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Gabriel King/ Fourth Estate

BY VIVIANA SMITH, CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Have you seen some furry friends roaming the Fairfax campus lately? 

Besides the geese, ducks and turtles at Mason pond, there have been several reported sightings of wildlife such as foxes and deer on campus. 

In a reddit post on the subreddit r/gmu, user “Funky_Fruit_Saled” shared a video of a fox outside of Innovation Hall. “To whoever posted the video with the fox, I saw one jogging near Innovation Hall the other day,” they wrote. 

Several users responded, sharing their own sightings. “I saw that same fox when I was walking down the strip yesterday! I see it everywhere too,” one user commented. 

More recently, a fox was reported outside Innovation Hall again, this time even closer to people walking around campus. In a reddit post, the fox was shown running behind the bike rack and sniffing the ground as onlookers casually walked by. 

Some users noted how calm the fox appeared in the video. “Literally the first fox I’ve ever seen be this comfortable around people,” one user commented. “I hope they’re treated kindly.”

According to The Humane Society of the United States, “when people repeatedly approach wildlife, the animals may lose their natural fear of humans through a process called habituation.” The perceived comfortability of some of our wildlife could imply that they are simply used to the Mason lifestyle– they know you have a lab in 20 minutes!

In addition to fox sightings, deer have been popping up around campus, enjoying the gentle fall air before it gets too cold. 

Viviana Smith/ Fourth Estate

On Oct. 22, a small deer was spotted near Mason Pond, grazing on tufts of grass in the mulch. Onlookers took pictures from a respectful distance before moving on. 

The Fairfax campus is home to plenty of critters– so many that they are a part of the Mason experience. It’s not uncommon to encounter a curious squirrel between classes or to see birds flying around the Johnson Center atrium during the lunch rush. For commuters, it’s important to stay vigilant while driving– you may spot a deer running across the road!

Despite the coexistence of humans and wildlife on campus, it’s important to remember to keep a respectful distance from all animals. 

Fall is the ideal time for wildlife to begin preparing for the winter, so it’s typical to see a slight rise in animal activity and sightings as we say “goodbye” to autumn. As winter slowly approaches, let’s try to enjoy the last few weeks of comfortable weather alongside our furry friends at Mason. 

Mitchell Richtmyre/Fourth Estate

Mason men’s basketball won their season opener against NC Central in its annual Gold Rush game

BY CHRISTIAN SEGOVIA, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

On Nov. 4, Mason’s Men Basketball won their season opener against North Carolina Central 75-58. Mason guard Darius Maddox led the way with 17 points and five rebounds, while guard Jared Billups had eight points and 10 rebounds. North Carolina Central hung around early with strong defense before the Patriots used a 17-0 run to pull away.

“I knew the way that they junk it up defensively, it was going to speed us up,” Head Coach Tony Skinn said. “I got to credit [North Carolina Central Head Coach] LeVelle [Moton], just because that’s kind of his DNA.” 

Forward Jalen Haynes scored the first two points for Mason. North Carolina Central started to get into foul trouble early on, which helped Mason find their groove and tempo in the game with good ball movement.

Mason got out to a 17-0 run in the first half. Mason’s defense held North Carolina Central to a 16% shooting while Mason shot 41%. The Patriots held a 32-22 halftime lead over the Eagles.

Mason’s biggest lead came in the second half by 21 points. Even though Mason turned the ball over 17 times, their defensive stops kept them in control. Mason held North Carolina Central to 16-57 from the field, and 5-21 from the 3-point line.

North Carolina Central held Mason to 21-51 from the field and 2-17 from the 3-point line. However, North Carolina Central’s foul trouble sent the Patriots to the free-throw line 41 times. Mason took advantage of these opportunities, shooting 31-41 on free throws to overcome their poor shooting from the field.

Jordan Giles/Fourth Estate

“I got to credit their defense for taking us out of offense,” Skinn said. “ I got to go back and watch because I was prepared for their 1-3-1 [zone], not so much their 3-2 [zone].”

Haynes was dominant in the paint, crashing the boards and getting rebounds for Mason. Haynes got into foul trouble but forward Giovanni Emejuru came off the bench to fill the role that Haynes had been in.

Haynes and Emejuru each had 11 points and six rebounds to help Mason dominate inside. The Patriots outscored the Eagles 32-20 in the paint.

Skinn wants to play Haynes and Emejuru at the same time, with Haynes at power forward and Emejuru at center.  “If  I had to create a crystal ball of minutes, Geo [Emejuru] would be playing 20 and Jalen would play [between] 25 and 28,” Skinn said. “Certain games are going to allow us to be able to do that.” 

“We’ve got to be able to rep a few things a little bit more in practice, but defensively, I was happy in moments,” Skinn said. “We’ve got to be able to keep our foot on the gas. And if we’ve got a 21-point lead, you know, kind of stretch that to 25-28.”

The Patriots play No. 18 Marquette on Nov. 8 in their first big test of the season. Mason will travel to Milwaukee to play the Golden Eagles as part of the Marquette Challenge. Tip-off is set for 9:00 p.m. and the game will be streamed on Peacock.

Christian Segovia/Fourth Estate

BY CHRISTIAN SEGOVIA, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Netflix released a 10-episode NBA documentary called “Starting 5” focusing on five players during the NBA 2023-2024 season: Lebron James, Anthony Edwards, Jimmy Butler, Jayson Tatum and Domantas Sabonis.

How the documentary focused on each of the players’ stories throughout the season made the series enjoyable.These stories ranged from the specific goals of each player to focusing on injuries, families and backgrounds that will make non-basketball fans become captivated. For non-basketball fans, the series even gave information about each player and the NBA. 

What I loved about LeBron James’ season is how he still wants to give it his all on the floor despite playing for 21 seasons. He finds time to spend with his family and, in the documentary, we get to see the goofy side of James. An amazing part about James is his basketball IQ, especially when explaining to his teammates what the other team is going to do and what he needs his team to do defensively.

Following Jayson Tatum’s season, which included an NBA championship, I appreciated Tatum’s mindset. He is willing to prove someone wrong if they think he couldn’t do something. During the NBA Finals, Tatum was willing to sacrifice his part of the game when it required his teammates to be more involved to avoid dropping 30 points in a game. His sacrifice got the Celtics their 18th banner for Boston.

While watching the series, it felt like we only saw Tatum a few times throughout the documentary and there was some rushing in his storyline with him winning an NBA championship. Although, in the playoffs, it was cool to see the players go against other players that weren’t from the “Starting 5” but I wish we got more of that.

The aftermath of Jimmy Butler’s season with the Miami Heat was emotional. Butler’s injuries kept him rested so he didn’t damage his body but if it was an important game, he would fight through the injury. He dealt with the loss of his dad during the season, explained the struggles of losing someone you love and used basketball as an escape.

Seeing his season throughout the documentary taught people that athletes are human, too. They have stuff going on behind the scenes that people don’t see often. Seeing this reminded me that sometimes people can forget they are more than just basketball players. 

Going into Anthony Edwards’ season, I was expecting more of Edwards’ ego as a player; however, I finished the documentary knowing Edwards is young figuring out life while having a baby with his girlfriend. He still doesn’t care who he faces every night on the basketball court but I wouldn’t be surprised if he becomes the face of the league in a few years.

For Domantas Sabonis’ season, it was amazing to see his leadership skills develop with the Sacramento Kings. The microphone picks up Sabonis talking to his teammates about when to move, where to be on the court and when to be ready for him to pass to them. Through all of his battles in the season, he showed his toughness.

The documentary shoots good angles of the players when they are on the court. Letting viewers see how tired these athletes are after a game ends and how they prep for the next game while highlighting what they do in their free time afterward.

I feel the documentary did miss its chance to dig into how players do film reviews against other teams and see how seriously they take their practices. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the documentary and would rate it an overall four out of five and look forward to season two.

Madalyn Godfrey/Fourth Estate

Fourth Estate’s minute-by-minute coverage of the 2024 presidential election

 BY GABRIEL KING, CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

As the polls close and America turns its eyes to the results, join Fourth Estate for live, minute-by-minute coverage of the 2024 presidential election. From breaking news and state races to real-time updates, we’ll keep you informed as the nation decides between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

8:41 a.m.: In an unprecedented political comeback, Trump secures the presidency

Former President Donald Trump has been declared the winner of the 2024 presidential election. Trump will become the first president since Grover Cleveland to serve two non-consecutive terms.

Wisconsin pushed Trump over 270 electoral votes. Trump won the Badger State and its 10 electoral votes, which puts him at 277 total.

2:35 a.m: Trump delivers speech at the Trump HQ to celebrate campaign

After securing Pennsylvania to bring his electoral vote total to 267, Donald Trump celebrated his anticipated victory at Trump HQ in West Palm Beach, Fla. Trump called his campaign the “greatest political movement of all time.”

While Trump has not secured the necessary 270 electoral votes, he holds a significant lead in each of the states that have yet to be called. Alaska, Arizona, Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin are all leaning in Trump’s direction and a victory in any of those states would clinch his presidency.

2:18 a.m: Trump prepares to address supporters, expected to declare victory

With Donald Trump closing in on a victory in Pennsylvania, the former president plans to address supporters in West Palm Beach, Fla. In the speech, Trump is expected to declare his victory.

12:58 a.m.: Trump wins Georgia in his second battleground victory of the night

Former President Trump won Georgia and its 16 electoral votes as he inches closer to a return to the White House. Trump now sits at 247 electoral votes, as he also gained an additional vote in Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District.

12:54 a.m.: Harris no longer speaking at Howard University tonight

Kamala Harris will not speak tonight at her campaign watch party at Howard University as previously planned, Harris-Walz campaign Co-Chair Cedric Richmond announced. “You won’t hear from the Vice President tonight, but you will hear from her tomorrow,” Richmond said. Harris currently trails Donald Trump 230-210 in the electoral vote.

12:39 a.m.: Trump outperforming his metrics from 2020

As former President Trump cements a strong lead, he continues to outperform his totals from the 2020 election. Trump has taken the lead in Georgia and Pennsylvania, two states he lost to President Joe Biden in 2020. If Trump wins both states, his second term would be secured.

12:02 a.m.: Polls in Hawaii close, state is immediately called for Harris

In one of the last poll closures of the night, Hawaii was awarded to Vice President Harris. Harris’ total now sits at 209 electoral votes after gaining The Aloha State’s four votes.

Alaska is the only state yet to close its polls, which will close at 1:00 a.m.

11:43 p.m.: Virginia goes to Harris after tight race

After a back-and-forth race, Kamala Harris won the Commonwealth of Virginia and its 13 electoral votes. Donald Trump made a significant push but Virginia stayed blue for the fifth consecutive presidential election.

Following this result, Trump leads Harris 230-205 in the race to 270.

11:35 p.m.: Harris wins Oregon and New Mexico

Kamala Harris won New Mexico and Oregon to bring her total to 192 electoral votes. Despite these victories, the election will still come down to the six remaining battleground states, particularly Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

11:20 p.m.: Trump wins North Carolina in first battleground result of election night

Donald Trump won the state of North Carolina and its 16 electoral votes. One of the seven swing states of the election, North Carolina gives Trump a significant advantage as the race tightens. Trump now has 230 electoral votes, needing only 40 more to secure the presidency.

11:03 p.m.: Late poll closures give Harris big boost

As projected, Vice President Harris earned 54 electoral votes in her home state of California, along with Washington’s 12 electoral votes to bring her total to 179.

Former President Trump earned four electoral votes in Idaho after the 11:00 p.m. closures, putting him at 214 electoral votes.

10:53 p.m: Harris expected to make up ground after 11:00 p.m. closures

With Trump leading the electoral vote 210-113, Harris is expected to close the gap in the 11:00 hour. California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington close their polls at 11:00.

Harris is projected to claim California, Oregon and Washington, while Trump is expected to win Idaho. Barring any surprises, these results would tighten the race, putting even more emphasis on the seven battleground states

10:47 p.m.: Trump avoids upset in Iowa, secures six more electoral votes in Kansas

Despite a late push from Kamala Harris, Donald Trump won the state of Iowa. On Saturday, pollster J. Ann Selzer released a poll that showed Harris with a slim lead in the traditionally red state. However, Trump maintained his hold on the state for the third consecutive election. The former president also won Kansas.

Trump’s victories in Iowa and Kansas give him 12 more electoral votes, as he now sits at 210 electoral votes, 60 away from the presidency.

10:22 p.m.: Harris wins D.C., site of her campaign’s watch party

Vice President Kamala Harris claimed Washington, D.C.’s three electoral votes to bring her total to 112 after her earlier victory in Colorado. Harris is holding her campaign watch party in the nation’s capital at her alma mater, Howard University.

10:03 p.m.: Trump earns expected wins in Montana and Utah

As projected, former President Trump won six electoral votes in Utah and four in Montana. These victories bring Trump’s total to 198 electoral votes.

9:56 p.m.: Trump wins Missouri to extend his lead

Donald Trump claimed Missouri’s 10 electoral votes. Trump also won Missouri in 2016 and 2020.

Entering the 10:00 hour, Trump leads Harris 188-99 with the key battlegrounds still in play.

9:53 p.m.: Three more states close their polls at 10:00 p.m., including one battleground

Montana, Nevada and Utah will close their polls at 10:00 p.m. Montana and Utah are expected to go to Trump, as both states have long leaned Republican in presidential elections.

Nevada is one of the biggest swing states in the election. Despite holding less electoral votes, six, than other swing states, Nevada could play a pivotal role in deciding the presidency. Similar to Arizona, Nevada could take days to reach a final result.

9:34 p.m.: Trump claims three electoral votes in Nebraska

After winning the statewide electoral vote in Nebraska, Donald Trump also won state’s 3rd Congressional District, giving him three total in the Cornhusker State. Two more electoral votes remain in Nebraska’s two other congressional districts. Kamala Harris currently leads in both districts.

9:14 p.m.: Ohio and Texas go to Trump

Donald Trump was victorious in Ohio and Texas, giving him 57 more electoral votes. Both victories were expected, as Trump has won Ohio in each of his three presidential campaigns and Texas has not gone blue since the 1976 presidential election.

9:02 p.m: 9:00 closures bring Trump four more states; Harris claims New York

Former President Donald Trump claimed Louisiana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming to gain 17 more electoral votes. However, Harris was the big winner in the early stages of the 9:00 hour, winning New York and its 28 electoral votes.

Trump holds a 120-99 lead in the race to 270.

8:51 p.m.: Next polls close at 9:00 p.m., including swing states Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin

9:00 p.m. will see polls in 15 states close. This includes battlegrounds Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin, which will play a pivotal role in the election as three of the seven swing states. Arizona is expected to take the longest of the three to count its votes, as full results could take weeks to tally.

8:40 p.m.: Illinois goes to Harris

Vice President Kamala Harris earned a much-needed victory in the state of Illinois. The victory gives Harris 19 electoral votes, bringing her total to 71.

8:37 p.m.: Harris wins Delaware and New Jersey, Trump wins Arkansas; key battlegrounds still too close to call

Kamala Harris won the state of New Jersey and its 14 electoral votes and Delaware and its three electoral votes, while Donald Trump claimed Arkansas and its six electoral votes. Trump leads 101-52 in the race to 270.

Elsewhere, battlegrounds Georgia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania remain neck-and-neck. Trump holds slim leads in Georgia and North Carolina with many urban votes yet to be counted. Harris holds a sizable lead in Pennsylvania but less than 10% of the Keystone State’s votes have been counted

8:07 p.m.: Massive vote closures give both candidates a significant boost

Polls in 17 states closed at 8:00 p.m. Former President Donald Trump claimed Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Tennessee to bring his total to 95 electoral votes. Trump also won South Carolina, which had its polls close at 7:00 p.m.

Vice President Kamala Harris won Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts and Rhode Island to continue to the Democrats’ northeast dominance. These four states brought Harris’ total to 35 electoral votes.

7:43 p.m.: Trump has early lead in Georgia with many Democratic votes yet to come in

With 12% of the state’s vote counted, Donald Trump has an early lead in Georgia. Another key battleground state, Georgia carries 16 electoral votes. Despite Trump’s early lead, the gap is expected to narrow due to votes in urban counties that have yet to be counted. Kamala Harris is favored in Georgia’s urban areas, which could turn the state in her favor.

7:31 p.m.: West Virginia officially goes to Trump

West Virginia and its four electoral votes will go to Donald Trump, bringing his total to 23. Republican Jim Justice also won the state’s Senate election, flipping West Virginia’s seat.

7:30 p.m.: Next wave of polls close, including key battleground North Carolina

Polls in North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia closed at 7:30. Ohio and West Virginia are expected to be victories for Donald Trump.

North Carolina is a battleground state that could dictate the results of the election. The winner of the Tarheel State will claim 16 key electoral votes in the race to 270.

7:06 p.m.: Trump wins Indiana

For the third straight presidential election, Donald Trump won the state of Indiana. This gives Trump 11 electoral votes, bringing his total to 19.

7:00 p.m.: Kentucky goes to Trump, Vermont to Harris

After the first wave of poll closures, Kentucky was called for former President Trump and Vermont went to Vice President Harris. All other states that closed at 7:00 p.m. are still too close to call. 

These early calls give Trump the lead with eight electoral votes, while Harris sits at three electoral votes.

6:54 p.m.: Both candidates urge voters to stay in line

With record turnouts expected across the country, both presidential candidates are urging voters to stay in line after polls close. “If you are in line before the polls close, stay in line,” Vice President Harris said in a post on X.

In a TikTok also posted on X, former President Trump said to “make sure you get through and vote.”

6:05 p.m.: First polls close in Indiana, Kentucky

Select polls in Indiana and Kentucky closed at 6:00 p.m. While neither state has been called, both states are expected to go to Donald Trump. The remaining polls in Indiana and Kentucky, along with all polls in Georgia, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia, close at 7:00 p.m.

5:27 p.m.: NC extends voting in two precincts

North Carolina extended voting 30 minutes in two precincts due to technology issues, the North Carolina State Board of Elections announced. Polls at a precinct in Burke County and a precinct in Wilson County will be open until 8:00 p.m.

4:54 p.m.: Both campaigns prepare for close race as the first polls close in just over one hour

With the first polls closing at 6:00 p.m., both presidential campaigns are settling in for what is expected to be a long night. Vice President Harris spent the afternoon phone banking at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Former President Trump will watch the results from Mar-a-Lago this evening. After casting his ballot today, Trump told reporters that he is “very confident” heading into the night.

Valentina Fala/ Fourth Estate

BY VALENTINA FALA, STAFF WRITER

Marijana Grbeša-Zenzerović, a Fulbright Scholar from Croatia, has traveled the world pursuing academic excellence in communication. From earning her master’s degree in the United Kingdom to completing a Ph.D. in Slovenia and teaching at Penn State University, Grbeša-Zenzerović’s journey is nothing short of remarkable.

At Mason, Grbeša-Zenzerović engages with students in digital advertising and strategic communication courses while conducting  research on the current U.S. presidential elections and its disinformation. She plans to compare these findings with her previous research in Europe.

Grbeša-Zenzerović’s interest in Mason transpired from her recent studies in celebrity culture and the Lab for Character Assassination and Reputation Politics. Directed by Mason professor Sergei Samoilenko, CARP studies “character assassination and reputation management” and focuses efforts on researching, teaching and assessing character assassinations to understand and help others understand this phenomenon, according to CARP’s official website. Grbeša-Zenzerović will be participating in CARP’s annual conference in March 2025.

“I first came [to Mason] in August. I haven’t been here for long but I have this feeling that I have been here for a very long time which, basically, that’s how I feel at home here,” Grbeša-Zenzerović said.

Back in Croatia, Grbeša-Zenzerović teaches political marketing, political communication, mass media and strategic communication at the University of Zagreb. Her research includes European elections and their media coverage.

Grbeša-Zenzerović was inspired to pursue a career in communications in the 90s after watching war journalists, whom she saw as heroes, during the Croatian War of Independence. Now, she is also part of the Council of Europe Committee of Experts on online safety and empowerment of content creators and users (MSI-eSEC) where she serves as one of their experts.

Grbeša-Zenzerović has visited the U.S. many times and notes the difference between European and American studies. In her view, European students focus on theories, a rigorous curriculum, and memorization; whereas, American students are typically more inquisitive, excelling in critical thinking and in seeking answers. 

“They dare to ask, they dare to debate, they date to say their opinion,” Grbeša-Zenzerović said.

Grbeša-Zenzerović serves as an inspiration for those who aspire to travel the world while pursuing their passions. 

“What strikes me about George Mason is this impression on campus that students are kind of the ones leading the game, they are like people in charge of everything,” Grbeša-Zenzerović said. Her journey at Mason has just started, yet students and the faculty have been a main factor in her personal and professional growth.

Grbeša-Zenzerović will deliver a special lecture titled “The fun factor: How pop culture wins elections in the age of social media entertainment” on Wednesday, November 13 at 12:15 pm at the Communication Department’s Main Conference Room in Horizon Hall and via Zoom.