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Saahiti Kiran Chamala/Fourth Estate

BY SAAHITI KIRAN CHAMALA, CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

If you’ve scrolled through TikTok lately, you’ve probably seen the viral Dubai chocolate bar making waves among dessert lovers. And if you’re looking to try the sweet sensation without hopping on a plane, Lily’s Chocolate and Coffee is the place to go. With locations in Vienna and Alexandria, Lily’s is a must-visit spot for chocolate lovers, offering a unique menu and an Instagram-worthy aesthetic.

Lily’s Vienna location is about 20 minutes from Mason. While there are no direct Mason shuttle buses to the café, you can take the Gold 2 bus to the Vienna Metro Station and transfer to a Fairfax Connector Bus 463 to Maple Avenue and Park Street. From there, it’s just a short two-minute walk.

Stepping into Lily’s, you are instantly immersed in a pink paradise. From the bubblegum-colored walls to the adorable pink swing seating, the entire café is designed for picture-perfect moments. Metal accent tables complement the blush-toned chairs, creating a chic and cozy ambiance that makes Lily’s an ideal spot for coffee dates, casual hangouts or late night sweet treats. 

According to Sodko Tsegmid, an employee at Lily’s, the most popular items are the TikTok-famous Dubai chocolate bar and the Dubai chocolate-covered strawberries. Another fan favorite is the Lockma, which Tsegmid describes as “fried dough balls dipped in different kinds of chocolates and covered with garnish.”

The chocolate Lockma was the perfect blend of warm, gooey chocolate generously drizzled over crisp fried dough balls and topped with finely chopped pistachios. The rich cocoa flavor balanced with the nutty crunch made for a satisfying bite. Lockma is available in three portion sizes: five, eight or 18 pieces.

If you prefer coffee, Tsegmid highlights the pistachio latte and the Spanish latte as Lily’s standout drinks. Tsegmid commented that the Spanish latte comes with espresso, vanilla syrup and condensed milk, making it a sweet and creamy choice for coffee lovers.

Tsegmid’s personal favorites are the pistachio Lockma and the white chocolate-covered strawberries. 

Saahiti Kiran Chamala/Fourth Estate

“I’m addicted to chocolate-covered strawberries. People think chocolate-covered strawberries are a Valentine’s Day thing, but no, it’s an everyday thing,” said Mason sophomore Taylor Jackson.

Jackson loved the classic chocolate-covered strawberries while acknowledging the price tag. “It is on the pricier side, so it’s a monthly thing, not something I would get regularly, but I like Lily’s,” she said.

Not all menu items were a hit for everyone. Kayla Smalls, a sophomore at Mason, had mixed feelings. “I got the hot chocolate, and it wasn’t even that good. It burned my tongue and wasn’t worth it,” she said. “I stole a chocolate-covered strawberry from my friend, and that was good. The strawberries were juicy and delicious, I would recommend that.”

Beyond its desserts, Lily’s also reflects the heartwarming journey of its founders. Co-owner Saifalden Alobaidi shared how the café was born out of a dream during quarantine in 2020. “Lily, my sister, always had this idea of opening her own coffee shop,” he said. “She used to set up tea tables at summer camp, and later at family gatherings, people would remember the way she made tea.”

After immigrating from Iraq and moving around various states, Saif and Lily eventually landed in Virginia. “We both got COVID-19 and were quarantined for 15 days. That’s when we started brainstorming the idea seriously,” Saif said. “After quarantine, I found a location, signed the lease, and built everything from scratch. My background is in civil engineering, so I designed the interior myself.”

One of their most unique offerings is the Iraqi dessert, Lockma. “Traditionally, it’s fried dough covered in sugar syrup and pistachios,” Saif explained. “But we added an American twist—filling them with chocolate, vanilla, or Biscoff and covering them in different types of chocolate. It became a hit.”

The success of Lily’s, however, wasn’t just luck. “When we opened, one woman came in with five kids. We offered them coffee and desserts for free, and she wrote a glowing Facebook post with pictures,” he said. “In the next couple of days, we had a line of over 100 people at our door.”

Saif’s personal favorite? The salted caramel latte with vanilla. “It was my dad’s favorite drink, and since he passed, it’s really stayed with me,” he said. 

One of the best things about Lily’s is its late-night hours, making it a great option for an evening dessert run. The café is open until 11 p.m. on weekends and 10 p.m. on weekdays, with doors opening at 10 a.m. daily.

While Lily’s is on the expensive side, it’s worth a visit for those looking to indulge in viral chocolate treats. If you’re craving the Dubai chocolate experience without leaving Northern Virginia, this pink-themed café is a great option.

BY BARRETT BALZER, NEWS EDITOR

On April 15, President Washington’s office sent a campus-wide email confirming recent reports, detailed in Axios, regarding the visa statuses of international students at George Mason. 

The confirmation follows President Trump’s executive orders, signed on Jan. 20, declaring a national security emergency over immigration processing, requiring a more enhanced vetting screening of immigrants seeking citizenship. 

Following the executive orders, international students and faculties across the nation have had their visas revoked along with being detained and facing deportation threats. On March 8, Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia graduate and pro-Palestine advocate, was, reportedly, named the first student to have their green card revoked, and later detained and arrested. 

The email read, “George Mason University has learned that the U.S. Government has terminated and/or revoked student visas of 15 international students.” 

“To be clear, we played no role in facilitating these visa terminations. We have not shared confidential student visa status or immigration information with federal authorities.”

The email outlined the steps Mason is taking to assist the affected students. “First, our Office of International Programs and Services (OIPS) is in direct contact with the affected students to provide them with support and additional external resources.” 

“Second, students are being advised to contact their academic dean to see what options they may have to complete their coursework. The Provost’s Office is encouraging faculty to work with students who may be found in these situations, providing as much flexibility as possible.”

“And third, the university has reached out to the appropriate federal authorities to learn what process is being used to identify students for revocations. So far, no answers have been given. We are also seeking appropriate legal clarity from legal support referred to us by the state Attorney General’s Office.”

“To our 4,000 international students and our 36,000 American students, we care about your well-being, and we are doing everything possible to maintain a stable, positive scholarly environment for you. We will keep you updated as events warrant,” ended the email addressed to the student body. 

Other universities in Virginia, such as VCU, Virginia Tech and UVA, were also listed to revoke international visas without warning. 

Student Body President Maria Cuesta and Vice President Colin McAulay posted an Instagram statement regarding travel and immigration concerns set by Mason OIPS. 

“Stay informed about possible travel bans. No bans are currently in place, but policies can change rapidly. Monitor updates to see if your country may be affected.

“Expect possible delays in visa processing if you plan to renew your visa while abroad. Interviews may be harder to schedule and processing times longer.

“Be mindful of re-entry risks. Most F-1 and J-1 students can re-enter the U.S. without issue, but entry is ultimately up to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).”

At the end of her statement, Cuesta said, “We’re here. We matter. We belong”

(Courtesy of K.Photozz)

BY VIVIANA SMITH, SENIOR STAFF WRITER

If you hear eclectic afrobeats and the cheer of excited audiences, chances are The Black Mambas are performing. Mason’s Black Mambas dance team has been around for 10 years, bringing the heat to many events on and off campus with their mixed style of afrobeats and majorette-inspired moves. 

According to their Mason360 profile, their mission is “to share African culture through the art of dance, and promote physical wellness.” At their performances, the spread of African culture and joy is undeniable, as audience members can’t help but cheer and dance along. They’re a crowd favorite, as seen by their win for “People’s Choice” and “Girl Scouts Choice” at the 2025 International Week (iWeek) dance competition. 

Aside from the love they receive from the crowd, the Black Mambas seem to share even more love from within. 

Their fast-paced and perfected performances are strengthened by their daily practices. Freshman Black Mambas’ dancer Whitney Cardwell shared that the team continuously sharpens their routines during practice. Though it sounds tough, when practice starts, it’s mostly smiles and laughter as they rehearse. 

“We never have a practice without laughing or some type of joke that we make,” Cardwell said. “It really feels like a good community within the girls. I genuinely think of them as like my sisters.” 

Sophomore Janice Champnkem shared that there’s never an awkward moment with the group. “We get along really well… we’re just a big family,” she said. 

For the Black Mambas’ President, junior Esther Gibson, holding the family together is both rewarding and sometimes challenging. Gibson shared that breaking people out of their shells is difficult, but welcoming new members into the family is what they do best. “The way we love each other, the way we care for each other,” she said. “I don’t like to think of us as a team, it’s more.”

Gibson shared that it can be a struggle to balance being a leader, friend and student, but “it’s hard to feel any kind of negative emotions” about the pressures because of the strong community around her. “They’re great people, great work ethic, great students, great dancers, great everything,” she said with a smile. The familial bond brings out the best in the dancers, with some sharing how they’ve grown in their self-confidence as well as their skills. 

Champnkem shared that she always loved to dance, but never knew how to put the right moves together on her own. After being convinced to join the team, the Black Mambas helped build her up from the basics. Champnkem believes it’s the camaraderie that encouraged her. 

Cardwell said this community makes her feel welcomed. “Especially as a freshman, it’s sometimes hard to kind of find your people and get out of your comfort zone,” she said. “With them, I was able to do that easily…being able to do that made me feel better about myself.”

The confidence was beaming from each member—probably because the Black Mambas are still reliving the high of their two wins at the iWeek dance competition. “It literally felt amazing… when I heard the crowd shouting, ‘big mambas…’ I was like ‘what’,” Gibson said. “ I wish I could relive that.”

For Champnkem, the iWeek performance was her first performance with the team. “Our hard work and dedication, we practiced everyday…it was so smooth,” she said. 

“Sometimes it’s truly not about that first or second place win. It’s about how we make the audience feel,” Cardwell said. “It’s nice when we see that we’ve impacted somebody else.”

The process of joining the Black Mambas is competitive, according to Gibson, but she encourages those who are willing to be their most authentic self to try out. The team is full of dancers who add their own flavor to each move, shared Gibson, so there’s always room for a new flow. 

“Don’t be afraid,” Cardwell urged any newcomers. “You never truly truly know until you just do it.” Cardwell insists that the Black Mambas—rather “sisters”—are here to help one another each dance step of the way. 

Chris Torres/Fourth Estate

BY CHRIS TORRES, STAFF WRITER

George Mason men’s volleyball fell to Penn State, 3-2, in five sets on Saturday evening, April 12, at the Recreation Athletic Complex. The Patriots have lost five straight matches and sit with a conference record of 4-6. 

Senior outside hitter Giomar Collazo led the Patriots with 17 kills and four service aces; junior middle blocker Evan Snodgrass had a career high 15 kills on the evening. Senior setter Troy McDonald led the team with 45 assists. On the defensive side, freshman libero Stef Kins led the team with 11 digs and junior middle blocker Elijah Lazor had four total blocks. 

In the first set, Penn State held an early control. Seven of the Nittany Lions’ first 10 points were errors by Mason. The Patriots were able to stay in the set thanks to kills by Collazo, Snodgrass and sophomore outside hitter Robert Evangelista. 

Mason took the lead midway in the first set at 17-16 and had a set point at 24-22. The Nittany Lions prevented two Patriot set points and tied it at 24-24. Penn State took advantage and won two straight points to win the set, 26-24. 

The Patriots got off to a better start in the second set, as the trio of Snodgrass, Evangelista and sophomore opposite hitter Jackson Herbert each registered multiple kills to spark the offense. With the score at 23-23, Collazo got a kill and forced an attack error to win the set for the Patriots, 25-23.  

The Patriots fell into a hole early in the third set, down 11-3. Penn State sophomore Matthew Luoma, who finished the match with 17 kills, powered the Nittany Lions in the third set to a 22-18 lead with six kills. The Patriots went on a 4-0 run to tie the match at 22-22 and put pressure on Penn State. 

A wild run ensued, during which Collazo and Penn State senior Will Kuhns exchanged points back and forth, giving both teams an opportunity to win the set. The Patriots prevailed in the intense duel, winning the crucial third set 31-29, due to attack errors by the Nittany Lions. 

The fourth ran the longest of the match, with 62 points disputed. Each team had several exchanges with one another until Penn State took control and created a set point at 24-20. Collazo got three kills to tie the set at 24-24. 

The Patriots had four match points to close out the Nittany Lions but three service errors occurred on the critical points needed. A kill by Kuhns, who led Penn State with 18 in the match, sealed the fourth set for the Nittany Lions, 32-30.

In the fifth set, neither team could build an early lead as they exchanged points up until a timeout called by Mason with the score tied 8-8. The Nittany Lions went on a 7-4 run to set up their first match point of the night. Kuhns took advantage and served an ace to win the set, 15-12, and win the match for Penn State. 

Up next for the Patriots are two home matches against the University of Charleston on Friday, April 18 and Saturday, April 19, streaming on ESPN+.