutiny by Mason academics and consultants.

MORE>

Presidential Early Career Award Goes to Astrophysicist

Merav Opher, assistant professor in Mason's Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Science, has been selected to receive the distinguished and highly competitive Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). MORE>

Patriot Sports

Mason Across the Nation—HOOPla in Norfolk

On Saturday, January 31, the Patriot men’s basketball team takes on the Old Dominion Monarchs in Norfolk.  Mason alumni and friends from the Hampton Roads area are invited to enjoy food and fellowship at a pre-game social and then watch a great game. MORE>

Edgar Named CAA Scholar-Athlete for Men's Soccer

Mason junior Richard Edgar, a midfielder on the men's soccer team, was one of six recipients of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Scholar-Athlete Award for the fall sports season. Edgar, a psychology major, had an impressive 3.96 GPA. MORE>

Patriot Club Bus Trips

• January 24:  Mason at VCU
• February 7:  Mason at JMU

MasonWire is a free service and official publication of George Mason University and the GMU Alumni Association. It is designed to give you quick, monthly updates on the happenings at your alma mater. You received MasonWire because of your affiliation with George Mason University. Subscribe and unsubscribe requests for MasonWire, including address changes, are handled by sending an e-mail to the Office of Alumni Affairs at alumni@gmu.edu. Please be sure to include your name, graduation year(s), and e-mail address.

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