Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations
4400 University Drive, MS 1A3
Fairfax, Virginia 22030
703-993-8850
Your four-year commitment of $2,500 annually will create a scholarship for one CEHD student in your name or in honor of the person or organization you choose.
To Help Students
Please Contact
Shirley Hartman
Director of Advancement
College of Education and Human Development
703-993-2005
shartma@gmu.edu
Mason’s College of Education and Human Development
The College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) at George Mason University offers nationally recognized programs in educator preparation, special education, counseling, kinesiology, athletic training, sport and recreation management, and learning technologies.
CEHD’s three schools are home to more than 3,800 students and 130 full-time instructional faculty who prepare undergraduate and graduate students for meaningful careers that improve lives and make our world a better place. Over 29,000 CEHD alumni inspire a positive quality of life in our region and beyond.
Reflecting its high quality, CEHD’s School of Education was recently ranked in the top tier in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, while its Special Education program ranked #16. With 10 centers engaged in consequential research, and more than $16 million in research expenditures annually, the school’s faculty and students generate new knowledge and innovations to improve our educational system.
One out of every three teachers and half of school leaders in Northern Virginia’s world-class public schools boast a degree from Mason. Our outstanding public education system serves as a magnet for the talented workforce that drives the region’s economic growth. Each year our graduates receive state and national awards as top teachers and top principals.
Our School of Sport, Recreation and Tourism Management offers some of the university’s most sought-after academic programs, enrolling nearly 500 students in dynamic and career-ready studies in sport, recreation, tourism, hospitality and events management. Our School of Kinesiology offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in athletic training, health and physical education, exercise fitness, health promotion and kinesiology, preparing students to improve the physical performance, health, and well-being of the entire community.
The Need for Scholarships
For thousands of students each year, George Mason is the place where excellence meets access to opportunity. More than a third of Mason undergraduates are first-generation college students; half are from underrepresented populations. We define success by the number of students we serve, not the number we turn away.
As one of just 94 top-tier public research universities in the country, Mason offers these students an outstanding education. And Mason is recognized by the Education Trust as one of the few universities in the U.S. with little or no disparity in graduation rates for students regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.
For so many of these students with outstanding promise and their families, the costs of higher education are daunting even at a public university. Only five percent of CEHD’s students have their financial needs fully met.
The Green and Gold Scholars Program
To support its most promising scholars, the College of Education and Human Development has established the Green and Gold Scholars program, funded by annual donations to the college. Each prestigious and competitive Green and Gold Scholars Scholarship will be offered to a qualified incoming freshman of exceptional promise who combines financial need with strong academic merit, community service, and leadership ability.
By making a meaningful commitment to give $2,500 annually for four consecutive years (a total of $10,000), you will personally create a Green and Gold Scholars Scholarship. You can choose for this scholarship to help fund either a single CEHD undergraduate beginning his or her education at George Mason, or to fund two consecutive transfer students. You can also choose to fund a fellowship for a graduate student at $3,000 per year for two years, for a total of $6,000.
Your four-year commitment to a Green and Gold Scholars Scholarship will provide student motivation, allow for a true measure of impact, and foster a mutual long-term relationship between you and your Green and Gold Scholar.
And while federal regulations do not allow the donor to designate a specific student to receive a scholarship, you can indicate a preference for a recipient who meets certain criteria, such as a first-generation student, a student from a single-parent household, a military service member or dependent, or a student from a particular high school. You can also designate which of the three schools within CEHD you choose to support with your gift.
Your Student, Your Difference
Through your decision to become a Green and Gold Scholar donor, you can help one student who, like you, has earned the opportunity to succeed, but simply requires a bit of assistance to realize their dream. This is your opportunity to make a difference—to pay it forward with a commitment that reflects the value that you place on education and on helping others.
As you follow the progress of your scholarship recipient over four years you will see, and understand, the impact of your gift. You will gain the unique satisfaction of watching your recipient grow and develop as they prepare for their career of helping others.
And by displaying your commitment, you will surely help inspire similar generosity in others, while proving the power of thoughtful philanthropy to shape futures and change lives.
Recognizing Your Gift
Each Green and Gold Scholar will be encouraged to provide periodic personal updates on his or her progress. As the donor, you will have opportunities to meet with the recipient and to offer counsel or mentorship, if desired.
Through your generous gift, you will be invited to an annual Dean’s Reception—a gathering of CEHD faculty, students, and valued supporters. You will also be recognized by the university as a member of the President’s Circle, the group of Mason’s most loyal supporters who make annual charitable contributions of $2,500 or more for any purpose. President’s Circle donors are offered special opportunities to engage with programs at the university, and are invited to a holiday reception each December.
Finally, as a supporter of the Green and Gold Scholars program, you will be invited to the Celebration of Scholarships, a campus-wide dinner held each spring that brings together scholarship donors and scholarship recipients for an inspirational and memorable evening.
Thank you for considering a generous gift to support scholarships for CEHD students!