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The world of MLB is no longer ‘inside baseball’ for this statistics student

Colleen Rich — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 17:44:01 +0000

The world of MLB is no longer ‘inside baseball’ for this statistics student Colleen Rich Mon, 12/09/2024 - 12:44

For Abby Finch, baseball is more than just a game. Growing up, she spent hours watching baseball with her dad. While her early years were spent playing soccer, a hip injury in high school redirected her passion for sports into career aspirations in baseball scouting.

George Mason statistics major Abby Finch took her ambitions to the next level by participating in Major League Baseball's Diversity Pipeline Scout Development Program in Glendale, Arizona. Photo provided

"I needed something team-related but couldn't be athletic anymore," Finch said. "That's when I began working as a student manager with my high school's baseball team."

This early experience provided a pathway for a career combining her love for sports and her analytical skills.

Out of high school, Finch chose to go to the University of Charleston in West Virginia, where she worked as the baseball team's director of analytics. However, when the head coach left, she decided to transfer to ��AV, a move the statistics major describes as one of her best decisions.

"I'm happy that I made the move to George Mason," said Finch. "I really wanted more, and [Patriots’ Head Baseball] Coach [Shawn] Camp has all this knowledge from playing at a high level that has helped me."

Finch's future in baseball analytics is bright as she approaches her graduation in May with a Bachelor of Science in Statistics from George Mason’s College of Engineering and Computing.

This October, Finch took her ambitions to the next level by participating in Major League Baseball's Diversity Pipeline Scout Development Program in Glendale, Arizona. Hearing about the MLB program just as the deadline was passing, Finch quickly jumped on the opportunity and applied to the program the same day. Soon after, Finch was accepted into the program, and less than a month later, she was in the air, flying to Glendale.

"I was nervous," Finch admitted, reflecting on hearing about the program's late application submission. "I didn't think I had a shot, but I guess they liked my resume." When she got the acceptance email, she immediately called her parents, Coach Camp, and her professors to coordinate missing classes for the program. Everyone supported her without hesitation, understanding the incredible opportunity the program represented.

The MLB Diversity Pipeline Scout Development Program was designed to provide women and people of color with the tools and knowledge to thrive in the male-dominated world of baseball scouting. For Finch, the experience was transformative. "It taught me that I'm not the only one trying to do this. It's not crazy or a pipe dream—it's achievable."

During the week-long program, Fitch participated in classroom sessions that covered the intricacies of scouting and writing professional scouting reports. She also put what she learned in the classroom into action, analyzing players at the Arizona Fall League games.

"We would scout two pitchers and a position player during the game and write scouting reports that included pitch velocity, swing path, and overall performance," she explained.

These scouting exercises culminated in a mock draft on the final day of the program, where participants selected players based on the quality of their scouting reports. This gave participants an opportunity to get a feel for a draft night situation and a real-life example of how impactful a scout's work is in a player's overall career success.

Finch came away from the program with a deeper understanding of the game and said that her view of the game has completely shifted. "Before, I could see things happening on the field but didn't always know what they meant. Now I can watch a swing or a pitch and understand its significance, good or bad, and how it impacts a player's development."

Entering her second season as director of analytics for the George Mason baseball program, Finch is already making a difference. Coach Camp credits her insights with giving the team a competitive edge, both offensively and defensively. "Abby's commitment to our program and her ability to provide analytics-based insights have been pivotal to the development of our players," Camp said. "Mason has provided her with a front-row seat to the game. She travels with us, and she's made the most of that opportunity by playing a critical role in helping our team grow and compete at a higher level."

Looking ahead, Finch has her sights set on working in a MLB player development department. Through the MLB scout development program, she built connections with women who hold roles she aspires to and even submitted her resume to all 30 MLB teams. "The program gave me invaluable experience," she said. "I'd encourage anyone with the opportunity to participate to go for it."

For Finch, the journey from high school student manager to MLB diversity program alumna proves that passion, persistence, and a willingness to learn can open doors in even the most competitive fields. Finch is ready to take a big swing with her eyes set on a career in professional baseball.

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Mason Athletics

Mason Community Arts Academy

Mason Community Arts Academy is doing big things

Shayla Brown — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 19:12:28 +0000

Mason Community Arts Academy is doing big things Shayla Brown Tue, 11/26/2024 - 14:12

��AV’s Mason Community Arts Academy (MCAA) has been named one of the Best Summer Camps by Northern Virginia Magazine every year since 2021.

This summer, the program broke multiple records including the number of student participants at just under 1,900. The Acting for Young People (AFYP) program also broke its attendance record with 950 students.

MCAA, part of the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA), includes summer camps, programs, and workshops that teach local children aged 4-18 in acting and theater, film and video, music, and visual art.

MCAA Children's Choir session. Photo by Matthew Geske.

“We have really honed in on our recruitment process,” said Regina Schneider, MCAA’s marketing and communications coordinator.

The summer program has also grown in its number of staff members. MCAA employees include industry professionals, George Mason alumni and students of all levels, and summer interns, including high school students.

This summer, 42 out of 90 intern applicants were hired, many of which were local high school students, George Mason undergraduate and graduate students, and as well as graduate students from across the country.

MCAA also acts as a major pathway to George Mason for students who often begin the program in elementary school. Some of them go on to become interns and eventually students in CVPA degree programs, said Mary Lechter, executive director of MCAA and professor in the School of Theater.

One of these students is Kaya Thomas, a freshman theater major with a concentration in musical theater. Thomas joined AFYP when she was in seventh grade and participated in the weekend showcase program.

“AFYP guaranteed that I would have something to do in terms of performing. You still go through the audition process, but you’re guaranteed to get in, which was really helpful for my confidence,” said Thomas.

MCAA faculty, staff, and students on the Roger Wilkins Plaza. Photo by Beth Anne Young.

Thomas now works for MCAA as an assistant choreographer teacher with the same program.

Thomas’ experience with the program was huge factor in her decision to attend to George Mason, she said.

“I'm teaching with the people who taught me when I was in middle school and I am getting to work with these kids that aren't super strong dancers yet and watch them grow too,” she said. “I was already connected with people who I had so much in common with and knew so much about these programs. There were also lots of opportunities for growth.”

Next semester, Thomas will be taking on a new role and teaching students in MCAA after school classes.

“I truly believe that you can't start early enough to create that pipeline for students to connect [to our] programs,” said William Lake Jr., director of concert bands and the Dewberry School of Music, who approached Lechter with the idea of starting a summer band camp at George Mason. It started in 2023 and runs for one week every summer.

Students have the option of staying on campus overnight and experiencing what college life is like.

“They’re staying in the dorms, eating the campus food. They have to get themselves up in the morning and practice college routines, which also reduces barriers, and makes the experience less foreign a few years down the road,” said Lake.

“The camp includes a large ensemble experience and students participate in instrument specific master classes with our school of music faculty, which are often their future teachers,” he said.

Summer 2024 saw the debut of the Children’s Choir Camp, headed by Beth Anne Young, director of Kodály at George Mason, which aims to provide children with a comprehensive music education experience.

After three years of planning, the camp was done in conjunction with Side-by-Side, a new course for adult learners who are currently working in the field of music education, and is integrated with the Kodály Levels program, allowing graduate music education students to gain hands-on teaching experience while being mentored by the highly skilled Kodály faculty.

“My dream was to have a program with current teachers from our and other programs, and even alumni could work with the children enrolled in the Children's Choir Camp,” said Young.

Children participating in the MCAA programs. Photo by Beth Anne Young.

Graduate students with the Kodály option come to campus in July for three summers to complete their Kodály Levels in person. Each level includes study in the areas of pedagogy, musicianship, folk song materials and research, conducting/choral studies, choir and special topics, including a one-week Side-by-Side course, which is offered the week before Levels Courses begin.

Kodály at George Mason is fully endorsed by the Organization of American Kodály Educators. The Kodály program also offers opportunities for international students, with participants attending from countries such as Ireland, China, and South Korea.

“The experience to work with children in real time and apply what they are learning about teaching in a Kodály-Inspired classroom is invaluable,” she said.

In This Story

Mary Lechter

Regina Schneider

Learn more about Camps and Youth Programs at George Mason

Topics

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education-to-employment pathways

Annie Yu was able to turn internship into a career in a top 10 market

Colleen Rich — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 16:36:30 +0000

Annie Yu was able to turn internship into a career in a top 10 market Colleen Rich Wed, 10/09/2024 - 12:36

Annie Yu always wanted a career in television, and she knew that earning a degree would be the first step on her path.

Annie Yu. Photo provided

Immigrating to the United States from South Korea in 1985, Yu would have to overcome obstacles like tuition costs and navigating through an unknown higher education environment. She was also concerned about leaving home and not being available to work with her parents in their Washington, D.C., carryout restaurant.

"We were very close. The thought of going away to college frightened me because my parents relied on me," Yu said. "I'm the child of immigrants, and their English wasn't great. They needed my help."

Yu's solution came in the form of a scholarship to ��AV, alleviating tuition costs and allowing Yu to commute to campus from her family’s home in Virginia. "Having such a great university in our backyard was the best option for someone like me. It all worked out," she said. "I landed at George Mason, and I have zero regrets."

Today, Yu anchors WUSA9's weekday morning show, Get Up DC, and she'll return to the university community to honor its successful alumni on October 17 when she emcees the 2024 Celebration of Distinction, the university's longest-running event highlighting alumni achievements.

Yu is a proud Patriot with fond memories of her college days. As a student, she stacked her classes, immersed herself in campus culture, and found her community. She also believes that George Mason's diverse student body helped lessen her fears about the college environment.

"The diversity was significant. You walk into a room, and you want to feel like part of the room and not an outsider," said Yu. "It was like the United Nations: every race, every background represented. It made me feel comfortable."

Acceptance was important for Yu. As a student pursuing a newscasting career, she was frequently warned that she was choosing a difficult road. But Yu was undeterred. "I knew that I wanted to do it, and I was so dang determined," she said. "I put my blinders up and kept focusing on it."

At George Mason, Yu not only earned an excellent education, but she also benefited from the university's proximity to Washington, D.C., one of the nation's top 10 media markets. Taught by professors with strong ties to the region’s media, George Mason communication students often have a direct connection into newsrooms in the nation’s capital. Yu was initially introduced to Wisdom Martin, her Get Up DC co-host, when he visited her George Mason classroom as a guest speaker.

Annie Yu (right) with her George Mason mentor Rodger Smith. Photo provided

College of Humanities and Social Sciences professor Rodger Smith was one of Yu's instructors and has stayed in contact with her over the years. As a senior instructor and an academic and faculty advisor for WGMU Radio, Smith encourages his journalism students to take advantage of the George Mason-Washington, D.C., connection. "I've been advising students, if you're considering journalism, get that internship while you are here. Hopefully, an internship will expose you to creating B-roll or shadowing a reporter. Maybe even working in the studio and as a producer," said Smith. "There are no entry-level positions in the professional world because the professional world expects you to know something."

Yu credits Smith's advice for helping to propel her to where she is today. "That was the message: Get out there and get that hands-on, real-world experience," she said.

And Yu made the most of the Fox 5 internship she held as an undergraduate. "I worked very hard. I poured my heart into it," she said. "I got to know every single person in that building from top to bottom. And I made sure that they knew my name before I left."

Yu's hustle turned her internship into a permanent position. "The day before graduation the news director said, 'I don't know what I want to do with you, but I want to offer you a position here.' And I told her, 'Thank you. Can I just have a day to think about it?'”

After sharing the news at home, Yu's mother said, "You don't have a job, and you graduate tomorrow. You better go back in there and accept that job."

And she did. Yu began in the Fox 5 newsroom and hasn't left the Washington, D.C., market since. It's an unusual career journey for any TV journalist, as the typical path leads through small markets before offering an opportunity to work in a major city. But not for Yu.

"I am so grateful to George Mason because it allowed me to achieve my dream. Twenty-one years in a top 10 market," Yu said. "Right out of George Mason."

Find your own internship through George Mason

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Alumni

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department of Communication

Civil engineering student builds a solid foundation with summer internship

Shayla Brown — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 14:29:57 +0000

Civil engineering student builds a solid foundation with summer internship Shayla Brown Mon, 10/07/2024 - 10:29

More than 250 people are working on the construction of the Fuse at Mason Square building, including ��AV senior Leslie Hernandez.

“It’s my way of giving back to my school and community,” said Hernandez, who is majoring in civil and infrastructure engineering in the College of Engineering and Computing (CEC).

Hernandez has had four internships with Clark Construction since her senior year of high school and has previously worked on projects such as the Amazon headquarters in Arlington, Virginia.

“The Amazon headquarters project was really special to me because it was the first project that I got to see full circle from when it was just a pile of concrete up to the final product,” said Hernandez.

At Fuse, Hernandez is focused on field operations. “I’m like the middleman between the architect and the general contractor, working with inspectors, owners, and trade partners,” the Honors College student said.

For Hernandez, the highlight of the summer was working and bonding with her colleagues. “The labor force on a construction site is composed of a good percentage of Hispanic or Latino individuals, and I identify as both of those. Because of this, I was able to create meaningful bonds with individuals as we engaged in day-to-day conversations about the work we do,” she said.

Hernandez says engineering professor Catalina González-Dueñas is also a huge source of inspiration. She shared her background with the CEC professor during office hours, where they bonded over their respective experiences.

“I feel like I'm able to see myself in her,” said Hernandez, first generation college student originally from El Salvador. “She’s a representation of what’s possible for me. She told me that one of the reasons why she does what she does is to be that representation for Hispanic and Latina women.

This admiration is a two-way street, said González-Dueñas. “I aim for my students to learn and feel inspired, but I am often inspired by and learning from their questions and perspectives as well,” she said.

“What stands out the most about Leslie is that she always relates the concepts taught in class to her own internship experience,” said González-Dueñas. “This not only allows her to put concepts into action, but also helps her classmates by providing real-world examples that illustrate abstract ideas.”

Leslie Hernandez at her Clark Construction Internship outside the Fuse at Mason Square building. Photo by Cristian Torres/Office of University Branding

Alongside her internship position, Hernandez has also been working part-time for Clark Construction for the past two years. During the summer, the internship and part-time position responsibilities merge.

“They offered me the position, which is great because it allows me to gain experience in my field while I’m going to school. They’ve been very flexible with my class schedule as well,” said Hernandez.

“When I first started working at Clark Construction, everyone would encourage me even though they didn’t even really know me yet,” said Hernandez. “I’m so glad to have this background and experience in the construction industry because I do see myself in this industry later on.”

Hernandez says the only thing she’s more dedicated to than construction is family. “I have two little sisters and a little brother and I'm trying to not only set a good example but open doors for them so they see that anything is possible,” she said.

“I feel such a sense of pride because I’m leaving a little piece of myself in every project. Once the Fuse building is done, I'm forever going to be part of that project and my school.”

In This Story

Catalina Gonzalez-Duenas

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Bioengineering alumna completes a fun(gal) summer internship with NIH

Shayla Brown — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 18:07:12 +0000

Bioengineering alumna completes a fun(gal) summer internship with NIH Shayla Brown Fri, 09/13/2024 - 14:07

��AV bioengineering alumna Alessandra Coogan took advantage of all the opportunities associated with her internship at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, this summer. That included NIH workshops and seminars where Coogan was able to tap into various institutes and branches of engineering, as well as network with professional engineers.

“I thought interning at NIH meant that you come to the lab, work, then leave, but it's actually a huge institution and offers so many opportunities to socialize, network, and developing yourself as a professional scientist. It was really amazing,” said Coogan.

Alessandra Coogan. Photo provided.

Coogan’s internship through the Biomedical Engineering Summer Internship Program (BESIP) ran 10 weeks from June 3 to August 10.

“It's a little bit more competitive for bioengineering-related lab research. There's only 24 of us [in the BESIP program] in total, and it’s a very close-knit community program,” said Coogan, an Honors College student who graduated in May with her bachelor's in bioengineering with a concentration in biomaterials and nanomedicine from the College of Engineering and Computing.

The lab project pertains to immuno-engineering, which combines immunology and engineering, and explores the origins and potential mitigation of autoimmune responses triggered by implants in the body.

Coogan conducted research and development on drug delivery, tissue engineering, and scaffold development, which is a particular interest of hers.

“I love wet lab and getting my hands dirty while working on projects and experiments, and this experience definitely solidified that for me in terms of what I hope to do professionally,” said Coogan.

Alessandra Coogan in a National Institutes of Health lab. Photo provided.

Coogan was also given the chance to work on a second independent project, which is pretty rare. It focused on the treatment of fungal infections in the upper respiratory tract.

“A lot of treatments for fungal infections in your mouth, your lungs, your nose, especially in the nasal cavity, are aggressive and very systemic,” said Coogan.

For certain treatments, medical professionals might have to inject an antifungal medication through an IV into the bloodstream, she explained.

“It’s kind of overkill,” Coogan said. “The treatments are harmful to patients’ kidneys and liver. My research aims to provide a local application of an antifungal medication using a hydrogel, so my experiments consist of staining cells and processing tissue. It’s been a very fun but very difficult project,” she said.

Coogan credits George Mason’s Bioengineering Department for preparing her to take on a role of this caliber with NIH.

“Our department is small but mighty, and they really focus on creating excellent scientists,” said Coogan. “I've done a lot of research with Professor Rémi Veneziano in the [Laboratory for Bio-Inspired Nanoarchitectures] for two years now, and I've learned a lot from him. His research is on tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, which really interested me.”

“I feel that I have been very lucky to have Alessandra as a student in my lab,” Veneziano said. “She is very driven, and has the background, the knowledge, and the technical skills to become an excellent researcher.”

Alessandra Coogan with NIH colleagues. Photo provided.

Coogan is always willing to lend a hand to her peers, training them and sharing her research, said Veneziano.

“She also developed excellent [problem-solving] skills that she was able to leverage to perform complex experiments and help one of my graduate students in a very challenging project,” said Veneziano.

Whenever possible, Veneziano encourages his students to attend conferences and present their work to other researchers in order to build a network and also see what other labs are doing in their fields and other fields. Earlier this year, Coogan presented her work on prosthetic liners at the topping off ceremony for Fuse at Mason Square alongside her peers.

Coogan returns to George Mason this fall to earn her accelerated master’s in bioengineering, and Veneziano will be her committee chair.

In This Story

Remi Veneziano

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National Institutes of Health

Bioengineering

Groundswell partners with Mason LIFE providing scholarships, internships, and career services

Colleen Rich — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 19:46:30 +0000

Groundswell partners with Mason LIFE providing scholarships, internships, and career services Colleen Rich Thu, 09/12/2024 - 15:46

As with most internships, information technology consultant Groundswell aims to provide an experience that gives ��AV students a chance to learn about the company, delve into new areas and discover more about the industry.

Photo provided

Over the 2023-24 school year, Mason LIFE student Mohammad Nadeem did just that through his internship with McLean-based Groundswell, learning about data analytics, software development, and physical hardware.

“We wanted to ensure that we maximized his opportunities to grow as an individual,” said Tim Kelly, vice president for operational excellence for the People Services team at Groundswell. “We wanted meaningful work for him. We wanted him to try different things.”

Like destroying a laptop.

Nadeem strapped on safety goggles, wielded a hammer, and broke open laptops. Kelly said Nadeem was educated on the intricacies of removing critical components for recycling and security purposes. Over time Nadeem discovered patterns, learned how to make repairs and extract components in different devices.

“He absolutely loved it,” Mason LIFE Employment and Adult Services Coordinator Chris Williams said. “He was exposed to different things, and it offered professional building. He really enjoyed the atmosphere. Just working with others and just being treated as part of the team was valuable for him.”

“I made some friends over there,” said Nadeem of his time at Groundswell. “I would like to go back and work there. The boss is very nice.”

Nadeem will graduate next spring from the College of Education and Human Development’s (CEHD) Mason LIFE program, a four-year post-secondary comprehensive transition program for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who desire a university experience in a supportive academic environment. Mason LIFE students regularly complete internships, working in a wide range of settings, including at software companies, George Mason rec centers, Fairfax County Public Schools, and animal care facilities.

Williams said Nadeem’s experience with Groundswell boosted his confidence and independence. He drove independently from his parents’ home in Alexandria to McLean twice a week for the internship. Mason LIFE also provided support staff in to be on-site at Groundswell with Nadeem, but Kelly said as the internship progressed, “it became far less, less of them guiding him.”

“It has a huge impact. The internship experiences are critical,” Williams said. “The students are learning the importance of going to work on time. Knowing they have duties and responsibilities assigned to them that they have to complete. Working with others. Receiving feedback from their employers. Students are also learning what they like, what they don’t like.

“They were thrilled to have Mohammad. They enjoyed that they pushed him. They really appreciated that whatever they assigned Mohammad he gave 100% effort and he tried his best.”

One of those assignments, Kelly said, contributed to Groundswell winning a major environmental award. Nadeem performed analysis over several weeks to calculate the environmental impact Groundswell employees had made due to a company-wide emphasis on telecommuting.

Through the Groundswell TTRIP (Transit and Telework Resources, Impactful Practices) Program, Nadeem found that Groundswell employees in 2023 saved 49,918 gallons of gas and 24,312 trips to the office, among other notable data points.

“He became an integral part of our team,” Kelly said. “I was really proud of him. To see his confidence, see his joy, seeing him understanding the impact of the work for the company and really add value and do meaningful work.”

Kelly has been so impressed with the partnership with Mason LIFE that Groundswell recently announced the creation of scholarships for Mason LIFE students.

In addition, Groundswell wants to continue helping Mason LIFE students in their career development. This past April, Kelly and several Groundswell employees visited CEHD and facilitated an “Introduction to Work 101” workshop.

A photographer took headshots of each of the 16 Mason LIFE students who attended. Kelly and his team helped the students set up LinkedIn accounts, creating their bios and providing dos and don’ts for social media. Williams and Kelly both hope to make the workshop a semiannual career development event for Mason LIFE students.

Williams said it was truly a really great day. “To be able to hear from a professional workplace outside of the Mason community was really impactful and resonated with the students.”

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Workforce Development

Bioengineering student went from Patriot to Pilgrim for summer internship

Shayla Brown — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 15:51:00 +0000

Bioengineering student went from Patriot to Pilgrim for summer internship  Shayla Brown Fri, 09/06/2024 - 11:51

��AV bioengineering student Berk Kasimcan spent his summer internship working on a proof of concept for what could be described as sunglasses for buildings. 

Kasimcan is working alongside Harvard University psychology students and second-year PhD engineering and computing student Raphael Kay as they attempt to alleviate the damage that buildings experience throughout the years from radiation, heat, cold, and light. 

“What if we create this glass system that has various liquids inside and is able to adjust the building temperature or the [impact of] the direct UV light?” Kasimcan said. “This research would be especially helpful for newer buildings that are made of mostly glass.” 

Berk Kasimcan. Photo provided.

Kasimcan’s internship took place in two lab locations on Harvard’s campus —the Aizenberg Biomineralization and Biomimetics Lab in the Science and Engineer Complex and the Center for Nanoscale Systems. The research being conducted is fairly new and led by Kay, who is also one of Kasimcan’s mentors.

“The environments are super-fast paced and each university has their own culture when doing research, so I get to learn a lot of different ways to conduct important research,” said Kasimcan.   

The Aizenberg lab is similar to the MIX here at George Mason, but with more of a focus on engineering. The Center for Nanoscale Systems is where students work on decomposition and microscopic materials too small to be seen unaided by the human eye and requires researchers to wear full-body clean room suits, Kasimcan explained. 

The team built a total of four setups this summer to measure how much light and heat is getting deflected, and how much heat transfer is present. 

 “Our goal for this summer is to build test benches. Once we perfect our devices and formulas, we will actually be able to use the test benches to get reliable results on light and heat detection,” said Kasimcan, who is enrolled in George Mason’s accelerated master’s bioengineering program.    

Berk Kasimcan at Harvard University Campus. Photo provided.

Kasimcan, who is in the Honors College, credits the mentorship he received at George Mason from associate professor of bioengineering Shani Ross and assistant professor of bioengineering Quentin Sanders, as well as his senior design project experience, for helping to prepare him for this internship. 

Working with Sanders in his Intelligent assistive technology, Neuromuscular control and Physiology, Wearables and Rehabilitation Robotics (ImPoWeR) lab for a year was great experience, Kasimcan said. “I worked on research addressing rehabilitation, robotics, and developed exoskeletons and prosthetic devices for individuals that have experienced a neurological injury or amputation.”

The feeling was mutual, according to Sanders. “It was a pleasure working with Berk. With his work ethic, intellectual curiosity, and general interest in the biomedical sciences, I can see him working at a top tier company within the health care industry,” said Sanders.  

“I’m sure he’ll do great wherever he ends up. I wouldn't be surprised at all if I looked up one day and Berk was the leading scientist in the research and development division of a huge company,” he added.  

Kasimcan, along with his peers, spent a year working on hydrogel research with the goal of creating a water filtration system in the event of an emergency so communities can access clean water.    

“It’s not something we can use 24/7 unfortunately, but when it comes to emergencies, it was a pretty useful device,” said Kasimcan. 

For their efforts, Kasimcan and his teammates won multiple awards including two People’s Choice Awards for engineering from George Mason’s Bioengineering Department and 2nd Place in a Star-Tides Poster Competition.

Kasimcan graduated with a bachelor of science from George Mason in spring 2024 and is currently pursuing his master's in engineering.

In This Story

Quentin Sanders

Shani Ross

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Topics

Information Sciences and Technology Department

Information technology students stepped up to secure Virginia’s elections

Teresa Donnellan — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:19:47 +0000

Information technology students stepped up to secure Virginia’s elections Teresa Donnellan Wed, 08/28/2024 - 10:19

Secure elections are the cornerstone of democracy, and the Virginia Cyber Navigator Internship Program (VA-CNIP) has equipped students with the skills to strengthen the cybersecurity posture of election infrastructures. As an intern last summer, information technology (IT) major Duong Thuy Nguyen helped secure a rural county's technology for the upcoming presidential election alongside two other George Mason students, Maha Khan and Sophie Bates.

Sponsored by the National Security Agency (NSA) and run by the University of Virginia (UVA) and five other Virginia universities including George Mason, VA-CNIP was developed to address the need for improved election security in localities that may not have the resources to implement necessary cybersecurity measures.

Nguyen, who is pursuing a dual concentration in database technology and programming and cyber security, traveled to Campbell County for a few days each week over the summer to support the county’s dedicated and hard-working IT staff in complying with the Locality Election Security Standards (LESS) required by the Commonwealth of Virginia. The LESS requirements are designed to ensure that all localities, regardless of size, have baseline cybersecurity measures in place, with further goals to achieve "preferred" or "premium" levels of security. The program thus not only prepared students for future careers but also left a lasting impact on the local governments they serve.

From left to right, Albanese, Hicks, and Nguyen with two other VA-CNIP interns. Photo provided.

George Mason Associate Professor Max Albanese helped lead VA-CNIP, designing a course in election security that was a prerequisite for all interns. In addition to the course, a two-day boot camp at UVA provided interns with training, including hands-on activities and talks from high profile industry experts and election officials. This year United States Election Assistance Commissioner Thomas Hicks spoke at the boot camp.

“Especially this year, the focus was on trying to send interns to localities that were in most need of upgrading their security posture,” said Albanese, “and that means the more rural or less technologically advanced counties.”

Each week, students worked remotely for part of their assignments but also traveled to their assigned localities for on-site work. Due to the often-rural nature of the counties involved, VA-CNIP provided a $3,000 travel allowance to each intern in addition to their $9,000 stipend. This allowed students to travel long distances and, when necessary, stay overnight in nearby towns to avoid lengthy commutes. The George Mason interns this year traveled about four hours one way to reach Campbell County.

Nguyen in Campbell County. Photo provided.

Nguyen noted how rewarding it was to work in-person with the local IT department. Her tasks included developing security policies, conducting research on cybersecurity tools, and even designing tabletop exercises to prepare local officials for possible cyber incidents on election day. Nguyen raved about her internship, which was her first. Even though she had to travel a lot, she said, she would not change her experience.

“They were all very welcoming, and they gave us all the support that we needed,” she said.

VA-CNIP exemplifies the power of academia, government, and students working together to tackle one of the most pressing challenges of our time—ensuring the security and integrity of democratic processes. While funding for VA-CNIP ends this year, there are ongoing discussions about sustaining the program going forward.

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Massimiliano Albanese

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Carter School student knocks the socks off year-long internship

Shayla Brown — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 17:53:35 +0000

Carter School student knocks the socks off year-long internship Shayla Brown Fri, 08/23/2024 - 13:53

��AV senior Nathaniel Socks has had two internships in his field, and he credits a course he took his sophomore year with his advisor Jane Walker for helping him get them.

“I took Jane [Walker]’s course CONF 314 Career Development Seminar, which was so helpful because we created resumes and [practiced] interviews,” said Socks, who is majoring in conflict analysis and resolution in the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution.

Nathaniel Socks. Photo provided

“I was able to get an internship with the Department of State that spring, and then also got accepted to do this Pathways internship, which could turn into a full-time job, so I’d say her class worked exactly how it was supposed to for me,” he said.

The Pathways Internship program is designed to provide students with opportunities to explore federal careers while being paid for the work performed. Socks is interning with the General Services Administration (GSA), a federal agency that works on procurement and acquisition services, and after completing a year-long internship, he’s eligible to convert to a full-time position through competitive hiring.

“As an intern here, I've been providing overall general support for different projects, as well as creating a newsletter for the team on travel industry updates. A big part of what my office does is work with travel management companies to get them contracted with different agencies,” said Socks.

Rather than zeroing in on one optimal career path, Walker, director of Undergraduate Student Services for the Carter School, said she uses the Career Development Seminar to help students expand their career focus and consider a minimum of three options.

“Conflict is everywhere, our students can apply their degrees to many different career paths—we want them to fully explore those opportunities within the class,” said Walker.

“Nathaniel is an excellent student, but more importantly, he is a hard worker that approaches life with humility—these are traits that will take him far in his career as they are valued and important for advancement and success,” she said.

For his previous internship at the Department of State, Socks was a staffer for the front office at the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.

“As a staffer, we did everything from drafting department documents to pushing papers to get cleared by heads of leadership. I would say that, because of everything going on in the Middle East, that position was a little bit more hectic and versatile, [whereas] this job with GSA and my responsibilities are more consistent,” said Socks.

Socks, who is working on a minor in intelligence studies, said it was originally his goal to work in international relations, but his internship at GSA has opened up the possibility of working in the travel industry.

“The GSA also contracts to the Department of State, so there’s still possibilities of me being able to get more experience with international affairs there,” he said.

Socks is set to graduate from George Mason in December and hopes to continue his journey at GSA.

“I didn't always feel confident in these different positions, especially with them being federal agencies, but the biggest lesson I’ve learned is to just be confident in your abilities,” said Socks.

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