Northern Virginia Community College

George Mason Partners with Local School Systems for Two Lab Schools

Katarina Benson — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 18:09:25 +0000

George Mason Partners with Local School Systems for Two Lab Schools Katarina Benson Wed, 12/11/2024 - 13:09

��AV has received Virginia Board of Education funding for two of 14 lab schools being established around the commonwealth.

In partnership with local employers and community organizations, Virginia lab schools are focused on expanding opportunities for students by exposing them to workplaces that highlight the important role academic success plays in life. The lab schools provide another chance for George Mason to meet students where they are to offer them a distinctive educational path to achieve their goals, while also addressing career readiness objectives in the commonwealth.

George Mason is working with Northern Virginia Community College and Loudoun County Public Schools on the Accelerated College and Employability Skills (ACCESS) Academy, which will provide students with an alternative education pathway that emphasizes employability skills, innovative teaching and learning methods, and immersive experiences developed with industry partners, researchers, and instructional faculty.

Students in grades 9 and 10 will focus on completing high school graduation requirements while being introduced to problem-based learning. Students in grades 11 and 12 can then earn up to 30 college credits that may be applied toward a two- or four-year degree program upon graduation.

Researchers and industry partners will also work with ACCESS students as part of a new Learning Innovation Lab, where teaching and learning innovations will be applied, evaluated, adapted, and disseminated.

Roberto Pamas of George Mason’s School of Education has been selected to serve as director of ACCESS Academy. In this role, he has been working with lab school partners to develop curriculum and course offerings and assessing staffing requirements and other resource needs. ACCESS Academy is expected to launch in fall 2025.

The Shenandoah Valley Rural Regional College Partnership Laboratory School for Data Science, Computing, and Applications (DSCA) is a collaboration between the university and Laurel Ridge Community College, Frederick County Public Schools, and Mountain Vista Governor’s School, as well as six rural and rural-fringe school districts in the Shenandoah Valley.

Programming will support 10th through 12th graders and cover data science and computing, research opportunities, apprenticeships and internships, experiential and project-based learning, certifications and microcredentials in data analytics, opportunities to earn an associate’s degree and college credits, as well as work-based learning opportunities. Students begin preparing for the lab school during their sophomore year, with programming starting in their junior and senior years.

“The vision is to create a data literate workforce empowered with skills, knowledge, and the mindset necessary to solve problems in a data-driven world,” says George Mason mathematical sciences professor Padhu Seshaiyer, who leads the effort.

The DSCA lab school will officially begin in fall 2025, with online offerings starting during the 2024–25 academic year. The school’s physical location will be in Frederick County. In addition to the students’ regular coursework in their respective districts, lab school courses will take place online through George Mason, Laurel Ridge Community College, and the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation.

Laura Powers contributed to this story.

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Marine veteran changed his life and seeks to reach others in need of positive direction

Colleen Rich — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 19:33:35 +0000

Marine veteran changed his life and seeks to reach others in need of positive direction Colleen Rich Wed, 11/06/2024 - 14:33

It was an epiphany of sorts, in the most unlikely time and place, but it changed the course of ��AV veteran Abidail “Abi” Estrada’s life—and the many lives he’s touched since.

Abidail “Abi” Estrada. Photo provided

At 19, after making “a lot of bad choices,” Estrada found himself sitting by a Northern Virginia road next to his broken-down car, reflecting on his future. This pivotal moment motivated him to leave behind his troubled past, join the U.S. Marine Corps, and eventually find his true calling in helping fellow veterans and others in need.

“I went off on myself,” recalled Estrada, now a proud husband, father, and U.S. Marine veteran of two tours in Afghanistan who is pursuing a master’s degree in social work. He asked himself what was wrong, wondering if this was truly the life he wanted, and whether he would continue down the same path forever.

This was just the impetus Estrada needed to break free from an unstable home environment that had him headed nowhere good. As a Guatemalan native, who was just 11 years old when his family arrived in the United States in 1998, Estrada longed for a better life, and after that moment of self-realization, enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, which allowed him to alter his own personal narrative.

Estrada’s first tour of duty in Afghanistan began with a stay in the volatile Helmand Province in May 2010, followed by another stint in the war-worn nation from 2013-14. It was extremely dangerous, but as a Marine sergeant and infantry squad leader, he took great pride in serving alongside his new brothers in arms. “I was doing something with purpose, something that was meaningful to me,” he said. “If I was going to die, I was going to die with a purpose.”

After eight years of service, Estrada left the Marine Corps in 2015. Hoping to get a higher-paying job to take care of his family, he enrolled at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), with the goal of transferring to George Mason to earn a four-year college degree. Hardly a great student while in high school, Estrada quickly found that he was no longer that same guy—he had matured through his military experiences.

He thrived academically, making the Dean’s List at NOVA before transferring to George Mason in 2017 and graduating from the College of Public Health with a bachelor’s degree in social work in 2019. His wife, Maritza, also a George Mason graduate, strongly encouraged her husband through it all.

When beginning his academic career, Estrada found that he had an innate desire to help others. He soon discovered his niche in assisting veterans and their dependents navigate the often-complicated GI Bill process, enabling them to receive the benefits were entitled to. Whether at NOVA or George Mason, Estrada supported fellow veterans by providing them opportunities to connect and share their military experiences with someone who truly understands.

Estrada’s dedication for helping others did not go unnoticed. Ryan Barnett, associate director of George Mason’s Office of Military Services, recognized Estrada’s potential and encouraged him to pursue social work.

“Abi has a heart of gold and a passion to help people and connect with them,” said Barnett, a fellow Marine veteran.

“The more I learn about the profession, the more I love it,” Estrada said.

Following his graduation, Estrada spent several years helping local youth, first as a youth counselor for Northern Virginia Family Services and then as an investigator of child abuse and neglect cases for Prince William County. Now as a 37-year-old father of three, he returned to George Mason this fall to pursue his master’s degree in social work, continuing his mission to serve his fellow veterans and others in need.

Estrada is grateful for the opportunities the United States has provided him. He said giving back is the least that he can do. “I’ve always loved and respected this nation,” he said. “It fed me and clothed me. What my birth nation couldn’t do for me, America did. That’s why I want to give back.”

Connect with the Office of Military Services

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George Mason’s College of Education and Human Development expands collaboration with Google on new lab school

Colleen Rich — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 20:15:45 +0000

George Mason’s College of Education and Human Development expands collaboration with Google on new lab school Colleen Rich Mon, 08/19/2024 - 16:15

��AV’s College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) has received additional support from Google to launch the Accelerated College and Employability Skills (ACCESS) Academy with Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS).

Google provided seed funding last year to begin school planning and also submitted a letter of support to the Virginia Board of Education. Recently, Google doubled their initial commitment, totaling $400,000 investment in the school to date. This additional funding will support research design and evaluation, along with a summer bridge program for the school, scheduled to launch in the 2025-26 school year.

Approved by the Virginia Board of Education earlier this year, the ACCESS Academy lab school for students in grades 9-12 was created by George Mason in partnership with Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) and LCPS. ACCESS Academy will provide students with an alternative education pathway that emphasizes future-ready employability skills, innovative teaching and learning methods, and immersive experiences developed with industry partners, researchers, and instructional faculty.

“Google believed in our vision for ACCESS Academy from the very beginning, and we are now thrilled to collaborate with them to make that vision a reality,” said Dean Ingrid Guerra-López. “This collaboration is pivotal in our mission to equip the future workforce with essential skills and knowledge to excel in high-demand careers. We engaged Google early in the planning process to ensure that the ACCESS vision and plan was well-aligned to the rapidly changing job market, including artificial intelligence (AI).”

“We are proud to be a partner in the ACCESS Lab Academy to expand access to computer science education and tech career pathways,” said Shanika Hope, director of Google’s Education for Social Impact team. “The collaboration across George Mason, NOVA, and LCPS will ensure students are not only equipped with core computing skills but will thrive in high-demand jobs of the future. Together we are working to close equity gaps in computing education and give all students the opportunities they deserve to succeed.”

“NOVA looks forward to partnering with ��AV and Google on the ACCESS Academy to help prepare students for rewarding careers in information technology,” said NOVA President Anne M. Kress.

“ACCESS Academy is an innovative program to help prepare students with workplace skills that will help set them on a pathway for career and educational success,” said Ashley Ellis, chief academic officer, LCPS. “We are grateful for partners like Google that support and reinforce this innovation in education.”

CEHD will also be incorporating AI learning into the ACCESS Academy program, including the self-paced online course Google AI Essentials and Generative AI for Educators training course created with MIT. Google will also be collaborating with CEHD to design hands-on, immersive field experiences for ACCESS Academy students.

Roberto Pamas, CEHD School of Education faculty, will serve as the director of ACCESS Academy. Pamas and the ACCESS Academy leadership team are working with Google and the other lab school partners to develop the curriculum and course offerings and assess staffing requirements and other resource needs.

ACCESS Academy is one of two lab schools launching at George Mason. The Virginia Board of Education also approved funding for George Mason to launch the Shenandoah Valley Rural Regional College Partnership Laboratory School for Data Science, Computing, and Applications (DSCA), a collaborative partnership between the university and Frederick County Public Schools, as well as six rural and rural-fringe school districts in the Shenandoah Valley including Clarke County, Fauquier County, Page County, Shenandoah County, Warren County, and Winchester Public Schools, along with Mountain Vista Governor’s School and Laurel Ridge Community College.

Read the initial announcement of the ACCESS Academy

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Lab School

Google

College of Education and Human Development

Northern Virginia Community College

K-12 Partnerships

Strategic Direction

DOD internship is a key part of this accounting major’s experiential learning

Sarah Holland — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 13:53:49 +0000

DOD internship is a key part of this accounting major’s experiential learning Sarah Holland Mon, 10/02/2023 - 09:53

Accounting major Marcou Shohdi has a plan for his time at ��AV, and he is carefully executing it. His plan: to get experience in public, corporate, and government accounting before he graduates.

“This will allow me to make a well-informed choice regarding the direction of my career,” he said.

Photo by Ron Aira/��AV

Shohdi, who was born in Egypt and lives in Gainesville, Virginia, transferred to Mason from Northern Virginia Community College, where he earned his associate’s degree in business administration. For him, accounting as a major and a career was a clear choice.

Shohdi said what he is looking for in terms of his career was stability, flexibility, job security, and opportunities for advancement, and accounting provides all that.

“Accounting skills are always in demand,” he said. “Every business—from public accounting firms to nonprofits—needs to manage its financial records and comply with tax regulations, even during economic downturns.”

Shohdi already has six years in corporate accounting under his belt from his day jobs; he is currently a senior accountant at EEA Companies. This summer he decided to give government accounting a try.

Shohdi was one of four Mason students chosen for an internship in the U.S. Navy’s Financial Management and Comptroller (FM&C) Office. The program, a partnership between FM&C and Mason’s School of Business, was established by Dean Ajay Vinzé and Mason alum Alaleh Jenkins, BS Accounting ’97, who is principal deputy assistant secretary of the Navy, to bring new talent to government service.

Shohdi made the most of his time working at the Navy Yard and even completed the 23 courses required to obtain a level 1 Department of Defense (DoD) financial management certification.

“The skills I've gained in feedback coordination, status tracking, and collaboration are invaluable,” said Shohdi. “I'm particularly thankful for the exposure to cross-departmental collaboration, enabling me to incorporate compliance procedures into Navy policies. Tracking [Notices of Findings and Recommendations] responses and contributing to revisions has honed my process improvement abilities.”

He also said the DoD courses were a huge help in mastering the Navy’s many acronyms and systems.

What’s next up for Shohdi is public accounting, and he has that covered. He has an internship with KPMG, one of the Big Four accounting organizations, scheduled for January 2024.

Learn more about Accounting at Mason

In This Story

Ajay Vinzé

Amazon partners with Mason and NOVA for workforce development

Colleen Rich — Wed, 24 May 2023 18:48:18 +0000

Amazon partners with Mason and NOVA for workforce development Colleen Rich Wed, 05/24/2023 - 14:48

In This Story

Kamaljeet Sanghera

Liza Wilson Durant

Students from ��AV and Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) will participate in the AmazonNext x CodePath 2023 Summer Cohort June 5 to August 19.

More than 200 Mason students applied for the cohort. Selected participants will complete CodePath Org’s Technical Interview Prep course where they will engage with real-world software topics and practice technical interviewing.

The 10-week program is a unique opportunity for students in the greater Washington, D.C., region who want to pursue tech careers. In addition to coursework, students will have opportunities to participate in Amazon workshops, receive guidance from Amazon mentors, and attend events at Amazon HQ2. Students will receive a $5,000 scholarship upon program completion.

“We look forward to welcoming this new cohort over the summer and using our resources to help educate students on the possibilities open to them in tech careers,” said Tiffany Blacknall Benjamin, senior manager, DEI higher education strategy and partnerships at Amazon. “It is important to us to help students develop critical skills that will give them a competitive advantage as they prepare to enter the workforce.”

The partnership between AmazonNext, CodePath, Mason and NOVA will expand and benefit the tech talent pipeline in the region and support regional universities and two-year colleges participating in the program.

"Amazon’s investment in George Mason and NOVA accelerates the development of a diverse work-ready talent pipeline for Virginia,” said Liza Wilson Durant, associate provost of strategic initiatives and community engagement at Mason. “The AmazonNext program serves as a model for industry and academic partnership to deliver the workforce of the future, with technical and professional skills that respond to the demands of emerging technologies and an interdisciplinary workforce." 

Kammy Sanghera, executive director of the Institute for Digital Innovation (IDIA), is leading Mason’s effort in the program. “Part of the IDIA’s mission is connecting students with industry members and our partnership with Amazon helps students to learn the skills necessary to be successful in the tech field after college,” she said. “By making these connections, we are supporting the growth of the tech talent pipeline that is already becoming prominent in our region.”

As part of the partnership, Amazon will sponsor technical programming, infrastructure, and strategy on campus, giving students in the Mason and NOVA communities additional opportunities for tech-related education and events.

“Our partnership with Amazon is an incredibly valuable resource for our students and campus communities,” said Chad Knights, vice president of information and engineering technologies (IET) and college computing at NOVA. “By expanding the tech-related opportunities available to students, we are helping to build critical skills and knowledge that will help students stand out as they begin their search for internships and employment opportunities in tech and innovation-related fields.”

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College of Engineering and Computing

Northern Virginia Community College

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Mason alum is making a difference in the community college classroom

Colleen Rich — Tue, 10 May 2022 21:23:14 +0000

Mason alum is making a difference in the community college classroom Colleen Rich Tue, 05/10/2022 - 17:23

Kwabena Konadu. Photo provided

His own rise against long odds is what fuels Kwabena Konadu, BS Electrical Engineering ’00, MS Telecommunications ’02, every day, and it is what has makes him such an effective educator.

Konadu is a professor of computer science at Northern Virginia Community College’s Woodbridge Campus and the college-wide program head of cybersecurity.

In March, he was recognized for his work by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia with one of the its 2022 Outstanding Faculty Awards, one of the most prestigious teaching awards in the state.

“I come from very humble beginnings,” said Konadu of the award. “So that does mean a lot to me because I’ve been spending a significant amount of time helping the next generation of cyber professionals who will help protect our infrastructure.”

Arriving in the United States from his native Ghana at 14, Konadu could barely speak English and had never laid eyes on a computer. But his persistence in learning the language and fully immersing himself in education has transformed his life and spurred him to pay it forward.

Initially Konadu struggled academically, and he credits his teachers for encouraging him to press on. In addition to earning two degrees from Mason, he also holds a degree in physics from Washington College in Maryland.

“Mason really challenged me,” he said, “but it prepared me for what I’m experiencing right now.”

After completing college, Konadu initially worked as an engineer in a number of different capacities before opting to follow his passion for cybersecurity. In 2008, he began teaching noncredit workforce courses for NOVA, eventually becoming an adjunct professor for the school in 2014 and a full-time faculty member in 2018.

His passion for his students knows no limits, as Konadu also coaches the NOVA Cyber Sports Team, which was the only community college squad to make it to the 2021 Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition’s regional qualifying round finals.

He sees himself remaining at NOVA for the long haul because he feels it’s where he can make the most positive impact each day.

“This is where you see the kids most in need,” said Konadu. “I’m excited about being able to help guide those kinds of students, prepare them [for the workforce], and help them put food on the table.”

For added motivation, his own stirring personal story is among the first things he offers students at the start of each year.

“If I can do it, they can do it,” he said.

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Persistence and perseverance pays off for IT graduate

Martha Bushong — Fri, 06 May 2022 16:35:51 +0000

Persistence and perseverance pays off for IT graduate Martha Bushong Fri, 05/06/2022 - 12:35

Benhur Hadgu describes his college journey as an uphill battle that taught him never to give up. He says, “It's easy to start anything but hard to finish.” Like many Mason students, he started his journey at Northern Virginia Community College so he could develop the habits and learn material that would prepare him for higher education.

Benhur Hadgu

“When I entered NOVA, I was determined to be successful and reach my goals. I worked hard to build good habits and routines to study and learn,” he says. “I took advantage of NOVA's opportunities, and I started to develop my mindset. I took Math and English courses from the beginning and worked hard to overcome my challenges. I always wanted to be in technology.”

After completing his Associate of Science degree, he found he still was not quite ready for a four-year college. He decided to get experience in IT and enrolled in Year Up (a program within the Cisco Networking Academy) which provided hands-on training and prepared him for an internship at Blue Cross Blue Shield.

When Hadgu enrolled full-time at Mason he was working part-time, but when he registered, he found out that some credits did not transfer from NOVA and had to retake core prerequisites and core programming courses. “I struggled the first semester due to the intense curriculum requirements, but I persisted, adapted, and did well in my courses after adjusting to Mason’s higher standards and more serious environment.” He says, “I made sure I was always around positive associations with people that stretch me and bring out the best in me.”

It took Hadgu four and a half years to complete his bachelor’s degree from ��AV, but he says it was all worth it. “Mason is a good school that gives students a lot of opportunities. I now understand why it's essential to go to a good school. My life has improved. I have learned, grown, and become a better human being due to being challenged, disciplined, and pushed academically.”

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Northern Virginia Community College

Mason volunteers give time, expertise to help Afghan refugees

Colleen Rich — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 16:41:14 +0000

Mason volunteers give time, expertise to help Afghan refugees Colleen Rich Thu, 08/26/2021 - 12:41

Volunteers with Mason ties on site at Northern Virginia Community College. Photo provided

After three tours of duty in Afghanistan as an Army Ranger medic, Keith Jochem said he knows the Afghan people as caring, welcoming and generous.

His wife, Shazia, is also from Afghanistan, having grown up in Kabul, from where her family fled the Russian invasion in the 1980s.

That is why Jochem, a ��AV police lieutenant, said he jumped at the chance to volunteer to help when a group of 174 Afghan refugees, fleeing the Taliban takeover of their country on a U.S. government flight, sheltered for 24 hours at Northern Virginia Community College’s gym in Annandale, Aug. 20-21.

“It was heartbreaking,” Jochem said. “You have to put yourselves in their shoes. What if something happened here and you had to gather some of your clothes and documents and your family? You go to a different country, you don’t know the language, you don’t know the culture, you’re thrown into a gym, and that’s it.”

Jochem was one of 29 volunteers with Mason ties who gave of their time at Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC). Volunteers came from the Emergency Operations Group, University Police, the Office of the Provost, Information Technology Services, the Office of Business Services, and the regional campuses.

Dave Farris, executive director of Safety and Emergency Management at Mason, put out the call after Tom Mayhew, his counterpart at NVCC, notified him the state had activated NVCC as an emergency shelter.

It’s part of an agreement between the schools and the state that when either Mason or NVCC is activated as a shelter, the other lends a hand.

“It worked out fantastic,” Mayhew said. “We couldn’t have done it without the Mason folks.”

Though NVCC was the lead agency, Farris said Mason’s volunteers pitched in wherever necessary—whether it was setting up 500 cots, managing donations, or helping manage the 150 volunteers that showed up, including more than 100 from NVCC and many from the local Afghan community.

“The turnout from the Afghan community was unbelievable, and it absolutely couldn’t have been possible without them,” Farris said.

Mason alum Roya Nasrahti, BS criminology, law, and society ’19, a communications officer with Mason Police, is part of that community, having come to the United States with her family from Afghanistan when she was young.

“I believe the Afghan volunteers and refugees felt more comfortable speaking with me because I spoke the same language,” said Narahti. “I also felt a sense of trust and assurance between us.”

Farris was sure that comfort was appreciated.

“They were extremely tired,” he said of the refugees. “As we walked around initially handing out, food, water and clothing, it was obvious they had been through some terrible events.”

Jochem also speaks some Farsi, and his medical background was valuable. His wife, Shazia, an ER nurse and Mason alum (BS Psychology ’03; BSN ’08), found a babysitter for their three kids, and joined her husband.

For Jochem, seeing the Afghans in distress, including the many children and babies in the group, was jarring.

“Their culture is deep in giving and making sure everyone else is taken care of first before themselves,” he said, adding, “I still have contacts in the military in operations in [Afghanistan] that I spoke with on the phone a couple of days ago. They said what you see on the news is 10 times worse in reality.”

The reality for the refugees was that their travels, after a 13-hour flight from Afghanistan, were not over in Virginia. At 8 p.m. on Aug. 21 the last bus pulled away from NVCC for a ride to the Dulles Expo Center, where the refugees waited for a flight to Texas and processing.

“I know they’ve been through a lot,” Nasrahti said of the refugees. “The people have been extremely traumatized. We opened our doors and hearts to let them in and keep them safe.”

HOW TO HELP

Through the Red Cross.
Through the United Nations Refugee Agency.
Through these reputable agencies, via the New York Times.
Through Mason’s Afghan Student Union.

RESOURCES

We understand that members of our Mason community may experience a range of emotions and we want to remind you of resources available at our university. For students, professional support is offered through Counseling and Psychological Services, the Student Support and Advocacy Center, the Office of International Programs and Services, and the Office of Military Services. Contact information and additional University Life resources can be identified and accessed through ulife.gmu.edu.

Faculty and staff resources also are available through the Employee Assistance Program, which can be accessed through your employer-sponsored health insurance. Details can be found on the benefits website at hr.gmu.edu.

Mason’s Department of History and Art History invites you and your students to attend a timely online panel discussion on "The Fall of Afghanistan," featuring Department of History and Art History faculty and a guest speaker with historical training who served 2.5 years in-country. Please share the event announcement (below) and link as you see fit. This event is online, free, and open to the public.

Event details and Zoom link: historyarthistory.gmu.edu/events/12516

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Campus News

Afghanistan

Northern Virginia Community College

Student leaders at the MIX create facial protection for medical community to help combat COVID-19

Mariam Aburdeineh — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 09:55:01 +0000

Student leaders at the MIX create facial protection for medical community to help combat COVID-19 Mariam Aburdeineh Mon, 04/06/2020 - 05:55

Facial shields made by the Mason team are being put to good use. The first set was delivered to medical professionals at Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, New York. Photo provided by Eric Bubar.

In response to COVID-19, a group of ��AV students had planned to create 3D printed personal protective equipment (PPE), such as face shields and masks for health care professionals and their patients. When the announcement came on March 22 that Mason campuses were closing, they knew they had to move fast.

“We moved our equipment [from the MIX] off campus,” said Amanda Jarvis, MIX innovations program manager who is coordinating the team’s effort.

Senior Denys Kuratchenko runs a 24/7 "print farm" from his apartment to 3D print the face shield frames. He inspects the print quality of the frames before sanitizing and shipping them.

Senior Denys Kuratchenko said he retrieved his personal 3D printer from the space, and received permission from Jarvis to take another three from the MIX. He’s now running a 24/7 “print farm” from his apartment in Triangle, Virginia, he said, and has ordered a fifth printer to increase production capacity.

It takes about four hours to print each frame for the face shield, Kuratchenko said, and, so far, he has made more than 65 that were part of a shipment delivered to Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, New York.

“I’m not only helping other doctors, but also keeping their loved ones safe, and [giving them peace of mind in] knowing that their loved ones who are doctors are more protected,” said Kuratchenko, an information systems and operations management major.

After the face shield frames are printed, Kuratchenko sends them to Eric Bubar, associate professor of physics at Marymount University, who matches the 3D-printed parts with laser-cut shields and makes the deliveries to health care providers who have indicated a need.

It takes four hours to 3D print each face shield frame.

“I applaud the collaborative efforts of our team who have come together to protect medical professionals on the front lines,” said Karen Livingston, associate director for entrepreneurship programs, who leads the MIX. “We are fortunate to have such outstanding students and partners joining together to make a difference.”

The Mason student’s efforts are part of a larger movement in the Northern Virginia maker community to address the shortage of PPE during the pandemic, Bubar said. Mason, Northern Virginia Community College, Marymount, Arlington Public Schools, and eNABLE DC are all part of the network.

“None of this would be possible without GMU’s excellent contributions to the efforts and their collaborative spirit,” Bubar said. “To quote the doctor who received them, ‘these are like gold.’”

A medical professional from Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, NY wears a face shield made by the Mason team. Photo provided by Eric Bubar.

In addition to student efforts, Livingston and Jarvis said they are working to lead administrators and professors across campus around 3D-printing efforts and ventilator prototyping in response to COVID-19.

With the supply of disposable face masks declining, patients are also in need, and the Mason team has mobilized here as well.

This week, Jarvis is sourcing materials to distribute to makers in the MIX community who will be sewing masks to fulfill incoming requests, including for a local cancer ward.

It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to sew a fabric mask, and Jarvis said she is experimenting in her home studio with how to streamline the process, possibly through laser cutting the fabric.

“It’s a good use of the MIX team skills,” said Jarvis, “It’s our time to respond.”

Bradford Webb, a computer engineering senior, isn’t printing or sewing, but is still vital to operation.

He ensures the products the Mason team creates are the best and most usable they can be. He said he spends his time outside of class evaluating open source PPE prototypes, looking at research on which materials work best, and seeing which ones will be accepted at different medical locations.

Bradford Webb. Photo provided.

“It’s very helpful in making sure the prototypes we’re developing are effective for local health care providers, especially because the info we’re getting changes as the understanding of the virus improves,” Webb said.

Amanda Jarvis. Photo provided.

Staying home has been a challenge, the team agreed, but the project gives them purpose.

“To feel like I can contribute and help out, and also seeing the rest of the maker community responding this way, gives me a lot of hope for the future,” Jarvis said.

In addition to helping flatten the curve by getting PPE to the right people at the right time, their effort shows what’s possible, Webb said.

“You don’t necessarily have to be part of a very large group to help out in times of need,” Webb said. “Collaborate with the right people and it’s possible to make it work.”

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