George Mason University

University Development

Cecil and Irene Hylton

The arts are very important to the quality of life throughout the Prince William County community, and we are proud to take part in this special project.

—Conrad Hylton

President, Cecil D. and Irene V. Hylton Foundation

Cecil and Irene HyltonCecil and Irene Hylton believed in supporting the communities in which they did business. They owned a sod farm before becoming real estate developers in the post-World War II housing boom. The husband and wife team is credited with creating the master plan for Dale City, Virginia, which included building more than 21,000 homes.

The late couple’s foundation has been especially generous to George Mason University. The Cecil D. and Irene V. Hylton Foundation has made a leadership commitment of $5 million to support the new performing arts center on Mason’s Prince William Campus, providing the impetus for construction to begin. Of those funds, $2.5 million is a challenge grant to encourage community support for the new facility.

In recognition of this gift, the building now carries the family’s name. The Hylton Performing Arts Center is expected to debut in 2010, serving the residents of Manassas, Prince William County, and the region.

 

Ernst and Sara Volgenau

Sara and I are honored to be part of the effort to produce more highly-skilled engineers and scientists to meet industry needs.
—Ernst Volgenau

The largest individual contribution in George Mason's history, from Ernst and Sara Volgenau, has ushered in a new era for the School of Information Technology and Engineering. In recognition, the school has been named the Volgenau School of IT&E—Mason’s first named school.

The Volgenaus’ support will help position the university as a national leader in the IT field, enabling investment in critical areas of study—such as biotechnology, knowledge management, and information security—and recruitment of top students and faculty. Their commitment has provided significant momentum to the school's 2010 Campaign. The initiative seeks to raise additional funds to help finance the construction of a new state-of-the-art facility that will house teaching and research spaces.

Ernst Volgenau is the rector of the George Mason University Board of Visitors and a former trustee of the Mason Foundation.

 

Don and Nancy de Laski

Nancy and I both enjoy the arts and feel that exposure to music, dance, and theater is an important part of an individual’s growth and development.
—Don de Laski

Don and Nancy de Laski are committed to creating educational and cultural opportunities. Nancy is passionate about the arts—she fell in love with ballet as a child and enjoys painting as well as playing the hammered dulcimer. Don, who likes classical music and opera, has a keen interest in helping young people pursue their talents, particularly those who are hindered by financial circumstances.

At George Mason, their passion is strengthening the university’s performing arts program and helping to broaden its reach and impact. The de Laskis have provided major support to fund the expansion and reconfiguration of space for performing arts students on the Fairfax Campus; create a new scholarship endowment for music, dance, and theater students; and launch a summer music academy.

Don de Laski is a Mason Foundation trustee, and Nancy de Laski serves on the Arts at Mason Board.

 

Barbara and Mark Fried

Education is a commitment to life, the necessity to explore what is around.
—Barbara Fried

Barbara and Mark Fried were encouraged at early ages to pursue knowledge and achieve their dreams. Mark is the son of an immigrant who came to this country with limited formal education. Barbara’s mother did not attend college because “in those days, not many women did.” But their parents understood the need to nurture, encourage, and engage an inquiring mind.

Now, the Frieds are opening the doors of opportunity to those who have a passion to learn but, due to economic challenges, are at risk of not fulfilling their potential. The Frieds have provided major support to The Campaign for Mason Students, making them leading contributors to scholarships in the history of the university. Their philanthropy also includes support of the Center for History and New Media to help fund faculty and graduate fellowships and advance the Center’s innovative work. In recognition, a term professorship was named in their honor.

Barbara Fried is a trustee and former chair of the Mason Foundation, and Mark Fried has served on the university’s Board of Visitors.

 

Charles G. Koch Foundation

Through major grants, the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation has significantly bolstered programs focused on market-based solutions to social and economic problems. Its support has provided the university with vital resources for fostering dialogue and innovation among scholars, policy experts, and government leaders.

The Koch Foundation’s generosity includes assistance in the recruitment in 2001 of Vernon Smith and his team of six distinguished economics professors to Mason. Smith, now a Nobel laureate and professor emeritus, is a leader in the growing field of experimental economics. At George Mason, undergraduate and graduate students across related disciplines evaluate the performance and function of real-world markets and institutions.

With the support of the Koch Foundation, George Mason University is helping to bridge academic learning and real world practice.   

 

 

The philanthropy of Robert Levy, JD '94, and his wife, Diane, to the School of Law is a powerful example of how alumni and friends are making a difference in the success of the nationally ranked school. In recognition of their loyal dedication, the atrium in the law school's John T. Hazel Jr. Hall has been named the Robert A. Levy Atrium.

A former trustee of the Mason Foundation and member of the Dean's Advisory Board, Levy is the first Mason alum to contribute a major leadership gift to the university. The Robert A. Levy Endowed Fellowships in Law and Liberty—which encourage emerging scholars to enter the field of law and economics to foster a greater understanding of the institutions behind a free society—were created thanks to his foresight and generosity.   

 

Ed and Helen Lynch

We must seek to develop and use our minds not to conquer one another, but to peacefully and constructively solve the conflicts that cause so much of the world’s grief.
—Ed Lynch

Donations of property and funds by the late Ed and Helen Lynch and their family are setting the stage for the development of an international retreat and conference center at Mason Neck, along the Potomac River.

The property, called Point of View, comprises more than 120 acres of secluded woods and waterfront, providing a quiet setting for dialogue, research, and other activities that support the resolution of deeply rooted regional, national, and international conflicts.

Ed Lynch was a Mason Foundation trustee emeritus and George Mason medal recipient. Helen Lynch served on the George Mason University Arts Gala Committee. Their magnanimous support was reflective of their unwavering dedication to building a more civil society both at home and abroad.

 

Art and Elizabeth Kellar

In memory of their daughter, the late Art and Elizabeth Kellar were dedicated to improving special education programs for children and adults with disabilities. Their philanthropy is helping to advance the Helen A. Kellar Institute for Human disAbilities.

Thanks to the Kellars’ foresight and generosity, the institute has increased the productivity of thousands of individuals. Through instructional workshops, assistive technology, model training programs, and much more, lives are being changed.

Among the Kellar Institute’s innovative initiatives is Learning Into Future Environments (LIFE), an inclusive postsecondary program for young adults with intellectual disabilities who want to experience college life in a supportive environment. LIFE and other programs within the institute are also providing Mason students who are majoring in such disciplines as education, psychology, or therapeutic recreation with invaluable hands-on learning experience.

Art Kellar served as a Mason Foundation trustee.