For immediate release
May 5, 2016
Media Contact:
Renell Wynn
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George Mason University’s School of Policy, Government and International Affairs Receives $10 Million Gift from Dwight Schar
School to be renamed Schar School of Policy and Government
Arlington, VA – George Mason University announced today that businessman and philanthropist Dwight C. Schar has pledged $10 million to the university’s School of Policy, Government, and International Affairs. Schar is known in the greater Washington metropolitan area for founding and leading NVR, Inc., the region’s largest residential homebuilder.
In recognition of this gift, Mr. Schar’s many prior contributions, and his stated long-term commitment to the school, the Board of Visitors approved the naming of the school in his honor. The school, which educates some 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students each year, will be known as the Schar School of Policy and Government.
“I am grateful to Dwight for his support over the years. Dwight is a visionary builder and philanthropist who has already made a lasting name by improving the quality of life across the Northern Virginia region through his business and his philanthropy,” said George Mason University President Ángel Cabrera.
Mason’s school of policy and government has quickly garnered a reputation for being a hub of national and regional research, housing influential centers that study regional economics, global terrorism, transportation and public-private partnerships. Among its celebrated faculty are a Carnegie Fellow, a Pulitzer-prize-winning journalist, a Guggenheim Fellow and the former head of the CIA.
“Mason has steadily grown its influence in the world of policy and government, showing Northern Virginia can be both a starting point and a destination for people who want to serve and make a difference,” said Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe. “Nobody gets that better than Dwight Schar, a driving force for the regional economy and a strong and valued supporter of the Commonwealth. Dwight is truly an inspirational advocate for education, and this gift ensures his legacy will endure.”
Schar and his wife Martha have been long-time supporters of the university. They established an endowed faculty chair for the public policy school in 2002 and have provided significant support for the school’s Center for Regional Analysis over the years. Schar served on the George Mason University Foundation Board of Trustees from 1986 through 1998, and received the George Mason Medal, the university’s highest honor, in 2003.
“This gift acknowledges the successes already achieved by Mason’s public policy school, and it signals our expectation that its great history is only the beginning,” said Schar.
“But this is more than rhetoric; it is based on a palpable shared feeling among students, faculty, and school leadership that something very exciting is happening here. This is not the end of the road. I look forward to having a long-term relationship with the school and watching it grow and thrive.”
The $10 million gift, which is one of the largest in the university’s history, will be used to institute the programs and support the culture that will merit wide recognition as one of the great schools of its kind in the world, explained Cabrera.
“Dwight Schar’s gift will help bring the increased international acclaim the school so richly deserves. We anticipate a fruitful and ongoing relationship as we work to make the Schar School a world leader,” Cabrera added.
“A little less than two years ago, we merged the School of Public Policy and Public and International Affairs of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences,” said Dean Mark J. Rozell. “The merger has proven to be a great success, allowing us to break through the ranks of colleges of our type and put us on the path to enrich the offerings and elevate the reputation of the university and our school. We are thrilled to have Dwight Schar’s support as we strive to take the school to new levels of excellence.”
The Schar family has a strong connection to Mason, as well. In addition to Schar’s tenure on the Board of Trustees, his daughter, Tracy Schar, earned her bachelor’s degree from Mason in 1984 and is a current member of the university’s Board of Visitors.
The Schars’ $10 million gift represents another significant boost to the university’s Faster Farther comprehensive campaign goal of $500 million, which supports Mason’s campuses in Fairfax, Arlington, and Prince William along with more than 6,500 faculty and staff and nearly 34,000 students.
The university’s Board of Visitors approved the renaming of the school at its May 5 meeting. Formal approval of the new name is also required from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).
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About George Mason University
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. Learn more at www.gmu.edu.
About the School of Policy, Government and International Affairs
George Mason University’s School of Policy, Government and International Affairs prepares undergraduate and graduate students to be leaders and managers who solve problems and advance the public good in all sectors and levels of government—in the United States and throughout the world. Located where policy happens—just a few miles from the Pentagon, White House, and U.S. Capitol— the school connects students to jobs, internships, networking, and experiences that can only be found in the Washington, D.C., area. Learn more at spgia.gmu.edu.
About Faster Farther—The Campaign for George Mason University
Faster Farther is a comprehensive $500 million fundraising effort to secure Mason’s place as the intellectual cornerstone that our region needs and deserves. Focusing our efforts on three campaign priorities (students, faculty, and campus spaces), we seek to shape and improve the future of our students, our faculty, our community, and our world. Learn more at fasterfarther.gmu.edu.