Mason Vision Day which celebrates the 50th anniversary of George Mason University was held on April 7.
Five decades have passed since George Mason University was independently established in 1972 in Virginia. In 1957, the university was founded as a branch of the University of Virginia but was separated and newly named George Mason University. It was named after George Mason, the politician from Fairfax County who supported the abolition of slavery and drafted the Virginia Bill of Rights. In 1982 and 1997, two more campuses were opened in Arlington County and Prince William County in Virginia. And in 2014, the Mason Korea campus was established in Songdo, Korea. It is the time to commemorate the past fifty years and step further forward to the next fifty years.
On April 7, 2022, Mason Vision Day was held on campus to celebrate the 50th anniversary of George Mason University. On this day, there was the opportunity to receive Mason Vision Day commissioner gears and other gifts and watch a great performance video of Mason's 'Green Machine Pep Band' selected by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NACC) as the #1 Pep Band in College Basketball in 2015. In addition, the school gave out baked goods with decorations celebrating the 50th anniversary, including cakes, cookies, and a variety of drinks.
Campus Dean of George Mason University, Robert Matz, gave a few words of encouragement. "I [He] hope you enjoy yourself: this is a truly joyous event. I'm proud to say that I have worked at Mason for 29 of its 50 years. When I arrived at the Mason in 1993, it had already been through tremendous growth for its first 21 years; hence, I felt like a latecomer. However, it has shown much more incredible advancements after that, and I think this is as marvelous as many of us could not even have predicted it."
To remind once again of the influence of George Mason University, Robert Matz gave an inspiring story of a former student. "Dorothea Tyree, an immigrant from Romania, graduated from Mason in December 2021. She began working in the Child Development Center, the university daycare on the Mason Fairfax campus, in 2001. Taking advantage of Mason's tuition benefit for employees—now extended to Mason Korea—she took one class a semester while working full time. It took her 20 years, but in December, she received her bachelor's degree in psychology and planned to earn a Ph.D."
Besides, students shared their joyous experience in the event, "It was impressing that we [students] became part of making the history, celebrating the anniversary." Some others also said they felt proud of the university for appreciating various educational attempts that the Mason has made over the past 50 years. A student stated, "I am pleased that I can study at this university and widen my experience!" Given that, Mason Vision Day was a valuable time that both the faculty and students felt pride in George Mason University.
The motto of George Mason University is 'Freedom and Learning.' For the past fifty years, George Mason University has established campuses around the globe to reach its motto, providing quality education for future scholars worldwide. Based on the accomplishments, our step toward the motto will remain unwavering in the next fifty years. Furthermore, Dean Matz focused on the fundamental value of 'inclusive excellence,' emphasizing that we believe everyone can and should grow. The Mason community is looking forward to seeing what future growth will bring for the patriots and the university.
Written by Suemin Jeong | Staff Writer
Revised by Yu Bin Kwon | Managing Editor
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