George Mason University

George Mason University International Student Insurance

George Mason University, located in Fairfax, Virginia, was established in 1949. It opened as an extension center of the University of Virginia and became a fully established branch campus known as University College in 1956. Its name quickly changed to George Mason College in 1958, named after a U.S. Founding Father from Virginia. The campus moved to its current location in 1964. In 1972, the school broke away from the University of Virginia and became an independent university, George Mason University. It added a law school in 1979 and a nursing school in 1985. Today, George Mason University enrolls more than 37,000 students and counting each year. The school colors are green and gold, and its athletic nickname is the patriots.

George Mason University Academic and Research Opportunities

George Mason University offers undergraduate and graduate degrees across its 10 academic colleges and schools. Just a few of its offerings include the College of Education and Human Development, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and the Schar School of Policy and Government. 

The university is classified as an R1 Doctoral University with very high research activity. Research centers and institutes on campus include the Institute for a Sustainable Earth, the Institute for Biohealth Innovation, and the Criminal Investigations and Network Analysis. 

On Campus

George Mason University operates the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, a campus in Front Royal, Virginia, in a partnership with the Smithsonian Institution. It also operates the EagleBank Arena, a 10,000-seat arena and concert venue located on the main Fairfax campus. It has a campus in Songdo, South Korea, known as Mason Korea.

Notable Faculty and Alumni

Notable George Mason University faculty and alumni include Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh; Nobel Memorial Prize winner for economics James Buchanan; radio personality Chad Dukes; actors Archie Kao and Rhea Seehorn; former U.S. Treasurer underneath President George W. Bush Anna E. Cabral; former Deputy Chief of Staff to President Bush Karl Rove; and several professional baseball players from the MLB.

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