At the time of Dwight Schar’s arrival, Fairfax County was already well on the way to becoming a bona fide Boom Town. Russ Banham chronicles the rise of Northern Virginia in his 2009 publication The Fight for Fairfax, portraying the county as a robust economic center that “would become the talk of the nation.” The financial reporter also reflected on government spending policies under the Reagan administration, which he suggests encouraged hundreds of technology firms, defense contractors, and supporting companies to “plant stakes in Fairfax.”
Dwight Schar was welcomed into an influential group of change leaders dubbed the “123 Club,” a nod to Route 123, which passes through the wealthiest neighborhoods in Fairfax. In addition to members rich in dollars, the club also boasted extensive political connections, with its members banding together to make the county the best it could be.
Heavy on developers, the group also did a fair amount of business as tech companies began to emerge on the scene. As infrastructure and transportation needs rose, the group brainstormed and came up with comprehensive strategies, often building the solutions themselves.
Comprising the likes of legendary developers like Til Hazel, Sid Dewberry, and Milt Peterson, all of whom have since sadly died, the 123 Club created a legacy in Greater Washington that lives on to this day.
One of the chief strategic priorities for the 123 Club was expanding access to higher education for residents of Northern Virginia. The club was, after all, founded by George Mason University former president, the late George Johnson, who is credited with leading the learning institution through a period of rapid expansion. Current George Mason University president, George Washington, reflects that the school’s rise to prominence was not by accident, explaining that a successful community and viable economic engine needs a research institution at the heart.
Listening to Dwight’s Schar’s voice as he reflects on the 123 Club’s collective accomplishments, it would be hard to find even a hint of boastful swagger. Nevertheless, when reflecting on the rise of George Mason University, audiences may catch a glimmer of pride.
More than half a century old, George Mason University has grown to prominence as Virginia’s largest public university, with a record enrollment of 40,000 students this year. The learning institution has climbed though the rankings in the U.S. & World Report of Best Colleges 2024, ranking in 105th place among all universities nationwide and placing 51st among all public universities. In a statement released in 2023, the school also revealed that it ranked in 1st place among all public universities in Virgina across rankings that measure social mobility, a new metric that tracks inclusivity, affordability, and accessibility in universities.
Ranking as the largest public research university in the whole of Virginia, George Mason University boasts a 90% admission rate and a six-year graduation rate of 71%, a figure well above the national average, with no disparity based on economic status or ethnicity. 24% of Mason undergraduates are first-generation students.
Dwight Schar served on George Mason University’s Foundation Board of Trustees from 1986 to 1998. He has remained steadfastly loyal in his support of the school well beyond his 123 Club days, endowing a faculty chair through George Mason University’s policy school in 2002. Dwight Schar has also been a lifelong supporter of the university’s Center for Regional Analysis. Today, a banner for the Schar School of Policy and Government is displayed on the façade of George Mason University’s Arlington campus, giving a symbolic nod to Schar’s $10 million gift in 2016 and the numerous other contributions he has made to the university over the course of the past 50 years.
