Priyanka Champaneri

The awards keep coming for ��AV’s new brand

Colleen Rich — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 19:43:45 +0000

The awards keep coming for ��AV’s new brand Colleen Rich Wed, 10/30/2024 - 15:43

��AV’s new brand, fully unveiled just a half year ago, is already garnering award-winning notice from marketing, communications, and higher education spheres.

The comprehensive university rebranding project, led by the Office of University Branding (OUB), began in 2021 with the revamping of George Mason’s editorial brand, done in collaboration with external ad agency Sunshine & Bourbon. The visual rebrand followed, done in collaboration with the agency Ologie. Both efforts included extensive market research, surveys, and roundtables to glean feedback from the university community.

The final outcome included a new brand narrative that emphasized the university’s standing as a rising leader in higher education, and the tagline of All Together Different that celebrates George Mason’s unique and inclusive approach. New messaging rallied around themes intrinsic to the university’s identity: grit, audacity, diversity, and inclusivity. The visual rebrand included a new interlocking “GM” logo, a streamlined logo system, and bolder versions of the university’s signature green and gold.

With the new brand in place, the university got to work creating materials that tell George Mason’s story using the new look and messaging. And those materials soon began to pick up accolades.

The #ChooseMason video series, a collaboration between OUB and Integrated Enrollment Marketing (IEM), was a Silver Winner at the 2024 Telly Awards in the Educational Institution–Branded Content category. The series featured videos with individual George Mason students telling their stories and sharing why the university was the ideal place for them to learn and grow.

Several print marketing pieces won 2024 Best of District III awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). The 2023-24 freshman viewbook, a piece that’s distributed to prospective applicants, won in the design category, while George Mason’s entire print recruitment package won in the student recruitment publications category. Both pieces were created by OUB and IEM. And the College of Education and Human Development received recognition for a mailer detailing its advanced programs, winning in the direct mail advertising category.

Each of the award-winning pieces resulted in marked growth in student interest, with a 12% increase in freshman applications, 18% in Honors College, and 8% in transfers. These pieces are all key to telling the George Mason story and attracting future Patriots.

The latest accolade came from Chief Marketer, which awarded George Mason Best Campaign Look and Feel/Design in the Design and Creativity category—surpassing such national competition as the revived Motorola Razr campaign. The Chief Marketer awards are juried by executives from both nonprofit and for-profit sectors, including UnderArmour, AAA, and the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning.

“Rebranding an institution as large and as celebrated as George Mason is a massive undertaking,” said Paul Allvin, vice president and chief brand officer. “The fact that we’re seeing such a positive response both from the university community but also from industry leaders is a tremendous validation of the thoughtful collaboration and work that went into this effort.”

Go behind the scenes to learn about our growth and journey to modernize George Mason's brand identity

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Faculty and Staff News

Office of University Branding

Integrated Enrollment Marketing IEM

Strategic Direction

George Mason alumna and her furry coworker fight for Fairfax County kids

Colleen Rich — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 14:27:02 +0000

George Mason alumna and her furry coworker fight for Fairfax County kids Colleen Rich Fri, 08/16/2024 - 10:27

When Samantha Carrico, MSW ’15, enters a room, eyes usually lock onto her charismatic coworker Rylynn, a five-year-old Labrador golden retriever mix. But while Fairfax County’s facility dog gets all the attention, Carrico is the key to making it all happen.

George Mason alum Samantha Carrico and her coworker Rylynn. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

As the supervisor of Volunteer and Partner Services within the county’s Department of Family Services (DFS), this ��AV alumna plays a leading role in providing critical services to children and their families through programs that are powered entirely by volunteers.

“I like to call Volunteer and Partner Services the best-kept secret in DFS,” she said. “We’re providing so many resources to families and communities.”

Those resources include their popular holiday assistance program, Adopt-a-Family; the Befriend-a-Child mentoring program; and body safety classes for children offered in the public schools. Last year, the Body Safety Program alone served 15,000 children.

“It’s been really nice to see the impact that we’re making,” Carrico said. “Prevention is definitely where we’re going to move the needle for child welfare.”

When not managing four full-time staff members, almost 100 volunteers, and leading the county’s child welfare mandated reporter training for agencies ranging from county police departments to the CIA, Carrico is also the official handler for county facility dog Rylynn.

Rylynn is certified to accompany children to the witness stand when they must testify in court. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Carrico was working with Manassas City when she heard of a colleague who worked with a certified service dog and broached the idea with her supervisor. When she learned they could have one only if the dog were free, Carrico didn’t give up. After much research, her perseverance paid off. She found Canine Companions, an organization that offers trained service dogs to organizations and individuals free of charge, and Rylynn entered her life.

“Rylynn is actually the only facility dog at a family services or social services agency in the whole country,” Carrico said. Rylynn attends events and is certified to accompany children to the witness stand when they must testify in court. “She doesn’t have a vest, a badge, a gun. She’s not intimidating, and it’s very rewarding for a family or for a child to know that Rylynn is here for them, with no other agenda.”

Carrico hopes her experience with Rylynn—and her determination to find a way to make it happen—will help pave the way for more agencies nationwide to acquire their own facility dogs.

“Children will disclose when they’re ready, but also when they’re comfortable. And sometimes it’s on us as the professionals to help make sure the environment is comfortable for them.”

A licensed social worker, Carrico has been with Fairfax County in a full-time role since 2020, but her entry into the world of child welfare started long before that—and included a pivotal stop at ��AV.

Born and raised in Northern Virginia, Carrico’s first memories of the university came at an early age, when she attended Camp Mason at the Fairfax Campus. When it came time to think about getting her master’s in social work, the choice was easy.

“Mason felt like a second home,” she says. Encouraged by the Department of Social Work faculty in the College of Public Health, Carrico decided to additionally pursue her licensure.

Carrico cites Valerie Cuffee, a former long-time social work faculty member who also had child welfare experience, as a particular influence. “Having a professor who was sharing her real cases and what she learned from them, and the mistakes she made—that was invaluable.”

Equally invaluable were the many internship opportunities the university offered her, including at a homeless shelter and with Loudoun County’s Department of Family Services. “What really resonated with me from being a student into being a professional is…how enriching my internships were.” She’s since paid the opportunities forward by frequently hiring George Mason students as interns.

It all comes back to her desire to make a difference, whether she’s offering in-person training or sitting quietly while Rylynn comforts a child in distress. “My heart really lies in wanting to do more.”

George Mason College of Public Health Master of Social Work graduate program climbs among top programs in the nation

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Learn more about the College of Public Health's Masters of Social Work

Internship doesn’t pay? Mason’s got you covered

Colleen Rich — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 17:43:20 +0000

Internship doesn’t pay? Mason’s got you covered Colleen Rich Fri, 01/12/2024 - 12:43

Unpaid internships, while often touted as a necessary gateway to a dream job, can pose unexpected barriers for students who may lack the funds for a professional wardrobe or child care, or who simply can’t take on extra hours in addition to working part- or full-time jobs.

Tourism and events management major Yuliana Rud used her scholarship to help pay for an internship in Argentina with Hola Veggie. Photo provided

Traditionally, the benefits of the internship experience have been used to justify the lack of pay. ��AV is anything but traditional, and instead is mindful of these economic barriers that can keep qualified students from taking an unmissable opportunity.

And that’s where Mason’s commitment to access via the Scholarship for Unpaid Internships comes in. Open to all undergraduate and graduate Mason students, the scholarship offers a much-needed infusion of funding that can often mean the difference in allowing a student to take on a career advancement opportunity without compromising themselves financially.

According to Saskia Campbell, executive director of University Career Services (UCS), Mason is filling a gap that can make all the difference in a student’s future. “Internships lead to job offers and higher starting salaries, and University Career Services is focused on creating more inclusive pathways for students to gain relevant experience,” said Campbell.

Since being established in 2017, the scholarship has grown significantly. According to Rebekah Truog, office manager at UCS, 160 students have thus far benefited from the scholarship with close to $250,000 distributed. Initial funding for the scholarship came from the University Life Parents Fund, which continues to occasionally contribute.

Kayleigh Newman. Photo provided

“Most of our funding comes directly from revenue from our Career Fairs,” said Truog. “We also get funding from our Employer Partner Program, as well as direct donations to Career Services. Of those direct donations, 100 percent goes to funding for the scholarship.”

And with those funds, students get to take on opportunities that can make a real difference in securing a career in their dream field after graduation. Among the organizations that Mason students have interned with and gained valuable experience from, Truog noted that many are community health organizations, nonprofits, the federal government, or nongovernmental organizations.

For some of these students, an internship is necessary to gain professional hours required for licensure. This was the case for Nathan Park, who is pursuing an MEd in counseling and development, with a concentration in clinical mental health counseling.

“My internship allowed me to obtain counseling hours so that I may apply for licensure in the state of Virginia,” said Park. “Receiving the scholarship alleviated my financial distress in paying for gas and rent.”

Kinesiology major Kayleigh Newman received the scholarship this past fall to intern at Innovative Physical Therapy and Wellness. “Being exposed to my field [physical therapy], getting to be hands on…and being inspired by seeing the things I am learning in practice” were all benefits of her internship, she said. “My internship has really confirmed to me that this is the right career path for me.”

Nathan Park. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Yuliana Rud, a tourism and events management major, echoes the sentiment. Rud interned in Argentina with Hola Veggie, a plant-based meal kit company. “I’m now more sure than ever that the major and career path I’ve chosen is right for me, and this internship was a big factor in that,” she said. “The scholarship helped cover daily costs while I was living in a different country, such as travel expenses, groceries, and materials for my work.”

Mason alum Austin McManus, BA History ’17, MA History ’18, was one of the first students to benefit. The scholarship helped pay for his housing in Washington, D.C., where he interned for the History Office at the National Archives.

“My time working at the National Archives was an important step in my professional career as a history educator,” said McManus, who is leads the History/Art Department at Fusion Academy, Tysons. “It was essentially the first time working as a historian in the professional world, and I developed important skills that I use in my current role.”

Learn more about the Scholarship for Unpaid Internships

Eating with an Entrepreneur

Lynn Tierney — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 19:29:00 +0000

Eating with an Entrepreneur Lynn Tierney Mon, 10/23/2023 - 15:29

In the endless sea of social media, perhaps you’ve stumbled upon the videos of @DCSpot and been introduced to a new hangout in the Washington, D.C., area.

Clocking in at under a minute, the videos feature first-person walk-through perspectives of a venue, making the viewer feel like they’re already there, taking in the vibe, about to dive into that dish or drink in front of them. Only at the end do you sometimes see the person behind @DCSpot’s more than 200,000 Instagram followers: Mason alum Alex Hussein, BS Information Systems and Operations Management ’21, who was featured in a February 2023 Washingtonian article about food influencers.

Mason alum Alex Hussein, owner/creater of DC Spot. Photo by Ron Aira/Creative Services

“My page isn’t about me,” he says of his content. “It’s about D.C. and the DMV. It’s like a community page.”

Community plays a large role in his career trajectory—particularly the community at Mason. His siblings and four of his friends—all Mason alumni—and his parents influenced his decision to transfer to Mason from Northern Virginia Community College. And when a fellow student suggested he make a video for a Mason sorority, Hussein found his passion and realized he could parlay his skill into a business.

“I wouldn’t have gotten the start I did if I didn’t go to Mason and make the connections I did,” he says. “I was able to network with people—that’s how the opportunity came.”

He took a two-year break from school to focus on his business, often cold-calling or emailing potential clients and offering his services for free. That initiative paid off, and his community circle began to include more individuals paying for his work. But Mason always lingered in the back of his mind, and in spring 2020 he decided to return, switch majors, and finish his degree. “My parents being immigrants, they wanted me to get the degree,” he says. “It felt good just to be able to say, ‘You know, I finished.’”

All the while, he continued growing @DCSpot into what it is today—a content creation company five employees strong. While many social media accounts focus solely on the trendiest new restaurants, Hussein has taken a distinct departure by highlighting family-owned institutions. With his large audience, such videos can have a real positive impact on a business owner’s future prospects. “I like storytelling [about] local small businesses who could use the support…it’s not just me making the impact, but all the people who go out there and support it too.”

Giving back is a major driver for Hussein. His most-watched videos show him walking around various city hot spots and randomly handing out gift cards and positive notes to people he encounters. “It makes for a fun video. I feel good giving back, too,” he says. “I just like to have a good connection with people.”

It’s a different approach, but it’s one that speaks to Hussein’s motivations. “I’m here to grow,” he says. “Doing your passion—you can make more of an impact that way in the world, too.”

As for other Patriots wondering how they can forge their own entrepreneurial paths just like Hussein, he has some advice. “Figure out what you’re passionate about and how you can provide value to people,” he says. “The number one step is to just start.”

This story appears in the Fall 2023 Mason Spirit magazine.

Hussein comes from a Mason family, and with @DCSpot he’s continuing to pay it forward to Patriots. His sister Manal Hussein, BS Administration of Justice ’08, is an alum, and brother Nader Hussein, BS Biology ’11, is an alum and has taught as an adjunct faculty member in the Honors College. And two more Mason alumni are on @DCSpot’s payroll—Emmy Hamed, BA Environmental and Sustainability Studies ’18, MS Conflict Analysis and Resolution ’20, and Emily Compton, BA Sociology ’20.

Start your own Mason journey

Topics

Alumni

Costello College of Business

entrepreneurship

Mason Spirit

Spirit Fall 2023

Birds of a Feather: Alum’s detective work can improve flight safety

Colleen Rich — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 18:37:21 +0000

Birds of a Feather: Alum’s detective work can improve flight safety Colleen Rich Wed, 01/11/2023 - 13:37

The pilot reported that his plane had hit something in the air big enough to knock a hole in the side of the wing. But when Carla Dove, MS Biology ’94, PhD Environmental Science and Public Policy ’98, received the strike sample's DNA results from the lab, she was stumped. “It kept coming back as whitetail deer…we sent it three times.”

Carla Dove in her lab. Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution

The case of the deer in the sky was just one of the 10,000 bird strike cases Dove’s team investigates every year in the Feather Identification Lab at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. As program manager, the ��AV alum identifies the specific birds involved in collisions, with samples coming to her from various branches of the U.S. military, commercial airlines, and more.

It's work that can save lives and improve flight safety. Once the species is identified, airfield biologists work to mitigate the habitat to keep those birds from being attracted to the airfield, while engineers use the data to design safer aircraft and build models to increase awareness of this aviation hazard.

Dove has done this work for decades, going back to when she was pursuing her master’s and PhD at Mason. Mason’s flexibility, she said, was ideal. “The courses being offered at night allowed me to work during the day.”

She also credits the mentorship she received from the late Mason professor emeritus Carl Ernst. “He was extremely helpful, patient, and encouraging because he knew I was a first-generation college student and that I needed a little bit of extra help.”

Carla Dove examines a specimen. Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution

Dove’s experience is typical of Mason’s ethos of welcoming and supporting every kind of student, with 40% of current students identifying as first-generation.

Because of Dove’s work with government and military entities, Ernst advised her to look at a policy PhD. Dove says her PhD helped her advance professionally. “It helps open doors; it helps write grants. It was something that I needed for my job here.”

And her job is a busy one. In addition to the aviation industry, Dove works on everything from crime scene investigations (think evidence from a down jacket or a pillow) to identifying the feathers used on anthropological artifacts like arrow heads, spear tips, and headdresses.

As for that collision supposedly caused by a deer at 1,500 feet? Dove took another look and found a tiny feather remnant. When she observed it under the microscope, it all clicked into place.

“It turned out to be a black vulture,” she said. The bird was likely feeding on a deer just before it soared into the sky and collided with the plane. “That for me was a case of ‘mind over molecules’…you always have to have an open mind [and] think about it in the broad sense—how does all this fit?”

It all comes down to being able to think differently—just one of the ways Dove and her alma mater are birds of a feather.

Topics

Alumni

College of Science

Department of Environmental Science and Policy (ESP)

Meet the Mason Nation: Alissa Karton

Colleen Rich — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 19:19:00 +0000

Meet the Mason Nation: Alissa Karton Colleen Rich Tue, 11/01/2022 - 15:19

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February 23, 2024

Alissa Karton

Job: Assistant to the Vice President and Director of Special Projects, University Life

Alissa Karton. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services

When Alissa Karton began working at ��AV in 1996, the university looked like a very different place, with fewer residence halls, fewer students, and a reputation for being a commuter school. In her various roles with University Life, Karton has had an insider’s view to seeing Mason transform into what she calls “a university that is basically as big as a small town.”

How the University Got a Life—University Life, That Is: When Karton started working at Mason, her unit was known as Student Services, a name that changed to University Life under the helm of former Mason president Alan Merten. That name shift heralded more changes in response to evolving student needs and demographics. “[It] really set a new wave of opportunities for student services staff to work directly with faculty on building connections inside and outside of the classroom,” Karton said. Now, University Life has grown to encompass a whole cohort of organizations and programs, all with the goal of supporting Mason students’ success.

What Makes a Mason Student: Over the past 26 years, Karton has encountered thousands of students in hundreds of different types of interactions, from her work with student organizations and University Life events, to her roles as a mentor and instructor of UNIV 100. “One thing that defines our students is there is no one commonality,” she said. “Our students are resilient and kind to one another. Most are very determined to make the most of their Mason experience and to succeed to make their families and themselves proud.”

Patriots Being There for Patriots: At the onset of the pandemic in 2020, University Life immediately set up the infrastructure to assist students through the Student Emergency Assistance Fund. Karton was part of the team that evaluated student applications for grants to help with everything from paying rent due to loss of income to purchasing a laptop to participate in virtual learning. “To be reading firsthand narratives from our students all day, every day, for the first year of COVID, was extremely impactful and humbling. It was not easy, and we were honored to be able to respond and help students in need.” Now, Karton is part of the team that is allocating funds to assist students who have been affected by the war in Ukraine.

Many Hats, One Favorite: From being an organizer for fundraisers like the Diversity Scholarship Golf Classic, or former student events like First Fridays or Summer Socials, to teaching and mentoring, Karton has worn many hats during her Mason career, describing herself as a “utility player, fulfilling roles and taking on projects that support the division and the university.” But when asked to pick a favorite, Karton doesn’t hesitate: “Anything I was involved in that brought members of the Mason community together with folks that they wouldn’t normally be interacting with on a daily basis at work or in study is my favorite thing.”

Topics

Faculty and Staff News

Mason Spirit

Meet the Mason Nation

University Life

Meet the Mason Nation: Philip Wilkerson

Colleen Rich — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 17:00:05 +0000

Meet the Mason Nation: Philip Wilkerson Colleen Rich Tue, 09/06/2022 - 13:00

Philip Wilkerson. Photo by Ron Aira/Creative Services

Like many of the faculty and staff who work at Mason, Philip Wilkerson, MEd Counseling and Development ’12, started out as a student, first coming to the university to pursue his master’s degree. But his time as a student quickly segued into full-time employment as he found himself growing more and more involved with the Mason community. In his position at University Career Services, he specializes in advising students who are hoping to pursue employment in creative fields, from the performing or visual arts to events management and tourism.

An Average Day: “An average day is one-on-one appointments with students going over job search strategies, meetings with my colleagues, and sometimes [doing] classroom presentations explaining to the gathered Mason community what we offer at Career Services. I also connect with employers to support their recruitment efforts by developing unique programming to attract Mason talent.”

Advising Students during a Pandemic: Many of the industries where Wilkerson’s students are seeking employment were brought to a standstill because of the pandemic. “It's a matter of adjusting to the times,” he says of his subsequent advising conversations. “I try to emphasize to these students [that] your major has given you transferrable skills in other areas. It's about sticking it through and being optimistic for the future. I have been surprised by how creative students have been during this time and [how they] learned technology so fast. I am also inspired by the resiliency of my students.”

Favorite Student Success Stories: “I have too many success stories to call one my favorite,” Wilkerson says. “I keep all my positive emails and notes in a folder. I call it my ‘Good News Folder.’ I also have thank-you notes behind my desk at work that I can look at to help motivate me throughout the day.”

A Sense of Belonging at Mason: “I credit my [master’s] program for launching my career in higher education and giving me a sense of career purpose. My favorite part about working at Mason is that I grew up in this area, and I feel like I am giving back to the community. I love when I meet students who went to local high schools. It makes me feel like I am helping a younger version of myself. I think everyone wants to have an impact and feel like they belong in a community. I found that sense of belonging and community here at Mason both as a student and as an employee.”

Broadcasting Positivity: Wilkerson additionally hosts a podcast, Positive Philter, that he started prior to coming to Mason. “I just wanted an outlet to share positive and uplifting stories…. It's basically a learning tool for me. I get to connect with others and learn new things by hosting the show,” he says. It also turns out to be a way to practice what he preaches to his students: “It's a great way to network with others. I’ve made a lot of new friends through podcasting.”

Topics

Faculty and Staff News

Mason Spirit

Meet the Mason Nation

University Career Services

So Fresh an’ Fine, a Voice Divine

Pam Muirheid — Wed, 18 May 2022 18:31:00 +0000

So Fresh an’ Fine, a Voice Divine Pam Muirheid Wed, 05/18/2022 - 14:31

Aundi Marie Moore

As a young artist in the Domingo-Cafritz Washington National Opera Program in 2007, soprano Aundi Marie Moore, BM ’03, had the chance to chat with Plácido Domingo, one of the most famous opera singers in the world. But the question she asked didn’t have anything to do with music.

“I remember asking…how do you stay rich? He laughed! And he told me, ‘Real estate.’” Moore took the advice to heart, especially after the 2008-09 market crash, when artists were among the first groups to suffer financially. As opportunities to perform began to dwindle, she shifted gears. “I went into real estate school kicking and screaming, and it was the best thing I could have done for myself.”

Now one of the top real estate agents in Maryland (under the name Andrea Barnett), Moore has continued to sing the modern opera that she loves and emphasizes that pursuing an alternate career path has afforded her more freedom to pursue her art. “I pick and choose what I want to do,” she says. “I don’t have to do jobs that I feel don’t pay well enough. If it makes good sense and seems like it would be fun, then I’m going to do it.”

They have followed my career....They show up at my shows....They are waiting backstage at the door. Mason has gems in those professors.

Aundi Marie Moore about her Mason professors

That ability to choose jobs paid off three years ago when Moore began performing the lead role of the mother in Onsite Opera’s production of Amahl and the Night Visitors. Presented in a New York City homeless shelter, the show includes cast members who were homeless. “I wanted to open the doors of high opera to people who might not be able to access it,” Moore says.

Moore’s performance made such an impression on the general manager of the Metropolitan Opera that she was offered the role of Strawberry Woman in the Met’s production of Porgy and Bess. Moore performed in the show’s final 10 performances, fulfilling a dream she’d given up on. “For my voice to go all the way back to that 4,000-seat theater…[and] to hear the thunderous applause, the high is just something I cannot explain.”

But none of that would have been possible without the education and mentorship she received in Mason’s School of Music. She cites her sight singing and ear training professor Linda Monson, choral professor Stanley Engebretson, and voice professor Patricia Miller, as the three Mason faculty members who had the most impact on her career.

Of Miller, Moore says, “When I was having issues, I could just go to her and have a moment with someone who looks like me and just feel like I was at home for a second.”

Engebretson frequently took Moore along on workshops abroad, introducing her to new countries and cultures.

And the relationships didn’t end once Moore graduated. “They have followed my career,” she says. “They show up at my shows. They are waiting backstage at the door. Mason has gems in those professors.”

The COVID-19 crisis and accompanying shutdown reminds Moore of that market crash that propelled her into real estate. To those who are just starting out in their performing careers, she advises, “Find some other work that can go parallel with being an artist, so it can be a vehicle to help you. Artists feel like you are all in or you are not. There are other options.”

From Mason Spirit article written by Priyanka Champaneri (BA '05, MFA '10), July 21, 2020.

Topics

Dewberry School of Music

Alumni

Helping students advance, one coach at a time

Colleen Rich — Wed, 22 Jan 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Helping students advance, one coach at a time Colleen Rich Wed, 01/22/2020 - 05:00

Mason success coach Sharon Kim advises ADVANCE student Sohail Rashid at Northern Virginia Community College. Photo credit: Lathan Goumas / ��AV

As a student success coach for the ADVANCE Program, the joint admissions partnership between ��AV and Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), Sharon Kim divides her work week between Mason’s Fairfax Campus and NOVA’s Annandale Campus.

Her current caseload of about 350 includes online students, adult learners, student-parents, international students and more. ADVANCE has four success coaches, including Kim, and two more are expected to start this spring.

Part of Kim’s job is to guide students and help them stick to their degree plan. But her role doesn’t stop there.

“I try to pay attention to questions students ask, or stories that they share so that I can identify specific support that students will need,” she said.

This means that when a student shares a personal anecdote—explaining that he was late because his child’s babysitter fell through or that she’s unsure about what she wants to do after graduation—the wheels in Kim’s head are turning, and those conversations turn into opportunities to point out resources, such as child care options, or have a discussion about self-assessment and self-interest tools.

“We look at the whole person,” said Kim. “It’s not just about academics—that’s definitely part of it. It’s about life. We try to empower students to remove barriers…every student’s knowledge varies, and meeting them where they are is key to providing support.”

Kim should know. She began her own higher education journey at NOVA and later transferred to Mason, earning her BA in psychology in 2003. She also has an MEd in curriculum and instruction and a graduate certificate in English as a second language, both from Mason.

“I grew up in an immigrant family, so navigating college in the United States was just daunting,” she said. “I try to put myself in the shoes of students because I went through that process.”

Nothing like the ADVANCE Program existed when Kim was pursuing her bachelor’s degree. Now just over a year old, ADVANCE is one of the first programs of its kind.

An aligned curriculum for specific majors ensures that students waste neither time nor money on excess credits at NOVA or Mason. Dedicated support staff, including Kim, guide the students every step of the way.

That highly focused support that the coaches offer is one of the reasons the program has been successful, according to Ashlie Prioleau, executive director of ADVANCE.

“There’s one source that’s telling students how to go from point A to point B consistently,” said Prioleau. “The success coaches are generalists, but they also have to be the masters over their students’ experience as well.”

Given the diversity of the ADVANCE students Kim has seen so far, she’s learned that creating a trusting relationship is the one universal key to being a successful coach.

“It’s important to understand students’ prior experience, identify their potential roadblocks, anticipate student needs,” she said. But a success coach can only take students so far, she added

“I feel very rewarded when students actually exercise their autonomy and do research about…the topic discussed during our coaching session. Because coaching is not just about providing the information…but also [students] taking initiative of what they want to do.”

Explore ADVANCE opportunities

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Mason success coach Sharon Kim advises ADVANCE student Sohail Rashid at Northern Virginia Community College. Photo by Lathan Goumas.

Part of Kim’s job is to guide students and help them stick to their degree plan. But her role doesn’t stop there.

“I try to pay attention to questions students ask, or stories that they share so that I can identify specific support that students will need,” she said.

“I grew up in an immigrant family, so navigating college in the United States was just daunting,” she said. “I try to put myself in the shoes of students because I went through that process.”

Nothing like the ADVANCE Program existed when Kim was pursuing her bachelor’s degree. Now just over a year old, ADVANCE is one of the first programs of its kind.

That highly focused support that the coaches offer is one of the reasons the program has been successful, according to Ashlie Prioleau, executive director of ADVANCE.

Given the diversity of the ADVANCE students Kim has seen so far, she’s learned that creating a trusting relationship is the one universal key to being a successful coach.

Creative Writing alumnus returns as a Visiting Writer

Colleen Rich — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 16:16:01 +0000

Creative Writing alumnus returns as a Visiting Writer Colleen Rich Wed, 09/11/2019 - 12:16

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