What a year 2017 was for George Mason University. From a team of engineering students who developed a prosthetic to help a young girl play the violin, to our scientists who discovered ways to treat infectious diseases using Komodo dragon blood, to a Pulitzer finalist in Spanish-American history, we continued to innovate and make a difference. We welcomed our largest and most diverse class in university history, and celebrated a Carnegie Fellow, an Oscar-nominated cinematographer, and our first Rhodes Scholar finalist in a decade.
Our donors made a huge impact at Mason in 2017, with more than 13,000 supporters contributing gifts and pledges totaling $62.7 million to the Faster Farther campaign (for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017).
Mason’s first Giving Day, held April 6, offered a new way for the entire community—alumni, friends, students, faculty, and staff—to support Mason. In just 24 hours, more than 1,200 donors answered the call, supporting a wide range of causes, from scholarships and the arts to academics and athletics. For the year, the number of faculty and staff donating nearly doubled, to 714, while alumni supporters topped 6,200, as the call to show your Mason spirit resonated strongly with those who know the university best.
In 2018, we celebrate a special milestone—the Golden Anniversary of our alumni association, started by the class of ’68. From fledgling school to top-tier research university, Mason has come so far in those 50 years, with the support of alumni crucial to our success. Thanks to the generosity of Mason Nation, 2018 looks bright indeed.