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“When one door closes, open another”: This Costello student is making his way in music industry

Sarah Holland — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 15:57:59 +0000

“When one door closes, open another”: This Costello student is making his way in music industry Sarah Holland Wed, 12/04/2024 - 10:57

Cody Salenga has been making music since he was a teenager. Performing under the name Steph Cody Music, he’s got a growing fanbase on Spotify and co-launched an independent record label this year. So when it came time to look for a summer internship, Salenga knew he wanted something in the music industry.

That’s how Salenga, one of Costello College of Business’ graduating business majors with a concentration in marketing, found himself running social media for Capitol Dystrikt Music in Washington, D.C.

“It combines my two passions in music and marketing,” he said, “and it’s my dream to work in the entertainment industry. The chance that one day I’ll be listening to a song on the radio, or on Apple music, and realize, ‘hey, I’ve been in the studio when they were making that song’ is really cool.”

In addition to managing social media and communications for Capital Dystrikt Music, Salenga works to build relationships between the artists and the studio to increase the studio’s presence. Building name recognition is at the core of his work, and that idea led to one of his major projects: the Graveyard Smash concert, hosted right here in the Johnson Center on Fairfax Campus on the eve of Halloween.

“I really wanted to put on a concert, so I pitched the idea of a concert sponsored by Capitol Dystrikt Music to the Student Centers using the Plaza Palooza (named after the Lollapalooza festival) as a template. And we had a great turnout,” he said. “It really just came together into a beautiful thing that I could find so much pride in.”

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Capitol Dystrikt Music saw 200% more web traffic this month than previously, which Cody attributes to the event. “Tables in the Johnson Center were filled throughout the festival,” he said. “We probably had roughly 200 attendees.”

Salenga sees strong similarities between building an album and building a marketing campaign. “You work tirelessly on something for a long time, and you want people to see it and be moved by it, whether that’s an album or a product launch,” he said. His work speaks for itself, having grown the studio’s impressions by 113,780% or 5,694 impressions within a 30-day period, and 3.1k accounts reached in that same timeframe too.

Diving into the industry hasn’t been without challenges. “It’s a tough learning curve, figuring out how marketing works in the music industry, what’s going to land well, what will produce results, and so on,” he said. “But the classes like Digital Marketing and other foundational marketing classes I’ve taken at George Mason have given me a really solid marketing foundation.”

He cites the hands-on learning experiences in his marketing electives as being particularly impactful. A simulation tracking social post-performance and SEO, for example, gave him important insights into the mechanisms of marketing that he’s applying to both his professional and personal social presence.

“When it comes to George Mason, the stereotype that I’ve heard employers have of us is that we’re hardworking and gritty, and we don’t take things for granted. That's what we bring to the table in interviews that makes us different,” he said. “So when one door closes, don’t wait for something else to open: make a new opportunity for yourself.”

Salenga, left, performs on stage at Graveyard Smash. Photo provided

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George Mason expands partnership with GDIT to build a skilled and diverse technology workforce

Colleen Rich — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 17:02:19 +0000

George Mason expands partnership with GDIT to build a skilled and diverse technology workforce Colleen Rich Wed, 10/30/2024 - 13:02

��AV announced this week an expanded partnership with General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT), a business unit of General Dynamics, to enhance career development opportunities for university students and GDIT’s workforce. The focus areas include cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and government contracting.

The partnership strengthens George Mason’s role as a key economic driver in Northern Virginia and a critical source of tech talent, while broadening GDIT’s efforts to cultivate a skilled and diversified talent pipeline.

“George Mason has been recognized over the years in numerous college rankings as Virginia’s top public university for diversity, innovation, cybersecurity, homeland security, service to military veterans, and service to students outside the traditional college ages," said George Mason President Gregory Washington. “We are committed to partnering in the region to meet the pace of change in the today’s workforce, providing opportunities for students of all ages and backgrounds to pursue a rigorous education and lead successful careers, and attracting and keeping talent in Virginia.”

This collaboration also aligns with GDIT’s technology investment strategy, which emphasizes employee growth and upskilling. It also enhances government contracting capabilities by leveraging George Mason’s Greg and Camille Baroni Center for Government Contracting, located within the Costello College of Business. The center is the nation’s first dedicated to addressing business, policy, and regulatory issues in government contracting.

“Expanding our partnership with George Mason demonstrates our commitment to investing in the future workforce,” said Amy Gilliland, GDIT’s president. “As the largest and most diverse educational institution in Northern Virginia, George Mason has played a pivotal role in shaping our talent pipeline for more than a decade. We look forward to further strengthening our relationship so GDIT will continue to be a top employer of choice for George Mason students.”

U.S. News & World Report, the Wall Street Journal, and Washington Monthly all rank George Mason as a top public university for the upward mobility of its graduates.

As part of the expanded partnership, GDIT will collaborate with George Mason on several programs, including:

Partnering with the College of Engineering and Computing, as well as Costello College of Business, to expand recruitment opportunities, career mentorship programs, networking sessions, technology open houses, and capstone projects.
Offering students, faculty, and staff opportunities to participate in various GDIT events and initiatives, such as cyber hackathons, career development seminars, and technology showcases at the GDIT Emerge Innovation Center.
Providing industry expertise for George Mason’s Clearance Readiness Program to prepare students interested in a career in the cleared space.
Hosting leadership insight sessions focused on mental health, career pathways, work-based communication skills, and resiliency.

This partnership is part of GDIT’s workforce initiative, which collaborates with high schools, colleges, and universities across the country. GDIT has formed similar partnerships with institutions in Louisiana, Colorado, Texas, and Missouri to foster the next generation of technology innovators and make a positive impact in these communities.

George Mason, one of the largest universities to receive state funding through the Tech Talent Investment Program, has committed to increasing its computing graduates, in both undergraduate and graduate computing programs, to almost 16,000 students over the next two decades. With flourishing partnerships with leading companies like General Dynamics and initiatives supporting small businesses and entrepreneurship across the state, George Mason is building on the more than 15,000 paid or stipend-supported internships available to students annually.

��AV has committed to increasing graduates in both undergraduate and graduate computing programs to almost 16,000 students as part of the state's Tech Talent Investment Program.

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Former CGI president and CEO to address graduates at Winter Commencement

Colleen Rich — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 14:03:19 +0000

Former CGI president and CEO to address graduates at Winter Commencement Colleen Rich Mon, 10/28/2024 - 10:03

George D. Schindler, former president and chief executive officer of business and information technology company CGI, will be the featured speaker at ��AV’s Winter Commencement on Dec. 19 at EagleBank Arena on the Fairfax Campus.

George D. Schindler. Photo provided

Schindler, now a member of the CGI Board of Directors, led the company from 2016 to 2024. During that time, annual revenue grew to more than $14 billion. Federal Computer Week has twice named Schindler a Top 100 leader.

During Schindler’s time as CEO, George Mason and CGI further developed their robust partnership. More than 250 CGI employees are George Mason alums, including Board of Visitors member Horace Blackman, BA American Studies and English ‘93, the university’s former rector.

CGI reported to University Career Services that they had a 100% retention rate for George Mason interns for Fall 2023. All were to either complete an additional internship or convert to full-time employment after graduation.

George Mason has recognized CGI for its Demonstrated Employer Equity/Inclusion in Practice, and the company is heavily engaged with the Costello College of Business through the Dean's Advisory Council and the Baroni Center for Government Contracting.

Last academic year, CGI led two two-day resume clinics, a workshop for faculty and staff on the impact of ChatGPT on the hiring process, and conducted mentoring and interviews with students.

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First-year PhD student makes business and society better through data

Jennifer Anzaldi — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 20:55:38 +0000

First-year PhD student makes business and society better through data Jennifer Anzaldi Mon, 10/14/2024 - 16:55

In This Story

Mehmet Altug

Xinyi Li, a first-year PhD student at ��AV's Costello College of Business, joins the program with a co-authored peer-reviewed paper already published in the United States on African American youth suicidality, alongside a similar publication history in China. Her work reflects a commitment to using data analytics to improve societal and business outcomes.

Li’s academic career spans multiple disciplines. She began in China, earning a bachelor of economics with a concentration in finance from Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics. One of her notable projects during her undergraduate studies involved the planning and risk assessment of insurance for assisted reproductive technologies. She then pursued a master’s in finance at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, where her thesis examined the relationship between IPO underpricing and the reputation and location of underwriters.

Xinyi Li

In 2023, Li earned a second master's degree in business analytics from George Washington University (GWU), where her passion for data analysis led her to a meaningful social science research project. “Last summer, Dr. Saijun Zhang, the first author of the paper, asked me if I would like to join a project studying the factors influencing suicidal behavior in African American teenagers,” Li explained. The study examined how factors such as parenting styles and exposure to violence affect suicidal tendencies.

Li contributed to the project by applying her data analysis expertise, using methods like logistic regression models and correlation analysis to identify key social factors affecting suicidal behavior.

“We found that neglectful parenting was significantly associated with an increase in suicidal ideation,” Xinyi noted. “It was fascinating to see how the analytical techniques I learned in business analytics could be applied to such a critical social issue.”

Li is now pursuing a PhD in operations management (OM) at Costello, a shift motivated by her growing interest in areas like supply chain management and game theory. “When I took a course in supply chain management during my master’s, I realized how exciting it was to apply data models to solve real business problems. That’s what inspired me to move into operations management,” she shared.

During the first year of her PhD program, Li will be focusing on coursework and exploring various research directions under the guidance of Mehmet Altug, associate professor of information systems and operations management.

Looking forward, Li is eager to contribute to both academia and industry. “In the short term, my goal is to become deeply familiar with the literature in operations management and start identifying key research areas,” Li said. “Long term, I hope to publish in top academic journals and find a position where I can continue applying my skills to solve practical problems.”

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Business student’s summer internship is an opportunity to practice sustainability

Colleen Rich — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 18:35:00 +0000

Business student’s summer internship is an opportunity to practice sustainability Colleen Rich Mon, 07/29/2024 - 14:35

��AV rising junior Vidhi Pathak spent a year searching for the perfect summer internship, before landing her current position as asset management intern for Summit Ridge Energy (SRE).

“I have concentrations in both finance and management information systems and wanted to make sure that I had an understanding of what both industries look like before graduating,” said the Costello College of Business student, who investigated to more than 200 internships in her search.

Pathak’s main project this summer is to create a comprehensive power business intelligence dashboard for SRE.

SRE operates solar assets for people who live in apartments or rented space, and don’t have the means or opportunity to install solar panels on their homes. Community solar or shared solar allows more people to go solar in an efficient and renewable way by subscribing to the shared solar array for credits that lower their energy bills.

SRE has around 10 teams ranging from land development and geographic information systems to project finance and engineering, Pathak said. “Managing the company’s solar assets sits right at the end of the cycle, moving cash flow around and seeing that both the customer and our joint venture partners are paid out,” she said.

“I'm really excited about this assignment because not only does it directly correspond to what I'm learning at George Mason, but this is something that SRE’s asset management team and the C-suite executives at Summit Ridge are going to be using on a regular basis going forward,” said Pathak, who is an Honors College student.

The internship combines her business skills with her passion for sustainability, which is also one of the university’s main research areas and the focus of its Institute for a Sustainable Earth.

“I'm always trying to approach things from a sustainable point of view,” said Pathak. “I know there's a lot of preconceived notions about business majors only caring about money, and I want to prove that I care about the bigger world around me.”

When Pathak first came to George Mason, she joined Costello’s Impact Fellows Program where she was able to approach essential business courses with a sustainability mindset.

“I’ve experienced a lot of cool extracurriculars through this program. We went to visit a bee farm and took a trip to Asheville, North Carolina, to visit sustainable businesses; everything from nonprofits that work on water waste management in the region to big food banks,” said Pathak.

She also served as a member of the Mason Sustainability Council and as the undersecretary of University Sustainability with George Mason’s Student Government during her sophomore year.

“That role involved a lot of correspondence with fellow students, faculty and staff, and people in the local community, and bringing them together for events like the Patriot Packout or Earth Month initiatives,” said Pathak.

Pathak is also featured in University Sustainability videos teaching students the best practices for recycling, saving water, minimizing our carbon footprint, and more.

“I love the Earth and hope to integrate this passion into whatever job I end up doing post-grad,” said Pathak.

“I'm always trying to approach things from a sustainable point of view”

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Hacking a tough labor market: Tips for recent grads

Colleen Rich — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 17:59:41 +0000

Hacking a tough labor market: Tips for recent grads Colleen Rich Mon, 06/17/2024 - 13:59

The Class of 2024 graduated into a relatively challenging labor market. Jackie Brown, assistant professor in the Business Foundations area at the Costello College of Business at ��AV, said recent grads should be leaning a little harder into core professional skills, such as networking.

Jackie Brown. Photo provided

She says that even in a competitive market, networking in the right way will make you a leading candidate for that dream first job. More importantly, it can start you on a path toward long-term career fulfillment.

What would be your main piece of advice to a recent George Mason graduate who’s looking for their dream job?

The most effective way to pursue the career you want is through networking. That is especially the case for early-career individuals, who have little or no professional track record to point to. And the intense competition created by challenging labor markets makes networking even more important.

Notice I said “the career you want,” not “the job you want.” That’s a key distinction, because networking is an indispensable professional skill to learn and use over the length of a career, not just on the job hunt. Networking for the purposes of information gathering and relationship building, rather than solely to identify job leads, can help identify trends and other salient factors affecting your targeted industry. You want to become familiar with the goals, challenges, and culture of the industry you’re attempting to join. As you engage with potential employers, you can use that knowledge to frame informed questions that will reveal more about what that company is looking for and how you could contribute.

Can you say more about how early-career professionals can use the knowledge learned through networking?

Having a deep understanding, both at the industry and company level, will help you craft an effective “pitch” for use in cover letters and interviews. The idea is not just to prove you have done your homework, but to make a strong case for your “culture fit” and the benefits you would bring to that employer. As much as possible, you should customize your pitch to suit the industry, company, and individual(s) concerned.

Beyond being informed, how can early-careers get the greatest bang for their networking buck?

Building strong relationships through networking is, of course, first and foremost about communication. When interacting digitally, it’s easy to communicate without first thinking about the context, especially for young people who fire off texts as easily and naturally as breathing. But in any written communication, such as an introductory email or LinkedIn connect request, it is vital to exercise rhetorical awareness, i.e., adapting language based on the context, scope, and expectations or understanding of the recipient. Think about the probable state of mind of the intended recipient, the information they would need in order to decide to grant or deny your request, any help you could potentially offer, etc.

What about the question of online vs. in-person networking? Which is more likely to move the career needle?

I would encourage recent grads to work against the inherent impersonality of post-COVID online interactions. For example, when attending Zoom webinars for industry professionals, being one of the few to turn your camera on will make you more memorable. After all, a digital encounter is OK in and of itself, but is perhaps most valuable as a stepping stone to an in-person connection, which can yield higher-quality connections.

How wide a networking net should people be casting? Should they be solely focused on folks who can get them a job?

Networking communications are opportunities to show kindness and inclusivity—two increasingly sought-after leadership “essential skills,” as I refer to them, or more commonly known as “soft skills.” You’ve probably already heard that after an interview, you should send timely, thoughtful, and thankful follow-up emails to the hiring manager (and any other participants). But have you reached out to thank that LinkedIn connection who steered you to the job posting in the first place? What about your ex-professor who helped you with your resume and cover letter? Or the administrative associate who did the work to align everyone’s schedules for the interview? Kind and inclusive networking communications certainly take time, but should be viewed as a necessary investment that will pay handsome career and relational dividends that go far beyond any one job opportunity.

Jackie Brown has worked in nonprofit organizations, legal establishments (law firm and court house), digital consultancies, and universities. She has been with the Costello College of Business at ��AV since 2012.

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Celebrate Mason Korea's 10th Anniversary

Mason Korea senior is making his mark through networking

Colleen Rich — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 12:59:02 +0000

Mason Korea senior is making his mark through networking Colleen Rich Mon, 06/10/2024 - 08:59

When Joonhyuck Lee was visiting the United States on summer breaks, he did not know that he would eventually study abroad there. When he had to choose between going to college in Korea or taking a gap year, he decided that the study-abroad track would be much more beneficial than attending a local Korean university.

Joonhyuck Lee. Photo provided

Unlike some students whose parents, friends, or private institutions introduced them to universities abroad, Lee attempted to find the best study-abroad option himself. Noticing the financial advantage of the tuition discount at Mason Korea compared to other institutions that required him to pay more than two times the cost, he took his chances to Songdo, South Korea, rather than straight to the United States.

“The fact that I could take part in an American college environment without leaving my home country was the most attractive aspect,” he said.

Initially planning to study finance during his freshman year, Lee’s passion and interest in the business world exponentially grew after he started saving money through his stock investments. Using his U.S. college education at Mason Korea, he successfully landed an internship at an investment firm in Seoul, where he met with foreign clients worldwide and dived into various market research translation projects. He further perceived the value of his U.S. college degree and the power of networking, something not as familiar to the Korean context.

“Realizing the limited scope of networking opportunities within the Korean industry enabled me to further want to help students voice their opinions so that they can take advantage of their U.S. college background,” said Lee.

Knowing that networking was more important in the United States than in Korea, he continued to move out of his comfort zone to broaden his perspective of the finance industry and build connections with professionals. His first semester at ��AV’s Fairfax Campus was filled with coffee chats with numerous industry leaders and information sessions with several investment banking companies. He boasts that his English skills improved considerably in Virginia and that his language skills are his most valuable asset.

With one semester left until graduation, Lee aspires to be one of the few pioneers for Mason Korea in the finance industry and wants to be a mentor that other Mason Korea students can look up to and ask for advice when navigating their careers.

“What sets Mason Korea apart from other institutions is the pride of being from a tight-knit campus and the passion of the students to elevate the success of this school further,” Lee said. “I hope to represent that pride in finance, where much is still to be established.”

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Celebrate Mason Korea's 10th Anniversary

Senior from Mason Korea’s PPP Program breaks Korean norms

Colleen Rich — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 20:02:17 +0000

Senior from Mason Korea’s PPP Program breaks Korean norms Colleen Rich Mon, 06/03/2024 - 16:02

Yoonsung Shin took a gap year after high school and worked to get a higher score on the Korean national college entrance exam. While considering his options for the next step on his educational journey, he looked at the possibility of taking his college education in the United States after his mom introduced him to Mason Korea.

Yoonsung Shin. Photo provided

“At first, I was honestly skeptical of the whole idea of studying abroad, since I had no exposure to it beforehand,” said Shin. “However, what attracted me was the fact that I could freely follow my interests without any hesitation.

Committed to learning all he could through Mason Korea, he started with something familiar, broadcasting, an interest he held since high school. He enjoyed making new friends with people in the student media, such as the large student organizations, Incheon Global Campus (IGC) Broadcasting Studio (IBS) and Asian Boss Next. However, as he started to realize that machines could replace human labor in the segments of broadcasting he enjoyed, he recognized the importance of becoming proficient in these rising automated technologies.

In response to this revelation, Shin changed his major from a broad concentration in management to a more specific concentration in management information systems (MIS) in his junior year. Although Shin thought the only skill sets that could effectively be applied to all fields were information technology (IT) and coding, he never stopped pursuing diverse experiences.

From interning at a law firm to serving as a resident advisor and helping international students as a teaching assistant learn Korean, Shin made sure that he took advantage of many varied opportunities.

As Shin nears his graduation in December 2024 on ��AV’s Fairfax Campus, he reflected on the value of the Patriot Plus Program (PPP), which requires students from Mason Korea to take a set of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses to reinforce their ability to learn in English. He said he understands why students might be hesitant in an unfamiliar cultural environment but also encourages them to break away from their comfort zone.

“Take the chance not to follow the life set by Korean social norms, but rather take responsibility to learn and experience as much as one can,” he said. “Being a Patriot has taught me that success is an equation of the freedom of choice and responsibility.”

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This student was a pioneer in management consulting at Mason Korea

Colleen Rich — Wed, 29 May 2024 16:44:38 +0000

This student was a pioneer in management consulting at Mason Korea Colleen Rich Wed, 05/29/2024 - 12:44

Throughout his time at a STEM-focused high school, Chanyoung Kim, BS Business ’24, aspired to be a scholarship student in Japan, following in the footsteps of his high school classmates. However, a rejection letter prompted him to pivot to a different cultural and language context.

Chanyoung Kim. Photo provided

“My first experience with Mason Korea was an exhilarating blend of anticipation and curiosity, intertwined with a strong awareness of the challenges ahead,” said Kim, who graduated from ��AV this May. “The transition to an English-speaking educational environment initially presented itself as a formidable challenge, particularly since I had spent a significant amount of time in Korea, where English was not my daily language.”

Despite previously being a STEM student, Kim had a keen interest in business strategies. At that time, as he did not have a strong career goal, he took a chance majoring in management, hoping that he might find a more specific area to delve into.

Later, coming out of his mandatory military service, he dove into the world of management consulting, hearing that it was a great job for those burning with curiosity. However, recognizing that management consulting was a difficult industry to break into, Kim took the initiative to get support from Mason Korea. He founded the Mason Consulting Group to create a platform for students to learn about the latest trends in consulting jobs, hone their skills in strategic thinking, and share their passion for consulting. The student group even participated in an international business case competition hosted by HSBC.

In spite of his initial trepidation about English, being a college student at a U.S. institution turned out to be an advantage as he applied for internships, as his English skills caught the eyes of a U.S.-based consulting firm’s Seoul office. He followed this experience with an internship with the Big 3 consulting firm, Bain & Company. His experience at these two firms and his involvement in mobility, blockchain, and hydrogen business projects allowed him to find his specialized interest in renewable energy and mergers and acquisitions.

“The experience of strategizing, presenting ideas, and receiving feedback in a real-world environment fostered a unique form of learning that went beyond the traditional classroom, enriching my understanding of the relevance and efficacy of business theories in addressing real-world challenges,” Kim said.

Realizing the importance of having a specialized industry focus in consulting firms, Kim started his journey in Fairfax in fall 2023, declaring a minor in renewable energy. The curriculum of the minor required an internship, which allowed him to be part of an on-campus research project that explores the possibility of installing solar panels on George Mason campuses.

To further develop his English skills, he went out of his comfort zone to participate in language exchange sessions and met with Writing Center tutors. “The initial struggles with language and adaptation were, in retrospect, a blessing in disguise,” he said. “They were not mere obstacles but opportunities that enabled me to rapidly enhance my English proficiency and adjust to new environments more efficiently.”

Looking back at his four years at George Mason and looking forward to his career, Kim hopes to continue helping other students interested in consulting to acquire meaningful experiences in the industry. He wants to help establish a management consulting association at Mason Korea to help prospective students. He hopes his experiences show other Mason Korea students an unexpected directional change in life can be a true silver lining.

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