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TO ASSIST STUDENTS AND RAISE UNIVERSITY STATURE, ALUM COLIN HART LEADS BY EXAMPLE S char School graduate Colin Hart , MA Global Commerce and Policy ‘93, and his brother Guy have established the Howard P. Hart Memorial Scholarship Fund, a gift named for their late father that provides significant scholarships for Schar School students. The Harts have given more than $100,000 to date in combined contributions to ensure its legacy. “Scholarships provide the ability for students to attend George Mason, providing a pathway to higher education and a greater likelihood of a successful and rewarding career,” Colin Hart said. “For the donor, the impact is intangible yet highly rewarding as you have bettered society by aiding your fellow Patriot.” Hart, who received the 2024 Schar School Distinguished Alumni Award from the university, has maintained a close connection to the school and the university since his 1993 graduation. After first volunteering as an ad hoc member of the alumni chapter, he served as its president for more than two years. Hart is now on the board of trustees of the George Mason University Foundation and serves as chair of the investment committee. The foundation is the nonprofit entity that manages and invests private gifts made in support of the university. As part of his foundation duties, Hart is actively involved with supporting the current George Mason comprehensive capital campaign entitled Mason Now: Power the Possible. This five-year, $1 billion campaign will support and grow George Mason’s global and domestic ascension. “I want to contribute to George Mason’s rise as a respected and globally known university where you can receive a good education at a feasible price,” Hart said. —Buzz McClain

FAIRFAX CITY MAYOR READ JOINS ALUMNI CHAPTER BOARD

A mong the new slate of members of the Schar School Alumni Chapter Board is Catherine G. Read , BA Government and Politics ’84. She is also the first George Mason alum and the first woman to be elected mayor of the City of Fairfax, home to George Mason’s Fairfax Campus. Working to develop closer “town and gown” relations between the city and the university is a priority, she said, as well as is helping the Schar School expand its reputation as a national policy and government powerhouse. Her Schar School experience had contributed to her success as an elected official. “When you talk about what are you going to do with a degree in government and politics,” she said, “you have to understand how the political system works, and you have to help other people understand how good policy gets made. Being mayor is being able to make that kind of difference, but I have a bigger platform.” Besides, she added, “I’ve got skin in the game. My George Mason degree has grown in value as George Mason has grown in stature in Virginia and globally. I consider it an amazing return on investment.” Here are the new members elected by alumni to serve until 2026 with Read and Chapter President Brennan R. Georgianni, MPP ’16, whose term ends in 2025: • Troi Dixon, MPP ‘22 • Daniel M. Gerstein, PhD Biodefense ‘09 • Paul J. Goodfellow, MPA ‘17 • Leah M. Hoffman, BA Public and International Affairs ‘21 • Greg M. Hunt, BS Public Administration ‘94 • Mike K. Riley, BS Biodefense ‘09

COLIN HART, LEFT, WITH SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT MARISOL MADDOX

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New board members will serve with these returning board members until their term is up in June 2025: • Ashley Cole, MPA ‘17, graduate certificate ‘17 • Paola M. Jimenez, BA Government and Public Administration ‘08 • Erika M. Laos, BA Public and International Affairs ‘01 • Freddy L. Mitchell, MPP ‘17 • Brett A. Palat, MPP ‘05 —Buzz McClain; additional reporting by Damian Cristodero

Scholarships provide the ability for students to attend George Mason, providing a pathway to higher education and a greater likelihood of a successful and rewarding career. For the donor, the impact is intangible yet highly rewarding as you have bettered society by aiding your fellow Patriot.

BRENNAN R. GEORGIANNI

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