
Gradstravaganza: Graduate Student Welcome 2024
Multi-Day, August 13-22, 5:30-7:30pm: Success Sessions (online)
Saturday, September 7, 12-3pm: Picnic (Wilkins Plaza, Fairfax Campus)
All new and continuing Mason graduate students are invited to Gradstravaganza, Mason’s annual graduate student welcome event! Gradstravaganza is a multi-day event: first, a fully virtual line-up of sessions spanning six evenings over two weeks, which will kickstart your graduate student experience, followed by an in-person picnic to celebrate the beginning of a new year and the beginning of your graduate and/or professional journey at Mason on Saturday, September 7 on Wilkins Plaza! Brought to you by Graduate Student Life, the Graduate Division, the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GAPSA), Mason Recreation, Office of International Programs and Services, UL Mason Square and University Life.
The Success Sessions will be held Tuesday, August 13 through Thursday, August 15 and Tuesday, August 20 through Thursday, August 22 in the evenings. These sessions will feature workshops highlighting strategies for success in graduate school and special sessions for Graduate Assistants (GRAs, GTAs, and GPAs).
The Picnic on Saturday, September 7 will feature FREE food, t-shirts, games, crafts, giveaways, and plenty of activities to enjoy! You will also have opportunities to connect with academic units, campus resources, and graduate student organizations. Families are welcome!
Registration instructions for Success Sessions and the Picnic are below. Contact Graduate Student Life with questions at gradlife@gmu.edu.

Gradstravaganza Success Sessions Agenda
August 13 - 22, 2024, 5:30-7:30pm (Virtual Sessions)
Registration is required. Please use the links provided to register for each individual session you wish to attend. [registration will be live by July 15, 2024]
Some sessions run concurrently. Please note the specific time, as well as date, for each session of interest to you.
Tuesday, August 13, 2024 - 5:30-6:30pm
Wednesday, August 14, 2024; 5:30-7:30pm
Thursday, August 15, 2024; 5:30-6:45pm
Tuesday, August 20, 2024; 5:30-6:45pm
Wednesday, August 21, 2024; 5:30-6:45pm
Thursday, August 22, 2024; 5:30-7:30pm

Gradstravaganza Picnic
Saturday, September 7, 12:00-3:00pm on Wilkins Plaza, Fairfax Campus
Rain location: Johnson Center Ground Floor
Register here: https://cglink.me/2d7/r2267631
Registration is required for the picnic.
Saturday’s picnic will feature FREE food, t-shirts, games, crafts, giveaways, campus tours, and plenty of activities to enjoy! You will also have opportunities to connect with academic units, campus resources, and graduate student organizations. Families are welcome!
When you first arrive, please check in at a Graduate Student Life Tent: one Graduate Student Life Check-In Tent will be located by Horizon Hall and the other will be located by the George Mason Statue. Please have your Mason360 ticket QR code or the Mason360 app downloaded (and logged in!) and ready in order to expedite the check-in process. All non-Mason guests should remain accompanied by their Mason graduate student host. Once checked in, attendees will receive a ticket for lunch and a wristband that must be worn throughout the event.
NOTE: All food, giveaways, and this year’s graduate student t-shirts are available on a first-come, first-served basis, as quantities are limited. While the food, activities, and general giveaways are open to all Picnic guests, the t-shirts are for Mason graduate and professional students only.
Menu
The menu for lunch includes barbecue chicken, beef hot dogs, veggie burgers, regular and gluten-free buns, cole slaw, mac & cheese, corn bread, assorted brownies and cookies, soda, lemonade, and water. We regret that we cannot accommodate all dietary needs.
Parking
Gradstravaganza attendees may park without a permit in Lot K on Saturday, September 7, 2024, from 11:00am to 4:00pm (parking map). If you have a parking permit for the Fairfax Campus, you are welcome to park in your designated lot/garage.
Get Your Mason ID
The Mason ID is George Mason University's official ID card and your key to life on campus! You can choose between a physical ID card and the Mason Mobile ID. Visit the Mason Card Office website to learn more and make plans to get your ID.
In Case of Inclement Weather
A decision to move the Gradstravaganza Picnic due to forecasted inclement weather will be made on Friday, September 6. If that happens, the announcement will be posted on this webpage and on social media (@MasonGradLife on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook); in addition, all participants registered for the picnic on Mason360 will receive an email about the location change.
The rain location is the Johnson Center Ground Floor. The Johnson Center is Building #30 on the Fairfax Campus map.

Gradstravaganza Picnic Guide