Preston Williams

Board of Visitors members approve six-year operating plan and get updates on AI, Grand Challenge Initiative, quantum, enrollment and athletics

ckearney — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 18:47:31 +0000

Board of Visitors members approve six-year operating plan and get updates on AI, Grand Challenge Initiative, quantum, enrollment and athletics ckearney Wed, 10/07/2026 - 14:47

At the October 1 911�� Board of Visitors meeting, President Gregory Washington laid out his eight “bold bets” for managing the financial, technological, demographic, and political shocks affecting higher education and discussed a bridge period between the end of the current strategic plan and the implementation of a new Strategic Roadmap by April 2027.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

The eight bold bets, also known as 911�� 2036, include further responsible integration of artificial intelligence (AI); exploring three-year degrees; developing a College of Lifelong Education; building curricula with employers; forming a global digital and physical campus encompassing the Virginia campuses, Korea, and the Gulf region; establishing a new budget model that is less tuition-dependent; faculty shifting from lecturing to more mentoring and research; and establishing the Lab-to-Launch initiative to leverage the region’s Innovation Districts to create companies and jobs.

In its first full meeting of the 2026-27 academic year, the BOV also approved the university’s six-year operating plan.

“A record year bought us time and credibility,” Washington said. “It did not buy us a sustainable path forward. We are doing what we can to push against the tide. But it is a strong tide.”

Washington detailed the university’s solid financial footing amid flat or declining revenue streams and the financial effect of steeply declining international graduate enrollment brought on by federal regulations on foreign students. Undergraduate enrollment, philanthropy, and state support increased.

More details are available in the posted BOV materials or the recorded livestream.

Aurali Dade, interim vice president of research, innovation, and economic impact, reported that research proposals increased by 10.5% from FY25 to FY26 and proposal dollars increased by 13.3% during that span. Research expenditures, however, dropped 23.6% to $156 million.

In year-over-year comparisons of August FY26 and August FY27, research proposal dollars nearly doubled to $171.2 million and award dollars grew by 29.4% to $46.2 million. Research expenditures dropped 17.4% to $32.6 million

“911��’s research enterprise remains strong and competitive with faculty pursuing larger, more ambitious projects and positioning the university for continued growth in the years ahead despite the tough external environment,” Dade said.

“Our faculty are to be commended,” Washington said. “The story that you hear nationally is discouraging in terms of going out and seeking awards and working on proposals. We have actually continued to be aggressive and write more proposals and have some success in terms of awards. All of that, in my opinion, shows a cohort that is dedicated to the profession and worthy of our support.”

Dade also discussed the seven Grand Challenge Initiative catalyst awards as the university enters the second year of the GCI. Campus community members and potential partners are invited to register for the Grand Challenge Lightning Talks and Matchmaking Mixer on November 10.

Lauren Bird, associate vice president for development, reported that the Mason Now: Power the Possible campaign has surpassed $688 million toward its $1 billion goal.

“Momentum is being driven by growing confidence from donors, alumni, corporate partners and the broader community,” Bird said. “These investments are helping accelerate our strategic opportunities and strengthen our impact across the commonwealth and beyond.”

College of Science Dean Cody Edwards gave a presentation on the strategic opportunities that quantum technology offers through the Quantum Science and Engineering Center (QSEC) and a $3.7 million GO Virginia grant that establishes the Virginia Quantum Hub based at the university, part of 911��’s charge to connect talent, research, infrastructure, partners and capital into a quantum ecosystem.

Last month the university announced a partnership with Oxford-based TreQ and Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) to bring a $7.7 million open-architecture quantum computing system to Virginia, the first in the state and the National Capital Region.

Washington and QSEC Executive Director Patrick Vora took part in the Washington Post’s “Building America: Quantum Innovation” program, another recent 911�� quantum highlight. In addition, the university this fall launched the state’s first interdisciplinary master’s degree in quantum science and engineering.

“The question is no longer whether Mason should be in quantum,” said Edwards, a keynote at the recent Quantum World Congress. “The question is how we turn that advantage that we've created into something that is durable, distinctive, and something that is nationally consequential. The institutions and regions that lead …will be the ones that build an ecosystem around all of the existing components.”

Edwards said Virginia has a combination of assets that bolsters its potential in quantum—strong research universities, proximity to numerous federal agencies, and burgeoning technology corridors.

“When you look at the states that are currently leading an investment in quantum, most of those states are attempting to replicate pieces of what already exists in the DMV,” Edwards said.

The Access to Excellence podcast with President Washington, Vora, and TreQ CEO and Founder Mandy Birch will be available Oct. 12.

At the Academic Affairs Committee meeting on September 16, Provost and Executive Vice President Marion Underwood reported that the university conferred 10,182 degrees during the 2025-26 academic year, 82% to Virginia residents, and she added that 911�� had again earned a Silver ranking as a Military Friendly® School for the 2026-27 academic year.

David Burge, senior vice president for enrollment and student achievement, citing enrollment figures as of September 3, said that the university has an undergraduate enrollment of 29,966, graduate enrollment of 9,576, and 710 law students for a total of 40,252 students, including a 911�� record for new transfer student enrollment (3,212). Thirty percent of the incoming class (1,283) enrolled via direct admissions. Official and final enrollment numbers will be available later in the fall. Burge also mentioned the university’s national search for a dean of admissions. He is serving in that role in an interim capacity. He said the goal is to fill the position by the end of the calendar year.

Amarda Shehu, vice president and chief AI officer, presented on the proposed AI fluency designation that would integrate AI competencies into undergraduate academic programs across disciplines to best prepare 911�� graduates for the workforce.

Women’s basketball coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis, entering her sixth season, addressed the Athletics Committee meeting on September 16, sharing insights on the turnaround of the program. She inherited a team that had gone winless in the Atlantic 10 Conference the previous year and has since led the Patriots to a 99-58 record and three postseason berths.

The Patriots won the A10 tournament title in 2024-25, posting a school-record 27 wins and earning the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth. The team was A10 regular season champs in 2025-26.

“We raised expectations, and belief became results,” Blair-Lewis told the board. “I truly believe we can redefine what is possible. With the right culture and the right people and proper financial support we do not have to set limitations because of how we are classified. We can recruit, train, develop, and win at a high level.”

She added that the Basketball Academic Performance Center groundbreaking on October 20 represents a commitment to 911�� basketball.

“Facilities do not win games by themselves,” Blair-Lewis said. "But they do help create an environment where winning can be sustained.”

Marvin Lewis, assistant vice president and director of Intercollegiate Athletics, reported that 911�� athletes achieved a school-record 3.45 collective GPA during the spring season and a 90% graduation rate. Thirteen programs finished in the top half of the conference.

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Mason Now: Power the Possible

911�� explores three-year degree pathways to expand access and affordability

Katarina Benson — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 14:02:18 +0000

911�� explores three-year degree pathways to expand access and affordability Katarina Benson Mon, 09/28/2026 - 10:02

911��, in coordination with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), is pursuing the development of three-year degree programs that will make college education accessible to more students, save them time and money, and provide more opportunities for workforce engagement.

The university’s Provost’s Office will soon release a resource kit that can help guide deans, faculty, and staff as they determine which academic programs in their schools and colleges could best align with a three-year degree format, along with other potential curricula changes. Additional research is being gathered to better understand employer perspectives on shorter degree pathways, as employability remains an important consideration for students, faculty, and families.

“One of the things that excites me most about 911�� is our willingness to think differently about how we serve students,” said Provost Marion Underwood. “Our faculty know their disciplines and our students deeply, and I am excited to see what they imagine as we explore new approaches to the undergraduate degree. There is tremendous opportunity here to think creatively about how we maintain academic excellence while making a 911�� education even more accessible and responsive to students’ needs.”

Wilkins Plaza. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Most undergraduate degrees require 120 credit hours. A three-year abridged degree would likely require 90. Accelerated degrees must weigh standards, appropriate programs, program design, student demand, learning outcomes, workforce needs, and accreditation requirements with both SCHEV and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

More than half of states nationwide now offer at least one three-year degree option, although many are offered through private institutions with online programs. Virginia and Ohio higher education officials are working together to better understand how more scalable models for three-year degrees might be developed.

In Ohio, legislative action has accelerated this work at the state level. The work of this community of practice speaks to SCHEV’s interest in exploring these models in Virginia and carefully thinking through the approval processes that need to be considered for this type of degree.

For now, based on some guidance from the university accreditor SACSCOC, 911�� is currently referring to these programs as “abridged degrees”—degree pathways shortened through either reduced time to completion or fewer required credits.

“We know that 911�� can lead in this space because we’ve always been nimble and able to adapt to evolving student needs,” said Janette Muir, vice provost of academic affairs. “We are not so entrenched in the way it’s always been that we generally can come to the table and work toward more flexibility. We don’t want to be the ones that are just jumping in line. We want to be leaders in helping move the line forward.”

The university also will consider additional bachelor’s-to-accelerated master's degrees and accelerated bachelor’s-to-doctorate possibilities. “Essentially,” notes Muir, “this is an opportunity to take a careful look at our educational offerings and consider how well our programs are responding to the changing dynamics of higher education, particularly given the rapid growth and impact of AI.”

Muir serves on the state community of practice as part of its “Scaling College in 3” initiative. Also serving on the team representing 911�� are Susan Woodruff, university director of accreditation and state authorization; Keith Renshaw, senior associate provost for undergraduate education; and Doug McKenna, university registrar.

The university’s efforts tie in with the commonwealth’s strategic objectives for higher education, “Developing Tomorrow’s Talent: The Virginia Plan for Higher Education,” by better aligning degree programs with student and employer needs and increasing affordability.

“With new approaches to postsecondary education, where appropriate, we hope to develop pathways that are rigorous, relevant, and responsive to today’s students and the workforce,” SCHEV Executive Director Scott Fleming said.

In spring 2026, 911�� President Gregory Washington charged his leadership team with determining what three-year degrees the university would be able to offer. Muir formed a small “tiger team” to start the inquiry, with representatives from Undergraduate Education, Graduate Education, Institutional Effectiveness and Planning, Accreditation, and State Authorization.

“Because we are very much focused on learning outcomes at 911��, that is one of the areas the president is suggesting that we try to better understand,” Muir said. “Can those outcomes be managed in less time, perhaps more integrated into majors and college-level requirements, or developed as part of workforce learning?”

The Wall Street Journal ranks 911�� tops in Virginia for value, salary outcomes, and upward mobility. In a survey of the Class of 2025 911�� graduates, 92% reported positive career outcomes within six months of graduating, and a median salary of $73,000. About 85% of 911�� graduates work in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. (with 73% in Virginia).

911�� is working with Hanover Research, which is examining national three-year degree program trends and collecting feedback from employers and students about how they view accelerated programs.

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911�� welcomes largest undergraduate class

ckearney — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 18:07:17 +0000

911�� welcomes largest undergraduate class ckearney Mon, 08/24/2026 - 14:07

911�� undergraduate enrollment will hit a new high this semester with the arrival of more than 7,400 incoming students, thousands of whom packed into EagleBank Arena on Friday for New Student Convocation.

President Washington emphasized the university values when addressing the incoming class. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

The incoming class includes about 4,300 new freshmen and more than 3,100 transfer students—a school record for transfers—including 950 transitioning from the ADVANCE Program partnership with Northern Virginia Community College. The ADVANCE total also is a record.

Almost one-third of newly enrolled first-year students were admitted through the university’s direct admissions program. Overall enrollment figures are not yet official but undergraduate enrollment is expected to top 29,600.

911�� President Gregory Washington, in full regalia and joined onstage by Provost Marion Underwood, deans, and other university leaders, welcomed the students and acquainted them with the university’s seven core values so the newest Patriots could better understand their new home.

Topping the core values list is “our students come first” and “innovation is our tradition.” Both are particularly salient points this year because of how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping higher education. To best prepare students for post-graduation success, they must have the ability to maximize new technology and adapt to future advancements.

“I have a motto: If you want to be big, you have to be big in the big things,” Washington said. “For example, we're going to show you how to lean into AI and use it wisely.”

Students filled EagleBank Arena for the New Student Convocation. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Keynote speaker and Vice President and Chief AI Officer Amarda Shehu advised students to embrace innovation that can improve the human condition while at the same time retaining the curiosity of a beginner and not overrelying on technology to “spare you the discomfort of being bad at something. Because the years of being bad at something are the years you become good at it.”

Shehu steered students to patriotai.gmu.edu and the course UNIV 182 “AI for All.”

“It's happening so fast that many universities have not had time to think through their response,” Shehu said. “Many of them are still studying the question. Well, not here. You're in a very different kind of institution. Here at Mason, we decided a few years back when we just got a glimpse of the possible that we will do something harder. Not panic, not freak out, not lock things down, but provide access to the technology and teach you how to leverage it.”

Keith Renshaw, senior associate provost for undergraduate education, encouraged students to pursue deep connections with their classmates. That was a theme that many students mentioned at convocation in spoken testimonials about their involvement and growth at the university.

“Don't miss that chance. Put yourself out there,” Renshaw said. “But I want to go a step further and say also, somewhere in this crowd is someone so fundamentally different from you, you might not even be able to imagine having a conversation with them right now. I am here to tell you that they are your people, too. Push yourself to find them and engage with them. Those might be some of the most meaningful experiences you have while you're here.”

Student Body President Griffin Crouch. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Griffin Crouch, student body president and a senior political science and international politics major, recalled his uncertainty as a nonresidential student three years ago. He reminded his new constituents that they will be surrounded by classmates who also are trying to find new opportunities and connections. He suggested visiting Contemporary Student Services, a resource for nonresidential students and many other groups.

“No matter who you are, you're going to have a place here,” Crouch said. “But it's on you to find your path…. The greatest things you're going to learn here are about yourself.”

Washington told students that 911�� will prepare them for success better than any institution in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and in the Washington, D.C., area, referencing career surveys from recent graduates and the university’s No. 1 state ranking for value, salary outcomes, and upward mobility.

Students walking over to EagleBank Arena. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

He also emphasized the university’s commitment to inclusion, citing the “best of the best” designation from the Campus Pride Index and the university’s standing in the top 10% of U.S. colleges and universities for free speech.

“The university not just values, but embraces, people from all walks of life and from all backgrounds and perspectives,” Washington said. “That's incredibly important to us.

“Look, we're the most diverse public institution in the Commonwealth of Virginia. But I guess I don't have to tell you that. Just take a look around. You are representative of that most diverse class.”

Convocation is part of the Preamble, a series of events for all new incoming students, which is part of Welcome2Mason, with events continuing through mid-September.

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Board of Visitors elects new executive committee, reviews president's goals, welcomes new provost, and announces transformative gift

ckearney — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 19:34:45 +0000

Board of Visitors elects new executive committee, reviews president's goals, welcomes new provost, and announces transformative gift ckearney Mon, 08/03/2026 - 15:34

At its first meeting of the new fiscal year, the 911�� Board of Visitors discussed President Gregory Washington’s goals for 2026-27, elected new leadership, announced a transformative gift for the College of Public Health, and officially welcomed new provost Marion Underwood to the university.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

The backdrop of the BOV meeting on July 31, and the board’s annual planning conference the day prior, centered on how 911�� cannot only endure the transformation reshaping higher education in the face of fiscal, technological, political, and demographic challenges, but how the university can be a model for large public research universities in this evolving era.

Washington recapped institutional performance highlights from the past year, including increases in undergraduate and Mason Korea enrollment and increased philanthropy and state support. He also cited growth of the Early Identification Program, a balanced budget, launching the Grand Challenge Initiative, and university-wide AI implementation among the achievements.

Goals for the current fiscal year include initiating and executing a new strategic plan; forming Reimagining Education through the Doctorate (RED) task forces in every school and college to examine shortening time to earning bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees; expanding direct admissions; leveraging the innovation districts at the Science and Technology Campus in Manassas and at Mason Square in Arlington; and launching the office of Organizational Excellence and Institutional Integrity by next spring.

Washington also mentioned starting a “university-wide entrepreneurship framework” to complement the career planning and placement structures already in place to give students more paths to success in a shifting job market being redefined by AI.

“The 911�� you are involved with now has never been greater and has never been stronger than what it is at this particular point in time,” Washington told the board, whose 16 members include 13 in their first year of service. “That’s even through all the turmoil. Even through all the challenges. Even through all of the back-and-forth. This university is in really good shape. It’s meeting its mission. It’s doing so like no other institution in the commonwealth. I feel really confident in being able to say that, and the data really highlights it.”

Washington asked the board members to tackle five priorities in the coming year: develop a comprehensive plan to advocate for 911�� in Richmond to close the existing state funding gap, connect the university with philanthropists, greenlight capital projects, broker new relationships with industry and government, and use their strategic and planning acumen to help advance the university’s future.

“This university has always overachieved,” Washington said. “We’ve always done more with less. We’ve always led and pushed the envelope. That’s actually what we bring to the commonwealth and what we bring to our peer institutions. Now is not the time to stop that. Now is the time to lean into our base in terms of who we are.”

Rector Sumeet Shrivastava. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

The BOV elected a new executive committee. Sumeet Shrivastava, MBA ’94, who had been serving as vice rector, was chosen as rector. Shrivastava is the former chair of the 911�� Foundation Board of Trustees and past president of the 911�� Alumni Association.

BOV members also elected Anne Altman, BS Marketing ’82, as vice rector; Paul Misener, JD ’93, as secretary; and Delbert Parks and Jon Peterson as members-at-large. Altman and Misener had been serving on the executive committee as members-at-large.

The BOV also welcomed one new member, James W. Dyke Jr., who served as the state’s Secretary of Education from 1990 to 1993 and as a domestic policy advisor to former Vice President Walter Mondale. Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger appointed Dyke to the BOV in June.

Like Washington, Shrivastava said he believes 911�� is in an advantageous position to emerge as the model of a modern university at a time of dramatic change in higher ed.

“911�� is in a perfect place to execute that,” Shrivastava said. “We’re a region that’s growing. … We’re already number one in Virginia for the outcomes families really care about—degree value and upward mobility. Doesn’t make the shocks and challenges less real. If we manage them with discipline, and frankly a little obsession—if not a lot of obsession—we help lead [the transformation]. That’s how a 50-year-old university becomes the model.”

The BOV announced a gift from Barry Dewberry and Arlene Evans to the 911�� Foundation in support of the School of Nursing—the largest philanthropic commitment ever for the College of Public Health and the first naming gift for an academic unit within the college. Pending approval by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), the school will be named the Arlene Evans and Barry Dewberry School of Nursing. Evans is a retired operating room nurse, and she and Dewberry are among the university’s greatest benefactors. Watch for a future George story about this gift.

At the BOV’s annual planning conference the day prior, Washington introduced Underwood and new Antonin Scalia Law School Dean Daniel B. Kelly. BOV members and other attendees took part in breakout sessions run by university leaders on fiscal sustainability, demographic sustainability, and technological sustainability.

Those sessions reinforced points that attendees heard earlier in the day from Washington and Daniel Greenstein, chief of industry transformation at higher ed technology company Ellucian and the former chancellor of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), where he led an extensive overhaul of that system.

The planning conference marked Greenstein’s second appearance at the university in recent months—he was a panelist at the P3•EDU MAP Summit at Fuse at Mason Square in March.

He too urged attendees to adapt to the changing landscape and said he believes 911�� is strategically poised to successfully adapt, more so than many peer universities.

“Higher education is the last and most reliable engine of social mobility and workforce development,” Greenstein said. “We have to prioritize mission over our current practice. I know that’s hard because change is hard and change is emotional. The alternative is irrelevance.

“Institutions that are going to be successful are going to learn how to remain uncomfortable. Use that discomfort to drive mission and to create the changes that are necessary.”

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911��’s Class of 2026 is prepared for success

ckearney — Thu, 14 May 2026 18:36:23 +0000

911��’s Class of 2026 is prepared for success ckearney Thu, 05/14/2026 - 14:36

911�� honored its graduates at Spring Commencement with a trio of well-received speakers who delivered messages of resilience, preparation, and celebrating differences.

Spring Commencement on Thursday, May 14, in EagleBank Arena. Photo by Andani Munkaila/Office of University Branding

The ceremony, livestreamed on 911��’s YouTube channel Thursday morning from EagleBank Arena, honored more than 12,000 degree and certificate earners, including more than 5,200 from summer and winter 2025, from 105 countries and 49 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and military installations domestic and abroad.

The graduates filed into the arena sporting caps with personalized messages such as “My Future Is Calling,” “Mom’s Favorite,” and “Fueled by Haribo” and remained enthusiastic throughout the feel-good festivities.

The guest speaker, Gen. David W. Allvin, the 23rd Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force and a recently retired four-star general, encouraged the graduates—addressing them throughout as “team”—to be curious instead of judgmental, and to pursue service in ways they feel they can make a difference.

Allvin also shared several “almosts” from his life, including early struggles that could have derailed his Air Force career, a fortuitous change in travel plans that saved his life, and an unrealized bid to become an astronaut.

“Your future will be littered with crises averted. Things that almost happened. Things that didn't happen,” Allvin said. “Pick them up, look at them, take the lessons from them, set them aside, and move on. Because the world doesn’t revolve around what almost happens. It revolves around what is happening…Focus on the things that are. Not the things that might have been.”

University Marshal Star Muir leads the platform party to the stage at the 2026 Spring Commencement at EagleBank Arena for the last time. Muir is retiring after 38 years of service and teaching. Photo by Andani Munkaila/Office of University Branding

Board of Visitors Rector Michael Meese, himself a retired U.S. Army Brigadier General, presented Allvin with an honorary doctor of humane letters degree. Meese and Allvin were one-time classmates at the National War College and later served concurrently in Afghanistan.

911�� President Gregory Washington encouraged the graduates to be patient and persistent in a challenging job market and reminded them that The Wall Street Journal ranks 911�� as the top public university in Virginia for value, salary outcomes, and the upward mobility of its graduates.

Washington assured graduates they had acquired the ultimate skill they will need to be successful—“you’ve learned how to learn.” And 911�� graduates have done that by attending a top-tier research university and working with students and faculty from varied backgrounds at the most diverse public university in Virginia.

“Technology will change,” Washington said. "Job titles will change. But the need for adaptable people and resilient people will not. You might feel like you're behind. But I’m here to tell you, not only are you ahead, but you've actually lapped some of your peers.”

As he does at each Commencement ceremony to underscore a few of the many pathways to 911��, Washington asked three different groups to stand and be recognized—first-generation graduates (which accounted for 26% of the class), students who came to 911�� via community college, and students who are current or former military members, or military dependents. All received warm ovations.

Student speaker Saniya Darediya, a neuroscience major from India, recalled how she arrived in the United States at age 17 and the fear she felt as an outsider in a strange country. She eventually realized that hers was one of many such experiences at 911��.

“Everyone here carries their own version of difference,” Darediya said. “Some of us traveled across the world to get here. Some of us were the first in our families to attend college. Some of us were still discovering who we wanted to become. Differences were not separating us. They were connecting us.

“The differences that once made many of us wonder whether we belonged…are the very things that make us valuable.”

Washington briefly cited another singular story that drew hearty applause. Irma Garcia, a 72-year-old grandmother of eight, decades ago earned a two-year degree from Northern Virginia Community College before family and work obligations as a single parent took priority over her education. She later enrolled at 911�� through the Senior Citizen Waiver Program and this spring graduated with a bachelor’s degree in public administration.

Meese presented the 911�� Medal, the university’s highest honorary award, to Jay and Carolyn Marsh, a husband and wife who worked in 911�� Athletics administration for a combined 91 years before their retirement in 2021. The Mason Medal was a posthumous honor for Carolyn Marsh, who served as the executive assistant for eight 911�� men’s basketball coaches and as a positive influence on the lives of hundreds of the university’s athletes.

Alumnus Jay Marsh, Business Administration ’73, served in many senior athletic administrative capacities, including in operations, facilities, event management, and fundraising. It was fitting that he received the university’s ultimate recognition in EagleBank Arena, the building that had been a home away from home ever since it opened in 1985.

Scott Hine, BS Decision Science ’85, president of the 911�� Alumni Association, welcomed the new graduates to the organization, a network of about 260,000 alumni that can aid the new graduates in their career advancement.

“There is likely an alum in any industry you are joining, and there is likely an alum in any location in which you’re settling,” Hine said. “This is an incredible network that you should leverage.”

Indicative of 911�� serving as a talent pipeline in high-demand fields, 41% of undergraduate degree earners in the Class of 2026 are in STEM and health sciences fields, as are 44% of advanced degree earners.

Along with the graduates, a Commencement fixture also is moving on. Star Muir led Commencement for the last time as Head University Marshal, his role since 2015. Muir is retiring after 38 years of service and teaching in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

“He conducted the ceremony with the appropriate level of dignity and respect for this auspicious occasion,” Washington said at the outset of his remarks. “Thank you, Star, for your dedication and devotion to your students and to the university.”

Watch the ceremony recording

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Wrap up for April 30 BOV meeting

Katarina Benson — Mon, 11 May 2026 18:52:50 +0000

Wrap up for April 30 BOV meeting Katarina Benson Mon, 05/11/2026 - 14:52

At its final meeting of the academic year, the 911�� Board of Visitors saluted graduates from the Early Identification Program, received an update on the men’s basketball program from Coach Tony Skinn, and passed a six-year capital plan, among other actions, including approval of a tuition and fees increase for 2026-27.

Andre Marshall, vice president for research, innovation, and economic impact, reported that 41 proposals (16 large, 25 small) had been submitted for the Grand Challenge Initiative. The initial funding recipients were announced in The George on May 6.

Faculty from all colleges and schools, including Mason Korea, submitted applications. Marshall noted that 38 of the proposals included more than one 911�� college or school and six proposals involved five or more colleges and schools.

“This initiative strengthens 911��'s competitiveness for large interdisciplinary awards,” Marshall said. “It also reshapes how we organize our institutional research. Finally, most importantly, it positions us to lead solutions to some of our most urgent societal needs, living up to our responsibility as a top-tier research university.”

Marvin Lewis, assistant vice president and director of Intercollegiate Athletics, shared successes from his department and brought along a special guest—men’s basketball coach Tony Skinn. Women’s basketball coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis will be a guest at a future Athletic Committee meeting.

Lewis reported significant increases in corporate sponsorships, fundraising (including $2 million on Giving Day, doubling last year’s total), ticket sales, and men’s basketball attendance.

To improve student turnout at athletic events, the university is creating the position of assistant director of student involvement for student fan engagement. According to the job posting, the role “focuses on fostering connections between students, student organizations, and athletic programs to build a vibrant, spirited campus culture.”

“Most schools don't have that,” Lewis said. “But it shows the shared commitment in engaging our students, creating a community for our students, and our investment at the university level to make that happen.”

Under Skinn, the Patriots have posted three consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time in program history and amid a challenging recruiting environment. The team was co-regular season champion of the Atlantic 10 Conference in 2024-25 and has reached the NIT the past two postseasons. 911�� will enter the 2026-27 season seeking its first NCAA men’s basketball berth since 2011.

Skinn said the Basketball and Academic Performance Center for the men’s and women’s teams set to open in 2027 will be “transformational” for the program because it combines the team’s athletic and academic resources. The BAPC is a 27,870 square-foot addition and 14,341 square-foot renovation to the existing Recreation and Athletic Complex and will include a modern academic advising center for all 911�� student-athletes.

“Through men's basketball, I believe a return on investment reaches far beyond the game itself, driving enrollment, strengthening alumni engagement, fueling fundraising, elevating national relevance and deepening 911�� pride,” Skinn told the board. “That is what a successful basketball program can do for this university.”

Trishana E. Bowden, vice president for advancement and alumni relations and president of the 911�� Foundation, reported that the university has raised more than $639 million toward its $1 billion Mason Now: Power the Possible goal. That includes $2.95 million raised from Giving Day on April 2, topping the $1.5 million collected last year for Giving Day.

Athletics, the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and the Costello College of Business each had a record number of donors this year.

Bowden said that 237 faculty and staff made donations on Giving Day, and the day included 500 first-time donors.

The board congratulated 19 members of the Early Identification Program (EIP) who are graduating this month. Among them was Monica Amaya, an Honors College student and University Scholar who is earning a bachelor’s degree in business with a concentration in management information systems.

EIP provides academic preparation, leadership training, and college process guidance for first-generation students starting in the eighth grade. EIP is marking its 40th anniversary this year. More than 200 EIP alumni are currently enrolled at the university.

“When I arrived here at 911��, I didn't feel like I was starting from scratch,” said Amaya, who is from Manassas Park, Virginia. “It felt like I was continuing a journey. One I had already been prepared for. I felt supported, and most importantly, I felt like I belonged.

“I carry with me everything that EIP and 911�� have given me: Resilience, a drive to learn, and a strong sense of community. My success didn't happen by chance. It started with access, it started with support. It started with EIP.”

Amaya, an EIP peer mentor, has a job lined up at CACI as a software developer.

Leaders from three of the university’s schools and colleges made pitches to the board for new or upgraded facilities.

Alpaslan Özerdem, dean of the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, presented a plan to turn Point of View into a retreat and conflict center that could accommodate overnight visitors. Özerdem envisions a “civilian Camp David.”

Point of View, located in Lorton, Virginia, about 18 miles from the Fairfax Campus, is a retreat and research center guided by Carter School faculty. The facility, on 120 wooded acres on Belmont Bay, provides space and support for groups to resolve conflict, heal, and reconcile, and is also a community event space.

Özerdem said that the most effective conflict resolution programs enable participants to spend extended time together in common living and gathering spaces.

“When people share the dinner table, if they sleep under the same roof, they start to think about peace in a different way,” Özerdem said. “Live, think, negotiate together is what we want to achieve.”

Ozerdem said the university has secured $4 million from the state and needs another $10 million to upgrade the facility. He said a public–private partnership is one option.

Rick Davis, dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts, made a presentation to the board about CVPA fundraising activities and a proposed $104 million project for a new Center for the Arts. The current center opened in 1990.

“When the arts programs of 1990 are all counted up, we had 250 students and we now have 1,800 students majoring in all of our arts disciplines,” Davis said. "The building that we designed in the 1980s was designed for a whole different universe.”

Davis mentioned other potential projects, including a planning study for a new facility for the film and video studies program and game design program to share. Those programs currently are based in the Art and Design Building. Davis also discussed an “arts district vision” that would include a sculpture garden and campus museum.

Patrick Soleymani, associate dean of the Costello College of Business, presented a plan for a new business school building, an initiative that began in 2018. The proposed $165 million project is part of the university’s six-year capital plan (see below).

Soleymani said that Northern Virginia has more than 130,000 open jobs, including 80% in tech-related field, many of which are affiliated with business school graduates.

“Our reputation has outgrown our infrastructure,” Soleymani said. “A new home for Costello directly enhances student success and strengthens the university's position as being in charge of the economic engine of this community and region.”

The six-year capital plan includes several proposed projects. It establishes the university’s capital requests to be submitted to the commonwealth for consideration. The plan is updated on an annual basis and approved by the Board of Visitors.

Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building (ISEB): Proposed as 150,000-square-foot building that will modernize and replicate the spaces within David King Hall and Planetary Hall to allow 911�� to repurpose or demolish the two antiquated facilities in accordance with the Master Plan.
Costello College of Business Building: The approximately 150,000-square-foot building is anticipated to collocate the Costello College of Business operations. A new building would allow for technology-rich, experiential business education while significantly improving visibility and competitiveness.
Baseball Stadium: Would address long-standing facility shortcomings and support the student-athlete experience and recruitment. The current facility has metal bleachers and no restrooms, lights, or concessions.
High-Performance Training Center: Envisioned in partnership with a potential private partner to leverage shared investment and expertise.
Field House: The current facility has exceeded its useful life and no longer meets current programmatic or building system standards.

The April 30 meeting documents can be accessed here. A video recording and transcript of the meeting is here.

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911�� Board of Visitors approves modest tuition and fees increase for 2026-27

ckearney — Mon, 04 May 2026 16:25:29 +0000

911�� Board of Visitors approves modest tuition and fees increase for 2026-27 ckearney Mon, 05/04/2026 - 12:25

The 911�� Board of Visitors voted Thursday to increase tuition for the 2026-27 academic year, a response to rising utility costs, and the decades-long gap in state funding when compared with the university’s peers.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

The increase, both for in-state and out-of-state students, is $360 per undergraduate student and $504 per graduate student. That works out to 3.5% more for in-state students and 1.0% to 1.4% more for out-of-state students. Law school tuition did not increase.

A financial presentation can be found in the board materials.

Of the six doctoral universities in Virginia, 911�� was the only one to not raise in-state tuition last year. Even with the increase, 911�� remains well below most peers’ current tuition rates. Many of 911��’s peers are considering or have already voted to increase tuition for 2026-27.

“We do know that an increase presents a challenge for any student, and this is an area the whole leadership team takes seriously,” 911�� President Gregory Washington said. “We remain a great value for people in the commonwealth and in the region.” Washington also noted that 911�� is the only large Opportunity University between Maine and Florida, the designation from Carnegie and ACE that reflects its strong return on investment for its students.

Many universities are facing a series of financial challenges, including a decline in graduate students and international students who cannot secure visas to enter the country. Rising utility and health care costs and a responsibility to finance partially funded state-mandated programs, like compensation increases and the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program, strains the university’s resources and hinders long-term strategic investments.

For the current academic year, 911�� is more than $7,000 per in-state student below the funding level mean of its five doctoral peer institutions in Virginia when state and tuition funding are combined. That gap equates to $180 million less in financial resources. 911��’s in-state undergraduate tuition currently is $4,000 below the mean of five doctoral peer institutions.

The BOV also voted to raise student fees by 3.5%—$132 for in-state and out-of-state undergraduates and graduate students and $98 for law students. Mandatory student fees support student engagement services and programs, student health and well-being, on-campus employment, athletics, recreational programs, transportation services, and other student-focused programs that contribute to the university’s welcoming environment.

The university offers many programs that support students who need financial assistance.

911�� is known for its affordability and efficiency. The university was named by Washington Monthly as “best bang for the buck” in Virginia and by the Wall Street Journal as the No. 1 public university in the state for value and salary outcomes. 911�� also has fewer employees per full-time student than any Virginia public doctoral university.

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia found that 73% of in-state 911�� graduates stay in Virginia—3% higher than public four-year institutions in the state. For out-of-state 911�� students, 29% remain in Virginia after graduation, 9% higher than the state average.

A recap of the April 30 meeting will be published Thursday, May 7.

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Board of Visitors considers tuition increase for 2026-27 to fund infrastructure improvements and state mandates

Katarina Benson — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:07:11 +0000

Board of Visitors considers tuition increase for 2026-27 to fund infrastructure improvements and state mandates Katarina Benson Mon, 04/06/2026 - 13:07

911��’s Board of Visitors listened to public comments, toured the Fairfax Campus, extended negotiations for 911�� President Gregory Washington’s contract renewal through 2031, and considered a proposal to raise tuition and fees at the March 31 board meeting. The tuition and fees presentation is available in the BOV meeting materials. The video is here.

The proposal to raise tuition and fees about $500 per undergraduate student for the 2026-27 academic year to help offset rising costs and a longstanding funding disparity will be further discussed at the Finance and Land Use Committee meeting April 15 and will be voted on by the full board at their next meeting on April 30.

Enterprise Hall was among the buildings on the board's campus tour. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

911�� is more than $7,000 per in-state student below the funding level mean of its five doctoral peer institutions in Virginia when state and tuition funding are combined. That disparity equates to $180 million in unrealized support.

The funding gap, a marked decline in graduate students because of changes in federal policy, state-mandated programs that require university funding, and rising utility and health care costs, among other factors, necessitate the increase, said Dan Stephens, interim senior vice president and chief financial officer. Stephens and Rose Pascarell, vice president for University Life, presented the proposal to the BOV.

The proposed tuition rate increase, both for in-state and out-of-state students, is $360 per undergraduate student and $504 per graduate student. That amounts to a 3.5% hike for in-state students and a 1.0% to 1.4% increase for out-of-state students. Law school tuition would remain flat.

The tuition increase would support infrastructure investments and compensation to attract and retain employees in Northern Virginia, the region of the state with the highest cost of living.

911��, named by Washington Monthly as “best bang for the buck” in Virginia and by the Wall Street Journal as the No. 1 public university in the state for best value and salary outcomes, has fewer employees per full-time student than any Virginia public doctoral university.

“According to the Federal Reserve, our nation's current inflation rate is landing between 3% to 4% across the board,” Stephens said, noting that 911�� did not raise in-state tuition last year. “So this means our proposed 3.5% increase aligns with the current inflationary drivers in our economy.”

Under the proposal, student fees would increase by $132 for in-state and out-of-state undergraduates and grad students—bumping the total from $3,924 to $4,056—and $98 for law students.

Mandatory student fees are used for student support and engagement services and programs, student health and well-being, on-campus employment, athletics, recreational programs, transportation services, and other student-focused programs.

The presentation that Stephens and Pascarell gave to the BOV mirrored the one they gave March 24 at a Student Government Tuition Town Hall. The March 31 BOV meeting included a public comment session for anyone who wished to weigh in on the proposed tuition increase in person or in writing.

“When you look at the whole package, Mason is low cost and very high value,” Pascarell said. “The mandatory student fees cover the ecosystem of services outside of the classroom that make the campus function. This is what makes Mason, Mason, for our students.”

Pascarell also shared the ways the university supports students with financial assistance.

BOV members and other university officials received a briefing and tour facilitated by Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Julie Zobel, in which they saw elements of the Fairfax Campus’ older facilities and capital project priorities. Stops included Southside Dining Hall, Planetary Hall, Enterprise Hall, Liberty Square residence hall, the Field House, and Spuhler Field.

The BOV also passed a resolution authorizing Rector Michael J. Meese to negotiate and execute a new contract for President Washington that would extend his employment to June 30, 2031. Per the resolution, Washington’s base salary would be $870,000 with annual consideration for a bonus of $125,000. He also would receive $50,000 annually as a stay bonus to be paid at the end of his term.

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Higher education institutions must evolve and secure mergers and partnerships to thrive, industry leaders agree

Katarina Benson — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 18:36:29 +0000

Higher education institutions must evolve and secure mergers and partnerships to thrive, industry leaders agree Katarina Benson Wed, 03/25/2026 - 14:36

Colleges and universities face significant demographic, financial, technological, and political changes that affect enrollment, tuition and financial aid, athletics programs, and career outcomes. The institutions that will succeed in the future are the ones today transforming their operational models and establishing robust alliances across sectors.

That was the prevailing sentiment March 17 when higher education leaders from across the country convened at Fuse at Mason Square for the inaugural P3•EDU MAP Summit. (P3 is short for public–private partnerships, and MAP stands for mergers, affiliations, and partnerships.)

“Depending on how you count them, we have 6,000 institutions of higher education in this country, and not all of them are going to make it out of the next decade,” said U.S. Department of Education Under Secretary Nicholas Kent. “And quite honestly, not all of them need to make it out of the next decade or should. And the ones that do are going to be the ones that adapt in a variety of ways.”

The Colleges and Universities at an Inflection Point panel at the P3•EDU MAP Summit. From left, moderator Ted Eismeier, Senior Vice President, Head of Postsecondary Communications, Whiteboard Advisors; Robert Kelchen, Professor and Department Head, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Brad Wolverton, Editor, The Chronicle of Higher Education; Mike Gavin, President and CEO, Alliance for Higher Education; and Sara Custer, Editor-in-Chief, Inside Higher Ed. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Virginia Senator Tim Kaine referenced the state’s many successful public–private partnerships, including Fuse at Mason Square itself, noting different kinds of P3s he’s brokered in his many elected offices in Virginia, including urban infrastructure, Metrorail extension, and student housing near college campuses. Higher education needs to "change course and change direction while still meeting the needs of the workforce and families,” he said.

“There's this sort of false narrative about higher ed institutions needing to do everything themselves,” said James Sparkman, the P3•EDU producer whose organization is a catalyst for higher ed alliances. “I think this is unsustainable for a lot of institutions, and it's definitely not the model for the dynamic colleges and universities that I know that thrive on partnerships.”

911�� President Gregory Washington acknowledged the importance of colleges finding “a new set of solutions” by collaborating with industry, non-governmental organizations, and the public K-12 sector.

“If you have these conversations with members of government, and with many of our well-placed corporates, they will tell you there are too many universities,” Washington said. “And that the value proposition is in question. So what that means is that the calvary probably isn't coming. We’re going to have to find ways to survive, which means looking more toward partnerships and frameworks working together. Those institutions that don't do that do so at their own peril. And part of that peril is their own survival.”

Washington mentioned his “co-opetition” model in which institutions find more ways to align resources while continuing to compete against each other. But those alliances can be elusive because colleges and universities and reluctant to relinquish their autonomy.

Marjorie Hass, president of the Council of Independent Colleges, found in a previous role that it was difficult to convince neighboring colleges to sync academic calendars or library loan agreements, let alone establish the cross-institutional partnerships that higher ed survival increasingly demands.

“Our blessing is that we are not a federal higher education system,” Hass said. “Our curse is that we are individual institutions and organizations with individual histories, individual mascots, individual sports teams…. We have this radical independence, and it is, in many ways, our strength. And it does make the system more complex, more flexible, and more redundant in a way that probably increases the overall resiliency of the system. But that doesn't mean individual institutions have that resiliency.”

“We have been at inflection points before in the history of higher ed,” Inside Higher Ed editor-in-chief Sara Custer said during one of the summit panels. “This one feels completely different. One thing that is a blanket cause of where we are right now is the overcompliance and fear we’re seeing on college campuses from leadership right down to junior staff.”

Kent, who was deputy education secretary in Virginia before joining the U.S. Department of Education, said that more intentional conversations are taking place now between potential partners in and around higher ed and that the role of his department is to facilitate those partnerships through “cutting regulatory burden.”

“We are all about breaking down silos,” Kent said. “We are all about doing things in a different way. We are all about questioning the status quo in this administration. We are breaking a lot of molds in the way that we do things, and we think for the betterment of students and taxpayers, and quite honestly, for the betterment of higher education as a whole.”

“P3s are something that Virginia embraces, and we're very excited about it, being able to put all stakeholders around the table,” Kaine said. “Because without that, it's really hard to do projects. And it's just a tribute to the fact that good things in life now hardly happen by the say-so of a dynamic president or the say-so of a dynamic governor. It takes a lot of people around the table.”

This initiative supports the Advancing 21st-Century Education for All solution of 911��'s Grand Challenge Initiative

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BOV elects new leaders, approves academic program changes; hears campaign, research and admissions updates; approves room and board increase

sholla4 — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 19:39:14 +0000

BOV elects new leaders, approves academic program changes; hears campaign, research and admissions updates; approves room and board increase sholla4 Wed, 03/04/2026 - 14:39

The 911�� Board of Visitors welcomed 12 new members and elected new board leadership at its Feb. 26 meeting in Merten Hall on the Fairfax Campus.

The new rector is Michael J. Meese, formerly the vice rector. The new vice rector is Sumeet Shrivastava, MBA ’94, one of the dozen new members appointed to the board in January by Gov. Abigail Spanberger.

Returning visitor Armand Alacbay, JD ‘04, will continue in his role as secretary. The other two members of the board’s executive committee are new board members Anne Altman, BS Marketing ’82, and Paul Misener, JD ’93. Altman served on the BOV from 2006 to 2010.

Four of the board’s six standing committees are chaired by newly appointed board members.

“This reflects their willingness to serve and our commitment to bringing fresh perspectives into leadership,” Meese said. “I am very grateful for the willingness of the new and returning members to step into these roles.”

The new terms for the new executive committee and committee assignments will remain until the annual board of visitors meeting on July 31, 2026, when the board will reorganize based on the eligible board members.

In one early decision, the board voted to raise housing and dining meal plans by 4% to help offset rising costs in the state’s most expensive region and fund a backlog of deferred maintenance projects. The increase will be about $580 per student for the academic year. Rates vary by room style and meal plan. About 6,000 students, or 15% of the university’s enrollment, lives on campus.

Even after that increase, 911��’s room and board rate for the 2026-27 academic year will be lower than the other five Virginia doctoral universities’ rates are for 2025-26.

“911�� strives to balance the continued pressures of inflation and the high cost of living with the need to provide affordable food and housing to our students,” said Julie Zobel, senior vice president and chief operating officer in administration and operations. “The proposed housing increase allows us to keep pace with inflation and cover the costs of operating and staffing 40 residence halls in an environment where costs continue to rise.”

Last year the university provided more than $2 million in housing grants for lower-income students, Zobel said. The university also offers a housing and food insecurity fund.

There will be a tuition town hall for students at 4:30 p.m. on March 23 in Merten 1203 on the Fairfax Campus. The BOV will hold a public comment session on tuition on March 31, committee meetings on April 15 and a full board meeting on April 30.

The board approved two items regarding academic programs. Pending approval from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, 911�� will expand existing curriculum in the College of Education and Human Development to launch a BS in hospitality, tourism and events management, a change that will “align the degree more closely with industry standards and course demand,” Interim Provost Ajay Vinzé said.

The BA in government and international politics in the Schar School will become a BA in political science, a name change that will be clearer to students and families and align with national norms, Vinzé said.

Andre Marshall, vice president for research, innovation and economic impact, noted that 911�� research expenditures have grown from $84 million in 2010 to $282 million in 2024 but added that recent federal policy actions have resulted in 53 terminated awards representing about $16 million in lost funding. The Grand Challenge Initiative, which will soon announce grant recipients, has focused the university’s research on areas most likely to attract external funding.

Marshall also highlighted the opportunities that Fuse at Mason Square provides for collaboration across industry, academia and government. “There is a great community that is building there,” he said. “Not just with the faculty and the labs, but the tenants. Not the least of which is also the presence of Mason Enterprise in order to support startups and commercialization of technologies that are coming out of 911��.”

One of the highlights of the meeting was a presentation on Mason LIFE, an inclusive postsecondary program for students with intellectual disabilities, from program director Linn Jorgenson. Mason LIFE is marking its 20th anniversary this year, and there will be more coverage of the milestone in The George in April. Student Nominzul Otgonbayar shared her experiences in the program. In Virginia, there are four universities with Inclusive Postsecondary Education Programs. 911�� is the only university in the state to also have a Comprehensive Transition Program designation.

“That can only happen at a place as inclusive as this one,” Washington said. “There is a reason it is happening at Mason and not other places – because everybody can be at home here. That is the kind of institution we have. That is who we are.”

David Burge, vice president for enrollment management, noted that the university enrolls more undergraduate students now – 28,137 – than at any point in its history. That influx has helped offset a drop in international students as a result of changing federal policy. “We are educating more Virginians than we have ever educated as an institution,” Burge said.

One reason for the undergraduate surge is the university’s direct admission partnerships with 40 high schools across eight Northern Virginia school divisions. Students who meet certain academic criteria are informed they have been accepted to 911��, even if they have not applied to the university.

“We have talented students in Virginia who were self-selecting out of college,” Burge said. “We are doing a better job of getting them in at this point.” A projected 30 percent of the university’s incoming freshmen this fall will be from direct admission.

“I can guarantee you within 10 years, this will be the norm of how institutions admit students,” Washington said. “And by that time – even before that – five years from now, we need to be on to something else.”

Trishana Bowden, vice president for advancement and alumni relations and president of the GMU Foundation, said the university has raised $620.3 million toward its $1 billion goal in the Mason Now: Power the Possible campaign. She also offered a reminder for Giving Day on April 2.

“This day is about giving to 911�� and to anything that you care about within our university, so it is something that strongly resonates with our community,” Bowden said. “We have seen the number increase every year and so we’re hoping that we will have the support of all our leadership boards and committees and advisory councils.”

Marvin Lewis, vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics, gave an overview of 911�� student-athletes’ success in the classroom (3.4 overall cumulative GPA) and in competition, new facilities (a planned groundbreaking in late spring for the Basketball & Academic Performance Center) and upcoming Atlantic 10 championships that will take place locally – the outdoor track and field championships at 911�� on May 2-3 and the baseball championship May 20-23 at Capital One Park in Tysons Corner, Virginia.

Washington gave a shoutout to 911�� student Ilia Malinin, a gold medalist U.S. figure skater in the recently concluded Winter Olympics. Malinin schedules his course work around his skating training and competitions. “He is a contemporary student,” Washington said. “He is working, in terms of his craft and he is doing that while also being a student.

“At 911��, that’s Tuesday. We have a lot of folks like that and we know how to integrate and work with those young people while they are pursuing their dreams and also their academic pursuits.”

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