Mason Korea

George Mason US–Korea delegation strengthens ties in Vietnam

Katarina Benson — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 19:54:32 +0000

George Mason US–Korea delegation strengthens ties in Vietnam Katarina Benson Wed, 04/15/2026 - 15:54

In a joint effort spanning 91��'s Fairfax and Korea campuses, a university delegation recently completed a five-day visit to Vietnam aimed at expanding academic partnerships and exploring new opportunities for collaboration across education, research, and student engagement.

The delegation included Janette Muir, vice provost for academic affairs; Cheryl Druehl, interim dean of the Costello College of Business; Joshua Park, campus dean of Mason Korea; and Danielle Swanepoel, executive director of international relations and strategic initiatives at Mason Korea.

The delegation with HUTECH University in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo provided

Over the course of the visit, the delegation met with leadership and faculty at seven institutions across Vietnam. Discussions focused on student mobility pathways, dual degree opportunities, faculty engagement, short-term programs, and collaborative research initiatives.

"Spending time with colleagues from George Mason in Vietnam was an incredibly rewarding experience," said Muir. "It was inspiring to see the connections being built with partner universities, and especially exciting to imagine how Mason Korea can serve as a gateway for Asian students seeking an American education. I'm very much looking forward to future articulation agreements with our partners."

A key highlight of the visit was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with HUTECH University in Ho Chi Minh City, a highly ranked institution with a strong focus on technology and innovation. The agreement establishes a framework for cooperation between the two universities, opening the door for joint academic programs, faculty collaboration, research partnerships, and student mobility.

Janette Muir signing the Memorandum of Understanding with HUTECH. Photo provided

The delegation also met with Van Lang University, Dong A University, VNUK (VN-UK Institute for Research and Executive Education), and Saigon Business School, among others. These discussions explored articulation pathways for undergraduate students, short-term study programs in Korea and Vietnam, faculty exchanges, and potential joint conferences and seminars.

Another significant moment of the trip was the launch of the Mason Korea Debate Lab–Vietnam, an initiative designed to introduce high school students across Vietnam to international debate formats and critical thinking training. The program was formally launched through a showcase event hosted by EMASI Nam Long, the first partner institution to join the initiative. Two Mason Korea student debaters traveled from Korea to provide introductory coaching and participate in the showcase debate alongside EMASI students.

"This visit reflects a more intentional approach to George Mason's internationalization—connecting partnerships across academic programs, student pathways, and research," said Park. "The Debate Lab is one example of how we extend that engagement to younger students, building the critical thinking and global citizenship that are central to George Mason's mission."

The launch marks the beginning of what Mason Korea hopes will become an expanding program across Vietnam, offering debate training, judging opportunities, and future camps and competitions.

Learn more about Mason Korea

Topics

Office of the Provost

From Laos to Rome: Mason Korea students take climate solutions global

Katarina Benson — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 17:46:15 +0000

From Laos to Rome: Mason Korea students take climate solutions global Katarina Benson Thu, 04/09/2026 - 13:46

Last fall, what began as a hands-on learning experience in Southeast Asia became a journey that took five 91�� students to the heart of global food policy—and left a mark along the way.

The Mason Korea Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Builders—Seongjun Park, Jaehee Yang, Hyunseo Lee, Damin Jeong, and Taeyeong Kim—first traveled to Laos for the First Lao National Youth Forum 2025, hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations Lao PDR and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry with a theme of climate-resilient and sustainable food systems.

The trip was the culmination of three months of preparation, including virtual consultations with FAO technical experts and collaborative planning with Lao and Chinese youth teams. Notably, Mason Korea was the only institution from Korea invited to co-develop content and co-lead sessions.

The Mason Korea Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Builders. Photo provided

The student team led a board game session at the forum, connecting with young changemakers from across the region. They also visited local farms, met young farmers and NAFC College students, and experienced organic agriculture firsthand.

But their journey was only beginning.

The Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) board game the team had developed and launched in Laos was selected as a best-practice case, earning the students an invitation to present at the FAO World Food Forum 2025 in Rome, Italy. Supported by Mason Korea's Career Development Center, the SDGs Builders traveled onward to FAO Headquarters, one of the world's most prominent gatherings of policymakers, researchers, youth leaders, and innovators working to transform global agrifood systems.

“We developed the CSA board game to make climate-smart agriculture more accessible by translating global policy ideas into a practical learning tool,” said Jaehee Yang, who is majoring in global affairs and is president of the SDGs Builders group. “It was incredibly meaningful to see a project our team started with Lao youth grow into something we could share with the global community at FAO Headquarters in Rome.”

Project participants presenting the “Farm Smart Laos” Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) educational tool kit at the Lao National Youth Forum. Photo by FAO Lao PDR

The game piloted with Lao youth took center stage at the FAO Food Exhibition, where the team presented their Farm Smart Lao Climate-Smart Agriculture tool to delegates from around the world. They hosted interactive sessions, exchanged ideas with FAO experts and global youth organizations, and joined FAO's official youth podcast to discuss climate-resilient food systems.

From village farms in Laos to the floors of a UN agency in Rome, these five students demonstrated that meaningful contributions to the world's most pressing challenges don't have to wait until after graduation.

This year's FAO program is set to take them to Nepal and then Rome.

Learn More About Mason Korea

Topics

Mason Korea

student organizations

Sustainability

Students

Washington receives Incheon Mayor’s Award for contributing to a trusted Korea-U.S. global hub

Katarina Benson — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 19:32:29 +0000

Washington receives Incheon Mayor’s Award for contributing to a trusted Korea-U.S. global hub Katarina Benson Fri, 03/27/2026 - 15:32

91�� President Gregory Washington received the Incheon Mayor's award for his contributions in helping to raise Incheon's international profile through global cooperation, including the university’s Mason Korea campus.

Washington was recognized for his contributions in elevating Incheon's international standing through global cooperation, promoting the Incheon city brand through U.S. media, and contributing to various fields including the establishment of the Center for Korean Culture and Society at Mason Korea.

From left, Vice Provost Renate Guilford, Interim Provost and Executive Vice President Ajay Vinzé, Mason Korea Dean Joshua Park, President Gregory Washington, Junho Jeon, special advisor to the mayor of Incheon Metropolitan City, and Vice Provost Janette Muir. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Since opening its Korea campus in 2014, George Mason has maintained a cooperative relationship with Incheon City across a range of areas including research and community service. The university is currently conducting the Driving Urban Transitions (DUT) Project, an international joint research initiative on future-oriented urban planning, together with Incheon City and Seoul National University.

Through its Mason Cares program, the university also carries out ongoing community service activities, such as mural painting, global career camps, coastal cleanups, donations of daily necessities to local orphanages, and fuel briquette donations to low-income households.

"This award is a meaningful reflection of the close collaboration between 91�� and Incheon City,” Washington said. “We will continue to contribute to elevating Incheon's international standing through global education and research cooperation, and remain committed to expanding exchanges between our two countries."

Junho Jeon, special advisor to the mayor of Incheon Metropolitan City and chief of strategic content planning, and Mason Korea Campus Dean Joshua Park attended the award ceremony at the Fairfax Campus on March 26. "This award will serve as an opportunity to further strengthen our partnership with Incheon City,” said Park. “We will contribute to nurturing Korea-U.S. global talent and local development, and fulfill our role as a trusted Korea-U.S. global hub where students, researchers, businesses, and institutions collaborate and grow together."

Mason Korea is an extended campus of George Mason, the largest public research university in Virginia. George Mason’s proximity to Washington, D.C., makes it a talent pipeline for government agencies, global corporations, and leading IT companies, providing students with a favorable environment for building internship and employment networks in the United States.

George Mason ranked 32nd among U.S. public universities and 71st overall among the Wall Street Journal’s best colleges rankings. The Korea campus offers the same curriculum and degrees as the U.S. campus, and students have the opportunity to spend one year studying at the U.S. campus to gain global experience.

Topics

Mason Korea

Campus News

Office of the President

partnerships

Learn more about Mason Korea

George Mason establishes C5I Center Korea: Leading the AI-driven defense transformation

Katarina Benson — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 20:21:45 +0000

George Mason establishes C5I Center Korea: Leading the AI-driven defense transformation Katarina Benson Mon, 03/16/2026 - 16:21

New C51 center will spearhead South Korea's defense AI transformation and bolster the Republic of Korea-U.S. tech alliance.

It began in 1989 with a small but ambitious research center founded by Harry L. Van Trees at 91�� in Fairfax, Virginia. A West Point valedictorian and former principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for C3I, Van Trees built what would become one of the most consequential defense research institutions in the United States. More than three decades later, that legacy has crossed the Pacific.

What started as the C3I Center has since evolved into a C5I powerhouse, steering mission-critical research and development (R&D) for the U.S. Department of War and NATO, including NORAD early warning systems and MILSTAR satellite programs. Now, that same expertise is being brought to bear on Korea's emerging command and control architecture.

This March, George Mason's Center of Excellence in Command, Control, Communications, Computing, Cyber and Intelligence (the C5I Center) officially inaugurated the C5I Center Korea at its Songdo campus in Incheon. The expansion is more than a geographical footprint. It is a deliberate strategic alignment between the U.S. and Korea campuses, aimed at driving artificial intelligence (AI) transformation across increasingly volatile and complex modern battlefield environments.

From left, Soyoung Kwon, director of the Industry-University Collaboration Foundation at Mason Korea; Insub Shin, director of C5I Center Korea; Vice Provost Janette Muir; and Dean Joshua Park. Photo provided

Paulo Costa, director of the C5I Center in Fairfax, framed it plainly: "Integrating South Korea's premier IT infrastructure with George Mason's systems engineering expertise creates a transformative synergy, one poised to redefine the future of intelligent defense capabilities."

On the ground in Songdo, the director of C5I Center Korea, Insub Shin, sees the urgency firsthand. Hyper-connected intelligence, he noted, has emerged as the definitive edge in contemporary warfare, a trend underscored by recent global operations.

"C5I Center Korea is currently anchoring a robust collaborative framework across military, industrial, and academic sectors to ensure tactical needs," Shin said. "Furthermore, the center intends to establish a flexible R&D model that recognizes the evaporating boundaries between civil and military applications in AI and cyber technology.”

Janette Muir, George Mason’s vice provost for academic affairs, underscored the center's significance. “The C5I Center Korea serves as a cornerstone of the ROK–U.S. defense R&D partnership,” she said. “Expanded technical collaboration with NATO and regional partners supports the university’s vision of Mason Korea as a hub for impactful research and teaching in Asia, and this center positions George Mason at the forefront of next-generation C5I innovation.”

The C5I Center Korea is designed to function as the "core engine" driving the practical implementation of South Korea's Defense AX. Researchers are focusing on AI-integrated command architectures and Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), where physical assets and digital networks operate as a single, organic entity, ensuring disparate weapon systems achieve peak effectiveness.

By adapting the Fairfax center's proven research milestones, including multisensor data fusion and ontology-based methodologies, for the Korean security environment, the center provides substantial technical backing for major national defense programs.

The impact, however, is not confined to the battlefield. Dual-use R&D initiatives are designed to transfer military innovations, from situational awareness systems to unmanned platform controls, into the civilian sector. This could include smart city disaster management, autonomous drones, and maritime traffic control. Defense research, in this vision, becomes a catalyst for national industrial competitiveness.

To sustain this momentum, C5I Center Korea is investing in the next generation of defense leaders. An executive program tailored for military leadership and defense researchers will leverage George Mason's academic rigor to cultivate the talent essential for South Korea's rise as an AI powerhouse.

Looking ahead, C5I Center Korea will make its international debut at KADEX 2026, anchoring a dedicated Defense C5I·AI Convergence Pavilion alongside a high-level international seminar, and begin propelling domestic information and computer technology and cybersecurity firms onto the global stage.

Topics

Mason Korea

Defense and Security

Research

Mason Korea welcomes largest class ever for spring 2026

sholla4 — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 19:11:30 +0000

Mason Korea welcomes largest class ever for spring 2026 sholla4 Wed, 03/04/2026 - 14:11

Mason Korea dean Joshua Park. Photo by Daiyoon Lim/Mason Korea.

"Experiencing the same quality of education as our Virginia campus, right here in Songdo, one of Asia's most international cities—this is the realization of Two Nations, One Mason."

With those words, 91�� Mason Korea campus dean Joshua Park welcomed 272 new students to the Spring 2026 Convocation on February 27. It is the largest incoming class in the campus's history.

Undergraduate enrollment at Mason Korea reached 202 freshmen, joined by 18 new Flex-Master of Laws (Flex-LLM) students. International students numbered 198, a 37% increase since spring 2025, underscoring the campus's growing reputation as a global learning environment.

Photo by Daiyoon Lim/Mason Korea

The ceremony brought together leadership from both sides of the Pacific. Janette Muir, vice provost for academic affairs, a founding member of Mason Korea, and Cheryl Druehl, interim dean of the Costello College of Business, made the trip to Incheon. Incheon Global Campus’s new chairman, Ju-young Byun, also joined the ceremony.

Muir called Mason Korea "a place where the energy of innovation is alive" and urged students not to settle for just a degree. "Use this global education bridging two cultures to expand what you believe is possible," she said.

Photo by Daiyoon Lim/Mason Korea

Park went on to challenge students directly. In an age of geopolitical uncertainty and AI-driven transformation, he said, the skills that matter most are global awareness and intellectual flexibility—the very values, he noted, that are embedded in George Mason's brand, All Together Different.

George Mason President Gregory Washington sent his congratulations via video from Fairfax.

Students at Mason Korea follow the same curriculum and earn the same degrees as their Virginia counterparts, spending three years in Incheon and one in Fairfax—a path that has taken graduates to KPMG, Samsung Biologics, the United Nations, and graduate programs at the London School of Economics, Sciences Po, and Johns Hopkins, among others.

Photo by Daiyoon Lim/Mason Korea

Learn more about Mason Korea

In This Story

Gregory Washington

Cheryl Druehl

Janette Muir, PhD

Topics

Campus News

Mason Korea

Students

New Student Convocation

Mason Korea partners with defense organizations to advance military technology

Katarina Benson — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 22:15:50 +0000

Mason Korea partners with defense organizations to advance military technology Katarina Benson Mon, 02/16/2026 - 17:15

Mason Korea's Industry–University Collaboration Foundation is taking its defense capabilities to the next level. They recently signed a memorandum of understanding with two major Korean players, the Association of the Republic of Korea Army and the Defense Information and Communication Association. Together, they'll work on developing advanced defense information and communications technology (ICT) and command, control, communications, computing, cyber, and intelligence (C5I) systems.

"Aligned with Korea's national objective of becoming a leading AI power by 2026, this collaboration will leverage the C5I Korea Center's strengths with the operational expertise of the Defense Information and Communication Association and the military practitioners of the Association of the Republic of Korea Army," said Insub Shin, who directs the C5I Korea Center and leads the Defense Information Communication Association.

At the heart of this collaboration is the C5I Korea Center, a local extension of George Mason's C5I Center in Virginia. The center will serve as ground zero for joint research, education, and industry partnerships focused on ICT, cyber capabilities, and artificial intelligence.

Mason Korea signed an MOU with the Association of the Republic of Korea Army and the Defense Information and Communication Association. Photo provided

The partnership's roadmap is packed: collaborative research on C5I systems tailored for Korea, a "C5I-AI Convergence" exhibit at next year's Korea Army International Defense Industry Exhibition, and building bridges between the military, industry, academia, and civilian sectors through professional education programs and workshops.

For Mason Campus Dean Joshua Park, the partnership represents a chance to blend the campus' strengths in data science and AI with real-world defense applications.

"Through practical training and partnerships across military, academic, and industry sectors, we aim to cultivate professionals who can support digital transformation and AI-enabled missions," Park said.

The opening ceremony for the new center will take place during Mason Korea’s spring semester, which begins March 3.

Learn more about Mason Korea

Topics

A new Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship opens in Mason Korea

ckearney — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 17:09:27 +0000

A new Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship opens in Mason Korea ckearney Thu, 11/20/2025 - 12:09

As Korea and the United States deepen their cooperation in technology and entrepreneurship, Mason Korea has opened a Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) in Songdo. This center is the global extension of the center of the same name at the Costello College of Business in Fairfax.

Center director Sungyee Kim talked about the mission of the center and its plan for future programs at the opening. Photo provided

The new center connects two campuses across two continents. Together, they will expand entrepreneurship education; strengthen collaboration among universities, industry, and research institutions; and help Korean start-ups reach global markets.

“The launch of CIE in Korea marks a meaningful step in linking Korea and the United States through a global entrepreneurship platform,” said Joshua Park, campus dean of Mason Korea. “By connecting Songdo with Northern Virginia, we hope to build an innovation network where students, researchers, companies, and institutions can collaborate and grow together.”

The opening ceremony brought together representatives from Fairfax and key partners across the region. David Burge, vice president for enrollment management at George Mason, and JK Aier, senior associate dean at Costello, joined leaders from the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority, the Incheon Global Campus Foundation, Seoul National University, Incheon Technopark, Inha University, domestic start-up support teams, and student entrepreneurs.

Sungyee Kim, the new center’s director, talked about the mission of the center and its plan for future programs. “We want to create programs that help students shape their ideas and support companies as they grow beyond Korea,” she said. “By tapping into George Mason’s global network, we aim to nurture innovative talent and contribute to a sustainable start-up ecosystem.”

Built as a global hub, CIE Korea will focus on fostering Korea–U.S. entrepreneurial talent, advancing applied research through partnership with industry and research institutions, and supporting Korean start-ups as they explore overseas markets. The center plans to provide education and mentoring, guidance on business models and commercialization, and support in law, compliance, and intellectual property, along with soft-landing and investment-network services for global expansion.

Looking ahead, CIE will strengthen support for entry into the U.S. East Coast through George Mason’s Northern Virginia International Soft Landing Accelerator (NISA) and develop a model aligned with Incheon’s specialized industries. It also plans to expand joint research with faculty and regional partners, building what it envisions as a “global entrepreneurship innovation belt” that links Songdo and Northern Virginia.

Topics

Mason Korea

Campus News

Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

entrepreneurship

A new era of global growth: George Mason and Naugen launch international innovation accelerator

ckearney — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 15:54:56 +0000

A new era of global growth: George Mason and Naugen launch international innovation accelerator ckearney Tue, 11/18/2025 - 10:54

This month, a new Northern Virginia International Soft-Landing Accelerator (NISA) program, designed to help start-ups from around the globe find guidance, connections, and lab or office spaces at no cost, was launched to help develop new technologies in life sciences.

Participants in the six-month program will have access to George Mason’s cutting-edge labs. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Applications are now open for the first NISA cohort. Participants in the six-month program will have access to 91��’s cutting-edge labs, research, and strong business and government network across the region, propelling ideas from lab to market quickly. Selected companies can work from lab or office space at Endeavor234 and Centerfuse while drawing on support from local legal, financial, real estate, and accounting partners to ease their move into the community.

The program is led by George Mason in partnership with Naugen, a global innovation accelerator recognized for helping ventures enter and grow in untapped markets, at its Science and Technology Campus, located in the heart of the new Innovation District, founded by Prince William County, the City of Manassas, and George Mason. Naugen and George Mason are collaborating with regional economic development groups and private-sector partners on the initiative.

“Many international start-ups bring outstanding technologies, but they often face challenges with the U.S. investment landscape and limited networks. NISA exists to bridge that gap,” said Jaehan Park, founder and CEO of Naugen. “By combining Naugen’s global expertise with Northern Virginia’s thriving ecosystem, we are building a launchpad where international innovators can put down U.S. roots and scale into true worldwide enterprises.”

NISA is also partnering with Mason Korea to help South Korean founders explore opportunities in the United States. At Mason Korea, the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), led by the Costello College of Business, introduces early-stage start-ups to the fundamentals of building and testing their ideas through workshops, pitch events, applied projects, and one-on-one guidance. CIE also works with teams that are beginning to look abroad, helping them understand what it takes to reach the U.S. market and linking them with NISA and contacts in Northern Virginia’s start-up ecosystem.

“We meet talented founders every day in South Korea who are eager to take the next step,” said Joshua Park, campus dean of Mason Korea. “CIE pushes them to think more deliberately about their idea, their timing, and the direction they want to take.”

From left, Amy Adams, executive director of the Institute for Biohealth Innovation at 91��; Jaehan Park, founder and CEO of Naugen; and Joshua Park, campus dean of Mason Korea, at the NISA launch. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

“NISA, along with investments in expanding the life science ecosystem and establishing the Innovation District, is helping build a destination for next-generation companies from around the world in Northern Virginia with benefits across the state,” said Christina Winn, executive director of the Prince William County Department of Economic Development and Tourism. “Propelling this sector and bolstering the local entrepreneurial network is creating a vibrant place where industries and communities succeed together.”

Part of NISA’s funding comes from the George Mason-managed Innovation District grant, a $3.9 million investment from GO Virginia, a state-funded initiative administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development that strengthens and diversifies Virginia’s economy and fosters the creation of high-wage jobs in strategic industries. Virginia plays a key leadership role as part of the Biohealth Capital Region and is home to the nation’s third-largest biopharma cluster.

“Our goal is not just to attract businesses. We want them to see Manassas as home,” said Patrick Small, economic development director for the City of Manassas. “That means matching founders with the right resources and making sure their employees have access to excellent schools, welcoming neighborhoods, and the amenities that make people want to stay and build their future.”

“NISA participants can take advantage of George Mason’s world-class core facilities, including our biocontainment facility and CAP/CLIA-accredited laboratory,” said Amy Adams, executive director of the Innovation District and George Mason’s Institute for Biohealth Innovation. “George Mason helps innovators shorten the journey from concept to commercialization through pairing these resources with top-tier expertise.”

Topics

Campus News

Research

Innovation District

Science and Technology Campus

Institute for Biohealth Innovation

entrepreneurship

partnerships

Mason Korea

A legacy of resilience: New scholarship helps students persevere to get their degree

sholla4 — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 20:46:17 +0000

A legacy of resilience: New scholarship helps students persevere to get their degree sholla4 Thu, 11/06/2025 - 15:46

“What advice would you give to someone who’s in the process of understanding and knowing their worth?” Amany Bouali asks her mother.

“Everyone one of us has a lot to give and a lot to receive. You are so precious, and you are worth this world and more,” Zeineb replies.

It’s a bittersweet interlude on Amany Bouali’s album Came from Something: Her mother, Zeineb Mrad Bouali, passed away not long after recording. She was a student in 91��’s MA in English program.

Amany (left), Fathi, and Ons hold a photo honoring Zeineb at Ons' graduation from Elon University. Photo provided

Inspired by their mother’s determination, Amany and her sister, Ons, and their father, Fathi, created the Zeineb Mrad Bouali Tenacity and Perseverance Award for students who have had to pause their educational goals and are now hoping to return to complete their degrees.

Zeineb called herself an “avid life wanderer,” her daughters said. A mother, a daughter, an educator, a poet, a cake decorator, and a business owner, Zeineb wore many hats throughout her life. But she had one dream waiting to be fulfilled: completing a master’s degree.

Before immigrating to the United States, Zeineb was an accomplished English teacher in her home country of Tunisia. But like many immigrants, her credentials didn’t transfer upon her arrival in the U.S.

“Part of my mom’s struggle in this country was all the barriers that are in place for immigrants to start a business, go back to school, resume where they were in their country,” explained Ons. “She had to start her college education from scratch.”

Throughout her life she tried returning to school to be reaccredited, periodically taking classes at University of Texas at San Antonio, George Mason, and Northern Virginia Community College. Life just kept getting in the way of a formal degree program.

But Zeineb cared deeply about her daughters’ education. “Her whole life's dream was watching us succeed. When we went on college tours and got acceptances, she was so excited,” said Ons. “She was beside herself with happiness when the acceptance letters came in.”

“That was her moment,” agreed Amany. “It meant so much more to her than it could have ever meant to me.”

Zeineb in from of the Department of English offices. Photo provided

And it was her daughters who encouraged Zeineb to try for her master’s degree one more time. “Our mom put her whole life on hold to make sure we could achieve our dreams,” said Ons. “And once we were older, we told her that it was time for her to go after her dreams.”

With support from then-graduate admissions coordinator of the Department of English Holly Mason Badra, Zeineb applied and was accepted into the MA in English program in 2021, where she planned to pursue a concentration in literature. She passed unexpectedly from complications due to a rare autoimmune disease in September 2022. This is the inaugural year for the scholarship honoring her legacy.

“I hope my mom’s story inspires the recipients to be resilient and to find a way to achieve their dream no matter the obstacles, even if it doesn't look exactly like they planned,” said Ons. “I want them to think, ‘what would Zeineb do?’”

“We want the scholarship to give people from diverse backgrounds who have these additional challenges they’re facing a bit of additional support and kind of ease that burden from them, so they can persevere like our mom did,” said Amany.

This year’s inaugural awardees honor Zeineb’s legacy through their determination to achieve their dreams despite major setbacks.

Hyerin Cha

Major: Global affairs

Photo provided

When Hyerin Cha was a child, she and her family were displaced from their home in South Korea after a major tragedy. Rebuilding from those early hardships shaped her deep commitment to education and community service. “I’m always trying to learn something” she said. “Because of the lack of resources around me, I had to teach myself.”

Driven by curiosity and compassion, Cha grew into an active advocate for equitable education. She has served as a STEM and coding mentor for underprivileged children, an NGO strategy coordinator, and a volunteer leader in community development initiatives both in Korea and abroad. “Giving back through education became my way of honoring the help I once needed,” she said.

Knowing early on that she wanted to work in policymaking, Cha chose Mason Korea for its global connections and focus on international governance. Balancing her studies with part-time jobs to fund her education, she continued to excel academically and serve her community.

As a Mason Korea student, she was required to complete a year at the Fairfax Campus, but her student visa limited her ability to work. The Zeineb Mrad Bouali Tenacity and Perseverance Award provided crucial support, allowing her to continue her studies and complete her degree.

“This scholarship didn’t just relieve a financial burden, it reaffirmed my belief that perseverance and purpose matter,” she said. “It reminded me that I’m on the right path, and that I can keep going.”

Andrea Delgado Portillo

Major: Criminology, law and society

Photo provided

Andrea Delgado Portillo and her family immigrated to the United States in 2017. Despite being approved for a green card and completing her high school education in Virginia, Delgado Portillo did not qualify for in-state tuition and was ineligible for federal financial aid.

After graduating from high school in 2020, she completed three semesters at Northern Virginia Community College, paying out-of-state tuition. Already facing financial strain, she was forced to pause her education when her mother was diagnosed with cancer in 2022.

“My primary focus shifted to providing for her both financially and emotionally, and after my money ran out, going back to school was out of the question,” she said.

But Delgado Portillo, a first-generation high school graduate, had dreams of studying criminology and law and being the first in her family to get a college degree. “My community doesn't have a lot of representation in law enforcement,” she said. “When my mom went through a domestic violence incident, she didn’t have anyone to translate for her. I want to be able to help people like that in my community.”

While supporting her mother through treatments, she saved money whenever she could in the hopes of returning to college. After a two-year gap, she applied to George Mason to finish her degree.

“[George Mason’s] financial aid office helped me be accepted for in-state tuition and showed me where to apply for scholarships,” she said. The Zeineb Mrad Bouali Tenacity and Perseverance Award was one of her awarded scholarships.

“With the scholarship I was able to pay for books, parking, and part of my tuition,” she said. “I hope one day I can pay their generosity back, maybe through supporting another immigrant student who, like me, had a dream they were struggling to achieve.”

Delgado Portillo plans to graduate in Spring 2026.

“When I came here [to the United States], I knew nothing, not even how to say, ‘how are you?’” she said. “Now, I’m going to graduate from college. Hopefully, my mom is going to see me walk across the stage.”

Zeineb Mrad Bouali: A remembrance, a celebration, a legacy

Topics

Students

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Mason Korea launches Center for Korean Culture and Society

Katarina Benson — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 16:03:46 +0000

Mason Korea launches Center for Korean Culture and Society Katarina Benson Mon, 11/03/2025 - 11:03

With the global rise of Korean culture—from K-pop and film to food and language—91��’s Mason Korea campus recently launched the Center for Korean Culture and Society (CKCS), its first independently operating research center.

The center will lead interdisciplinary research and education in media content, K-pop, gaming, sports, and tourism. Planned initiatives include hosting international conferences, training cultural industry professionals, fostering industry–academic partnerships, and offering Korean language and culture programs for global learners.

Students groups performed at the ceremony. Photo provided

“As a global campus that values both scholarship and practice, Mason Korea seeks to build a platform where K-culture can be shared and co-created with the world,” Joshua Park, campus dean of Mason Korea, said at the center’s opening ceremony at the Incheon Global Campus Small Theater. “Through strong partnerships with students, faculty, businesses, and cultural institutions, Mason Korea will continue to serve as a trusted global education bridge.”

The center launch aligns with Korea’s national strategy to position itself as a global leader in K-content. Leveraging Incheon’s international gateway and collaboration with the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority (IFEZ)’s K-Con LAND project, Mason Korea aims to become a key bridge connecting Korea and the world.

Gyu Tag Lee, professor of global affairs and inaugural director of the center, and a leading expert on K-pop and popular music, presented the center’s vision. “We envision this center as more than a space for research,” he said. “It will be a meeting point for people from around the world to create, share, and learn from K-content.”

A panel discussion followed, centered on the book Exploring Hallyu: History and Theory, co-authored by Lee and fellow scholars.

Guy Tag Lee will direct the new center. Photo provided

The event brought together representatives from major cultural and educational institutions, including the Seoul Foundation of Culture, Hunminjeongeum Globalization Foundation, Incheon Global Campus Foundation, American Korean Businessmen Friendship Forum, Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, the World Olympic Taekwondo Federation, Incheon National University, and South Korean educational public radio and television network EBS, with support from Incheon Metropolitan City and the Incheon Citizens’ Life College.

The ceremony also featured a congratulatory video from Incheon mayor Yoo Jeong-bok, and remarks from Yun Wonsok, commissioner of IFEZ.

Discover Mason Korea

Mason Korea

George Mason US–Korea delegation strengthens ties in Vietnam

Related Stories

Topics

From Laos to Rome: Mason Korea students take climate solutions global

Related Stories

Topics

Washington receives Incheon Mayor’s Award for contributing to a trusted Korea-U.S. global hub

Topics

Related News

George Mason establishes C5I Center Korea: Leading the AI-driven defense transformation

Related Stories

Topics

Mason Korea welcomes largest class ever for spring 2026

In This Story

Related news

Topics

Mason Korea partners with defense organizations to advance military technology

Related Stories

Topics

A new Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship opens in Mason Korea

Topics

A new era of global growth: George Mason and Naugen launch international innovation accelerator

Related Stories

Topics

A legacy of resilience: New scholarship helps students persevere to get their degree

Hyerin Cha

Major: Global affairs

Andrea Delgado Portillo

Major: Criminology, law and society

Related news

Topics

Mason Korea launches Center for Korean Culture and Society

Related News