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On Wednesday, April 21st, 2021, hundreds of leading policymakers, innovators, community organizers, and academics came together to take up the challenge of preparing our society for a transition to a system that provides the best outcomes for all. "The Next System and the Academy: Systemic Crises, Movements, and Change in the 2020s," featured keynote speaker U.S. Representative Mark Pocan (2nd CD, WI), Kali Akuno (Cooperation Jackson), Dr. Gar Alperovitz (Democracy Collaborative), Dr. Amy Best (George Mason University), Dr. Diane Fujino (UC Santa Barbara), Peter Knowlton (UE General President, retired), Dr. Ben Manski (George Mason University), and Mike Strode (U.S. Solidarity Economy Network).

"To borrow from Lev Tolstoy, ‘What then must society do?’ Or to paraphrase Gar Alperovitz, ‘system change is coming; what kind of system do we want and how do we get there?’ These are the questions at the center of next system studies.” 

When Virginia’s largest school district began allowing students time off to protest in 2019, the backlash was swift and partisan: Conservative critics denounced Fairfax County Public Schools for coddling its too liberal, too sensitive youths and predicted kids would abuse the policy to play hooky. A year later, though, the Virginia General Assembly is poised to pass legislation that will take Fairfax’s policy statewide, permitting more than 680,000 middle and high school students across 130-plus school systems one excused absence every year to “engage in a civic event.” Remarkably for a hyperpartisan era, the historic bill has garnered bipartisan support — and it’s all due to a collaboration between a handful of teenagers from both sides of the aisle. GMU Bonner Student Joshua Lyon, 19, was part of this historic bill.

Junior Dominique Dowling has been working to enact social change since high school. She joined the GMU NAACP chapter in her second year at Mason, and now she is the group’s vice president.

Students living in this era of racial reckoning and political unrest have far more resources at their disposal than social justice advocates had a half-century ago, George Mason University President Gregory Washington told a student panel at the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Evening of Reflection on Thursday night.

Meet Jo-Vivian: I believe knowledge is power. Especially during a time like now, it feels impossible to stand together as a community to continue being involved with social action and justice while we’re social distancing and quarantining. However, we can continue to be involved by reading and becoming more informed, discovering and researching groups with similar interests, and spreading knowledge. There are so many different outlets and organizations that are also trying to bring social justice into the community.

Meet Erin! In her own words about her experience as a participant on the Atlanta Food Justice and Community Activism experience: “I chose the Food Justice and Community Activism alternative break experience because food justice is important to me. It affects every community in one way or another, but often slips under the radar because it isn’t always a visible problem. Through this experience, I learned about the different ways communities address food security inequities head-on while simultaneously overcoming historic roots of the issue. I also discovered ways to apply similar interventions to other communities. Getting involved with social action in any community might seem daunting at first, but the truth is it’s actually pretty simple.

Meet Amy: Trip Leader for Art for Social Change. In her own words from her previous experience as trip leader, "When I first saw SAIL’s Alternative Breaks flyer, I was surprised by the range of social issues that these trips focus on. As I was looking through the options, one particularly caught my attention: Mass Incarceration & Environmental Justice in Camden, New Jersey. As an Environmental and Sustainability Studies major with a concentration in Equity and Environmental Justice, this intersection between the environment and social justice was a perfect match for me."

In her research, literature professor Teresa Michals reflects on the cultural meanings of "disability."

Meet Blythe: Trip Leader for the It’s Not Them but Us - Turning the Tide on HIV/AIDS. In her own words, "My trip deepened my understanding of health stigma and educated me of the impacts sexual education, harm reduction, and food insecurity on people who are HIV positive, or are at high-risk of becoming HIV positive. Learning about these risk factors helped me further realize of the importance of volunteerism and the impact of recognizing societal issues on a human-level of equality while also utilizing my privilege to help others."

Meet Lizbeth: Lizbeth is our Trip Leader for The Changing Landscape: An Exploration on Gentrification and Immigration Policy experience. In her own words of her previous Alternative Break experience, "This experience shaped the way that I think and broadened my perspectives on how social issues affect communities. Recognizing the root causes of these issues deepened my understanding of food inequality. I learned from this experience that we must work together to break down barriers of social constructs, to recognize the societal causes, and use our voices to activate our communities."

Meet Isabella: Isabella is an energetic and enthusiastic first year student studying nursing. She is currently working with Adams Compassionate Healthcare Network (ACHN), a free clinic where she is able to translate and work with patients with medical concerns. Learn more about Isabella...

Meet Zerena: Zerena joins us all the way from Honduras. She is a Pre-Nursing Major and plans to minor in Nonprofit Studies. As a Bonner Leader, she has been partnering with Britepaths as their Fundraising and Development Intern. Learn more about Zerena...

Meet Noah: Noah is a Government and International Politics major and as a Bonner Leader, he has been actively creating, facilitating and planning several events around democratic engagement here at Mason specifically around the 2020 election. Learn more about Noah...

Meet Nimisha: Nimisha is a City Year AmeriCorps Alumni with a passion for education policy. She has been able to continue this passion through her the Children's Science Center which serves as her Bonner Community Site. There she helps to lead STEM workshops and programs for youth in the community. Learn more about Nimisha...

Explore INTS 437: Critical Race Studies this Fall with Dr. Wendi Manuel-Scott

Words are failing all of us in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. When leaders reach for words like outrage, horror, or despair, they only do more damage when they are not matched by action

Continuing a long-standing tradition in a new way, the Social Action and Integrative Learning (SAIL) office honored students, faculty, staff, and community partners as part of a week-long Seeds of Change online showcase. The Seeds of Change Community Engagement Recognition event has honored the selfless leadership, service, and activism by members of the Mason community in partnership with organizations on and off-campus. For the first time this year, Seeds of Change moved to an online celebration, allowing each nominee to be spotlighted on SAIL social media and culminating in a winners showcase video broadcasted live on Friday, April 24.

Jennifer Lebron, a doctoral student in the Higher Ed Program and GTA for SAIL, completed a 9-month consultancy for USAID. Her work culminated in the report "USAID Higher Education Landscape Analysis 2014-2018" in which she was lead author.

Mason's Social Action for Integrative Learning shares insight on working through COVID-19 disruptions with community partners.

Summer Research Fellowships provide financial support to graduate students during the summer term, allowing students to devote significant time to their dissertation or thesis research. The intent of the award is to foster greater professional productivity and to assist in timely degree completion.

Five PhD students in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy received grants from the Cosmos Club Foundation to tackle a wide range of conservation efforts around the world.

George Mason University is committed to protecting the health of its community. Its resources include up-to-date plans and procedures, identification of student health services clinics, and attention to its study-abroad programs.

#MasonResearch highlights student-led research in new video

The Well-being of Social Justice and Human Rights College Student Activists at the Washington Metropolitan Area: Cher Chen (College of Humanities and Social Sciences), Xiaomei Cai (College of Humanities and Social Sciences), and Graziella McCarron (College of Humanities and Social Sciences).

Registration is now going on for the Philippines Summer 2020 study abroad program, a 6-credit course in Human Trafficking and Community Engagement (Environmental Issues and Cultural Understanding). The program runs from June 24 (Arrival in Manila) and ends on July 25 (Return to the US or wherever your next destination will be). Dr. Al Fuertes is the program faculty director.

Dr. Al Fuertes, Associate Professor at the School of Integrative Studies just returned from Cambridge, MA after facilitating two workshops on Self and Community Care at Harvard Kennedy School Center for Public Leadership

Graduate Student, Katelyn Hedrick reflects on her experience in Italy studying leadership with Dr. McCarron and Dr. Zaccaro. Registration is available for this amazing summer study abroad trip!

Zainab Salbi, BIS ’96, is a humanitarian and author who founded Women for Women International, an organization that offers various supports and skill development to women survivors of war.

Al Fuertes draws on his personal experience growing up under martial law to inform his transformative approach to healing in displaced communities

GMU to erect memorial honoring more than 100 people enslaved by George Mason.

Dr. Al Fuertes, Associate Professor, has just returned from Yogyakarta, Indonesia facilitating an International Leadership Workshop on Gender Justice with church and religious leaders from all over the world.

What tools work best for educating national park visitors? Mason research aims to find out

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Jarvis, who learned to sew from her grandmother as a child and has been making her own clothes for years, is now being commissioned to create wearable electronics for her friends who are circus performers.

The Bonner Leader program affords college students an opportunity to use their energy, talents, and leadership skills to engage in community service while providing developmental and financial support.

Read more about how access to clean beauty products is a social justice issue in the recent Allure Magazine article "How More Affordable Clean Beauty Products Mean a More Just Society"

The stories gathered by the students have been compiled in an online archive, also called the Enslaved Children of George Mason (ECGM). The project has also sparked a number of classes at Mason that integrate this research and the ideas it explored.

The Office of Undergraduate Education announces the appointment of Ms. Kristen Wright as the inaugural Director of Civic Engagement.

Congratulations to Cultural Studies PhD student Shauna Rigaud on receiving the Dr. Julie Owen Award at the 2019 Seeds for Change Recognition Event hosted by the School of Integrative Studies' SAIL (Social Action & Integrative Learning). Read this article to learn more about her work and her research.

The George Mason University Board of Visitors today unanimously voted to appoint former Virginia Secretary of Education Anne Holton as the university’s interim president. The appointment will take effect August 1

The rising juniors, both of whom are majoring in environmental and sustainability studies, have been selected as Global Sustainability Scholars, a National Science Foundation and Future Earth program focusing on global sustainable development that trains undergraduate students from groups underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. During three summers, students travel abroad, conduct research and build their professional networks.

Dr. Al Fuertes was awarded the 2019 Term Faculty Development Fund. Dr. Graziella McCarron & Dr. Aoi Yamanaka were awarded the 2019 NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Ed) grant.

Jayna Tavarez, who majored in INTS with a Social Justice & Human Rights concentration, just won the Outstanding Student Paper Award for an essay she wrote based on her masters thesis. She received the award from the LGBTQ Research Symposium, a national gathering in its seventh year, which met this year in Illinois.

On April 24th, the Sustainable Fashion Panel discussion took place at the MIX@Fenwick. An extraordinary panel of innovators, entrepreneurs and experts from various disciplines shared their perspectives on sustainability (economic, environmental, and social) and its importance in the fashion industry.

In continuation of Mason’s commitment to diversity, the Women and Gender Studies program will launch a minor in LGBTQ Studies starting Fall 2019. One of the first of its kind in the commonwealth of Virginia

On Tuesday, April 23rd, the Social Action and Integrative Learning (SAIL) office hosted their third annual Seeds of Change recognition event in the HUB Ballroom. The event recognized the selfless leadership, service, and activism led by Mason students, faculty, staff and community partners.

Wednesday, May 15th at 10:00 in the Center for the Arts. All graduating Integrative Studies, Environmental and Sustainability Studies and Bachelor of Individualized Studies students will be recognized on stage.

Dr. Al Fuertes, Associate Professor at the School of Integrative Studies (SIS), received a Global Peacebuilder Award from the Daniel Fissell Music Foundation and the 2019 Outstanding Sillimanian Award in the field of Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding by Silliman University in the Philippines.

Add that she is a member of Mason’s Honors College and a University Scholar, and it is no surprise Russell earned a 2019 Udall Scholarship, which pays up to $7,000 to sophomores or juniors committed to issues related to Native American nations or the environment

Outstanding teaching is an integral part of Mason’s mission and is deserving of significant recognition. The Teaching Excellence Awards are both institutional recognition and a monetary acknowledgment of the significant work that faculty members devote to course planning and preparation; curriculum development; and innovative teaching, advising, and undergraduate and graduate mentoring.

We are pleased to share our Community Engagement Medallion Recipients for 2019! These individuals will be recognized at Social Action and Integrative Learning’s (SAIL) Seeds of Change event on Tuesday April 23rd from 1pm-3pm.

The Career Connection Faculty Award is an annual award celebrating Mason faculty and staff who make a positive impact on students' career goals, employment plans, or graduate school preparation. Recipients go above and beyond the expectations of their role and devote extra time and energy to helping students prepare for life after Mason.

A 2015 research study showed that 33 percent of Mason undergraduate students were first-generation, according to the homepage of firstgen.gmu.edu. The website, which launched in March, aims to help first-generation students and allies like parents, faculty and staff

Mason alumni, faculty and staff have the opportunity to unite and show a tangible sign of the strength and commitment of Mason Nation. Find out how to support the cause or program which means the most to you

The plan merges the humanities and social science fields with computer science and could become a national model for regional collaboration between universities and business.

Sibs & Kids Weekend is Saturday, April 27-Sunday, April 28, and we invite Mason faculty, staff, and students to register their kids and siblings ages 6-18 to experience the excitement of life as a Patriot! All Sibs & Kids Weekend participants must register at masonfamilyevents.gmu.edu. The cost is $15 for Mason faculty/staff members, $25 for participants (ages 6-18), and free for Mason students. All participants will receive giveaways, a Sibs & Kids Weekend t-shirt, entrance to all events on the schedule including meals, access to Mason Recreation facilities, and parking on the Fairfax campus.

George Mason University has formally launched a multidisciplinary institute to tackle one of the toughest issues facing the world—its future.

"We still have to wrestle with slavery as an institution even if we were not complicit as an institution in the system of slavery," said Wendi Manuel-Scott.

Registration is now going on for this year's Philippines 2019 Summer Study Abroad Program, a 6-credit course of experiential learning in Human Trafficking and Community Engagement. The program runs from June 24 until July 22 (4 weeks).

The First Gen Leadership Summit is specifically designed for Mason students who identify as first-generation college students. The summit is a one-day program focusing on leadership skill development through both large and small group experiences. Participants will have a chance to engage and connect with other first-generation college students around leadership, ethics, diversity, identity development, inclusion, and well-being. Register today for this incredible program!

In February 2019, you’ll be able to join the Patriot Activities Council, Mason Athletics, Student Involvement, and the Alumni Association for a week-long celebration! Check back for more information for the week of events, tailgate, and the game.

Meet your peers who won the 2019 Lucas Leadership, 1st Generation and Experiential Learning Scholarships.

Open only to NOVA transfer students at Mason. Must be enrolled at Mason in Fall 2019 with a 3.5 Mason GPA or higher. DEADLINE: 2/22/19

Mason will honor 4,775 students from around the globe at two Winter Graduation events, Dec. 20 at EagleBank Arena on the Fairfax Campus.

This semester, George Mason University senior Jamie Fetherolf is contributing to the network firsthand, by setting up camera traps in Washington, D.C., and analyzing the data with a Smithsonian conservation scientist at the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation.

This is the second in a four-part series on geomimicry by renowned author and George Mason University professor Dr. Gregory C. Unruh

Godlewski, said she would like to focus on the office being a fiscal watchdog for taxpayers, investing in the state's future and being a financial advocate for Wisconsinites.

Immigration and the 2018 Midterm Elections Wednesday, November 28, 2018 5-7pm Johnson Center, Meeting Room F, 3rd Floor The results of the 2018 midterm elections are in, and there will likely be important consequences for immigration policy. Come hear expert panelists and policymakers discuss their predictions for immigration in 2019 and beyond.

Faculty across Virginia and the metro area gathered at the VA Engage Network fall meeting on Mason's Fairfax Campus to discuss best practices for community-engaged research.

Mason student, Jason Deters, is completing his INTS 490-Internship with the Washington Redskins.

Congressman Lewis was a headline speaker at the annual college-supported four-day festival, which brought to campus and other nearby locales over 150 writers.

Recent rankings comparing college majors have touted the financial benefits of certain programs of study. But for some students, changing the world is more important than earning a high salary

Interest in integrative studies programs has risen as academics, organizations and students recognize the value of engaging in multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary learning. These types of degrees equip students with a wide-range of knowledge as well as the critical and analytical skills needed to be successful in the workforce.

Over 65 million people around the world have been forced from their homes since World War II. Human Flow, an epic film journey led by the internationally renowned artist Ai Weiwei, gives a powerful visual expression to this massive human migration. The documentary elucidates both the staggering scale of the refugee crisis and its profoundly personal human impact.

A team of researchers from George Mason University has received a National Science Foundation grant to introduce a more active-learning approach that would improve student understanding, increase retention and increase the numbers of women and minorities in STEM fields

The 9/11 Day of Service Fair in the HUB Ballroom promoted service opportunities and ways to learn about the issues facing diverse communities and was attended by 54 on- and off-campus organizations.

The School of Integrative studies is pleased to announce 3 scholarships available to students who are majoring in Integrative studies or Environmental and Sustainability degrees

Mason tied for 25th nationally for diversity and tied for 28th for innovative learning. It also moved up to tie for 67th overall among public institutions.

College Colors Day is nationally organized by our partner, IMG College Licensing, and was first celebrated in 2005. It always falls on the Friday before Labor Day. College Colors Day seeks to celebrate and promote the spirit that makes college traditions great, such as “back-to-school”, by encouraging students, faculty/staff, alumni and fans to wear apparel of their favorite college throughout the day of Friday, August 31, 2018.

A Libyan student confronts the uncertainties of Trump’s travel ban, with a Harvard education at stake

Mason faculty and staff are invited to join President Cabrera, Provost Wu, and the senior administration in welcoming incoming freshmen and transfer students as they start their Mason experience!

Sociology PhD student and IIR graduate research assistant Ismail Nooraddini's story has been published on George Mason University's primary news site.

This seed grant program supports the generation of innovative curricular ideas and pilot programs that enhance Mason Impact and other cross-unit, multidisciplinary undergraduate and graduate curriculum development activities.

Qualified students can apply to three different scholarships offered by the School of Integrative Studies. The application deadline will be October 15, 2018. Click here to learn more!

Under the leadership of Dr. Gregory Unruh, this fall the minor in Social Innovation is available to all Mason undergraduate students (all majors).

A star-studded lineup of poets, historians and novelists includes (left to right) Tayari Jones, Congressman John Lewis, Elizabeth Strout, Elizabeth Kostova and Angie Thomas. The four-day event is at Mason and locations around Northern Virginia. Learn more about the festival, including a new book prize.

The School of Integrative Studies (SIS) curriculum allows students to integrate research, theory and practice across numerous disciplines and experiences. Students access all the resources offered at Mason and draw the critical connections they will need among the topics they study, the experiences they have, the personal reflections they create and the careers they pursue. Integrative studies encourages students to identify today’s complex problems and pursue opportunities inside and outside the classroom, synthesizing theory and practice.

Dr. Suzie Carmack, who serves on Mason’s adjunct faculty developing and teaching well-being courses for the School of Integrative Studies and the Department of Global and Community Health, recently won Outstanding Graduate Alumnus of the Year award for the 2017-2018 academic year from Mason’s Department of Communication for her distinguished work.

Established a year ago with the support of generous endowments from university benefactors, the 2018 Presidential Faculty Excellence Medals represent the university’s highest recognition of faculty members who exemplify our ideals of excellence: teaching innovation, research and scholarship of consequence, diversity and inclusion, and social impact in our community and around the world.

The end of another school year is here. As classes conclude and the SAIL office prepares for the upcoming school year, we hope you stay committed and connected.

NVFS’ programs help to reestablish stability for individuals and families in the Northern Virginia area. 

President Ángel Cabrera (far left) and Jack Wood (second from the right) present the John C. "Jack" Wood Award for Town Gown relations to Eric Forbes (second from the left), Zeponic Farms, the Media Literacy and Civil Dialogue Skills Workshops partnership between the School of Conflict Analysis and Resolution and Fairfax County Public Libraries, Niyati Dhokai and Toni-Michelle Travis.

Each year Social Action & Integrative Learning (SAIL) have Alternative Spring Break trips that focus on issues ranging from Ecosystem Restoration in Florida to Education, Literacy, and Community Development in Guatemala. The purpose of these trips is to critically engage students in social justice work through education and community service.

On Tuesday, April 17, the Social Action and Integrative Learning (SAIL) office hosted their second annual Seeds of Change recognition event in the HUB Ballroom. The event recognized the selfless leadership, service, and activism led by Mason students, faculty, and community partners.

The second annual symposium, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Research Hall, Room 163, on the Fairfax Campus, will advance understanding of the international and domestic aspects of our most basic and critical needs – an abundant and reliable supply of water and energy. The event is hosted by Richard Kauzlarich and Paul Houser, co-directors of Mason's Center for Energy Science and Policy. The event is free but registration is required. Find out more.

Unilever CEO Paul Polman, who has been recognized for his commitment to sustainability and corporate responsibility, will be the featured speaker at Mason’s Spring Commencement. Learn more about what drives him.

About 140,000 Virginians over the age of 65 live with Alzheimer’s disease. Latinos are at one-and-a-half times greater risk of Alzheimer’s than older whites.

Join the Teachers of Tomorrow in collecting books for students in the DMV area from April until the end of May 2018.

Administered by our Office of Sustainability, Mason’s Patriot Green Fund (PGF) provides $100,000/year to advance more sustainable campus infrastructure and to support our research to address sustainability challenges in our region. The majority-student PGF selection committee currently seeks 4 dynamic student representatives for the 2018/2019 academic year. Positions are open for both undergraduate and graduate students.

In this audio interview about their new book, Mason's Angela Hattery and Earl Smith speak about young black males being lost in the school-to-prison pipeline, characterized by the criminalization of minor infractions on campus.

“The most meaningful lesson I've learned as a black millennial, fem activist is that we have to make our voices heard and if that means taking the mic and ripping it out of someone's hand to be heard, then do it,” Harris said. “For me, if this message gets out there and it's not in the main stream and people aren't all agreeing with me I hope it (at least) sparks a dialogue.”

Curriculum impact grants, designed to encourage innovative programs with interdisciplinary, cross-unit curriculum, offer students new ways to consider some of the most critical issues facing our society. College faculty are involved with eleven of the newly funded programs.

On Thursday, February 22, George Mason University’s Social Action and Integrative Learning (SAIL) office hosted another Engage with Mason, first started in Fall 2017 by community based learning coordinator Shauna Rigaud.

Sociology doctoral student Carrie Hutnick has received the 2018 Spirit of King Faculty Award for her work as an instructor with Mason's Social Action and Integrative Learning program. She is among several CHSS students, alumni, and faculty members recognized.

The Science Museum of Virginia is seeking short fiction between 1,000 - 2,000 words and poetry of any length that explores the effects of climate change in Virginia in the year 2100 (or beyond).

The Virginia Food Systems Leadership Institute (VFSLI) prepares rising leaders in the area of sustainable food systems by combining pertinent content knowledge in food systems, competency development in leadership, and direct experience helping re-localize Virginia's food systems. Learn how you can be a part of this!

Meet the five outstanding students who were chosen to receive either the Lucas Leadership Scholarship or the Experiential Learning Scholarship

A Mason student traveled to roughly 15 different countries on three different continents during his time at George Mason University.

Mason’s office of Social Action and Integrative Learning (SAIL) hosted an annual Hunger Banquet on Nov. 14, where approximately 100 Mason students, faculty, and staff gathered to learn about food insecurity.

The Exchange is one of the largest international gatherings for college and university professionals to learn and share leading practices for embedding social innovation in higher education.

Through the support from GMU Parents Fund, more students are able to experience AB trips with affordability. AB is a spring break option that allows students to give back to various communities.

Creative Aging features artwork from the Phillips’s ongoing partnership with Iona Senior Services, a nonprofit organization that provides support for the Washington, DC, area’s older adults, along with their families and caregivers.

George Mason University hosted the Freedom & Learning Forum on Wednesday, November 15. It was a conversation between faculty and students that identified the current climate of speech freedoms and campus safety.

Since 2010, Mason Cru has continued to serve communities across nations with one driving slogan: “Love People, Change the World!”

Christina Cherry (left), a senior human development and family science major, and Jasmine Felder, a master's student concentrating in counseling and development, say their research helps give a voice to families facing displacement through gentrification. Photo by Ron Aira.

Sharon Spradling joined the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation (SMSC) and the School of Integrative Studies (SIS) as a leading academic program coordinator for the B.A. in Environmental and Sustainability Studies degree.

After months of planning and collaboration, the re-scheduled TEDxGeorgeMasonU spring conference was hosted in Dewberry Hall on September 10. Several students and faculty gazed their attentions to intimate presentations set forth by prolific speakers across Mason’s many disciplines, including SIS faculty member Dr. Julie Owen.

On Monday, September 11, SAIL (Social Action & Integrative Learning) hosted the 9/11 Day Of Service Fair as part Mason Nation's 9/11 Day of Service, to honor veterans who responded to the attacks sixteen years earlier. More than forty-five community organizations came out to share their missions, passions, and resources.

The Office of Digital Learning (ODL) presented Dr. McCarron with her Online Course Excellence Award for INTS 204: Leadership Theory and Practice.

Learn more about the opportunities to study abroad. Information on scholarships and financing will be available.

The impact of Hurricane Harvey on parts of Texas has been devastating. For those in the Mason community who wish to contribute to relief efforts, several resources are listed below. We also have several students from the Texas area whose families have been impacted by Hurricane Harvey.  As we receive more information from those students and their families, we will update this page. Keep in mind that mail services have been suspended in Houston so it will take a while for material donations to get to affected areas, if at all! The sun is out in Houston but it will take some time to rebuild and recover.

Fairfax, VA | August 31, 2017 It is with great joy to welcome you back for another semester here at Mason! The Social Action and Integrative Learning (SAIL) office wishes your year be filled with wisdom and with joy.

Connect with more than 25 different community partners and leaders, discover various service opportunities, and learn more about the issues facing our diverse local communities. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about various community organizations and the volunteer opportunities they may offer.

Creative Leadership as Social Action and Transformation: A Case Study. Written by SIS Faculty Julie Owens, Carrie Hutnick and Suzanne Scott-Constantine in collaboration with our community partners Friends of the Guest House.

This competitive scholarship is given to outstanding freshmen students in the College of Humanities and Social Science and is funded by the generosity of donors.

The School of Integrative Studies will provide scholarships for individual support, applicable to tuition, room and board, to support students in SMSC’s prestigious academic and field programs in conservation biology.

Dr. Wendi Manuel-Scott will be joining the School of Integrative Studies for the fall 2017 semester. A popular professor on campus, she is best known for her inspiring speeches and energetic personality, making her the perfect addition to an already incredible faculty team in the school. She is currently an Associate Professor and Director of the African and African American Studies program.

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences is pleased to announce the May 2017 degree celebrations will be led by two outstanding alumni: chief historian for the White House Historical Association, Edward Lengel, and Lt. Col. Suzanne Devlin, a former acting chief of police for the Fairfax County Police Department and the current supervisor of safety and security for Loudoun County Public Schools.

Fairfax, VA April 18, 2017- The center for Social Action and Integrative Learning (SAIL) at George Mason University recently hosted their first annual Seeds of Change recognition event in Merten Hall. This event celebrated and recognized the impactful work that Mason students, staff and community partners have been able to facilitate over the past year.

Next year, students can travel to such far-flung locations as Italy; Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic; Peru; and the Philippines on experiential learning courses offered through SIS. Registration is open now and each course offers its own unique experiences.

Cher Chen and Paul Gorski, professors in the Social Justice and Human Rights Program in the School of Integrative Studies, are the authors of three articles and several studies based on those who have experienced and recovered from activist burnout.

IIR co-hosts discussion with Middle East Institute about the contributions made by immigrant artists to the United States

Guest speaker, Dr. Justin Gest, will share his findings on white working class politics in an age of immigration and inequality.

Imagine an ocean without fish. Imagine your meals without seafood. Imagine the global consequences. This is the future if we do not stop, think and act, brought on by overfishing.

On May 12th, New Century College (NCC) celebrated the graduation of the 200 members of its class of 2016. This was the final convocation held under the NCC mantle, as the unit has since been renamed the School of Integrative Studies (SIS).

For the past 13 years, Greg Justice and Tom Wood have been traveling to the Bahamas each summer with students for their Coral Reef Ecology class. In the 3-credit course, students learn about reef ecosystems while living on board a 65-foot sloop and sailing around the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park.

The School of Integrative Studies (SIS) prides itself for its hands-on learning opportunities. For Greg Justice, who coordinates SIS field studies, experiential learning has always been at the heart of his professional work and personal interest.

The school remains housed in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and continues its hallmark liberal arts-based education.

On April 9th, more than 30 George Mason University students headed to Godwin Middle School in nearby Woodbridge to lead the third annual InCredAble Leadership Conference for 150 Godwin students. The conference concludes a year of collaboration, leadership training and friendship between the George Mason and Godwin students.

From Florida to El Salvador to Jamaica and the District of Columbia, 85 George Mason University students dedicated their spring break to education and service as part of this year’s Alternative Break trips, organized through the Social Action and Integrative Learning (SAIL) program in the School of Integrative Studies.

For ten years, Carrie Hutnick has connected college students with meaningful service learning opportunities. Now, as part of her doctoral research, Hutnick is exploring the impact of an unusual learning experience shared between undergraduates and people incarcerated in the U.S. correctional system.

Mason undergraduates Noah Shoates, an information systems and operations management major, Gary Hooker, a psychology major and Caroline Dugas, an undeclared major, have joined forces to lead Mason’s Pop-Up Pantry.

During winter break, eight Mason students travelled to Cambodia with Field Studies at SAIL for the course “Post Genocide Community Development and Spirituality.” New Century College Professor Tom Wood led the 14-day trip during which students travelled the length of the country, studying Cambodia’s history, religion and culture.

It’s not every day that a Mason undergraduate joins prominent US Senators for a breakfast meeting that is covered in the Washington Post. On February 3, senior Kalia Harris (2016, community health) did just that, and from her place next to Senator Tim Kaine, called for action on the issue of college affordability.

Members of the Leadership and Community Engagement Living Learning Community Noah Shoates, Gary Hooker and Caroline Dugas have assumed roles as Student Directors of Mason's Pop Up Pantry.The Pop Up Pantry provides clothes, food, toiletries and school supplies to George Mason University students, faculty and staff in need.

I graduated in the spring of 2015 from the New Century College where I majored in Integrative Studies with a concentration in International Studies and a minor in Business. In the summer of July 2015, I was given the opportunity to travel to Natal, Brazil and participate in an intercultural exchange program called US-Brazil Connect, Global Leaders Fellowship.

Mason Nation is invited to take action to support sexual assault and domestic abuse victims at the second annual Fear 2 Freedom event, September 22, 2015. The event will be held from 4:00 - 6:30 pm in Dewberry Hall in the Johnson Center, Fairfax Campus.

New Century College’s Social Action and Integrative Learning (SAIL) is accepting applications for participants and learning partners for all spring Alternative Break programs now through the October 9th deadline.

New Century College welcomes back Kelly Dalton to another academic year in her new role as the assistant director of the Social Action and Integrative Learning (SAIL) program. In addition to supporting Patty Mathison, director of SAIL, Dalton will also oversee the coordination of all Alternative Break (AB) trips and teach in the Nonprofit Studies program.

New Century College (NCC) defines well-being as the “lifelong experience of satisfaction, happiness, and purpose,” and views this as a core competency for all NCC students. NCC seeks to achieve the goals set by its motto, “Connecting the Classroom to the World,” by offering course work, field studies, internships, and volunteer opportunities that encourage its students to find connections between their personal well-being and that of their community.

On April 30, 2015, New Century College students presented original research and innovative projects at the Symposium for Engaged Scholarship.

While many Mason students went on vacation, spent time with family, or worked over break, some students used the week to volunteer in the United States and abroad. Students traveled through Mason alternative spring break, offered through New Century College and Social Action and Integrative Learning.

As college students flock south for spring break in search of beaches and warmer temperatures, about 60 George Mason University students traveled to six destinations for community volunteer work.

Spring break doesn’t need to be a time to pause learning. It can be an opportunity to accelerate it. That’s the theory and practice behind the Social Action & Integrative Learning program (SAIL) offered by the New Century College.

This first edition in the series, titled Innovative Learning for Leadership Development, is edited by New Century College associate professor Julie Owen. Dr. Owen's chapter, "Transforming Leadership Development for Significant Learning," is also included in the edition.

This fifteen-day course will explore how the exceptional diversity of the Amazon River Basin effects the way human communities interact with their environment. In this course, beekeeping, ecotourism and community driven development will be covered. Other topics include the effects of globalization on the landscape and peoples of the Amazon.

Mason's Nonprofit Fellows recently spent a day visiting several nonprofits in Washington DC to explore a variety of approaches to social change. With the topic of food insecurity as a central theme through which to compare approaches and solutions, the students spoke with nonprofit leaders who work to address this issue in Washington.

New Century College will offer two new six-credit capstone courses this spring. Both courses offer NCC’s hallmark blend of integrative, experiential learning and will help students to reflect and apply the many different skills and concepts they have acquired in the program.

This past Saturday, was the Walk to End HIV in Washington D.C. There was a good showing of people, which shows community support for those battling the life threatening epidemic. “There is a stigma associated with AIDS that it’s a disease of a certain type of person or that it only happens in a certain part of the world,” said Kathleen Welch, program and event coordinator for Social Action and Integrative Learning.

Hundreds of students, faculty and staff joined with community members on this Mason Nation 9/11 Day of Service to roll up their sleeves in 10 service projects supporting George Mason University outreach initiatives year-round.

On July 29th and 30th New Century College welcomed five incoming freshmen with a special orientation experience called DC Sneak Peak.

Criminology, Law and Society major Jimmy Green is the first Mason student to attend the university on an Earl Woods Scholarship, awarded by the Tiger Woods Foundation. Active in the social action and integrative learning program and a member of the Leadership and Community Engagement LLC, Jimmy makes the most of his opportunities while he serves others.

Recently the Center for Leadership and Community Engagement (CLCE) and the Center for Field Studies (CFS) have been consolidated into a new collaboration called Social Action & Integrative Learning (SAIL).

Experience Afro-Caribbean music and dance in CUBA, its cultural epicenter. Coursework includes studio study of the vital West-African traditions of eastern Cuba and daily on-site emergence in the exciting social milieu (Salsa, Rumba, Santeria) that is uniquely Cuban. The application deadline for this course is September 15, 2014.

This winter break course brings the true spirit of international education by doing community engagement abroad in Cambodia, a country rich in history and cultural traditions, but that has also experienced one of the worst forms of genocide and conflict in recent years.

The Nonprofit Fellows program takes place during the fall semester and is also a select group of students who combine three courses during the semester with a 6-credit internship. At the conclusion of the semester, the students earn a nonprofit studies minor.

SAIL is announcing a great new opportunity for students with an interest in service and making a difference in the community: Mason Service Corps.

This exciting course will explore the fragile ecology of the Bahamian coral reefs and the important environmental role they play.

Nonprofit Fellows earn a minor in Nonprofit Studies in a single semester. Join this small, close-knit community of motivated students for three integrated courses and an internship with an area nonprofit. The program features outstanding guest speakers and site visits and a close connection to your faculty and fellow students.

In the streets of Santiago, the music lives everywhere. In the rhythm of the street sweepers, the “whoo-hee-hoo” whistles and pss-pss-pss whispers of the men as ladies pass, the sing-song tones of retro car horns, a song emerges as the day begins. And it never stops.

Yara El Mowafy and Jordan Bivings, co-founded the Student Meal Assistance Fund in partnership with University Life, Auxiliary Services, Sodexo, the Office of Student Support and Case Management (OSSCM), and the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs.

Wendy Wagner, director, Center for Leadership and Community Engagement, has co-written Leadership for a Better World: Understanding the Social Change Model for Leadership Development, which has been listed as one of Ten Books Every University Student Should Read.

Cuban Dance and Culture, a course offered through Mason’s Center for Field Studies and led by Jim Lepore, a professor in Mason’s School of Dance, allowed students to travel to Cuba and spend 14 days over winter break working with dance professionals and experiencing the Cuban dance culture first hand.

In January, 2013, rather than rest on their post-semester laurels, a team of George Mason students spent part of their winter holiday getting active in a remote Jamaican community.

Lesley Smith is an associate professor in New Century College. Her course, NCLC 348: Digital Futures, focuses on digital activism through “participatory-action” projects.

Dr. Lauren Cattaneo is a tenured faculty member at George Mason University’s Psychology Department. Using her expertise on community psychology and social justice, Dr. Cattaneo created a new course, PSYC 427: Community Engagement for Social Change. The class applies service-learning techniques to maximize the learning experience.

Andrew Wingfield, an associate professor in New Century College at George Mason University uses service-learning as a pedagogical tool in his course, NCLC 210: Sustainable World. The course focuses on how to make campuses and communities more sustainable

PSYC 327: Psychology in the Community was developed to engage students in community outreach, and to integrate their reflections on those experiences with other psychology courses. It is taught by Michael Hurley.

Mason students play a pivotal role in the nomination of companies for the National Capital Business Ethics Awards (NCBEA). NCBEA honors companies in the Washington area that demonstrate a strong commitment to the highest level of ethical business practices in daily operations, management philosophies, and responses to crises and challenges.

PSYC 327: Psychology in the Community offers students the opportunity to investigate concepts in psychology through community-based service learning.

The students in NCLC 210: Sustainable World, a course taught by Professor Andrew Wingfield in New Century College, are engaging in a variety of sustainability projects both on and off campus.

CLCE sponsored a new event on campus this spring semester, "One Book, Two Books, Green Books, Gold Books," an event to bring awareness to literacy in tribute of Dr. Seuss' birthday on Read Across America Day (March 2, 2011).

The center's Alternative Break program was highlighted in the February addition of the Mason Family Flash, the monthly publication that goes out to Mason's families. At left, Mason students pose for a group shot with children they worked with in Guatemala.

Sylvia Vitazkova, New Century College professor, deputy director of the Mason Center for Conservation Studies, and head of the MAIS concentration in zoo and aquarium leadership has spent several years working specifically with monkeys. She has just received grant money to help protect them from the illegal pet trade.