Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who has championed higher education at state public colleges and universities as a key building block of his “new Virginia economy,” will deliver the Commencement address to the Class of 2016 at George Mason University. The event will take place on Saturday, May, 14 at EagleBank Arena on the Fairfax Campus.
McAuliffe, the state’s 72nd governor, has helped launch many George Mason initiatives since taking office in 2014, including the opening of the Institute for Biomedical Innovation on the Science and Technology Campus and the announcement in December of the research partnership between Mason and Inova Health System.
McAuliffe’s Commencement address will highlight a ceremony that, in addition to honoring the Class of 2016, will recognize three important figures in the university’s history. Mason president Ángel Cabrera will award three Mason Medals, the university’s highest honor, to Charles J. “Chuck” Colgan, the longest-serving state senator in Virginia history; Jim Larranaga, the men’s basketball coach who led Mason to the Final Four in 2006; and Long V. Nguyen, namesake of Mason’s Engineering Building and a former Mason Board of Visitors member.
One of McAuliffe’s primary focuses as governor is urging the state’s colleges and universities to produce a 21st-century workforce capable of meeting the needs of the emerging businesses and industries that he is working to attract to Virginia.
McAuliffe is pursuing funds this year for multidisciplinary “centers of excellence” where researchers can collaborate and drive innovation, and offer scholarships for high-demand programs such as cybersecurity. He has won bipartisan support for increased funding so that more students from underrepresented groups, and more military veterans, can attend college.
“Bright students and inspiring faculty at our state colleges and universities are among the commonwealth’s greatest assets,” McAuliffe said. “That is evident at George Mason. I look forward to sharing and celebrating this special day with Mason graduates and their families.”
“As the state’s leader, Gov. McAuliffe’s commitment to education was evident from the day he took office,” Cabrera said. “Mason draws 80 percent of its enrollment from in-state, so many of our 2016 graduates have benefited from the governor’s programs, and even more Mason students will benefit in the future.”
The three Mason Medal honorees have been integral figures in Mason’s emergence.
Colgan retired in January as the longest-serving state senator in Virginia history. During his 40 years in office, he was an ardent supporter of Mason and helped lead the charge in Richmond for all of Mason’s campuses, particularly the Science and Technology Campus in Prince William County, his home district.
Larranaga guided the Mason men’s basketball team to five NCAA tournament appearances during his 14 years as head coach, including a rousing run to the 2006 Final Four that brought the university unprecedented national recognition. A celebration is planned to honor Larranaga, the players and staff of the 2006 Mason men’s basketball team on Friday, June 17 at the Fairfax Campus.
Nguyen, a Mason Board of Visitors member from 2002 to 2010, is founder, chair and CEO of Pragmatics Inc., an information technology firm in McLean, Va., that he established in 1985. The Long and Kimmy Nguyen Engineering Building on the Fairfax Campus was named in honor of the Nguyens, who in 2009 gave $5 million to Mason. The Nguyens in 2003 gave the Mason School of Law a $200,000 gift to create a scholarship endowment for law students who hold a PhD in science.
About George Mason
George Mason University is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls more than 33,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity and commitment to accessibility.