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George Mason Students Secure Second in the Country in Collegiate Speech

Andrew J Schappert — Wed, 01 May 2024 15:37:22 +0000

George Mason Students Secure Second in the Country in Collegiate Speech Andrew J Schappert Wed, 05/01/2024 - 11:37

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The ��AV Forensics Team poses with its 2nd place trophy at the National Forensic Association Tournament.

On any given Saturday, you might find the members of the ��AV Forensics Team, or intercollegiate speech team, huddled together in an empty classroom.

After a rousing round of vocal warmups, the students—nearly half of them students in the Schar School of Policy and Government—join hands and recite “The Covenant,” a poem passed down since the team’s founding more than 50 years ago. At the completion of the poem and a after a round of pep talks from coaches and captains, the team disperses to compete against teams from across the country for the title of most persuasive, informative, or poetic speaker (among other titles).

With a glance at the “wall of champions,” students can trace their competitive lineage decades back—with Schar School students scattered throughout the wall. One alumnus, former captain Jacob Thompson and two-time national champion, credits the Schar School for its seamless integration with the team.

“Being a Schar School student and competing on the Mason speech team is really the best of both worlds,” he said. “You get a chance to travel the country and practice your advocacy with the team then directly apply those skills to help change the country through the connections and opportunities the Schar School provides.”

The Forensics Team has existed longer than Mason itself. With a focus on both competitive success and education, the team has attracted Schar School students since its founding. Its current cohort of 10 Schar School students compete in a wide range of events, from poetry interpretation to extemporaneous speaking—an event in which the speaker is given a political question and 30 minutes to prep a seven-minute memorized answer with sources and argumentation. Students hail from across the country with varying prior speech experience, but one thing binds them together: a passion for advocacy.

Evanna Koury, a first-year Schar School government and international politics major, sought the speech team as an avenue for both personal and academic passions.

“Being a queer, disabled woman interested in government and political advocacy is challenging because I can't often get my foot in the door,” she said. “The Forensic Team changed that. I get seven to 10 minutes of uninterrupted talking time to amplify my voice with an amazing community.”

Mason’s speech team has been among its most successful competitive teams of all time. The team has been a Top 5 national program consistently since its founding, taking second in the country at the national championships for the past three years.

With advocacy as a focus, it is unsurprising the teams student population is so dominated by Schar School students, including seniors Molly Izer and Eleni Mercer, who share the team’s captainship and are both students in the Honors College. In fact, Schar School students earned an impressive array of awards at this year’s 2024 American Forensic Association National Speech Tournament, held in April, as well as taking second place in Division I at the National Forensic Association Tournament, its sister tournament held just a week later.

Eleni Mercer, senior government and international politics major
- Semifinalist, Informative Speaking (AFA)
- 2nd place, Program Oral Interpretation (AFA)
- National Champion, Program Oral Interpretation (NFA)
- Semifinalist, Poetry Interpretation (AFA)
- 9th place Individual Sweepstakes (AFA)
- 2nd place, Duo Interpretation (AFA)
- Octofinalist, After Dinner Speaking (NFA)
- Octofinalist, Informative Speaking (NFA)
- 3rd place, Duo Interpretation (NFA)
Molly Izer, senior government and international politics major
- Semifinalist, Impromptu Speaking (AFA)
- 4th place, Impromptu Speaking (NFA)
- National Champion, Informative Speaking (AFA)
- National Champion, Informative Speaking (NFA)
- National Champion, Poetry Interpretation (AFA)
- Quarterfinalist, Persuasive Speaking (NFA)
Grace Martinez-Cora, freshman government and international politics major
- Octofinalist, Poetry Interpretation (NFA)
Lexi Martinez, sophomore government and international politics major
- Quarterfinalist, Prose Interpretation (AFA)
- Octofinalist, Prose Interpretation (NFA)
- Semifinalist, Informative Speaking (AFA)
- Octofinalist, Dramatic Interpretation (NFA)
- Quarterfinalist, Informative Speaking (NFA)

“It is always exciting to have Schar School majors on the team,” said Dawn Lowry, director of the Forensics Team and lifetime forensicator. “They possess the unique combination of idealism and practicality. They can see a better world, but they also understand the institutional and societal structures that shape our lives.”

While the team continues to attract many Schar School students, each Forensics Team alum leaves the experience a passionate advocate, citizen, and human being.

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Schar School News for May 2024

A Day in the Life of Student, Teaching Assistant, and Congressional Intern Maaz Abbasi

Andrew J Schappert — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 16:54:48 +0000

A Day in the Life of Student, Teaching Assistant, and Congressional Intern Maaz Abbasi Andrew J Schappert Wed, 02/21/2024 - 11:54

‘My favorite part of the internship is interacting with constituents, engaging in what they have to say, proving answers, providing help.’

This is part of the Schar School's student-to-student story series where undergraduates are interviewed and profiled by their peers.

Maaz Abbasi, a senior government and international politics major at the Schar School of Policy and Government at ��AV, is a master juggler. He attends classes full time and works as a teaching assistant and legislative intern for Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA). Below he shares a typical (busy) day as an intern and a student.

Internship days – Tuesday and Thursday
6 a.m. | Get ready and head to work

My day starts at 6 a.m. I work in the office of Congressman Gerry Connolly in Virginia’s 11th district as a legislative intern. Capitol Hill is a very formal environment, so interning there requires me to wear a suit and tie. I leave my house around 7:45 a.m. and take the Silver Line for 1 hour and 10 minutes to D.C. During that time, I catch up with assignments or plan my Friday teaching lessons.

9 a.m. | Go to Capitol Hill internship

Right now, because of recent international events, we are very busy. The first thing I do is check any emails or messages from my supervisor. Then, I will be given an assignment, which can be working on a letter. The other day I worked on a Supreme Court reaffirmation letter. I wrote the letter from scratch, which spoke about the need for change in the Supreme Court after multiple corruption cases were revealed within the body. Writing this letter was important because court corruption can affect the body’s decisions and American’s lives. I was able to bring analytical skills while referencing the congressman’s opinions. I was able to do research for it and what the congressman has supported. A lot of my time is spent on research and answering calls from constituents. They call for a huge range of things, so you need to be prepared to answer EVERYTHING. Yesterday, I answered a call about UFOs and then another about Vietnam War veteran benefits.

I go to different events. So, if an organization wants to lobby for a certain bill, the congressman’s office will send me to an event to take notes. For example, I’ve gone to a Save the Whales event, or a Gambling Addiction event and take notes for staff, so maybe they can get the congressman to support it or not. I also lead tours in the Capitol and share its history. Learning history is a big part of the job because if you know the history of Capitol Hill you will be much more respected and engaged in what is going on there.

My favorite part of the internship is interacting with constituents, engaging in what they have to say, proving answers, providing help. Assisting people on the phone is very rewarding because, sometimes, people just want to be listened to, and giving them the opportunity to voice their opinions is what democracy and freedom of speech is all about.

The most unexpected thing is the amount of work the office of a congressman does. It’s a lot. There are two offices, the district one and the Washington one, and they all do so much to help the congressman succeed, write legislation, find what legislation to sponsor, help constituents, and just be there to support him. There are a lot of functions that require a huge time commitment.

5 p.m. | Head home

It takes me one hour to get back to Ashburn. I mostly decompress and read a book or watch a movie. When I get home, I will check my class, check if any student has emailed me regarding the 103 class I assist with, and answer any questions they might have. I am also a member of the No Lost Generation club, a student club at Mason, which is dedicated to expanding refugees’ access to higher education opportunities. Currently, I serve as the director of policy advocacy as it facilitates contacts throughout my internship because the congressman is a big supporter of refugees.

School days – Wednesday and Friday
7 a.m. Wake up

I wake up and get ready for the day. I finalize lesson plans and make sure all activities are ready to present to the class.

11 a.m. | Arrive on campus

I hold office hours before class and then teach the 50-minute class. Then, I go to club meetings and interact with people on campus and professors who might have office hours. As a teaching assistant to Professor Jennifer Victor, I give input on the lesson, helping by providing examples and answers to the students. Some of my specific tasks are teaching recitations, answering questions about the textbook or the class, providing support for review sessions, and being a point of contact for students.

My favorite class is GOVT 332 Politics in the Middle East with Associate Professor Bassam Haddad. I like this class because it builds from GOVT 345 Islam and Politics, which I had taken before. When you take out religious perspective, you get a deeper understanding when you don’t focus on only one thing. Also, the way Professor Haddad teaches, he starts off looking at your own biases and perspectives and then analyzes them.

5 p.m. | Leave campus

I enjoy hanging out with friends, going to the gym, and reading. I like to read political books about places and communities that are not talked about. 

In This Story

Jennifer N. Victor

Bassam S. Haddad

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A Successful Semester Abroad Fosters a Love of Travel

Andrew J Schappert — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 14:54:26 +0000

A Successful Semester Abroad Fosters a Love of Travel Andrew J Schappert Tue, 12/12/2023 - 09:54

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Schar School junior Maggie Reier visited various cities, including Budapest, while studying at the University of Oxford.

Even before arriving at ��AV, Maggie Reier knew she wanted to study abroad for a semester. The Schar School of Policy and Government helped her achieve that goal.

A San Francisco Bay native, Reier wanted to be in the Washington, D.C., area for college—location was key for the current junior double majoring in government and international politics and integrative studies with a concentration in social justice and human rights. Following graduation, she plans to attend law school and study human rights law.

“I knew I wanted to be somewhere that would provide a lot of job and internship opportunities for what I wanted to do, and Mason just fit the bill,” she said. “Not to mention, the government degree was unique to Mason, and really appealed to me.”

As far as studying abroad, that notion was homegrown. Her father traveled extensively for work as a photographer and her mother and sister both studied abroad while in high school.

“I grew up hearing about their experiences and I wanted to experience traveling abroad for myself,” she said.

When the Global Education Office sent an email to students advertising a study abroad opportunity in Oxford, England, Reier immediately got in touch with her Schar School advisor to apply.

A semester at Mason is structured differently than a semester at the University of Oxford, according to Reier. Instead of the usual five classes a semester, she took two tutorials: The Politics of Human Rights and Comparative U.S. and U.K. Law.

“I am given readings and discussion questions, and sometimes an essay. Basically, I do the work over the course of the week, and when I meet with my tutor, we talk about what I read and/or wrote,” she said. “My tutors aren’t afraid to put me on the spot; that’s really helped to improve my ability to answer questions and recall the readings.”

Although the changes were an adjustment for Reier to make, she says that the differences improved her academic abilities.

“My writing has also gotten better in terms of speed and conciseness,” she said. “The learning system forces me to time manage more efficiently than I have before.”

She credits her Schar School classes for helping her to prepare for the content covered at Oxford.

“The Nonprofit Sector in the U.S. class was heavily research-based, so that was helpful in preparation for the amount of research I have to do in my tutorials,” she said. “Constitutional Interpretation gave me a foundation for my comparative law tutorial because the subject matter requires you to be thoughtful and analytical when looking at cases and decisions.”

Outside the classroom, Reier liked to travel across Europe with her peers. She spent a lot of time traversing the United Kingdom, specifically the city of London.

“There’s just so much to do, and I’ve barely scratched the surface,” she said.

Reier also visited Rome and the Vatican. Her favorite city to explore is Budapest.

“The city is so cool, and I wish we could’ve had more time there,” she said. “We went to St. Stephen’s Basilica and Heroes’ Square. We also saw Fisherman’s Bastion, a lookout point on the Buda side of the Danube. We spent a lot of time on the Pest side in the Jewish quarter and it was my personal favorite part of the trip.”

Reier encourages any student interested in studying abroad to take advantage of the opportunities that Mason offers and shares this advice: “It’s important to understand what your priorities are in terms of what you want to get out of your study-abroad experience. If travel is important, try to pick somewhere that’s accessible to other countries. Try to plan as much as possible—don’t be afraid to reach out to the GEO office to talk about their different programs. I found that meeting with someone to get more insight into the different programs was helpful in figuring out what program I wanted to do and when I wanted to do it. Once you’re abroad, just make the most of it. Take advantage of what’s near you and try to get out of your comfort zone.”

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Schar School Public Service Weekend on Policy Communication Nurtures, Inspires Students from 24 Universities

Jessica Bates — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 16:10:12 +0000

Schar School Public Service Weekend on Policy Communication Nurtures, Inspires Students from 24 Universities Jessica Bates Tue, 11/21/2023 - 11:10

In This Story

Justin Gest

Bonnie Stabile

Jennifer N. Victor

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A cohort of 28 college students from around the country came together at Mason Square in Arlington, Virginia, in October for the inaugural Schar School of Policy and Government Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Public Service Weekend. Students enjoyed three days of workshops, distinguished speakers, and learning—all in the frame of public policy communication.

Schar School organizers, who partnered with the not-for-profit PPIA — which is devoted to diversifying the future pipeline of public policy professionals — reported that the students came from 13 states and 24 universities. One of the goals of the program was to expose underrepresented students to elements of pursuing a graduate education in a policy field.

The weekend, which included lodging in a nearby hotel and a bowling outing, featured a diverse collection of distinguished guest speakers from across the media and public policy world, offering students firsthand knowledge through direct contact with industry leaders.

Schar School’s Justin Gest in conversation with Axios’ Sara Fischer at the opening of the Public Service Weekend 2023. Photos by Sydney Henry.

Speakers included senior media reporter for Axios Sara Fischer, MSNBC anchor Symone Sanders-Townsend, and PBS NewsHour White House reporter Laura Barrón-López. Through interactive sessions, crash course lectures, and direct interviews with guest speakers, participants of the conference gained practical hands-on experience engaging with public policy—and communicating it to stakeholders.

“One of the focuses of a Schar School education is policy communication,” said PPIA convenor Justin Gest, professor of policy and government at the Schar School and author of six books on policy communication, demography, and immigration. “It’s really important that our future policy makers and leaders reflect the demography of our country and have the skills to bring a broad diversity of ideas and opinions to the halls where decisions get made.”

“Throughout the weekend, Professor Gest shared valuable insights into the process of news pitching and the importance of dealing with professional rejection,” said Ilana Drake, a sophomore studying public policy and English at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. “I was grateful to attend the Public Service Weekend at the Schar School and gain knowledge on how policy interacts with the media, all while mingling with fellow students, Mason faculty, and distinguished speakers.”

Gabriella Grabovska, a sophomore studying government and international politics at the Schar School and a participant of the PPIA weekend, noted the importance of communicating ideas to a broad diversity of stakeholders.

“With the recent growth of media power, knowing government and politics is not enough because you have to communicate your knowledge and ideas to the people that make decisions,” she said. “The PPIA weekend improved my skills of writing and speaking communication and was just a very inspirational and practical experience.”

Throughout the weekend, participants had full access to numerous Schar School faculty in addition to Gest, including Associate Dean of Student and Academic Affairs Bonnie Stabile, Director of the Schar School’s Master’s in International Security Degree program and Center of Security Policy Studies Ellen Laipson, along with Associate Professors Michael Fauntroy and Jennifer N. Victor and Assistant Professor Meghan Garrity.

Students engaged in dynamic workshops, writing policy memos and op-eds while receiving guidance, insights, and mentorship from the faculty and guests. Students also engaged in mock broadcast interviews with Margaret Talev, outgoing managing editor at Axios and a CNN political analyst.

Government and international politics major Gabriella Grabovska asks a question about policy communications during the PPIA weekend.

“Participating in the Schar School’s Public Service Weekend was truly an honor,” said Emmanuella Osei, a sophomore at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. “The lectures provided by Dr. Gest were extremely informative and engaging. I even had the opportunity to share an excerpt of my op-ed and receive feedback from Symone Sanders-Townsend, host of Symone on MSNBC.”

Beyond meeting with Sanders-Townsend, who many students noted as a highlight of the weekend, students also met with Axios’ Fischer, who offered insights in the changing dynamics of the media world, and NewsHour’s Barrón-López, who described the fast-paced and hectic news environments the White House operates within.

“After presenting my op-ed to the conference, the distinguished guests, and faculty, along with the students, gave me useful ideas to truncate and implement stronger direction in my rhetoric,” said Blaine Greene II, who attends St. Mary’s College of Maryland. “As an English major with a political science minor, I sometimes feel like an idealistic rube or a country bumpkin, yet I was unbelievably proud to be in the presence of this group of the world's greatest students.”

The Public Policy Weekend also provided the students an exclusive opportunity to gain a sneak peek at what it’s like to study public policy at the Schar School.

“The program is mutually beneficial to students and faculty because each get a head start at building relationships that will serve them throughout a two-year program,” said Professor Victor, who participated in the mentorship lunch-table segment, a series of small, casual discussions with Schar School faculty providing insights into the public policy world.

“Being a Schar [School] student means being well-connected to different political resources, amazing faculty, outside opportunities, and programs like PPIA,” Grabovska said. “My advice would be to stay in touch with connections that you make within [the Schar School]. If you are in touch with your academic advisor, they might send you some cool classes or workshops. If you stay in touch with a Schar [School] student, who knows, maybe one day they will become the president?”

When asked about what advice to give to students interested in the public policy field, Gest noted the exemplary pursuit of lifelong learning exhibited by the participants of the weekend.

“In this economy and the policy sector, professionals can never stop learning, or they risk becoming less effective and obsolete,” he said. “Always continue to expose yourself to new knowledge, new colleagues, and new information and ideas.”

Interested in becoming the next generation of Schar School graduates? Learn more about our extensive programs here.

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Schar School Undergrads Get a Surprise Visitor: A North Korea Defector

Andrew J Schappert — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 15:24:11 +0000

Schar School Undergrads Get a Surprise Visitor: A North Korea Defector Andrew J Schappert Fri, 11/10/2023 - 10:24

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North Korea defector Justin Seo: ‘There is no one message that could solve the problems of North Korea, but if the people can stay strong, perhaps positive change lies ahead.’

North Korea currently presents both direct and indirect security concerns for the U.S. and, indeed the world. Its nuclear arsenal and missile capabilities pose a direct threat to specific regions, while its potential to influence other nations is strong.

Former South Korea navy captain Joshua Park is a visiting research fellow at the Schar School of Policy and Government at ��AV. He is also an adjunct professor, teaching a course called North Korea Security (GOVT 444) that calls on his extensive military experience in conveying a robust foundational understanding of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and a thorough examination of its intricate network of foreign relations. Ultimately, Park delves into the intriguing dynamics between North Korea and the broader strategic competition among nations.

On a Thursday in September, Park introduced to the class a guest speaker who provided exclusive insight to contemporary life in North Korea and its foreign relations. The speaker, Justin Seo, is a defector from North Korea, having escaped from North Korea to China with his family in 2005.

Seo vividly narrated a detailed PowerPoint presentation that illustrated the concepts they have been studying as only someone who lived there could.

Seo stated how the propaganda implemented by the North Korean government runs rampant in the news, and civilians have essentially no choice but to believe it. Additionally, most civilians are required to spend a minimum of 10 years in the military, unless their status is deemed unworthy of serving the family of supreme leader Kim Jong Un. In that case, they are likely subject to a life of abject poverty.

North Korea’s flawed education system, he said, was rife with systemic concerns unimaginable to Western thinking.

“In People’s school,” he said, “the students are told to bring valuable things to school. Students may be asked to bring aluminum, herbs, human or animal wastes, rice, firewood, and sometimes money. The teachers collect these items under the dictator’s name to condition students to be subject to the rule of the Kim family at a young age.”

Seo added that students are taught to worship the Kim Jong Un family beginning as early as kindergarten.

Not surprisingly, Seo received a large number of questions from the Schar School class, including one that made his North Korea experience personal: “If you hypothetically had the power to tell all of North Korea one message, what would you tell them?”

“I would tell them to remain aware of their situation and to stay determined,” he said. “There is no one message that could solve the problems of North Korea, but if the people can stay strong, perhaps positive change lies ahead.”

Seo also encouraged the class to share news of the systemic realities of North Korea, such as their human rights violations and a recent summit cementing relations with Russia, as much as possible. He emphasized pressuring the U.S. Congress to accept North Korean people as international refugees.

The students in Park’s class said they were thrilled to have an engaging guest as Seo.

“Being able to hear Mr. Seo describe his background was an extremely fulfilling event,” said Government and International Politics major Jake Moran. “At this moment, I felt very grateful that I decided to take North Korean Security with Professor Park. Seeing a North Korean defector speak his mind with his presentation truly made the class standout relative to the other government classes I have taken.”

“Justin Seo’s guest lecture painted a vivid picture of the hardships that North Koreans face in their everyday lives,” said government major Jim Corcoran. “After hearing his story and learning about his perspective, I feel that I can better appreciate the human costs that the regime’s systems of oppression impose on their own people.

“I feel that this class, or any class on North Korea, would be incomplete without being able to learn firsthand about what life is like for ordinary citizens.”

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From California to Capitol Hill: A Q&A with Schar School Student Matthew Glaubke

Andrew J Schappert — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 16:02:35 +0000

From California to Capitol Hill: A Q&A with Schar School Student Matthew Glaubke Andrew J Schappert Thu, 11/02/2023 - 12:02

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While at the Schar School, senior Matthew Glaubke interned with Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA).

This is part of the Schar School's student-to-student story series where undergraduates are interviewed and profiled by their peers.

At ��AV’s Schar School of Policy and Government, Matthew Glaubke turned his Capitol Hill dreams into reality.

A current senior and Thousand Oaks, California, native, Glaubke knew he wanted to pursue a degree in government and international politics. “I toured a number of other schools in California and Virginia, and Mason was the first place I felt comfortable and at home on campus,” he said. “In the end, it was the Schar School’s commitment to its students’ success and the helpfulness of the admissions staff that gave me full confidence in my decision.”

At the Schar School, Glaubke had the opportunity to intern on Capitol Hill. I asked him why he wanted to work on Capitol Hill, how he secured his internship, and what it entailed.

Why did you want to work on Capitol Hill?
I have always been interested in the policy process and how legislation can be used to improve lives. A job on the Hill would allow me to work in a number of different issue areas I care about.

How did you find your internship?
I found my Hill internship because Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) is my representative at home. I had previously worked for my city government and interned for California Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin. This was something I had been working toward for years.

Matthew Glaubke: ‘I have always been interested in the policy process and how legislation can be used to improve lives.’

Did you use any Schar School resources to help you get your internship?
One resource I used was the class credit the Schar School offers for internships [Undergraduate Internship Program]. This allowed me to work 24 hours a week on the Hill while maintaining a 15-credit course load. This was extremely valuable to me because it allowed me to gain work experience while also maintaining my academic track.

Tell me about your time on the Hill? Who did you work for, what was your position, and your responsibilities?
I worked as an intern for Congresswoman Brownley in the fall semester of 2022. As a congressional intern, I was responsible for taking constituent calls and writing responses from the congresswoman, leading tours of the Capitol, sitting in on meetings with lobbyists, attending hearings, and writing memos.

What was the most valuable skill you learned while working on the Hill?
The most important thing I learned as an intern on the Hill is to always make yourself available to help. There are always people in the office who could use assistance with something, and if you’re not assigned anything, you should ask others. The staffers in the office will help you in your post-grad job search and are a fantastic resource for you. While I was a legislative intern, I worked with our communications staff frequently and was given the opportunity to work on things that some interns don’t get to, such as finding cosponsors for our bills. One of the bills was the Elizabeth Dole Home- and Community-Based Services for Veterans and Caregivers Act, to improve VA programs for aging veterans. The bill didn't pass while I was an intern, but it did pass the House Veterans Affairs Committee later. This was the must fulfilling responsibility I had during my time on the Hill and I'm grateful to have been trusted by our legislative staff.

What is your advice for current Schar School students who may want to work on the Hill? How can they get the most out of the experience?
Find (and work on) what you’re passionate about. This will be useful for a couple of reasons. First, it can help you find a representative or senator who works on issues you care about. Much of the legislation a representative drafts relates to the committees they serve on, and you want your work to line up with what you care about. Talk to everyone you can, make friends with other interns, and keep connected with the people you meet after your internship.

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Schar School News for November 2023

A Summer Internship in Spain Creates Lasting Friendships While Assisting Women in Need

Andrew J Schappert — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 17:20:36 +0000

A Summer Internship in Spain Creates Lasting Friendships While Assisting Women in Need Andrew J Schappert Wed, 08/09/2023 - 13:20

Gabriela Manzanares: ‘I never expected us to connect so well, and it's reassuring to know that we will maintain contact even after the internship.’

Gabriela Manzanares spent two months of her summer break visiting a facility where pregnant women and single mothers, many of them immigrants, came to acquire food and clothing for their children. The ��AV rising senior’s job several days a week was to assist Maria Victoria Calle Rodriguez, a lawyer for a nonprofit, as she helped the women navigate the sometimes-confusing legalities and customs they would encounter in establishing new lives in a new country with their young families.

The country was Spain.

Manzanares, a student in the Schar School of Policy and Government’s government and international politics program, spent June and July in Madrid, as an intern at the nonprofit Fundación Madrina—the Godmother Foundation.

It was the Stafford, Virginia, native’s first visit to Europe, and she found the internship rewarding and enriching in more ways than one.

“A lot of the women come from different countries, like Peru and Venezuela, and they’re seeking asylum,” she said. “They need help with bringing their children from another country and really don’t know how. [Lawyer] Victoria will read documents to them to help them understand their legal rights.”

While the work was meaningful to her and the women they helped, Manzanares found herself overcoming her initial shyness around strangers in a foreign country and learning to speak “Spanish Spanish and not the Central American Spanish that I speak,” she said, noting that her parents are from El Salvador. It wasn’t long before she was comfortable in her new surroundings with new friends.

“Victoria helped me open up,” she said. Soon, she said, was “close with everybody….I was most surprised by the excellent rapport I developed with my boss, Victoria. I never expected us to connect so well, and it's reassuring to know that we will maintain contact even after the internship.”

The work she performed for the foundation—for which she earned six credits toward her degree—increased her interest in joining the legal profession, with a serious eye on law school and/or in a law aspect of an intelligence agency after earning her BA with the Schar School. “The best thing about the internship was the hands-on experience I gained in the legal field while immersing myself in a new culture,” she said.

Mason and the Schar School are uniquely positioned to place students in significant internship roles throughout the year at institutions around the region, the country, and the world. Internships are important opportunities to experience “the real world” of the workplace beyond the classroom and they increase job prospects and earning potential with future employers. Manzanares’ experience in Madrid no doubt will contribute to her gaining acceptance to the law school of her choice.

And while she was gone for two months interning in Spain, did she miss anything from home? The food? Her family? Her classmates?

“My dog,” she said with a laugh. “I miss my dog so much, I’m not even kidding. His name is Lion. He’s a mastiff.”

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Quill Camps Welcome New First-Year Students with Immersive Experiences

Andrew J Schappert — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 15:58:34 +0000

Quill Camps Welcome New First-Year Students with Immersive Experiences Andrew J Schappert Thu, 07/27/2023 - 11:58

Orientation season begins in earnest at ��AV in August, but for a number of rising freshmen, their first year of college began in July during Quill Camp.

Incoming freshmen from Quill Camp: Republic got a twilight tour of Washington, D.C., landmarks. Photos by Ron Aira/Creative Services.

The series of four-day camps—there are five of them, each with a different academic emphasis—bring together like-minded students who explore not just the Mason campuses but also the surrounding Washington, D.C., region. For instance, True Crime members are provided insights into the criminal justice system; studio students are provided with hands-on experience in the arts; and Project Peak participants enjoy immersive outdoor excursions. The camps are organized by Mason’s New Student and Family Programs Office.

A mid-July field trip capped off Quill Camp: Republic, which sent new students by bus into the District of Columbia to visit landmarks, tour museums, and get a general idea of where decisions are made in one of the most important political cities in the world.

Not surprisingly, many Quill Camp: Republic students are majoring in degree programs hosted by the Schar School of Policy and Government. Having some knowledge of what the vaunted “hallowed marble halls” of Washington, D.C., actually look like provides good background for government majors who will be studying policy and politics.

The camp’s activities were even insightful for those who had been to Washington before.

“I didn't see too many things that were new, but it was fun to tour them with my future classmates and colleagues,” said incoming government and international politics (GVIP) major Griffin Crouch, who lives in Arlington, Virginia, not far from the District of Columbia. “I was learning from all the other students what going to Mason would be like.”

Quill Camp: Republic’s incoming freshmen got a tour of a place some of them may work as future interns—the Capitol.

The tour of the Capitol, the dusk visit to the familiar landmarks of D.C., and an excursion into the National Museum of African American History and Culture “was a great way to see the city with a different group of people and experience everything that’s here,” he said.

“It’s been amazing,” said Charlotte Bell, a GVIP major from Richmond, Virginia. Even though, like Crouch, it was not her first visit to the nation’s capital, Quill Camp: Republic afforded “a lot of really great opportunities this week,” she said after the visit to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

“I never would've known what this museum was or knew of its importance” without the visit, she said. “I really gained perspective. And the monument tour we went on last night was really wonderful. It was beautiful.”

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Schar School News July 2023