In the last 10 years, Mason’s Green Machine pep band has performed twice at White House events, played multiple times with major recording artists at arena events and outdoor festivals and also earned the distinction as “The #1 Pep Band in College Basketball” from the NCAA. And they’ve done it all without a permanent home to practice, meet and build its unique student-centered culture. That is all changing with the ongoing construction and the expected 2025 completion of University Life’s new Student Activities and Engagement Building on the Fairfax Campus. The $11 million, 25,000-square-foot structure, which will be available to Mason’s 500+ student organizations and the campus at-large, is stationed behind the Recreation Athletic Complex, an ideal setting that engages students in an active part of Mason’s grounds. With basketball-sized courts and multiple meeting spaces, the facility fills a void that previously limited student groups and the university in general. Hoar Construction in partnership with Powers Brown Architecture and civil engineer IMEG Corp. are leading the building effort. Dr. Pam Patterson, the Associate Vice President for University Life, said the buzz for the possibilities this new space offers is growing among students, administrators and others. She envisions a home for university-wide events, including concerts, esports tournaments, career fairs, orientation activities and more. “The building was designed with all of these things in mind,” Patterson said. “Right now, everybody’s jockeying for space, and we’ve been plugging holes the best we can with our current facilities. It’s been a grab-it-when-you-can-get-it experience, and there was never a dedicated home for the Green Machine and more. “The creation of this new facility presents a terrific opportunity to put students first, allowing us to build a greater community together. There will be more moments for students to gather socially and recreationally.”
Administrators said the building project is a result of listening to students, who have consistently said that they need more space to be together. The availability of the Student Activities and Engagement Building is expected to support desired goals for increasing student success and retention. At a June ground-breaking ceremony, President Gregory Washington highlighted the larger good, noting what this new facility means to the Green Machine and beyond. “If anything personifies our students, our diversity, our rich heritage, our innovation, our spirit, it actually is the Green Machine,” Washington said. “So having that entity have a focal point, a centerpiece, a gathering point, a rallying point, is probably one of the most important things we can do.” Meanwhile, Dr. Michael “Doc Nix” Nickens, associate professor of music and Green Machine Ensembles director, fought back tears during his brief remarks at the ceremony, saying he is thrilled that his student performers will now have a space they can call home. The UL recognized ensemble has shuffled between outdoor practices, ballrooms and other sites that don’t necessarily fit its needs. “If you think we have delivered so far, you wait till we move into this spot,” Nickens said, motioning to the construction site. Patterson believes there’s a sense of relief among student organizations. A growing campus and student body that is clamoring for space for activities is a good problem to have, she said. “We’ve been putting the pieces of a puzzle together, and it’s not just University Life,” she said. “It happens across campus, and we’ve collaborated to come up with a well-rounded solution that serves everyone.”