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FOURTH ESTATE August 31, 2015 | Volume 2 Issue 24 George Mason University’s official student news outlet gmufourthestate.com | @IVEstate

WHAT’S GROWING IN

MASON POND? PAGE 5

STUDENT TRAVELS TO NEW

NEWS YOU MISSED THIS SUMMER PAGE 4

ZEALAND

PAGE 11

FINAL FOUR CELEBRATION

MASON TENNIS AT

CITI OPEN PAGE 15

PAGE 14

(SONGJUN DENG/FOURTH ESTATE)

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Alexa Rogers &

CLASSIFIEDS Help Wanted

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Child Care

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After-school childcare in my home in Herndon for middle-school student. Meet at bus, offer snacks, play games, encourage homework. 2:30/3:00 to 5:30, 2-4 days per week. Good oppty. for student in education, child devel., psych, or similar. Contact Laurie at lshuster1@verizon.net

Make money while making a difference. Looking for person with strong Entrepreneurial Skills and a desire to make a six figure income.

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571-297-2280 Full-time legal assistant for busy two-attorney office in Alexandria. Experience in domestic relations preferred, but not necessary. Please e-mail resume to gktlaw@comcast.net or fax to 703-684-1482. Include salary history. Call 703-683-5328 for more information.

Corrections: Orientation Guide

​ he Science and Technology Campus was improperly referred to as T the Prince William campus.

The Vice President of Global Strategies position was vacant at the time of press. Anne Schiller does not hold this position.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @IVEstate Check out our website for job opportunities at Fourth Estate next semester.

TWO IS BETTER THAN ONE Welcome back, Patriots! We hope everyone had a great summer filled with beach time, soft serve ice cream and bad sunburns.

But now you’re back at this lovely place you call home, and we hope you can find some solace amidst moving in, new construction and your first week of classes. If this is your first week at Mason, welcome. It might seem like a lot; it might seem like nothing; but so far it’s been a great place for the both of us to spend our past two years.

That’s right, US. As you might have noticed, there are now two Editors-in-Chief. At the end of last semester, our graduating Editor-in-Chief approached us with this idea of a new spin on the leadership of the newspaper, and it didn’t take much convincing. We couldn’t be more excited to not only offer our respective skills to benefit the publication but to work together to make it better than ever.

We’re very excited about our staff, both new and returning -Especially that we now have a sports section again after a semester-long hiatus. We’re working to rebuild it, but we think you’re going to see some exciting new coverage from that section, as well as our other sections as we decide how to best bring you the news that you need and want.

Fourth Estate has been throwing around one particular word that’s become important in the journalism industry, but that we can’t seem to commit to: Multimedia. We’ve been hearing it since we both started here our freshmen year and haven’t seemed to commit to making it a part of our process. So we’ve decided to shake things up and get a little more creative with how we bring you content. We’re planning to converge with our friends over at MCN to generate more video content and bring you multiple sides of every story. We’ve also got an awesome design staff ready to make dynamic infographics and capture great photos.

But while we celebrate our new beginnings, Fourth Estate and Student Media are also remembering a loss. Our beloved former visual editor, Walter Martinez, passed away this summer. Walter was the type of person that could always lift your spirits, even with just a single hello, and brought his fun personal flair to our staff. His presence, both in the office and his work on these pages, will be deeply missed.

With every new editor, or in our case, editors, that this paper sees, they have a new vision or message for readers. What we want you to keep in mind is that just like you, we’re learning. We’re students working at a student newspaper and that means we’re not going to get everything right, 100 percent of the time, whether it’s is an interpretation of a fact or how to best deliver our content. And we’re okay with that. It doesn’t mean we hold ourselves to a lesser standard, but that we know it’s all a part of the learning process.

The one thing we do ask is that you tell us (nicely please, unless we’ve completely butchered your name) if we’ve made a mistake. We value your opinion because without our readers what would we even be at all? We really want to cultivate some good dialogue with you this year, so any questions, comments, suggestions, or praise you want to send our way, we would love to hear it and start a discussion.

We won’t be here every week to talk about what’s in this issue or how we connected with the last episode of Gilmore Girls that we watched (sorry Hau), but one or both of us will drop-in from time to time when we feel like we have something valuable to say.

On a final note, we hope you’re excited for the upcoming semester and will keep up with us by picking up our weekly edition around campus, checking out our website at gmufourthestate.com or by following us on Facebook and Twitter (@IVEstate).

ALEXA ROGERS & SARA MONIUSZKO | EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Sara Moniuszko Editors-In-Chief

Ellen Glickman News Editor

Natalia Kolenko Assistant News Editor

Savannah Norton Lifestyle Editor

Tatyana White-Jenkins Assistant Lifestyle Editor

Courtney Hoffman Sports Editor

Claire Cecil Photography Editor

Katie Morgan Design Editor

Megan Zendek Visual Editor

Barbara Brophy Copy Chief

Ryan Adams Distribution Manager

Kathryn Mangus Director

David Carroll Associate Director Fourth Estate is printed each Monday for George Mason University and its surrounding Fairfax community. The editors of Fourth Estate have exclusive authority over the content that is published.

There are no outside parties that play a role in the newspaper’s content, and should there be a question or complaint regarding this policy, the Editor-in-Chief should be notified at the email provided.

Fourth Estate is a free publication, limit one copy per person. Additional copies are 25 cents payable to the Office of Student Media.

Mail Fourth Estate George Mason University Mail stop 2C5 4400 University Drive Fairfax, Va. 22030 Phone 703-993-2950

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Cabrera moderates UN forum on sustainable business practices they were dealing with in their own schools,” Nutter said.

Nutter said not everyone is on board with the PRME at the school level.

President Cabrera’s involvement with the program began in 2007, prior to his tenure at Mason, when he served as chair of a U.N. international task force responsible for developing the PRME. Though the program is less than a decade old, it claims over 500 business schools as signatories and 14 supporting organizations whose work promote ethical business practices. Mason officially joined in February 2014.

“I think there is resistance to sustainability when it is viewed as a political agenda, rather than a principled approach to thinking more broadly about how can business and corporations be a force for good,” she said.

“It was a fascinating process through which business school leaders around the world agreed to challenge themselves and their institutions and make a public commitment to develop responsible leaders,” Cabrera said about creating the principles.

Though Mason is still in the early stages of implementing the principles, the School of Business has already developed courses on the issue of sustainability and looks to the issue of curriculum reform as a topic of discussion.

Nutter grew up near a Dow Chemicals plant in Ohio and recalls seeing the state’s Cuyahoga River burn as a result of improper chemical waste management among factories. The balance between business in the black and consequences in the red informs Nutter’s approach when it comes to looking at a sustainable future.

“I would ask folks to take the broader view which is, how do we think about business education in a way that isn’t just focused on short-term decision making, that leads to perhaps an incremental positive on the firm, but consider the long-term consequences of decisions that we make today,” Nutter said.

The PRME is a list of six principles to which each participating school becomes a signatory.

Each of the principles builds on the premise that students and educators are integral to shaping the future business environment.

AU T H E N T I C N E W YO R K ST Y L E Schools agree to such state(MEGAN ZENDEK/FOURTH ESTATE) ments as “We The Principles for Responsible Management Education. The definitions in this graphic were will develop the capabilities of adapted from the PRME website. students to be ROBERT WINSHIP | STAFF WRITER future generators of sustainB ROOK LY Nfor | Bbusiness RONX | T RIB ORO | WH IT E STONE | ART IC H O K E | PE STO | TO M ATO B AS I L | A R TI C H O K E As the practices of big business are being questioned in both the able value and courts and the public forum, one group is examining business society at large” and “We will leaders at the university level. This summer marked the 6th Annual interact with managers of busiAssembly of the Global Forum for Responsible Management ness corporations to extend our Education, moderated by Mason President Ángel Cabrera. knowledge.”

| B U FFA LO C H I C K E N

The PRME is a list of six principles to which each participating school becomes a signatory. Each of the principles builds on the premise that students and educators are integral to shaping the future business environment.

The forum, held this June in New York, was just one part of the U.N. initiative Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), which promotes sustainable and responsible business practices through education. The forum boasted 400+ participants and brought together educators, administrators and business leaders looking promote ethical business practices.

Dean of Mason’s School of Business, Sarah Nutter, also attended the event.

“The purpose of the meeting in New York was really to gather together faculty and administrators and interested parties that were signatories to the PRME and to really talk about issues that

The PRME address internal business ethics as well as external impact. “[Businesses] must be led by managers who are ethical and responsible, who understand the scope and impact of their decisions on society at large, and who are committed to creating sustainable value without causing collateral damage,” Cabrera said.

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Quickly catch up on all things Mason-related Cabrera among top-paid public university presidents Higher Education.

Cabrera had a base pay of $536,049 and earned $615,759 in total benefits in

Commonwealth University’s president Michael Rao ranked 41st on the list with $553,155 in total benefits, and University of Virginia’s president Teresa

George Mason University president Ángel Cabrera made $615,759 in fiscal year 2014, the second highest amount in the state.. fiscal year 2014, the Chronicle reports.

In June, the higher education-focused (PHOTO BY EVAN CANTWELL/COURTESY OF CREATIVE publication released SERVICES/GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY) its annual list of the incomes of public ELLEN GLICKMAN | NEWS university presidents. Cabrera EDITOR earned the second-highest Mason’s president Ángel amount in the state, followCabrera earns the 29th highest ing Virginia Tech’s recently salary among United States retired president Charles W. public university presidents, Steger, who received $745,195 according to the Chronicle of in total benefits. Virginia

Sullivan came in 65th with $494,700. Cabrera saw a significant jump in his ranking from the last fiscal year when he was ranked the 70th highest-earning public university president in the United States. In that year he earned a base salary of $499,194 and a total compensation of $559,085.

Information reported by the Richmond-Times Dispatch was used in this article.

Lincoln Chafee announces presidential bid on campus MELISSA MOORE | STAFF WRITER

Former Rhode Island governor and senator Lincoln Chafee (D) announced his presidential bid on June 3 in Founders Hall in the Arlington campus.

The event kicked off Issues Forum, 2016, a foreign policy speaker series co-hosted by the Financial Times newspaper and Mason’s Center for Politics and Foreign Relations (CPFR).

The public forum was held at Mason as it is an “objective, nonpartisan” institution, according

to Robert Guttman, director of the CPFR. The center is within the School of Policy, Government, and International Affairs.

Since the bid announcement, things have not been going well for Chafee, who stands dead last in the race. As of press time, he averages .5 percent of the nation’s vote via polling data from organizations including FOX News, CBS, NBC, and ABC. His competitors for the Democratic nomination include Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden, Martin O’Malley, and Jim Webb.

Higher education faculty receive two percent pay raise MELISSA MOORE | STAFF WRITER

A revenue surplus announced by the Virginia General Assembly in July has led to a two percent increase in Virginia state workers’ paychecks starting September 1, 2015. State workers include higher education faculty, judges and state-supported local constitutional officers, among others.

In short, Mason faculty can expect a boost in their pay next month.

Communication professor John Curry said that while two percent is not much, it is still a small step that can pave the way for positive change.

“I am not an economics expert. And the larger impacts of even small per-hour increases drift beyond my expertise,” he noted. “But my gut tells me that the journey to income equality, like the journey towards so many forms of social equality, begins with small steps.”

State law requires that 96 percent of the $553 million – the largest surplus on record – be deposited into the Revenue Stabilization Fund, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. A portion will also be placed in the Virginia Water Quality Fund to provide water quality improvement grants throughout the state.

New Horizons mission reaches Pluto with help of professor MELISSA MOORE | STAFF WRITER

It’s not everyday a professor makes a discovery that could rewrite the very textbooks he teaches from.

Mason astronomy professor Mike Summers did just that.

On July 14, the New Horizons spacecraft made its closest approach to the Pluto/Charon system yet, with individuals from across the globe tuning in via television, radio and social media. Summers was part of the NASA team which made that happen.

After NASA called for proposals for a Pluto mission in 2001, Summers collaborated with other scientists to create the New Horizons mission.

The goal was to build and launch a spacecraft capable of collecting data from the dwarf planet. Summers said everyone involved knew from the start it was “an enormous undertaking.” A five-year ordeal of constructing and testing the spacecraft ended in a successful launch of the mission on January 19, 2006.

Summers said they have already learned some unexpected things.

“The images of Pluto and Charon were astonishing and gave us some extraordinary surprises,” Summers noted.

Charon is the largest of the five known moons of Pluto.

Among those surprises were a glacier in Pluto’s atmosphere measuring 1 million cubic

kilometers, young – geologically speaking – surfaces of Pluto and Charon, and a “halo look” caused by reflections of particles in Pluto’s atmosphere appearing in images of the dwarf planet.

“When the flyby occurred we were making discoveries left and right,” said Summers.

“And we were so incredibly surprised at what we found on Pluto and Charon. It was not like anything we expected.”

Less than 5 percent of the data is back from the spacecraft, so more discoveries have yet to be made.

Summers will be giving a talk at the Mason Observatory on August 31 at 7:30 p.m. titled “The New Horizons Mission to Pluto and Charon.”

Mason receives $5 million to begin planning Robinson Hall renovations HAMNA AHMAD | STAFF WRITER

Mason has received authorization from the Virginia General Assembly, along with $5 million, to begin planning demolition and a new design for Robinson Hall. Cathy Wolfe, director of campus planning, said part of the $5 million allocated for the reconstruction will also be used to fund another project called the Improvements to Utility Infrastructure Distribution, which deals with improvements to energy efficiency on campus.

According to the Six Year Capital Outlay plan, Mason’s guide that details the amounts of money the university is spending on physical assets like buildings, Robinson Hall’s antiquated design makes it almost impossible to incorporate modern technologies into many of the classrooms and offices.

The building also does not meet Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines for accessibility.

Other problems include the

presence of hazardous materials like lead and asbestos, and water damage has led to the deterioration of the façade.

According to Wolfe, planning will take approximately 18-24 months, beginning July 1, 2015, and construction will likely take

24 months, though the university will not receive authorization to begin construction until design plans are approved. The total cost of the Robinson Hall project is estimated to be $102 million.

(CLAIRE CECIL/FOURTH ESTATE)

Demolition planning has begun for the problem-ridden Robinson buildings.

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Students construct wetlands ecosystem “The Rain Project was designed to build on past research of floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) with a full-scale, artistic installation, and to bring awareness to ecological issues,” Sachs said.

The wetlands were launched on May 12, 2015, at a day-long event run by approximately 20 volunteers. Local K-12 students attended the launch to learn about the project and the research process, according to Sachs. Local news station NBC-Washington also featured a story about the wetlands.

While Ahn says the students collaborated well, he also admits the process was not without its arguments. The wetlands project brought together students from both science and arts backgrounds, which sparked “heated discussions” at times.

“Another dimension of this project is enhancing communications among the students from all different departments. If students can do this, then faculty members across all departments can do this. We tend to stay in our own departments, our own comfort zones…Where the wonder is, is out of your comfort zone, that’s where you can find the solutions for many of the problems we’re facing,” Ahn said.

(CLAIRE CECIL/FOURTH ESTATE)

A floating wetlands ecosystem in Mason Pond took students two semesters to build and contains approximately 1,500 native plants.

MADISON ANTUS | STAFF WRITER

Last May, an environmental science professor and his students installed floating wetlands in Mason Pond.

Changwoo Ahn, associate professor of environmental science and policy, and students in his ecological conservation course built a structure totaling 180 square meters that covers about 2.5 percent of the pond and contains about 1,500 native plants.

The wetlands were constructed by placing individual plants within a raft that could be released into the pond to help improve water quality. Planning lasted for a year and a half, but most of the design and building was completed last spring.

“We’re trying to bring a living ecology to the pond that had grown sedimentary over the years,” Ahn said.

Ahn is also the founder of EcoScience+Art, a website that describes itself as “an initiative and collaboration between the arts and sciences at George Mason University,” whose goal is to unite people across a variety of fields to create a sustainable future.

The Rain Project is part of this initiative. It aims to provide an aesthetic view of healthy water ecology, create a sustainable habitat for animals and insects and clean the water within Mason Pond, according to Ahn. The wetlands were an undertaking of the Rain Project.

The wetlands clean the water in the pond by drawing in pollutants through the plants’ roots, which extend into the water from the raft. However, Ahn said that due to restrictions from the facilities department, the ecosystem is too small to extract a significant amount of pollutants.

“I originally wanted to go much bigger, to make it work and improve water quality. People cannot really expect a high amount of water quality improvement. With that size, it’s not really going to happen,” Ahn stated.

Twenty students from various departments at Mason pitched in to construct the wetlands, thereby accomplishing a chief goal of the Rain Project: interdisciplinary environmentalism.

“The most important part [of this project] is the fact that students from all different disciplines have come together for over two semesters to design, build and launch the floating wetlands on Mason Pond,” Ahn said.

One obstacle the students faced was the burning of the Temple of Transformation, a wooden pagoda built by a Mason student as part of an art project, last semester. After the temple, which stood on a small raft near the edge of the pond, was burned on May 8 in a ceremonial healing ritual, the water in Mason Pond was very oily, according to Ahn. Students met up over the summer to monitor the water quality and record several lectures about the floating wetlands. As far as the future of the wetlands is concerned, Ahn recently recruited more undergraduates to join the later part of the project, which will begin after the fall 2015 semester. The new project involves harvesting the plants from the wetlands to study the amounts of carbon and nitrogen in their tissues.

“I am planning a photobook or e-publication type of work on all the student learning experiences of the Rain Project,” Ahn said.

Andy Sachs, junior and integrative studies major, first learned about the project through a member of the Sustainability LLC, There will also be a seminar at Mason on November 12, where environmental artist Betsy Damon will speak about Keepers of where Sachs was living, in the fall of 2014. After meeting with Ahn the Water, a company that aims to alleviate water issues through and discussing the project, which was then in its early stages, Sachs joined. He also registered for Ahn’s ecological sustainability class, a two-semester course “The most important part [of this project] is the fact that students from that focused on the wetlands.

While the fall semester of Ahn’s all different disciplines have come together for over two semesters to design, course emphasized learning build and launch the floating wetlands on Mason Pond,” Ahn said. about ecological sustainability and interpreting data, the spring semester focused on the construction of the wetlands. “collaborative innovative design, community organizing, mento“During the spring of 2015, Dr. Ahn’s ecological sustainability ring, educating, providing workshops, and functioning as a cross course was geared towards researching and constructing these cultural resource,” according to the website. wetlands,” Sachs said.

Ahn said he believes people need to be reminded of the imporSachs said students compiled a list of the steps needed to construct tance of water. the wetlands and broke into separate groups to complete each task.

These groups then developed and presented their own designs for “We just have to get reminded daily that we are water, we drink the wetlands. After a single design was chosen, the students collab- water…the human heart is 4 percent muscle, and the rest is water,” Ahn said. “That’s the message that I wanted to share, the work of orated to build the wetlands. the RainProject.”

Sachs, who wants to pursue a career in environmental policy and outreach, says that the project fed this interest and taught him “crucial scientific research skills.”

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A new safety net Board of Visitors approves program to help students pay for tuition ELLEN GLICKMAN | NEWS EDITOR

In the midst of skyrocketing tuition prices, a new program will reach out to those most affected by this trend.

Approved by the Board of Visitors on May 6, the Mason Access Initiative is a $1 million fund/program designed to help the school’s most disadvantaged students afford the rising cost of a Mason education.

Mason Access will have two principal concerns: providing additional funds for those struggling with tuition payments and increasing students’ financial literacy.

Last semester, GMU Student Power circulated an online petition supporting Mason Access. According to that document, the student group was most concerned with how higher tuition would affect underprivileged groups.

“George Mason University must act now to make sure students who will be most affected by tuition increases, such as first generation, low-income, undocumented, and homeless students, are protected and provided a safety net that ensures their continued success at our university,” the petition read.

Kalia Harris, a member of GMU Student Power, said the financial aid Mason Access will offer will not be limited to helping underprivileged students exclusively, but will also provide assistance for students experiencing family emergencies or other drastic situations.

“It’s really just an emergency fund for students who don’t see a way to pay for their tuition,” Harris said.

Another goal of the initiative is to extend financial literacy programs at the university.

Rose Pascarell, Vice President of University Life, said discussions concerning this portion of Mason Access concluded that “students would benefit from increased financial literacy, particularly around the debts that they’re incurring and the debts they graduate with.”

Administration and student organizations have worked closely together to develop Mason Access. J.J. Davis, Senior Vice President of Administration and Finance, said the initiative was first mentioned last winter, but collaboration between administration and students did not pick up until the spring.

at the BOV meeting on May 6, the same day Mason Access was approved.

Samantha Parsons, president of GMU Student Power, said the creation of Mason Access “proves administration needs to work with students more often … Students should constantly be involved.”

All parties involved were motivated by a concern that Mason will become less accessible as tuition prices continue to rise. At Mason, tuition and fees for undergraduate in-state students increased 26.1 percent between the 2010-11 and 2015-16 school years, according to the Office of Budget and Planning. The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) reported that average tuition for those students at four-year public institutions has increased 37.7 percent during the same time period. However, during that time, Mason’s tuition, which in 2015-16 was $10,952, surpassed the average reported by SCHEV, which is $7,810 for the current school year.

(MEGAN ZENDEK/FOURTH ESTATE)

Tuition prices based off of in-state full time (12-16 credits) undergraduate tuition and fees over the last five years according to the GMU Office of Budget and Planning.

Parsons said a decreasing contribution from the state is the primary reason for soon as possible. tuition increases. While Mason has a responsibility to keep education affordable, Parsons said tuition trends will stay the same unless “The university is hard at work refining everything and making sure it’s all accessible for students for the academic school year … there are state-level changes.

We’re aiming to have it up as soon as possible but at the same time “Schools should come up with creative solutions, but that only goes being cognitive that we want something that’s comprehensive and so far,” she said. effective,” he said.

In 1985, 67 percent of Mason’s budget consisted of state funds Pascarell said two sub-committees have been formed to address and 33 percent came from tuition and other sources. In fiscal year the two major components of Mason Access. A sub-committee 2015, 27 percent was provided by the state and 73 percent from concerned with the funds Mason Access will provide is chaired tuition.

by Jennifer Crewalk, Assistant Director of the Office of Diversity, Vice Rector of the BOV Stuart Mendelsohn agreed with Parsons. Inclusion and Multicultural Education. The financial literaHe said while Mason Access will help the tuition situation, it will cy sub-committee is chaired by Joya Crear, Associate Dean for not solve the problem on its own.

University Life.

“That’s about the time several student leaders and student groups were saying, ‘Hey, this access issue is critical for our students,’” Davis said.

“It was absolutely necessary, but it’s not the end product,” Vice Rector Stuart Mendelsohn said. “It’s just really one method to try to address the overall affordability issue.”

The committee led by Crewalk has completed a draft of the application for funds, Pascarell said. She said both committees are “working off an ambitious timeline.”

Pascarell said accessibility has been a recurring issue discussed in her regular meetings with Student Government, who also contributed to developing Mason Access.

He said no stone should be left unturned as the BOV tries to find ways to keep a Mason education as affordable as possible.

Davis said that among the duties of the sub-committees is deciding how the $1 million allocated for the program will be spent. She says the amount was determined because “we’re trying to balance out making a sizable commitment to a critical new initiative and at the same time making sure we could balance our books.”

“Certainly Student Government as well was actively involved in these conversations, talking with us and working with us over the past year,” she said.

Other members of student groups also talked with administration.

Rodrigo Velasquez, a member of GMU Student Power and president of Mason DREAMers, met repeatedly with University Life over the summer to work out details of the initiative. He said the approval of Mason Access was an achievement for the undocumented community.

“It’s a great victory for the students I work with and the community we’re a part of,” Velasquez said.

The petition spread by GMU Student Power also received close to 700 student signatures, according to Pascarell. It was presented

“I think everything ought to be on the table,” Mendelsohn said.

Parsons acknowledged that Mason has been doing a lot to mitigate higher tuition prices and that it has been difficult for members of GMU Student Power to realize tuition prices have had to increase in spite of these efforts.

She said the group saw “tuition increases were going to other important things. We had to see what tuition goes for. Cuts could hinder other great things Mason is doing.”

Many details concerning the program have not yet been established, such as the date the application will go live. Parsons said GMU Student Power would like to see that happen around mid-September.

Velasquez said everyone involved is trying to get things started as

Remaining accessible is critical to maintaining Mason’s diversity, a great source of pride for the university, Mendelsohn said. He mentioned this issue goes hand in hand with the school’s commitment to grow.

“One way to grow is growing in a diverse way and not by excluding people who can’t afford it,” he said. “I just think that’s part of the culture of Mason.”

Think Mason Access might help you? Contact Rose Pascarell for more information at rpascare@gmu.edu.

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International buddy program to premiere this fall making new friends, socializing, sharing common interests, and learning new things about your buddy and yourself along the way,” Wells said.

Melton said she got involved because of her interest in international affairs, cultures and languages.

“I think that this program is a great way for international (COURTESY OF FOURTH ESTATE ARCHIVES) students to become a part of campus life and become more NATALIA KOLENKO | ASSISTANT NEWS involved at Mason. My buddy from last EDITOR semester taught me a lot about Korean A new buddy program will be open to culture and her perceptions of America,” students this semester looking to bridge the Melton said. gap between cultures and create internaJudith A. vanBever-Green, executive tional friendships. director for the Office of International The Mason Compatriots Program works Programs and Services who helps run by matching domestic students with inter- Mason Compatriots, added via email that national students based on shared hobbies the program was also inspired by domesand interests. tic students’ desire to better interact with “We ask for basic information about the international students. [students and then] use this information “When I ask students, ‘what made you to match them with a buddy. We send an choose Mason?’ they often reply that our email to the buddy ‘match’ to introduce diverse student body was a major attracthem to each other, and they then corre- tion. Yet students also tell us that they are spond to decide when and for what they’ll not sure how to engage with their classmeet up,” said Mary Wells, assistant direc- mates, especially those who are unlike tor for Internationalization for the Office themselves,” said vanBever-Green. “This of International Programs and Services. program gives students a way to engage Sophomore Danielle Melton, who partic- with and learn about others [and] strengthipated in Compatriots’ trial run last fall, ens our community as a whole.” said the program starts by introducing the A trial run of the program was adminisbuddies through email. After that, interac- tered in the 2015 spring semester. Due to tions are left for the two students to decide. the pilot’s success, directors chose to contin“The program fostered some events in ue the Compatriots program this fall. Wells order to try to get buddies to meet. [They] said the pilot’s purpose was to pinpoint suggested things like going to basketball challenges and make improvements. games or to [the] cafe [in] Sub 1. Me “One thing I didn’t expect was that some of and my buddy often met up for lunch on the participants didn’t respond after being campus or spent a Saturday in downtown contacted by their buddy. For this fall, I’ll Fairfax just talking,” she said. send a follow-up to the buddies sooner to Graduate and undergraduate students can apply to the program through an online application available on the Mason International website under Global Connections.

The concept for Compatriots was drawn from similar programs at other universities, Wells said. She created a model of the program by talking to colleagues from other campuses and then tailored it for the Mason community.

“Mason Compatriots is not a tutoring or language practice program; it’s a program for

ensure that they’ve been in touch with each other,” Wells said.

Another insight Wells gained from the pilot was that participants who had spent time with a group of students including their buddy (in addition to one-on-one time with their buddy) reported a higher level of satisfaction with the program. This prompted directors to promote group interactions among participants.

Wells added that second and third matches were offered to participants, which gave international students the chance to meet more people.

Beyond these small improvements, Wells continued, there will be few differences in how the Compatriots program is run this fall.

Both Wells and vanBever-Green agree that Compatriots will have a positive impact on the Mason community.

“This program will help our students feel more connected as a community, and give students a better understanding of and personal experiences with the vast diversity represented on this campus,” Wells said.

VanBever-Green added that this program is a chance for students to experience different cultures and develop international friendships.

“Compatriots is a great way to make friends and expand horizons,” Melton said. “Compatriots is another dimension outside of class that contributes to global understanding. I would really recommend it, especially to people who are interested in culture.”

Wells added, “We chose the name Compatriots because we wanted to emphasize that all Mason students are part of Mason Nation together, regardless of which countries they’re from.”

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Lifestyle

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Student-run book exchange comes to campus SAVANNAH NORTON | LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Incoming freshman Cody Pal recently joined the rep team for CampusWise, a new student-operated book exchange website that promises to make buying and selling used textbooks easier and safer for Mason students.

“I’m very confident that GMU will welcome CampusWise with open arms,” said Pal. “College costs are so expensive these days, and it seems everyone is looking for ways to avoid high prices. The first thing people turn to is buying used books instead of brand new, but even used books at the campus bookstore can be very expensive.”

CampusWise was founded in spring of 2014 by Max Hall and Austin Jones, both juniors at Old Dominion University (ODU).

During their freshman year, Hall pitched the idea to Jones while they were living on the same dorm floor. From then on, they collaborated to make their idea for CampusWise come to life. “[It] is a simpler process of buying and selling used textbooks with other students on campus,” said Hall, chief operating officer of CampusWise. “We know the bookstore on campus has the books but for all these crazy prices, and online you have to worry about shipping. Also selling back to the bookstore or online, you almost never get even a fraction of what you paid for. We really saw that as a huge issue on all college campuses.”

Pal, who is studying government and international politics, will be the door to all things CampusWise at Mason. “What’s great about CampusWise, [is that] we don’t buy the books beforehand and resell them to students, we just provide a place for people to post what they are willing to sell which keeps the price down,” said Pal. “I first heard about CampusWise from our COO’s (Hall) mother, who was my German teacher throughout high school. She

knew I was heavily involved in my school’s marketing and DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) program and told me all about CampusWise and its goal to make college more affordable for people. I knew after talking with her and Max that this would be the perfect job for me through college,” said Pal. Hall says he and Jones looked to Facebook college class pages when designing the website’s layout after noticing how such pages were often being used by students to buy and sell books. Similar to Facebook, CampusWise features a search bar on every page, allowing students to search for books by author, title or ISBN. Hall and Jones wanted users to feel comfortable with the site as soon as they logged in.

Through starting CampusWise Hall and Jones solved two other problems students commonly face when buying and selling books: meeting a stranger and exchanging money with them. There is the issue “of meeting up on campus with someone you didn’t know at all and [to] give them $40 to $50 cash for the book. That was also a safety issue, there aren’t a lot of people who feel comfortable with that,” Hall said.

CampusWise manages all transactions through PayPal. This keeps students from having to bring large amounts of cash to a meeting spot on campus. The only thing students have to worry about exchanging now is the book itself.

“Once they have purchased the book, it starts up a conversation on our site between the buyer and the seller, then they can find a place to meet. This way they are only exchanging the actual book. We handle the payment. It is safer,” said Hall.

To register, purchase or sell books on CampusWise, one must have a student email.

“You don’t have to worry about if it is some random person. You

know they are a student,” said Hall.

By this fall, Hall and Jones will have a total of 17 reps under their charge, one for each school they have targeted.

“We have quite a few Virginia schools like University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, James Madison, VCU, and George Mason University,” said Hall. “Then we have a few reps at a few of the larger schools on the East coast like Ohio State, West Virginia University, University of Tennessee, University of Florida and Florida State University. We tried to reach as many Virginia Schools as possible.”

Hall and Jones officially launched CampusWise at ODU last spring semester. “We had about 56 books sold on site, for about a total of $1,300,” Hall said. “We ended up comparing how much those books would have cost at a bookstore, and those books would have cost a little over $5,000.”

Students saved a total of $3,700 through the site, which hosted approximately 400 registered users and 303 different book postings during the first three weeks of the spring semester. “[It is] the optimal way of buying and selling books because you are doing it with other students on campus. So you are getting the best deals on the books you need. Even just selling books, students sell them for such better prices, such reasonable prices. It’s not selling back to the bookstore for $3,” said Hall. “We are looking to make college life easier, cheaper and more convenient.”

This fall, Pal will be reaching out to interested students and spreading the word about CampusWise, starting with social media.

“Every day on each ‘Class of ’ (i.e. 2016, 2017, etc.) page there are dozens of posts by students asking for books for their classes and all I have to do is post a comment with a link to CampusWise.com and let them discover how great our business is,” said Pal.

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Summer internship: Student releases penguins in New Zealand Volunteers [ISV] representative coming to one of my environmental science classes,” Mahoney said. “I have always wanted to learn more about my major in the field and I have always wanted to travel to New Zealand, so it was a perfect fit.”

The Penguin Place Conservation Reserve is a private reserve dedicated to aiding the survival of the endangered yellow-eyed penguin. For the first two weeks of the trip, Mahoney helped take care of the penguins’ living space at the reservation and was even given the responsibility of releasing one of the birds back into the wild.

“It was pretty cool to get the chance to release a penguin!” Mahoney said. “It was ISV’s job to help the reserve with tree planting to return the (COURTESY OF LAUREL MAHONEY) area to its natural environment, [building] new Laurel Mahoney kayaking on Mirror Lake in Franz Josef, New Zealand. nesting spots to help support population growth, [controlling] invasive species that were interferTATYANA WHITE-JENKINS | ASSISTANT LIFESTYLE EDITOR ing with the penguins’ habitat, and [completing] trail work to help Laurel Mahoney, a junior at Mason, made her dreams a reality increase tourism to the reserve.” this summer when she bought a ticket to travel halfway across the Working closely with professionals in a field she’s passionate about world to pursue an internship opportunity and lifelong passion. left Mahoney with plenty of valuable insight.

After landing an internship at the Penguin Place Conservation “My favorite part of the internship would have to be having the Reserve in Dunedin, New Zealand, Mahoney was able to apply chance to talk to the workers [about] all that they do to help the skills from her major in environmental sustainability and learn penguins and the environment,” Mahoney said. “New Zealand more about how to turn her education into a career. does much more than the United States in terms of environmen“I learned about the internship through an International Student tally friendly initiatives, so it was awesome to learn more about

what all they do and to get ideas to bring back with me.”

For her final two weeks, Mahoney spent time exploring the country she had been longing to visit for most of her childhood.

“To go from one day canyon swinging and luging on top of a mountain to white water rafting off the tallest rafted waterfall in the world to kayaking through a kiwi reserve is incredible,” Mahoney said. “I got to experience so much of the culture and adrenaline junkie atmosphere in two weeks that I never wanted to leave.”

Mahoney’s time abroad also allowed her to experience daily life in a different part of the world, while navigating on the left side of the road with her native leaders that would deceive her about certain aspects of New Zealand’s culture.

But after her experience abroad, Mahoney is more confident in her decision to study environmental sustainability and is inspired to continue working toward a healthier planet.

“After learning so much about what they were doing at Penguin Place and in New Zealand to help the environment, I wanted to get started right away on helping in some way,” Mahoney said. “It was hard to come back to the States and not be able to keep helping there. This motivated me to look further into what I want to do with environmental science to make a difference in our country.”

The experience has also made her a huge advocate for study abroad as a way to help students gain a deeper understanding of the many options they can pursue with their studies.

“You get to learn more about yourself, you get to grow and learn with a group of people, who will inevitably become some of your

Eagle Bank Arena preview of events: fall semester ALLISON LUNDY | STAFF WRITER

WWE Live World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is bringing the action back to Mason this fall. Watch John Cena, Kevin Owens, Dolph Ziggler, and more of your favorite wrestling stars fight for the win at this high-energy event.

Sept. 6 at 7:00 p.m.

Spirit of America Spirit of America will return to Mason for the first time in four years this September. The show is free and will feature a cast and crew of active-duty members of the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” and the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment. Come see these soldiers reenact 240 years of our nation’s history through the retelling of soldiers’ stories.

Sept. 18 at 10:30 a.m. & 7:30 p.m.; Sept. 19 at 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Washington Wedding Experience This one-day event is perfect for anyone getting ready to tie the knot. Attendees will be able to sneak a peek at the latest wedding

dress trends, ask a wedding professional for planning advice, sample cakes, and much more.

Sept. 20 at 11:00 a.m.

Ricky Martin Join Grammy Award-winner Ricky Martin on his One World Tour this fall. The singer released his 10th studio album, ‘A Quien Quiera Escuchar,’ last February. The new album highlights Martin’s growth as an artist and singer, and its lead single, “Adios,” has gained considerable popularity over the last few months.

Disney presents 100 years of magical characters – on ice. The show features appearances by Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Daffy Duck, and a number of other Disney characters who will reenact scenes from a variety of movies. This performance is sure to spark smiles and create memories for years to come. Parking on campus, however, might not be so magical this week so be sure to drive in early for a spot!

Oct. 21 at 7:00 p.m.; Oct. 22 at 7:00 p.m.; Oct. 23 at 10:30 a.m. & 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 24 at 10:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.; Oct. 25 at 12:30 p.m. & 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 9 at 8:00 p.m.

Juan Gabriel

Marc Anthony and Carlos Vives Unido2 Tour

Legendary Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel is coming to Mason as part of his 18-city tour. Celebrating Gabriel’s 45-year career as a musical artist, the tour will feature a number of special acts like mariachi performers and dancers.

Two of the most influential stars of Latin music will come to Mason this fall on their new international tour. Watch Marc Anthony and Carlos Vives play some of their best hits and even perform together. This exciting event is essentially two concerts for the price of one, so grab a ticket!

Oct. 11 at 7:00 p.m.

Disney on Ice Presents 100 Years of Magic

Gabriel is the leading singer-songwriter in Mexican music sales and has sold over 100 million albums throughout his career. His music explores many genres, including traditional Mexican, pop, and rock, all of which he will perform on the tour.

Nov. 1 at 7:00 p.m.

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GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

A STUDENT MEDIA PARTNERSHIP

A CULTURAL FESTIVAL FOR GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY AND THE DC AREA

All photographs courtesy of School of Art.

Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here DC 2016 is a book arts and cultural festival planned for January 2015 through March 2016, throughout the Washington, DC area. A variety of exhibits, programs, and events will commemorate the 2007 bombing of Baghdad’s historic bookselling street and celebrate the free exchange of ideas and knowledge.

The Al-Mutanabbi project stands in solidarity with the people of Iraq who have endured so much, and with people at home and abroad who are unable to make their voices heard.

Reflections from Project Leaders “As an artist, organizer, and professor in the School of Art at George Mason University’s School of Art I value the collaborative academic and professional community focused on advancing creativity through traditional and new media applied to varying social contexts.

I personally am immersed in this project to support freedom of expression through the arts, to help share and foster dialogue and positive ideas about the Middle East, and everywhere where the free exchange of ideas is threatened rather than embodied as a human right. This project calls upon memory and experience in various activities that will facilitate many interpretations and multiple cultural meanings. It will forge links with others across generations and locally, nationally and internationally, erase biases, and support voices that cannot be heard.”

Helen Frederick

DC Project Coordinator Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here DC 2016

“This project seeks to show where al-Mutanabbi Street starts in all of us: personally, in our communities, and in our nations. It seeks to show the commonality between this small street in Baghdad and our own cultural centers, and why this attack was an attack on us all. This project sees al-Mutanabbi Street as a place for the free exchange of ideas; a place that has long offered its sanctuary to the complete spectrum of Iraqi voices. This is where the roots of democracy (in the best sense of the word) took hold hundreds of years ago. This project looks toward al-Mutanabbi Street as an affirmation of all that we hope for in a more just society”.

“With no hesitation I wanted this project to become part of my life. I never could imagine life without books, poetry and art.

I wanted to give my hand to others who think the same. A world that people create in their own lives, free from fear of arrest, bombs or gun shots in the streets.”

Nasrin Navab

Street Festival Coordinator Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here DC 2016

Beau Beausoleil

Founder, The Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here Coalition, San Francisco Poet and Bookseller AMSSH DC 2016 Festival Volunteers

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This is the first entry in an ongoing series about the AMSSHDC2016 project.

02.02.2015

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Visiting Artist Helen Zughaib Initiates the Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here Program The School of Art is proud to announce that Helen Zughaib, internationally recognized artist based in Washington DC, will produce an original edition of prints for this season’s Navigation Press during the week of September 7 to 12. Helen will also be a guest lecturer on Thursday, September 10, 2015 for the School of Art’s Visual Voices Professional Lecture Series in Harris Theater, 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Her lecture is titled: “Arab Song, Arab Spring”.

Helen Zughaib Visual Voices Lecture: September 10, 7:30 - 8:30 pm, Harris Theatre Hope Lies in Our Hands, Lilla Duignan, digital production, 2011

Student Spotlight Interns: COLLEEN O’BRIEN, Graduate Student Arts Management Program

As an Arab American, born in Beirut, Helen Zughaib feels that her background in the Middle East allows her to approach the experiences she has in America in a unique way, remaining an observer of both the Arab and American cultures. She believes that the arts are one of the most important ways to help shape and foster dialogue and positive ideas about the Middle East.

Starts Here DC” 2016 project, hosted by George Mason School of Art, Fenwick and Provisions Library, in partnership with other distinguished partners.

Navigation Press is honored to host Helen Zughaib as part of the “Al-Mutanabbi Street

TO LEARN MORE about Helen Zughaib, visit: www.thearabweekly.com/?id=36

The Show Box (Sanduk al- Firji), from the series The Stories My Father Told Me, gouache painting

TIAN LUAN, Graduate Student Arts Management Program DEJA GIBSON, Graduate Student Arts Management Program SUJAY KULKARNI, International Graduate Student, IT DIBYANSHU SINGH, International Graduate Student, IT DANIELLE COATES, Undergraduate, Graphic Design LEILANI ROMERO, Undergraduate, Graphic Design WHITNEY MORRIS, Undergraduate, Photography

Upcoming Exhibitions & Events Navigation Press “Arab Song, Arab Spring” September 7 – 12

OSCAR Mentors: MARIANNE EPSTEIN, MA Graduate Student Graphic Design

GMU SCHOOL OF ART GALLERY

An Inventory of Al-Mutanabbi Street Michael Rakowitz: The invisible enemy should not exist January 20 – March 30; Reception January 28

PAT SARGENT, MFA Graduate Student Critical Art Practice

Get Involved!

GMU FENWICK LIBRARY

SMITH CENTER FOR HEALING AND THE ARTS “The night and the desert know me.”

Iraqi and American artists respond to Iraqi poetry from ancient to contemporary time.

January 15 – March 30; Reception January 15

BRENTWOOD ARTS EXCHANGE

“Selections from Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here DC 2016” January 18 – March 12; Reception January 21, 5 – 8 pm

AMANI GREEN, Undergraduate, Graphic Design DESHANE JONES, Undergraduate, Film and Video

HELEN ZUGHAIB

Artist’s Books from the Fenwick Library Collection and the Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here Inventory January 25 - March 31; Reception January 25

MEAGAN ARNOLD, Undergraduate, Film and Video

Arise From Flame, Art Hazelwood, woodcut, 2013

MCLEAN PROJECT FOR THE ARTS Absence and Presence January 14 – March 5

SMITHSONIAN AA/PG LIBRARY “Come Together: American Artists Respond to Al Mutanabbi Street” February 1 – March 30

OLLY OLLY GALLERY Fairfax, VA Feb. 1 – March 30

This festival is made possible by a dedicated team of volunteers. To volunteer your time, contact:

HELEN FREDERICK, hfrederi@gmu.edu or NIKKI BRUGNOLI, nbrugnol@gmu.edu GOT A QUESTION? info@amsshdc2016.org I AM IRAQI / I READ YouTube Video: ow.ly/RtBB0 Join the conversation:

@AMSSHDC2016 Visit our website for more information:

www.amsshdc2016.org

Designed by Danielle Coates

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Sports

Final four anniversary celebration examines past, hopes for future ALEXA ROGERS | CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The athletic department announced recently via social media plans to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Mason’s journey to the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament.

Clues on the department’s Twitter account finally led to the unveiling of a commemorative logo and an announcement that attendees at upcoming Mason basketball games can expect to be a part of the festivities.

Athletic Director, Brad Edwards, believes in celebrating all major athletic achievements but that this one is special for the profound impact it had on the Mason community.

“The logo was the big piece starting the conversation and getting people’s minds back on that year and what it meant to the institution, not only from a spirit and pride standpoint but also from an impact and a return on investment,” Edwards said.

Fans will remember Mason’s Cinderella-like journey to the semifinal round of the NCAA tournament in 2006, where the team was selected 11th seed after an impressive win against Wichita State and continued to surprise and inspire viewers as they made their way to Final Four.

Behind the team was the university community, who was ready and willing to support this team through the tournament. Bob Vay, digital collections archivist in University Libraries Special Archives, recalls stories of students flooding the campus and driving around Patriot Circle for hours after the team’s narrow win against UConn that guaranteed their spot in the Final Four.

between the program and the community. [Game] attendance is at it’s lowest and spirit seems to be on the decline,” Davis said.

Edwards, however, sees it differently. While acknowledging that it’s been a tough few years, he believes that it’s not indicative of the kind of success the team is capable of. Rather than seeing the anniversary as an opportunity to dwell on the program’s former glory, he wants it to be the key that unlocks a brighter future filled with new leadership and renewed enthusiasm.

That future starts next season with new head coach, Dave Paulsen.

Hailing most recently from Bucknell University, Paulsen said he chose Mason for it’s rich history and tradition that sets an expectation to make NCAA runs. Most of his time thus far has been focused on recruiting and getting to know his team, but he’s prepared to hit the ground running once practices officially start.

“Everywhere I’ve been since I’ve been here, whether it be with student groups on campus, administrators, faculty, staff, in the wider Mason athletics community, they’re very excited, energetic, fanatical about the team and about the program,” Paulsen said. “I think we can create an environment at Eagle Bank Arena that’s really electric and a lot of fun for students and a really supportive atmosphere for our team.

As a member of Mason basketball’s certified hype-squad, Patriot Platoon, Davis is excited for the prospect of a new coach that wants to find more creative ways for the community to get excited about the season.

“Sports, especially basketball, is an event that everyone can get behind to support and I hope the Final Four Anniversary events get people out to games for the love of the sport and not the record,” Davis said.

While Paulsen wants to focus on rebuilding a team that is both focused on playing great while being active in their community, he knows that part of renewing the spirit will be generating wins. This idea is not lost on Edwards either.

“Winning…is an important part in that it’s a positive for the fans, it’s a positive for the students, it builds a lot of pride and self-image that your students and athletes have,” Edwards said.

However, Paulsen acknowledges that the team has some work to do before they reach the community’s full expectations.

For him, it all comes down to uniting the team and the community towards one common goal.

“I don’t know how many games the team is going to win this year but I do know that when the student body comes to games, they’re going to see a group of guys that play extremely hard, play with a lot of passion and play for each other,” Paulsen said.

He believes that once that connection begins between both players and spectators, the results will follow soon after.

The basketball seasons tips off on Nov. 13 against Colgate at Eagle Bank Arena.

Photo of the Mason Basketball team that advanced to the Final Four.

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

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Top Workout Apps: Dorm Edition COURTNEY HOFFMAN | SPORTS EDITOR

You’re going to hit the gym everyday, right?

You’re thinking “new semester, new me”.

Well, I’m not falling for it. The moment the temperature drops below 70 and you have the option to walk to the gym or continue eating chips, while watching Friends re-runs in your sweats, I know which path you’ll take.

Don’t worry, we’ve all been there but not this semester. It’s time to take charge and breakup with your favorite bag of Lays before I turn your living room into your new gym.

Luckily, since we’re all smart enough to have smartphones, there are apps that can help you complete a quick workout in your dorm when a trip to the gym just won’t work. After testing out a variety of different apps this summer, I’ve created a list of my favorites for the busy college student.

1.Daily Workout by Daily Workouts App LLC: If you’re an at-home workout beginner, this app is a perfect place to start. It shows you videos and written descriptions of how to complete each exercise, so you cannot shy away from trying new things. You can even set reminders on the app so you won’t forget to add in your daily dose of cardio.

Added bonus: It cheers for you each time you complete a workout! Who wouldn’t want their own workout parade?

2.Sworkit Lite by Nexercise:

None of the event celebrations are officially on the calendar yet. However, Edwards says that both players and attendees can look forward to on-court activities, group reunions, commemorations and giveaways. Members of the Final Four team might also be making appearances to visit fans and meet the current team.

Are you someone that’s busy one minute and completely bored the next? Sworkit allows you to adjust the duration of your workout from anywhere between five and 60 minutes.

You can also switch up your workout depending on what you’re feeling from some zen yoga to full body exercises.

But the events could be a hard sell for fans that have seen the program decline in recent years and would rather focus on the future than celebrate the past. Junior and longtime Mason basketball supporter, Dylan Davis, says he has continually seen less active student support.

3.Fitness Buddy by Azumino Inc.:

“It is very noticeable to see a disconnect (COURTESY OF GMU ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT RECORDS)

By far my favorite of the bunch, Fitness Buddy helps you schedule workouts and keeps track of your daily accomplishments.

It also has highly detailed and helpful videos and explanations for those of us that still can’t figure out how to properly do a lunge.

Be prepared to pay a little extra if you want to access this app’s extended features.

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Athletics Department scores new coaches DAVID SCHRACK | STAFF WRITER

Many athletic teams will be undergoing major transitions during their upcoming seasons with a number of new hires on their coaching staff.

The volleyball, soccer, basketball and tennis programs will all be welcoming new head and assistant coaches.

Athletics Director, Brad Edwards, said many of these changes resulted from contract restructuring, the direction of a particular program, or a coach’s desire for career advancement. “[Changes] are probably fairly normal in athletics,” Edwards said.

“It’s part of the process, and it has to do with where we are as well.

If you’re hiring really well, then people are going to be moving up.”

One of the larger and most noticeable staffing change in the athletic department is new coach of the men’s basketball team, Dave Paulsen. Former coach, Paul Hewitt, was notoriously let go after four lackluster seasons with the team.

According to senior and shooting guard Patrick Holloway, the former Bucknell coach has already started working with the team on strength and defensive training, among other important gameplay drills. Paulsen has also spent his time assimilating into his new role by meeting the current players and recruiting new ones for the upcoming season.

“He tries to have a relationship with us off the court, but at the same time he doesn’t lose sight of what’s most important, and

that’s obviously winning,” Holloway added. “So when it comes to playing on the court, there’s no games, no joking, it’s all business. That’s something I’ve really grown to appreciate with Coach Paulsen, and I can see myself as well as teammates growing not only as basketball players but as men. I think he’s a great fit for this program.”

Both the men’s and women’s volleyball programs will be impacted by staffing changes as both teams look to hire new head coaches.

Former coach of the men’s team, Fred Chao, resigned in July after 17 years as head coach. Between 2006 and 2011, Chao helped the men’s team rank within the top 15 teams in the nation.

The program has recently named Jay Hosack, former assistant coach of Penn State’s men’s team. In his six years with the team, Hosack helped led the team to six conference titles and six NCAA Final Four appearances.

Head coach of the women’s team Pat Kendrick also resigned after 30 years coaching. Former University of Iowa assistant coach Jackie Simpson has been chosen to take her place.

Looking ahead at the upcoming season, senior and outside hitter for the women’s team, Morghan Martin, believes that one of the main things the team will need to work on with Simpson is leadership.

“Jackie’s really made a point to teach us how to be a better leader,” Martin said, while adding that the team is also looking to boost cohesion. “Jackie really puts a lot of emphasis on winning as a whole and not as an individual.”

The women’s soccer team will also welcome a new head coach following Diane Drake’s resignation last November. Under Coach Drake, the women’s team featured their first Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Defender of the Year, goalkeeper Sarah Coughlin.

The team has hired Todd Bramble as head coach and Emma Thomson as assistant coach. Bramble spent the previous seven years as head coach for the University of Alabama’s women’s soccer team, where he coached the team to its first NCAA tournament berth in 13 years. The team will also welcome seven new players, including two transfers and five freshman.

The men’s tennis team has also begun to look for a new head coach after Gary Quam stepped down in May. Quam joined the tennis program in the 1988-89 season as an assistant coach and became head coach the following year. He was named CAA Men’s Coach of the Year in 1995 when the men’s team posted a program-best 14-6 record and placed second in the CAA Tournament. A head coach has yet to be announced.

Brad Edwards has said that despite these changes, the athletics department’s first priority is to cultivate a safe environment that develops its players.

“We want to continue to provide the safest and most positive environments that we can for our student athletes,” Edwards said.

“We’re teaching in a way that we’re looking after their safety and that we do it in a rewarding way, but we also have to do it in a way that we have to push them, too. We have to push each other to get better.”

Tennis players take a swing at Citi Open COURTNEY HOFFMAN | SPORTS EDITOR

Just one day before the Citi Open Doubles Wildcard Challenge was about to take place, seniors and Mason tennis players Aaron Capitel and Conor Moran received an unexpected phone call.

The two players who had originally signed on to compete in the tournament for Mason were unable to attend and the coaches were in need of new competitors. Capitel and Moran, who do not usually compete as doubles partners, agreed to fill in the two openings and suddenly found themselves competing in the prestigious Citi Open.

The Citi Open is an annual tennis tournament held at Rock Creek Tennis Park in Washington D.C. that draws both amatuer and professional players for singles and doubles matches. It draws in professional tennis players like Andy Murray and Sloane Stephens.

Capitel and Moran competed in a Wildcard Challenge, which was held before the tournament started and allows college athletes to compete for a spot with the pros.

Unfortunately the Mason pair did not make it past the first round of the competition, falling to Austin Krajicek and Nicholas Monroe. But they stayed on for the duration of the tournament to help players warm up before matches and came away with some useful knowledge about professional athletes.

Q: What was it like competing at such a high level of competition?

Moran: It’s completely different from college. The physicality is insane.

put in day in and out, anyone can do it. It’s just a matter of having the resources and getting it done.

Capitel: The speed. They are bigger, faster, and stronger. They’re not necessarily more talented. For every hour we put in, they put in five. They’re working harder.

Q: Did this experience alter your opinion of professional tennis players?

Q: Did you get to meet any professional tennis players?

Moran: They’re all just normal people. When we see them on TV, like Andy Murray, they’re multi-millionaires. But they’re just living normal lives.

Moran: I’d open the door for the locker room, and someone else [would be] coming in. And it’s awkward; you don’t know if you should go or let the person go. I [would open] the door and Leighton Hewitt [would be] there or Mike Bryan [would be] right there, and it was so cool.

Capitel: That was the weirdest thing. By Monday or Tuesday we were just like “eh” cause [the professional athletes] are good, but they’re just people.

Q: What was your favorite memory from this experience?

Capitel: [Cool to] to brush shoulders with them.

Q; What would you say was the biggest difference in play between college and the professional level?

Capitel: I got to hit with Pablo Cuevas, the 25th best player in the world, for two hours and train with him.

Moran: They’re full grown men; we believe we’re in good shape.

We both start. And they make us feel like little boys compared to them.

Moran: On Friday, before we played, we got to play with Daniel Nester, one of the best doubles players of all time. He’s got the career grand slam; we were so nervous we didn’t feel like we belonged there.

Capitel: They’re professional athletes, and we’re not.

Capitel: He made us feel like we belonged.

Moran: I never had a close up look at [professional players] before.

I always put [them] on a pedestal. Once you look at the work they

Moran: [Nester] always talked to us. He was always nice.

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