WHEREAS, George Mason University, an independent institution of higher learning in the Commonwealth of Virginia since 1972, is recognized for providing educational opportunities of the highest quality; and

WHEREAS, George Mason University began in 1957 as a satellite campus of the University of Virginia with a student enrollment of 17; and

WHEREAS, George Mason University has grown to be the largest four-year institution of higher learning in Virginia with a student enrollment exceeding 34,000; and

WHEREAS, George Mason University has graduated over 140,000 students from all corners of Virginia, the United States, and the world; and

WHEREAS, George Mason University is the only institution of higher learning in Virginia to boast two Nobel laureates on its faculty; and

WHEREAS, George Mason University is the first institution of higher learning to host the World Congress on Information Technology; and

WHEREAS, George Mason University has over 6,000 students living on campus, making it one of the premiere residential institutions in Virginia and the entire South; and

WHEREAS, George Mason University, with over 130 countries represented among its students, is annually recognized as having one of the most internationally diverse student populations in the United States; and

WHEREAS, George Mason University boasts a school of law that is consistently ranked among the top 50 in the United States; and

WHEREAS, George Mason University has become a leading research institution, as it generates over $100 million annually in sponsored research; and

WHEREAS, George Mason University boasts three vibrant and dynamic campuses in the Counties of Fairfax, Arlington, and Prince William as well as programs of study in Loudoun County, other select locations throughout Northern Virginia, and abroad; and

WHEREAS, George Mason University has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation's top "Up-and-Coming" institutions of higher learning; and

WHEREAS, George Mason University is the first university in the nation to offer graduate degrees in biodefense, public health, and computer forensics; and

WHEREAS, George Mason University has been named among the top 200 institutions of higher learning in the world by the Academic Ranking of World Universities; and

WHEREAS, George Mason University is listed by Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine in its annual top 100 Best Values in Public Colleges ranking; and

WHEREAS, faculty at George Mason University have generated more than 80 new patents; and

WHEREAS, George Mason University is consistently identified by the American Association of Retired Persons as one of the 50 best places to work for persons 50 years of age and older; and

WHEREAS, George Mason University's total annual economic impact on the Commonwealth of Virginia is nearly $2 billion; and

WHEREAS, George Mason University each year attracts over three million visitors to its campuses; and

WHEREAS, George Mason University is nationally recognized for its entrepreneurial and innovative spirit and commitment to academic excellence; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend George Mason University for its significant contributions to the citizens of Virginia; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to George Mason University as an expression of the General Assembly's deep gratitude for its many contributions to quality education in the Commonwealth and congratulations on its 40th anniversary as an independent university in Virginia.