Cindy Lont

By Courtney Bailey
When one hears the name George Mason University, several things come to mind such as the famous green and gold, or the NCAA champion men’s basketball team. What students may not be as familiar with is the growing Communications department, which includes the study of public relations, journalism, media production, and interpersonal and organizational communication. One professor who is bringing recognition to this department is Professor Cindy Lont.
Cindy Lont is a well-known figure throughout the Mason community, especially among those students studying Communications. While attending the University of Iowa she was influenced by one of her professors to begin a career at the then unknown George Mason University. She was inspired by the positive way her professor described Anita Taylor, who was the chair of the Communication department at that time. Professor Lont began her career at Mason shortly there after and continued to follow in Anita Taylor’s footsteps by becoming the chair of the Communications department from 1999 to 2003.
One of Lont’s greatest accomplishments is her work with GMU-TV. GMU-TV is a network reaching “600,000 homes in the Northern Virginia area over various cable stations” (Lont). Lont shares her passion for producing by contributing to Studio A, which is set before a live studio audience. The show provides an opportunity for students to hear first hand experiences from those working within the film industry. The show is very beneficial to media students, as it allows them to ask questions and receive guidance from seasoned professionals.
Along with being a professor, producer and the former chair of the Communications department, Lont was recently elected the Vice President of The Eastern Communication Association. The Eastern Communication Association “is a professional organization of scholars, teachers, and students of Communications studies” (ECA website). One of her major tasks is planning and implementing the 2011 conference held in Arlington. As busy as Lont is these days she would like to take some time away from her other obligations and focus on teaching. Lont wants to have the opportunity to “take a course or two to help learn more and then integrate it into her [my] classes” (Lont).
Professor Lont is also the force behind the universities highly successful Film and Video Studies Program. The Film and Video Studies Program started in the Fall 2007, and is part of the College of Visual and Performing Arts. The program includes courses from several other departments including the Communications department. What makes Mason’s program so special is that it is the “first multidisciplinary undergraduate degree in Virginia focusing on film theory, history, and production, with core courses in ethics, management, scriptwriting and documentary films.” Prior to the development of Mason’s program many students would typically flock to West Coast Schools to study film production. Now Mason is building a reputation as a distinguished university to earn one’s BA in film studies. The university has an ideal location near Washington D.C. and several related organizations including The History Channel, National Geographic, and the Discovery Channel nearby.
As the nations number one university to watch, George Mason University excels in large part to its dedicated professors and faculty. Professor Lont is one of those dedicated professors whose professional experience has benefited the Mason community. Her passion for teaching and all things media can be seen through every television show she produces or class she teaches.