MS Profiles

Seehorn’s Star Shines Bright

ckearney — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 16:48:41 +0000

Seehorn’s Star Shines Bright ckearney Wed, 04/15/2026 - 12:48

Earlier this year, 91�� alumna Rhea Seehorn, BA Art (Studio) ’94, won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Drama for her performance as Carol Sturka in Pluribus on Apple TV. It was both her first nomination and her first win—an achievement that also marked a milestone for George Mason, as she became our first alum to receive a Golden Globe.

Her recognition at the Golden Globes followed a 2026 Critics Choice Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series, also for Pluribus, adding to a growing list of accolades for her work.

Seehorn is widely known for her acclaimed portrayal of Kim Wexler in AMC’s Better Call Saul, a role that earned her two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. After years of collaboration, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul creator Vince Gilligan wrote the role of Carol Sturka specifically for her.

In interviews about Pluribus, Seehorn has often pointed to her time at George Mason as the spark that ignited her passion for acting. On NPR’s Fresh Air, she recalled having to take an elective in the arts outside of her art studio major. She chose to take an acting class with theater professor Lynnie Raybuck.

“This was a hardcore, do-your-homework, script analysis class using practical aesthetics that was developed out of the Atlantic Theater,” Seehorn said. “I just was in love with the fact that if you work really hard and study, you can incrementally get closer and closer to being good at this and hopefully, one day, great at this.”

With that work ethic and other lessons from the class, she entered Washington, D.C.’s vibrant theater community. She began as a volunteer usher at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company before quickly earning roles at Woolly, Arena Stage, and Studio Theatre. Her stage career eventually took her to New York City, where she made her Broadway debut in the 2001 production of Neil Simon’s 45 Seconds from Broadway.

Reflecting on her early years in Washington, D.C., she told Fresh Air: “I think some of the world’s best theater is [there], and watching those performers, I was just like, ‘I have to do this immediately. I have to do this for the rest of my life.’”

In 2003, Seehorn moved to Hollywood for the ABC sitcom I’m With Her, which ran for one season and helped launch her screen career.

Seehorn’s journey—from a George Mason art student discovering acting through an elective, to a celebrated performer earning some of television’s highest honors—demonstrates how a foundation of grit and perseverance built at the university can lead to extraordinary creative paths.

Join the Mason Nation

From the Classroom to the Front Lines of Counterterrorism

Katarina Benson — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 12:18:56 +0000

From the Classroom to the Front Lines of Counterterrorism Katarina Benson Wed, 04/08/2026 - 08:18

Mahmut Cengiz, PhD Public Policy ’10, of George Mason's Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center, is a seasoned expert in terrorism, organized crime, and illicit economies.

Mahmut Cengiz. Photo provided

His work focuses on the dynamics of terrorism, smuggling, and criminal networks and contributes significantly to understanding and combating these global challenges. His latest book, Typologies of Terrorist Organizations: Conceptual Lenses and Counterterrorism Measures (Carolina Academic Press, September 2025), was cowritten with Mitchel Roth and Huseyin Cinoglu.

What inspired you to write this book?

When most people think of terrorism, they picture headline-grabbing attacks by well-known extremist groups. What they rarely see is the vast and complex web of organizations operating in the shadows, each with its own tactics, motivations, and impacts. That realization came to me while teaching BIOD 722 Examining Terrorist Organizations at the Schar School of Policy and Government, and it became the spark for Typologies of Terrorist Organizations.

My perspective was shaped by seven years working on the U.S. State Department’s Global Terrorism Trends and Analysis Center project at the Schar School, where I served as the project’s principal investigator and incident validator. Between 2018 and 2024, I validated more than 50,000 terrorist incidents worldwide. That work gave me a front-row view of how terrorist organizations operate, from their targets and weapons to their organizational structures.

How do you anticipate people using this book?

Combining this experience with my classroom teaching, I set out to create a textbook that bridges theory and practice, designed to serve students, policymakers, and practitioners alike. The book spans 14 chapters, analyzing terrorist groups using the latest conceptual frameworks and classifications. My hope is that readers will not only understand how these organizations function but also develop the analytical skills necessary to design effective counterterrorism strategies.

Was there anything that surprised you while working on this book?

What surprised me most during the writing process was realizing how broad and evolving the landscape of terrorism has become. While jihadist groups continue to dominate headlines, the growing influence of right-wing extremists, insurgent networks, and other politically motivated organizations demands equal attention. Connecting incident-level data to broader organizational behavior revealed hidden patterns and trends that are often missing from policy discussions, showing the importance of a truly holistic approach to understanding terrorism.

What are you working on now?

Since the closure of the State Department project in August 2025, I have continued my work as instructional faculty at the Schar School, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses. I also write op-eds on terrorism, cartels, and security issues, bringing real-world insights into the classroom to spark discussion. Meanwhile, I am working on a new book examining the impacts of coups on democratic regimes, expanding my research into the broader dynamics of political instability worldwide.

Learn more about the Schar School of Policy and Government

George Mason alum helped keep Team USA Safe at the Winter Olympics

Katarina Benson — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 17:25:08 +0000

George Mason alum helped keep Team USA Safe at the Winter Olympics Katarina Benson Mon, 03/23/2026 - 13:25

Near the Italian town of Bormio, visitors can ride a mountain cable car to take in a breathtaking panorama from a café perched near the peak. Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Special Agent Mohamed Hassan, BA Religious Studies ’20, who was a field liaison officer during the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Games, recounts taking a break from supporting Team USA to sip a cappuccino alongside Olympians: “Everyone was really interested in what everyone's there to do…. Everyone's motivating one another.”

Hassan is both a federal law enforcement officer and a member of the Foreign Service. Photo provided

As a DSS special agent, Hassan is both a federal law enforcement officer and a member of the Foreign Service. DSS is the U.S. State Department’s law enforcement and security branch, and it led security for the U.S. presence during Milan Cortina 2026. In Bormio, Hassan coordinated with the Italian police, military, and other organizations to help create a safe environment in which U.S. athletes could focus on their competitions.

When Hassan describes the community of that mountaintop café, it echoes his days at George Mason, where he made friends with people from all over the world over potlucks and soccer games. Hassan, who grew up in Fairfax, developed his talents for bringing people together as a Patriot Leader and student advisor.

He says he eventually decided to major in religious studies because of religion’s impact on everything from how people relate to each other to how governments interact. He focused on the Middle East and said his George Mason cohort “knew what I wanted to do and they helped me get there.” He also credits Nathaniel Greenberg, associate professor of Arabic, for pushing him to hone his existing Arabic language skills.

Hassan knew he wanted to be a part of something important and give back to the country that welcomed his family when they emigrated from Egypt. He took advantage of George Mason’s proximity to Washington, D.C., and enrolled in an internship with the U.S. State Department through the federal Pathways Internship Program, which provides students paid work experience with the possibility of a job. After graduating, Hassan successfully joined the department, and about four years later, he became a DSS special agent.

Hassan with the Olympic rings. Photo provided

While working in Bormio, Hassan said he was able to immerse himself in Italian culture, witness ski mountaineering’s Olympic debut, and even hold an Olympic medal. His favorite local Bormio dish was pizzoccheri, which consists of hearty buckwheat pasta with potatoes, cabbage, and Valtellina Casera cheese topped with garlic and melted butter.

While an Olympics assignment is a rare opportunity, Hassan says every day is different working in DSS and “the world is your oyster.” And he means it quite literally. In his eight years with the department, Hassan has traveled to more than 30 countries and is eager to see more. With DSS operating at U.S. diplomatic facilities in more than 170 countries, that should be easy. Hassan is already looking forward to a new assignment where he can use his language and culture skills.

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Meet the Mason Nation: Gregg Black

lclarkg — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 15:20:27 +0000

Meet the Mason Nation: Gregg Black lclarkg Tue, 02/10/2026 - 10:20

Gregg Black

Job: Director of Emergency Management and Fire Safety, Risk, Safety, and Resilience

As director of emergency management and fire safety in the Office of Risk, Safety, and Resilience, Gregg Black helps George Mason prepare for the unexpected. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

When an emergency happens, preparation is key. Fire drills, earthquake drills, emergency preparedness training—all these actions help the community prepare to take quick action in a crisis.

For most people, planning for an emergency might only come to mind every now and then. But some 91�� employees spend each day preparing for emergencies and planning how to protect the Mason Nation in a crisis.

As director of emergency management and fire safety in the Office of Risk, Safety, and Resilience, Gregg Black, MPA’13, helps the university plan for the unexpected.

Learning on the Job: Black first arrived at George Mason as a graduate student in 2010. Hoping to find a part-time job on campus, he sent his resume to David Farris, MBA ’07, PhD Education ’16, now the associate vice president of Risk, Safety, and Resilience. Black was hired and eventually got a full-time job in the Fire Safety Office while still working toward his MPA.

Not a Drill: In fire safety, Black managed compliance and ensured that the program was keeping records of inspections and repairing any deficiencies. Black continued his education by pursuing certifications in the fire safety industry.

“I am particularly proud of how far the Fire Safety program has come,” Black said. “When I started, everything was paper-based, and most inspections were completed by contractors.”

Today, the program has a completely digitized records management system, and most inspections are performed in-house.

Making the Save: George Mason’s Fire Safety program is regularly one of the highest-regarded programs in the commonwealth. “This was all done while saving money,” Black said. “University leaders are to credit with the investment and trust in employees to improve programs.”

Best Laid Plans: Black’s role expanded to include both Fire Safety and Emergency Management in 2019. The timing was critical—it happened right before the university needed to respond to the crisis of a generation.

“Just as I was getting both programs to a steady level, COVID happened and dramatically changed everything,” Black said.

For the next couple years, he spent most of his time and effort on the university’s COVID response.

Shifting Gears: “I did a lot of planning and logistical support for bringing students back to campus, then quickly shifted to planning and logistical support for the COVID test sites, and then transitioned to the COVID vaccine operation,” Black said.

Protecting Patriots: George Mason’s response to managing the COVID pandemic gained national recognition. Establishing an in-house surveillance testing program, the university administered more than 270,000 COVID tests to students, faculty, and staff between fall 2020 and spring 2022. This helped the university quickly identify and isolate positive COVID cases, mitigating outbreaks in the campus community.

When the COVID vaccine became available, more than 120,000 vaccinations were administered on campus to students, employees, and community members in partnership with the local health department.

Never a Dull Moment: The university’s response to COVID was an all-hands endeavor. Working with a range of people across campuses is what Black likes best about his job. In a single day, Black can go from discussing and coordinating security for an event, to partnering with Facilities and Campus Operations on strategies to repair fire safety systems, to planning how George Mason would be a part of a statewide sheltering plan, to coordinating the response to the next snowstorm.

“The Mason Nation is filled with talented and passionate people, and exposure to all of them has taught me so many things.”

Tomorrow’s Problem: One of the greatest challenges of his job, according to Black, is the unknown of the future. In addition to natural disasters, global conflicts and unrest can also affect the lives of George Mason students, faculty, and staff, and campus operations. “Despite these unexpected events, we have built a strong foundation of emergency plans and relationships that have allowed us to respond effectively,” Black said.

Safe and Secure: All that preparation grants him a chance to rest easier. Outside work, Black leads his son’s Trail Life troop, volunteers at church, supports his daughter in gymnastics, and enjoys local Virginia wine with his wife. He also tends to their flock of chickens and two golden retrievers.

More about Risk, Safety, and Resilience

Patriot Profile: Jaylin Lott

ckearney — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 19:31:43 +0000

Patriot Profile: Jaylin Lott ckearney Mon, 12/01/2025 - 14:31

Jaylin Lott

Year: Sophomore

Major: Business with a minor in sport management

Hometown: San Antonio, Texas

The athlete and competitor in her fuel George Mason’s Jaylin Lott’s love for volleyball, but it’s the inner serenity that singing brings her that she treasures away from the court.

Photo by George Mason Athletics

An Almost Idol: Lott experiences the best of both worlds as a 5-foot-5 defensive specialist for the Patriots women’s volleyball team who also moonlights as a singer—one talented enough to have performed the national anthem at numerous NBA games and in George Mason’s EagleBank Arena. Her powerful voice even carried her to the third round of last year’s American Idol tryouts, where she was one of just 15 singers selected from a pool of roughly 300 during an in-person audition in Salt Lake City, Utah.

It’s a Family Affair: Strong vocals run in the family. Lott’s grandmother, Ava, who passed away in 2020, sang in the church choir and remains her inspiration. Lott began singing around age 13 while competing and lettering in both volleyball and track at Clark High School in Texas. Her father, Jason, a former Division I track and field athlete at Texas State University, noticed early on that his daughter was gifted in music as well. “[Sports and singing are] both ways to escape the stress that naturally comes with life,” Lott said. “They’ve each been therapeutic in different ways and at different times. I have a deep love for both.”

At the End of the Day: Lott says it's not uncommon to find her singing along to her karaoke machine to unwind after a long day of classes and practice. Her musical inspirations include Whitney Houston, Beyoncé, and other old-school artists she credits for shaping her style and confidence. “As I’ve gotten older, I look forward to coming home and singing karaoke,” she said. “It’s kind of been my peace, especially after moving so far away from home.”

Taking the Stage: She was just a sophomore in high school when she first sang the national anthem before a San Antonio Spurs game, a moment that felt larger than life. “It was pretty big,” Lott recalled, “I was nervous at first, but it was pretty cool.” She returned to perform at Spurs games many times since, and has even sung for a larger crowd before a Dallas Mavericks game at the American Airlines Center.

Photo provided

Passion on the Court: Lott continues to make an impact on the Patriots team that enjoyed its most successful non-conference season since 2009, surpassing last year’s 11-win total and earning a spot in the Atlantic-10 Conference Tournament that was held in Richmond, Virginia, in November.

“She has such a gift for passing and defense in middle-back,” said George Mason women’s volleyball Head Coach Megan Shifflett Bachmann, “and she’s one of the most naturally talented individuals I’ve had the pleasure to coach in that position.”

Bachmann first learned of Lott’s musical talent during recruiting and was immediately impressed. “We’re always hoping to hear even more from her, without putting too much pressure around it,” Shifflett Bachmann said, “It’s a joy every time I overhear her singing to herself in the hallway or along with the music at practice.”

Singing Her Own Song: Singing is more than a hobby for Lott, it’s a passion she hopes to turn into a career. Lott continues to reach out to NBA teams in the region and in her hometown about national anthem gigs while also eyeing possible future auditions on The Voice. Lott also wrote songs for fun throughout middle and high school, and she has long imagined taking the next step—writing music professionally and eventually recording her own music in a studio. Finding time between school and volleyball has been tough, but she’s determined. “I want to put in the work it takes to have people one day hear my music,” she said. “It’s a peaceful thing for me to do, and it carries my grandmother’s legacy, too.”

Learn more about Costello College of Business

Meet the Mason Nation: Amanda Haymond Still

Katarina Benson — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 14:31:35 +0000

Meet the Mason Nation: Amanda Haymond Still Katarina Benson Mon, 11/10/2025 - 09:31

Amanda Haymond Still

Job: Director of Undergraduate Student Research Initiatives and Internships, College of Science

Amanda Haymond Still, BS Chemistry ’13, PhD Biochemistry ’17. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Amanda Haymond Still, BS Chemistry ’13, PhD Biochemistry ’17, came to 91�� in 2009 as a University Scholar in the Honors College and never left. There are many reasons why she stayed, but she now has a new one: She’s leading the College of Science’s Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP). “As a postdoc and faculty member, I really enjoyed the mentoring process, so when a position opened up to do that full time, I decided to put my name in the hat.”

Founded in 2007, ASSIP provides opportunities for high school and undergraduate students to work one-on-one with faculty researchers across many disciplines. In summer 2025, nearly 400 students participated in person and remotely in the eight-week program. They came from the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area and about 17 states, including California, Texas, New York, and Washington State.

Embracing Online Access: Still said ASSIP’s pivoting to online during the pandemic had a plus side—they realized that, for certain types of research projects, remote works great. Now that people can participate from anywhere, applications have exploded—this year they received more than 3,300—and they have had interns from as far away as Hungary, Kazakhstan, and Mason Korea. “It's administratively challenging but also very exciting.”

Opportunity for Further Expansion: The number of participants each year is driven by researchers’ needs and capacity. When students apply to ASSIP, they read through a list of researchers and projects and rank who they would like to work with. Then those researchers go through the applications and make decisions. “Even with remote participants, there are only so many hours in a day,” she said. “The best way to grow the program is to involve more George Mason faculty.” Currently 23 academic departments at George Mason participate.

All in a Day’s Work: During those eight weeks, Still said she is tied her email, solving problems as they arise. There are also safety trainings and paperwork as many interns are working in labs. As director, Still conducts a weekly seminar for the interns where they learn how to be a scientist. Most of the topics she covers are basic research information like how to write an abstract or prepare a scientific poster, which interns do before the summer is over. Each session ends with a poster presentation where they present their findings. “They get very excited,” Still said. “And it's fun to see how much students can get done in eight weeks.”

Try and Try Again: Still also talks to the aspiring scientists about failure, “which they always love to hear,” she jokes. But the reality is, in research, you never know how things are going to go. She said week 5 is a critical point in the program. That’s when the students realize things aren’t working the way that they thought they would, and their resilience kicks in. “If you're working on something at the cutting edge of science, it might not go well, and that's okay,” Still said. “This is part of learning how real discovery and inquiry works.”

Not a Summer Camp: Still emphasizes that “internship” is an important part of the ASSIP title. “These aren't demonstration projects. This is real independent research,” she said. And hard work does pay off. Many participants have had their names included when the work is published in scientific journals and presented at research conferences. Some have even been named on patents.

Joining the Mason Nation: For the past two years, Still has run a pilot program in which students can get college credit for their ASSIP participation. About 10% participate. “Part of the reason we do this program is we hope that some of the students stay with us and come to Mason,” she said. “They're on campus, they’re getting credit, they are George Mason students for a little while.”

Inquiring Minds: Still’s research career started like many of the students she’s mentoring. There was an option in the chemistry major to do undergraduate research for course credit, which Still wanted to do but didn’t know anyone. So she consulted the department directory. “I was literally cold emailing all of the professors with research groups,” she said. When she got to the C’s, she connected to her mentor and dissertation director Robin Couch of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

Aiming for ‘Targets’: Still spent her George Mason career pursuing scientific questions in enzymology. “I was looking at enzymes found in bacteria that are not found in us, with the goal of using those as new antibiotic drug targets,” she said. “The field of antimicrobial drug discovery is really exciting. It's very much like you versus ‘the invaders.’” When Still was defending her dissertation, one of the people in the audience was Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine codirector Lance Liotta. “He offered me a postdoc on the spot.”

An Inventor in Her Own Right: Through her work at George Mason, Still has garnered a few patents over the years. Her most recent application is for DNA protein hybrid molecules that Still built with Rémi Veneziano in the College of Engineering and Computing. “We built these really cool hybrid molecules for cancer drugs.”

Best Part of the Job: Still said one of the things she loves about running ASSIP is getting to see “kids get the bug for scientific research.” She also has never doubted her decision to remain at George Mason. “It doesn't grow old, no matter how many years you're here,” she said. “There's always something new happening.”

Learn more about ASSIP

From persistence to pandas: How one George Mason alumna found her dream job

ckearney — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 16:06:57 +0000

From persistence to pandas: How one George Mason alumna found her dream job ckearney Thu, 10/09/2025 - 12:06

When Trish Jarvis, BS Biology ’10, tells people what she does for a living, their eyes usually light up. As an employee at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in Washington, D.C., Jarvis has one of the most coveted—and adorable—jobs around: She’s a panda keeper.

Trish Jarvis (right) accompanying the crated pandas to their new home at the National Zoo. Photo by Rosh Patel/Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Jarvis was on the zoo team in November 2023 that helped prepare the zoo’s giant pandas Tian Tian, Mei Xiang, and Xiao Qi Ji for their return to China. She was also on the flight in October 2024 that brought the panda pair, Qing Bao and Bao Li, to their new home in the United States.

“It’s literally everything career-wise you would want as a keeper—except maybe holding a panda baby,” Jarvis said. And yes, she’s done that too—holding baby Xiao Qi Ji during vet exams in 2020.

“If I hadn't already been totally into pandas that probably would've been the moment for me,” added Jarvis.

Pandas are her thing, but the journey to her dream job wasn’t an easy one. It took a lot of hard work and initiative. After graduating from 91�� in 2010, Jarvis accepted a job in government contracting and quickly realized it wasn’t for her. That revelation pushed her to volunteer at the National Zoo, where she took on internships working with red pandas and gorillas. “That’s when it all kind of fell into place for me,” she said.

Observing animals up close, designing enrichment activities for them, and managing their environments sparked something in Jarvis. She learned as much as she could about the field, made some connections, and asked professionals for advice.

Trish Jarvis works with a red panda named Asa. Photo by Mariel Lally/Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

“And I got some really good advice,” she said. “I decided that I would volunteer and intern until I could apply for the job and be qualified for it. I wanted people to see that I put in the work, and that I'm good.”

In 2018, her persistence paid off, and she landed a two-year appointment at the National Zoo, where she assisted several units and got some quality time working with the giant pandas. At the end of her appointment, a panda keeper position opened up at Zoo Atlanta, and Jarvis was ready. In that position, she was able to further hone her skills. When the opportunity to return to the National Zoo team presented itself, however, she jumped at the chance. “This is home for me,” she said.

Jarvis lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, Christopher Jarvis, BA Economics ’10, who she met at George Mason in a classical music course, and their young daughter—also an animal lover.

Jarvis’s love for pandas is both professional and personal. She said saying goodbye to Tian Tian, Mei Xiang, and Xiao Qi Ji was hard and bittersweet. “I knew them. I learned how to be a keeper with them,” she said. “It breaks your heart [to have to say goodbye], but if anyone was going to help make that transition easy for them, I’m glad I got to be part of the team to do it.

In her work, Jarvis also advocates for red pandas. She currently serves on the steering committee for Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE): Red Panda. One of the group’s projects involves testing canopy connectors at zoos to inform conservation efforts in red pandas’ native habitats like Nepal and Bhutan where deforestation is posing a threat. “It’s incredibly meaningful to see how our zoo-based work can help wild populations,” she said.

To students hoping to follow a similar path, Jarvis offers this advice: “Take every opportunity. Volunteer. Intern. Even if it’s not with your ‘dream’ animal, give it your all. If you stay committed, the dream job can come.”

Learn more about the Smithsonian Mason School of Conservation

Carter School alumna is nurturing the next generation of peacemakers

Katarina Benson — Thu, 21 Aug 2025 16:26:45 +0000

Carter School alumna is nurturing the next generation of peacemakers Katarina Benson Thu, 08/21/2025 - 12:26

For nearly two decades, 91�� alum Nawal Rajeh, MS Conflict Analysis and Resolution ’10, PhD Conflict Analysis and Resolution ’24, has been transforming the way Baltimore’s youth see themselves—shaping them into peacemakers through long-term relationships, hands-on education, and a community-wide commitment to nonviolence. Her work is a testament to the enduring connection between academic training and grassroots action.

When Rajeh first arrived at George Mason in 2008 as a graduate student, she was already deeply rooted in the work of peacebuilding. She had just cofounded a peace camp in East Baltimore while serving as a Jesuit volunteer there. The Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution had long been on her radar as a place to deepen her understanding of conflict resolution and community-based change.

Nawal Rajeh with a peace camp participant. Photo provided

After earning her master’s, Rajeh cofounded the nonprofit By Peaceful Means, which focuses on youth empowerment, peace education, and employment opportunities for young people. This year marked the organization’s 19th Peace Camp, a free program serving children ages 5–13, with opportunities for former campers to return as junior and senior counselors well into their 20s.

"We see the children’s growth in social, emotional, and conflict skills, and they’re building their own identities as peacemakers,” she said. “Some have been with us since the very first year, and now their own children are campers.”

Rajeh says her Carter School experience is inseparable from the evolution of her work. “I had a background as a community organizer before I came to the Carter School. Blending that with what I learned here made me feel that being in a community long-term and doing peace work was the way to go,” she explains.

Courses on peace education and exposure to different grassroots models have shaped everything from the camp’s curriculum to how the team measures impact year after year.

Her efforts extend beyond the camp. Partnering with Carter School faculty on the Baltimore Peacebuilding Project, Rajeh interviewed more than 20 local organizations working on violence intervention and peace education and later convened a Peace Summit, which brought these groups together to share current work, identify gaps, and explore collaborations. Much like cities map crime statistics by neighborhood, summit participants mapped Baltimore’s peacebuilding efforts.

“One participant runs eight Safe Streets sites, and all of them had zero homicides up to that point in the year,” Rajeh said. “It’s incredible—and it’s the kind of work you don’t hear about on the news.”

More than 90% of By Peaceful Means’ funding comes from individual donors, underscoring the deep community trust and investment in their mission. For Rajeh, the most meaningful moments come when former campers share how the program shaped them. One young woman, who faced repeated school suspensions in her early years, told Rajeh as a college senior that Peace Camp gave her the skills, confidence, and support network she needed to chart a different path.

“This whole community has been built around Peace Camp,” Rajeh says. “It’s cocreated by all of us. It’s like its own peace ecosystem now, and people feel like they have family here.”

For current students and aspiring peacebuilders, Rajeh’s advice is simple: “Seek out who’s already doing the work. Be humble and open to learning from the community—not just about its challenges, but about its wisdom and strengths. Build relationships and truly become part of the community.”

Reflecting on her George Mason roots, Rajeh says, “There’s a kind of wonder in being part of this network of changemakers, scholars, and peacebuilders, all connected by the thread of the Carter School. It’s like belonging to an invisible community — I may not know everyone, but the connection makes anything feel possible.”

Connect with the Carter School

Patriot Profile: Jackson Herbert

Katarina Benson — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 14:17:12 +0000

Patriot Profile: Jackson Herbert Katarina Benson Thu, 08/14/2025 - 10:17

Spending another summer in Southern California playing beach volleyball isn’t just fun in the sun for 91�� student athlete Jackson Herbert. The nuances and physical demands of the faster-paced beach game are considerably different from indoor volleyball, but he said playing has significantly elevated his indoor game. Now Herbert, a junior and men’s volleyball opposite from Ashburn, Virginia, feels he may be primed for a breakout season with the Patriots this year.

George Mason men's volleyball player Jackson Herbert. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

“When I’m playing indoors, I feel like I’m flying because there’s nothing holding me down,” he said.

Herbert playing beach volleyball in California. Photo provided

Training Is a Beach: This summer, Herbert trained in the Los Angeles area, where his daily regime involved two to three hours of practice in the sand, followed by a dip in the ocean before grabbing a bite to eat, weightlifting, and recuperative time in the hot tub. Before finishing the day, he might have another dip in the ocean. Rinse and repeat.

Doing It All: Opposites, also known as the right-side hitter, are versatile players who rotate through both the front and back row, with key responsibilities that include hitting, blocking, and occasionally setting. The two-person beach game requires all that, and then some. “You have to be able to pass, set, and serve well,” said Herbert. “You have to be able to do it all.”

All in the Family: As a kid, Herbert would tag along with his parents who played in a co-ed league for Dulles Beach Volleyball. His mother soon enrolled him in volleyball clinics, and by age 10, he was competing in indoor volleyball. “My love for the sport grew from there,” he said.

Home Away from Home: When it came time to choose a college, Herbert considered two things: location and brotherhood. As the oldest of three, he wanted to stay close to home so he could be involved in his siblings’ lives, supporting them at their tournaments and games whenever possible. He also values the tight-knit, open-door culture of George Mason’s men’s volleyball team. “I knew some of the guys before committing, and every interaction pulled me closer to George Mason,” he said. “It made the decision really easy.”

Balancing Passions: A member of the Honors College, Herbert’s interest in technology comes naturally—his dad is a software developer, which inspired him to take cybersecurity and software development classes in high school. Enjoying what he learned, he decided to pursue computer science as a major.

Jackson Herbert (right) with Team USA teammate Kai Rodriguez. Photo provided

All the Way with Team USA: In October, Herbert, who previously played for the U.S. Beach Volleyball U19 and U21 teams, will join the U21 squad to compete in the 2025 FIVB U21 Beach World Championships in Puebla, Mexico. “It was an amazing experience,” he said of his previous opportunity with the national teams. “I’m excited to do this again.”

Setting His Sights: Herbert hopes to earn spots with the U.S. Collegiate and U23 Beach Volleyball National teams next summer. Beyond college, he would like to play professionally on the Association of Volleyball Professionals tour—the premier professional beach volleyball league in the United States. “I’d like to continue doing this at the highest level.”

Volleyball at George Mason

Bioinformatician maps her own path to NIH fellowship

Katarina Benson — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 16:25:44 +0000

Bioinformatician maps her own path to NIH fellowship Katarina Benson Tue, 08/05/2025 - 12:25

“It's funny, you know, the connection between the events,” said Soukaina Amniouel, MS Bioinformatics and Computational Biology ’20, PhD ’24. Amniouel is referring to how she completed her very first genome assembly at 91�� for a research project, and now she does this same task nearly every day as part of her postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It’s clear, however, these connections aren’t coincidence—Amniouel overcame numerous obstacles to make them happen.

Amniouel credits her mother with the push to apply to George Mason to pursue her interest in bioinformatics, since there were no strong programs in her native Morocco. Despite the worries about diving into something so new, she saw that international students were happy at George Mason and decided to take a chance on a university that rewards determination like hers.

“I am grateful that I did not give up…because I learned so much and I found that it is exactly what I want to study,” she said.

Amniouel’s doctoral research focused on using biomarkers and machine learning—which is a branch of artificial intelligence (AI)—to improve the rate of efficacy for chemotherapy. While many areas of health care involve targeted therapies, that’s often not the first option for cancer patients.

Amniouel at the NIH. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Amniouel worked alongside Professor M. Saleet Jafri, director of the Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, to develop a patented machine learning model that they hope will one day allow doctors to match a patient’s genetic profile to the most effective chemotherapy. This would reduce both the patient’s physical burden and overall cost of treatment.

While bioinformatics research involving AI was rare when Amniouel started her PhD, her decision to pursue it anyway meant that she was exactly the kind of forward-thinking candidate the NIH wanted.

For a self-described quiet person, her excitement is palpable when she talks about her research. This enthusiasm for bioinformatics helped her step outside her comfort zone and serve as a graduate teaching assistant, which she said allowed her to hone her communication and presentation skills.

“Today I really love teaching,” she said. “And this just shows how putting yourself in awkward positions can sometimes really make you grow.”

Amniouel still teaches a class on George Mason’s Science and Technology Campus.

Amniouel’s current NIH research supports the discovery or improvement of drug therapies for both cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's and Parkinson’s. She meets with scientists every day to discuss their projects and what her data analyses mean for their work. These conversations are one reason she finds the position so fulfilling.

“You remind yourself, we're doing this for people, for patients,” she said. “And that connection—those meetings—are very useful because honestly it just makes me love my field more. Because even if it's a small task, it's helpful to someone.”

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