Mason Spirit

In her new 'memoir in animals,' Creative Writing professor examines her writing life

Colleen Rich — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 17:46:28 +0000

In her new 'memoir in animals,' Creative Writing professor examines her writing life Colleen Rich Tue, 12/03/2024 - 12:46

George Mason English professor Kyoko Mori writes both fiction and nonfiction. Her latest book, Cat and Bird (Belt Publishing, March 2024), has been called a “memoir in animals” and focuses on the six house cats who defined the major eras of her life as a writer.

Kyoko Mori with her cats. Photo provided

What inspired you to write this book?

I’ve lived my entire adult life with cats and yet my previous books—both fiction and nonfiction—only featured cats in the periphery of the story, as colorful minor characters at best. In truth, getting my first cat at 22 was a life-altering event: that cat saw me through graduate school, my first full-time teaching job, marriage and divorce, and the publication of my first two books. I wouldn’t be the same person I am now if I hadn’t been with him for 18 years. So my first impetus was to finally do justice to him and to his successors.

I wanted to push against the misconception that cats and dogs are opposites—the cliché that cats are selfish and independent while dogs are loving and loyal. For those of us who are devoted to our animal companions, cats and dogs, equally, can be our alter ego or avatar—the core of who we are.

The real contrast is between cats and dogs on one hand and songbirds and other wildlife on the other. Even with birds who come to our window feeder or end up in our care (I worked as a songbird rehabilitator), we can only admire them from a distance or nurse them back to health in order to return them to the wild. We love companion animals by holding on; we love wildlife by letting go. I wanted to explore this contrast.

What surprised you about the process of writing this book?

I knew from the beginning that the book was going to be about the way the two kinds of devotion—to cats and to birds—have sustained my work as a writer and helped me to make a home as a single childless woman who is happy in her solitude and yet fulfilled by her involvement in the community. Having a husband and children is not the only way to engage meaningfully with the world and make a positive impact.

The balance between solitude and community and the joy of making a home alone (with cats) did remain important ideas in the book. But I also realized that a book about living with animal companions and witnessing the dangers that threaten birds, other wildlife, and the whole planet will have to dig deep into grief. The desire to hold on and let go at the same time—as when a beloved animal companion dies or when we watch from the ground as migratory birds navigate the sky full of danger—became the essential aspect of the book’s narrative and investigation.

What are you working on now?

My last nonfiction book before Cat and Bird was a knitting memoir titled Yarn: Remembering the Way Home. Since finishing Cat and Bird, I’ve picked up where Yarn finished and published four personal essays about women and clothes: shopping with my close friends, how we express ourselves with our clothes, etc. At the same time, I continue to be interested in backyard wildlife—birds that were not included in Cat and Bird and squirrels—especially after a squirrel made a nest in the flowerpot on my window ledge, had two babies, and stayed for two weeks before moving her nest to a maple tree in the backyard.

Sei Shōnagon, the 11th-century Japanese writer who appears in Cat and Bird as the embodiment of the book’s spirit, was equally interested in the beauty of nature and of human-made objects. I don’t think clothes and backyard wildlife can fit into the same book for me as they did for her, but for now I’m following the inspiration of her astute observations about both and seeing where my work goes.

Discover more from the English Department at George Mason

Mason Korea Marks a Decade of Success

Colleen Rich — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 20:43:08 +0000

Mason Korea Marks a Decade of Success Colleen Rich Thu, 08/29/2024 - 16:43

In March 2014, ��AV took a nearly 7,000-mile step in its commitment to becoming a university for the world when it opened its campus in Songdo, Korea. This June, the university took a moment to celebrate a successful 10 years with a week of festivities.

What began with 20 students as part of the Incheon Global Campus, a national project established by the Korean government and Incheon Metropolitan City to innovate the Korean education system and nurture the next generation of global leaders, now boasts more than 900 students who represent 18 countries.

The new campus is a key source of educational, research, and internship opportunities for George Mason students in both the United States and Korea. As then-provost Peter Stearns, who played a pivotal role in establishing Mason Korea, said, “Preparing students for their future lives and careers has to involve a serious global component because they’re living in a world where global interactions are increasingly going to be part of the fabric of their lives.”

Mason Korea offers six undergraduate and two graduate degrees and encourages Korea-based students to experience one year of their college studies in the United States. About 100 students travel to Virginia each semester.

Virginia-based administrators, faculty, staff, and students traveled to South Korea to take part in the celebration and begin planning for the next decade. They even brought along their own band.

Making Beautiful Music Together

Part of the group traveling to Mason Korea from Virginia was music professor and director of the Green Machine Ensembles Michael “Doc Nix” Nickens and a small group from the Green Machine.

The Mason Korea anniversary opening event featured a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the Green Machine pep band and Mason Korea's student band, Crescent. The bands’ synergy filled the banquet hall with a mix of English and Korean pop music hits.

“It was really interesting interacting with musicians from Mason Korea,” says Green Machine drummer Dylan Story. “It goes to show how music is a universal language that we all share regardless of who we are, where we come from.”

Meeting with the Mayor of Incheon

A landmark meeting between George Mason president Gregory Washington and Incheon mayor Jeong-bok Yoo helped mark a decade of successful collaboration and solidified a commitment to the future of Mason Korea.

Washington expressed his gratitude for Incheon’s unwavering support over the past decade. Discussions focused on Mason Korea's future, including expanding the campus and establishing new research institutes.

“This meeting with Mayor Yoo provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on Mason Korea's remarkable journey,” says Washington. “We look forward to sharing our vision for the future and further strengthening our partnership with Incheon City for mutual growth.”

Yoo echoed the sentiment, extending congratulations on Mason Korea's anniversary and acknowledging their contributions to the Incheon Global Campus (IGC). He specifically highlighted the university's role in cultivating global talent, citing the significant increase in IGC student enrollment this year.

Yoo also commended Mason Korea's commitment to the region through initiatives like the new master of laws degree program, which fosters local talent development and competitiveness.

“We are grateful for Mason Korea’s dedication to raising the profile of the IGC,” says Yoo. “Their success aligns perfectly with our vision for the Incheon Global Campus. We look forward to their continued contributions.”

Continued Alliance with the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority

George Mason and the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority (IFEZA) also solidified their partnership with a memorandum of understanding (MOU). Washington and IFEZA commissioner Wonsok Yun led the signing ceremony, paving the way for expanded collaboration on industry–academia projects between Mason Korea, located in the Songdo International Business District of the Incheon free economic zone, and IFEZA.

The agreement focuses on fostering joint educational and research initiatives in critical areas like bioengineering, biomanufacturing, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, information and communication technologies, and start-up incubation. This collaboration has the potential to create exciting new opportunities for students and researchers in both Korea and the United States.

“This MOU marks a significant step forward for Mason Korea,” says Washington. “By expanding our cooperation with IFEZA, we aim to equip students with valuable educational experiences and further support the development of the Incheon region.”

“We are thrilled to solidify our existing partnership with Mason Korea and extend it to encompass George Mason’s U.S. campus," says Yun. “This MOU has the potential to propel both ��AV and the Incheon region toward a brighter future.”

An Anniversary Gala

As part of the celebration, Mason Korea hosted a gala at the Fairmont Ambassador Seoul, during which Washington and Mason Korea dean Robert Matz reflected on Mason Korea's history and outlined plans for the future. A video message from Stearns, now provost emeritus, was part of the program.

“A lot of people have put in tremendous amounts of time and constructive energy, so [Mason Korea is] a real achievement that all sorts of people have contributed to, including the students,” says Stearns, who was provost from 2000 to 2015. “It's just really good to see the campus succeeding to this extent, and it's a source of real pleasure to me that we've done so well.”

Mason Korea supporters who made this milestone possible—including deans, senior leadership, current and former leadership, and advisory board members—were also recognized.

A highlight of the evening was a generous $60,000 pledge by Mason Korea advisory board member Sam Machour, bringing his total commitment to student scholarships since 2022 to $120,000. Goeun Baek, a scholarship recipient, delivered an emotional speech expressing gratitude to Machour for his transformative impact on her academic journey.

Class of 2024

The week of festivities culminated with Mason Korea faculty, staff, students, and proud families gathering to celebrate the achievements of the Class of 2024. Guests also had the opportunity to witness two Mason Korea firsts as Vice Provost Janette Muir hooded its first doctoral graduate, Eric W. Ross, PhD Cultural Studies ’24, and Washington recognized its first Presidential Faculty Excellence Award recipient Eunmee Lee.

Ross and Lee are both Mason Korea faculty members. Ross teaches in the School of Integrative Studies. Lee joined Mason as a faculty member for INTO Mason in 2015. In 2016, she transferred to the Mason Korea faculty in Incheon, where she is currently an instructional associate professor and teaches English for academic purposes. Lee is also the founder and director of Mason Korea’s Academic Resource Center.

Graduating senior Se Na Julsdorf, BA Conflict Analysis and Resolution ’24, delivered a moving speech on behalf of the student body, and George Mason alum Gunsu Kim, BS Tourism and Events Management ’12, CEO of ALLWorks, had the honor of pinning the newest graduates.

In his congratulatory remarks, Washington highlighted the campus’s unique role, stating, “Mason Korea exemplifies how George Mason is 'All Together Different' and how our university offers students the experiences necessary to chart their own path, but at the same time prepares them for success in the global economy.”

Meet Some Mason Korea Alumni
As students who have studied in both Korea and the United States, Mason Korea students have a world of options on where to start their careers.
Learn about a few alumni who chose to start their careers in the United States >

Learn more about Mason Korea

Meet Some Mason Korea Alumni

Colleen Rich — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 20:32:56 +0000

Meet Some Mason Korea Alumni Colleen Rich Thu, 08/29/2024 - 16:32

Almost 100 students a year travel from Mason Korea to spend time taking classes on George Mason’s Virginia campuses. Here are some alumni who have chosen to kick off their careers in the United States.

Nara Lee, BA Global Affairs ’20, is the program manager at the Korean Community Service Center of Greater Washington for the Centers for Disease Control's national Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health program. While at Mason Korea, Lee was an active teaching and research assistant in conflict analysis and resolution, computational and data sciences, and climate change programming, all while being an avid student leader. She earned a master's degree in global health economy from Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2023.

Haseung (Madeline) Joung, BA Global Affairs ’20, is the manager for public relations and social media at the Korean Cultural Center in Washington, D.C. Joung started her career in journalism as a reporting intern for Voice of America in Washington, D.C., at the height of the pandemic. Her passion for media led her to be the public relations officer and staff writer for the Korean Culture and Information Service in Seoul, South Korea, the government institution that brought her back to her current role at one of the 32 cultural centers worldwide.

Eun Seok (Peter) Jang, BS Accounting ’22, is a tax consultant for business tax services at Deloitte in Tysons Corner, Virginia.

Da Jung (Michelle) Jung, BA Conflict Analysis and Resolution ’20, is a policy research analyst for the Political Affairs Division of the Republic of Korea Embassy in Washington, D.C. Jung interned at Fairfax County’s workplace conflict awareness program and George Mason’s Early Identification Program as an undergraduate and worked for several international organizations in South Korea before coming back to the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. In 2023 she graduated from Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies with an MA in international relations.

Seulki (Michaela) Kim, BS Information Technology ’20, is an associate for forensic services at Charles River Associates in Washington, D.C. As a student, Kim worked with various offices on the Fairfax Campus, including in the Office of University Branding, INTO Mason, the Department of Computer Science, and the Facilities Help Desk. Kim expects to graduate this winter with a master’s degree in digital forensics from George Mason.

Saeyeon Kwon, BA Global Affairs ’22, is an incoming environmental, social, and governance (ESG) intern for the stewardship team at Sands Capital in Arlington, Virginia, following several internships in ESG impact investment. Kwon recently graduated from Georgetown University with a master’s degree in environment and sustainability management.

Learn more about Mason Korea

Building a Bridge

Colleen Rich — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 19:48:47 +0000

Building a Bridge Colleen Rich Thu, 08/29/2024 - 15:48

Since 2014, INTO ��AV has offered classes to more than 3,000 international students from 70 countries, including China, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Azerbaijan, and Turkey.

INTO students at move in. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

A collaboration between George Mason and INTO University Partnerships, INTO Mason offers both undergraduate and graduate pathway programs for international students who want to study at George Mason.

“Our programs are designed to help students improve their English skills, understand the U.S. academic world, and provide them with wrap-around support so they succeed once they are fully immersed in their academic studies at George Mason,” says Todd Rose, executive director of INTO Mason.

Students who have gone through the INTO Mason programs are typically successful in their chosen studies, says Aimee Weinstein, DA Higher Education ’06, INTO Mason term assistant professor. For example, 82 percent of students who start in an INTO Mason graduate pathway program go on to graduate with a master’s degree.

“At INTO Mason, everyone—from professors to enrollment specialists—is really focused on student success,” says Weinstein. “That translates into students who feel confident that they can succeed and are encouraged every step of the way.”

Learn more about INTO Mason

Next Stop, the World

Colleen Rich — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 18:50:53 +0000

Next Stop, the World Colleen Rich Thu, 08/29/2024 - 14:50

At this moment, there is a member of the Mason Nation on just about every continent of the globe: conducting research, mastering a language, learning a new skill, and acquiring new knowledge.

For decades, ��AV has advanced global learning opportunities and fostered international research. We have leveraged partnerships like INTO ��AV to bring thousands of international students to George Mason from more than 130 countries and speaking 80 languages, while providing courses in nearly two dozen countries each year through the Global Education Office (GEO) for those who wish to study abroad.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the university’s campus and operations in South Korea. Mason Korea launched in Songdo in March 2014 as part of the Incheon Global Campus, a national project established by the Korean government and Incheon Metropolitan City to innovate the Korean education system and nurture the next generation of global leaders.

More than 1,000 students, representing more than 18 countries, are currently studying at Mason Korea, and that success has led to conversations exploring similar partnerships.

“I’ve always appreciated that Mason’s U.S. campuses are so international. So when students from our U.S. campuses go to Mason Korea, they are not encountering an international campus for the first time, but different kinds of internationalism,” says Robert Matz, the former dean of Mason Korea. “This shared—but different— internationalism in one reason I think Mason Korea has been so successful.”

It is all part of preparing students for success in an increasingly international and interconnected world. Expanding and enriching George Mason’s global footprint is a priority—making it critical for the university to reimagine and redesign George Mason’s global vision and establish a path forward.

Enter Chrishon Blackwell, an organizational development leader with a deep understanding of international education, as the senior international officer and executive director of the Global Education Office (GEO).

Since arriving at George Mason in 2023, Blackwell has been identifying how to leverage the university’s resources in ways that will further enhance students’ experiences while simultaneously exploring ways for the university to maintain global competitiveness and strengthen relationships with its global partners.

“The goal is to create stronger global citizens and to do that it is critically important to identify, help facilitate, and advance what’s already happening on campus,” says Blackwell. “If GEO is to provide students opportunities to immerse themselves in holistic activities that result in individuals who can compete on [an] international scale, we need to think more intentionally about what impacts them across the disciplines.”

GEO offers a variety of study-abroad program options, ranging from short-term to semester-long experiences. The programs are organized into four distinct categories.

George Mason-led Programs

These are the traditional study-abroad experiences that many George Mason alumni remember. As the name suggests, these programs are led by George Mason faculty and usually run over winter break, spring break, and during the summer. A few programs are offered for an entire semester, and there is often course credit attached.

During the 2023-24 academic year, 670 students traveled to 29 locations on short-term programs and 25 students went on semester-long experiences.

In March 2023, two different groups of Schar School of Policy and Government students traveled to the southern border of the United States and Mexico to experience firsthand the policy debates on both sides of the immigration issue.

Other trips included studying criminal justice in the United Kingdom and Ireland and a trip to the Balkans to look at reconciliation and post-conflict reconstruction.

Schar School graduate students at the Mexican senate in Mexico City. Not only did the Schar School students receive a shout out from the Senate floor, they were invited to a briefing in a committee room and to sit at Senate desks. Photo provided.

Global Gateway

In this program, first-year students can spend their fall semester at George Mason and their spring semester at one of 10 different locations in such countries as Costa Rica, Morocco, or Greece.

Global Gateway is specifically designed for first-year students with a curriculum that allows students to satisfy many core requirements while taking advantage of local expertise. During the fall semester, students enroll in GEOC 108 Mason Transitions on the Fairfax Campus with fellow Global Gateway participants. In the spring, they travel with a cohort to another country. According to Jon May, GEO’s assistant director for Global Gateway, the program hosted 108 first-year students in 11 cohorts—two in Korea—during the spring 2024 semester.

Global Internships

The university’s Global Internships Program allows undergraduate and graduate students to learn more about their chosen field of study and earn course credits with travel, virtual, and hybrid internships during winter break and the summer, fall, and spring semesters. Students are placed with companies that align with their field of study and spend the term absorbing knowledge and the country’s culture, whether in person or virtually.

“Our existing programs cover 35 different career fields with many crossovers,” said Kelly McNulty, experiential programs manager for GEO. “Students also have the opportunity to create their own internship by finding and applying to an internship and working with our team to set it up for course credit.”

In 2023-24, 103 students from George Mason interned across the globe with companies in 21 countries. The top travel destinations were Japan, Argentina, United Kingdom, Ireland, South Korea, India, Italy, Czech Republic, Morocco, Germany, and Australia.

Hiking glaciers in New Zealand. Photo provided by Global Education Office

Partner Schools

George Mason works with dozens of partners worldwide and was able to send 89 students to more than 16 locations during the 2023–24 academic year. While most students enrolled in semester-long programs, some enrolled in an international summer school.

One of the most popular study-abroad programs in this category is also George Mason’s most prestigious—the Oxford Semester, which launched in 1995. Each semester, a small group of high-achieving George Mason undergraduate and graduate students is selected to study in the United Kingdom as affiliated students at one of the 39 Oxford colleges.

Other partner schools include a number of universities in Australia, France, and Japan; Ghent University in Belgium; and Stellenbosch University in South Africa.

Global Residencies

Outside GEO, there are additional opportunities to study abroad and even some programs that require it.

In the mid-1990s, George Mason’s Costello College of Business began requiring its graduate students to participate in a global residency. These residencies offer firsthand experience on how business is conducted outside of the United States and highlight the importance of acknowledging the cultural differences that exist between countries.

Global residencies are typically 10-day travel and business experiences where students are immersed in educational programming including company visits, discussions with industry leaders, meetings with executives, and cultural excursions. Faculty play an integral leadership and mentoring role before, during, and after the residency.

For students, these trips are typically the most memorable class of their graduate program. Since the program’s inception, students have participated in more than 100 residencies around the globe. This summer, seven groups traveled to Dubai, Japan, Greece, South Africa, Brazil, Ireland, and France.

Travel Fellowships and International Exchanges

The Alan Cheuse International Writers Center, part of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, offers travel fellowships to graduate students in George Mason’s Creative Writing Program. These awards are designed to help students pursue an international writing project.

Since the program began in 2017, fellowships have taken George Mason students to the Philippines to learn more about World War II Filipino resistance fighters and to Germany to research the life of 12th-century abbess Hildegard of Bingen, who was one of the few female authors of medieval Europe.

The Cheuse Center also hosts established and emerging international writers for a residency in Northern Virginia. These visiting writers continue their creative work, teach classes, and take part in events that highlight international literature. This residency seeks to strengthen the bonds between George Mason, Washington, D.C., and international literary communities. In 2023, the center hosted award-winning novelist Juan Gómez Bárcena from Madrid, Spain.

Students visited Strasbourg Cathedral in France on one Winter 2023 trip. Photo provided by Global Education Office

Reimagining George Mason’s Global Footprint

Following a thorough review of George Mason’s current international offerings, Blackwell recently identified a series of priorities in research, teaching, and engagement to expand the university’s global footprint. These priorities include initiatives such as exploring ways to support George Mason’s global research activities and collaborations, examining strategies to globalize the student learning experience, and conducting a comprehensive review of George Mason’s international partnerships.

George Mason’s revamped global engagement and emphasis on global learning signifies a deep commitment to advancing the university’s internationalization efforts. Not only will it elevate the student experience and provide valuable opportunities for faculty to engage globally, but it will also include perspectives from alumni and partners who can assist in establishing new initiatives.

Looking forward, Blackwell says this new centralized direction will allow the university to “think creatively and boldly about ways to expand international capacity” and will “make George Mason a rich and diverse tapestry that will ensure the university is competitive around the world while meeting the community’s needs.”

Jennifer Anzaldi, Achim Loch, Ryley McGinnis, Colleen Kearney Rich, and Pam Shepherd contributed to this story.

Building a Bridge
Discover how INTO Mason offers pathways for international students who want to study at George Mason

Connect with the Global Education Office

Exploring the Complexity of the U.S.–Mexico Border

Colleen Rich — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 18:41:29 +0000

Exploring the Complexity of the U.S.–Mexico Border Colleen Rich Thu, 08/29/2024 - 14:41

This March, during spring break, two groups of ��AV students headed to the southern border.

Michal McElwain Malur, BA International Studies ’96, MA ’97, director of external programs at the Schar School of Policy and Government, helped plan the trips in coordination with the university’s Global Education Office.

Photo courtesy of the Schar School.

Malur says Schar School students have been taking study-abroad trips to Mexico annually for the past 20 years. The Mexico study-abroad experience is one of about five trips a year that Malur plans for the school. “Since the inception of its study-abroad program, the Schar School has prioritized providing students with opportunities to explore consequential policy problems facing the United States today,” says Malur, who assembled the itinerary and has helped lead a trip to the border for the past two years.

Each spring, a different professor teaches the three-credit course POGO 550 Topics in Policy and Government, which includes a weeklong trip to the border, and focuses on related current events such as trade, immigration, and security. This semester Schar School professor Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera, a foremost expert on border and immigration policy, taught the class.

The other border trip was part of a one-credit course offered to members of the Schar School’s International Relations Policy Task Force (IRTF) to witness the causes and consequences of competing narratives surrounding border dynamics. Led by Schar School professor Eric McGlinchey, the task force invites upper-level students to engage with pressing global challenges by pursuing a research topic of interest, networking with subject area experts, and working collaboratively to propose policy solutions.

“The fact that the trips were both at the border is a testament to the Schar School commitment of offering our students the opportunity to experience firsthand policy debates and see the consequences of the most important policies of the time,” says Malur.

Brownsville and Mexico City

Following President Biden’s highly publicized visit to Brownsville, Texas, graduate students in POGO 550 traveled to the U.S.–Mexico border town.

“We spent one whole day at the border, specifically at the border wall, and we spoke at length with a local editor about border security,” says Correa-Cabrera. “It was important to see this issue through the eyes of someone who covers it for newspapers for a population that relies on accurate information.”

Along the way, the group met with top industry and government leaders on both sides of the border, with whom they discussed the ongoing issues at the top of international headlines.

“Putting a face to the border was fascinating,” says Davis Kaderli, who is working on a master of public policy degree. “It is much more complex than the majority of Americans understand. What I actually saw isn’t what the mass media often portrays.”

For instance, while in Brownsville, the students heard harrowing stories of inadequate services provided to Americans in need along the border. In nearby Boca Chica, during a visit to the SpaceX complex, students met with residents in government partnerships and discussed how SpaceX impacts their community.

Students then visited Mexico City and the National Autonomous University of Mexico, where they had the opportunity to engage in conversations with decision-makers and attend lectures.

“Mexico was having elections in June this year,” Correa-Cabrera says. “The United States is having them in November. We put these elections in context for the students.”

Upon arriving in Mexico City, the students received a briefing from Miguel Siliceo, the senior economic advisor to Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

The students were officially welcomed during a federal senate session followed by a meeting with the Vice President of the Senate, Mexican senator Sergio Perez Flores. The students say they gained insights from Mexican officials and policymakers on mutual challenges, as well as new avenues for cooperation and engagement.

“We had ridiculous access on this [trip], from [Obrador’s] senior economic advisor to a legislative briefing at the Mexican federal senate by the vice president of the senate,” says Chris Williams, who is working on a master’s degree in global commerce and policy.

Students also met with senior diplomats at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico and received a briefing on the challenges in current U.S.–Mexico relations. “[That] was my favorite session,” says Anduela Johnson, who is working on a master’s degree in international security. “It was interesting to hear how they are managing security issues and balancing economic implications. They see the relationship with the United States and our shared border differently.”

“I really valued the range of perspectives we heard,” says government and international politics major Gabe Dole.

El Paso and Juárez

This was the second year that the task force took students to El Paso and Juárez, says McGlinchey, who also led the trip. This year’s theme focused on competing narratives about migration at the border.

“This was an ideal location to learn, firsthand, how government action and inaction on questions of migration directly affect communities on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border,” says McGlinchey.

Abara, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering peace through educational programs around immigration and border realities, hosted the IRTF students. Working with the nonprofit and engaging with local community members and activists helped the George Mason students cultivate a deeper comprehension of border dynamics and the individuals affected.

Abara provided the students with volunteer experiences in some of the 32 shelters they work with both in El Paso, Texas, and Juárez, Mexico. The objective of these experiences was to allow students to engage with those directly impacted by the border issues, particularly migrants, through community service activities, such as assisting in the kitchen and garden.

“Being able to directly interact with migrants facing challenges at the border and putting faces to the topics often discussed in political discourse was incredible and provided me with an experience I will never forget,” says government and international politics major Kaylee Fernandez.

“The media often shape public opinion on immigration yet fail to capture the perspectives of the migrants themselves,” Fernandez says. “That is why volunteering in the shelters was an unforgettable experience for me.”

As an intern on Capitol Hill for U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly, Fernandez says the trip will continue to shape her perspective for years to come. “This experience has forever changed how I will approach drafting memos and understanding legislation related to immigration.”

Students visited the border in Juárez. Photo courtesy of the Schar School.

Beyond volunteering in shelters, students had the opportunity to explore historical and political landmarks, engage with governmental and nongovernmental representatives, and connect with faculty and students from institutions in Juárez. One of the speakers was George Mason alum Sophia Wozniak, BA History; Government and International Politics ’19, who works as a project and data evaluator at the Emergence Health Network, a local mental health authority for the El Paso community.

Wozniak had taken the spring break border trip during her time at George Mason and says it influenced her career choices. “The Schar School was such a huge catalyst in the dominos of me ending up where I am now,” she says. “If it were not for the spring break trip to Mexico, I would have never discovered my deep interest in immigration issues and policy work.”

Public administration major William Barker, who was on their second trip to the border, had a similar experience. “The trip encouraged openness, dialogue, and connection, and the scenic overlook of El Paso and Juárez served as a poignant reminder of the diverse narratives and shared humanity that transcend borders,” they say.

“[This trip] reaffirmed my passion for international relations and helped me confirm what I want to do after graduation.”

Mariem El Gazzah, Aidan Jacobs, and Colleen Kearney Rich contributed to this article.

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Five Things to Know about George Mason’s First Space Mission

Colleen Rich — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 18:11:44 +0000

Five Things to Know about George Mason’s First Space Mission Colleen Rich Thu, 08/29/2024 - 14:11

Scientists know the universe is expanding, which is measured by calculating the brightness of numerous stars and by the number of photons-per-second they emit. But the next breakthroughs will require more accurate measurements, and that’s where George Mason is stepping in. The university is leading Landolt, a $19.5 million NASA space mission that will put an artificial “star” in orbit around Earth.

Here’s what’s to come:

Led by astronomy professor Peter Plavchan, faculty members and students from the College of Science and the College of Engineering and Computing will work together with staff from NASA, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and nine other organizations on a first-of-its-kind project for a university in the Washington, D.C., area.
The artificial star will allow scientists to calibrate telescopes and more accurately measure the brightness of a wide range of stars—from those nearby to the distant explosions of supernovae in far-off galaxies. By establishing absolute flux calibration, the mission will begin to address several open challenges in astrophysics including the speed and acceleration of the universe’s expansion.
The mission is named for late astronomer Arlo Landolt, who compiled the widely used catalogs of stellar brightness through the 1990s.
The payload, which is the size of a proverbial bread box, will be built in partnership with NIST, a world leader in measuring photon emissions. “This calibration under known laser wavelength and power will remove effects of atmosphere filtration of light and allow scientists to significantly improve measurements,” says electrical engineering professor Piotr Pachowicz, who is leading this component of the mission.
The artificial star, expected to launch in 2029, will orbit 22,236 miles above Earth, far enough away to look like a real star to telescopes back on the ground. This orbit also allows the star to move at the same speed as the Earth’s rotation, keeping it in place over the United States during its first year in space. “This is what is considered an infrastructure mission for NASA, supporting the science in a way that we’ve known we needed to do but with a transformative change in how we do it,” says Plavchan.

"This mission marks another first for George Mason, a milestone that proves our impact as a major public research university that truly knows no bounds,” says President Gregory Washington.

Visit the mission's website

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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Where in the World: Katarina Benson

Colleen Rich — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 16:15:38 +0000

Where in the World: Katarina Benson Colleen Rich Fri, 07/19/2024 - 12:15

Mason Spirit's editorial assistant Katarina Benson traveled to Ireland this summer as part of a George Mason study-abroad trip.

Kat at the Cliffs of Moher. Photo provided

Katarina Benson

Major: English with a concentration in cultural studies

Hometown: Sparta, New Jersey

Where did you go and for how long?

I went to The University of Galway in Galway, Ireland, for four weeks for the International Summer School. It's actually the only official bilingual university in Ireland so everything is in Irish as well as English.

What was the class you took?

I took two classes while there: “Representing Ireland: Literature and Film” and “The Archaeological Heritage of Ireland.”

Favorite part of the trip?

I really loved meeting new people and exploring Galway with them.

Was this your first time out of the country?

Yes, it was my first time abroad.

What made you want to study abroad?

I’m Irish American, and my family loves Ireland, so I’ve always wanted to go!

Kat Benson in Galway. Photo provided

What would you recommend to students thinking about taking one of these trips?

I would recommend having an open mind and be willing to try new things! Just because you don’t like something or aren’t interested in something at home doesn’t mean you won’t like it abroad.

How was the food? Do you have a favorite dish/restaurant now?

The food was really good! I ate a lot of Italian food, which is kind of ironic.

Do you have recommendations for places to visit?

I would recommend Trinity College and the Book of Kells/Old Library experience in Dublin and Galway City in general. There are so many nice places to go in Galway like The Kings Head, which is over 800 years old, and the Galway Saturday Market.

Topics

study abroad

Mason Spirit

Mason researcher tackles 'The Politics of Innocence' in new book

Colleen Rich — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 19:38:42 +0000

Mason researcher tackles 'The Politics of Innocence' in new book Colleen Rich Fri, 04/05/2024 - 15:38

Since 1989, more than 3,000 people have been exonerated after being wrongly convicted. In his new book, The Politics of Innocence: How Wrongful Convictions Shape Public Opinion (New York University Press, September 2023), Robert J. Norris, associate professor in the Department of Criminology, Law and Society, and his coauthors explore the political dynamics that shape the innocence movement.

Robert J. Norris. Photo provided

What inspired you to write this book?

After exploring how wrongful convictions had become such a prominent advocacy issue in the criminal legal system, I was left with lingering questions about how much the public knew about [wrongful convictions] and how they responded to information about them. Around that same time, one of my coauthors and I were having lunch and discussed the first season of the podcast Serial, which was about a likely wrongful conviction. We were talking about how those sorts of stories made people nervous and wondered how common that feeling was. We began designing our first study and now, seven years later, here we are!

Was there anything that surprised you in the research for this book?

Throughout the book, we show that wrongful convictions can change people’s support for the death penalty and their trust in the criminal justice system generally. However, we were a bit surprised to find that we could not change people’s trust in police, even when explicitly telling people about the role of police in wrongful convictions. Those attitudes appear to be more entrenched and resistant to change than others. Another thing that is perhaps not surprising, but definitely heartening, is that while innocence reform is political, people across the ideological spectrum can be persuaded to support changes that would help improve our legal system. We can cut through some of the ideological noise and appeal to a variety of different people.

What are you working on now?

I’m currently working on a variety of things. Some of these projects are still related to innocence, including work on the racial history of wrongful convictions, the post-release experiences of wrongly convicted people, narrative language in wrongful convictions, and the relationship between the innocence movement and the antideath penalty movement. Other work is more generally tied to public opinion, such as the process that leads people to support punitive practices and the effects of the language we use to discuss incarcerated populations. I’m also beginning to explore some broader conceptual ideas about completely unrelated issues, which is really exciting for me.

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Where in the World: Katarina Benson

Where did you go and for how long?

What was the class you took?

Favorite part of the trip?

Was this your first time out of the country?

What made you want to study abroad?

What would you recommend to students thinking about taking one of these trips?

How was the food? Do you have a favorite dish/restaurant now?

Do you have recommendations for places to visit?

Topics

Mason researcher tackles 'The Politics of Innocence' in new book

What inspired you to write this book?

Was there anything that surprised you in the research for this book?

What are you working on now?

Investigate Criminology, Law and Society programs at Mason

Related Stories

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