Dr. Gregory Washington
President of George Mason University
Dr. Gregory Washington, president of George Mason University.
Gregory Washington became Mason’s eighth president on July 1, 2020, taking leadership of the largest and most diverse public university in Virginia, a Carnegie Tier 1 research institution, and a beacon of access for students of all backgrounds. Washington launched his Mason presidency with initiatives to create new academic and entrepreneurial pathways for all Virginians.
Biography
President's Reports & Statements
University Leadership
University Rankings
History of the Office
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What drew me to Mason was its mission to insist that excellence and inclusivity are not seen as merely compatible. In fact, each is required for the other to exist.
Dr. Gregory Washington
Under Dr. Washington's leadership, Mason brings new life and economic vitality to Northern Virginia.
In April 2022, Mason broke ground on Fuse, a 345,000-square-foot building dedicated to producing the next generation of Northern Virginia's technology workforce.
Fuse will house faculty and students working with the Institute for Digital Innovation and their partners, and graduate programs from Mason’s new School of Computing, the first of its kind in Virginia.
Artist rendering
Artist rendering
Dr. Washington established the President’s Innovation Advisory Council to bring together industry, local government, K-12 education, and non-governmental organizations to form an innovation ecosystem with Mason as its hub.
On the Science and Technology Campus in Manassas, the university developed partnerships to simultaneously break ground on the new Life Sciences and Engineering Building and the Innovation Town Center and University Village at Innovation projects.
The Life Sciences and Engineering Building, a 132,000-square-foot facility, will support students enrolled in STEM-H majors, including kinesiology, materials science, forensic science, bioengineering, mechanical engineering and others.
Great research universities tackle the grand-challenge problems of our time. We call it research of consequence for a reason—we face serious consequences as a planet if we cannot solve our most pressing global challenges.
Dr. Gregory Washington
Under Dr. Washington's leadership, Mason is developing a tech workforce talent for the Commonwealth.
Mason will be positioned to produce 25,000 additional graduates in computer science, computer engineering, and software engineering through the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Tech Talent Investment Program.
Tech Talent Investment Program (TTIP)
In June 2020 the Institute for Digital Innovation (IDIA) was launched in order to connect Mason’s world-class research community with other communities to shape the future of our digital society, promoting equality, well-being, security, and prosperity.
Institute for Digital InnovAtion (IDIA)
As the home to Virginia's largest and most diverse student body, Mason continues to advance a university culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Within weeks of arriving at Mason, Dr. Washington created the Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence (ARIE) task force to ensure that George Mason University creates an inclusive and equitable campus environment in which every member of our community, without exception, is valued, supported, and experiences a sense of belonging.
George Mason University’s first Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence (ARIE) Conference celebrated both the impact of research and the shared goal of shaping a more equitable future.
We know our diversity comes in many forms, including diversity of origin, identity, circumstance, and thought, and that equity and inclusion enable our diversity to shine.
Dr. Gregory Washington
Dr. Washington speaks with students during the inaugural Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence (ARIE) Conference.
Under Dr. Washington's leadership, Mason is redefining what it means to be inclusive and allow everyone to participate in a thriving economy.
Dr. Washington strengthened Mason’s commitment to access by creating the Mason Virginia Promise (MVP), a path to a Mason degree or help starting a business for any Virginian who aspires to either goal. MVP reinforces the university’s commitment to the economic success and growth of Virginia. Mason manages the more than two dozen Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) in Virginia as well as Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) and other related small business programs. “We are growing the next generation of entrepreneurs,” Washington says.
In 2021, the Mason Enterprise team advised and supported 11,000 small businesses with 42,000 hours of one-on-one counseling. In addition, 20,000 entrepreneurs took part in 753 no-cost or low-cost training programs. Mason’s entrepreneur and small business programs have made a $1.6 billion impact in the commonwealth.
Mason was recently featured in PBS NewsHour’s special report "Rethinking College.”
For 35 years, Mason’s Early Identification Program (EIP) has been helping Northern Virginia middle and high school students prepare for their future college careers.
The program has since grown into an innovative, multi-year college preparatory program known for its breadth and reach, as well as the way it celebrates and embraces students.
EIP now serves more than 700 students annually. The program provides access to educational resources for students from seven local public school systems, helping them acquire the skills they need to become lifelong learners, leaders, and responsible global citizens.
Honors College students mentor EIP students during summer programs on campus.
Access to Excellence
About the Podcast
The world is facing serious challenges. Mason President Gregory Washington's conversations on these topics with Mason thought leaders and experts will broaden perspectives, enlighten and educate.
Latest Episode
Podcast - EP 47: Black Dance: Housing the past and the present
February 15, 2023
Lawrence Jackson says colonialism brought an end to authentic African dance. But the associate professor of dance who in 2011 co-authored a special edition on Black dance in the Journal of Pan African Studies, explains how Black dance keeps those African cultural traditions alive and is an affirmation of identity and independence.
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