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Katie Perschau/Fourth Estate

BY KATIE PERSCHAU, STAFF WRITER

The Black Student Alliance (BSA) at George Mason hosted its fourth annual fashion show, Love and Lust, on Saturday, March 29. The show explored a range of emotions through handmade and curated looks, a live DJ, and talented performances on the runway. 

BSA models walked a candle-lined runway lit with glowing colors, immersing the audience in a journey of emotions to tell the story of love. The show began with red lights to symbolize the first emotion: lust. 

“Red is bold, fiery, and impossible to ignore. It embodies passion, intensity, and undeniable allure…red is the color of attraction, stimulating the senses and waking deep emotions,” the show’s narrator said. 

As dramatic music played, models prowled the runway in reds, velvets, lace and leather. They struck powerful and seductive poses while engaging with the audience by dancing and blowing kisses. One model stripped off a black silk robe, revealing chain-link body jewelry, and another wore a corset dress accessorized with pearls and a feather fan. 

To signal the end of the first theme, three models slunk down the runway in simple yet bold dresses, drawing in the audience with confidence and daring glances. 

When the lights blended into green, the narrator explained how the color embodied envy, desire and longing. Models wore earthy greens, softer fabrics, vests and buttoned coats. 

To emphasize the theme, some models pretended to argue and push each other aside. They strolled casually, and several sent teasing waves to the audience. The final look for the green theme featured an outfit made entirely of crocheted fabric. 

The next color, black, was a stampede of leather accessorized with masks, shades and purple lights. Rhythmic rap music played for the models’ energetic walks. Wearing streetwear and gesturing insults at the audience, the models commanded the runway for one of the show’s most upbeat and intense segments. 

“In fashion and visual media,” the narrator said, “Black often conveys seriousness, defiance or hostility, emotions that arise in moments of anger.” 

Katie Perschau/Fourth Estate

Purple lights faded to blue to signify the transition to sadness. A model wearing a veil of beads resembling tears walked the runway, followed by models in flowing blue outfits pretending to wipe away sobs. The looks included striking details such as gems on the models’ cheeks and shimmering silver jewelry. 

The final theme of the show was true love. This theme was depicted using the color white to symbolize the pure, unconditional aspects of love and true affection, the narrator said. Models wore white lace, dresses, pearls and suits, and some handed flowers to the audience. 

Praising the BSA’s creativity, audience member Meagan Raubenolt said, “I thought it was fabulous. Everyone was so confident and looked beautiful, and it was a lot of hard work put together from a lot of great people.” 

Rehearsals for the show began in the fall of 2024. The BSA’s fashion show not only told a beautiful, emotional story of love but also showcased the organization’s talent and originality. 

“It was definitely a surreal experience seeing my vision from a Google Doc come to life…I’m so beyond proud and grateful for all the work everyone put into the show, and it was a beautiful success,” said Director Skye Callaway.

Sam Douglas/Fourth Estate

BY BRIAN A. HAYUM, STAFF WRITER

On April 1, the Mason Board of Visitors held a meeting to review the proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The budget details a 2.5% increase in tuition and mandatory student fees. The budget, if approved at the April 10 Finance and Land Use Committee meeting, would raise tuition price for undergraduate and graduate programs by a minimum of $264 for in-state students and $528 for out-of-state.

 “George Mason continues to prioritize access and affordability despite rising costs and operating in the most expensive region in the Commonwealth,” read one presentation slide. The price hike is said to “support critical infrastructure investments” in response to “rising costs and market compensation.”

(Courtesy of Board of Visitors)

Despite highlighting the affordability and accessibility of attending Mason, the budget calls for additional investment to match the university’s ascendance in state and national rankings.

“We are very proud of our continued increases in rankings across the Commonwealth and United States….We believe these rankings help strengthen the value of a George Mason degree….

 However, we still have a funding shortfall,” said Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration Deb Dickenson.  

“We are doing what we can on limited resources. We need the tuition dollars to support our faculty and staff retaining critical staff, expanding in innovative fields and building our infrastructure where our systems and infrastructure are behind,” said Dickenson

A tuition increase constitutes a large part of the cost of admission but not all of it. Mandatory student fees would also increase by 2.5% and would total $96 for both graduate and undergraduate students. The increase “covers all the services and programs and infrastructure that all students have access to,” said Vice President of University Life Rose Pascarell. 

 The partnership between University Life and athletics was highlighted as another need for investment. “One of the ways we want to invest is in athletics,” Pascarell said. “The partnership that university life has with athletics really provides us with an opportunity to increase engagement.”

“We [Mason Athletics] have been underfunded for a number of years, and the resources have not kept pace with the expenses to maintain a competitive program,” Athletic Director Marvin Lewis said. “My goal is to provide a holistic student athlete experience and one that the university can be proud of. To do that, we have to increase the investment in athletics.” 

Despite the call for additional investment, Visitor Horace Blackman highlighted the balance between the school’s affordability and need for additional funds. “There is a bit of a chicken and egg problem,” Horace explained. “To raise more money, you have to have more infrastructure. To get more infrastructure, you need more money. At some point, it is like living in a house that is really old, and you cannot do any more attachments or upgrades. You have to knock it down and build it again.”

The Finance Land and Use Committee will vote on the proposed budget on April 10. If approved, the full board will vote on the bill on May 1.