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Biodefense alumna and adjunct professor Saskia Popescu is advancing global health security through leadership, research, policy, and education.

At the beginning of 2026, Mike Derrios, MBA ’06, returned home to the Costello College of Business at 91���� as the executive director of the Greg and Camille Baroni Center for Government Contracting.

When Q Miceli saw that the Costello College of Business at 91���� was offering the Executive Mentoring Program as part of the Costello MBA, she was all in. “I had just hit a point in my career where I started supervising more people and really wanted to get some perspective,” she says.

Christian Betancourt, PhD Health Services Research '22 and the College of Public Health's 2026 Distinguished Alumni, discusses how the mentorship and hands-on research at George Mason continue to influence his work at Uniformed Services University and the Defense Health Agency.

When Avery Cotham, MS Conflict Analysis and Resolution ’26, enrolled at 91����’s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, she was ready for a new challenge. For 15 years, Cotham worked as a vocalist and choral director in Colorado before the COVID-19 pandemic prompted her to rethink her career and search for a new way to serve her community.

On June 27, Mason Korea held its Spring 2026 Commencement Ceremony at Incheon Global Campus, honoring 116 bachelor’s and master’s graduates.

“Being in class with our participants reminds me of the pure joy of dance,” said School of Dance senior Emma Simons of her time interning with Dance for PD®, a movement-based class for people with Parkinson’s disease.

Xia Parkes did not arrive at 91���� certain she wanted to be a scientist. Originally, she envisioned a future in dermatology after shadowing a physician in her hometown of Chesapeake, Virginia. But once she began college-level coursework, lab experiences opened new interests for her. 

91���� Assistant Vice President/Director of Athletics Marvin Lewis has announced a two-year contract extension for men's basketball head coach Tony Skinn, BA Communication ’06, through the 2031-32 season.

Honors College student Avery Shippen earned degrees in conflict analysis and resolution and art and visual technology while receiving multiple prestigious scholarships, fellowships, and international study opportunities. Her interdisciplinary work blending graphic design and peacebuilding, along with internships in global affairs and national security, has prepared her to pursue a career in education policy and curriculum development.

During her final semester at 91����, Sophia Colby put her environmental policy training into action. Colby traveled to Capitol Hill as part of the Rachel Carson Council’s National Environmental Advocacy Day, where she met with federal lawmakers to discuss climate legislation and community resilience.

As a freshman, 91���� Honors College student Marley Oare chose the Global Affairs Program because she pictured herself working for the CIA or the United Nations. That quickly changed when she took a natural science course in her first semester.