Campus News in Brief

Compiled by Broadside News Editor Kevin Loker & Asst. News Editor Justin Petrisek

Mason Pep Band Volunteers to Play for Bemidji State

George Mason University is getting another chance to cheer on a Cinderella team in an NCAA tournament—this time it’s not Mason.

The No. 16 seed in the NCAA hockey tournament, Bemidji State, isn’t flying their pep band to the semifinal game in Washington, so Mason’s band volunteered.

Bandleader Michael “Doc Nix” Nickens says they’re perfecting the Bemidji State fight song and studying their opponent, Miami University of Ohio, for trash-talking purposes. “I have them literally on heckling scholarships,” said Nickens.

GMU Forensics Team Takes Mason Pride to National Championships

Twenty-three Mason students traveled to Akron, Ohio, to compete with 1,478 other top forensics students. The Mason Forensics Team placed second in the 32nd Forensic Association National Individual Events Tournament.

As one of only five schools in history to qualify students every year, Mason continues to excel. Twelve Mason students advanced to elimination rounds. Freshman theater major Nick Bateman was selected as national champion in Dramatic Interpretation. He is only the second freshman to win that event. Bateman also became the second freshman top-10 overall speaker in the nation ever.

“This was a total team effort. I could not be more proud of this incredible group,” said Forensics Director Peter Pober. “They were all the talk of the tournament . . . one colleague approached me after the awards ceremony and called our students ‘the classiest team in the nation.’ They are, and with Patriot pride soaring I could not be happier for them.”

Kicking Off Justice Week

George Mason University’s Capoeira Club will kick off Justice Week at Mason on April 13.

The Capoeira performance in the Johnson Center Atrium from 12–1 p.m. on Monday is the first of many events to be held during Justice Week.

Other events also include: A Human Rights Panel discussion on Global Injustice in the Student Union Building II Ballroom Tuesday, April 14 at 7 p.m., a facilitated discussion on Human Rights Activism on Thursday, April 16 at 7 p.m. in the Edwin Meese III Conference Room in Mason Hall and a Policy Advocacy Workshop: Awareness to Action on Friday, April 17 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the Dewberry Hall Gold Room (bottom floor of the Johnson Center).