Global Commerce and Policy

Schar School’s Aly Rayle Nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year

Andrew J Schappert — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 14:24:37 +0000

Schar School’s Aly Rayle Nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year Andrew J Schappert Thu, 07/13/2023 - 10:24

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Schar School of Policy and Government student athlete Aly Rayle has been nominated for the prestigious NCAA Woman of the Year Award. Rayle, who is enrolled in the Schar School’s Global Commerce and Policy master’s program, is a standout pitcher on ��AV’s softball team, which won its first-ever Atlantic 10 conference championship in the season that concluded in June. She is the first Schar School student to be nominated for the honor.

Rayle, who was named A-10 Pitcher of the Year, helped the team to the championship with a 19-9 record, posting a 2.01 ERA. She set the all-time single-season strikeouts record and became the only Patriot pitcher to have struck out 200 batters in a single season. She led the conference in overall strikeouts (242) and looking strikeouts (72). She finished the A-10 tournament with a 4-1 record, pitching 33 innings and recording 39 strikeouts to earn the A-10 Championship's Most Outstanding Player award.

The NCAA Woman of the Year Award was created in 1991 to celebrate the achievements of women in intercollegiate athletics. Now in its 33rd year, the award honors graduating female college athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service, and leadership throughout their collegiate careers.

Rayle, who came to Mason after an undergraduate career at the University of Virginia, has set softball records in her one year as a Patriot. She is tied for first in no-hitters pitched (3) alongside Lisa Davis (1997-2000) and Marsha Boyd (1990-93), who both took four years to reach the same goal. Her 2.01 ERA puts her tied for seventh all-time with Shannon Hiltner (1997-99).

In addition in her master’s degree studies, the Herndon, Virginia native has been a leader in the softball program’s community relations efforts, donating countless hours of to a variety of causes, including mentoring students in Mason softball's partnership with Willow Springs Elementary.

In her four years at UVA, Rayle volunteered with Virginia's youth at the Madison's House, the Boys and Girls Club of Central Virginia at summer camps, and as a “buddy runner” at the local Girls on the Run races. She has been involved with the Capital Area Food Bank at both schools, packaging boxes of food for families in need.

Rayle has experiences on leadership councils and advisory committees, having been elected to Athletics Advisory Council for the 2019-20 school year and served on the team Leadership Council for two years.

—Additional Reporting by Buzz McClain/Schar School of Policy and Government

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Schar School News July 2023

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All About the Adjuncts: Part-Time Faculty Bring Their Full-Time Careers—and Colleagues—to the Classroom

Andrew J Schappert — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 17:56:31 +0000

All About the Adjuncts: Part-Time Faculty Bring Their Full-Time Careers—and Colleagues—to the Classroom Andrew J Schappert Thu, 01/19/2023 - 12:56

In This Story

Gebreselassie Tesfamichael

William (Bill) Bolling

John G. Milliken

Mark Langevin

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Char Mollison’s T-shirt gives another reason adjuncts are the coolest.

To the students, the person standing at the head of the classroom imparting wisdom is the “professor.”

Most students are not aware—or even consider—that the professor maybe an associate professor, an assistant professor, a tenure-track professor, an endowed professor, a professor emeritus, a visiting scholar, or even a distinguished visiting scholar. Little do they realize, each title comes with its own privileges and duties.

Add to this age-old academic hierarchy the adjunct professor.

Adjunct instructors are part-time teachers at universities and represent about 40 percent of the total number of professors in the U.S. That is up from 24 percent in 1975.

At ��AV, there are some 1,360 adjuncts who help teach the school’s 39,000 students.

Since its founding at Mason’s The Institute of Public Policy (TIPP) in 1990, the Schar School of Policy and Government has hired countless adjuncts, hand-picked for their knowledge, experience, and connections in nearby Washington, D.C. Since 2020, the school has employed 130 different adjuncts, with about 50 of them teaching the 1,720 Schar School undergraduate and graduate students at any given time.

Not all adjuncts teach consecutive years, or even semesters, although a few, such as the late D.R. Butler taught undergraduate courses for 20 years. And many teach at multiple universities at the same time—89 percent of them nationwide work at more than one school—while also holding down significant fulltime jobs.

“I teach at other universities in the region when asked, and I serve on nonprofit boards of directors,” said Char Mollison, who also teaches nonprofit management courses at American University. She’s also a senior fellow of the Center for Advanced Governmental Studies at Johns Hopkins University.

Why Mollison does it is typical of adjunct responses to the question.

“The best thing is the opportunity to teach,” said Mollison, who serves on Mason’s Adjunct Faculty Committee, which represents part-time faculty to the university’s administration. “So many of us known as ‘willing adjuncts’ do it because we have expertise in our subject and love to teach. And the opportunity to teach Mason students is a privilege.”

Mollison offered that the quality and enthusiasm of Schar School students makes her job all the more enjoyable.

“I’ve taught at four universities in the region, three of which are private universities,” she said. “The graduate students at Mason are far superior overall: They tend to be a bit older, often with jobs and even families, and they are serious and disciplined about their studies; they don’t take education for granted.”

For Ron Marks, a career CIA agent who, as a visiting professor of cyber and intelligence, teaches national security policy and new technology, said the best thing about teaching is “the interaction with young minds.”

But the life of an adjunct, no matter how enjoyable, offers challenges. Mark Langevin, who has taught in the Global Commerce and Policy program since 2014, said effective planning is a major consideration.

“Since my other professional pursuits take up much of my time, I have to be very careful to plan my time accordingly so that my students can benefit from my teaching, and sometimes, mentoring…I am also inspired by the opportunity to teach and work with students at the Schar School.”

High Profiles, Notable Names

The Schar School has a reputation for hiring part-time faculty members who are well established, widely published, and maintain high profiles in their careers. At one point, two longtime former U.S. Representatives— Tom Davis (R-Va.) and Jim Moran (D-Va.)—taught an undergraduate course together.

Current adjuncts include former CIA intelligence officer and current chief operating officer of the Lawfare Institute David Priess; director of the Center for Climate and Security Erin Sikorsky; chair of the Board of Commissioners of the Virginia Port Authority John G. Milliken, also a former Virginia secretary of transportation; former Virginia Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling; former minister of finance and development of Eritrea Gebreselassie Tesfamichael; and others. New to the staff this year is former Virginia Secretary of Education Atif Qarni.

They come to the Schar School by reaching out to administrators to networking with current and past faculty to being in the right place at the right time. Ashley Grant, a group leader of Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction at the nonprofit government research institute the MITRE Corporation, asked an adjunct acquaintance if the school was in need of anyone with her expertise.

“As luck would have it,” she said, “they were looking for a professor to teach Global Health Security.” She began in 2019.

Special Guest Speakers Abound

Like many Schar School adjuncts, relationships in their professional fields run deep and as such, many distinguished practitioners make classroom appearances as guest speakers.

For instance, Marks recently invited Jon Rosenwasser, budget director of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, to speak to Marks’ Congress and Intelligence class. “He summarized the class beautifully without being asked and reinforced all the lessons from the term,” Marks said. “The students were thrilled.”

“I try to recruit speakers who offer much different, often foreign or international perspectives,” said Langevin. “Given my expertise in Latin America, I have presented Brazilian and Chilean trade policy experts and diplomats to my students. I also bring in former students who can speak with authority on a particular issue intersecting the course content.”

John Byrne, a longtime expert in illicit crimes, teaches a seven-year-old course called International Money Laundering, Corruption, and Terrorism. He’s also the former executive director of the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS).

“Our model is to expose students to a variety of experts from the ACAMS board and in the [money laundering] community,” he said. Les Joseph, a former adjunct at the Schar School and chief of the financial investigation section of banking giant Wells Fargo & Company, guests lectures in Byrne’s classroom, as do Dennis Lormel, the first head of the FBI’s Terrorist Financing Operation Section; Don Fort, former chief of the IRS Criminal Section; and Sara Crowe, the staff expert on financial issues for Polaris, the anti-human trafficking organization.

In addition to sharing their experiences and knowledge, Byrne hopes the guest speakers “offer the students insight to how a career in this field, whether in the government or the private sector, can assist society. I am happy to report that a number of students have stayed in touch and have progressed in our community.”

For her part, nonprofit expert Mollison brings one or two guest speakers to each class. “I have been able to make use of global connections from my career,” she said, particularly when the classes are online.

‘Long-Term Relationships’

Teesta Ghosh has been a consistent part-time instructor at the Schar School since 1999, after reaching out to the emerging policy school at Mason. “Since then, I have not looked back,” she said. Courses she has taught include International Relations, Democracy in Global Perspective, International Law and Organizations, and Politics of South Asia.

Ghosh’s respect for her students exemplifies the earnest effort many of the Schar School adjuncts bring not only to the classroom but beyond—and it earned her a nomination for Teaching Excellence and Mentorship Award at Mason.

“I have done my best to support my students, the department, and the university over the years,” she said. “I write many letters of recommendations for students who are applying for either jobs, graduate school, or internships every semester and also during my summer break when I do not have any teaching responsibilities. And I have mentored students who have reached out to me to do independent studies—remuneration for which is token—and undergraduate research projects.”

As for “the best part” of being an adjunct, Ghosh said the answer was easy: “It’s the long-term relationships that I have developed with my students in the 23 years that I have taught here.”

Sometimes it’s the professor who is the student: “I have learned a lot from my students as well,” she said. “Mason has a very diverse student body, with students coming from many different countries around the world. Since I teach international politics, it has opened my eyes to their personal experiences—for example, as a refugee—and to cultural, social, and political nuances of their countries, which I would have no way knowing even if I read hundreds of scholarly books and articles.”

Last question: Are you an “easy A”?

“Good question!” she replied. “My answer is: It depends on who you ask. I have received both bouquets and brickbats from my students—but that, of course, is part of the job.”

Mark Langevin celebrates the end of the semester with students and recent grads.

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Adjunct Faculty

Global Health Security

Global Commerce and Policy

Nonprofit Management

Faculty

Schar School News January 2023

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innovative classes

New Approaches to International Development—Seen Through a Creative Lens

Andrew J Schappert — Mon, 09 May 2022 15:03:34 +0000

New Approaches to International Development—Seen Through a Creative Lens Andrew J Schappert Mon, 05/09/2022 - 11:03

In This Story

J.P. Singh

Rebecca Schutt, former head of the British Council’s DICE program, discusses the artwork on display at Mason Square with Elsie S. Kanza, ambassador of the United Republic of Tanzania to the U.S. and Mexico. Photos by Ron Aira/Creative Services

Schar School Professor J.P. Singh at the gallery opening: ‘DICE is making contributions that need to be understood.’

Reprinted with permission from the Pioneers Post (UK).

When Professor J.P. Singh heard the British Council’s plan, he wasn’t entirely convinced.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” said the professor of global commerce and policy at the Schar School of Policy and Government at ��AV.

The British Council, the U.K.’s international organization for cultural relations and educational opportunities, had commissioned 12 artists to illustrate his paper that outlined a theoretical framework for cultural relations approaches to international development. “Although it’s about art, and I work in that area,” said Singh, “I’ve just never had artists interpret a very academic paper.”

An exhibit of the commissioned art opened in April at the Van Metre Hall Art Gallery at Mason Square, formerly Arlington Campus, in Arlington, Virginia. In addition to a panel discussion about art, culture, and global commerce, Elsie S. Kanza, ambassador of Tanzania to the U.S. and Mexico, delivered a keynote speech. The exhibit continues until May 13.

Like Singh, Kazz Morohashi was similarly hesitant when faced with turning the paper into art. “It was a little difficult to get my head around it. Initially, I had to read it a couple of times,” said the artist who is finishing her PhD in museum learning design at the Norwich University of the Arts in England.

But after a period of nine months working with Singh and the other artists, the Japanese-born, U.K.-based creative produced a work which somehow manages to distill some of the ethics and practices of new approaches to development work into a two-and-a-half-minute animated video about a toy rabbit and his floristry business.

The paper and art are the result of Developing Inclusive and Creative Economies (DICE), a three-year pilot program designed to foster cultural and economic agency launched in 2018.

(Story continues at Pioneers Post.)

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Global Commerce and Policy

Schar School News May 2022

Schar School Rebrands Top-Ranked Program to Global Commerce and Policy

Andrew J Schappert — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 19:20:46 +0000

Schar School Rebrands Top-Ranked Program to Global Commerce and Policy Andrew J Schappert Thu, 03/24/2022 - 15:20

In This Story

Kenneth A. Reinert

The top-ranked International Commerce and Policy (ICP) master’s degree program at ��AV’s Schar School of Policy and Government is changing its name, but not its objective.

ICP is now the Global Commerce and Policy program (GCP), a name change that the director of the program said “reflects a broader trend in transnational trade.”

“’Global’ is rapidly replacing the term ‘international’ in many of the fields related to the degree, including economics, political economy, and business,” said professor of public policy Kenneth A. Reinert, director of the program. “Value chains are now global value chains, finance is now global finance. While ‘international’ emphasizes the relationships between individual nations, ‘global’ better reflects the modern reality of the world economy.”

Like the International Commerce and Policy program before it, the interdisciplinary Global Commerce and Policy program—offered as in-person and online formats—prepares master’s degree students for careers and advancement in the world’s new economic landscape. Graduates are prepared to excel and lead in public and private sectors, multinational organizations, non-governmental organizations, nonprofits, and consulting firms.

The program is ranked as the 14^th overall and fifth among public institutions in the global policy and administration category by the most recent U.S News & World Report ranking.

Unlike traditional international affairs programs, the Global Commerce and Policy degree is focused on international economic issues, including global trade and investment. It differs from an MBA program by providing training in the political, social, and technological aspects of the global economy.

“In today's world, it is critical for all participants in global markets to understand the multifaceted environment in which they work,” Reinert said. “This program is for those who are passionate about the intersection of international relations, business, and public policy.”

He added that in addition to the name change, the program is offering a new Global Economic Policy graduate certificate “that covers the foundations of international economics and the analysis of global economic policies.” It too will be available in traditional and online formats.

Information about Schar School master’s programs, see this page.

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Global Commerce and Policy

Schar School News March 2022

Kenneth A. Reinert

Kelly Hansen — Mon, 05 Oct 2020 07:30:34 +0000

Kenneth A. Reinert Kelly Hansen Mon, 10/05/2020 - 03:30

Professor of Public Policy; Director, Global Commerce and Policy Program

Contact Information

kreinert@gmu.edu
Phone: 703-993-8212
Fax: 703-993-8215
Mason Square, Van Metre Hall, Room 627
3351 Fairfax Drive
Arlington, VA 22201
MSN: 3B1

Personal Websites

http://reinert.gmu.edu

Biography

Kenneth A. Reinert is a professor of public policy in the Schar School of Policy and Government at ��AV. He received a School of Public Policy Distinguished Teaching Award in 2003 and currently serves as director of the Global Commerce and Policy Program.

Reinert has published more than 80 papers in professional journals and edited volumes in the areas of international trade, economic development, and environmental policy. He is author of An Introduction to International Economics: New Perspectives on the World Economy (Cambridge University Press, 2012, 2020) and No Small Hope: Towards the Universal Provision of Basic Goods (Oxford University Press, 2018), and coauthor of Globalization for Development: Meeting New Challenges (Oxford University Press, 2012). He is editor of the Handbook of Globalisation and Development (Edward Elgar, 2017) and coeditor of Applied Methods for Trade Policy Analysis: A Handbook (Cambridge University Press, 1997) and the two-volume Princeton Encyclopedia of the World Economy (Princeton University Press, 2009).

He received his PhD in economics from the University of Maryland and held the positions of senior international economist at the U.S. International Trade Commission and associate professor of economics at Kalamazoo College. He has consulted for the World Trade Organization, the World Bank, the OECD Development Centre, and the U.S. Department of Commerce.

View Kenneth A. Reinert's CV

Areas of Research

Economic Development
Economic Policy
International Development
International Economics
Latin America
Microeconomics
Political Economy
Trade Policy
Applied Trade Policy Analysis
Globalization
Basic Goods Provision