Author: Hope Miller Miles

*Submissions are rated individually, not in comparison to other designs submitted.

*Schedule is an estimate, updates will be emailed to painters

Starting at 9am: RSO painters will check in at the tent on SUBI Quad and receive the materials to paint their assigned bench the base colors and for design.

3 Hours is the minimal time for the base coat to dry before the design should be added

12pm: Lunch for painters is available. Mason ID check-in required for food and drinks.

3:30pm: Clean-Up begins for the Student Involvement Office

4pm: All groups needing to continue painting or to come back may retain their supplies and come back at a later time.

• Benches are painted the base color by the RSO painters early morning of Bench Painting.
• The Bench Painting Party is scheduled each Spring during the first reading Day (rain date is the following Reading Day).
• Groups who are awarded a bench to paint in Spring will be contacted at the end of April to ensure they have re-registered for the following academic year.
• Co-Sponsored with Sherwin Williams  – a fantastic partnership with their amazing team!
• Sherwin Williams provides the paint materials. Outdoors Acrylic
  • We have been assured that any other types of paints to help embellish the benches should be ok, since the benches are painted each year.
  • If you use your own paint, ensure you top coat the paint if it is water soluble.
• If you see damage to the bench during the year, please contact our office ASAP to have this remedied.
• You may request paint supplies for touch-ups during the year if the bench is showing more than normal wear and tear (no drastic design changes).
• Selection of awarded RSOs includes a review of the proposed design and how the bench design enhances the significance of the RSO’s mission.
  • Please do not copy and paste the mission statement. This does not explain how the design will enhance the RSO’s reach to the students entering the SUBI Quad.
  • Please review the Free Speech at Mason website.
  • The reference to the University must follow current Mason Branding. IE an RSO may not use “GMU” in the design (unless it is part of a social media reference) and must always include “at” when adding the text “George Mason University”
• Designs submitted must be recreated on the assigned bench. If a design is changed without prior approval from the RSO Lead Team or is not painted within the allotted timeline, the bench will be forfeited and the RSO will not be able to apply for a bench the following year.
• Fraternity and Sorority Life holds 9 benches and may have repeated organizations from year to year due to their number of groups
• RSOs (including club sports) are assigned the other 50 benches
  • RSOs who have painted a bench a previous year will be placed on the waiting list automatically
  • Does not include Department Organizations
  • Our team will place RSOs who held a bench the previous year on the waitlist

*Pending Re-Registration Completion*

Bench Archive Photographs

Visit the George Mason University Photo Library for more photos!

Past Bench Painting Images