By Michele McDonald
George Mason University will rename University Hall after the university’s former president and first lady, changing the name to Alan and Sally Merten Hall.
Ángel Cabrera, George Mason’s sixth president, proposed naming the soon-to-be home of the senior administrative offices Alan and Sally Merten Hall. The Board of Visitors approved the name change at their May 7 meeting, and a dedication ceremony is planned for Monday, June 23, at 11:30 a.m. at University Hall.
Alan Merten became Mason’s fifth president in 1996. He retired in 2012 after serving for 16 years and continues to teach and be active in the Mason community. Former first lady Sally Merten is well known for being a member of university advisory boards and for her pivotal role in bringing Mason and the surrounding community closer together.
The Mertens continue to play active roles as “ambassadors” of the university. They created four endowed scholarships: The G. Louise and Anthony J. Otto Endowed Scholarship in Creative Writing; the Eric G. and Melissa H. Merten Endowed Scholarship; The Ruth A. and Gilbert E. Merten Endowed Scholarship; and the Kathleen A. Lieder and Lloyd C. Fell Scholarship Endowment in Music Performance/Vocal Studies.
Cabrera and the senior administrative offices are expected to move to the soon-to-be renamed University Hall early this summer.