Professor Craig Esherick was working for the New York University sports management program when the George Mason University men’s basketball team went on their improbable run to the 2006 National Collegiate Athletic Association Final Four competition.
Months later, Esherick was officially a faculty member at GMU.
“I lived in Arlington my whole life, so I knew a lot about GMU to begin with and so I decided to apply for a job,” Esherick said.
The GMU of 2011 is different in many ways from the institution it was when the GMU basketball team went on their Cinderella run back in 2006. One could conclude that the Cinderella run sparked the difference. For instance, the number of students has changed, the number of academic programs has risen, the amount of research accomplished has swelled, and new faculties have been constructed.
It could be said that a student enrolling at GMU today could experience a whole different college life compared to just five years ago.
Located just outside of Washington D. C., GMU is a perfect destination to attract a vibrant and diverse student body. Since 2006, the university’s overall student enrollment has climbed from 29,728 to 32,562. Along with this, the number of undergraduate student applications went from 15,887 in 2006 to 19,991 for the current academic year. Five years ago, Mason’s acceptance rate was 70 percent. In 2011, the acceptance rate is 50 percent, due to the schools increasing popularity.
These examples are just a few that lend itself to the revitalization of interest by perspective students when they are reviewing college.
“The different programs offered provide students with a wide range of majors to choose from. Students start investigating GMU and they soon discover that it is a great school and then apply. Whereas in the past, students wouldn’t of given GMU a second thought”, said Esherick.
GMU has programs in twenty eight countries, with reciprocal relationships with a number of foreign universities, including schools in Australia, England, France, Germany, China and Russia. GMU is currently in partnership with many top Russian universities such as Moscow State University and St. Petersburg State University. The Higher School of Economics, in Moscow, and has recently launched several dual-degree programs in areas such as economics, management, and international affairs.
In 2006, Mason’s faculty generated $65 million in sponsored research funds. In the past five years, this total has grown to more than $100 million. Emerging as key areas of research since 2006 are climate change, transportation, neurological diseases, bioterrorism and cancer.
Two of George Mason University faculty members traveled to India as part of a U.S. Department of State cultural exchange program meant to develop awareness of basketball in the country. Robert Baker, associate professor of sport management, and Esherick. They held coaching clinics and youth basketball camps in various cities throughout India. The trip is funded by an International Sports Initiative grant.
GMU will forever have clubs and organization for their students. Crazy Awesome Food Entertainment GMU, or otherwise called Café GMU, is an organization founded by a group of enterprising students who work with chefs and local food establishments to formulate on-campus cooking activities for students.
“It is a great way to get your palate wet. You can learn a lot of really neat things that will help you stay healthy while living on campus, plus the food is really good,” said Amy Allen, a graduate assistant of Student Activities.
Allen, who received her bachelor’s at University of Maryland, chose GMU for her post-graduate studies because of its prime location near a hub of economic growth.
A sense of style, atmosphere and architecture often set the tone for perspective students. Often the school housing, technological capabilities, academic buildings and overall amenities are in the balance when prospects are considering schools GMU needn’t worry in these areas. Mason has invested more than $1billion in renovations. “The main campus located in the heart of Fairfax, VA is currently undergoing construction to make an older looking campus into a more modern one”, says Robert Baker.
This initiative started in 2001 and is estimated to conclude in 2012. To date, GMU has added many new state-of-the-art facilities, such as the Donald and Nancy de Laski Performance Arts Building, the new hotel and conference center, George Mason Inn, and the new graduate housing community, Masonvale, and many other resident housing and athletic facilities.
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