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Martin (Marty) Abruzzo excels as student services coordinator and academic advisor in ��ɫ��Ƶ's School of Integrative Studies (SIS). A vital part of the school, Abruzzo has helped more than 7,000 students since joining the department in 2018. In addition to advising, Marty teaches several classes including INTS 391 Understanding Integrative Studies, CHSS 101 CHSS First Year Experience, INTS 395 College to Career, and UNIV 100 Introduction to Mason.  

Katie Richards, BA ’12, MFA ’21, senior graduate program coordinator in ��ɫ��Ƶ’s Higher Education Program, was recently named poet laureate of Prince William County. Richards’s proposal for the role focused on making poetry accessible to community members with disabilities.

��ɫ��Ƶ’s Student Support and Advocacy Center recently honored its 10th anniversary with a series of events, including a donation drive to benefit one of its key services: the Patriot Pantry. The “End Hunger Games” competition brought the campus community together for a common cause and highlighted the work SSAC does to address food insecurity.

Expect increased traffic and road closures on ��ɫ��Ƶ’s Fairfax Campus on Wednesday, Oct. 21, and Thursday, Oct. 22, during an evening concert at EagleBank Arena and the Once Upon a Scream event. Lot L will be closed on Saturday, Oct. 24, for the George Mason Trunk or Treat.

The Department of Cyber Security Engineering celebrated a national honor for Associate Professor Alexandre Barreto, who was selected for the inaugural 2027 cohort of EM-FUEL (Entrepreneurial Mindset for Future University Engineering Leaders), a leadership-development program supported by KEEN and Engineering Unleashed.

As the anchor for Northern Virginia’s first Innovation District, ��ɫ��Ƶ’s Science and Technology Campus is going through a major growth spurt. The campus is powering new developments in high-tech industry sectors like life sciences, aerospace, and defense. A new, walkable Innovation Town Center is under construction near the front door of campus. And George Mason employees have the option to live in the center of it all.

Expect road and parking closures on ��ɫ��Ƶ’s Fairfax Campus on Saturday, Oct. 17, for the George Mason 5K Run/Walk and Fun Run benefiting the University Life Student Emergency Assistance Fund and fireworks following the men’s soccer game.

The Department of Systems Engineering and Operations Research celebrated two major faculty achievements this year as Lizhi Wang was named an IISE Fellow, one of the profession’s highest honors, and Shima Mohebbi received the 2026 IISE Sustainable Development Division Excellence in Teaching Sustainability Award in recognition of her innovative and impactful teaching. 

How do we embrace rapidly evolving technology while continuing to put people first? That question is at the heart of ��ɫ��Ƶ’s Faculty-Staff Enrichment Day, a university-wide professional development event on October 21.

Shane Hayes, technical specialist in ��ɫ��Ƶ’s Information Technology Services, is known for saving the day. He excels at creating innovative solutions, revolutionizing workspaces, and adapting to any challenge that technology can throw at him. For his hard work and dedication to helping others, he has been awarded October Employee of the Month.

Sarah Holland, communications officer in the Office of University Branding, has been running in 5ks, half marathons, and trail races across the United States for years. They recently finished a 28k at The Rut, a trail running festival in Big Sky, Montana. In this race, Holland ascended and descended a rugged mountain summit more than 11,000 feet above sea level.

Karen T. Lee, associate director of the Office of Student Creative Activities and Research at ��ɫ��Ƶ, has received the Council of Undergraduate Research Fellows Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research Leadership.