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MCN Student Honored at 59th Capital Emmy Awards

Student Media would like to congratulate Ashley Whimpey, creator and host of Mason Cable Network’s And A Kitchen Sink, for winning the Betty Endicott NATAS-NCCB Chapter Student Scholarship at the 59th Annual Capital Emmy® Awards Gala. Ashley was honored for her student broadcast work with MCN and presented with a $5,000 check by NBC4 anchor Leon Harris during the live, televised ceremony held on Saturday, June 24th in Bethesda, MD.

“Thank you so much! It’s awesome to see [my idea for a show] turn into something…and here I am!”

Ashley has hosted four seasons of her popular MCN show that the network describes as a “quick, witty, fact show that’ll leave your head spinning!” Each episode features a stream-of-consciousness series of facts and trivia, with every topic organically leading to the next before finally connecting back to the opening factoid at the show’s conclusion. Want to find out how the Queen of England is somehow related to Swiss cheese and how Swiss cheese is somehow related to power outlets? Click here to watch full episodes of And A Kitchen Sink on MCN’s YouTube page.

The National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter (NATAS-NCCB) of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is a non-profit organization that awards a regional scholarship each year in honor of Betty Endicott, the first female news director in Washington, D.C. Any full-time undergraduate or graduate student pursuing a degree in communication or broadcast journalism is eligible to apply for the scholarship, provided that they have at least a 3.0 GPA and are enrolled in a Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, D.C. institution. Nominations for next year’s award open in January.

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Freshman Focus 2017 is Now Available!

Welcome to Mason, Class of 2021! Student Media is proud to present the latest issue of Freshman Focus, the only campus magazine for freshmen, by freshmen. This unique publication is packed with first-person stories from last year’s freshman class, as well as tips and tricks for adjusting to your new life at Mason. Our goal is to help you make the most of your first year at college, so hopefully you (and your family) will enjoy learning about all the exciting opportunities available to you as a Mason Patriot.

Here is a brief excerpt from Freshman Focus Editor-in-Chief, Albert J. Blomberg’s welcome letter to the incoming freshman class:

“You are getting ready to embark on one of the most exciting and eventful chapters in your life. Here you will have the opportunity to meet new friends from across the world and immerse yourself in all that the campus and surrounding area has to offer. Right now you may feel uneasy during this transition, but trust me you will soon feel at home. We hope that Freshman Focus can help ease your worries and provide a smooth transition to your new chapter here at Mason.”

All incoming freshmen will receive a copy during Summer Orientation sessions. If you would like to request additional print copies, please email stumedia@gmu.edu

Click here to read the 2017 issue of Freshman Focus online.

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Joe Biden and Alisha Boe Visit Mason to Speak Out Against Sexual Assault on Campus: “It’s On Us”

Photos by Mimi Albano

Mason was honored to welcome former Vice President Joe Biden and Netflix actress Alisha Boe (13 Reasons Why) to the Fairfax campus on Wednesday, April 26th as the keynote speakers of the It’s On Us Rally. The event capped off a string of events at Mason recognizing Sexual Assault Awareness Month and was hosted by It’s On Us, a campaign to combat sexual violence on college campuses.

Student Media was on hand to cover the event with photo, video, and news coverage that included a student-produced live stream and representatives from Fourth Estate, PR & Design Team, Mason Cable Network, and WGMU Radio. Student Media’s video feed was picked up by several national news outlets, including CNN, Fox News, WDCW, Buzzfeed, People Magazine online, and others.

A longtime advocate against sexual violence and discrimination, Biden introduced the Violence Against Women Act in 1990 as a Senator from Delaware and launched the #ItsOnUs campaign with then-President Barack Obama in 2014 to raise awareness of the ongoing threats facing young American women. Estimates vary, but nearly 1 in 5 women is sexually assaulted before leaving college, according to data from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Mason President Angel Cabrera highlighted that statistic by focusing the crowd on compassion for the victims: “I don’t care about the five, the six, or the seven, I care about the one!”

In a fiery and blunt speech to the crowd, Biden called on everyone to take responsibility for this issue and recognize that it is indeed “On Us” to make the necessary cultural, attitudinal, and institutional changes needed to reverse the alarming levels of sexual violence plaguing colleges and universities across America.

Click on the image above to watch MCNews’ video coverage of the event

Perhaps Biden’s most memorable moment was when the former Vice President spoke with deep conviction and flashes of anger about the necessity of obtaining affirmative consent before engaging in sexual activity: “Guys, a woman who’s dead drunk cannot consent. You are raping her. I really mean this, we’ve got to talk about this. Consent requires affirmative consent.”

George Mason University has made strides in this area in recent years, introducing a 24-hour crisis hotline, forming a task force to examine existing processes and resources, increasing counseling opportunities for victims, and pledging to make the eradication of sexual violence a top institutional priority.

You can take Mason’s pledge to end sexual assault via University Life’s website: ulife.gmu.edu/pledges


Check out MCN’s video coverage above and read WGMU Radio’s Jackie Reed’s article online: wgmuradio.com/2017/04/27/former-vp-joe-biden-leads-its-on-us-campaign-at-mason