Enter your email Address

Giving To Mason Giving To Mason-Stacked
  • Vision
      • gmu-arrowVision
      • Make Your Difference
        • Students
        • Research
        • Campus
      • More
        • See the Impact
        • Give Now
  • Impact
      • gmu-arrowImpact
      • Impact Stories
        • Donor Recognition
      • More
        • See the Impact
        • Give Now
  • How To Give
      • gmu-arrowHow To Give
      • Giving by School
        • Antonin Scalia Law School
        • Athletics
        • Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution
        • College of Education and Human Development
        • College of Engineering and Computing
        • College of Humanities and Social Sciences
        • College of Public Health
        • College of Science
        • College of Visual and Performing Arts
        • Costello College of Business
        • Honors College
        • Hylton Performing Arts Center
        • Schar School of Policy and Government
        • University Libraries
        • University Life
      • Corporate Giving
        • Overview
      • Make A Planned Gift
        • Explore Options for Giving to Mason Through your Will or Other Planned Gifts
      • More
        • Give By Mail
        • Gift of Stock
        • Give Now Online
        • Engagement Officers
        • Give By Donor Advised Fund (DAF)
  • Connect
      • gmu-arrowConnect
      • Ways to Connect
        • Contact Us
        • Alumni Engagement
        • George Mason University
          Foundation, Inc.
        • Impact
      • Questions?
        • FAQ
      • Policies
        • Donor Bill of Rights
        • Administrative Fee Policy
      • Contact Our Team
        • Contact University Advancement And Alumni Relations Staff
        • Contact School, College, And Unit Advancement Staff
  • Visit
    Gmu.Edu
  • GiveNow
  • Click to open the search input field Click to open the search input field Search
  • Menu Menu
  • Link to Facebook
  • Link to Twitter
  • Link to Youtube
  • Search Search
    • Link to Facebook
    • Link to Twitter
    • Link to Youtube
Athletics

A Helping Hand for Students

02/01/2017
Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share by Mail
D.R.Butler

Professor D.R. Butler, whose service to Mason spans a quarter-century, has followed a remarkable path over his 82 years.

Born in rural Texas during the Great Depression, Butler learned early a lesson about giving back. During those hard times, his father would fill his pickup truck with watermelons picked at a cousin’s farm, then drive around town with young D.R., delivering them for free to families in need.

“That was my father’s way of giving back,” Butler says. “You can’t describe the feeling you got in watching the expressions on these people who were almost at the end of the line,” he recalls. “It’s amazing how it impacts you.”

At just five years old, Butler dreamt of being a pilot. Impossible, his practical father told him—until President Truman desegregated the armed forces. Now Butler’s dream was possible. At age 16, he enrolled at Prairie View A&M, a historically black college with an ROTC program, graduating with a degree in mathematics. He joined the U.S. Army, training as a helicopter pilot. Butler’s Army career took him to Korea, to Germany, to Vietnam for a year of flying helicopters in a war zone, and finally to the Pentagon. He retired as a colonel in 1985. Only then does the Mason chapter of his life begin.

For his second career, Butler wanted “to teach and work with young people.” Joining Mason’s athletic department, for many years he led the academic and guidance center for student-athletes. More recently he held the position of associate athletic director for community relations. Earning his doctorate in public administration from Mason in 1992, he also taught an undergraduate government class every semester for two decades, until his retirement in February. Renowned for his concern for students, he has received many heartfelt thank you letters from them in return, which he proudly saves.

Butler’s care for students has led him to become a philanthropist, as well. He and his wife of 62 years, Jo Jewell Butler, along with their daughters, established the Butler Family Endowment in Women’s Athletics in 2010. Used annually to support five women’s teams at Mason, the endowment’s value now exceeds $125,000. For many years, the Butlers also hosted barbecues at their home for the teams, although that tradition ended a few years ago.

As a benefactor and as a mentor, Professor Butler often passes on his father’s example: “The best helping hand you will ever find in life,” he says, “is at the end of your own arm.”

Feburary 1, 2017 / RR

Tags: Athletics, Butler, Giving, Scholarships

Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share by Mail

Related Posts

Athletics
04/30/2025

George Mason Athletics Hosts Etiquette Dinner for Senior Student-Athletes

On Monday, April 28 at EagleBanke Arena, senior student-athletes gathered for a unique professional…
/by Celina
Athletics
04/29/2025

Athletics Sets Record with $906,204.64 Raised on Mason Vision Day

George Mason University Athletics is proud to announce a record-breaking total of $906,204.64…
/by Celina
Featured
04/28/2025

Generous gift will name School of Computing, support scholarships

George Mason University received a gift with an impact of $36 million from the Kimmy Duong…
/by Celina
Featured
03/18/2025

Advancement launches new awards to recognize faculty and staff giving

George Mason University’s staff and faculty bring their generosity to their work each day,…
/by Celina
Giving To Mason Giving To Mason-Stacked
  • Vision
  • Impact
  • How to Give
  • Connect
  • Visit
    Gmu.Edu
  • GiveNow
  • Link to Facebook
  • Link to Twitter
  • Link to Youtube
Giving to Mason

George Mason University is Virginia’s largest public research university, located in one of the most important political, economic and intellectual hubs in the world. Our mission is to help students succeed, enrich our community, and contribute to solving the most complex global problems.

Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations

4400 University Drive, MS 1A3
Fairfax, Virginia 22030
703-993-8850

Copyright © 2025 George Mason University | www.gmu.edu

Privacy Policies | Sitemap

Scroll to top Scroll to top Scroll to top