George Mason University

George Mason University

Students gather in front of the Johnson Center at George Mason University under the statue of George Mason. The statue is a barometer for public concerns as it is decorated for events that are meaningful to the campus community. George Mason University (GMU) opened in 1957 as a branch of the University of Virginia in a former elementary school in Bailey's Crossroads. In 1958, the City of Fairfax donated 150 acres in Braddock District for a permanent location, which opened for classes in 1964. The Virginia General Assembly subsequently established GMU as a four-year regional university and in 1972, the school separated from the University of Virginia as an independent member of the state university system. GMU also has campuses in Arlington, Prince William and Loudoun counties as well as the United Arab Emirates.

Photo by Gilbert Donahue

Copyrighted material, not to be reproduced without permission of owner, Gilbert Donahue