Schar School of Policy and Government

Why would anyone run for public office in today’s turbulent political climate? We asked these two Schar School graduates why they are charging into the fray with ambitious campaigns to win local offices. Their answers might surprise you.

What a week at the Schar School. See what U.S. Senator Mark Warner, former Vice President Mike Pence, and former special counsel Jack Smith had to say to three audiences in four days.

A roundup of recent media appearances by Schar School faculty, students, and staff for Schar School in the News: September 15th - 19th, 2025

Corruption prosecutor Jack Smith provided testimony that the rule of law is in trouble in the United States. But it’s not hopeless. See what he said could save the rule of law—and perhaps democracy itself.

Influential? There’s a list for that, and the Schar School’s economic data maven Terry L. Clower is on it!

Vice President Mike Pence has been named a Distinguished Professor of Practice at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government. Pence’s arrival this fall marks a significant addition to the institution’s academic community.

A roundup of recent media appearances by Schar School faculty, students, and staff for Schar School in the News: September 8th - 12th, 2025.

A summer study-abroad adventure took students to London and Oxford—with the Schar School dean. See what they did and who they met and learn why study-abroad is vital to higher education.

A bestselling new book examining the CIA in the 21st century was center stage this week at Mason Square. See what author Tim Weiner told NPR’s Greg Myre about his research into the clandestine world of espionage.

We enter group spaces carrying invisible scripts: how to belong, how to lead, how to stay safe from conflict or vulnerability. But what happens when those scripts no longer work? When the group itself becomes a mirror, reflecting back our blind spots, our values, and our deepest questions about power, safety, and connection?