George Mason University is an institution of higher learning in the state of Virginia, with campuses in Arlington, Virginia, Fairfax, Virginia, and Prince William County, Virginia. It is named after George Mason.
The university traces its roots back to the 1950s when it was part of the University of Virginia system. It became an independent university in 1972. Its faculty boasts Nobel Prize-winning economists James M. Buchanan (1986) and Vernon Smith (2002). However many in the school and community view the biology and theatre departments as being the pride of the school.
While GMU is newly independent, it has been growing rapidly, with a 2003 enrollment of 28,246 students. GMU serves mainly the Northern Virginia community and as such is a popular destination for returning students. As a result, many students are older than 18-22.
The school's sports teams are called the Patriots. The university's men's and women's sports teams participate in the NCAA's Division I, and are in the Colonial Athletic Association. |
