Student Centers / eNewsletter

SPOTLIGHT: OPERATIONS STAFF, SUB I

Student Centers is a diverse department with a variety of responsibilities. In order to better familiarize the Mason community with all aspects of the Student Centers team, we will feature a different functional unit in each issue of our newsletter.

In this issue we will Spotlight the Student Centers' Operations Staff in SUB I!

Student Union I is the original Student Center for George Mason. It was built in 1974 and has been the foundation that Student Centers was built upon.

Our Operations staff for SUB I consists of three professional staff. DeMon Whitaker (left) is our Building Supervisor. DeMon has been with George Mason University since 2002 and joined the Student Centers’ team in early 2007.

Jose Medina (right) who works weekdays has just celebrated his eleventh anniversary with the department. Jaime Berdugo (not pictured)who handles our needs in the evenings started with us also in early 2007. Student Union I, which houses most of the University Life offices and other support services, the Gameroom, and food service with the Rathskeller, Burrito Del Ray and Chick-fil-a, continues to be a bustling community within itself.

From patrons needs and general maintenance to programming support in the meeting rooms, Patriots Lounge, and the Rathskeller, DeMon, Jose and Jaime keep Student Union I running smoothly to ensure the success of all the programs and activities happening in and around Student Union I. If you have a problem, concern or need assistance in Student Union I (where the out of the class room experience started for Mason), DeMon, Jose and Jaime will do everything they can to assist.

The best way to contact them is through the SUB I Information Desk at 703.993.2859.

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Successful Events

Pictures from Texas Hold' Em Tournament and Club CP

Who Got Game Tournament- August 29, 2009
Over 75 Mason students came out to participate in the first ever "Who Got Game" tournament. There was free food, fun and networking; students finding new friends and reuniting with old ones. Upperclass Mason students challenged first year students and competed in billiards and table tennis along with electronic gaming and much more. At the end, they were all winners!

Texas Hold'Em Tournament- September 5, 2009
Twenty-four students participated and we had to turn away 15 people after 6:00pm because the tournament had already started. Since the players were having so much fun, they played until 10:30pm (with the tournament supposed to be ending at 9:00pm). At the end, there were three winners and they won different monetary amounts towards Mason gear. Participants are excited about the tournament in February 2009 and exchanged information about upcoming tournaments in the Student Centers Corner Pocket and Game Room.

Club Corner Pocket- September 6, 2009
The best party to start off the year was hosted by Student Centers in conjunction with Housing and Residence Life, along with the office of Alcohol, Drug and Health Education. It was jumping! Promoted on Facebook, over 400 students attended on a Sunday night during Labor Day weekend. They danced to the sounds of DJ 5'9", played billiards, and drank mock tails. We gave away six prizes thanks to the office of Alcohol, Drug and Health Education. The club was from 10pm-2am and they did not want to leave. Students are so excited, they want to do it again next year.

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EP @ Work!

Over the past two months Events Production supported three Building Openings (Rappahannock River Parking Deck, The RAC and the New Engineering Building.) Additionally, Events Production was at the "Mason Inn Hotel Topping Ceremony" in what will be the main ballroom for the new conference center. This was exciting because it gave our staff a preview of a new venue that we will be involved with in the future.

Pictures from Mason Inn Hotel Topping Ceremony:


(Left to Right: Andrew Dickmeyer, Loren Parks, Kevin Dunayer, Keith Ellis)

In August, Student Centers hosted "Creigh Deeds for Governor." This was advertised as a major announcement for his campaign.

Link to a video of the Event

Events Production also received rave reviews for "Superb & Professional Services" from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for a major function that focused on the Swine Flu. This event was a live presentation from Dewberry Hall that was broadcast to major television and press outlets across the Country. The participants included the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Education.

Pictures from Swine Flu Function:

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Facilities Updates

New Furniture
Several of the love seats and arm chairs throughout the Johnson Center lounges have been reupholstered. Reupholstering the furniture allows Student Centers to update and maintain items without a complete replacement. This approach uses less material and is more cost effective.

Columns in Dewberry
The columns by the main entrance of Dewberry Hall in the Johnson Center suffer extensive wear. Tables, chairs, catering carts and other items are constantly passing these columns in order to accommodate and support events in Dewberry Hall. The exterior of the columns are being reinforced with a protective covering that will decrease the amount of maintenance that is required for these columns while maintaining an aesthetic that is consistent with the space.

Dewberry Lobby Tile Replacement – Columbus Day
The floor tiles by Jazzman’s Café and throughout the Dewberry Hall lobby in the Johnson Center are slated for replacement on October 12, 2009 (Columbus Day). Although the lobby will not be completely closed, this project does require that certain parts of this area will be blocked off and inaccessible.

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Mason FOOD! Great places to eat
on campus

George's - JC, 3rd Floor:
Accepted payment methods: Meal Plans / Bonus Dollars / Freedom Funds / Cash / Credit / Debit

• All you care to eat buffet
• Open to EVERYONE

The Mason Rathskellar - SUB I First Floor:
Accepted payment methods: Bonus Dollars / Freedom Funds / Cash / Credit / Debit

Fast service- Get in & out quickly
• Reasonably priced
• Bring's back the 70's History of Mason
• Flexible menu
• Rat Pack - meets on monthly basis to find ways to improve
• Assorted Wines
• 11 Beers & Old Dominion Root Beer on Tap
• Anyone is welcome!
• Practices sustainability & going green

Burrito Del Rey - SUB I First Floor:
Accepted payment methods: Meal Plans / Bonus Dollars / Freedom Funds / Cash / Credit / Debit

• Four items built to order - customize as you please
• Pleased the outcry for a Mexican-Burrito concept on campus
• Still tweaking recipes to make taste and food quality even better!

Faculty Staff Enrichment Day Involvement

This year’s Faculty Staff Enrichment Day is scheduled for Wednesday, October 28, 2009, from 8:30am – 4:00pm in the Johnson Center’s Dewberry Hall.

This year’s theme is “Changes Within”. There will be a Vendor Fair from 11:30am – 1:15pm where the attendees will enjoy receiving information from the many local vendors and organizations that they can take back and share with colleagues.

This year’s keynote address entitled “Motivation during times of change” will be given by Coach Jim Larranaga, Head Coach, Men’s Basketball, Intercollegiate Athletics. Student Centers is proud to have three faculty/staff members working on this year’s Faculty/Staff Enrichment Day Core Committee.

Rachel Harrison and Kim Hilton are co-chairing the Vendor Fair Committee and Maurice Bombasi is chairing the Marketing Committee.

Thank you Kim, Rachel and Uri for volunteering to help with this year’s program.

Kevin Dunayer plays a big "role" in the Colorado Shakespeare Festival!

Kevin has been a Sound Designer for the past twenty-three years at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival. The Sound Designer creates and implements music, sound effects and reinforcement for Theatrical Productions.

There are two spaces in the Festival: One 1,000 seat outdoor Theater and one indoor space that seats 400.

Kevin has designed over seventy productions for Colorado Shakespeare Festival over the last twenty-three summers. At Colorado, Kevin has worked with many notable actors including: Charlie Siebert ( Trapper John MD) Jimmy Smitts (NYPD Blue) and Val Kilmer (Top Gun). He has a staff of five technicians that he supervises and who implement the Sound Designs.

Anniversaries & Birthdays

Congratulations to the Student Centers staff whose anniversaries working at Mason are in the months of October and November:

Gerson Majano:
20 Years

Randy Cooper:
2 Years

Roberto Cornel:
34 Years

Fausto Castro:
6 Years

Jose Medina:
11 Years

Andy Rodriguez:
4 Years

Jose Medina:
11 Years

Additionally, Happy Birthday to our Student Staff whose birthdays are in the months of October and November!

Kathryn Ross
Kevin Wilson
Andrew Duke
Jessie Wade
Akshaan Arora
Vincent Lacsamana
Jonathan Zerbonia
Joseph Brooks

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Web Information

To learn more about services associated with our department, consider visiting these websites:

• Apple Credit Union
http://auxe.gmu.edu/creditunion.html
• Bookstore
http://gmu.bkstore.com

• CampusLink
http://www.campuslnk.com/
schools/gmu/index.cfm

• Chevy Chase Bank
http://auxe.gmu.edu/banking.html

• Dining Services
http://dining.gmu.edu/

• Events Management
http://www.gmu.edu/departments
/ur/events

• Events Production
http://ep.gmu.edu/

• Game Rooms
http://gamerooms.gmu.edu

• Student Centers
http://studentcenters.gmu.edu

• University Services
http://www.gmu.edu/univserv

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Listservs

We maintain listservs for our department so that we can keep you informed on announcements, closings, upgrades and improvements. If you know someone who is not on the listserv or if you have hired a new staff member, please bring this to our attention.

If you are receiving this
e-Newsletter, you are on the listserv.

You can subscribe to the listservs by using the links below:


• JC Occupants Listserv

• JCSU Student Staff Listserv

• SUB I Occupants Listserv

• SUB II Occupants Listserv

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HOURS OF OPERATION

Fall Hours

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