The University

George Mason University began as the Northern Virginia branch of the University of Virginia in 1957 before being established as an independent member of the commonwealth's system of colleges and universities in 1972. It is a distributed university with three campuses, in Fairfax, Arlington and Prince William Counties, each with a distinctive academic focus that plays a critical role in the economy of its region.

The large and diverse enrollment base features over 24,000 students, including more than 15,000 undergraduates, representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia and over 100 countries. The faculty includes winners of awards from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Templeton Foundation, the National Science Foundation and the National Endowments for the Arts and the Humanities and winners of Fulbright Awards and Fellowships. George Mason boasts two Nobel laureates in economics, Dr. Vernon Smith and recently retired Dr. James M. Buchanan.

George Mason University sits in the heart of the world's high-tech and information industries, providing it with a unique and fortuitous opportunity to be an indispensable global partner in the area's phenomenal growth.

George Mason's dynamic student body, ground-breaking research programs, technological innovations, solid academic reputation and distinguished faculty exemplifies what a young university can successfully accomplish through foresight, determination and hard work.

George Mason University was named the "number one up-and-coming university in the southern region" by U.S. News and World Report.

A National Leader in Intercollegiate Athletics
George Mason University regularly ranks among the top NCAA Division I-AAA programs (non-football) in the country. In five of the first six years of the Sears Directors Cup Poll, the Patriots finished in the top 10 among I-AAA programs, including first-place finishes in 1995 and in 1997. They are perennially among the top one-third of all programs.

National Champions
George Mason counts two National Championships in its young athletic tradition. The Patriots won the 1985 NCAA Women's Soccer Championship and the 1996 Men's Indoor Track and Field Championship.

Commitment to the Student-Athlete
George Mason University is properly staffed to meet the needs of its student-athletes in the highly competitive NCAA Division I market. The athletic department has over 100 full-time employees on staff, including 13 members of the athletic director's management team, which provide a national-caliber 4:1 ratio of staff to the nearly 400 student-athletes, competing in 22 intercollegiate sports. In addition, there is a full-time strength and conditioning coordinator/nutritionist, a full-time sport psychologist, a full-time NCAA Life Skills coordinator, and full-time personnel in athletic training (4), academic support (4), facilities/events operations (4), marketing and sponsorships (4), sports information and public relations (5) and weight training areas. To support its own efforts, the athletic department has access to a wide range of University-sponsored resources to provide comprehensive and progressive services.