George Mason Statue Installation, 1996

Like many cherished traditions at George Mason University, the George Mason Statue began as a student idea. In 1989, the Student Government proposed erecting a statue of the university’s namesake on the Quad to foster campus pride. At the time, students estimated the project would cost between $30,000 and $50,000 and hoped donations from student organizations over several years could fund it.

By 1992, the project had gained university support, with the Offices of the Provost and Student Affairs helping sponsor a national competition to select a sculptor. The student-led George Mason Statue Committee ultimately chose an 18-inch clay model created by sculptor Wendy M. Ross. In August 1995, the Arts Gala Committee, led by then–first lady Joanne Johnson, commissioned the sculpture and contributed $148,500—93 percent of the project’s total $159,000 cost—as a gift to the university community.

When the 10-foot bronze statue was formally dedicated alongside the Johnson Center on April 12, 1996, it became the first three-dimensional depiction of George Mason in U.S. history. Now the statue of George Mason is one of the most popular spots on campus—he’s decorated regularly by student organizations, and students take their graduation photos with him. And of course, some students still stop by to get some good luck by rubbing his right toe.