Schar School News November 2022

These Marines embrace their Mason mission

Colleen Rich — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 13:48:00 +0000

These Marines embrace their Mason mission Colleen Rich Thu, 11/10/2022 - 08:48

Neither Paul Deller nor Michael Harris knew anything about ��AV before they enrolled in the Master of Public Policy (MPP) program in the Schar School of Policy and Government.

Now, both are Mason boosters.

Two Marine Corps officers from Mason's Congressional Fellowship Program. From left, Michael Harris, Anne Holton, Paul Deller. Photo provided

“Exceptional,” Deller said when asked about his experience at the university. “There are a number of people who teach at Mason who I have heard on some of my favorite podcasts and read about in the news for years. I’m still amazed that I get to learn at an institution where you regularly bump into these people in the hall.”

“Outstanding,” Harris said. “The faculty, staff, and students I’ve met so far have all been amazing.”

Deller and Harris are part of an interesting cohort of 11 Marine Corps officers attending Mason through the Congressional Fellowship Program, which gives Marines opportunities for professional development that include working on Capitol Hill in the office of a member of Congress for one year and enrollment in Mason’s graduate public policy program.

It is another example of Mason identifying educational pathways that meet students where they are, while the university engages them, in this case, on the Mason Square Campus in Arlington, Virginia, which is just six miles from downtown Washington, D.C.

It also is an example of Mason’s commitment to active-duty military, veterans, and their families. With 1,790 Mason students holding veteran certification, the university is ranked as the nation’s No. 1 military-friendly institution by College Factual.

“Mason is unique from other universities I’ve attended or graduated from,” said Maj. TJ Byers, who manages the Congressional Fellowship program and graduated from Mason with an MPP in May 2022. “The professors set us up for success. I even reached back out to them during my year on Capitol Hill to get some technical assistance for some policy stuff I was working on, or with just a generalized question in a field I needed to research.”

For Deller, 35, a major, and Harris, 33, a captain, in the Marines’ Office of Legislative Affairs at the Pentagon, the master’s degree they will receive at the end of the program will prepare them for their year on Capitol Hill and enhance their career prospects in the Marine Corps.

“I’ve always been interested in pursuing a master’s degree,” Harris said. “My undergraduate degree is in economics and the MPP program has an economic policy focus area, so it aligns with my interests. The program will assist in my ability to be an effective liaison between Congress and the Marine Corps. And learning to be a more effective team leader will pay dividends in the future.”

Anne Holton, professor of public policy and education at Mason, has both Marines in her Public Sector Leadership class.

She called Deller “outspoken and chatty” and Harris “quiet and thoughtful.” And though Harris doesn’t speak as often, “when he does, it’s powerful.”

Both of them, Holton added, are “great contributors to the class.”

“The military presence is our classes is significant,” Holton said. “It’s exciting that these folks are taking seriously what it means to be leaders and future leaders.”

And, really, that is what the Congressional Fellowship Program and the MPP program are all about.

“The ultimate purpose is to bring back this knowledge to the Marine Corps and share it with others,” Deller said. “The program isn’t about what I get to take away from it, it’s about how this experience will allow me to contribute to the development of the Marines throughout the remainder of my career.”

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Master of Public Policy

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Schar School News November 2022

Wait. A Parrot Named John Adams? Seven-Term U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly Pays a Visit to Democracy Lab

Andrew J Schappert — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 14:07:22 +0000

Wait. A Parrot Named John Adams? Seven-Term U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly Pays a Visit to Democracy Lab Andrew J Schappert Tue, 11/08/2022 - 09:07

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Jennifer N. Victor

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U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) discussed his career in politics, current events, and his parrot named John Adams with students in the Schar School’s Democracy Lab. Photos by Ron Aira/Creative Services

Connolly: 'But the [close race] kind of liberated me in a way; I thought, if I lose my seat trying to do the right thing, well so be it.'

Some 25 students enrolled in the Schar School’s Democracy Lab learning community received a master class in “retail politics” the Friday before Election Day in the intimate auditorium of Eisenhower Hall on ��AV’s Fairfax Campus. Seven-term U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) was the political science professor for the day, at the invitation of Schar School associate professor Jennifer N. Victor.

Connolly, who represents Virginia’s 11th District, kicked off the hour-plus session with a few general observations about the political landscape—November 8’s Election Day loomed large—and several personal anecdotes, including the news that that his household has a patriotically named pet parrot, John Adams.

Having served on the Fairfax Board of Supervisors prior to his time in Congress for 14 years, five of them as chairman, Connolly is well-versed in the kind of hands-on efforts local politicians are called on to make. “It makes no difference if you’re a Republican or Democrat to fill a pothole,” he suggested. “A career legislator” who has bypassed the local level of government “actually hasn’t done anything.”

Which brought up a question from the students in the audience, one of whom asked which is more important, local, state, or federal government? After considering the question, Connolly said none was more important than the other but “democracy is built from the ground up.” As an example, the politicizing of local school boards, formerly run by well-meaning parents who “just want the best for their kids and your kids,” are now being taken over by “idealogues” with political agendas.

Government and international politics major freshman Zane Ryan-Hart, began a well-intended question that was cut off immediately by the congressman. The offending phrase? “Given that your seat is safe…”

“No seat is safe!” Connolly said firmly. “And do you know why? Money.” Specifically, “dark money” that’s parachuted into campaigns from unknown sources. He gave examples of contests that were far tighter than they should be thanks for dark money sources paying for ads vilifying candidates.

Once Ryan-Hart got to ask his question—“what did running in a close election really teach you?”—Connolly recalled the lessons learned from his surprisingly tight race in 2010 in which he won by the narrowest of margins.

“Well, it didn’t change my values or my voting patterns,” he said. “Maybe change my communication tactics. But 2010 was an extreme example. The Tea Party was toxic, it really was. They were unpleasant people. But the [close race] kind of liberated me in a way; I thought, if I lose my seat trying to do the right thing, well so be it.”

Other conversation points included relations with Turkey, the mindset of politicians (“All politicians are Pavlovian: They respond to reward and punishment”), what can be done about divisive politics (“It’s going to require a catastrophic loss by the Republican party to clean out all that stuff”), the historic successes of the last congress, attending October’s Crimea Forum with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, predictions for Tuesday’s elections (“We have a fighting chance to hold the Senate”), and his early experience in public speaking (“Catholic nuns are tough judges; be comfortable with yourself and be authentic”).

International Ukrainian first-year student Gabriella Grabovska, whose parents remain in her war-torn native country, thanked Connolly for his remarks about continuing bipartisan support for Ukraine and then took the opportunity to ask what can be done to improve funding of Mason which is located in his district?

“That’s a state question,” he replied. “But in my opinion, Virginia colleges have come a long way, and we should be proud of them all,” he said, naming several public colleges in the commonwealth. “But if I were running for governor, I’d run on a platform of supporting state universities” even more, he said, because an educated workforce benefits the population at large.

“This is fantastic and I’m just super glad I got the opportunity” to meet with Connolly, Ryan-Hart said after the talk. “He gave me some insight on what’s going on in Washington and insights on the actual campaigns and their issues.”

“Now that I'm 18, now that I'm a voter, and especially as an independent voter, asking candidates questions and knowing their stances on issues is really, really important,” said government and international politics major John Brennan IV. “And it's my first time since being a registered voter that I've been able to ask a genuine question [of a politician]. And the question I asked [about the viability of election deniers as candidates] I think was very important given our current state of the nation and country.”

Connolly continues conversations with Democracy Lab students after the event.

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Government

Congress

Schar School News November 2022

Students

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Two ��AV Economic Forecasting Powerhouses Join Forces; First Forum Nov. 15

Andrew J Schappert — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 15:49:50 +0000

Two ��AV Economic Forecasting Powerhouses Join Forces; First Forum Nov. 15 Andrew J Schappert Thu, 11/03/2022 - 11:49

In This Story

Stephen Fuller

Terry Clower

Mark J. Rozell

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Terry Clower: ‘No matter the project’s location or topic, we bring what we learn back to Northern Virginia and the D.C. metro area so we can help our region and state grow and thrive.’

Two of the Washington, D.C., region’s most recognized and respected economic and policy research entities—��AV’s Center for Regional Analysis (CRA) and its Stephen S. Fuller Institute for Research on the Washington Region’s Economic Future (SFI)—have joined forces in an effort to expand and deepen their longtime efforts to support economic and community development in the region.

The units’ missions are complementary, with the SFI continuing to provide real-time research and analysis of economic issues and conditions that affect the Washington region now and in the future; the CRA, with its broader geographic reach, continues to provide data, analytics, and research with state and national implications in a wide range of crucial issues. Both units are headed by CRA director and professor of public policy Terry Clower and are housed at the Schar School of Policy and Government.

Mark J. Rozell, dean of the Schar School, noted that while each research center provides critical guidance to regional business leaders and policy makers, “the post-pandemic labor markets and ever-changing economic conditions made it clear that the best path forward is to realize strategic and operational synergies by combining the CRA and the Fuller Institute under a single leader in Dr. Clower.”

With the consolidation, Rozell said, “the two research centers will continue their nearly 40 years of combined history as key resources for those who rely on their insights to keep the region’s economy moving forward.”

Steven Fuller: ‘Blending the unique capabilities and missions of these two organizations will be a win-win for all the beneficiaries…’ Photo by Buzz McClain/Schar School of Policy and Government

“Working with sponsors and partners over the past eight years, the CRA has been able to expand its portfolio to include research and engagement activities across the commonwealth of Virginia, the DMV, the U.S., and internationally,” said Clower, who joined Mason in 2014 and took the helm at the Center a year later.

With the five-year-old Fuller Institute under the same umbrella, Clower said, “No matter the project’s location or topic, we bring what we learn back to Northern Virginia and the D.C. metro area so we can help our region and state grow and thrive…Working with Dr. Fuller the past few months to bring our entities together makes me appreciate anew just how much he has brought to this region over the past 50 years.”

Fuller, founding director of the SFI and now a University Professor Emeritus, said the institute will continue to monitor the economic forces affecting the region as they emerge.

“By combining these two complementary research organizations, both will benefit from sharing staff and knowledge as well as gaining increased management and operation efficiencies,” said Fuller. “Blending the unique capabilities and missions of these two organizations will be a win-win for all the beneficiaries of these services and for the advancement of economic research on critical issues in these uncertain economy times.”

The CRA and the Fuller Institute will host the first CRA/Fuller Institute Joint Economic Outlook Forum on Tuesday, November 15, at Mason Square in Arlington from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Clower and Fuller Institute founder Stephen S. Fuller will examine the current challenges and opportunities facing the region’s economy and will present analysis and insights on employment, housing, construction, retail, and other decisive aspects effecting the region’s economy in 2023 and beyond. Bob Buchanan, a third-generation builder and civic leader and president of the 2030 Group, will provide opening remarks.

The event is free and open to the public but reservations are required at this site.

About the Schar School of Policy and Government

��AV’s Schar School of Policy and Government prepares undergraduate and graduate students to be leaders and managers who solve problems and advance the public good in all sectors and levels of government—in the United States and throughout the world. Located where policy happens—just 3 miles from the Pentagon, 4 miles from The White House, and 6 miles from the U.S. Capitol Building—students are connected to jobs, internships, networking, and experiences that can only be found in the Washington, D.C., area.

About George Mason

��AV is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls 39,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity and commitment to accessibility. In 2022, Mason celebrates 50 years as an independent institution. Learn more at gmu.edu