Alumni reconnect with Mason

Mason Alumni get a look at campus on a Trolly Tour during this year’s Alumni Weekend. (Jennifer Southee) 

Alumni had the chance to visit Mason this weekend during the second annual Alumni Weekend.

Mason’s Office of Alumni Affairs hosted various events around campus to help Alumni reconnect and see the renovations on campus since they had last attended. Campus tours, a barbecue and exhibitions were a few of the events that took place during the weekend, which also featured guest speakers, live entertainment and prizes.

There was at least triple the turnout of Alumni this year compared to last year’s event, according to the Associate Director of Alumni Affairs Carol A.B. Swigart.

Swigart attributed the increased turnout to the new registration program, which leaves people free to attend paid or free events instead of paying a flat fee.

Lori McLean, an alumni who graduated in ’96 with a Master’s in Nursing, remembers “fabulous” instructors who were genuinely interested in their students’ success during her time as a student at Mason.

“I came back to be an instructor [nursing] for 6 years,” McLean said. “I liked it that much.”

There seemed to be widespread agreement among alumni that the improvements made to Mason’s campus since they attended are impressive. Many of the alumni got lost trying to find buildings or their cars since so much has changed on the campus.

Charles Ferrell, who graduated in ’78 with a degree in Business Administration and has since worked for Lockheed Martin as a Defense Department contractor, recalled how there were very few parking spaces and dorms for students who were out-of-state when he was a student.

He thought it was amazing how much the campus has changed since then. He noticed that there are many new buildings and a lot of the old ones have been replaced.

Now there are many more food options as well, Ferrell said. When he attended Mason there was nothing more than vending machines in the cafeteria and they would have to go to a McDonald’s or an Italian restaurant across the street for sustenance.