Author: Jason Hartsel

On Friday, December 9th, Student Media hosted Happy Birthday, George! in SUB I’s Patriot’s Lounge and welcomed over 200 faculty, staff, students, and community members to share in the fun. The celebration included birthday cake, music, activities, raffle prizes, a giant birthday card, and special guests Dr. Angel Cabrera, Doc Nix, the Green Machine, G-Men, and George Mason himself!

Click here to watch a short video of the festivities.

This fun and educational event was held to honor our university namesake’s legacy and ideas, which include the drafting of the Virginia Declaration of Rights — one of the documents upon which the U.S. Constitution was based. George Mason is known to history as the Father of the Bill of Rights, and his contributions to democracy helped secure the five freedoms guaranteed to all Americans under the First Amendment. The very freedoms that George Mason fought for so passionately are critical to the work of Student Media today, including the freedom of speech and of the press.

For many years we have invited the Mason community to help us celebrate our namesake’s special day, but we realized an important goal this year by making 2016 George’s biggest birthday bash to date!

Special thanks to Nicole Morton, Rebecca Martin, and Lacey Villiva from Gunston Hall for donating some awesome prizes and providing historical actors Don McAndrews (George Mason) and Janis Harless (George’s eldest daughter, Nancy Mason) who added a historical flair to our celebration. Gunston Hall (George Mason’s homestead built in the 1750s) is open for public tours every day of the week except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Click here for more information and plan your own visit to historic Gunston Hall.

Our deep gratitude also extends to Doc Nix and Dr. Angel Cabrera for speaking at the event. Additionally, Dr. Cabrera was generous enough to donate his time so we could raffle off “Lunch with the President” to four lucky students.

Also a big thank you to the Green Machine’s Fife and Drum Corps. director Shane Nickels and Funk Band director Bobby Lacy II.

Sponsors who donated prizes include: Gunston Hall, Room Escape DC, Peet’s Coffee & Tea, WingZone, University Mall Theatres, Mason Recreation, Mason Athletics, Student Involvement, Off-Campus Programs, LEAD Office, University Bookstore, Patriot Computers, and University Life.

Tim Kaine and his wife, Anne Holton, chose Mason as the place to rally voters one last time in his state of Virginia on the eve of this historic election. Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, joined the Kaine’s on their visit to Mason’s Fairfax campus. The Democratic vice presidential candidate delivered a strong speech, as did Vice President Biden, affirming their belief that Hillary Clinton is the best choice for America’s future and highlighting the importance of Virginia in the presidential race.

People started lining up in the cold three hours before the doors opened. Dozens of people were not able to make it in. Although this event was not sponsored by Mason, the line appeared to be made up of a great number of students. The supporters we met – mostly registered democrats – were all very excited to see Tim Kaine and Joe Biden speak “live.”

In a speech focusing on unity and respect, Joe Biden took a realistic stance, stressing “the hard truths that this election tells about our country.”

Tim Kaine started off saying how glad he was to be at George Mason to finish his campaign. “Anything I am good at, you all have taught me,” he told his fellow Virginians.

Read the full story: www.masonvotes.gmu.edu

In a last-minute effort to turn Northern Virginia red, Indiana Governor and Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence gave a unifying speech to hundreds of supporters gathered in the Hub Ballroom on Mason’s Fairfax campus this past Saturday. Pence spoke for about an hour to a cheerful and reactive audience, tackling the main points of Donald Trump’s platform – security, jobs, immigration and the Supreme Court.

In an effort to shore up the support of those long-time Republicans that have begun to defect in recent weeks, the Governor concluded his remarks saying he’d “like to speak to [his] fellow Republicans and tell them it’s time to come home.”

Pence’s appearance drew a group of protestors holding signs reading “My Body, My Choice,” “Build Bridges, Not Walls,” and the now-famous Clinton refrain, “Love Trumps Hate” outside The Hub.

Read the full story: www.masonvotes.gmu.edu