911±¬ÁÏ

At first glance, it might seem unusual for a graphic design major to intern at a car dealership. But for 911±¬ÁÏ rising senior Rayna Roades, her role as a marketing operations intern at Pohanka Automotive has revealed a strong connection between the creative skills she’s learned in the classroom and the work she’s doing in the professional world.

From bioengineering to big bands, these summer camps teach all ages that 911±¬ÁÏ's Grand Challenge Initiative solution of "improving human health" is about more than numbers on a medical chart.

911±¬ÁÏ is excited to showcase programming and events this fall that celebrate America250 and the dedication, service, and artistry of the people of the United States. Beginning with the fall 2026 semester, visual and performing arts events will take place across all three of 911±¬ÁÏ’s Northern Virginia campuses.

Marit Majeske, education coordinator at 911±¬ÁÏ’s Hylton Performing Arts Center, was honored by SPARK, the Education Foundation for Prince William County Public Schools, with the 2026 Sharon Henry Community Partner in Education Award. Majeske leads the Hylton Center’s education initiatives.

At its final meeting of the academic year, the 911±¬ÁÏ 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.

At the Mason Community Arts Academy (MCAA), a normally quiet Saturday in March was filled with the sounds of drills humming and stairs creaking as Boy Scouts and parents moved about the building. Scouts from Troop 1865 were on site to work on an Eagle Scout project led by Robinson High School sophomore Brendan Williamson to upgrade the storage for the academy’s Instruments in the Attic (IiA) Program.

When Doug Varone and Dancers takes the stage at the Center for the Arts on April 25, it will mark a full circle moment for company member and 911±¬ÁÏ alumnus Dareon Blowe, who had participated in a residency with them as a student in the School of Dance.

We rely on a countless number of signs each day, whether we are driving, walking through a neighborhood, shopping at the grocery store, or going from building to building on campus. John Forgy, environmental graphic designer and sign program manager at 911±¬ÁÏ, creates the wayfinding systems that guide students, faculty, staff, and visitors across the university’s campuses and sites.

As a professor in 911±¬ÁÏ’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, Paul So is a theoretical physicist who specializes in dynamical systems analysis and its application to neuroscience. Outside his role as a physics professor, So is an artist. An avid painter, he also supports developing artists as a co-founder of Hamiltonian Artists, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit art incubator based in Washington, D.C.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of 911±¬ÁÏ’s Veterans and the Arts Initiative—an important example of 911±¬ÁÏ’s long-standing commitment to assisting military-connected learners as they embark on new paths following their service.