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Catherine Read is the first woman and first Mason graduate (BA government and politics ’84) to be mayor of Fairfax City, Va., the university’s hometown, and she isn’t shy about touting a university she says helped teach her how to think critically. Want to know why it’s good to “disrupt the system,” why it’s important to get more women into policy-making decisions, and why our educational system doesn’t reward bold ideas? Read tells you.

She’s already founded a successful PAC and raised $1.6 million to help progressive candidates in need. Now Kiera Hall wants to know how to do more, and better, as a Master’s in Public Administration student at the Schar School.

Want to know how Washington really works? An exclusive course on the inner workings of Washington featuring high-profile speakers is a first-ever partnership between 911���� and the University of Pennsylvania.

In his first-ever visit to 911����, famed academic and activist Cornel West makes an appearance in the Schar School’s Race, Politics, and Policy Center’s first-ever in-person event on April 14.

The media strategists behind the most expensive gubernatorial race in Virginia’s history met on stage to talk about what went right—and what went wrong.

Virginians will head to the polls on Nov. 2 to cast their vote for the state’s next governor. Once the results are in, campaign experts will be ready to analyze what went well—and what didn’t—with After Virginia Votes, a post-election discussion, held at 911���� on Tuesday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m.

Since returning to 911���� earlier this year, Schar School Professor Michael Fauntroy has been ready to hit the ground running. He founded the new Race, Politics, and Policy Center that will officially launch on Nov. 1st—and said there’s a lot to be on the lookout for.

Prior to a high stakes election, 911����’s campus is normally buzzing with activities, dialogue and events. That’s more of a challenge this year due to COVID-19, but Justin Gest is determined to keep the momentum alive.

Political campaigns are complex—even for political scientists. For students studying the field, understanding what is happening behind the scenes of a campaign can be difficult. For the average citizen, the confusion can be even greater.

That’s why Steven Pearlstein created the First Tuesday speaker series. The Robinson Professor of Public Affairs at 911���� hopes it can help broaden perspectives on politics and challenge misconceptions that lead to political cynicism.