Each month, we will shine a light on our Patriot Connect Change Champions, giving you the chance to get to know the individuals who are here to support you and the George Mason community on the journey to Patriot Connect. Learn about their roles, what motivates and inspires them, and maybe even a fun fact or two.
Get to know Makenzie Gold Quiros!
Name:
Makenzie Gold Quiros
Role at George Mason University:
Assistant Director of Housing Operations & Special Projects
I am a Patriot Connect Change Champion for:
Housing and Residence Life
Q: What excites you the most about Patriot Connect?
A: Ever heard of the Mason Shuffle? Patriot Connect is here to help end it! George Mason is a massive place. It is difficult to know who to go to and for what—even for us professional staff. Navigating that as a student, parent/guardian, or anyone without 10 years of higher ed experience is exceptionally challenging. Patriot Connect will give us the ability to better support our students behind the scenes, connecting us with other units, providing us with more information, and creating natural avenues to get students where they need to go with no effort on their part. It gets help to the people that need it faster, whether that’s registering for classes, navigating a difficult conversation with their new roommate, or getting registered for orientation. Easy access to resources with a few clicks? Sounds great to me!
Q: How do you see Patriot Connect helping you and your team?
A: One of my teams runs the [email protected] email, which feeds into Patriot Connect. We work with the Mason Student Services Center, who answer general housing questions and send my team the specific questions that require a housing professional. Just today, someone’s inquiry needed input from three different staff in the department from two different sub-departments. In the past, that would have taken several days of emailing and trying to hunt people down in person. Today, it took us five hours to get the student what they needed. These sorts of situations will only become more frequent as we roll out Release 2 of Patriot Connect and get more of the university into our system.
Q: What is your goal for Patriot Connect?
A: I love data! I am so looking forward to having more data on what our students’ needs are and where the gaps in our communication can be filled. Coming to university can be such an overwhelming experience—I want to be able to better support our students as they navigate that change and ask us for help along the way.
Q: Who do you want to give a special shoutout to on the Patriot Connect team and why?
A: A massive shoutout to Tahisha Mayfield and Kim Shumadine! T has been a joyful and understanding presence in the Patriot Connect Change Champion/Training space and Kim, while not on the Patriot Connect team directly, has had massive impact on our R2 dialogue. Thank you both!
Q: What is your favorite spot on campus?
A: Those concrete slabs on the main quad between the painted announcement pillars and Southside. In the summers I like to lay out there and just bake for a bit!
The Patriot Connect team has activated a change network of “Patriot Connect Release 2 Change Champions” to support the adoption of Patriot Connect at George Mason. Units, colleges, or schools impacted by Release 2 have a designated change champion who is here to make the transition to Patriot Connect smooth and successful. The Release 2 change network kicked off in October 2025 and will remain active throughout the implementation and launch of Patriot Connect: Recruitment and Admissions. Your first point of contact for questions should be your designated Patriot Connect Release 2 Change Champion.