4 minute read
Philanthropy
By Linda Kovac, Director of Development
Faster Farther:
Te Campaign for George Mason University
In September 2015, Mason launched a comprehensive fundraising campaign that celebrates the university’s extraordinary trajectory and helps strengthen it to achieve its bold aspirations for the future.
During the fnal three years of this 10-year campaign, the university seeks to raise funds to improve access to higher education and to provide the best possible student experience; to recruit, retain, and reward our stellar faculty and equip them with the spaces and resources they need to lead groundbreaking research initiatives; and to provide the university with longterm fnancial stability that can transcend economic uncertainty.
To reach our goal, we need everyone to participate. It won’t be the few who move Mason and the Volgenau School of Engineering faster and farther; it will be everyone—alumni, faculty and staf, parents, students, and long-time friends—coming together with purpose and pride.
higheSt CAMPAign PrioritieS for the volgenAu SChool of engineering
n Support for students in the form of scholarships and funds to enhance experiential learning programs and opportunities.
n Recruit and retain exceptional faculty and researchers and strengthen our academic programs by funding chairs, professorships, and fellowships in relevant and emerging felds.
n Invest in modern engineering spaces for collaborative learning and new programs to enhance studentfaculty-industry interactions, ensure diversity, and educate the future workforce.
The Volgenau School of Engineering has three decades of philanthropic support and the potential for many more.
As we celebrate our 30th anniversary, we ask you to consider the impact of additional resources. We know that a large public university in the heart of Northern Virginia is valuable to the commonwealth, the nation, and the world.
TIMELINE OF
Transformational Gifts
Since its inception, the Volgenau School of Engineering’s many friends have provided generous philanthropic support. Here are a few of the highlights of transformational gifts during its 30-year history.
1999
Sidney O. Dewberry, founder of Dewberry (a leading professional services frm in Fairfax, Virginia), contributed to and led a fundraising campaign for what was then referred to as the Urban Systems Engineering Department. In honor of his leadership, an endowed chair was established for the Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering Department. Michael Bronzini, PhD, was appointed the frst chair of the newly named department.
2005
The school received a $10 million gift from Ernst and Sara Volgenau. Ernst Volgenau is the founder of SRA International, a leader in information technology solutions. The Volgenaus’ gift was the largest individual contribution in the history of the university, and kicked of the school’s $20 million fundraising campaign. The school bears the Volgenau family name.
“Because of the number of technology companies in this region, Northern Virginia needs a frst-class teaching and research university in the study of science and engineering. My wife, Sara, and I decided to invest in the school because we believe capable Mason faculty and administrators are creating that frst-class learning environment. We are honored to be a part of this efort.”
—ERNST VOLGENAU
2009
Long and Kimmy Nguyen are founders of Pragmatics, an innovative technology company in Northern Virginia. The Nguyens donated $5 million to the school. In recognition of their gift, the new state-of-the-art engineering building was named the Long and Kimmy Nguyen Engineering Building.
—LONG NGUYEN
Volgenau School of Engineering Corporate Partners
We gratefully acknowledge the following companies as Corporate Partners. Alliances with these companies include recruitment, work force development, research, and a shared vision to create solutions to real-world problems.
Accenture Aerospace Corporation Beck Foundation Boeing Booz Allen Hamilton CACI CEXEC CGI CSC Dewberry Dominion Resources IMC Northrop Grumman
ENSCO Inc. KCG, a ManTech Pragmatics Inc.
Freddie Mac International Company Raytheon
General Dynamics,
Lockheed Martin Advanced Information Systems ManTech International Segue Technologies SRA, International
General Dynamics,
Metron Aviation, an Airbus TASC, an Engility Company Information Technology Company Telos
GTSI Harris Corporation Micron Technology MITRE Corporation VENCORE Volkswagen Group of America
Health RX Noblis Widelity
2010
Clark Construction Group, one of the largest privately held general contractors in the United States and its parent holding company Clark Enterprises Inc., pledged a combined total of $1 million to the school’s building fund and to establish the Clark Distinguished Undergraduate Scholarship Fund.
2012
Sidney O. Dewberry and his wife, Reva, made a gift of $1 million to the Civil Engineering Department. To honor them, the department was renamed the Sid and Reva Dewberry Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering Department.
2014
Sidney O. Dewberry spearheaded eforts to raise more than $3 million to establish the Eleanor and Bill Hazel Endowed Chair in Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering to recruit distinguished faculty whose teaching and research addresses the most forward-thinking approaches in the feld. The Hazel family led the giving with a $1 million gift.
“George Mason University has quickly become one of the many universities across the country that are providing the necessary education and training for future civil engineers. It was a pleasure for my wife and me to provide this gift to the university that will help build a frst-class research and teaching civil and environmental engineering department.”
—SIDNEY O. DEWBERRY
Join us in our fund-raising eforts to make an impact now and in the future.
For more information, please contact Volgenau School of Engineering Development and Alumni Relations 703-993-9375 or lkovac@gmu.edu
