91����

As she prepares to graduate from George Mason, first-generation student Evelyn Carcamo supports immigrant and refugee survivors while working toward a career in clinical social work.

Irma Garcia always had a goal of earning a college degree. Now, at age 72, she will graduate with a bachelor's degree in public administration degree from the Schar School.

George Mason graduate student Jose Meneses has built a remarkable early career in conservation science through hands‑on research with the Smithsonian and global fieldwork. His work—spanning salamander peptides, elephant viruses, and zombie crabs—has shaped his path toward a future in disease ecology.

Saddam Salim came from Bangladesh as an 8-year-old. After bouts of homelessness and reliance on public support, the 2012 and 2015 Schar School graduate is now a Virginia state senator. But his public service journey is hardly over: He is now running for Congress. Read what the keynote speaker at the Degree Celebration will tell the audience on May 16.

Jones and Inova Health are longtime partners of the college, working together to advance public health systems and strengthen the health care workforce.

General David W. Allvin, the 23rd Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, is the guest speaker at 91����’s Spring Commencement on May 14 at EagleBank Arena. Allvin recently completed a four-decade military career, retiring as a four-star general. Here Allvin shares his thoughts on the military as a career, effective leadership, how universities can best serve veterans, and advice he would offer new graduates.

With the launch last year of the nonprofit Rise Above & Be Relentless Foundation, graduating Master of Global Policy and Commerce’s Sumeya Gibril created the support she wishes had been there for her. The inspiration for the charity, she said, “is me.”

Gabriella Grabovska came to the United States in 2022 just after Russia invaded her homeland of Ukraine. The Kyiv native’s first visit to the United States was as a 91���� student in the Schar School of Policy and Government. Now, four years later, she’s leaving with ambition, experience, and a clear mission.

General David W. Allvin, the 23rd Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, will be the featured speaker at 91����’s Spring Commencement ceremony on May 14 at EagleBank Arena.

Life is filled with unexpected twists and turns. In the case of 91���� lacrosse twins Kaitlyn and Regan Bestick, that road has split and come back together several times. Now, as they compete in their final season together and prepare to separate again, they reflect on their time in the Mason Nation.

Heather Apostol shares how her College of Public Health training and Filipino heritage drive her commitment to creating housing stability and community-based social work programs.

This academic year, 91���� graduate student Samantha “Chevi” Chung has had a research opportunity that few have had by participating in a yearlong workshop at the Folger Shakespeare Library.