Facilities

Where Are They Now: F&CO Summer Interns

Beginning in 2023, Facilities & Campus Operations launched a new Internship Program. This program offers students the opportunity to gain real, hands-on work experience. Here’s a look at our past interns since completing our summer program.

2022 Pre-Program Interns

2023 Cohort

2024 Cohort

August 2025 F&CO Employee of the Month – Yaw Tenkorang

Celebrating Yaw Tenkorang as the August 2025 Employee of the Month

Congratulations to Yaw Tenkorang, Waste/Recycle Worker, for being recognized as the August 2025 Employee of the Month! Tenkorang was nominated by Kevin Brim, Waste/Recycling Supervisor. 

Due to his exceptional performance and leadership skills, Yaw has demonstrated that not only is he an incredible team player, but also an essential asset to the university as a whole, along with his team. Since accepting additional responsibilities without hesitation in March 2025, Tenkorang has demonstrated an incredible work ethic that has surpassed typical expectations. His all-hands support and hard work have been featured in various high-impact departmental events, including but not limited to Mason Day, Patriot Packout, and commencement.

“Yaw's initiative, leadership, and consistent delivery during critical periods demonstrate his value as both a team contributor and management enabler.” Said Brim. “I look forward to his continued progress and our department's ongoing improvement under his influence.”

Interested in submitting a George Mason Facilities & Campus Operations Employee of the Month nomination? Check out the new process here!

July 2025 F&CO Employee of the Month – Priscilla Morris

Celebrating Pricilla Morris as the July 2025 Employee of the Month

Congratulations to Priscilla Morris, Customer Center Specialist, for being recognized as the July 2025 Employee of the Month! Morris was nominated by Angel Washington, Customer Service Center Manager. 

Since joining the CSC department two years ago, Morris has proven to be an invaluable asset to the team. Despite the challenge of their previous staffing shortage, Morris’s incredible commitment, work ethic, and positive attitude have had a significant impact in ensuring the smooth function within the CSC department.

“Over the past six months, as we have faced staffing shortages, Priscilla has willingly taken on additional responsibilities without hesitation or complaint.” Said Washington. “Priscilla’s commitment and work ethic truly exemplify the qualities we seek to celebrate in an Employee of the Month, and I believe she deserves this recognition.”

Interested in submitting a George Mason Facilities & Campus Operations Employee of the Month nomination? Check out the new process here!

2025 Facilities & Campus Operations Team Member Awards

Facilities & Campus Operations (F&CO) is excited to announce the 2025 Team Member Awards!  All F&CO team members, and those outside the division, are encouraged to nominate their peers.

F&CO leadership and the Culture Champion Committee have partnered on this initiative and are excited to present the annual awards listed below, including four new awards:

  • Rookie of the Year Award, $250
  • Facilities & Campus Operations Innovation Award, $500
  • University Community Partnership Award, $500
  • Safety Champion of the Year Award, $500

All F&CO employees are eligible for ALL awards, except student wage employees.

Nominations will close on Friday, October 24, 2025. 

Award Categories

Team Member Awards These awards recognize people by their co-workers and peers who has demonstrated dedication, collaboration, contribution, and perseverance within their department or team. This person demonstrates a sense of care for those they interact with as well as a seriousness to their role and responsibilities. 
8 Team Member Awards will be given out for the following groups:

  • Facilities Management Operations, $1,000 each (3 winners) - All Zones Employees, CHCP, Energy Management, Building Automation
  • Facilities Services, $1,000 - Warehouse, CSC, Waste & Recycling, General Services, Auto Shop, Grounds
  • Regional Campuses, $1,000 - All Regional Campuses Staff, including BRL and Freedom Center (excluding Zone 1 and 2 and wage)
  • Business Services and Facilities Administration, $1,000 - All Business Services, Sustainability, Real Estate, Environmental Compliance Employees
  • Planning, Design, and Construction and Asset Management, $1,000 - All PDC and AM Employees
  • Janitorial Services, $1,000 - Janitorial and Housekeeping Staff
  • Rookie of the Year Award, $250: FTE hired in the calendar year
  • Wage Employee, $250 each (4 winners) - non-student wage employees 

Supervisor of the Year, $1,000 This award recognizes a professional staff member who demonstrates a robust, informed supervisory experience for their team, allowing for personal and/or professional development of supervisees, guidance through success within their position, and overall holistic care. This award recognizes a person who inspires others, demonstrates trust in their team, and advocates for the betterment of those they serve. Those who supervise full-time staff members are eligible for this award. 

Culture Champion of the Year, $500 Award specifically selected by the C3 to recognize an employee who goes above and beyond to improve the culture in F&CO through engagement, kindness, connection, and making others feel welcome. This employee exemplifies the mission of the C3: recognition, engagement, and community. This award also honors an individual who actively promotes and prioritizes workplace wellness. It recognizes those who foster a culture of care, balance, and well-being within Facilities & Campus Operations (F&CO), contributing to a healthier, more supportive work environment.  All F&CO employees are eligible for this award.

Innovation Award, $500 This award recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional creativity and innovation. It honors those who not only generate forward-thinking ideas, but also take initiative to implement them effectively, resulting in measurable improvements.

University Community Partnership Award, $500 This award recognizes a collaborative partnership between a member of F&CO and a colleague or group outside the division that has significantly enhanced the visibility, reputation, or impact of F&CO. The award celebrates cross-functional teamwork that strengthens relationships across the university and contributes to a more connected, innovative, and service-oriented campus environment.*all Facilities & Campus Operations full-time equivalent (FTE) employees and George Mason University full-time equivalent (FTE) employees are eligible.

Safety Champion of the Year Award, $500 Someone who prioritizes safety in all aspects of their work for themselves and their colleagues, to ensure folks are protected, safe, and always learning about safety requirements and resources

Special Initiative / Project Team, $500 each (multiple winners) This award recognizes a group work who worked together to complete a special project or initiative with a specific deliverable and timeline. The group may be cross-functional and include members of multiple departments, representing teams from across Facilities & Campus Operations. Their work demonstrates commitment to the mission and a willingness to take on additional tasks beyond the requirements and expectations of the job for an important time-bound and deadline-driven initiative.

 

The following award will be selected by F&CO Leadership. No nominations are being solicited.
Employee of the Year, $1,000 + 2 Days of Recognition Leave The Employee of the Year award is selected by F&CO Leadership and recognizes one Employee of the Month recipient who demonstrates extraordinary service, dedication, and contributions to the department beyond the requirements and expectations of the job. 

Nominations will close on Friday, October 24, 2025. 

RAC Volleyball Flooring Upgrade

Special shoutout to Erich Miller for leading the project!

During Summer 2025, George Mason Facilities & Campus Operations (F&CO) completed a one-month renovation of the volleyball court flooring located in the Recreation and Athletic Complex (RAC) on the Fairfax Campus. Owned and maintained by F&CO, the RAC’s upgrade features a modernized design showcasing the new university logo in the middle of the court, as well as our new George Mason green. The refresh also incorporates the natural wood flooring into the design. For the very first time, the logo was applied as a vinyl decal rather than being hand-painted, and is expected to last much longer than paint, as the decals are applied before the final seal.

June 2025 Facilities Employee of the Month – Abel Cason

Celebrating Abel Cason as the June 2025 Employee of the Month

Congratulations to Abel Cason, Plumber III, Zone 6, for being recognized as the June 2025 Employee of the Month! Cason was nominated by Ron Fasso, Evening Shift Operations Supervisor, Zone 6.

“Abel Cason always goes above and beyond when executing work orders.” Said Fasso. “Abel not only addresses the primary issue, but he also checks the surrounding areas for relevant deficiencies.”

As prevalent among “kudos” emails, Cason’s positive attitude and willingness to help his fellow technicians have not gone unnoticed, and play a key role in maintaining our campus operations.

Interested in submitting a GMU Facilities Employee of the Month nomination? Check out the new process here!

Facilities ITS Elevator Upgrades

Beginning in January 2025 and finishing in mid-March 2025, Facilities & Campus Operations’ (F&CO) very own Facilities Information Technology Services (FITS) team led a project to transfer nearly 140 elevators from wired to cellular phone services. The full installation was done within 90 days and was completed roughly two weeks ahead of schedule, thanks to the incredible collaboration and effort made by multiple George Mason University teams. 

The outdated wired lines, Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS), were replaced by FirstNet, a fully cellular service provided by AT&T. “We now have great tools to monitor communications status and can investigate issues to ensure the highest level of uptime.” Said Chris Freas, Director, Facilities IT Services . “Meaning less time for elevators to be out of service.” In addition to replacing the outdated wiring, the new phone system now alerts passengers when their call has been received, the precise location of where they are, an emergency contact phone number, as well as a stronger cellular connection. 

Because of the incredible collaboration between our teams, the transition and installation of the new phones and services have gone smoothly. “I am super happy and impressed with the communication, the work between the network of George Mason employees, and the technical abilities that we had to possess to make this happen.” Said John Fahey, BRL Building Systems Engineer. 

Huge shoutout to FITS, Information Technology Services (ITS), Robert Sheard, Facilities Management Zone 6 Elevator Maintenance Contract Administrator, and external contractors. 

Spring 2025 Commencement Kudos

Shout-out to all of our Facilities & Campus Operations (F&CO) teams for going above and beyond to prepare the entirety of the Fairfax Campus and EagleBank arena for the Spring 2025 Commencement ceremony. Although our work is often behind the scenes, your efforts have not gone unnoticed by the George Mason Community.

“A huge shoutout to Facilities [and Campus Operations] for the countless behind-the-scenes efforts that keep our campus looking its best.” Said Rachel Quinn, AVP of Mason Operations and University Events. “From setting up fencing for security, moving equipment and supplies, to taking care of all the trash and recycling throughout the week—your support is absolutely essential. A special thank you to Keith Wallace and team, whose dedication and willingness to go above and beyond are deeply appreciated.”

Thank you all once again for the incredible work to ensure our campuses run smoothly!

Meet the 2025 Summer Internship Cohort

George Mason Facilities & Campus Operations (F&CO) extends a warm welcome to our new Summer 2025 interns! The interns will gain meaningful and applicable real-world experience through targeted projects throughout the summer.

Featured from left to right:

  • Mayur Ravikumar, Project Management
  • Abdallah Abdallah, Land Development
  • Andrew Graf, Waste & Recycling
  • Quinn Bethel, Sustainability
  • MK Essandoh, Building Automation
  • Linda Melendez, Human Recourses
  • Kiersten Mullins, Events Management
  • Kenna Sarver, Communications & Marketing
  • Wendy Agutu, Project Management

May 2025 Facilities Employee of the Month – Rick Coulson

Celebrating Rick Coulson as the May 2025 Employee of the Month

Congratulations to Rick Coulson, HVAC Tech III, for being recognized as the May 2025 Employee of the Month! Coulson was nominated by Ronnie Wells, Zone 2 Manager, and Wallace Riegel III, Zone 2 Supervisor. 

Coulson played a critical role in resolving a persistent temperature issue at the Potomac Science Center located in Woodbridge, VA. Despite facing multiple challenges, Coulson’s commitment to excellence, diligence, and solution-focused thinking led to the identification and repair of a malfunctioned chilled water actuator.

In addition to fixing the immediate issue, his work has also helped ensure the long-term reliability and efficiency of our HVAC systems. “Rick’s dedication, professionalism, and technical skill make him highly deserving of this recognition.” Said Wells. "I am pleased to submit this nomination in appreciation of his outstanding contributions."

Coulson is also an incredible team player by supporting his team members whenever possible. "He has a great attitude all the time, and he is always willing to help anyone that needs his help," Said Riegel, "he is always willing and ready to teach others in any way he can."

Interested in submitting a GMU Facilities Employee of the Month nomination? Check out the new process here!