For nearly 50 years, the Costello College of Business has prepared students to lead, innovate and make an impact. Now, we’re creating a dedicated home where students, faculty, employers and the community can shape the future of business together.
We’ve come a long way. Now, we’re ready to go further.
Costello began in 1977 as a department holding classes in the former Fairfax City High School. Today, it is an AACSB-accredited college serving more than 5,800 students and a community of more than 44,000 alumni.
In 2024, Costello launched the public phase of its building initiative to accelerate the creation of a new home that reflects the college’s growing reputation and future needs.
As Costello’s impact has grown, it has outpaced the spaces available to support it. A dedicated home will help the college build on nearly five decades of progress, advance business education and thought leadership, develop the workforce of the future and fuel Northern Virginia’s continued economic vitality.
Built for this region. Connected to its future.
Costello sits at the center of Northern Virginia, a global hub for technology, government contracting, defense, real estate, data and entrepreneurship.
Yet the region faces a critical talent gap, with more than 130,000 open jobs. Employers need graduates who can think critically, adapt quickly, communicate effectively and contribute from day one. Costello helps meet that need by connecting education directly to the industries and challenges shaping our region.
*Enrollment figures as of fall 2025.
Our vision has outgrown our space
Today’s business education extends far beyond the traditional classroom. Students learn across disciplines, solve real business challenges and engage directly with employers. They need flexible, technology-enabled environments that support AI-enabled learning, hybrid engagement, digital connectivity and meaningful human connection.
But Costello’s physical environment no longer reflects the scale of its ambitions or the opportunities ahead. Its people and programs are spread across spaces not designed for the collaboration, technology and engagement today’s business education demands.
A dedicated home will bring the Costello community together and create more opportunities for students, faculty, alumni and industry partners to exchange ideas, build relationships and turn knowledge into action.
It is not simply about creating more space. It is about creating the right environment for what business education can become.
More than a building. A catalyst.
Costello’s new home will provide a welcoming front door to business education on George Mason University’s Fairfax Campus and a destination where students, faculty, executives, entrepreneurs and industry partners can work together.
Flexible, technology-enabled spaces will support:
- Applied and interdisciplinary learning
- AI-enabled learning and digital connectivity
- Flexible and hybrid learning
- Employer and community collaboration
- Career preparation and experiential education
- Entrepreneurship, research and innovation
- Executive education and workforce development
- Professional upskilling and reskilling
- Industry forums and community events
- Informal collaboration spaces and spontaneous connections that spark new ideas
Every space will be designed to help people learn, connect and grow, creating an environment where ideas become ventures and partnerships drive innovation.
A home designed for the future of business education
The proposed 165,000-square-foot building will combine adaptable classrooms, dynamic event and student spaces, centers, faculty offices and collaborative environments designed around the evolving needs of learners and employers.
- 165,000 total gross square feet
- 100,000 net assignable square feet
- Adaptable classrooms and active-learning environments
- Event, student-use, support and center spaces
- Faculty offices and faculty-use spaces
Business education for every stage of a career
Learning does not end with a degree. Costello is creating flexible pathways for undergraduate and graduate students, working professionals, executives and employers.
Through stackable credentials, customized learning and programs grounded in industry needs, learners can continue building relevant skills as their careers evolve. A dedicated home will allow Costello to deliver these opportunities at greater scale and bring emerging talent and experienced leaders together.
A home for Costello. An investment in Northern Virginia.
Costello’s impact extends far beyond campus. Its graduates strengthen companies, launch ventures, lead organizations and contribute to the region’s economic vitality.
A new home will help Costello:
Investing in Costello means investing in the people, businesses and communities shaping what comes next.
Your legacy can shape what comes next
A leadership gift will help transform this vision into a place where students can learn, innovate and thrive. Philanthropic leadership is essential to creating a facility that supports student success, strengthens industry partnerships and serves as a catalyst for economic growth throughout the region.
Join us by supporting our initiative to build a home for those who are building the future of our region's workforce.
Help shape what’s next
Costello’s future home will reflect the ambition of its students, the strength of its partnerships and the extraordinary promise of the region.
With philanthropic and public support, we can create a place where talent meets opportunity, ideas become ventures and today’s students become tomorrow’s business leaders. Philanthropic leadership will be essential to turning this vision into a defining investment in George Mason University and the future of Northern Virginia.