April 22, 2008
Fairfax, Va.-- The Patriot Club and George Mason Athletics announce that they have received seven gifts and pledges totaling $175,000 to endow athletic scholarships since December. Mason Athletics now has 21 endowed scholarships.
"The endowed scholarship program is critical to the success of Mason athletics," Tom O'Connor said. "The tremendous commitment from these individuals and families is truly appreciated and I want to thank them for their generosity that will have a lasting impact on our student-athletes as well as our entire program."
Charlotte and Buddy Beck of the Beck Family Foundation are endowing two athletics scholarships in their children's names, the Michael Beck Family Endowment and the Deborah Beck Corbatto Family Endowment. The Becks are men's basketball season ticket holders and Buddy is a member of the Patriot Club advisory board. They are the first Green Coat Society Family, which includes Michael and Beverly Beck and Fabrice and Deborah Beck Corbatto. Debi is a graduate of Mason and is a certified athletic trainer at George Mason University. Michael is an executive at Lockheed Martin. The Beck Foundation has also given significant support to the planned Center for Sports Medicine and Athletic Training.
Barbara Lubar is the Executive Director of University Relations for Mason. A longtime men's basketball season ticket holder and avid sports fan, she oversees the offices of Events Management. She endowed a scholarship in the name of her company, Educational Support Services. Barbara is also a member of the Green Coat Society.
Larry R. and Susan Huston Jones established the Huston Jones Scholarship Endowment in December, 2007 to provide student-athletes who have exhausted their athletic eligibility assistance in completing their degrees. Larry Jones is a retired Army Colonel currently in a senior management position in the private sector. Susan Huston Jones, the University Registrar, has worked at Mason since 1991. They have been men's basketball season ticket holders for ten years and are also members of the Green Coat Society.
Head Men's Basketball Coach Jim Larranaga and his wife Liz endowed their second athletic scholarship named after their two sons. The scholarship is the Mr. and Mrs. James J. Larranaga, Jr. and Mr. and Mrs. Jon T. Larranaga Scholarship. Coach L and Liz are members of the Green Coat Society. They endowed their first athletic scholarship in 2003, the Mr. and Mrs. John D. Larranaga Memorial Scholarship.
John Muha, who graduated from the School of Management at Mason in 1981, established the Muha Family Endowment. John is an inaugural member of the Green Coat Society, member of the Patriot Club Advisory Board and a men's basketball season ticket holder.
David A. Roe, who graduated with a BS in Accounting in 1989 and MBA in Business Administration in 1996, established the Roe Soccer Endowment in 1997 made another five year pledge to double his scholarship. David is the President of the George Mason University Foundation. He and his wife Pam are inaugural members of the Green Coat Society and are longtime season ticket holder for both men's and women's basketball.
Endowing student-athlete scholarships is critical to the future success of Mason Athletics by providing the resources necessary to attract talented individuals to represent George Mason. Every year, more than 400 student-athletes representing 22 teams count on their scholarships as a means to learn and compete at this great university. Only with full scholarship support, made up of both annual giving and endowed scholarships, will allow Patriot Athletics to excel and compete for the best student-athletes in the country.
