Pam Shepherd

Reimagining Mason's global reach: new efforts take off

Pam Shepherd — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 20:33:58 +0000

Reimagining Mason's global reach: new efforts take off Pam Shepherd Mon, 02/05/2024 - 15:33

In This Story

The political, cultural, and economic upheaval that followed the pandemic has resulted in what a recent report by Deloitte calls a “moment of change” for higher education, prompting colleges and universities to reinvent themselves to stand out and remain relevant. Four years ago, leaders at ��AV weren’t entertaining the idea of expanding educational programming to countries other than South Korea, but with international student and faculty numbers returning to where they were prior to the pandemic along with the upcoming 10th anniversary of Mason Korea, the focus on global education shifted to more centralized efforts which required a change in the university’s strategic direction.

Over the years, Mason has cultivated a reputation for evolving its innovative programs to meet the needs of its students. As part of this decisive moment, the Office of the Provost launched several new areas such as the Community Engagement and Civic Learning Office, the revised Mason Core structure, and the Community College Partnerships Office. Today these efforts play an important role in the university’s strategic direction to improve the student experience, grow the research enterprise, and exemplify a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Through it all, Mason—which is home to the largest and most diverse student body in Virginia—values building sustainable pathways for growth that include creating opportunities for student success such as community engagement activities and advanced research projects. For decades, the university has facilitated global learning opportunities and fostered international research. It has also leveraged university partnerships to bring thousands of international students to Mason from more than 130 countries speaking 80 languages while providing programmatic learning for those who wish to study abroad in nearly two dozen countries each year. Mason Korea has grown from a small outpost to the gateway to Asia, hosting and graduating students each semester. And because Mason is a student-first university with numerous clubs, performances, and cultural events, those who are unable to physically study abroad can still experience a multicultural, and diverse learning journey within a vibrant international community in Virginia through virtual international programs.

In a post-COVID environment, preparing students for success in an increasing international and interconnected world while expanding and enriching Mason’s global footprint is now a university priority—making it critical for the Office of the Provost to reimagine and redesign Mason’s global vision and establish a path forward. Enter Chrishon Blackwell, an organizational development leader with a deep understanding of international education, as senior international officer and executive director of the Global Education Office (GEO).

Chrishon Blackwell, senior international officer and executive director of the Global Education Office

“It is a testament to Mason's global engagement that we now have Dr. Blackwell in her role as the Senior International Officer (SIO),” said Janette Muir, vice provost for academic affairs. “As Mason's SIO, she is the one who can continue to guide Mason into the next phase of global engagement, post-pandemic, and we are excited to see where this engagement takes us.”

Since arriving at Mason less than a year ago, Blackwell has spent months identifying how to leverage and utilize the university’s resources in ways that will further enhance students’ experiences while simultaneously exploring ways to maintain global competitiveness and strengthen relationships with its global partners.

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

And while international education encompasses the mobility of students in other parts of the world, it is also about the scholars who come to Mason to conduct research and share different styles of teaching, faculty who go to other destinations, and those who do community-based service learning. It further includes “thinking intentionally about international partners and engaging in deeper relationships [with] them” while leveraging existing affiliations and memorandums of understanding by establishing practices such as “exchanges with universities, delegation visits, and sister city partnerships,” Blackwell said.

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

A vital part of implementing these priorities consists of utilizing the recently formed Global Assembly and Global Operations Team, which engage a broad cross-section of the university to advance Mason's global initiatives, activities, programs, and services. Both teams consist of representatives from each college, offices that deal directly with global related activities for students, faculty and staff, and other relevant parties. By leveraging the expertise of the members of the Global Assembly, the aim is to collectively identify resources and opportunities that facilitate university-wide internationalization strategies while keeping internal stakeholders informed. The Global Operations Team, meanwhile, coordinates knowledge about Mason’s global footprint within a decentralized context, then directs and advises the university community on globally focused services and policies. 

“The establishment of the Global Assembly and Global Operations Team demonstrates a collective approach involving a variety of stakeholders across Mason’s campuses and by doing this, we are fostering a more globally aware and engaged environment for faculty, staff, and student,” she said. “By centralizing our global engagement efforts, we aim to create a more collaborative approach to managing global learning, teaching, research, and engagement.”

Mason’s revamped global engagement and emphasis on global learning signifies a deep commitment to advancing the university’s internationalization efforts. Not only will it elevate the student experience and provide valuable opportunities for faculty to globally engage, it will also include perspectives from alumni and partners who can assist in establishing new initiatives. Over time, members of the Mason community will be able to navigate a variety of cultural and political environments resulting in empathetic and inquisitive individuals who are educated in cross-cultural contexts and have the yearning and ability to collaborate.

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

Topics

Office of the Provost

Provost Newsletter

Global Education Office

Faculty and Staff News

Strategic Direction

University makes changes to the academic calendar

Pam Shepherd — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 20:21:03 +0000

University makes changes to the academic calendar Pam Shepherd Mon, 01/08/2024 - 15:21

After a thorough and collaborative process led by the Office of the University Registrar and the Faculty Senate, ��AV has modified its four-year academic calendar, delaying the start of the fall 2024 semester by one week, among other changes.

Adjustments were made to accommodate Election Day as an ongoing student holiday, give the university greater flexibility regarding fall start dates, realign the calendar to mirror other schools in the region, and maintain the two-week winter break.

“The academic calendar is a complicated document because it governs almost all aspects of the university,” said University Registrar Doug McKenna. “The new calendar presents several changes, but most academic functions remain the same.”

Set to take effect in fall 2024, changes to the four-year academic calendar include:

The start of the fall 2024 semester is delayed by one week to August 26, 2024.
Fall break will occur on October 14, with the university open but no classes held.
Election Day is designated as a university holiday in 2024.
To integrate Election Day as a student holiday, one reading day before final exams has been removed, eliminating the need to teach Monday classes on the Tuesday of fall break week. Classes will not be held on fall break or Election Day in the future, regardless of the university's operational status.
The last day of classes for fall 2024 will be December 9, with final exams from December 11 to 18.
Winter commencement is scheduled for December 19, 2024.
The winter break will span from December 23, 2024, to January 3, 2025.

The revised calendar, which includes these changes as well as the schedule for 2025 and beyond, has been posted to the Registrar’s website.

Topics

Office of the Provost

Provost Newsletter

Alethia Shipman named director of financial aid

Lauren Reuscher — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 17:40:48 +0000

Alethia Shipman named director of financial aid Lauren Reuscher Fri, 07/14/2023 - 13:40

In This Story

David Burge, MSE

Alethia Shipman, director of Student Financial Aid. Photo provided

Alethia Shipman was recently appointed as director of student financial aid at ��AV. Shipman, who has been with Mason for more than a year serving as associate director of financial aid, assumes the position following the retirement of Sandy Tarbox.

“Alethia assumes this new role with a breadth of financial aid experience across a number of institutional types,” said David Burge, vice president for enrollment management. “She’s worked as a financial aid advisor, a certifying official, an analyst, and as an associate director at two different institutions. Words that consistently come up to describe her are thorough, approachable, knowledgeable, and full of positive energy.”

Previous roles provided Shipman with hands-on experiences throughout multiple layers of financial aid and afforded her the opportunity to use technical, analytical, and customer service skills in a leadership capacity, enhancing her approach to managing staff from diverse backgrounds. She plans to use her knowledge, passion, and expertise to make a difference in students’ lives.

“My favorite part of working with students is knowing that I played a part in reaching their goals by assisting them throughout their educational journey through counseling, mentoring, or educating them along the way,” Shipman said.

Those skills will undoubtedly assist the entire Office of Student Financial Aid as big changes are coming. In 2020, Congress passed legislation to simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application while also adjusting the formula to determine who will qualify for aid and how much they will receive. As FAFSA alters focus from cash flow to a slightly greater emphasis on wealth, this shift translates into a fairer treatment across the board but could mean decreases in aid eligibility for middle- and high-income families.

Since these developments could result in fear or reluctance for applicants, Shipman knows that communication is key and plans to visit local high schools as well as hold workshops and open forums for students and families to help navigate the FAFSA changes.

“Because the changes can be overwhelming, it will be important to provide FAFSA workshops to assist with completing the application,” she said. “Having open forums for students and families to have all of their questions answered will have a positive impact.”

Beyond FAFSA, Shipman knows that repaying student loans is just as much of a priority for recent graduates as securing a job. She also knows that financial literacy education—understanding financial concepts such as interest rates, student loans, credit scores, budgeting, and how personal finances work—is the best way to help new and current students understand how to wisely manage their personal resources, especially when it comes to spending on their education.

“It is important to provide financial literacy resources to students,” she said, emphasizing the need to provide financial aid counseling to help students understand the options available to them.

Having a college degree increases job opportunities and career stability, and Shipman knows that financial aid plays a strong role in allowing students that opportunity. Moving forward in her new role, Shipman will no doubt have a big impact on the student population by providing outstanding student financial aid service and choice.

Topics

Admissions and Financial Aid

Financial Aid

Faculty and Staff News

Keith Renshaw appointed Associate Provost of Undergraduate Education

Colleen Rich — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 15:41:10 +0000

Keith Renshaw appointed Associate Provost of Undergraduate Education Colleen Rich Fri, 06/02/2023 - 11:41

In This Story

Keith Renshaw, PhD

Keith D. Renshaw, department chair and professor in the Department of Psychology, was recently appointed as associate provost of undergraduate education of ��AV. He replaces Bethany Usher, who was named provost of Radford University.

Keith Renshaw

Renshaw has served as both department chair and Faculty Senate chair and has extensive connections across the campus community.

“Keith is a long-time faculty member and experienced leader at Mason,” said Provost Mark Ginsberg. “His experiences have prepared him to meet the challenges and optimize the opportunities in his new role. His approach to listening to others and understanding their perspectives, and communicating with a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse goals while working to find common ground, will result in increased student opportunity and success at Mason."

Although he formally begins his new position on August 10, Renshaw is already laying the groundwork for his vision to ensure Mason is seen as the national leader in inclusive excellence in higher education—starting with how the university positions its undergraduate students.

“It’s what we do here with our undergraduates—fully integrating such a broad range of students into the programs and experiences here—that makes Mason stand out from other R1 universities,” Renshaw said. “This vision requires continuing to lead in accessibility, while also ensuring that we offer strong supports for students from all types of backgrounds with a diverse range of personal goals, together with an unparalleled learning experience that provides students with the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences that we believe all college graduates should have.”

Renshaw will focus on what he views as key elements in the undergraduate curriculum. “Given the needs of students, our region, and broader society, we must ensure that our curriculum is preparing our graduates for careers, while simultaneously ensuring that as a university our curriculum is grounded in academic rigor,” he said.

Renshaw praised the recent revisions to the Mason Core for their alignment with both societal needs and Mason’s values, adding that there is more that can be done to prepare undergraduates for the future.

“Knowing the pace of change in today’s world, revisions to the Mason Core should never be complete—we need to establish processes for a sustainable but continual evolution of these core elements of our education,” he said.

He also wants Mason to expand experiential learning opportunities for students so they learn how to apply their learned knowledge into real-world contexts and solve real-world problems. In order to grow this learning channel and network, Renshaw wants to devise a seamless connection of all undergraduate programs to established ventures such as Mason Impact and its Office of Student Scholarship, Creative Activities, and Research (OSCAR) and Office of Community Engagement and Civil Learning (CECiL) subsidiaries. Doing so, he believes, will ensure research and community engagement opportunities are available across all Mason campuses and online.

Renshaw also believes the university needs to further develop multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary curricula. Additionally, he wants to promote efforts such as the digital tech certification that brought together potential employers and community and government leaders, students and alumni, and faculty and staff, “to identify and find the intersection between needed career preparation and relevant knowledge and expertise within and across disciplines.”

Renshaw believes his experience, compounded with an excitement to work with a multitude of students and faculty, will only propel his ability to connect with others, serve as a mediator, generate ideas, and grow Mason into not just a leader but an exemplar in undergraduate education.

“The prospect of devoting my everyday work to opening doors to more students, supporting those students and helping them work through whatever roadblocks stand in their way, increasing the impact of their time here, and increasing the impact that they, in turn, have on our society is one that I cannot quite capture in words,” he said.

Topics

Faculty and Staff News

Rachel Yoho receives Fulbright Specialist Award

Colleen Rich — Wed, 10 May 2023 14:35:46 +0000

Rachel Yoho receives Fulbright Specialist Award Colleen Rich Wed, 05/10/2023 - 10:35

Rachel Yoho, the anti-racist and inclusive teaching specialist in ��AV’s Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning, received a Fulbright Specialist Program award to work with individuals at the University of Galway in Ireland. Yoho, the 25th person at Mason to receive a Fulbright Specialist award, will lay the groundwork on a project surrounding institutional change.

Rachel Yoho. Photo provided

“There are relatively few people who receive this award so it’s such an honor to be a recipient,” said Yoho. “Going to Ireland includes a great immersive cultural component to the project with lots of opportunities to experience and see new things. I’m excited to develop the personal connections, which are an important part of the Fulbright program.”

The Fulbright Specialist Program is a part of the larger Fulbright Program, with the goal for these accomplished people to share their knowledge as part of a larger cultural exchange, to increase global relationships, entrepreneurial opportunity, and make the world a better place. Fulbright Specialist Scholars are matched with an institution in one of 150 countries overseas, partnering with hosts to provide education, support, and thought leadership according to their priorities and goals.

“This project is particularly fruitful because it merges her disciplinary scholarship in public health with her pedagogical work with the Stearns Center,” said Shelley Reid, executive director of engaged teaching in the Stearns Center. “Since the Stearns Center is invested in supporting inclusive excellence among Mason's internationalized faculty and students, we're looking forward to learning from Rachel how efforts to support inclusive teaching are happening in another cultural context.”

Yoho was specifically chosen by the University of Galway to visit based on her expertise in environmental health and social justice. The host institution will facilitate her Fulbright talk, set up individual meetings with faculty and staff, and build ongoing collaborations.

Yoho is particularly enthusiastic about the opportunity to create connections and potential ongoing collaborations around research, instructional materials, and faculty support. “Both Mason and Galway come from a place of shared values and institutional challenges, and are invested in improving student learning and outcomes,” she said. “We hope to create collaborations around environmental health and approaches to diversity, equity and inclusion.”

After spending two weeks in Ireland, Yoho will return to Mason at the end of May and begin cross-country collaboration on the project. She will have ongoing follow-up reports on the project with the Fulbright committee over the coming months.

Topics

Faculty and Staff News

Fulbright Program

Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning

Strategic Direction

Provost Newsletter

��AV launches Graduate Division

Colleen Rich — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 19:39:38 +0000

��AV launches Graduate Division Colleen Rich Tue, 03/07/2023 - 14:39

��AV’s Office of the Provost celebrated the launch of the Graduate Division at a kick-off breakfast ceremony on Jan. 31.

��AV’s Office of the Provost celebrated the launch of the Graduate Division at a kick-off breakfast ceremony on Jan. 31. Photo provided

The new Graduate Division, directed by Associate Provost Laurence Bray, plays a lead role in preparing well-rounded and diverse graduates to contribute to research productivity and workforce development.

Bray’s team will be responsible for building a robust foundation to maximize graduate student academic success (retention, degree completion, and time-to-degree), as well as fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion that serves both the Commonwealth of Virginia and the nation.

“The Graduate Division will help elevate Mason graduate education in each college and school by increasing the visibility and impact of their graduate programs, coordinating efforts and sharing best practices, and maintaining a standard of integrity while recognizing the different needs of graduate programs,” Bray said.

The new division will take a multifaceted approach to creating nondiscipline-specific support structures to promote graduate student success, including a university-wide graduate student orientation available throughout the entire graduate journey. Other support structures will include financial assistance, training opportunities, and well-being programs with an emphasis on student belonging, community, and inclusion.

The division will also provide additional support for the academic units and central offices to offer and sustain flexible and multimodality educational, research, and professional opportunities for graduate students.

“The inception of the new Graduate Division is an important step in supporting graduate education programs and graduate students at ��AV,” said Provost Mark Ginsberg. “I am confident the Graduate Division will enhance the graduate student experience and ensure our graduate students are successful and prepared for careers across the professional spectrum while further elevating our nationally respected academic and research programs.”

This summer, in preparation for the Fall 2023 semester, the division will provide a new graduate student online onboarding module and graduate teaching training.

The online onboarding platform, hosted in MasonLEAPS, is designed to welcome, inform, inspire, and prepare new incoming students for a more successful transition to graduate school by providing information from various student service areas available to assist each student throughout their graduate journey. It will also allow all new and current graduate teaching assistants and graduate lecturers to receive fundamental training to be effective and successful in the classroom.

A new Graduate Resource and Academic Development (GRAD) Center, currently under development, will provide graduate students and postdoctoral fellows one location to access key resources and support for their success. This central location will enable the development and promotion of programs and experiences for students’ personal and professional growth, as well as assist in the navigation of various administrative services and consultations. The center will also foster collaboration across disciplines and offices to enhance the infrastructure that supports graduate education.

“We hope the Graduate Division will foster more partnerships and relationships, as well as alumni and community engagement,” Bray said. “We are definitely part of the Mason story and as such we are part of the growth and change that is impacting our community.”

Topics

Campus News

Graduate Education

Graduate Division

Office of the Provost

Strategic Direction

Mason doctoral student uses horror films to explore identity and culture

Colleen Rich — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 20:25:09 +0000

Mason doctoral student uses horror films to explore identity and culture Colleen Rich Fri, 11/11/2022 - 15:25

Topics

Students

Cultural Studies Program

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Graduate Inclusion and Access Scholarship GIA

College of Visual and Performing Arts Film and Video Studies

Provost Newsletter

Doctoral student works to fill an important need in the Latinx community

Colleen Rich — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 17:47:10 +0000

Doctoral student works to fill an important need in the Latinx community Colleen Rich Wed, 10/12/2022 - 13:47

Photo by DeRon Rockingham

The prospect of immigrating to the United States from Honduras in 2007, although exciting, was not an easy decision for ��AV doctoral student Rafael Esaú Hernández Dubon and his family, as it meant parting ways with the people, the culture, and an entire way of life. The move was necessary, however, because a life in the United States meant better opportunities.

Hernández Dubon knows what it’s like to be a first-generation immigrant, to start over in an unknown place with a different language and way of life. He knows the dichotomy of a proud cultural and ethnic heritage that can be at odds with learning to operate in a multicultural society as a minority.

There are a growing number of Latinx immigrant communities across the country whose members need economical and psychological refuge as well as relief. It is this psychological need that motivates Hernández Dubon, spurring research ideas and personal connections to ensure members of his community and their needs are not left in the shadows.

“Now I understand the language, but I remember not understanding what was going on and not having access to care and other services because of language barriers,” Hernández Dubon said. “Having lived through no way of communicating that I needed assistance and am now in position that I can help in some way… that makes a huge impact in my world.”

Thanks to his opportunities as a Mason PhD student in clinical psychology and shared experiences within the immigrant communities, Hernández Dubon knows he can serve as a bridge between mental health care and the Latinx communities in Northern Virginia. In fact, each time he provides psychotherapy to an immigrant or non-English speaker, he is humbled and strives to provide a gateway to success.

“As a first-generation immigrant, I’ve lived in both worlds,” Hernández Dubon said. “Growing up in Honduras, I saw how addictions can ruin people’s lives and entire communities. In coming to the U.S., I see how it is difficult for most people to establish mental healthcare services, and it can be even more difficult for an immigrant to do so due to language barriers

Hernández Dubon thrives in his work as a bilingual student clinician. Not many providers can counsel in Spanish, which can create barriers to patients receiving the assistance they need, he said, resulting in frustration, misinterpretations, misdiagnoses, and poor care. Being able to culturally connect with patients opens doors of trust and strengthens therapeutic allegiance between the patient and the provider, he said.

“It’s a moving for me to see a person express how they are feeling without trying to make up words,” he said.

Hernández Dubon came to Mason after earning a dual BS from Virginia Commonwealth University in psychology with a concentration in addiction studies, and philosophy with a concentration in philosophy and science.

Wanting to respond to the need for more bilingual psychotherapists, contribute to improved research diversity, and remain close to his family, he looked for clinical psychology Ph.D. programs in Virginia and found one in Mason’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences. The impact of the program’s applied research piqued his interest. Even though he did not know how he would pay for the program, Hernández Dubon applied anyway.

A few weeks later he learned that he qualified for a Mason Graduate Inclusion and Access (GIA) Scholarship, which is reserved for first-generation, incoming fall semester doctoral degree students who are from an underrepresented population within their doctoral field of study at Mason, and who have demonstrated financial need.

“Getting funding was essential for me. If not for the scholarship, I would not have opportunity to be at Mason,” he said. “Having the GIA Scholarship [enables] me to have the time to research questions, work with the community and make the most of my time.”

Laurence Bray, vice provost of graduate education, knows how important the GIA Scholarships are to recipients and their growth as scholars.

“Building and growing the GIA program has been a priority for my office. It has been a privilege to observe each scholar grow and mature through their doctoral journey,” she said. “Rafael has been a role model for balancing his educational goals and personal life while meeting the additional challenges that come from being a first-generation doctoral student.”

Now in the third year of his PhD program, Hernández Dubon is starting to ponder how his research interests can be applied to the Latinx community as he focuses on improving access to mental health care and inclusion.

His primary mentor, Tara Chaplin, associate professor of psychology, has encouraged his research focus, knowing that any work conducted with the Latinx community will have a significant impact as the nation moves to a majority minority status.

“Rafael is passionate about increasing research and clinical services to Latinx families in the community,” Chaplin said. “[His] focus within the Latinx community is critically important. This community is historically under-served and under-studied and has unique strengths and challenges that deserve to be understood by researchers.”

Hernández Dubon’s GIA scholarship allows him the opportunity to tailor his experiences at Mason according to his research and academic interests. He volunteers at Casa Chirilagua, an faith-based nonprofit that primarily serves the Latinx community, so he can improve his first-hand knowledge about people’s experiences to inform his research and clinical directions.

He notes that while the Latinx community has been systematically overlooked in health care, medical studies, and interventions, the people make up for it with resilience. It is that resilience that motivates Hernández Dubon, and he is carving out his own path to ensure his community has a champion.

Read about more GIA Scholars

Mason doctoral student aims for the stars through a passion for math
March 8, 2024
Mason doctoral student uses archival practice to unfold the present
December 4, 2023
Mason doctoral student wants her voice to inspire others
April 26, 2023
Mason PhD student’s personal experience shapes his passion for food access
March 15, 2023
Mason doctoral student uses horror films to explore identity and culture
November 11, 2022

Topics

Students

doctoral students

first-generation

Graduate Inclusion and Access Scholarship GIA

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Mason provides many options for students experiencing risky alcohol and substance behaviors

Melanie Balog — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 13:57:04 +0000

Mason provides many options for students experiencing risky alcohol and substance behaviors Melanie Balog Wed, 09/21/2022 - 09:57

College is a time of self-discovery, filled with opportunities and potential, and peppered with friendships, independence, and the experiences the world has to offer.

But for a significant number of students, the weight of expectations from parents, teachers, peers, society, and even themselves, can continually increase. In addition, students must adapt to a new lifestyle, with arguably less structure than ever before. Add curiosity, peer pressure, and stress, and the potential is there for a perfect storm that leads to risky substance behaviors.

Getty Images photo

The good news is that through services offered by ��AV’s Student Health Services (SHS) and the Student Support and Advocacy Center (SSAC), students can be proactive in understanding what constitutes risky substance behavior, keeping their own habits in check, getting support, and spotting potential issues in their or others’ behavior.

“It’s important to normalize the idea that students struggle with a lot of different mental health issues, and to reduce feelings of shame. The world has a lot going on with uncertainty, challenges and things to worry about,” said Ken Griffin, professor of Global and Community Health. “It’s OK to admit that you’re struggling and it’s OK to reach out for help.”

Alcohol flows quite freely on college campuses. According to a 2019 study by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 54.9% of full-time college students in the survey between the ages of 18 and 22 drank alcohol in the past month. That is more than 10% higher than non-college students of the same age.

Though drinking has long been the most common form of substance abuse in college, the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that the use of cannabis, as well as prescription and illicit drugs, is on the rise and used either as a way to escape from stress or to boost academic performance.

College students may use alcohol and drugs in social situations to connect with others and build a sense of belonging. They might also believe those substances can alleviate feelings of anxiety and depression, and build self-worth. But over time, Griffin said, “Substance use can escalate and exacerbate those problems and begin to interfere with social and academic functioning.”

As brain development continues into the mid-20s, the introduction of alcohol or drug use can both impair brain maturation and cause the brain to adapt to the substances in its system, said Chris Rzengota, associate director of Behavioral Health Services in Student Health Services at Mason.

“Substance use is all about taking care of a wide variety of needs,” Rzengota said, “but habitual use hijacks the brain and impacts one’s motivation, mood, and relationships.”

Alcohol and drug use can also stunt emotional and social development which can lead to an increase in academic problems. Furthermore, many reports of physical and sexual assaults are related to individuals being under influence of alcohol or drugs.

“Excessive drinking [and substance use] is not only a major health concern in the long term, it can also lead to immediate tragedies such as assault, injury, arrest, and death in the short term,” Griffin said.

Warning signs associated with substance abuse include increased isolation and social withdrawal; failed commitments; detachment from friends; acting secretively; showing less interest in activities; a decrease in academic performance; mood swings; irritability; and unexplained changes in behavior or personality.

Partnering with students on their developmental journey through education and support is one of the main underpinnings of services offered by Mason’s Student Support and Advocacy Center. According to Delishia Ashworth, SSAC’s assistant director for Substance Use and Recovery, Mason's programs help students address substance use and recovery issues with no judgment or discrimination. The center offers support spaces and can connect students to treatment options.

“What matters is that students get the compassionate, evidence-based treatment that offers the best chance at sustained recovery,” Ashworth said. “We want all of Mason to be pro recovery and OK with talking about substance use so no one feels stigmatized. That way, students feel comfortable seeking help or support. We want to remove any barriers to student success.”

SSAC provides a variety of substance use and recovery services, including educational workshops that cover substance use, risks, and harm; one-on-one education support meetings; recovery meetings; and presentations by substance peer educators.

SSAC also offers Mason’s unique program, Patriots for Recovery, an open peer-to-peer support group for students who identify as being in recovery for a substance use disorder, eating disorder, or other process addictions.

“It’s important that students know we have a spot for recovery and there is something on campus for them,” Ashworth said. “Groups provide a space to talk about common experiences, to process the impacts of day-to-day recovery, and to connect to others in recovery.”

Students also have the option to go to Student Health Services, where they are screened for risky behaviors through an initial questionnaire to ensure they receive the proper care. From there, they are referred to substance use professionals.

SHS assistance ranges from in-house meetings with therapists or counselors to medical care. That includes help finding detoxification services, intensive outpatient services or ongoing specialty treatments. SHS staff can help students learn coping skills and other life skills to help them be more successful, less triggered, and at a lower risk for negative outcomes.

“We talk about risky use with those who come into SHS because everyone benefits from early intervention,” Rzengota said. “It is important to identify potential risk factors and what can be done to help in order change behavior before it becomes a bigger issue.”

SHS substance use services are free for students and are completely confidential.

Topics

Student news

Campus News

For Anne Magro, being named the Ray M. Sommerfeld Outstanding Tax Educator is only part of her story

Jennifer Anzaldi — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 13:36:24 +0000

For Anne Magro, being named the Ray M. Sommerfeld Outstanding Tax Educator is only part of her story Jennifer Anzaldi Wed, 09/07/2022 - 09:36

In This Story

Anne Magro

For some, working on their taxes can be an anxiety-riddled experience, but for Anne Magro, co-executive director of the Business for a Better World Center (B4BW) and associate professor of accounting, tax is where she thrives. She’s so exceptional, in fact, that Anne was honored as the top tax educator in the nation, receiving the prestigious Ray M. Sommerfeld Outstanding Tax Educator Award from the American Taxation Association (ATA) at the organization’s mid-year meeting earlier this year.

“Receiving the Sommerfeld award is one of the most exciting moments in my career because it represents recognition by my peers that education is so much more than just what goes on in a classroom,” she said. “It includes research and generating new knowledge. It’s also about educating ourselves and others to serve our community.”

If doing taxes ranks among American’s least favorite activities, what was it that piqued Anne’s interest? This self-confessed “terrible student”, who was incredibly curious growing up and always asking “why?”, was neurodivergent with undiagnosed ADHD which impacted her ability to regulate her focus and resulted in failing grades. With multiple changes to her major and numerous failed attempts to obtain her bachelor’s degree, Anne felt lost and struggled to find direction. One day she randomly filled an empty space in her schedule with an accounting class and suddenly her world changed.

“Things suddenly clicked for me because as it turned out, accounting is a good match between the way I think and the way numbers speak,” Anne said. “Accounting measures, reports, and predicts what occurs within organizations. It is the original business analytics. Accounting describes to different stakeholders what’s happening in an organization in a way that’s useful to them. It’s about story-telling, and I could get my head around that.”

But tax isn’t the only area where Anne excels. This fall she will teach a course in the Honors College on judgment and decision making that she recently taught at Carleton College, a small liberal arts college in Minnesota, as the Benedict Distinguished Visiting Professor of Cognitive Science. Anne also has been active in curriculum development including designing innovative classroom activities and courses, redesigning programs for new modalities, leading the redesign of the School of Business’ undergraduate curriculum and the development of its new degree structure, and developing new minors and concentrations. Anne also founded and leads Mason’s Behavioral Tax Symposium that has attracted doctoral student researchers from around the world for the last 14 years. In recognition of her leadership in the university and profession, Anne was recently elected inaugural President of the American Accounting Association’s new Leadership in Accounting Education section, serving accounting program leaders and developing leaders for the future.

Anne regularly reflects on a business history course she took as an undergraduate that included the labor movement of the early 20th Century—a course that fed her interest in responsible business practices and the positive impact business can have in the world. Anne wants students to not only understand the traditional topics of business, but to consider business’ responsibility to society as well. Serving as founding co-executive director (with Lisa Gring-Pemble) of the Business for a Better World Center (B4BW) in Mason’s School of Business is a natural extension of her passion for this work.

“Just think about how much of the world’s resources (human, financial, and physical), are controlled by businesses. If business leaders don’t step up, we won’t make much progress on the world’s complex challenges. But if businesses lead and partner with NGOs and governments, we can get things done,” Anne said. “Companies need to take the long-term view—look beyond short-term gains for shareholders and create value for employees, customers, suppliers, communities, and the planet that will lead to long-term gains for all stakeholders.”

Anne fully embraces B4BW’s belief that business can, and should, be a force for good in the world and believes that students are central to achieving the Center’s vision. Under Anne and Lisa’s leadership, B4BW is committed to making this transformation a reality by working inside the classroom and out to prepare students to act with people, planet, and prosperity in mind. B4BW initiatives developed by Anne and Lisa like Impact Fellows, Wicked Problems Bootcamp Summer Team Impact Project, Liberal Arts in Business summer internships, and a place-based initiative to reduce health inequities in Culmore Bailey’s Crossroads with Rebecca Sutter of CHHS serve B4BW’s mission. Anne does all this in the hope that today’s students will become tomorrow’s business leaders who change the world for the better.

“When I teach, I want to help students see what is possible and how their actions can change the world.” she said. “If we transform the way we teach business, we can transform the way business operates in the world.”

Between teaching, mentoring, curriculum development, and the many leadership roles she holds, Anne recognizes that she’s in an “interesting place” in her career—and she’s never been happier. Knowing that she’s helping Mason revolutionize the way it teaches business so graduates can transform the way businesses operate for the world reinforces that asking “why” from a young age can lead to great things.

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