A serial entrepreneur, Burton Gray, BA Economics ‘95, BA English ’95, has led businesses in independent music, film production, software development, and agriculture.
He has supported Washington, D.C.-local ventures like DC Brau Brewing Company and has served on several nonprofit boards focused on education, health, and community initiatives. Gray traces his success back to his experience on the George Mason Debate Team while a student at the university.
“George Mason taught me how to take strong positions and turn ideas into actions and results, allowing me to start and grow successful businesses.”
“Debate taught me how to become an expert on complex issues in a matter of hours,” Gray said. “Whether it was copyright law in the music industry or negotiating partnerships, the skills I learned in argument and analysis helped me understand how to take a stronger position and get things done.”
In what ways do you still use your George Mason degree?
I use my George Mason degrees to win, to succeed, and to excel—whether it’s in the businesses that I’ve started, the community organizations where I can give back, or with my family. But it’s all thankfully because of George Mason. At George Mason I learned how to commit myself to a task or project, and how to research, work hard, and show up every day. These lessons stuck with me.
What skill from your degree do you use every day?
I use communication and technical writing skills every day. The ability to communicate ideas—whether they’re in economics or in any other field—eloquently and succinctly is essential to my career.
What did you learn from your time as part of the Mason Debate team?
Debate teaches you an amazing combination of skills and research techniques, and how to pull them from either a vast repository of data or how to pull them from your memory. In debate, you learn to make an argument, think on your feet, and use the research that you’ve already completed. If you want to convince somebody that you’re right, you need a strong and convincing argument.
What ways do you leverage your education to make real-world impact?
My education at George Mason has allowed me to become an active part of the community. I’ve had the opportunity to serve on boards of nonprofit organizations, and give back in ways that make immediate differences.