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These Mason graduates are virtually unstoppable

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Dominique Bernardino
Film and Video Studies and Communication

Dominique Bernardino
Dominique Bernardino. Photo provided

Bernardino is the recipient of the 2021 Film at Mason Academic Excellence Award, which goes to the graduating senior with the highest grade-point average in the . But her most notable accomplishment might be her senior research project: the short film 鈥淐hildren of Gunshots,鈥 which she shot on location in her native Philippines with the help of a grant from Mason鈥檚 Office of Student Scholarship, Creative Activities and Research.

Bernardino has had several on-campus jobs at Mason, including as a Film at Mason office assistant, multimedia editor with the 鈥淔ourth Estate鈥 and as a communications assistant with the Office of Housing and Residence Life.

鈥淢y favorite part about being this involved on campus is meeting the different people and learning people鈥檚 stories,鈥 said Bernardino. 鈥淚 wanted to assimilate into the diverse culture.鈥

But she did not forget her roots, which drew her back to the Philippines to make 鈥淐hildren of Gunshots.鈥

The experimental short film, which explores the effect of drug-related violence on children, was completed in the summer of 2020.

A second documentary, titled 鈥淔raction of a Second,鈥 was filmed by Bernardino last semester and follows the life of a Filipina journalist who covers her country鈥檚 raging drug wars. The thesis project, currently in production, won best documentary pitch during the 2020 Film at Mason Festival.

After graduation, Bernardino plans to enter 鈥淐hildren of Gunshots鈥 in independent film festivals and hold screenings in the Philippines as fundraisers for Project SOW, a foundation that helps widows and children displaced by the drug war.

鈥擩eanene Harris

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Cody Ray Milner
Law

Cody Ray Milner
Cody Ray Milner. Photo provided

When Milner was applying to law schools, he received a wakeup call, literally, from then- Dean Henry Butler.

鈥淗e called me late one night, woke me up, and started talking about Mason,鈥 Milner said.

Milner, a graduate of Oklahoma Christian University who majored in history and political science, accepted Butler鈥檚 invitation for a visit and 鈥渇ell in love鈥 with the university.

鈥淚 love the opportunities to work in [Washington,] D.C., in government,鈥 Milner said. 鈥淚 also love the substantive quality education the faculty offered.鈥

Some of the faculty he got to work with included 听such as Supreme Court Justices Neal Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, who taught summer seminars Milner attended.

Milner said he also benefited from experiential learning programs such as Scalia Law鈥檚 , in which he helped author write four briefs filed at the court, and the school鈥檚 emphasis on legal writing.

A comment by Milner in the George Mason Law Review was even cited in D.C. Circuit Court Judge Justin Walker鈥檚 opinion in American Lung Association v. Environmental Protection Agency, which vacated a rule adopted by the EPA to regulate power plant emissions.

鈥淚t was surreal,鈥 Milner said of the mention of his comment, which he said was inspired by Gorsuch鈥檚 stand on the separation of powers. 鈥淚t further demonstrates the quality of writing that Scalia Law encourages.鈥

Milner has a busy three years upcoming with three clerkships, including one with Walker. After that, Milner said, he is interested in becoming an appellate advocate.

鈥淚鈥檝e always approached law school from a holistic perspective and doing quality work,鈥 Milner said. 鈥淚鈥檓 thankful for the holistic approach Scalia Law offered. It really sets up a lot of different opportunities.鈥

鈥擠amian Cristodero

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Jasmine James
Biology

Jasmine James
Jasmine James. Photo by Shelby Burgess/Strategic Communications

James almost didn鈥檛 come to Mason. In fact, Mason wasn鈥檛 even on her radar when choosing a college. It was a friend at her high school in Boston, Massachusetts, who was interested and convinced James to come along to a session with an admissions counselor.

The friend ended up going to college elsewhere, but James found her academic home. The biology major and member of Mason鈥檚 graduates in May, and is headed next to a PhD program in cell, molecular, developmental biology, and biophysics at Johns Hopkins University.

James said the high point of her time at Mason was her , when she worked one-on-one with Assistant Professor Valerie Olmo of the , investigating the relationship between vitamin A derivatives and Zebrafish embryo development.

Outside the lab, James coached students in Mason鈥檚 Early Identification Program and was president of her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha.

James also had a number of internships. In addition to being a Martin Luther King Summer Scholar at the Boston Museum of African American History, she participated听in the Summer Institute in Biostatics at Boston University.

鈥淚 do like statistics in general,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 decided to minor in data analysis because it can give you a leg up if you can do your own stats.鈥

James hopes to pursue a research career in academia, which she sees as the best of both worlds.

鈥淚 can help students, and I get to have my hands in research and work on lots of different projects at the same time,鈥 she said.

鈥擟olleen Kearney Rich

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Hufsa Khan
Neuroscience

Hufsa Khan
Hufsa Khan. Photo provided

Khan鈥檚 affinity for science and her personal story meant that medical research came naturally to her.

鈥淚鈥檝e seen my own family suffer with medical conditions,鈥 said the 21-year-old graduating senior, 鈥渟o I can understand what patients are going through. As a doctor, it鈥檚 important to know what your patients are going through and to be able to comfort them.鈥

Khan, a major, a minor and a member of Mason鈥檚 , is fluent in five languages: English, French, Hindi, Spanish and Urdu. But it is her ability to so easily speak the language of science that figures to define her future.

Her research has received a number of awards, including the ACS Organic Chemistry Award, an Undergraduate Research Scholars Program grant and the听Schwartzstein听First Semester Research Award.

Khan, who will begin medical school at George Washington University this fall, has worked on three significant biomedical projects while at Mason. One involved synthesizing cancer inhibiting drugs. Another involved the use of glucocorticoid medications for people with autoimmune disease and how doctors can听reduce side-effects that damage the liver. A third project involved听studying the cognitive effects of certain novel treatments for children with sickle cell anemia.

鈥淚t鈥檚 all been so very satisfying,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 love research and I want to use the experiences I鈥檝e had to help people.鈥

鈥 John Hollis

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Samantha Moore
Government and International Politics

Samantha Moore
Samantha Moore. Photo provided

Moore has always been passionate about service, a sensibility she learned from family and 听applied to her time at Mason.

鈥淢y dad鈥檚 a fourth-grade teacher, but he did so much more beyond teaching,鈥 Moore said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 passionate about creating a change that extends throughout generations.鈥

The Bedford, Michigan native said she was drawn to Mason for its programs focusing on grant writing and nonprofit work, and as a freshman participated in a through the .

Working with , an organization that provides stability services to individuals in Fairfax County, Moore said she helped secure nearly $12,000 in grants.

During the fellowship, Moore also learned about a military nonprofit, which inspired her to join the . She plans to attend law school to become a Judge Advocate General's Corps (JAG) officer.

鈥淎s a leader, it鈥檚 really important not to just make a change for yourself, but to make sure you鈥檙e doing that for everyone around you,鈥 she said.

At Mason, Moore has been a resident advisor and for the that helps students solve challenges for local nonprofits.

鈥淚鈥檓 excited because this program will impact [Mason] students, but it will also impact the greater community,鈥 she said.

Beyond class, Moore participated in an in Xela, Guatemala, and .

鈥淭hese experiences gave me a window into the needs of the world beyond Mason, and beyond where I thought my influence was limited,鈥 Moore said.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 the best thing about Mason, she added, 鈥渢he diverse perspective it brings and the opportunities it creates.鈥

鈥擬ariam Aburdeineh

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Tyler Benson
Information Technology

Tyler Benson
Tyler Benson. Photo courtesy of Mason Athletics

Benson could have graduated in December. But when the NCAA awarded athletes an extra season of eligibility because of COVID-19, the track and field sprinter decided to stay for the spring semester. He does not regret the decision.

Two parts to that: the post-graduation cybersecurity job he has with a government contracting firm was delayed while he received his security clearance, and he also loves being part of the men鈥檚 track team.

鈥淚鈥檝e made some of the best friends in my life through George Mason,鈥 said Benson, who competes in the 200 and 400 meters and on the 4x400 relay team. 鈥淭he sense of community and the opportunities I鈥檝e gotten are fantastic.鈥

Benson was limited during the season because of a hamstring injury. But his academic year was a success, with a capstone project that continued the hands-on learning he said made his Mason experience so rewarding.

He and his fellow students created IT solutions for a small gym to help revamp its internet security, customer databases and website.

鈥淪ometimes you just go to school, you sit there and read a book,鈥 he said. 鈥淏ut my capstone was an enriching experience. A lot of the classes I had, especially when I got into my cybersecurity concentration, were in the actual field.鈥

Benson ultimately wants to start his own business. For now, he plans to mingle his cybersecurity job and his freelance photography.

鈥淎t the moment, I鈥檓 doing both,鈥 he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 really excited to look forward and see what happens.鈥

鈥擠amian Cristodero