Alumni Association

2024 Celebration of Distinction honors alumni leaders

Colleen Rich — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 16:41:32 +0000

2024 Celebration of Distinction honors alumni leaders Colleen Rich Tue, 10/15/2024 - 12:41

Each year, the ��AV Alumni Association’s annual Celebration of Distinction recognizes outstanding alumni, faculty members, and students.

Here are this year’s honorees:

Hollis Kosco. Photo provided

Hollis Kosco, BA Speech Communication ’94, is Alumna of the Year. She is the senior transportation manager for FIFA World Cup 2026 in Miami, Florida, where she oversees operational planning in three countries at 16 stadiums with 48 participating teams. Kosco was a member of both George Mason’s 1993 NCAA tournament runner-up women’s soccer team and the U.S. national handball team. Her international career in sports management and communications has included seven Olympic games, two Asian Games, the 2015 Pan American Games, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Kimiko Lighty. Photo provided

Kimiko Lighty, MAIS ’10, received the Alumni Service Award. She is the founding executive director of Restorative Arlington (RA). An innovator in peace building and conflict resolution techniques, Lighty has been involved with RA since the initiative began in 2020. She led the design and implementation of RA’s Heart of Safety Restorative Justice Conferencing Program, a diversion program serving Arlington’s public schools, legal system, and community, and continues to serve as a strategic advisor to the organization. In partnership with the non profit Doorways, RA has been awarded a five-year $1.5 million grant award from the federal Office on Violence Against Women to address harms resulting from intimate partner violence, dating and domestic violence, stalking, and sexual assault.

Kala J. West. Photo provided

Kala J. West, BA Communication ’15, received the Graduate of the Last Decade (G.O.L.D.) Award. She is an entrepreneur, media production consultant, and host of Sunday Morning Praise and Morning Inspiration on WURD Radio (96.1 FM/900 AM). She is also a media professional for the Penn Sports Network. West has been recognized by George Mason’s Black Alumni Chapter among its 2023 40 Under 40 Distinguished Alumni, as a 2023 20 Under 40 COGIC Achievers Award honoree, and among Funtimes magazine’s 30 Under 30 People to Watch in 2017.

Gabrielle Belle. Photo provided

Gabriele Belle, an instructional associate professor in George Mason’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, is Faculty Member of the Year. She supervises all astronomy and college physics lab courses and teaches physics in the Enlisted to Medical Degree Preparatory Program. Belle is also a member of the university’s Nano-IMAGINE Council, which supports the growth of Virginia’s nanotech sector. Her research has included investigating quantum well structures with laser spectroscopy in high magnetic fields, developing new semiconductor devices, and building satellites to explore the GPS signal above the GPS satellites orbiting the Earth, for which she received the Air Force Association’s Citation of Honor and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Special Recognition Award.

Celine Apenteng. Photo provided

Celine Apenteng, BA Conflict Analysis and Resolution ’24, is Senior of the Year. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in international security and expects to graduate in May 2025. As an undergraduate, she served as vice president in Student Government, speaker of the Student Senate, a member of the President’s Student Advisory Board, and co-chair of the Student Advisory Council for the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. Over the past year, Apenteng interned at the White House in the Office of Public Engagement and for the U.S. Department of State. She also works with the Carter School’s John Mitchell Jr. Program for History, Justice, and Race to promote a more informed dialogue on the intersections between historical memory, justice, and racial reconciliation.

In addition to the five honorees, 18 alumni received Distinguished Alumni Awards from their school, college, or affinity alumni chapter at this year’s October event. See the full list of awardees.

See the full list of awardees

Alumni Association launches book scholarship in honor of esteemed colleague and alumna

Colleen Rich — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 14:55:38 +0000

Alumni Association launches book scholarship in honor of esteemed colleague and alumna Colleen Rich Fri, 03/29/2024 - 10:55

In summer 2023, the Mason Nation mourned the loss of one of its most steadfast friends. Amy Takayama-Perez, BA Sociology ’96, MEd ’02, worked for many years to welcome students to ��AV—first as a director of recruitment and later as a leader in Mason’s Admissions Office, culminating in her role as dean of admissions, a position she held for nearly eight years.

Amy Takayama-Perez and Rick Perez. Photo provided

In July, she passed away following a two-year battle with triple-negative breast cancer.

"She just loved Mason,” said Rick Perez, Amy's husband. “And she loved the students she was working with.”

Speaking about the early days of Amy’s Mason career, when she arrived as a transfer student from the University of Connecticut, Rick related that her relationship with Mason’s Admissions Office formed quickly. “Talk about getting thrown into the fire!” he recalled. “She knew nobody here, and started working in the office, taking phone calls, as a student worker.”

That position led to Amy’s first job following graduation. “She applied for and was offered a job as what they called a roadrunner.... She would go and recruit on the road, in the fall, up in the Northeast. And so, she really kind of built out the New England space for George Mason,” said Rick. “She was like: I grew up in New Hampshire, I went to the University of Connecticut, I know that area, I can make this work.

“She did such a great job, building that out, she was offered a counselor role and she just sort of kept going,” said Rick.

Mason’s mission of inclusion was one that drove Amy, as well. “Her motto was, ‘Let’s build a bigger table,’” said Rick. “Let’s find a place for first-generation students, for kids who just need to be given an opportunity.” During meetings with family members of students in Mason’s Early Identification Program, Amy would bring Rick, fluent in Spanish, to translate when necessary.

“Amy was a bright light for students and for her colleagues; she never wavered from a commitment to either group’s well-being,” said David Burge, Mason’s vice president for enrollment management. “She was legitimately inspirational in the way she approached her work and made everyone around her better for having known her.”

Amy was also an enthusiastic Mason alum. When their son chose to attend Mason himself, he told Rick: “That’s where our family goes to school. I’ve been going to this place since I was a kid, a literal baby watching basketball games.”

Beyond enjoying Mason basketball, Amy’s dedication to her alma mater took the form of her service as a faithful member of the board of the ��AV Alumni Association (GMUAA). It is in her honor that the GMUAA board has established the Amy Takayama-Perez Memorial Student Book Award.

“This is a tribute befitting a double alum who was passionate about all things Mason, a former board member who meant so much to the university,” said Jenn Robinson, JM ‘02, associate vice president of alumni relations and GMUAA executive director.

A book scholarship helps to defray the expenses involved in students’ purchases of books and supplies, which can present a considerable burden each semester. “The goal of the award is to help as many students as possible, just as Amy worked to do in her time at Mason,” added Robinson.

“Amy was an incredible leader and friend,” said Elena Johnson, director of outreach and partnerships in Mason’s Office of Admissions. “She worked diligently to ensure higher education was accessible and available for everyone, and I am so glad that students will benefit from a scholarship in her memory.”

Donations to the Amy Takayama-Perez Memorial Student Book Award may be made here. Donors may consider making a gift to the fund on Mason Vision Day, April 4, 2024, when friends of ��AV are invited to support the cause at Mason that speaks to them most compellingly.

Support the Amy Takayama-Perez Memorial Student Book Fund

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Annual Celebration of Distinction honors alumni leaders

Colleen Rich — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 16:41:56 +0000

Annual Celebration of Distinction honors alumni leaders Colleen Rich Thu, 10/19/2023 - 12:41

The ��AV Alumni Association’s annual Celebration of Distinction recognizes outstanding alumni, faculty members, and students. This year’s celebration was held October 20 at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner.

Here are this year’s five honorees:

Shaza L. Andersen

Shaza L. Andersen, BA Area Studies ’89, is Alumna of the Year. She is the founder and CEO of Trustar Bank. In 2018 as CEO of WashingtonFirst Bank, Andersen completed the largest banking deal in the Mid-Atlantic region with the company’s $489 million sale to Sandy Spring Bancorp. She has been named among the Top 25 Women to Watch by American Banker and is a two-time Top Banker honoree by SmartCEO magazine. She has been named twice to the Top 100 Powerful Women list by Washingtonian magazine, designated as one of the Power 100 by the Washington Business Journal, and chosen as a March of Dimes Corporate Heroine. Andersen received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree during Mason’s 2021 Winter Graduation, where she was the featured speaker.

Brandon O. Thompson

Brandon O. Thompson, BS Administration of Justice ’08, received the Alumni Service Award. He is the executive officer in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General, where he is an advisor to executives overseeing more than 1,100 employees across 60 divisions. A dedicated volunteer, Thompson has provided students with career advice through Mason’s University Career Services since 2016. He also mentors College of Humanities and Social Sciences students through LinkUp, professional networking events that connect students with alumni. He is also a youth instructor at his church and volunteers with his homeowners’ association.

Cordelia Cranshaw Skeete

Cordelia Cranshaw Skeete, BSW ’14, received the Graduate of the Last Decade (G.O.L.D.) Award. Skeete is a licensed clinical social worker and the founder of the nonprofit Acts of Random Kindness, which provides resources for children and families facing such challenges as incarcerated parents, housing insecurity, and foster care. A former foster care youth herself, she practices cognitive behavioral therapy with clients who have experienced trauma, anxiety, or depression. In 2019, Skeete was named Miss District of Columbia and placed in the top 10 during that year’s Miss USA Pageant. She is a motivational speaker and has created the guide Survivor to Thriver to help others overcome trauma through healing and relationship building.

Keith Renshaw

Keith Renshaw is Faculty Member of the Year. In August, he was appointed associate provost of undergraduate education. He was previously chair of the Psychology Department and director of Mason’s Military, Veterans, and Families Initiative, which he founded in 2020. The winner of multiple teaching and mentorship awards, he was named a fellow of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies in 2021. Renshaw has also served as Faculty Senate chair and as the faculty representative to the Board of Visitors.

Hannah Adamson

Hannah Adamson, BA Conflict Analysis and Resolution ’23, is Senior of the Year. She is currently a student in the accelerated master’s program in conflict analysis and resolution. As treasurer of the Student Environmental Justice Alliance, Adamson co-created the first Virginia Environmental Justice Summit in 2020. She works at the Carter School’s Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation and is also a program manager at the Think Peace Learning and Support Hub for a project in the Horn of Africa focused on mental health, psychosocial support, and peacebuilding. Adamson has completed fieldwork in Finland and Kenya and plans to pursue a career focused on community-led environmental and social healing programs.

In addition to the five honorees, 16 alumni received Distinguished Alumni Awards from their school, college, or affinity alumni chapter at this year’s October event.

For the full list, please visit the Alumni Association website.

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Family members paved the way for this Mason student

Shayla Brown — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 21:47:43 +0000

Family members paved the way for this Mason student Shayla Brown Wed, 08/09/2023 - 17:47

Alaina Ruffin will not be the first, second, or third, but fourth person in her family to graduate from ��AV.

“My mom and two older cousins, who are also Black women, came to Mason before me,” said Alaina Ruffin, who will graduate in August with her BA in English with a concentration in writing and rhetoric.

Recent graduate Alaina Ruffin (right) and her family of Mason alumnae. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding.

During her time as a student at Mason, Ruffin joined Mason’s NAACP chapter and acted as an officer of the chapter for three years. She was also an officer for the Black, African Heritage, and Caribbean Coalition and worked at the Center for Culture, Equity, and Empowerment.

“I’m actually really introverted. I wasn’t as involved in things in high school, so I really surprised myself with the extent to which I did things at Mason,” she said. “I put myself out there more than I previously would have, and I think that helped me become someone whom a much shyer teenage Alaina would be very proud of.”

Her mother, Dawn Woods-Ruffin, graduated from Mason in 2000, also with a BA in English with a concentration in writing and rhetoric, previously called technical writing and editing.

“I [originally] went to VCU, but it wasn’t long after that I realized I was unhappy with that choice,” said Woods-Ruffin.

In her third year, Woods-Ruffin transferred to Mason and joined the ranks of Mason’s commuter students, but still couldn’t decide on a major. She withdrew and decided to work in customer service full time. Her job evolved to writing training manuals, and she eventually found her path as a technical writer before re-enrolling at Mason.

^{“Sometimes a student may not have a direct path from high school to a chosen career. It wasn’t easy working full time and attending college, but like many Mason students, I proved it can be done,” said Woods-Ruffin. “I remember seeing Mason grow in not just the size of the campus but with its prominence as a premier school in Virginia.”}

“Mason welcomes people from all walks of life and oftentimes a [potential student] sees the great experience another family member had and decides that Mason is the place for them,” said Jennifer Robinson, JM ’02, associate vice president of alumni relations and executive director of the ��AV Alumni Association.

Ruffin’s older cousins, Rachael Woods-Cheytanov and Nicole Woods-Adkins, graduated in 2013 and 2001 respectively. Woods-Cheytanov earned a BS in health administration while Woods-Adkins earned a BS in management information systems.

During her time at Mason, Woods-Adkins was a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and, like her younger cousin, was a member of Mason’s NAACP chapter.

“I surprised myself with how independent I became,” said Woods-Adkins. “I really enjoyed being close to D.C. where I could experience the area's historical landmarks, cuisines and night life. I was three hours away from home, but I was able to establish a community of lifelong friendships with people who also graduated from Mason.”

Woods-Adkins’ degree has allowed her to pursue career opportunities in IT and accounting. She currently works for the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, a nonprofit organization that focuses on investor protection. “Mason provided me with resources, internship opportunities and professors that shared their various experiences, which helped shape my career choices.”

Woods-Cheytanov knew that she wanted to work in the medical field but wasn’t sure exactly what career she wanted to work toward.

“During my time at Mason, I was able to take classes on everything from lab work to medical law. Those classes all shaped my interest in health systems and how they connect,” said Woods-Cheytanov. “I'm so grateful that I was able to really find my career path surrounded by professors who were such experts in the subjects they taught.”

Coming to Mason from Colorado, Woods-Cheytanov knew that attending Mason was going to be a big personal shift, but also knew she wanted to see more of the world.

“I'm most surprised at how easy it was to meet a more diverse group of people—in both the way we look and the way we think—that I honestly don't think I would have gotten anywhere else,” she said.

“[Mason also] brings so many international students that I don't think I would have had the chance to learn about different cultures and traditions anywhere else,” Woods-Cheytanov added.

Ruffin is interning at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights this summer and hopes to attend graduate and law school.

“I’m proud of working to make our campus community a place where all students can be heard and valued, because students are what gives universities meaning,” said Ruffin.

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2023 Senior of the Year pursues sustainable peacebuilding

Sarah Holland — Wed, 17 May 2023 17:20:10 +0000

2023 Senior of the Year pursues sustainable peacebuilding Sarah Holland Wed, 05/17/2023 - 13:20

Hannah Adamson knew after an 8th-grade trip to Washington, D.C., that the capital region was the place for her.

Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Driven by a desire to do good in the world, Adamson—who grew up in New Jersey—saw endless possibilities in the dense concentration of NGOs, nonprofits, and government agencies. ��AV’s proximity to those opportunities initially hooked her, and its strong sense of community and diversity led her to apply.

In the end, it was the Honors College and the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution that made Adamson’s choice clear. “I found the Carter School at one of the academic browsing sessions, and I was really excited about their approach to building unique skills to navigate global challenges,” she said. Combined with her selection as a University Scholar in the Honors College, Adamson felt empowered by the prospects of the education and support she’d receive at Mason.

Adamson was named the 2023 Senior of the Year by Mason’s Alumni Association. She is graduating this May with a bachelor of arts in conflict analysis and resolution.

“Working alongside Hannah has been a true joy,” said one of her nominators, Nick Sherwood, PhD candidate in conflict analysis and resolution and associate director of the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation (MHCR). “In the three years we have served together, I have watched Hannah bloom as a serious student-researcher and impactful peacebuilder. Students like Hannah are one in a million and represent the best qualities of both the Carter School and Mason.”

Adamson is a first-generation American, and memories of her mother’s family farm in Northern Ireland inspire her deep connection to and passion for community-led sustainability and conservation. “[At Mason,] I’ve been able to tailor my academic experience to the kind of change-making I want to do, which is melding social healing and reconciliation processes with a passion for sustainability and environmental justice.”

Adamson has applied this philosophy outside of the classroom to her work and internship experiences, which demonstrate her dedication to change-making through community-based healing at both the local and international levels. She was an active member of Mason’s Student Environmental Justice Alliance and one of the co-founders of the Virginia Environmental Justice Summit. She spent a semester in the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation’s (SMSC) residential program, working with the Virginia Grassland Bird Initiative as part of the Conservation, Biodiversity, and Society program. She has also worked with MHCR since 2020 and found further opportunities with them through the Think Peace Learning and Support Hub, its sister organization.

These experiences have extended far beyond Mason’s campuses, taking her to Finland to support Antti Pentikäinen, director of the MHCR, in his ongoing work with the Indigenous Sámi people; to Spain for a semester to build her intercultural education experience; and to Kenya for a regional workshop on integrating mental health and psychosocial support in ongoing peacebuilding processes in the Horn of Africa.

“I never would have thought, when starting at Mason, that I would have the opportunity to grow in my roles and be so hands-on. I think it’s unique for an organization to tell student employees, ‘you take the lead and run with this.’” Adamson's nominators for Senior of the Year noted that her resume is impressive for an undergraduate student and demonstrative of her character, with her dedication to access and equity informing every action.

As a Carter School buddy, an Honors 110 Peer Mentor, and even through a Peacebuilding Fellows project understanding mental health and wellness within Carter, Adamson pays forward the transformative mentorship and experiences she’s been able to receive by helping empower others. She will continue her work as she transitions into Mason’s Accelerated Master’s program, expecting to earn her MS in conflict analysis and resolution in ‘24.

“It took a degree of confidence I didn’t know that I had to be able to step outside of my major and throw myself into the science while studying at SMSC or to work internationally in the field as a student. And I’m proud of myself for saying ‘yes’ and trying.”

Sherwood said of Adamson, “Folks like Hannah will change the world, not just with what they do, but also with who they are. Hannah is a rock star, plain and simple, and I can’t wait to see her evolution in the years to come.”

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2022 Celebration of Distinction honors alumni leaders

Colleen Rich — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 15:43:13 +0000

2022 Celebration of Distinction honors alumni leaders Colleen Rich Thu, 10/20/2022 - 11:43

More about the Alumni Association

For more than 30 years, the ��AV Alumni Association has honored outstanding alumni, faculty members, and students at their annual Celebration of Distinction. This year’s celebration was held Friday, October 21. The 2022 awardees include a diverse group of Patriots who exemplify service to others.

David J. Freeman

Alumnus of the Year David J. Freedman, BA Philosophy ’98, is a partner with the Pennsylvania law firm Barley Snyder LLP, where his practice focuses on employment litigation and higher education and immigration law. He has received numerous accolades, especially for his extensive pro bono work. The Central Penn Business Journal recognized Freedman as one of the 30 most influential legal professionals in central Pennsylvania and awarded him the Legal Excellence Award for pro bono service. The Pennsylvania Immigration Resource Center has awarded Freedman its Pro Bono Attorney of the Year Award three times, most recently in 2021.

Victoria N. Salmon

Victoria N. Salmon, DA Education (Community College) ’97, received the Alumni Service Award. She is associate dean emerita for graduate studies in Mason’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA). In 2007, Salmon established the CVPA Office of Graduate Studies, which added seven new graduate degrees in the college in seven years. When she retired in 2014, CVPA established the Victoria N. Salmon Outstanding Graduate Student Award in her honor. Salmon continues to serve the university as chair of the Arts at Mason Board and as an adjunct faculty member in the Arts Management Program.

Raquel Gonzalez

Raquel Gonzalez, BA Integrative Studies ’07, MS Conflict Analysis and Resolution ’12, received the Graduate of the Last Decade (G.O.L.D.) Award. They are a first-generation college graduate and public servant dedicated to uplifting marginalized communities. Prior to their current work in government leadership training and inclusivity efforts, they spent four years in New York state government, leading operations, policy, and diversity and inclusion initiatives. They were named a 40 Under 40 Rising Latino Star by the Hispanic Coalition of New York in 2018. Previously, Gonzalez was a presidential appointee in four federal agencies and at the White House during the Obama administration.

Wendi Manuel-Scott

Faculty Member of the Year Wendi Manuel-Scott is a professor of integrative studies and history and an affiliate faculty member in the Women and Gender Studies Program, African and African American Studies Program, and the Carter School’s John Mitchell Jr. Program for History, Justice, and Race. Manuel-Scott was integral to the Enslaved Children of George Mason project, which led to the creation of the Enslaved People of George Mason Memorial on Wilkins Plaza. She is the co-chair of Mason’s Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence Task Force.

Dominique Dowling

Senior of the Year Dominique Dowling, BA Integrative Studies ’22, is currently pursuing a master’s in early childhood education for diverse learners at Mason. She has served in several leadership roles on and off campus, including as president of the Mason chapter of the NAACP and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences Ambassadors and as student representative on university committees, such as the Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence Task Force. In 2021 Dowling selected to be part of the 2021 Virginia Governor’s Fellows Program and worked for then Virginia Secretary of Education Atif Qarni, MA History ’09.

See the full list of honorees, including the 14 distinguished alumni chapter recipients.