Editing Fairfax, Virginia (section)

===Colleges and universities===
{{Main|George Mason University}}
[[George Mason University]], the largest university in [[Virginia]], is located just south of Fairfax's city limits.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.fairfaxva.gov/home/showdocument?id=1226 | title=Map of City of Fairfax |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200614022341/https://www.fairfaxva.gov/home/showdocument?id=1226 |archive-date=June 14, 2020 |access-date=June 13, 2020 |url-status = live}}</ref>
The university enrolls 33,917 students, making it the largest university by head count in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The university was founded in 1949, and was initially an extension of the [[University of Virginia]] named the Northern Virginia University Center of the University of Virginia.<ref>UVA: {{Hanging indent | {{cite book|last1=Mann|first1=C. Harrison|title=C. Harrison Mann, Jr. papers|date=1832–1979|publisher=George Mason University. Libraries. Special Collections Research Center|location=Arlington County, Virginia|url=http://sca.gmu.edu/finding_aids/mann.html|access-date=February 23, 2017}}}} {{Hanging indent | {{Cite book| last = Finley| first = John Norville Gibson| title = Progress Report of the Northern Virginia University Center| date = July 1, 1952| url = http://digilib.gmu.edu/jspui/bitstream/handle/1920/2698/Mann_53_1_1_v.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y| archive-date = February 20, 2017| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170220225740/http://digilib.gmu.edu/jspui/bitstream/handle/1920/2698/Mann_53_1_1_v.pdf| quote = "The report that follows is a progress report on the Northern Virginia University Center since its beginnings in 1949 by its Local Director, Professor J. N. G. Finley." George B. Zehmer, Director Extension Division University of Virginia| url-status = dead| df = mdy-all}}}}</ref> Nine years after its founding, in 1958, the Town of Fairfax purchased {{convert|150|acre|km2}} for the university, though the property remained within the county when the town became a city. In 1972, following several name changes, the institution became George Mason University.<ref>GMU: {{Hanging indent | {{cite book|last1=Virginia Advisory Legislative Council|title=The Crisis in Higher Education in Virginia and a Solution|date=August 15, 1955|publisher=Virginia General Assembly|location=Richmond|pages=13|url=http://ahistoryofmason.gmu.edu/items/show/17|access-date=February 23, 2017|archive-date=February 24, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170224055521/http://ahistoryofmason.gmu.edu/items/show/17|url-status=dead}}}} {{Hanging indent | {{Cite book| publisher = Fairfax County Board of Supervisors| isbn = 978-0-9601630-1-4| last = Netherton| first = Nan| title = Fairfax County, Virginia: A History| date = January 1, 1978}}{{rp|588}}}}</ref> The university is most known for its programs in [[economics]], [[law]], [[creative writing]], [[computer science]], and [[business]].<ref>* {{cite magazine|url=http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/law/brief/lawrank_brief.php|title=America's Best Graduate Schools 2008: Top Law Schools|magazine=[[U.S. News & World Report]]|access-date=November 5, 2008|archive-date=July 3, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070703231853/http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/law/brief/lawrank_brief.php|url-status=dead}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.econphd.net/rank/rpublc.htm|title=Rankings: Political Economy|publisher=EconPhD.net|access-date=November 5, 2008|archive-date=June 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200602015258/http://www.econphd.net/rank/rpublc.htm|url-status=dead}}
* {{cite book|last=Teles|first=Steven Michael|year=2008|title=The rise of the conservative legal movement|page=182}}
* {{cite book|author=((Vault Editors))|year=2006|title=The Law School Buzz Book|page=458}}
* [http://www.pw.org/content/2010_mfa_rankings_top_fifty_0 2010 MFA Rankings: The Top Fifty | Poets & Writers]. Pw.org. Retrieved on March 11, 2011.</ref> George Mason University faculty have twice won the [[Nobel Prize in Economics]]. George Mason University economics professors [[James M. Buchanan]] and [[Vernon L. Smith]] won it in 1986 and 2002, respectively.<ref>[http://walterewilliams.com/another-nobel-laureate/ Another Nobel Laureate] Walter E. Williams, GMU, Department of Economics, October 14, 2002</ref>