Graduation

University Scholar combines art and conflict resolution to build bridges

Paul Snodgrass — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 18:37:17 +0000

University Scholar combines art and conflict resolution to build bridges Paul Snodgrass Mon, 06/01/2026 - 14:37

In May, Honors College student Avery Shippen graduated from 91�� with a two degrees: A BS in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, and a BA in Art and Visual Technology from the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

To Shippen, the fusion of the two majors, graphic design and conflict resolution, was a natural pairing. “I think both fields work to connect communities. People see conflict resolution as a scientific process, but it’s deeply rooted in people,” she explained. “Graphic design creates a ‘language’ that anyone can understand, which can be effective in the peacebuilding process.”

While managing the workload of a two degrees is impressive, even more impressive is the number of awards and fellowships the University Scholar received during her time at George Mason, including a Peraton Scholarship in National Security, Carter School’s Oxford Scholarship, the Noah J. Seidenberg Award, and the Peacebuilding Fellowship.

Shippen said that these scholarships and fellowships provided a financial “safety net,” giving her the ability to gain valuable life experience, such as being the first Carter School student to attend the Oxford Consortium for Human Rights in War and Climate Emergency Conference or to study-abroad in Bosnia and Croatia.

The awards also provided Shippen with the financial freedom to undertake several internships, which allowed her to explore the real-world applications of the skills she learned in both academic programs.

During her time at George Mason, Shippen held three internships. One was with the World Affairs Councils of America, where she was employed at a global education Intern and helped coordinate the logistics of an annual event that brings high school students from across the country to Washington, D.C., to learn about global engagement and public diplomacy. Shippen also interned with the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency under the Department of War. “I saw each side of government and federal contracting,” she said. “Each had a very different approach to resolving conflict.”

“I sought out opportunities that aligned with my personal values,” Shippen said. “The awards put me in a position to give back and inform other students about the opportunities that exist at Mason.”

The desire to give back also drives her career goals. She said her interest in curriculum development stems in part, from the work she performed as part of the Peacebuilding Fellowship. After researching the Appalachian educational curriculum, Shippen wrote a proposal to the school district that recommended a systemic curriculum change that placed greater emphasis on practical and sustainable life skills and de-emphasized rote memorization.

Shippen’s experience in Bosnia and Croatia also contributed to her interest in educational systems development. While studying ethnic narratives in conflict, Shippen found that each of the three major ethnic groups had their own, independent school system and curriculum. Essentially, how and what students learned in any given subject, depended on the ethnic group to which they belonged.

“After speaking with students there, I realized that the conflict analysis skills I learned can be a valuable tool in engaging youth and educational systems,” she explained.

This fall, Shippen will be continuing her studies at Stanford University where she is entering a master's program in global and comparative education/international education policy analysis.

Carter School News

University Scholar combines art and conflict resolution to build bridges
June 1, 2026
The making of a Carter School conflict coach
May 29, 2026
What’s happening at the Center for Peacemaking Practice?
April 30, 2026
Meet the Two Carter Undergraduates Who Presented at the 2026 Oxford Consortium for Human Rights in War and Climate Emergency Conference
April 27, 2026
Honors College student brews connections with tea talks
March 31, 2026

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From George Mason to Capitol Hill: How environmental policy training shaped one graduate’s path

sbrown79 — Fri, 29 May 2026 17:49:45 +0000

From George Mason to Capitol Hill: How environmental policy training shaped one graduate’s path sbrown79 Fri, 05/29/2026 - 13:49

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. For Colby, BA Environmental and Sustainability Studies '26, the experience was a direct extension of the analytical and communication skills she developed at George Mason.

"When I first came to George Mason, I was interested in studying law, but I decided to concentrate specifically on environmental law and policy," Colby said. "My coursework helped me understand how policy decisions affect both ecosystems and communities, and that gave me the confidence to speak about real legislation with lawmakers."

Sophia Colby on Capitol Hill. Photo provided.

From case studies to Congress

Colby credits courses such as EVPP 361 Introduction to Environmental Policy, EVPP 362 Intermediate Environmental Policy, and EVPP 432 Energy Policy with preparing her to evaluate and discuss complex legislation. Through case-study assignments and applied policy analysis, she examined existing laws, identified gaps, and proposed solutions to environmental challenges.

"My professors showed us how to examine real legislation and policy initiatives related to climate change and other environmental topics," Colby said. "The case study format made me much more comfortable articulating what policy changes are needed and explaining both the human and environmental stakes involved."

On Capitol Hill, she discussed the Opportunities in Organic Act, the Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act, and concerns about the wood pellet industry with Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Rep. Sarah Elfreth (D-MD), and Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC).

"It was a great [opportunity] to discuss how issues like pesticides, wood pelletization, and deforestation impact human health as well as the environment," Colby said.

Building experience beyond the classroom

Colby's preparation also included hands-on research. During an internship with the U.S. Geological Survey, she analyzed species range shifts, conducted literature reviews, and navigated scientific databases to support climate research.

"At USGS, I learned how to conduct scientific research that can be used to inform the policy decisions that shape our responses to environmental change," she said.

The interdisciplinary structure of George Mason's Environmental and Sustainability Studies Program, jointly offered by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Science, emphasizes cross-sector collaboration—an approach Colby said mirrors the real-world complexity of environmental work.

Colby also presented her research at the 2026 Midwest Political Science Association Annual Conference, held in Chicago in April.

Sophia Colby with her mentor Younsung Kim. Photo provided.

Her faculty research mentor Younsung Kim, professor of environmental science and policy, talked about the skills Colby acquired during her time at George Mason. "[These skills] will help her become an environmental advocate who does not create conflicts, but instead brings peaceful and constructive resolutions to them," she said. "I believe she will be a strong force for environmental policy and sustainability, as well as a future leader in the field."

Colby, who was in the Honors College, said she found community during her time at George Mason through Alpha Kappa Chi, a fraternity focused on professional development and environmental stewardship, where she connected with peers committed to sustainability and advocacy.

Preparing for what's next

The Rachel Carson Council's Advocacy Day included policy briefings, advocacy workshops, and direct engagement with members of Congress. For Colby, the experience reinforced that the tools she developed at George Mason translate directly into public impact.

"Communication is a big part of advocacy and climate resilience," she said.

Colby hopes to pursue a career focused on how environmental policies disproportionately affect marginalized communities. "Getting involved in this kind of work is powerful and eye-opening," she said. "Knowing how environmental policy impacts communities really motivates people."

For Colby, meeting with lawmakers was more than a culminating moment of her senior year—it was a preview of how her George Mason education has prepared her to contribute to building a future in which communities are better prepared to face environmental change.

In This Story

Younsung Kim

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This Honors College student-athlete excels on and off the field

Katarina Benson — Fri, 29 May 2026 15:00:34 +0000

This Honors College student-athlete excels on and off the field Katarina Benson Fri, 05/29/2026 - 11:00

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.

She recalls wondering how she could incorporate her new interest in the environment into her major. Fortunately, global affairs is an interdisciplinary major offering several concentrations. Oare chose to add the environment concentration to her degree program, which allows global affairs majors to take 12 credits in environmental science and/or policy classes or take a semester at the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation (SMSC).

Oare recently achieved her personal best of 12 feet 6 inches. Photo by George Mason Athletics

“The biggest thing I learned from that class was how interdisciplinary environmental science is,” she said. “Learning how I can contribute to conservation was cool to me because we do need more than just scientists. That’s what I have really loved about the Global Affairs Program—it provided me so much flexibility that I was able to focus on what I enjoy while still working toward my degree.”

That flexibility also helped Oare as a student-athlete. During the past four years, Oare was a pole vaulter for George Mason’s indoor and outdoor women’s track and field teams. This past winter, she landed on the podium at the Atlantic 10 Indoor Track and Field Conference Championships, finishing third in the pole vault. It was the culmination of hard work for Oare, who didn’t begin pole vaulting until high school and walked on to the George Mason team.

Her freshman year in 2023, she cleared the bar at 10 feet, 6 inches. This past January, she set a personal best with a jump of 12 feet, 6 inches—a two-foot improvement over three years.

“Those kinds of margins are pretty remarkable,” George Mason track and field head coach Andrew Gerard said. “We knew that, if Oare performed at her capabilities, she'd be a very strong contender for a podium finish and that came to fruition.”

An Honors College student, Oare has balanced the heavy workload of classes, internships, and jobs, with practices, track meets, and the travel that comes with it. The hard work has come with recognition. This past spring, she was named a Peter N. Stearns Provost Scholar Athlete for the third time. The Provost Scholar-Athlete Award recognizes student athletes who have achieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 or higher with at least 38 credit hours.

“She’s always been good at planning her classes and her work ahead of time and charting out a plan to take high-level courses,” said Oare’s advisor Matthew West, an associate professor in the Global Affairs Program. “Her success in the classroom has made the work she’s done juggling her training and competitions as a student-athlete all the more impressive.”

Marley Oare. Photo by George Mason Athletics

Looking forward, Oare wants to work for an environmental nonprofit after graduate school. Her preferred field is marine biology, but she is also interested in wildlife conservation, grasslands, and forestry.

Her passion for nonprofits has been spurred by past internship experiences in both high school and college. She worked with the PATH Foundation, which provides grants and programs for organizations in Fauquier, Rappahannock, and Culpeper counties.

Through the PATH Foundation, she was placed in an internship with Just Neighbors, a nonprofit that supports low-income immigrants in Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William counties with free or reduced legal services. Oare said those relationships, along with learning in the Global Affairs Program about the importance of indigenous communities to environmental sustainability, have showed her how local progress can influence global issues.

She’s working her way toward that goal. After completing her bachelor’s degree in global affairs with a minor in Spanish in May, Oare is headed to the University of Rhode Island to work on a master of environmental science and management with a specialization in conservation biology. She will use her fifth year of NCAA eligibility to compete on the women’s track and field team at Rhode Island.

“I think community-driven solutions are the best way to solve community problems,” she said. “That’s why I really want to get into environmental nonprofit work. I think the smaller organizations, because they understand so well what the community needs, are the best way to solve those problems. Local representation is so important.”

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An internship helped connect this EIP grad with a career path

Katarina Benson — Fri, 15 May 2026 17:27:04 +0000

An internship helped connect this EIP grad with a career path Katarina Benson Fri, 05/15/2026 - 13:27

Senior information technology major Crystal Forson likes to joke that her parents have been in school with her the whole time—"just without the studying.” Their support, she said, has been constant, from eighth grade when she joined the 91��’s Early Identification Program (EIP), all the way through graduation this May.

Forson and her family first learned about EIP when she was a student at Potomac Middle School in Dumfries, Virginia, and her mother’s excitement about the program was infectious. “What really pushed me to apply was knowing I wanted more for my future and for my family,” said Forson, who is a member of the Honors College. “I knew it was something worth giving my all.”

Forson completed an internship with CACI. Photo provided

EIP—which celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2027—supports first‑generation, college‑bound students beginning in middle school. Participants have access to academic enrichment, tutors, and mentors both in their home schools and on the George Mason campuses.

Through EIP’s STEM Fusion courses, Forson took a Python coding class that changed her trajectory. “After that class, I knew I wanted to do something related to Python,” she said. That early spark led her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in information technology with a concentration in web application development in George Mason’s College of Engineering and Computing.

“Crystal is the kind of student who reminds us exactly why EIP exists,” said Alpachino Hogue, EIP's executive director. “She is bright, disciplined, and deeply committed to making the most of every opportunity. She has embraced EIP as both a community and a pathway to her goals.”

Family support is a cornerstone of EIP, and Forson’s parents—who immigrated from Ghana—fully embraced that role. They attended EIP’s Family Academy, ensured she had transportation to every program, and encouraged her at every step. “They were always willing to listen, always willing to show up,” Forson said. “They are one of my biggest driving forces.”

Hogue added, “Students do not sustain this kind of success without a strong foundation, and Crystal’s journey reflects that. Her family instilled in her the habits and values that matter most: perseverance, accountability, and a belief in oneself and the power of education.”

Forson’s dedication extended beyond EIP. She was selected for the inaugural cohort of CACI Scholars, a scholarship made possible by a 2023 gift from CACI International and awarded to 10 EIP alumni.

“By investing early, we’re not only developing skilled talent but shaping future leaders,” said Jeana Plews, vice president of CACI HR consulting solutions. “The program creates a strong, sustainable talent pipeline of motivated individuals with fresh perspectives and strong technical foundations.”

Forson first met the CACI team by chance while volunteering at a STEM event the company sponsored. “She stood out,” Plews said. “Not just for her initiative, but for the way she engaged with others.”

Forson credits EIP's Python course for helping her decide to pursue STEM. Photo provided

Her CACI summer internship, made possible through the scholarship, placed her on a team working to consolidate information across NASA’s many centers nationwide. The project blended her interest in technology with her passion for working with people. “I was exposed to technical solutions, including AI, while also working with the actual customer,” she said.

“Crystal’s academic background and major prepared her exceptionally well for our highly collaborative environment,” said Steve Brylski, CACI senior systems architect. “Her broad skill set aligned naturally with the way our teams work.”

The internship proved such a strong match that CACI offered Forson a full‑time business analyst position upon graduation. The job dovetails nicely with the master’s degree program she is already pursuing as a part of George Mason’s Bachelor’s to Accelerated Master’s Program. She will earn a degree in management with a certificate in business analytics.

Forson also received the Paul and Gwen Patton Memorial Scholarship Endowment, awarded annually to an EIP alum attending George Mason. The scholarship, housed in University Life, honors Paul Patton’s eight years of service on the University Life Advisory Board and is supported in part by CACI, where he served as a senior vice president for more than two decades.

During her time at George Mason, Forson also served as a resident assistant for two years and was part of George Mason’s chapter of Every Nation Campus, a faith-based international organization. Forson’s Patriot experience, combining her loves of Python and people, her desire for more and better, and fueled by the benefits of EIP and CACI, have already rocketed her to great heights.

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Art history senior curates exhibit on women artists and their perspectives on aging

Katarina Benson — Fri, 15 May 2026 15:33:36 +0000

Art history senior curates exhibit on women artists and their perspectives on aging Katarina Benson Fri, 05/15/2026 - 11:33

91�� senior Silas Fransen plans to pursue a career as a museum curator.

And thanks to the university’s Office of Student Creative Activities and Research (OSCAR), the art history major already has one exhibit to his name.

Fransen at the opening of his exhibit. Photo by the Hylton Center.

This past spring, Fransen curated the “Fountain of Truth: Women Artists and Their Perspectives on Aging” exhibit in collaboration with Mason Exhibitions at the Hylton Performing Arts Center in the Buchanan Partners Gallery on the Science and Technology Campus.

Fransen, who graduated in May, received funding through the OSCAR Undergraduate Research Scholars Program, and was guided by George Mason faculty mentor LaNitra Berger, an associate professor of history and art history and the director of the African and African American Studies Program.

“It was certainly the most challenging thing I’ve done at George Mason, but I definitely want t o do more projects like these,” Fransen said.

“Fountain of Truth” featured artwork from five Washington, D.C. area female artists—Cheryl D. Edwards, Britnee Scott, Eliza Tebo, Angela Hiebert, and George Mason alum Marie Guagenti, BFA ’24—and culminated in a panel discussion moderated by Fransen in April at the Hylton Center.

The artists, ranging in age from 37 to 87, produced a variety of styles, including oil paintings, graffiti art, and metal, to share their experiences with aging. The panel discussion also included a performance from Tebo, who performed her debut single, “Fountain of Youth,” as Gemma Sky.

“They were all very inspiring,” Fransen said. “They each pulled out unique topics, and they each had their own takeaway from it. There is so much to be learned in just aging, and it is just a very beautiful thing to be able to get to age.”

The idea for the exhibit stemmed from a paper one of Fransen’s professors referenced in a Northern Baroque Art class. The piece examined why female saints were often depicted in a more youthful state whereas their male counterparts were shown in their older age.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about this paper,” Fransen said. “I wanted to see how contemporary artists were interacting with this history or how they felt about their own aging. I was trying to place this history that had been dominated by men for a very long time back into the hands of women artists.”

Fransen moderating the discussion at the exhibit. Photo by the Hylton Center.

Fransen, who worked on the exhibit for almost a year, put out a call for art, reviewed applications, and coordinated with the selected artists. Working with Mason Exhibitions, Fransen strategically placed the artwork throughout the gallery space on the second floor of the Hylton Center.

“Professor Berger said something early on that really altered how I was thinking about this project: ‘Curators are creating something out of nothing,’” said Fransen. “We [curators] work alongside artists. There is just blank space before we walk in and turn the space into this phenomenal exhibit that is life-changing for some.”

“Silas had the vision, the knowledge, and the drive to organize the exhibition from start to finish, and he brought together a dynamic, diverse, and thoughtful group of women artists to have an important artistic conversation about aging,” Berger said.

A native of Front Royal, Virginia, Fransen plans to take a gap year before starting graduate school for art history. He said the breadth of courses he took at George Mason in art history—from the Black Renaissance in America, Art of the Islamic World, Arts of the United States, and Arts of Medieval England—helped him see the overlap of different cultures.

“I love how George Mason’s Department of History and Art History is so varied,” he said. “I think it has prepared me for the next step, especially after taking on this large project on top of my classes.”

He says this knowledge will influence his future aspirations, which include being a museum curator or working as a college professor and helping with museum exhibits.

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Commencement Speaker Gen. David W. Allvin’s remarks to George Mason’s spring 2026 graduates

ckearney — Thu, 14 May 2026 20:51:00 +0000

Commencement Speaker Gen. David W. Allvin’s remarks to George Mason’s spring 2026 graduates ckearney Thu, 05/14/2026 - 16:51

Rector Meese – Mike. Members of the Board of Visitors. President Washington. Provost Vinzé. Faculty, specifically Star Muir—marshal, thank you so very much.

Distinguished guests, friends and family, and most importantly, graduates of 91��. Welcome. And I'm so honored to be with you here this morning.

So I know this is going to be a day that you long remember, and a speech that you likely quickly forget. Because I was there 40 years ago this month.

Gen. David W. Allvin, the 23rd Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force and a recently retired four-star general, was this year's Commencement speaker. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

I was sitting in an audience in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in the United States Air Force Academy, ready to get my bachelor's degree from the Air Force Academy. And while I don't remember what our commencement speaker said—and by the way, that commencement speaker was then-vice president of the United States, George Herbert Walker Bush. That’s a good get.

I have no idea what he said. But I remember the day. I remember the emotion. I remember that feeling of collective accomplishment, of individual accomplishment, of climbing a mountain that sometimes seemed pretty doggone steep. It was particularly special for me because that day almost didn't happen for me.

You see, my challenge at the academy was not so much academic. I was able to muddle through the courses okay. Mine was what they referred to as a “conduct and aptitude challenge.” So much so—now think about this, graduates—that the Commandant of Cadets wrote a letter to my parents saying he was gravely concerned and was sort of bracing them because he wasn't sure that I had what it took to be an officer in the United States Air Force.

Forty years later, at my retirement ceremony, I read that letter to some amusement. But the fact of the matter was, I almost didn't make it. Now, a year later, pursuing my dreams of becoming a pilot, I was at pilot training, and I was doing pretty well. But there was one particular phase of that program that I stumbled, and team, I stumbled hard.

And in that program, when you fall behind, it is difficult to catch up. So much so that one day I was making my way out to the jet with my helmet in one hand, wearing my G-suit and saying to myself, if I do not pass this ride, I will never don this again. I will not be a pilot, and I'm gonna have to figure out what else to do with my career.

But I became a pilot and eventually became a test pilot and had a lot of successes, but I almost wasn't. My first operational assignment was in Germany, and in the winter of 1988, I decided that I was going to surprise my parents and fly home for Christmas. So I went and I bought a ticket, and that ticket was for Pan Am Flight 103.

Some of you remember, many of you don't. That was the flight that was blown up over the skies of Lockerbie, Scotland, in December of 1988. Now, luckily for me, a few days ahead of that, I looked at my ticket, and I saw that I would have a pretty tight turn to be able to clear customs in New York. So I thought maybe I should just go ahead and change my ticket. I contemplated. I went back and forth. In the end, I changed the ticket, obviously. But I almost didn't.

Years later, as a test pilot, I was pursuing my dream and I applied to the astronaut program, and I made it through the Air Force Board, and I was moved on to the NASA Board. And I made it through the first couple of steps. But you know, team, obviously I didn't. I wasn't an astronaut. I could say I almost was an astronaut, but I wasn't. And that changed the arc of my career.

My point in all of these is that your futures will be littered with crises averted. Things that almost happened. Things that didn't happen. I almost got that internship. This almost happened to me. I almost didn't make it. I didn't get into that school. I don’t have the job that I thought I was going to have.

All of those things that are almost and could have been and would have been, pick them up, look at them, take the lessons from them, set them aside, and move on.

The world doesn't revolve around what almost happens. It revolves around what is happening. That's why we're here today, team. What is happening is we're celebrating what you have done. You now have a 91�� education. You. Yes.

Because of the work that you've done, because of the help of your friends, because of the support of your family, because of the wisdom of the faculty and your hard work, you have accomplished this. And some of you, as Dr. Washington pointed out, are first-generation college graduates like myself. And for that now, you will forever be the torchbearer for the rest of the family that follows you, that torchbearer of progress through advanced education. And we're all exceptionally proud of you.

So, now you've done it. Now what do you do? What does that journey look like for you? Where do you go now? I know I could look and I could talk to several of you. And you already have it mapped out. You already know. I know what's next. I know the next 17 steps that I'm going to take. I know where I'm going to go on. I know what I'm going to do. And to you, I would say congratulations on the planning. But don't be so sure. Be flexible. Be flexible.

And there are others of you who maybe, maybe it hasn't come together like you thought it was going to. Maybe the picture is a little bit more opaque than you imagined. Maybe there's a little angst because you don't really have it all figured out. And to you, as Dr. Washington said, don't sweat it would be my advice. Because at this time, when we have unprecedented change and a world that is multiplying in its complexity, frankly, we're all still figuring it out. We all still have this uncertainty.

Now, that collective uncertainty can also be collective opportunity that can unite us in this quest for a better future. And on that quest, I would offer that you have a little bit of an advantage. You see, many of us who have been on this planet quite a long time have a lot of lived experience, and therefore some of us suffer from the malady of the paradox of the present.

Try as we might, it's very difficult to imagine a future that isn't some departure, but a recognizable departure from what we already know. And we measure in how much that departure might be from what we're used to. And in doing so, sometimes we limit ourselves in our imagination of just how far we can go, just how deep we can look.

And I believe with the tools that you've gained and the lack of what I will call the baggage of experience. Now there's good baggage. Don't get me wrong. There's a lot to be learned from wisdom and experience. But where we used to say, like Ronald Reagan said, maybe rather than trust your gut, maybe trust but verify because things are changing fast and you are not as encumbered by that. So you have the opportunity to look farther, to see a broader universe of possibilities than maybe others who have gone before you.

But in order to do that, you've got to be curious. You've got to stay curious. There's a great phrase that was attributed to the poet, author, and essayist Walt Whitman. And there's some controversy as to whether he actually wrote it or he actually said it. But I love this phrase. It says “Be curious, not judgmental.” Now, before those of you in the humanities and social sciences department, you know, develop some misplaced admiration of my literary chops, I actually did not get that from divining the readings of Walt Whitman. I actually heard it from Ted Lasso. I see a lot of you did too. But it doesn't matter if the phrase works, it works.

I love it because think of the contrast: Being judgmental. That's the ultimate act of laziness. Sitting back without giving the grace or the respect of understanding the context and judging. Putting you in a box. Putting a label on you. Quickly assessing something. That doesn't get anywhere. There's enough of that going around.

Curiosity, though. Curiosity is the engine for growth. Curiosity about what don't I know? What if? Can I do this? And sometimes if you need guardrails, should I do this? But it's always looking around that next corner and understanding the art of the possible and pursuing it with energy. That's where the discovery happens, and that's where progress happens.

That's where the innovations or real changes happen, when people who are curious and act on that curiosity. So stay curious. And as you take the next steps of your journey, I have one great hope for you, and that hope is whatever path you pursue, you pursue it in service of something good, in service of something consequential, in service of something great.

I've been lucky, absolutely fortunate. I've spent my entire adult life in the service of our nation through the United States Air Force. And while that hasn't made me millions of dollars, it has enriched me in ways I could have never imagined.

In short, rather than just living in historic times, I've been able to participate in history. I mentioned that I was in Germany in my first assignment. Well, that happened to be during the time when the Cold War was ending. I was there on 9 November 1989 when the Berlin Wall fell. I was there in Germany, and it was a palpable feeling that there was a seismic shift happening that we didn't totally understand. But it was big. It was good. T

here was this overwhelming feel of positivity, of confidence, of knowing that the days ahead were going to be better. I will remember that for the rest of my life. Some of these images stay with me. One in particular I'll share with you. And believe it or not, it has to do with the German highway system.

You see, the German roads and highways are very, very well taken care of by the German government. And they have to be when you're driving around 120 miles an hour. But they are always very well kept. In the days that followed the fall of the wall, I had noticed occasionally that there were abandoned vehicles on the side of the road going west, and these vehicles were very distinctive that they were small, not very well built. You could tell they were from the Warsaw Pact manufacturing. Those who manufacture in East Germany or some of the other Warsaw Pact countries.

But that was unusual because you didn't really see that. And so I asked a German friend of mine, what's the deal with this? And he said, you know what? When some of the people found out that the borders were opening, that there was this openness and this ability to move freely, they took everything they had, took all the money they had, they jumped in their cars, they started driving west. Fill up with gas. And when the gas ran out and the money went out, they put the cars on the side of the road and they started walking and they started hitchhiking because they weren't sure if this decision was going to be reversed. Is this a fleeting opportunity for us to get out from this yoke of oppression?

And as a young man that struck me. I woke up here every day not even thinking of that as a possibility, that I wouldn't be able to pursue my dreams, that I wouldn't have the freedoms and liberties that I have. It was at that moment I really understood my why, why I was doing what I was going to do in the service of others, in the service of the country.

And in the years that followed, I had opportunities to fly around the world and deliver humanitarian aid and disaster relief to people who are having their worst circumstances you could imagine. And to show them there is a hand to reach out and help you. There is an opportunity for better days ahead.

And when the planes hit the towers on 9-11, I was in command and I saw a squadron, a community, a nation find unsteady footing, totally shocked, and I had the honor to be able to be part of teams who would lead us out of this, who would bring back reassurance to our airmen, to their families, to the communities, to the country that we would find a way out.

And in the years that followed in the deployments overseas, I always knew I was serving with those who had a common cause. I could look to my left and look to my right and know the airmen, soldiers, sailors, Marines, Coast Guard were all pursuing the same thing. They could trust me and I could trust them.

And yes, when I was in command and some of the airmen under me pay the ultimate sacrifice to recognition that while that was their last day of service, their families were about to embark on another chapter that they hadn't anticipated and they didn't raise their right hand for. And that was one of sacrifice, of heartache, of scars that never really heal.

And recognizing that and knowing that that is something to be honored and to renew your commitment to service, to honor that. Team, that's what a purpose-filled life is. The highest of highs and the lowest of lows provided me a richness of texture and a sharpness of contrast that no money, no money could ever give me, no other material wealth could ever provide for me. That was the act of service.

Now, don't get me wrong. Military service isn't the only service. You hear it a lot, though, right? You hear it. Thank you for your service. And when you hear “thank you for your service,” you often think about maybe someone saying it to a man or woman in uniform.

But there are so many ways to serve. You can serve your country as a diplomat. You can serve your country protecting the airports. You can serve your community in many ways. You can serve humanity. You can serve, you know, for better life span, health span. You can solve the engineering problems to look at not only what's on the globe, but in outer space and where we're going in the future.

All of these things, it doesn't matter the specific thing you serve, but make sure it's your aim point. It's your North Star. The accolades, the accomplishments, the riches—they’ll come along as they will. But if you do that and you pursue that purpose-filled life, you'll be enriched beyond your wildest dreams.

Now, that purpose-filled life is not going to come knocking on your door. You got to go get it. You got to go out there and get it. And now we have too many people who are influencers without credentials, who are experts without expertise, who are judges who haven't developed judgment, and who are critics without accountability.

And at this time, what we need is less of that. And we need people of action. Team, we got critics. We need doers.

There's a great quote by Teddy Roosevelt that I was thinking about maybe peeling a sentence out of, but I think I got to give you the whole quote. And it was a speech that he gave in Paris on the 23rd of April, 1910, called Citizens in a Republic. And this particular excerpt is known as The Man in the Arena.

And he says, it's not the critic that counts, not the man who points out how the stronger man stumbles, or how the doer of each could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, who strives valiantly, whose face is marred with dust and sweat and blood, who errs, who comes short again and again because there is no effort without error and shortcoming.

But he does actually strive to do the deeds. Who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions. Who spends himself in a worthy cause, who in the end knows at best the triumph of high achievement, and at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.

Acts of achievement. Moving forward. Real progress. The things you aspire to. They only happen if you step into the arena. As I said, I've been fortunate to watch history change and watch that arena evolve over the past 40 years. But I will tell you, I believe those past 40 years will pale in comparison to the next 40 years.

The world will come rushing at us.

The world will come rushing at you faster than ever. The consequences will be longer-lasting. The stakes will be higher. The challenges will be things that perhaps you can't even conceive of right now. But you've got the tools. You have the tools. And I'll repeat Dr. Washington: You are ready. So as you go forward from this day, I'm a little bit envious, but I would ask that you focus on the things that are, not the things that might have been.

Stay curious. That's where the growth is. Pursue something of service, of something great. That's where your purpose can be found. And above all, have the courage to step into the arena. The world needs you.

So, graduates 2026 for 91��. Congratulations, and go get ’em.

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Spring 2026 Commencement in pictures

lclarkg — Thu, 14 May 2026 20:27:52 +0000

Spring 2026 Commencement in pictures lclarkg Thu, 05/14/2026 - 16:27

Spring 2026 Commencement at 91�� on May 14 at EagleBank Arena honored more than 12,000 graduates and certificate recipients. Read more about the graduates. George Mason photographers captured the excitement and spirit of the day.

President Gregory Washington welcomed the graduates and their families and friends to Commencement. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

The George Mason Medal was presented to Jay Marsh (center), BS Business Administration '73, and Carolyn Marsh (awarded posthumously). The Marshes retired together in 2021 after a combined 90 years of dedicated service to George Mason Athletics. Read more about them. The Mason Medal was presented by Michael Meese, rector of the Board of Visitors (left). Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Spring Commencement speaker General David W. Allvin, the 23rd Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force and a recently retired four-star general, urged graduates to be curious instead of judgmental, and to pursue service in ways they feel they can make a difference. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Student speaker Saniya Darediya, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience, spoke about how differences can help connect, rather than separate, students on their academic journeys. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Photo by Andani Munkaila/Office of University Branding

91�� President Gregory Washington, Student speaker Saniya Darediya, Interim Provost Ajay Vinzé, Board of Visitors Rector Michael Meese, Alumni Association President Scott Hine, BS Decision Sciences '85. Photo by John Boal Photography

The Golden Patriots, alumni who graduated from 91�� 50 years ago or more, received a special recognition in President Washington’s opening remarks. Before the ceremony, they had the chance to enjoy breakfast in EagleBank Arena’s Hospitality Room and reminisce about their years on campus. Photo by John Boal Photography

Photo by Andani Munkaila/Office of University Branding

Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Graduation at George Mason

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Student speaker Saniya Darediya's remarks

ckearney — Thu, 14 May 2026 20:17:26 +0000

Student speaker Saniya Darediya's remarks ckearney Thu, 05/14/2026 - 16:17

As prepared for delivery

Good morning, President Washington, university leadership, esteemed faculty, families, friends, and most importantly, fellow Patriots.

When I first arrived in the United States, I was 17 years old, sitting alone in my room the night before my university orientation… crying.

Neuroscience major Saniya Darediya was this year's student Commencement speaker. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Not because I was unhappy, but because I was afraid. Afraid that I might not belong here.

I had just left my home in India: my family, my language, my culture. Suddenly I was in a place where everything felt unfamiliar.

My accent sounded different. My upbringing was different. My way of seeing the world was different. And quietly I wondered: Will people notice how different I am?

A few weeks ago, while writing this speech, I remembered 91��’s tagline: All Together Different.

And it made sense. Because the very first thing I noticed when I arrived here was how different I felt.

But Mason slowly taught me something deeper. Everyone here carries their own version of difference.

Some of us traveled across the world to get here. Some of us were the first in our families to attend college. Some of us were still discovering who we wanted to become.

Differences were not separating us. They were connecting us.

One of the first places I understood this was not in a classroom… but on the Metro. During my first year I spent almost six hours every day commuting. At first, it felt exhausting.

But those Metro rides slowly became part of my Mason education. I would see students reviewing notes, finishing assignments, or sprinting through the station like their lives depended on catching that train. And in those moments, you realize something simple.

Everyone on that train is chasing a future.

Different dreams. Different paths. But the same determination.

Another moment that shaped my Mason journey came through friendship.

Before enrolling at Mason, I never imagined my closest friendship would cross continents. We celebrated our cultures together. She came to EidNavratri, I went to Christmas. And I realized something powerful.

Differences do not have to divide people. By celebrating our differences together, we get closer.

This year, I had the privilege of being the emcee for the International Week dance competition. Standing there, surrounded by students from dozens of countries, I had a moment of reflection The same girl who arrived here feeling uncertain was now helping celebrate the diversity of this university.

That is the kind of transformation Mason creates.

I saw that same idea come to life again through my work as a mentor. Through the Mason Autism Support Initiative, I mentored more than 20 students. Each student experiences the world in their own way.

Working with them reminded me that differences should never become a wall between people. They should become a place of curiosity. A place where we listen more carefully, understand more deeply, and support one another with empathy.

Mason also taught me something else. Sometimes, when you cannot find the place where you belong… you build one.

So, I created the Neuroscience Club. Under Dr. Ren Guerriero ’s guidance, what began with no members has grown into a community of more than 200 students today.

I know many student leaders here today understand this feeling. You helped build the communities that make Mason feel alive.

Along this journey, Mason also gave me the opportunity to explore research. My research journey also began with difference. In science, progress often begins when something appears different. A pattern that does not quite fit. A question that challenges what we know.

I worked on a biochemistry project with the American Chemical Society, and I learned that science advances because someone is willing to think differently.

Which brings me to the world our generation is stepping into.

We are the generation that grew up alongside artificial intelligence. We learned how to use it. We adapted to it. And now, in many ways, we compete with it.

Artificial intelligence can analyze information faster than we can. And sometimes it can even do our homework better than we can, which has definitely kept faculty on their toes.

But if you ask it the same question again and again, it often gives the same answer. Because machines search for the correct answer.

Humans do something different. We think about people. We think about experiences. We think about consequences.

Sometimes the correct answer is not the best one. The best answer might require empathy,
or compassion, or understanding someone’s story.

If our generation wants to thrive in a world shaped by artificial intelligence, we do not need to become more robotic. We need to become more human. More creative. More compassionate. More curious. More different.

And that reminds me of a poem I wrote years ago:

Would the world be as intriguing
If everyone looked the same?
Everybody is beautiful in their own way.
Every person’s idea of perfection
Is valid in its own.

Maybe that is the lesson Mason has been teaching us all along. The differences that once made many of us wonder whether we belonged are the very things that make us valuable.

Before I close, I want to thank the people who made this journey possible.

To my parents, thank you for being my backbone and my safety net.
To my sister, thank you for always being there.
To my aunt and uncles, thank you for making this country feel like home.
And to my friends, thank you for becoming my home.

Class of 2026, every one of us arrived here with a different story. Different cultures. Different struggles. Different dreams.

Yet those differences led us to the same place today.

We are different, but today we stand here together. And that is exactly what Mason taught us.

We are All Together Different. And we are Mason Nation.

Congratulations Class of 2026!

Thank you.

Watch the ceremony recording

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George Mason’s Class of 2026 is prepared for success

ckearney — Thu, 14 May 2026 18:36:23 +0000

George Mason’s Class of 2026 is prepared for success ckearney Thu, 05/14/2026 - 14:36

91�� honored its graduates at Spring Commencement with a trio of well-received speakers who delivered messages of resilience, preparation, and celebrating differences.

Spring Commencement on Thursday, May 14, in EagleBank Arena. Photo by Andani Munkaila/Office of University Branding

The ceremony, livestreamed on George Mason’s YouTube channel Thursday morning from EagleBank Arena, honored more than 12,000 degree and certificate earners, including more than 5,200 from summer and winter 2025, from 105 countries and 49 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and military installations domestic and abroad.

The graduates filed into the arena sporting caps with personalized messages such as “My Future Is Calling,” “Mom’s Favorite,” and “Fueled by Haribo” and remained enthusiastic throughout the feel-good festivities.

The guest speaker, Gen. David W. Allvin, the 23rd Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force and a recently retired four-star general, encouraged the graduates—addressing them throughout as “team”—to be curious instead of judgmental, and to pursue service in ways they feel they can make a difference.

Allvin also shared several “almosts” from his life, including early struggles that could have derailed his Air Force career, a fortuitous change in travel plans that saved his life, and an unrealized bid to become an astronaut.

“Your future will be littered with crises averted. Things that almost happened. Things that didn't happen,” Allvin said. “Pick them up, look at them, take the lessons from them, set them aside, and move on. Because the world doesn’t revolve around what almost happens. It revolves around what is happening…Focus on the things that are. Not the things that might have been.”

University Marshal Star Muir leads the platform party to the stage at the 2026 Spring Commencement at EagleBank Arena for the last time. Muir is retiring after 38 years of service and teaching. Photo by Andani Munkaila/Office of University Branding

Board of Visitors Rector Michael Meese, himself a retired U.S. Army Brigadier General, presented Allvin with an honorary doctor of humane letters degree. Meese and Allvin were one-time classmates at the National War College and later served concurrently in Afghanistan.

George Mason President Gregory Washington encouraged the graduates to be patient and persistent in a challenging job market and reminded them that The Wall Street Journal ranks George Mason as the top public university in Virginia for value, salary outcomes, and the upward mobility of its graduates.

Washington assured graduates they had acquired the ultimate skill they will need to be successful—“you’ve learned how to learn.” And George Mason graduates have done that by attending a top-tier research university and working with students and faculty from varied backgrounds at the most diverse public university in Virginia.

“Technology will change,” Washington said. "Job titles will change. But the need for adaptable people and resilient people will not. You might feel like you're behind. But I’m here to tell you, not only are you ahead, but you've actually lapped some of your peers.”

As he does at each Commencement ceremony to underscore a few of the many pathways to George Mason, Washington asked three different groups to stand and be recognized—first-generation graduates (which accounted for 26% of the class), students who came to George Mason via community college, and students who are current or former military members, or military dependents. All received warm ovations.

Student speaker Saniya Darediya, a neuroscience major from India, recalled how she arrived in the United States at age 17 and the fear she felt as an outsider in a strange country. She eventually realized that hers was one of many such experiences at George Mason.

“Everyone here carries their own version of difference,” Darediya said. “Some of us traveled across the world to get here. Some of us were the first in our families to attend college. Some of us were still discovering who we wanted to become. Differences were not separating us. They were connecting us.

“The differences that once made many of us wonder whether we belonged…are the very things that make us valuable.”

Washington briefly cited another singular story that drew hearty applause. Irma Garcia, a 72-year-old grandmother of eight, decades ago earned a two-year degree from Northern Virginia Community College before family and work obligations as a single parent took priority over her education. She later enrolled at George Mason through the Senior Citizen Waiver Program and this spring graduated with a bachelor’s degree in public administration.

Meese presented the George Mason Medal, the university’s highest honorary award, to Jay and Carolyn Marsh, a husband and wife who worked in George Mason Athletics administration for a combined 91 years before their retirement in 2021. The Mason Medal was a posthumous honor for Carolyn Marsh, who served as the executive assistant for eight George Mason men’s basketball coaches and as a positive influence on the lives of hundreds of the university’s athletes.

Alumnus Jay Marsh, Business Administration ’73, served in many senior athletic administrative capacities, including in operations, facilities, event management, and fundraising. It was fitting that he received the university’s ultimate recognition in EagleBank Arena, the building that had been a home away from home ever since it opened in 1985.

Scott Hine, BS Decision Science ’85, president of the 91�� Alumni Association, welcomed the new graduates to the organization, a network of about 260,000 alumni that can aid the new graduates in their career advancement.

“There is likely an alum in any industry you are joining, and there is likely an alum in any location in which you’re settling,” Hine said. “This is an incredible network that you should leverage.”

Indicative of George Mason serving as a talent pipeline in high-demand fields, 41% of undergraduate degree earners in the Class of 2026 are in STEM and health sciences fields, as are 44% of advanced degree earners.

Along with the graduates, a Commencement fixture also is moving on. Star Muir led Commencement for the last time as Head University Marshal, his role since 2015. Muir is retiring after 38 years of service and teaching in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

“He conducted the ceremony with the appropriate level of dignity and respect for this auspicious occasion,” Washington said at the outset of his remarks. “Thank you, Star, for your dedication and devotion to your students and to the university.”

Watch the ceremony recording

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George Mason biosciences doctoral student turns setbacks into NIH research opportunity

Katarina Benson — Thu, 14 May 2026 17:13:58 +0000

George Mason biosciences doctoral student turns setbacks into NIH research opportunity Katarina Benson Thu, 05/14/2026 - 13:13

Beginning a PhD is rarely straightforward. Beginning one just as the world shuts down adds an entirely new dimension to adaptability. For 91�� biosciences PhD student Matthew Lefkowitz, that quality would come to define his doctoral journey.

Lefkowitz at the National Institutes of Health. Photo provided

He entered the program in fall 2019 and had only just begun settling into graduate life when the COVID-19 pandemic brought research across the world to a halt. Laboratories closed, projects paused indefinitely, and traditional academic timelines dissolved almost overnight.

Rather than waiting for things to return to normal, he adapted.

With laboratory access limited, Lefkowitz shifted his focus to coursework. Over the next two years, he completed 52 graduate credit hours. As the pandemic continued to disrupt traditional research pathways, George Mason supported him in pursuing external research opportunities.

After months of persistence, he secured a position at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), becoming a pre-doctoral Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA) Fellow. There, he worked across two institutes: the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS).

The experience placed him in a highly interdisciplinary environment that brought together biology, computational science, and translational research—an ideal fit for his background.

“It combined problem-solving with the opportunity to work on challenges where there isn’t already a clear answer. That made it feel like a natural fit for my interests in math and science,” he said.

At the core of his doctoral work is the study of rare neuromuscular disorders, particularly congenital muscular dystrophy. Using artificial intelligence, machine learning, and deep learning, Lefkowitz’s research aims to better understand disease mechanisms and improve predictions of clinical outcomes, which is an especially complex challenge in the context of rare disease research.

While his interest in neuromuscular disease is informed, in part, by his own experience living with a rare neuromuscular disorder, he is equally motivated by the broader impact this work could have on improving diagnosis and care for patients facing similar conditions.

“The biggest challenge in the field right now is making sense of very small patient populations, which is often the case with rare diseases. When you’re working with such limited data, it becomes much harder to predict outcomes or draw reliable conclusions from what clinicians are observing.”

Before beginning his doctoral studies at George Mason, Lefkowitz applied to PhD programs nationwide. Despite strong academic credentials and a biomedical engineering degree from Virginia Tech, he faced widespread rejection.

The challenge, he said, stemmed from his training emphasis in mathematics, systems thinking, and problem-solving rather than extended wet-lab experience—skills that are highly valuable in interdisciplinary research.

George Mason saw potential others overlooked.

“Mason didn’t just look at what I hadn’t done,” he said. “They saw the potential of what I could do.”

Since joining George Mason and later gaining experience at the NIH, Lefkowitz said he has grown significantly as both a researcher and an independent scientist.

“I grew in ways I couldn’t have imagined, especially in learning how to advocate for myself,” he said. “You have to take initiative and make those resources work for you. That meant learning to speak up, to position myself in the spaces where science is happening. That experience gave me a level of confidence I didn’t have before.”

Throughout his doctoral journey, mentorship has played a critical role. Lefkowitz credits School of Systems Biology faculty, including Ancha Baranova and Alessandra Luchini, as well as members of his doctoral committee, for providing guidance during pivotal moments.

“The difference was trust. Mason trusted me to figure things out and supported me while I did,” he said. “A PhD doesn’t teach you how to avoid challenges. It teaches you how to respond to them.”

Lefkowitz would like to thank the members of his dissertation committee, including his director and co-chair, Carsten G. Bönnemann, Chief of Neuromuscular and Neurogenetic Diseases of Childhood Section at NINDS; chair, Ancha Baranova; and committee members, Donald Lo, Director of the Therapeutic Development Branch at NCATS; and George Mason’s Alessandra Luchini and Lance Liotta.

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