Campus News in Brief

By the Broadside News Staff

Mertens Endow Creative Writing Scholarship

President Alan Merten and his wife, Sally Merten, have created the Otto Scholarship, a new endowed creative writing scholarship named in honor of Sally’s parents, G. Louise and Anthony J. Otto. The Otto Scholarship marks the fourth scholarship the Mertens have endowed. The others are the College of Health and Human Services’ Eric G. and Melissa H. Merten Endowed Scholarship; the School of Management’s Ruth A. and Gilbert E. Merten Endowed Scholarship; and the Music Performance/Vocal Studies program’s Kathleen A. Lieder and Lloyd C. Fell Student Scholarship Endowment.

Group’s Petition to ‘Save Hemlock’ Passes 900 Signatures

“Save Hemlock,” a campaign led by former staff and clients of the Experiential Learning Center at Hemlock Overlook operated under George Mason University, has received over 900 signatures on its online petition. The campaign, which is growing in support, was formed in response to university negotiations with the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority that say it will terminate its operation of the park on July 30. The petition seeks to extend the date to Dec. 31, to aid the NVRPA by providing more time to find another partner. The negotiations come in response to budget cuts across Virginia.

Mason to Offer MS in Real Estate

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia has approved Mason’s request to offer a new Master of Science in Real Estate Development. The cross-disciplinary program begins this September and draws support from the Volgenau School of Information Technology and Engineering, the School of Management and the School of Public Policy. Applications are now being accepted online at realestate.gmu.edu/register.html.