Latest Fourth Estate Articles

Mitchell Richtmyre/Fourth Estate

BY BRIAN A. HAYUM, STAFF WRITER

The George Mason Patriots won handily against The University of Rhode Island Rams, on Saturday, Feb. 8, with a score of 82-67. Now, with a nine-game win streak and an overall record of 19-5, it marks the program’s best overall start record since the 2010-11 season. 

The win came in front of a packed and raucous Homecoming Weekend crowd. “I told these guys before the game, ‘These are the games you’re going to remember for the rest of your life,’” Head Coach Tony Skinn said. “At the same time, I wanted them to have a little bit of poise and not get too sped up in a game like this.”

Despite the pregame message, the Patriots came out fast, firing on all cylinders. Senior guard Darius Maddox started the night off with a three-pointer from the top of the arc–one of seven three-pointers made by the Patriots in the first half, tying for the second-most three-pointers made in the first half this season. 

“I just stuck to my routine,” Maddox said after his game-high 24 points and four three-pointers. “I just try to find a good balance mentally, to just be confident to shoot the next one.”

While Maddox had a great shooting night from beyond the arc and the floor overall, (8-12 FG), he was not alone. Senior forward Jaylen Hanes finished with 16 points and seven rebounds, while freshman guard Justin Begg added 12 points; making three of four three-pointers. 

“I’m obviously excited, but it’s a team effort,” Begg said about his improved play and increased role off the bench. “All the guys were involved today offensively and defensively, and that’s what we teach every day in practice.”

“What you guys are seeing in Justin Begg is something that I saw when I recruited him,” Skinn said. “I think he’s our best natural playmaker, and he’s learning defensively to give us what we need.” 

The Patriots remain at the top of the Atlantic 10 Conference with a 10-1 record. “It feels great to be this high in the conference with only one loss,” Maddox said. “At the end of the day, especially me being a fifth year, understanding that we still have a lot of ball games to play, I just have to take it day-by-day.”

The Patriots will take on the Saint Louis  Billikens in their penultimate away game of the season on Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 8:00 p.m., streaming only on ESPN+.

Emma Schaible/Fourth Estate

BY EMMA SCHAIBLE, SOCIAL MEDIA AND GRAPHICS EDITOR

Hello everyone, 

My name is Emma Schaible and I am Fourth Estate’s social media and graphics editor for the Spring 2025 semester. I am from New Jersey and a Government and International Politics and Communications double major. 

I came into Fourth Estate with a lot of ideas, particularly how to cover our campus’ interactions with government and politics so close to Washington D.C., but here I have continued to build an interest in photography and graphics. 

My passion in journalism comes from my belief that the news needs to be informative, accessible, and something people can enjoy. This semester, I want to take a new approach with color and images. I want to make Fourth Estate an organisation students can continue to rely on!

So, what is the media and graphics team all about? 

We create and approve all of the graphics and images for the paper. As editor, I have the amazing opportunity to work with journalists from all departments and photographers to bring our readers every graphic that Fourth Estate publishes. I enjoy this aspect of Student Media because I get to work with every section to bring Fourth Estate under one concise image. I am most excited to revamp the aesthetic that we currently have and bring Fourth Estate into a new era of digital media through different platforms and our current Instagram. 

If you are looking for a way to get involved with photography, editing, or graphic design, Fourth Estate’s Social Media and Graphics team would be just for you! We are looking for creative visionaries with a passion for sharing stories. 

Stay informed,

Emma G. Schaible, ‘28

eschaib@gmu.edu 

(Photo Courtesy of Raina Shanhan)

BY CHRISTIAN SEGOVIA, SPORTS EDITOR

Hello everyone, 

My name is Christian Segovia, this Spring semester, I am the Sports Editor and am excited to fulfill this role for Fourth Estate. In the Fall 2024 semester, I was the Assistant Sports Editor. 

Last semester, the sports section reported on Mason’s remarkable teams including the men’s soccer team’s historic season, which ended just short of the Atlantic 10 semifinals. We also reported on Mason’s Esports teams–such as Super Smash Bros., Valorant–through in-depth coverage and interviews with Esports managers. Additionally, we connected with various sports clubs on campus, including Women’s rugby, Badminton club and the Women’s Ice Hockey team.

As I enter my final semester in Spring 2025, I want to continue paving the way for new ideas in the sports section. My goal is to strengthen connections with  Mason’s athletes, managers, and coaches. I endeavor to help students at Mason find sports clubs to join and meet new friends!

I look forward to working with all of you this coming Spring semester. As always, I invite all forms of collaboration, story ideas or questions. If you want to join the Fourth Estate and write for the sports section, contact me below.

Grab your snacks and let’s enjoy this ride. 

Christian Segovia

csegovi@gmu.edu

Jamie Gholson/Fourth Estate

BY JAMIE GHOLSON, CULTURE EDITOR

Hello everyone, 

My name is Jamie Gholson. I am excited to announce that I am Fourth Estate’s new culture editor for the Spring 2025 semester! I was born and raised in the DMV area and have lived near Mason all my life. 

I am pursuing a Communication degree with a concentration in Journalism, in hopes of becoming a medical writer. My passion for writing in the medical field stems from my grandma, a nurse who would often tell me stories of her patients. 

When I transferred to Mason in my junior year, I learned about Fourth Estate in my Introduction to Journalism class. I thought now would be a great time to start establishing myself as a medical writer. 

Publishing articles about topics you are passionate about allows you the opportunity to branch out into many different fields. 

With Fourth Estate, I’ve been able to publish the inspiring stories of women in STEM, 3D printing medical prosthetics, Theta Tau, and the parking crisis at Mason. 

The culture section is a place to share your exciting experiences at an event or museum, meaningful connections made in campus clubs, or the hidden gems you’ve discovered in the DMV area. There is no limit to what you cannot write about! If you have any ideas that you would love to write about and make those dreams a reality, this is the place to do it! 

Students interested in joining the Fourth Estate should email eic@gmufourthestate.com. For students interested in publishing for the culture section, please send me an email below. 

Sincerely, 

Jamie Gholson 

jgholso@gmu.edu.

Nylah Mitchell/Fourth Estate

BY NYLAH MITCHELL, COPY EDITOR

Hi Patriots, 

My name is Nylah Mitchell, and I’m a senior majoring in Government and International Politics with a minor in Journalism. I’m excited to serve as the Copy Editor for Fourth Estate this semester. 

Although this is only my second semester at Fourth Estate, I’ve been involved in Student Media since my freshman year. I started at the Mason Cable News because of my love for broadcast journalism. As I continued my journey at Mason, I’ve found joy in written journalism. 

When I joined Fourth Estate, I pitched a laundry list of ideas for the Culture section, focusing heavily on fashion. This experience has allowed me to extend my love of fashion from my blog to the Mason community! And if you’re following my work here, you’ll see that I hope to become a fashion editor, connecting style to history and politics. 

This Spring is different as I am spending my final semester at Mason in New York City! I’ll be immersing myself in the fast-paced and ever-changing fashion scene here to kickstart my post-graduate career. That said, as copy editor, I’ll be reviewing all articles to check for accuracy, clarity, content and grammar, ensuring they adhere to AP Style guidelines. 

I’m ecstatic to be the copy editor because it sets a new challenge for me to understand the operations of what it takes to edit and publish a well-polished article. As well as, bringing me one step closer to my dream career. 

At Fourth Estate, no interest, passion or idea is limited. I revamped and published an old article I wrote for a class  a few years ago adding fresh insights and new interviews. That’s the magic of Fourth Estate—at Mason, we all have unique perspectives and stories that need to be shared. 

An idea is better written and told! If you want to discuss more about copy-editing, fashion, politics or the city, don’t hesitate to email me all about it!

Have a great semester, Patriots! 

Nylah Mitchell, ‘25 

nmitch2@gmu.edu 

Jordan Giles/Fourth Estate

BY BRIAN A. HAYUM, STAFF WRITER

The Mason Patriots extended their win streak to seven games after a 64-60 win against the Davidson College Wildcats, completing the home and away sweep over their North Carolina-based conference rival. The win moved the Patriots to 8-1 in the A-10 Conference. The best start in the program’s history in the A-10– and 17-5 overall. 

In the win against Davidson, three of five starters scored in double figures with senior forward  Jaylen Haynes and senior guard Darius Maddox leading the way with 12 points each. Off the bench, forward junior Gio Emejuru scored nine points and guard freshman Justin Begg scored seven points. 

The formula for the Patriots’ success was found in the paint. With the Wildcats sporting their 2-3 zone, the A-10 leaders found plenty of success in the middle of the zone: out-scoring Davidson 34-22 in the paint. 

Despite being in control most of the second half, the Patriots survived the Wildcats’ 23-14 scoring run to close out the game. The Patriots held Davidson, shooting 21-59 (35.6%) from the field and 9-30 (30%) from the three-point line.

While the team experiences occasional woes on offense, the Patriots’ calling card is their defense. That type of collective buy-in from the team places the Patriots as the second-ranked defensive team holding their opponent to the second-lowest field goal percentage in the country.

With a seven-game winning streak, the Patriots have held their opponents to an average field goal percentage of 38.4 percent. A sign that their defensive identity has stayed consistent, if not grown as the season has progressed.

“At the end of the day, we found a way,” said Mason Head Coach Tony Skinn after their 58-53 OT win versus Loyola-Chicago. “I try to get these guys to understand: ‘I give you guys the autonomy, but I’m really setting you up to guard your butt off,’” said Skinn.

With nine games left in the regular season, smiles are high and wide as the team enters the home stretch. “I’m just lucky I have the right group… winning is so hard,” said Skinn while reflecting on his team’s historic season start. 

The Patriots look to continue their win streak on the road against George Washington on Feb. 5 at 7 p.m., streaming on ESPN+.  

Jordan Giles/Fourth Estate

BY CHRISTIAN SEGOVIA, SPORTS EDITOR

After their win against the University of Dayton on Feb. 1, Mason women’s basketball has improved to a 19-3 record, with a 9-2 in the Atlantic 10. Head Coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis was named to the Kathy Delaney–Smith Midseason Watch List Coach of the Year award for the second year in a row. Sophomore guard Kennedy Harris earned Player Of The Week once again, averaging 26 points, six assists per game, while shooting 55% from the field goal with 75% from the three-point range.

In the team’s win against Davidson 81-73 on Jan. 22, Harris dropped a career-high 29 points, with 12 coming in the fourth quarter. Harris drove to the paint and pulled up from mid-range to get her buckets. The team stepped up defensively, getting four steals and two blocks converting them into points to come back from a 63-55 heading into the final quarter.

“Most of them were in foul trouble, so I was just attacking them to see if I can make the layup with the contact,” Harris referred to her asking for the ball in the fourth quarter. “I was just looking at mismatches. I was just attacking every single time.”

The team’s defensive performance continued into the Jan. 25 91-50 win over George Washington. The Patriots forced Washington to turn over the ball 25 times. They led the points off turnovers, outscoring Washington 34-3, with 15 coming in through the fourth quarter.

Mason was down at halftime 25-30 against George Washington. Once the second half started, Mason outscored Washington 66-20, leading them to victory.

In any match, an athlete on the team can step up unexpectedly and make an impact by scoring or getting defensive stops.

“That’s the luxury we have. We have players that can score and they’re unselfish,” Head Coach Lewis said the team’s win. “If it’s Ken’s night, if it’s Zah’s night, if it’s Paula’s night, we just get out the way, and they celebrate each other in that way.” ‘Ken’ and ‘Zah’ referring to Kennedy Harris and redshirt sophomore forward Zahirah Walton.

On Jan. 22, Mason had four players score in double digits, leading to a win against Davidson.

Harris scored 29 points, Walton scored 20, senior guard Paula Suárez scored 18, and sophomore forward Louis Walker had 11.

Four players scored double digits against George Washington: Harris with 23 points, Walton with 20, junior forward Nekhu Mitchell with 14, and graduate guard Ta’Viyanna Habib with 10. Mitchell scored all 14 of her points in the second half. 

“It’s been a very long season for me,” Mitchell said about her second-half performance. “It was a great game for me to finally show what I was capable of and just an artwork show.”

On the road, with an 80-53 victory against Saint Louis on Jan. 29, Walton recorded a career-high 30 points, six assists, five rebounds, and shot 64.7% from the field goal. Two other players reached double-figures: Walker and junior guard Jada Brown, each scored 11 points. 

Their next road against Dayton on Feb. 1 resulted in an 86-53 win. Suarez had 23 points, Ta’Viyanna had 19, graduate student forward Nalani Kaysia had 12 and Walton had 11. 

Mason’s defense held both teams to scoring only seven points in the second quarter in both road wins. They also held the teams under 40% shooting from the field goal and below 30% from the three-point range.

As the Patriots aim to take their 20th win of the season and extend their seven-game win streak on homecoming week, they return home on Feb 5. to face Virginia Commonwealth University at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.

Fourth Estate

BY NAWAAL NACKERDIEN AND SAAHITI KIRAN CHAMALA, EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

For the Spring 2025 semester, Saahiti Kiran Chamala and Nawaal Nackerdien step into their roles as co-editors-in-chief of Fourth Estate. Both bring years of experience in student media and a deep commitment to campus journalism. With their combined leadership, they aim to strengthen Fourth Estate as a trusted source of news while fostering a dynamic and inclusive space for student voices.

Chamala and Nackerdien plan to expand the newspaper’s reach, ensuring that it not only informs but also engages the Mason community in meaningful discussions. Their vision centers on upholding journalistic integrity, supporting student reporters, and increasing opportunities for collaboration across campus. Regardless of major or background, they want students to see Fourth Estate as a platform to develop their skills and share their perspectives.

This semester, the duo is committed to cultivating a newsroom culture that values openness, creativity, and strong storytelling. They encourage writers, photographers, and aspiring journalists to contribute and become part of Fourth Estate’s legacy.

To share more about their individual journeys and aspirations, personal statements from Chamala and Nackerdien are provided below.

Students interested in joining Fourth Estate or learning more about student media can visit the newsroom in The Student Media Office located in The Hub’s lowest level, next to the mailroom. For general inquiries, reach out via email at ivestate4@gmail.com. 

Saahiti Kiran Chamala/Fourth Estate

Hey there, Patriots.

Welcome to Fourth Estate! We aren’t just another school newspaper. Yes, we cover the big stuff—campus news, sports, important updates—but we also cover the stories that actually make Mason, Mason. The random guy who’s been playing the same guitar riff outside the JC for three years? We’ll write about him. The underground food hacks at Southside? We’ve got those too. The passionate debates over which Starbucks on campus is superior? We’re on it.

My name is Saahiti Kiran Chamala, and as the co-editor-in-chief, I have the absolute privilege of leading this wildly talented, slightly sleep-deprived, and ridiculously creative team of student journalists. I started at Fourth Estate as a writer with the simple goal of covering the best food spots near campus, but I stayed because I found a community. A loud, opinionated, hilarious, and driven group of people who believe that storytelling matters.

That’s the heart of Fourth Estate: stories. Stories about students, about professors, about the wild, beautiful mess of college life. We’re here to document it all—the funny, the frustrating, the inspiring, and the downright bizarre.

And we want you to be part of it.

Whether you’re a writer, photographer, artist, designer, or just someone with a lot to say, there’s a place for you at Fourth Estate. We welcome individuals of all majors, experience levels, and backgrounds. If you have a story to tell, we are here to help you tell it.

This issue is all about new beginnings. New students, new ideas, new perspectives. Whether you’re just starting your Mason journey or deep into your final year, there’s something exciting about a fresh start.

So here’s to new stories, new voices, and a semester full of things worth writing about. Let’s make it a good one.

Saahiti Kiran Chamala, ‘27

Editor-in-Chief

schamala@gmu.edu

Nawaal Nackerdien/Fourth Estate

I have never quite been sure what track to take. As a Creative Writing major, running a newspaper was certainly not one of them. 

I came into my first semester at Mason as a transfer student with wide eyes and too many choices before me. It was Fall, and some of these choices fell like leaves around me. I am glad that joining Fourth Estate was one of the leaves that I picked up. In the news editor position, I prioritised authentic, timely news. I endeavoured to help writers grow their stories to the best possible form for publishing. When I ran for co-editor-in-chief, I was uncertain but resolved. I wanted Fourth Estate to be a publication that I could leave a positive mark on for the future. 

This semester, I will be working alongside Saahiti to bring the Mason community stories that are relevant and informative. I plan to encourage the growth of our writers’ and foster a community that brings out the best of students’ abilities.  

I encourage everyone to take the leap. Write the article, join the club. You can only advance if you let yourself do so. 

I hope to bloom alongside you all this spring semester, 

Nawaal Nackerdien

Editor-in-Chief

nnackerd@gmu.edu