“I don’t think there’s another university in the state of Virginia or in the region that offers opportunity the way that George Mason does,” said Victor Hoskins, president and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority. With his deep involvement in the business of Northern Virginia, Hoskins’s impression is informed by experience. As a member of George Mason University’s President’s Innovation Advisory Council (PIAC), he sees the important role that George Mason plays in helping the region grow.
Victor and Diane Hoskins. Photo provided.
Victor and his wife, Diane Hoskins, are actively contributing to George Mason’s work to spur the innovative expansion of opportunity in Northern Virginia. In honor of their generous gift of $50,000, a conference space in the Mason Enterprise Suite will bear their name.
“Victor Hoskins has been a champion for the Fuse project and its impact on the region since its inception during the time when he led Arlington Economic Development,” said Liza Wilson Durant, associate provost for strategic initiatives and community engagement. “His early insights were invaluable as we developed the vision for a building that would bring together a diversity of thought and expertise and accelerate innovation through collisions between industry, government, and academia. We are thrilled that Victor and Diane have chosen this additional personal support for the project.”
Hoskins is positive about the opportunities presented by Fuse, a 345,000+-square-foot building that will serve as a hub for research, learning, and entrepreneurship. “It’s an innovation center,” he said. “It could really capitalize by connecting directly to these companies that want research, that are looking for innovation, that are trying to get out of their own box.”
Paula Sorrell, George Mason’s associate vice president of innovation and economic development, enthusiastically agreed. “As an R-1 university with a reputation for creativity and innovation, we take very seriously our partnerships with the business community and with our local private and public organizations. Fuse is a stage set for the interplay of ideas that will advance the success of these partners. Victor is a brilliant guy and a fantastic partner for Mason in economic development, and I’m so excited that it’s his named conference room we will use every day.”
Hoskins’s career is an illustration of moving businesses forward. He has held executive leadership ranks in the public and private sectors, working in real estate finance, housing development, economic development, international business investment, strategic planning, and team management. When he was deputy mayor, planning and development, for the District of Columbia—a position he held from 2011-14—his team transformed Washington, D.C., with projects such as CityCenterDC, the Wharf, and Union Market.
Fuse at Mason Square. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding.
Serving as the director of economic development for Arlington County, Virginia, from 2015 to 2019, Hoskins led the team that brought the second headquarters of Amazon to the region; a massive economic development deal that will generate $4 billion in investment and create more than 100,000 jobs.
In Fairfax County, his leadership has attracted or retained the headquarters of Hilton, Volkswagen of America, StarKist, Amentum, and the Aerospace Corporation, and major operations of Microsoft, AWS, Google, Meta, Blue Origin, and Qualtrics.
PIAC is a group of industry, community, and government leaders who offer leadership, vision, and guidance regarding George Mason’s Arlington Innovation Initiative. As a member, Hoskins sees George Mason as integral to helping to connect skilled, educated workers with all of the industries making their homes in Northern Virginia.
“The talent supply that George Mason provides for the region is pretty amazing. Something like 70% of the students who finish at George Mason stay in the region, and that means that you’re our university,” he said. “Any investment in George Mason is actually an investment in the state economy and an investment in the private as well as the public sector.”
Fuse, Hoskins said, is a way to integrate students and research with industry. “To me, it is the university’s opportunity to bring together the ideas of the private sector with deep research to solve problems,” he said. “Very few companies have R&D programs that are strong enough to do that kind of work individually.”
Even beyond Fuse, Hoskins believes in George Mason’s commitment to first-generation students. “Diane and I were in the first generation in our families to attend a university,” he said. “In addition, we were blessed to be able to earn master’s degrees. Without the support of scholarships, research fellowships, and internships, we would not have been able to attend our universities.”
Diane Hoskins, the global co-chair of architecture and design firm Gensler, is a registered architect who has been covered by the Washington Post Magazine, Fortune, and other news sources as one of the most influential and powerful women in business.
The couple’s parents were catalysts for their educational aspirations, and the Hoskins’ support for educational opportunities is driven by their desire to honor them. “Our parents focused on education as the path to a successful career and the way to achieve the American dream,” Hoskins said. “Unfortunately, they weren’t able to go to college, but it’s something they wanted for all their kids.”
Moreover, Hoskins appreciates George Mason’s emphasis on inclusivity. “The diversity of the school is amazing, and that diversity is attractive to me.” At George Mason, he added, “it’s really access to anybody who is interested in education.”
The Hoskins’ gift to support George Mason students through their investment in Fuse at Mason Square is certain to make a lasting impact on how George Mason University—and its students—will be able to serve the community into the future.