Who We Are
Black/African Heritage Student Affairs is the primary support system for all George Mason students who identify themselves as African, Black, African-American, or being of any national/ethnic heritage within the continent of Africa or within the African Diaspora. We strive to enhance your collegiate experience in any and every way possible. This website will inform you of our services; advertise our events and the events of our students; and archive resources for your benefit.
Working with our Office will not only teach you how to successfully navigate through the college environment, but also how to be successful after graduation. The college environment can often be challenging – we hope you will take full advantage of all the initiatives we have to offer.
Upcoming Events
Academic Support
Academic support includes a variety of assistance ranging from one-on-one personal advising, to referrals for free tutoring, to honoring those students who achieve academic excellence. ODPS has two computer stations available from 9am – 5pm including free printing, for students to utilize in their academic and organizational pursuits.
ODPS is also able to refer undergraduate students for a limited number of free tutoring hours with professional tutors. This program is done in collaboration with Counseling & Psychological Services and is reserved for students dealing with significant financial issues.
Social Interaction, Mentoring & Personal Growth
Mason has a number of organizations, offices, and departments on campus and within the surrounding communities that relate to the Black/African Heritage experience. Our Office works closely with these support systems, helping you get connected and maximize your potential. Visit our Student Organizations & Support Systems page for more information.
We are currently in the process of re-vamping and re-creating our mentoring initiatives for Black/African Heritage men and women. The final program will deal with men’s and women’s issues respectively, and follow a “rites of passage” approach. Our aim is to create a regularly scheduled, socially-engaging safe harbor focused toward undergraduate students. If you’re interested in either participating or helping to plan this initiative, email the Assistant Director at ckellom@gmu.edu
The full college experience includes much more than just going to class. Don’t just master the knowledge for a successful career; learn the tools necessary to construct your future. By utilizing ODPS, you will be exposed to numerous opportunities for your personal growth and identity development. We will enhance your knowledge of various opportunities on campus and in the DC Metro community, while improving your access to them.
Leadership Development
Our largest method of outreach to students is through the advising of student organizations. Our professionals prepare executive board members for success, while challenging each member to reach their full leadership potential. Of course, our services are not exclusive to organizations and are available to every student, individually as well.
We facilitate various initiatives for students at every stage of leadership development to discover their talents, hone their skills, and truly make a difference on campus. Some topics we cover regularly include: Confrontation; Motivating Others; Leadership In a Cultural Context; How to Formally Run a Meeting; and The Advantage of an Advisor.
Cultural Celebration & Education
At Mason we have a large number of African Heritage cultures represented on campus by our students. These range from Sudanese to Caribbean to Eritrean to Black or African-American. Many of these ethnicities have a student organization that represents, supports, and celebrates their heritage. Our office specializes in supporting these organizations and their various constituency groups in their endeavors while facilitating opportunities for identity development.
Annual Black Heritage Month Celebration – Every February, our Office sponsors the campus-wide Black Heritage Month Celebration to highlight and celebrate the various African Heritage cultures on campus and their contributions to the world. For more information on the 2009 Black Heritage Month Celebration, or to propose an event for inclusion in the celebration, please visit the Black Heritage Month page.
Annual MLK Day Celebration – Each year the division of University Life convenes a committee to facilitate a campus-wide recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. and his vision for racial equality in America. This celebration is traditionally marked by the presenting of the Spirit of MLK Award and a nationally-recognized Keynote Speaker. This year’s Keynote speaker will be Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski, III – a child-leader during the Civil-Rights movement who knew Dr. King, and the current president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. For more information on Dr. Hrabowski or the Annual MLK Day Celebration, please visit the Annual MLK Day Celebration page.