Green Machine

The new Activities Community Wellness Building is designed to enhance campus life by providing a gathering place for students to engage with each other and deepen their sense of belonging at the university.

For the second year in a row, Mason's own Green Machine Ensembles performed for delighted locals at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, an event where roughly 40,000 guests were welcomed throughout the day's festivities.

Dr. Michael Nickens, an associate professor of music at Mason, explains how he transforms from his mild-mannered persona into Doc Nix, the flamboyant leader of the Green Machine, the nation’s No. 1 pep band. Actor Bill Murray is a fan of the band, and Nix is pretty good on the tuba.

“An evening like no other,” ARTS by George! makes its in-person return on September 24. The philanthropic event, headlined by Emmy® and Tony Award winner Kristin Chenoweth, raises support for student scholarships in visual arts, dance, music, theater, game design, film, arts management, as well as for the Mason Community Arts Academy, Green Machine Ensembles, and the Great Performance at Mason season at the Center for the Arts.

This fall Mason welcomes the largest (about 4,200) and most diverse freshman class in its history.

As a child, Nathaniel Socks said he was restless, and could often be found tapping his hands on nearby objects. His mom enrolled him in drum lessons in second grade, he said, which led to his favorite hobby—one that taught him valuable life lessons.

“I got to see how if you put in hard work and dedicate yourself to something really hard, how cool the product can be,” the incoming George Mason University freshman said. “That was one thing that really got me into drumming—you can see the progression of practicing.”

“Resistance,” a spoken word piece by Mason alumnus Bobby Lacy II performed at Mason’s 2020 Winter Commencement, had a profound impact on those who saw it during the video broadcast.