student organizations

When Saniya Darediya, this year's student commencement speaker, stepped onto George Mason University’s Fairfax Campus for Orientation four years ago, she was fresh off the plane from Gujarat, India. She chose George Mason sight-unseen—and then carved out a place for herself.

Graduate students launched George Mason University’s INFORMS student chapter in January 2026 to optimize connection and professional development for an interdisciplinary community of master’s and PhD students.

The new Activities Building on George Mason University’s Fairfax Campus officially opened its doors on April 16 with a ribbon cutting and community celebration also attended by alumna Charniele Herring, BA Economics ’93, majority leader of the Virginia House of Delegates, and members of the Board of Visitors.

Last fall, what began as a hands-on learning experience in Southeast Asia became a journey that took five George Mason University students to the heart of global food policy—and left a mark along the way.

With more than 300 members and growing, the Women in Business at Mason student organization at the Costello College of Business, empowers women who are majoring, minoring, or interested in the world of business. Through networking and personal and professional development events, they aim to expand upon members’ skillsets as well as their networks inside and outside of George Mason University. 

In spring 2024, during his internship with MHCR, Jonathan Fang and his supervisor, Rowda Olad, a mental health and psychosocial support expert and associate director of the MHCR, came upon the idea of developing a series of student-focused conversations on difficult, but relevant topics to students and inviting different cultural and ethnic student groups to participate.

Honors College student Marisa Parikh embodies the drive, curiosity, and global mindset that define George Mason University students. She serves as president of Be the Change, a student-led organization dedicated to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on campus. Under her leadership, the group focuses on raising awareness and inspiring action around the goals that most directly affect George Mason students. 

HackFax x PatriotHacks 2026 united two George Mason University tech communities for a high‑energy Valentine’s weekend hackathon, blending workshops, industry networking, and student creativity into one collaborative, community‑building event.

Through national convention participation, employer partnerships, and a strong campus community, George Mason’s Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers helps students turn networking into interviews, job offers, and career‑ready confidence.

George Mason University's Debate Team won the prestigious West Point Sword at the United States Military Academy’s 60th annual National Debate Tournament in West Point, New York.