Gerardo Daniel Valladares

Student Spotlight: To Save Democracy, You Need to Understand It First

Andrew J Schappert — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 18:47:17 +0000

Student Spotlight: To Save Democracy, You Need to Understand It First Andrew J Schappert Tue, 04/12/2022 - 14:47

In This Story

Shreyas Adicherla: ‘I plan to use the knowledge that I have learned in the Democracy Lab to approach issues surrounding democracy with more insight.’ Photo by Steven Rallens

It’s a question asked on just about every political media outlet since Jan. 6, 2021: Can American democracy be saved?

"I think that understanding democracy is more important than saving it,” said Shreyas Adicherla, a government and international politics student. “Saving democracy at the least would require one to understand the dynamics of it, which people massively misconstrue.”

In that case, Adicherla is in the right place: The freshman Schar School student from Little Rock, Ark., is one of the inaugural members of the Schar School’s Democracy Lab, a tight-knit community of first-year students who live together, study together, attended special speaker presentations, share field trips to Washington, D.C.’s institutions, and perform tandem research projects.

“Learning communities” such as the Democracy Lab allows students “to immediately have a network of peers and friends with common interests that can help them to feel a greater source of community,” said Peter Mandaville, Democracy Lab’s founding faculty director. “In some aspects, it makes a large university have the feel of a small liberal arts college.”

So far, the promises of Democracy Lab have lived up to expectations, Adicherla said.

“Learning Communities allow students to make meaningful relationships while having an invaluable learning experience,” he said. “I made a lot of new friends, and we hang out, whether it’s impromptu trips to Washington, [historic] Eastern Market [shopping center], or day trips to the Shenandoah Mountains.

“I thought adjusting to college would be pretty difficult, but George Mason has made it really easy…All the professors are incredible and easy to work with and talk to, especially in the Schar School,” he said. ”The Democracy Lab has allowed me to meet professors and have one-on-one discussions and thoroughly analyze topics that one wouldn't talk about elsewhere. When I was looking into universities, other schools didn't have the opportunities Mason offered, the Democracy Lab being one of them.

“I've only been here for a semester and a half, and I feel like I've grown as a person.”

As for “saving democracy,” what he’s learning now will enhance whatever contribution he makes.

"I plan to use the knowledge that I have learned in the Democracy Lab to approach issues surrounding democracy with more insight,” he said. “Democracy means ‘the will of the people’ and uplifting people who can't access the foundations of democracy—that would be the only way to save it."

Adicherla, who excelled at Little Rock Central High, chose Mason for its location near Washington—and it didn’t hurt that he was awarded a Schar Scholars scholarship.

“I'm extremely grateful,” he said of the scholarship, adding that the funding “is one of the biggest reasons I came to Mason. It's nice to be recognized for the work I put into high school. I took an obscene amount of AP classes, and it paid off.”

Topics

Democracy Lab

Schar School News April 2022

Democracy Lab Learning Community

Daksha Magesh: She Saw Potential, She Receives Inspiration

Andrew J Schappert — Mon, 13 Dec 2021 14:38:27 +0000

Daksha Magesh: She Saw Potential, She Receives Inspiration Andrew J Schappert Mon, 12/13/2021 - 09:38

Daksha Magesh: ‘I wanted to find a community of people who would push me to do my best, to help me reach my full potential. I found that.’

Daksha Magesh came to the Schar School after graduating from the Tesla STEM High School in her home of Seattle, Washington. The first-year government and international politics student brought with her the sort of resume that makes public policy employers’ eyes grow wide: She’s interned with a state senator, served as a legislative page, collaborated on two senate campaigns, worked for a mental health nonprofit, and performed scientific research in music and learning.

How did she come to ��AV? After all, there are a lot of colleges between Seattle and Fairfax, Virginia.

“When I was in the eighth grade, I came to [Washington,] D.C. for the first time on a school trip and absolutely fell in love with the city,” Magesh said. “I was awestruck. There was this representation of wanting to do better, of wanting to see a future in which everyone can thrive together as a community.

“When I was [researching] George Mason I saw that potential. I saw the potential to be a community that works together toward change. It combined everything I was looking for.”

Once she arrived, the Honors College student found the school allowed for personal growth as well. “I was looking for an opportunity to expand. I wanted to find a community of people who would push me to do my best, to help me reach my full potential,” she said. “I found that.”

Magesh had vital support of key employers throughout high school, including Washington State Senator Manka Dhingra, who represents Seattle in the 45^th District.

“She was a mentor and role model to me,” Magesh said. “As an intern, I did everything from phone banking to canvassing. But getting to work on the senate floor was one of the greatest experiences of my life.”

In addition to the internship, Magesh worked for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), a nonprofit that advocates for family members of those diagnosed with mental illness. Meanwhile, in her spare time, she was a dancer with a Bollywood dance troupe that happened to raise funds for charities.

“One year, the proceeds [of the Bollywood concert] went to NAMI,” she said. “Two sides of my life came together and it was really cool to do something I love and also contribute to a good cause.”

In addition to being interested in policy and mental health, she also enjoys neuroscience. In fact, a paper she wrote as a high school junior combined her love of music with her passion for science.

“I wrote a research paper on beta wave measurement and how that correlates to academic excellence and music,” she said. “I've always been interested in how the brain works, so I rewired an electric encephalogram and used that to measure students' brain waves while they listened to different types of music and completed a math test.”

The paper, “Examining Correlation Between the Genre of Music Present & Increased Academic Performance Through Beta Wave Measurement,” was published in the Journal of Student Research, an achievement of its own.

Magesh is one of this year’s Schar Scholars scholarship recipients. The program provides financial support to students majoring in public administration or government and international politics.

“It’s exciting to see the experiences and energy that our Schar Scholars bring to Mason,” said Shannon Williams, assistant dean for student engagement at the Schar School. “Daksha is in her first year here, and she hasn’t wasted any time welcoming the connections she has discovered and opening up new possibilities for herself and her Schar School community.”

Magesh’s academic studies during her first year at the Schar School have not slowed her down. In fact, she’s even more inspired.

“I see the drive, passion, and ambition,” she said of the school. “It's really interesting to come here and know I made the right choice.”

Topics

Undergraduates

internships

Schar School News December 2021

‘How Washington Really Works’: A Collaborative Class with the University of Pennsylvania

Andrew J Schappert — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 21:05:14 +0000

‘How Washington Really Works’: A Collaborative Class with the University of Pennsylvania Andrew J Schappert Tue, 12/07/2021 - 16:05

In This Story

Steven Pearlstein

Steven Pearlstein. Photo by Creative Services

A first-ever course taught by political insiders arrives during the spring 2022 semester that will help students understand how politics is accomplished in the nation’s capital. And it takes place on Capitol Hill.

GOVT 467: Issues in Economic Policy—also known as “How Washington Really Works”—features Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post columnist and Mason Robinson Professor of Public Affairs Steven Pearlstein and Zeke Emmanuel, former health care advisor for President Obama and now the vice provost for global initiatives and chair of the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the University of Pennsylvania.

Emmanuel, Pearlstein said, “thought it would be fun to teach a course about how Washington really works and he suggested we do it together. I said, that's a great idea but there's a little problem: Your school is in Pennsylvania and my school is in Virginia.”

As it happens, Penn operates the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement on Constitution Avenue, just blocks from the Capitol. The idea, Pearlstein said, was that “we could teach the course in Washington and we could have the students from Penn come south and the ones from [Mason] come north.”

Zeke Emmanuel. Photo by Candace di Carlo

The Friday classes will feature special speakers who will elaborate on insights of eight case studies the course will explore. Cases range from the 1957 Civil Rights Act to welfare reform to Obamacare. According to the course description, “policy debates, political dealing, and the motivations and ambitions of politicians and policy makers will be examined, along with the roles of interest groups, think-tanks, and the media.” (Lunch and Metro fare will be provided to each student.)

In the final weeks, students working in groups of politically like-minded colleagues, will be tasked with creating comprehensive and politically-realistic policy proposals related to immigration, poverty, and taxes.

“Our aim is for [students] to not be cynical about how policy is made but to be realistic,” Pearlstein said of the goal of the course.

Ultimately, students will understand how public policy is achieved when stakeholders have competing interests.

Topics

Government

public administration

Capitol Hill

Schar School News December 2021

Meet the Freshman Working in the Student Senate and What He Hopes to Accomplish

Andrew J Schappert — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 19:44:48 +0000

Meet the Freshman Working in the Student Senate and What He Hopes to Accomplish Andrew J Schappert Tue, 12/07/2021 - 14:44

Zayd Hamid is a first-year Schar School student from Manassas Park, Virginia, serving as the vice chair of the Mason Student Senate academics committee as well as the senate outreach liaison. While those who represent the student body in student government likely have their own motivations for serving, Hamid’s reason for adding student government duties to a busy schedule can be pinpointed to a local elected official.

“One of my biggest inspirations is [Virginia] Delegate Danica Roem [D-13], a fantastic public servant who represents my home city of Manassas Park,” he said. (Roem, it should be pointed out, is a former longtime journalist and, in 2018, became the first out transgender person elected to the Virginia General Assembly.)

“She was part of what inspired me to join student government in high school,” Hamid said. “I wanted to continue that work of constituent service here at Mason. I want to be someone who can make lives better through policy formation and execution, to be a signer of legislation that tangibly improves lives.”

Hamid, who is majoring in government and international politics, said he enjoys the nuts and bolts of politics: “I love discussing legislation and passing things that improve the quality of life for students. In regard to my motivations for representing my fellow students, I do it because I care about my community. I have a lot of friends here and I know that I’m in a place of influence where I can make a change to support people in need. The people I care about make the stress and work of the job all worth it every day. “

Prior to enrolling at Mason, Hamid served as captain of Manassas Park High School’s academic team, participated in several programs and organizations, and worked for his local community center among other activities that involved him in his community.

“These varied experiences have given me a diverse background of experiences to help me prepare for a school like Mason, which takes pride in the diverse array of opportunities available for students to explore,” he said. “I’ve fostered my personal and professional skills over the years and hope to continue doing so through the opportunities at Mason—to make me a better student, a better public servant, and a better man.”

Hamid parted with some words for the Mason student body.

“I want people to know that the student government is here for you,” he said. “We are here to support and serve you. Anyone can feel free to reach out with ideas for what they’d like to see changed on campus and we will try our best to materialize those wishes. Always feel free to reach out to me; I am here for you. That goes for all my colleagues in student government as well.”

Read more about Mason’s student government.

Topics

student government

Schar School News December 2021

Government and International Politics

Schar School BA in Government and International Politics

Congressional Internship as a Freshman? Meet the First-Year Scholar Doing Just That—and More.

Andrew J Schappert — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 15:11:57 +0000

Congressional Internship as a Freshman? Meet the First-Year Scholar Doing Just That—and More. Andrew J Schappert Thu, 12/02/2021 - 10:11

In This Story

Jennifer N. Victor

Freshman Molly Izer: ‘I can confidently say that while I expected college to change my perspectives, I found that it was my scope, rather than perspective, that had changed.’

Before coming to Mason, Molly Izer worked at a factory and on a family-owned farm in rural Oregon. Now she’s walking the famous marble corridors of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., as a Congressional intern. It should be pointed out that Izer, who is majoring in government and international politics at the Schar School, is an 18-year-old freshman.

Izer lives on campus in the Honors College Learning Community which gives students the opportunity to live together, study together, and grow in community alongside one another. We had the opportunity to ask Izer some questions about her internship.

Schar School: Can you tell us about your internship on Capitol Hill?
Molly Izer: I am currently working for U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) in the House of Representatives as a legislative affairs intern. I have loved the internship so far. In addition to having a hard-working and brilliant staff, Congressman Blumenauer is engaged in quite a few projects on the Ways and Means Committee and advocates for progressive policies.

SS: What issues do you deal with?
MI: I’ve enjoyed getting involved in climate legislation the most, given its urgency. While it is immensely frustrating to wait on Congress to act on various issues I find important, being able to get intimately involved with the process has somewhat alleviated that frustration—but don’t get me started on the reconciliation negotiations!

I am mostly hoping to gain a deeper understanding of the legislative process, and to connect concepts that I have only learned of in a hypothetical sense to a very real and influential body.

SS: How did your previous experiences at home in Oregon help you secure a Congressional internship?
MI: Given that I am a freshman and congressional offices generally prefer more [experienced] students, I believe the deciding factor was the extensive engagement I’ve had in the district Congressman Blumenauer represents, Oregon’s 3rd District. K.C. Hanson, the chair of the Oregon Democratic Party, agreed to write a letter of recommendation because of my involvement in local and state politics.

In Oregon, I completed my senior year of high school remotely while working in an industrial factory. I also worked for several years at a small family-owned farm. The duality of these two fields gave me a deep understanding of the working class that I think is particularly lacking in [national politics]. My parents are small business owners and their influence and guidance has taught me to constantly connect back to “the real world”—that is, the real impact that government has on lives.

In my junior year of high school, a coworker and I founded a grassroot [organization] dedicated to mobilizing youth for progressive causes in rural areas. Through my work as manager, I became closely involved in local politics, and worked with local organizers to host events, write and advocate for policies, and teach community engagement, policy writing, and local organizing to other youth advocates.

Before committing to Mason, I taught some material that was written by [Schar School Associate Professor Jennifer N. Victor] at one of the grassroot policy-writing workshops I ran in Oregon. Working with marginalized communities in rural areas emphasized the importance of what we do in Washington; it is easy to dehumanize the legislative process when we learn about it because the ideas are so complex that they instill a cognitive separation between theory and reality. In pondering the possibility of what institutions could achieve, we forget to consider how they are currently operating.

The cognitive dissonance not only separates us from solutions, it also erases the parts of government that make it worth the effort. By grounding solutions in impacts, we can appreciate the policies that change lives.

SS: How has your time at Mason been so far?
MI: Mason and the Schar School have exceeded my expectations in providing both an intensive and applicable academic workload. I can confidently say that while I expected college to change my perspectives, I found that it was my scope, rather than perspective, that had changed.

In addition, my classes seem to complement each other in a way that allows me to make connections across several different courses, which has allowed me to view problem-solving as a more multidisciplinary task.

I have, of course, enjoyed all my professors thus far, but the professor and course that I can confidently say is the favorite is GOV 103 with Jennifer Victor. In addition to incredibly prescient and relevant discussions, Dr. Victor is great at encouraging student engagement. The opportunity to discuss current events with my peers in the context of American institutions has been extremely valuable.

SS: What are your plans for your time at Mason?
MI: My most ambitious goal is to intern in both houses of Congress and the executive branch. I also want to continue the research I am currently working on with Dr. Victor—I think there is so much I can learn from her and the process of research itself. I am currently coding Congressional caucus data for her ongoing data compilation. In addition, Dr. Victor and I are in the process of coauthoring a paper on the persistence of Congressional caucuses and the causes of their longevity.

SS: Do you have any advice for prospective students?
MI: Don’t feel pressure to fulfill the college student archetype—in that same vein, don’t feel pressure to resist it, either. No one else gets to decide what your education will look like. It will be exactly what you make of it.

Topics

internships

Schar School News December 2021

Can You Study Abroad and Be a Full-time U.S. Student? Meet the Schar School Senior Who Is Doing Just That.

Andrew J Schappert — Wed, 27 Oct 2021 20:23:28 +0000

Can You Study Abroad and Be a Full-time U.S. Student? Meet the Schar School Senior Who Is Doing Just That. Andrew J Schappert Wed, 10/27/2021 - 16:23

Cato Abbot in Rome: ‘Being abroad and taking courses that are based in a non-U.S.-centric point of view has been a benefit to the idea of holistic education, not to mention the fact that it has been fascinating.’

Cato Abbot is a senior studying government and international politics at the Schar School of Policy and Government at ��AV. But unlike other Mason students, he is actually studying in Rome—yes, Italy—at Luiss Guido Carli University. We caught up with the Nashville native between classes to learn what it’s like studying for a degree abroad.

Schar School: Why Rome?
Cato Abbot: I have always thoroughly enjoyed traveling, and so I have been involved with the Global Education Office for much of my time at Mason. I chose Rome due to multiple factors: As a freshman at Mason, I joined the inaugural class of the Global Gateway program, which was an opportunity for freshmen to study abroad in the second semester of their first year in college. Through this program, I studied at Mason Korea in Seoul, South Korea, in the spring of my first year. Thanks to this amazing opportunity, I had already studied in Asia and wanted to experience a different part of the world.

SS: What’s it like being a student in Rome?
CA: Rome, and more broadly Italy as well, has been fantastic so far! Being in Rome and going from the apartment to your class means taking the bus past the Pyramid of Cestius, riding the metro next to the Roman Colosseum, and passing underneath the Aurelian Walls at least twice.

Simply walking to the local market or to the metro is filled with so much more history and significance than anywhere in the U.S. simply because Rome is so much older. There are so many ancient Roman ruins all over the place that they just start blending into everything else. The Colosseum, the Vatican, and the Roman Pantheon are all breathtaking. The Imperial Fora built by Caesar, Augusts, and Trajan, while in ruin, is also incredible.

And all of the museums and local events happening every weekend are a treat. You don’t run out of things to do on the weekend. I only wish I have more time here to travel and visit more of Italy and the rest of Europe! But I will be back, no doubt about it.

SS: Do you ever miss anything from home?
CA: I feel that I am fairly good at adjusting to new situations and putting myself out of my comfort zone. I know culture shock can severely affect some people, and certainly, when I went to South Korea with my fellow Global Gateway cohort, I suspect there were some who had a difficult time adjusting at first. I loved it from the minute the plane touched down to lift off at the end. And it has very much been the same experience here in Rome. Of course, everyone misses home occasionally and nothing can always be perfect, but studying abroad for me has been a consistently highly positive experience.

SS: How has the Schar School shaped your experience?
CA: Concentrating in international relations as part of my major at the Schar School has been a big positive to studying abroad. I have been studying the governments and politics of countries around the world and their interactions with each other at the Schar School, which has been very useful over here in Rome. It goes both ways in that studying abroad has also benefited my major as well.

Being abroad and taking courses that are based in a non-U.S.-centric point of view has been a benefit to the idea of holistic education, not to mention the fact that it has been fascinating. The Schar School has been a major help in introducing me to global ideas and concepts that continue to be useful abroad. It was an interest in global issues and international relations that drew me to the Schar School in the first place.

SS: How do you take in person classes in Rome?
CA: Mason has an exchange program with Luiss, so I am taking courses offered by Luiss that were previously approved over the summer as having Mason equivalent courses. Then the credits transfer over at the end of the semester.

SS: Would you recommend the study abroad experience for others?
CA: It is absolutely worth it! At the risk of sounding like a walking advertisement for the Global Education Office, I think that everyone should study abroad…For us GVIP majors, studying abroad gives invaluable experience in what is an extremely globalized world where nations are completely intertwined with one another.

In my experience, the Global Education Office does a fantastic job at helping anyone who wants to study abroad, regardless of major, background, or financial status. I often hear money as a reason for not going abroad, but I have found studying abroad to be at least comparable to Fairfax, if not overall even less costly. Moreover, the Global Education Office has plenty of scholarships, grants, and other financial aid to help with studying abroad.

SS: How can this experience help you and others in their future?
CA: I cannot stress enough that having experience with cultures and people who are not like you, who do not speak the same language as you and who may view the world in a completely different way than you do gives you such a massive advantage when entering the workforce in the field of international politics and government.

I have been fortunate enough to have been able to study abroad twice in my undergraduate career, and I suspect that if it hadn’t been for the pandemic, I may have studied abroad three times. I can’t get enough of it! Sure, there is a list of challenges that will have to be dealt with, such as language barriers, but it is all without a doubt worth it.

Topics

study abroad

Schar School News October 2021

Internships? Meet the Schar School Senior Who Has Had 3 (and Is Seeking a 4th).

Andrew J Schappert — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 13:48:49 +0000

Internships? Meet the Schar School Senior Who Has Had 3 (and Is Seeking a 4th). Andrew J Schappert Tue, 10/05/2021 - 09:48

Fyzah Islam: ‘Never feel that you, especially if you are a person of color or as a woman, are underqualified for the job.’

��AV students have countless opportunities to get involved in research projects, build connections with people, and intern at key agencies and firms, ranging from the federal government to Fortune 500 companies. One student who has spent her undergraduate experience building life-long connections and gaining meaningful experiences is Fyzah Islam.

Islam is a senior pursuing a bachelor of arts degree in Government and International Politics and a master’s degree in International Commerce Policy through the Schar School’s Accelerated Master’s Program. But in addition, she has experienced three internships over the past three years.

“I had a let’s-apply-and-see-what-happens attitude for each internship,” she said of her motivation. Here is a brief recap of her internships and her takeaways.

First up, during the fall 2020 semester, Islam was a finance intern for the Democratic Attorney General’s Association (DAGA) “For DAGA, I was looking for something to get a foot into the professional world,” she said. “Working on election night was so hectic and entertaining, and it was a welcome distraction from all the presidential election drama. I have a newfound appreciation for poll counters and election reports. The stress of their job is enough to last all year.”

In the spring 2021semester, Islam was a political and communications intern for America Votes, where she helped double the social media presence of the national nonprofit organization. In the summer of 2021, she became a global corporate affairs intern for financial software giant Intuit.

“Intuit was my first internship where I was doing exactly what I wanted,” she said, acknowledging the benefits of the previous internships. “Researching existing policy and applying those implications to the future. Internships show you what you can have in your career future, and I hope my career mimics this internship.”

Islam learned about each of these internships through the University Career Services information portal, Handshake, a comprehensive listing of regional and local internships and job opportunities available to students.

Islam said each of her internships cumulatively helped her realize what career path she wanted. She hopes to complete her master’s degree while securing yet another internship with National Public Radio or a private company and eventually find herself working in international policy or data policy analysis. She’s even thinking about getting a second master’s degree in secondary education to begin teaching and motivating others to pursue their interests in international policy.

“Internships are so worth it,” she said of the effort to secure them and then stay in them. “If there is a company that interests you, check their website and apply. Never feel that you, especially if you are a person of color or as a woman, are underqualified for the job.

“Even if you only have one of the qualifications, you might fit. During my internship at Intuit, I was the only 19-year-old undergraduate in all my meetings. The rest of the interns in the policy department were in law school. You are qualified.”

When asked about how she manages to balance all her classes, work, and internships into her schedule Islam was candid: “In all honestly, it comes down to the fact that I don't know anything else than juggling 50 things at the same time. I've been doing this since first grade when I started Girl Scouts. It comes down to being best friends with your planner, having your phone glued to your hand, and having a support system that gets your brand on crazy—while encouraging you to have a break every so often.”

Topics

internships

Government and International Politics

University Career Services

Schar School News October 2021

Fyzah Islam

Schar School of Policy and Government Undergraduate Internships

Schar School BA in Government and International Politics