For the second year in a row, Mason was ranked as one of the top 100 North and Latin American universities by the Academic Ranking of World Universities. The analysis is conducted annually by Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s Institute of Higher Education.

Results can be found on the institute’s web site.

Universities are ranked by several indicators of academic or research performance. These include the number of alumni and staff members who have won Nobel Prizes or Fields Medals; the prevalence of highly cited researchers; the number of faculty articles published in the journals Nature and Science; and the frequency with which articles are indexed in major citations indices. The per capita academic performance of an institution is also considered.

“Mason is honored to be recognized for a second year in a row by Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s Academic Ranking of World Universities,” says Mason Provost Peter Stearns.

“This is an illustration of how committed Mason is to strengthening its relationships and boosting its global reputation with universities in the United States and abroad.”

As an institution that has made global education a priority, Mason offers a wide range of academic programs, from undergraduate degrees in global affairs and global and environmental change to doctoral programs in climate dynamics and other fields that foster global understanding. Several programs also require global residencies in which students learn how to live and work in a global society.

The university has also established research and educational collaborations abroad that provide opportunities for students and faculty members to work outside of the United States, participate in international research initiatives and address social issues around the world.

For example, the Sino-America 1+2+1 dual degree program, which Mason joined in 2004, is an international education initiative that brings American and Chinese universities together to offer dual degrees to Chinese undergraduate students.

In the program, students spend their freshman year at a Chinese university, their sophomore and junior years at an American university and their senior year back at their original university in China. After completing the program, students receive baccalaureate degrees from both schools.

The first 15 graduates of Mason’s 1+2+1 program received undergraduate degrees at a graduation ceremony in China in summer 2008, followed by 25 more students in summer 2009. Currently, there are approximately 90 students in the program in their second and third years of study.

Mason also provides its students opportunities to study almost anywhere in the world through its Center for Global Education. The center offers short-term, semester and yearlong honors study abroad; international internships; and intensive language programs in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, South America and the South Pacific.

Through Mason’s numerous centers and institutes, faculty members and students are working on some of the most pressing issues around the globe, including conflict analysis and resolution, Earth observing and space research, health policy research and international education.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, someone in the United States is infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, every 9.5 minutes. In fact, of the more than one million people living with HIV, one out of five doesn’t even know they are infected.

To bring attention to this growing epidemic, Mason will display more than 100 squares from the AIDS Memorial Quilt. The display is one of many activities taking place during HIV Awareness Week from Monday, Nov. 30, through Friday, Dec. 4, on the Fairfax Campus.

The quilt will be displayed in the Johnson Center’s Dewberry Hall on the Fairfax Campus on Tuesday, Dec. 1, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to commemorate World AIDS Day. World AIDS Day is observed globally to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS.

The AIDS Memorial Quilt, the largest ongoing community arts project in the world, was founded in 1987. Each “block” or section of the quilt measures approximately 12 feet square, and a typical block consists of eight individual 3-by-6-foot panels sewn together. Almost all of the 40,000 colorful panels that make up the quilt memorialize the life of a person lost to AIDS.

According to Gary Kreps, chair and professor in the Department of Communication and director of the Center for Health and Risk Communication, the goals of bringing the AIDS quilt to campus are to raise HIV and AIDS awareness among the Mason community and to demonstrate Mason’s commitment to this worldwide health issue.

“Because Mason is one of the most diverse universities in the country and because of our close proximity to Washington, D.C., which has one of the nation’s highest rates of HIV/AIDS incidence and mortality, this is an issue of particular importance to our university community,” says Kreps.

“We recognize the solemnity of this day and hope to educate people about the dangers of AIDS while also paying tribute to the millions who have died from the disease.”

The commemoration will feature two renowned AIDS advocates: Hydeia Broadbent, who contracted HIV at birth and now educates people across the country about the disease; and Darian “Big Tigger” Morgan, who founded the Street Corner Foundation and Big Tigger’s Annual Celebrity Classic.

The above images show portions of the AIDS Memorial Quilt. Photos courtesy of the NAMES Foundation

Other invited speakers include AIDS scientists and researchers, public health experts and community representatives. Panel discussions, films, artworks and exhibits related to AIDS will be presented in the Johnson Center Cinema in conjunction with the quilt display.

Sponsors and partnering organizations include the Inova Juniper Program, the National Minority AIDS Council, the National Association for People Living with AIDS, the Metro D.C. Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, the National Institutes of Health and the Northern Virginia AIDS Ministry.

Other events taking place as part of HIV Awareness Week follow.

• Kiosks will be set up at various locations in the Johnson Center throughout the week from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Students can stop by to pick up a Healthy Hook-Up Kit, a red ribbon and information about HIV and AIDS.

• Free and confidential HIV testing using no needles will be available throughout the week in various locations on campus. Results are available in 20 minutes.

• On Wednesday, Dec. 2, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Patriot’s Lounge in Student Union Building I will be transformed into the Latex Lounge. Activities will provide prevention education to reduce the incidence of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

• An event titled  “Stay Strapped: Can You Bare It?” will feature a benefit concert and student performances to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS on Thursday, Dec. 3, at 8 p.m. in the Johnson Center Bistro.

• Students will strut their stuff in a fashion show called “Rock the Runway: Black and White, but RED All Over” in an effort to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS. The fashion show takes place on Friday, Dec. 4, at 8 p.m. in Dewberry Hall.

HIV Awareness Week is sponsored by the Office of Alcohol, Drug and Health Education, Student Health Services and University Life.

For a full schedule of events and more information about the AIDS Memorial Quilt, visit masonaidsquilt.com. For more information about HIV Awareness Week, see the online calendar.

A scene from "Open the Door, Virginia!" Photo courtesy of TFA

Theater of the First Amendment (TFA), Mason’s professional theater company, will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2010. Members of the community will come together in a celebration that recognizes TFA’s rich and diverse history.

Throughout its 20-year history, TFA has brought some of the best artists from the Washington, D.C., area and beyond to its stage. It has set itself apart from other professional theater companies by placing the storyteller at its center.

Even in the face of many obstacles, TFA’s mission has always remained the same – fostering relationships and nurturing the talent of young artists; and, through its new play development program, creating and disseminating new knowledge to the world.

Making Strategic Changes

Rick Davis, TFA artistic director.

After TFA’s 2005-06 season, when the uncertain economic climate forced many professional theater companies to close their doors, its management made a difficult, but necessary decision. Rick Davis, artistic director, and Kevin Murray, managing director, in consultation with Bill Reeder, dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and other leadership in the college, decided to temporarily suspend full productions.

“During this suspension, TFA continued to remain active and committed to new play development,” says Murray. “This break has allowed us to focus on making strategic changes within the organization, such as re-evaluating the artistic leadership of TFA to develop a clear vision toward the future.”

One of the biggest changes took place in early 2008 when Heather McDonald, a nationally prominent playwright and professor in the Department of Theater, joined TFA as co-artistic director. The addition of McDonald helped to focus TFA’s efforts in establishing its reputation as a major new play development center.

Kevin Murray, TFA managing director.

The success of TFA’s First Light Discovery Program, which provides playwrights an opportunity to develop new plays while working with professional directors, dramaturges and actors, has helped TFA get a few steps closer to this goal. Just last year, 10 new plays were developed in First Light and presented as staged readings for the benefit of the writers.

According to Murray, establishing relationships with playwrights on local, national and international levels and intensifying its development efforts during this suspension has created an arsenal of new work and artists from which to pull when TFA comes back with full productions in 2011.

Looking to the Future
In addition to gaining recognition as a new play development center, one of TFA’s priorities as it moves ahead is involving Mason students, faculty, staff and alumni in any project or event on which it is working. Being able to strengthen its relationship with the university and establish a dominant presence in the community is vital to TFA’s success, notes Murray.

A scene from "Open the Door, Virginia!" Photo courtesy of TFA

Establishing that dominant presence was furthered with theSPACE, which had been an empty storefront in Old Town Fairfax. The building has been converted into a performance space and art gallery and is well suited for staged reading, experimental artwork and other events. Pleased with its accessibility to both Mason and the surrounding community, TFA management has already organized several events in theSPACE and plans more.

“Because TFA lacks a private fund-raising base that many other larger theaters in the area have, we thrive on the support of the community,” says McDonald. “We’re hoping to gain as much access to theSPACE as possible to allow us to reconnect with the community and create much needed visibility.”

TFA’s staged reading of “The Rivers and Ravines” is one of its first efforts to reconnect with the community. The play, written and directed by McDonald, is set during the farm crisis of the early 1980s and celebrates hope and spirituality of a community facing economic hardship. The event will take place on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 8 p.m. at theSPACE, 3955 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, in the Old Town Plaza retail complex.

TFA has several other projects in the works that will allow artists to release their creative energy. The “Nine Months of Mondays” workshop will gather a multidisciplinary group of artists on Monday nights for nine months of creativity, shared research and creation of a public workshop-style presentation to take place in summer 2010.

In conjunction with the First Light Discovery Program, which will convene in June 2010, TFA is working with the Dramatist Guild of America to create a playwriting intensive workshop for mid-career-level playwrights. TFA plans to arrange and host a National Playwright Conference in summer 2011 that will gather playwrights of all levels in one location.

TFA’s Influence on the World
Throughout its 20 years of fostering relationships and creating new works, TFA has influenced more than just the local community. Many TFA-developed projects have made their way out into the world in the form of productions, publications and broadcasts that carry profound messages.

Dianne McIntyre’s play “Open the Door, Virginia!” is based on the real-life story of 117 African American high school students who staged a walkout at their school in Farmville, Va., in 1951. The event marked the beginning of desegregation in Virginia. Following its origination and premiere at TFA in 2005, the play was revived in August 2009 with the original cast, who performed at the same high school where the events depicted in the play took place.

“The revival of this play reinforces the idea that TFA’s work does make its way into the world,” says Davis. “This play also speaks about how TFA takes risks on unproven stories and artists, perfects them on its stage and then sends them out into the world so its impact can be felt by a larger audience.”

Other examples of new works launched “into the world” include “Nathan the Wise,” written by Paul D’Andrea, Robinson Professor of Theater and English, and “Mariela in the Desert” by Karen Zacarias. Both plays were developed and produced by TFA, and like many others the company has worked on, went on to be performed in cities across the country.

For a full schedule of events and more information about TFA, see the web site.

Many museums and organizations have begun using popular social media tools such as Facebook, You Tube and Twitter for engaging audiences and bringing people on board with their mission. These free tools reach many people easily and can allow these institutions to reach audiences in provocative and interesting ways.

However, institutions that deal with sensitive cultural topics such as violence and atrocities, human rights and disasters are often in an awkward position when using social media.

Historians such as Tom Scheinfeldt, managing director of Mason’s Center for History and New Media, are taking a look at this issue. Scheinfeldt and colleagues at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum are hosting an “unconference,” the “Conscience Un-Conference: Using Social Media for Good” on Dec. 5 at the Holocaust Museum to discuss the problems, practicalities and opportunities of using social media to further the missions of these institutions that deal with sensitive material.

“Participating in social media raises a lot of questions that include concerns about balancing accessibility of collections with control; grappling with authoritative and personal voice; and measuring impact and outcomes,” says Scheinfeldt.

“While these issues are of concern to many institutions, they need to be addressed with special tact by those who deal with sensitive subject matter and vulnerable populations, and who hold in trust the memories of victims of tyranny, human rights abuses and genocide.”

For example, while a video of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp after World War II could be used to increase awareness of genocide, placing such a video on You Tube or another social media site risks the sensitivity and privacy of victims of the Holocaust. Museums would love to use these social networking tools, but have been avoiding them until now.

The unconference is inspired in part by CHNM’s annual THATCamp series. It uses an informal setting to discuss issues and concerns and forgoes formal panel presentations. Representatives from organizations such as National Public Radio, Catholic Relief Services, Save Darfur and National Underground Railroad Freedom Center will come together for a daylong series of workshops and discussion periods to try to come up with solutions to some of these issues.

“How do you use these tools in ways that are appropriate?” says Scheinfeldt. “People are just starting to think about this, and there isn’t a consensus yet. This unconference will look at these issues.”

Long and Kimmy Nguyen with Lloyd Griffiths, dean of the Volgenau School of Information Technology and Engineering, at a reception in the Nguyens' honor. Photo by Laura Sikes

Northern Virginia businessman Long Nguyen and his wife, Kimmy, have given a gift of  $5 million to the university that will officially name Mason’s new state-of-the-art engineering building the Long and Kimmy Nguyen Engineering Building.

“The new engineering building is a world-class facility for teaching and research that broadly and profoundly affects the quality of the Volgenau School of Information and Technology’s programs,” says Alan Merten, Mason president.

“This gift shows the Nguyens’ strong dedication to Northern Virginia and George Mason University. I am deeply honored that they chose our university and our remarkable new engineering building.”

Lloyd Griffiths, dean of the Volgenau School, notes, “The demand for IT professionals, computer scientists and engineers continues to grow, particularly in our area. Our school is meeting this need thanks to the cutting-edge research and educational facilities provided by our new building. The generosity of the Nguyens plays an important and valuable role in our school’s future.”

The new Long and Kimmy Nguyen Engineering Building. Photo by Lori A. Wilson

The gift will support the Volgenau School’s expanding programs and ensure its ability to recruit and retain world-class faculty and attract energetic, talented and creative students.

The building, which formally opened its doors in August, contains more than 180,000 square feet of classroom, research and office space. As such, it is the largest academic building on Mason’s Fairfax Campus. It is also Mason’s first LEED-certified green building.

Long Nguyen, who is originally from Vietnam, credits Northern Virginia with his success and has adopted the area as his home. In 1985, Nguyen left a teaching position at Georgetown University and established Pragmatics, an information technology solutions company headquartered in McLean, Va. Nguyen serves on Mason’s Board of Visitors.

“My family and I are extremely grateful for the opportunities and freedom we’ve been afforded since immigrating to the United States,” says Nguyen. “We believe very strongly in education and chose to bestow this gift upon George Mason University because of our commitment to its future.”

Maria Kozhevnikov

Some people say they can remember something better if they see it written down — say, a phone number or a password.

Often, when visual memory is tested, one’s capacity for recalling details of a room’s layout, a person’s clothing or a painting only goes so far. Eyewitness testimony in crimes, for example, becomes less accurate as time goes by.

Monks have long been known for their ability to meditate, and they claim to be able to keep a very complex religious image in their minds for a long time. Are their techniques super memory machines? And if so, what can we learn from them?

Recently, Mason psychology professor Maria Kozhevnikov was tasked with finding the answers to some of these questions.

Through colleague and advisor Stephen Kosslyn, professor of psychology at Harvard, Kozhevnikov was involved in carrying out an intriguing experiment first commissioned by the Dalai Lama.

At a cognitive neuroscience conference held at MIT several years ago, the Dalai Lama said that accomplished monks who meditate on religious images of a deity can keep a complex image in their mind for up to 24 hours.

The Dalai Lama asked the researchers to look at accomplished monks. If the thesis was true, it would change the way people think about visual imagery.

Kozhevnikov spent a year in Nepal, traveling to different monasteries, interviewing monks on this sacred practice that, frankly, the monks wanted to keep sacred.

“It was difficult at first to get the monks to cooperate,” Kozhevnikov says. “I really needed to know exactly what they do when they meditate, but because so much of their practices are secret, they did not want to share.”

So, to understand the techniques better, Kozhevnikov undertook some meditation training of her own. After several retreats, she began to gain a greater understanding of the practice and formulated better questions to ask.

Because there are so many different kinds of meditation practices, Kozhevnikov focused on two: the deity yoga and rig pa (open meditation).

While deity yoga emphasizes imagery and involves staring and meditating on a very complex image, rig pa involves meditating on nothingness — stopping any images that crop up in one’s mind and blocking out everything.

Kozhevnikov tested different groups — from experienced monks to people who had never meditated — before and after meditation to see how their visual memories improved.

She found that monks who practiced deity yoga more than doubled their performance on memory tests after meditating for just 20 minutes. Her results were recently published in Psychological Science.

Kozhevnikov found that monks' ability to retain a visual image after meditating was remarkable. Photo courtesy of Maria Kozhevnikov

“This is an extraordinary score, really,” she says. “Highly unusual.”

This state of extraordinary memory does not last forever. When tested without meditating first, the monks’ performance was about average — similar to people who’ve never meditated before.

“They can’t maintain this state forever,” she says. “But it does exist, and meditation seems to help them get into it.”

Depending on how experienced the monk is and how long he meditates, one can maintain this state for anywhere from 20 minutes to several hours, says Kozhevnikov.

This high state of consciousness intrigues Kozhevnikov because it relates to her primary research focus of visual–spatial cognition — how people visualize and what specific brain areas are involved when they are visualizing. She is interested in particular how artists visualize in contrast to scientists.

“Artists report the same states of extended consciousness after painting,” she says. “It is the state where they paint their masterpieces; however, artists do not know how to control getting into this state the way that monks do.”

Kozhevnikov says that psychologists know little about the creative state, and she hopes this research will help her better understand how the brain works in these areas.

This article originally appeared in a slightly different form in the Mason Spirit.

Robert Knight in his current career as a sergeant in the Army. He's stationed in Iraq. Photo courtesy of Robert Knight

When Robert Knight, BA History ’85, graduated from Mason, “Top Gun” was a hit movie, so it wasn’t surprising that Knight joined the Navy and set out to “get jets.”

What is surprising is that 24 years later he would find himself stationed in Iraq with the Army’s 305th Psychological Operations Company as a noncommissioned officer.

“’Top Gun’ pushed me over the edge,” says Knight. “It took my mind out of the video game aspect and made the challenges real. It showed me that flying was a very human business.”

After joining the Navy in 1986, Knight enrolled in Aviation Officer Candidate School in 1987 and underwent flight training.

“Landing a high-performance tactical aircraft on the deck of an aircraft carrier was a bit much for me, but I was a pretty good A-6E bombardier/navigator,” he says. “Life often turns out for the best.”

Knight logged more than 1,300 hours as a bombardier/navigator of an A-6E Intruder, a carrier-based attack aircraft. When the Navy retired the Intruder in 1997, Knight left active duty because of a drawdown in forces — the talents of A-6E pilots and personnel were not interchangeable with other aircraft.

His next destination? Law school. But he realized that the preparation for this profession was vastly different from a career in aviation. So he returned to Mason as a nondegree student and took several classes, including some political science courses.

“I felt like I let myself down educationally back in the day,” Knight says of his first experience at Mason as an undergraduate. The return to Mason provided him the opportunity to apply himself academically in new ways.

“My professors were intelligent, well read and engaging. The education I received was first-rate,” says Knight. “It more than adequately prepared me to go to law school.”

Knight followed in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps and enrolled in law school at American University. He graduated in 2002 and landed a job at a Washington, D.C., law firm.

After his years of military service, Knight found life at the law firm lacking. He needed something more fulfilling. He looked to public service, first as an Arlington County firefighter, then as a public defender in Norfolk, Va. Over time, he realized he needed to return to where the action was.

In 2007, he resigned his commission in the Naval Reserve and joined the ranks of the Army enlisted as a sergeant. Although Knight could have joined as a major, he believes he would have ended up serving as a staff officer, essentially the same role he had in the reserves. He chose to be more directly involved with military efforts.

“[Being in] the military is not the easiest job,” Knight says. “It is often difficult and dangerous, and it’s a long time away from home.”

And Knight is a long way from home. Since March, he has been in Iraq working as a contracting officer’s representative with the 305th, where he facilitates contracts between the U.S. government and Iraqi-owned companies.

“It may not sound glamorous, but ultimately the sense of purpose and service I get from wearing a uniform is something I haven’t found in any other professional pursuit,” he says.

Knight would like to complete 20 years of military service. After this deployment, he’ll have 16 years. As for his long-term goals, Knight plans to go back to practicing law and would like to become a civil and criminal appellate attorney.

“[Mason] has been a constant in my adult life,” says Knight, who still stays in touch with friends he made here more than 25 years ago. “Even now, for all I know, I may go back and get another degree.”

This article originally appeared in a slightly different form in the Mason Spirit.

On campus, rigorous physical training is a routine part of the ROTC program. Photo by Evan Cantwell

Try running a 10K through sand and mud while wearing boots and hefting a 35-pound backpack. Then, see how easy it is to smile when you’re done.

Mason’s ROTC cadets had no trouble smiling big for the camera while hoisting a First Place Overall trophy at a recent two-day Ranger Challenge competition held at Fort Bragg, N.C. Mason’s team beat out 39 other teams from major institutions from throughout the mid-Atlantic region.

Each team was made up of nine cadets who participated in eight different events.

“I was so impressed with how well our team competed. They were the most complete team there,” says Army ROTC Capt. Jeff Soule, who coached Mason’s team during the competition. “By placing at or near the top in every single event, it was very apparent that they had trained incredibly hard.”

Team members were: graduate student Matt Sardo (team captain); freshmen David Hanlon and Brian Kemp; sophomores Mike Johnson, Patrick Lyons and Kevin Smith; junior Jason Seifert; and seniors Shelley McNamee and Steyer Rehorn.

Mason took home not just one, but two, first-place trophies — one for the Gold Division (the group of larger institutions) and another for coming in first overall among all 39 teams.

The first event could be considered a pretty good workout for an average Joe, but it was just a warm-up for these guys. The cadets did two minutes of pushups, then two minutes of sit-ups, followed by a two-mile run. After each team was graded and scored, 15 out of the 39 teams, including Mason, scored above the “Standard High” point total.

“That speaks to how highly trained the competition was, and about the quality of the ROTC programs we were competing against,” Soule says.

Mason's Challenge Team with their trophies at Fort Bragg. Photo courtesy of Mason ROTC

Mason then took first place in the Day/Land-Nav event. Each team was given a map to navigate to several specific locations through a wooded area using only a compass and successfully return to the starting location within a short period of time. A similar night event took place, in which Mason placed second.

The next day, the teams competed in a simulated combat zone known as the “EST 2000.” The cadets fired at targets from distances ranging between 50 to 300 meters away. Each target would only appear for two to three seconds at a time. After being graded on time and accuracy, Mason’s team took second place in the event.

Next came the Grenade Assault Course, which Soule says is as fun as it sounds. The teams strategically move through the 300-meter-long course, throwing grenades at specific targets from various positions. Mason took third place overall based on speed and accuracy.

The One Rope Bridge event required all nine cadets and all of their gear to successfully cross a stream using only one rope. It took the team just two minutes and 15 seconds from start to finish, placing them second overall (10 seconds behind the leader).

The final event that day was a 10-kilometer “Ruck Run.” During the race, each fully uniformed cadet is loaded down with a 35-pound backpack, plus a canteen, ammunition and their weapon. It took Mason’s team just one hour and 24 minutes to complete the run, finishing in first place. Only five out of all 39 teams were able to finish in less than one hour and 30 minutes.

“This was an off-road course consisting of mostly sand and mud,” Soule says. “When our cadets were training for this event, under normal weather conditions they could complete it in just under an hour. That tells you just how tough the [weather element was].”

George Mason University was recently congratulated by Virginia Gov. Timothy Kaine for winning a Governor’s Technology Award. The awards are given annually to Virginia-based companies and institutions for excellence in use of information technology.

Mason received the Innovative Use of Technology in Higher Education Award for implementing the Virtual Computing Lab (VCL) .

The VCL is a time-, energy- and cost-saving initiative that enables faculty members and students to access specialized software from any computer with an Internet connection anywhere in the world, at any time. The VCL resolves many challenges associated with physical labs such as limited lab hours, limited space, travel time to campus, as well as the availability of complex tools for distance learners.

“What we’ve done is create a new computing environment,” says Sharon Pitt, executive director of the Division of Instructional Technology at Mason and director of the VCL.

“Anyone can access software such as Adobe Creative Suite, AutoCAD, Mathematica or GIS from their home, residence hall or local coffee shop any time of the day or night. The idea is that it will no longer be necessary to come to campus during lab hours to use these applications.”

The code for the VCL was developed at North Carolina State University and made openly available for other institutions to use.

In addition to being recognized for the improvements it made to the system, Mason was also praised for coordinating and hosting the other Virginia institutions using the VCL, including the College of William & Mary, James Madison University and Virginia Commonwealth University. As host, Mason provides the system management software and the technical infrastructure for those institutions.

Mason is trying to accommodate the many private and public universities across the state that have expressed interest in accessing the VCL. The system’s popularity is evident on Mason’s campus; the VCL attracted an additional 300 new student users within the past two weeks.

“Clearly the VCL has become an effective and convenient tool that focuses on students and helps faculty enhance the learning environment,” Pitt says.

“We are hopeful our success, coupled with the recognition of this award, will help us build the momentum we need to keep the system growing in size and scope.”

The Governor’s Technology Awards were presented at the 11th annual Commonwealth of Virginia Innovative Technology Symposium in Williamsburg, Va. Honorees were determined independently by a judging panel of Virginia government information technology professionals. Judges included representatives of state, local and educational government interests.

The Chinatown Friendship Arch in Washington, D.C.

Professor Yoonmee Chang’s spring 2010 Honors seminar, ENGL 414 American Chinatowns, will offer students an opportunity not only to study ethnography, but also to practice it.

As part of their course work, students will help plan and prepare the 2010 Smithsonian Folklife Festival. The 2010 festival, to be held on the National Mall June 24–28 and July 1–5, 2010, will focus on the lives and cultures of Asian Pacific Americans in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

“Students in this class will have the unique opportunity to roll up their sleeves and understand deeply how it is that we engage with ethnic cultures,” says Chang.

“Ethnography is literally the writing of culture, and our partnership with the Folklife Festival, a stunning event that draws visitors from across the nation, promises remarkable opportunities to examine the complex processes, often taken for granted, that we rely on to understand ethnicity.”

The accompanying classroom study will focus on the iconic American place we call “Chinatown.”

In conjunction with their fieldwork, students in this interdisciplinary course will read a wide range of fiction and nonfiction about American Chinatowns, exploring such questions as, What do we know about these places? What do we prefer not to know? How do we understand Chinatowns, ethnic enclaves and Asian American culture more generally?

Texts for the class will include Fae Myenne Ng’s “Bone,” Maxine Hong Kingston’s “The Woman Warrior,” Frank Chin’s “The Chinaman Pacific and Frisco R.R. Co.” and Frances Chung’s “Crazy Melon and Chinese Apple.”

This article originally appeared in a slightly different form in the English Department newsletter Not Just Letters.

Angie Goff. Photo courtesy of Katharine Hauschka

Capital Beltway traffic may be at a near-constant standstill, but Angie Goff, BA Communication ’01, is in motion at all times. Goff, traffic anchor, entertainment correspondent, lifestyle blogger and morning fill-in anchor for WUSA-9, joined the Washington, D.C., CBS affiliate in 2007 after working as a news anchor and reporter in Iowa and South Carolina, respectively.

While not covering the latest fender bender, Goff keeps her engine purring by updating her blog at wusa9.com, Oh My Goff! Her blog readers and viewers (she broadcasts live from it every morning) get insight on everything from local charities and party spots to money savers and stories making big buzz.

So what drives Goff? A lot more than traffic. One of the upbeat anchor’s passions is advocating for various causes. Having grown up in a military family, Goff actively engages in efforts that support U.S. troops. She volunteers for the Yellow Ribbon Fund, often participating in meet and greets at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. This summer, Goff helped out in the second annual Yellow Ribbon Fund Army/Navy Golf Classic, which raised more than $125,000 to support injured service members and their families.

Another issue about which Goff cares deeply is mental health. A member of the Northern Virginia Chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Illness, she has spent much time researching the topic. Goff, who has experienced mental health matters in her own family, feels strongly about the need for families to talk openly about these issues.

“So much stigma has been attached to mental illness . . . It’s something where we’ve come so far, but we still have so far to go,” she says.

Yet another cause Goff has championed has been the fight against breast cancer, a cause that recently hit close to home. Her fellow sorority sister and Mason graduate, Jennifer Kwiatek, BA Communication ’04, was diagnosed with breast cancer nearly two years ago at age 26. Kwiatek’s diagnosis was sobering for Goff.

“It made the threat of breast cancer real in my life. It made me realize that this can really affect people my age,” says Goff. “The most important thing to know is to get checked—even if you’re a man. . . . Put it on the calendar, write it down, because if you don’t write it down, you’re not going to do it.”

This past spring, Goff joined forces with fellow “newsbabes” to raise money and awareness for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The event brought together 10 newswomen of different stations, ages and backgrounds for one night to make a difference. Thus, the Newsbabes Bash for Breast Cancer was born. The May social raised more than $4,000 at the door.

“I think when you get quality people who really believe in a cause, people are going to sign on,” says Goff. “We had people donating door prizes left and right. We had Komen volunteers who showed up to help out, survivors who showed up randomly and said, ‘What can I do?’ It was amazing to see it in action.”

Somehow even with her packed schedule, Goff finds the time to come to the Fairfax Campus regularly to serve as an alumni advisor to her fellow Alpha Omicron Pi sorority sisters. She also is active in the Asian American community. When asked about the value of volunteering, Goff says if you have the time, do it.

“I encourage people to find something they believe in, whether it’s running a 10K or supporting a cause. The feeling from giving makes you a richer person.”

Follow Goff on Twitter @ohmygoff, or e-mail her at omg@wusa9.com.

This article originally appeared in a slightly different form in the Mason Spirit.

Student Mohamed Hashi, left, and Padmanabhan (Padhu) Seshaiyer, associate professor of mathematical sciences, are partnered in Mason's Dream-Catchers Program. Photo by Nicolas Tan

Originally from Somalia, Mohamed Hashi has witnessed things that would be difficult for many to digest. However, he hasn’t let his past hold him back. A student at Northern Virginia Community College, he holds down a full-time job and dreams of transferring to George Mason University to study math or biology.

Hashi credits Mason’s Dream-Catchers Mentoring Program with helping him get to where he is today.

“If I had not participated in the Dream-Catchers program I would not have thought about attending college,” says Hashi. “Dream-Catchers has encouraged me to believe in myself, and through the program I am making progress toward pursuing higher education.”

Dream-Catchers is a partnership between Mason and the Fairfax County Public School (FCPS) Alternative Education programs. The program identifies students at Fairfax’s three alternative high schools (Bryant, Mountain View and Pimmit) who, despite challenging personal circumstances, have shown the academic potential to successfully graduate from an undergraduate program.

While the majority of students who participate in Dream-Catchers pursue an education at a four-year university, occasionally they begin at Northern Virginia Community College before transferring to Mason or another university in the state.

Hashi is one of more than 75 FCPS students who have participated in the Dream-Catchers program since it began in 2000. The program is the brainchild of Mason Provost Peter Stearns, and its goal is to provide an opportunity for capable students to overcome the many challenges they face in obtaining an education.

“Most of these students come from families where no one has been to college, and often it isn’t in their sights or dreams to go to college,” says Jane Razeghi, associate professor of education in Mason’s Graduate School of Education and coordinator of the Dream-Catchers program at Mason.

Seshaiyer tries to bring Hashi, who is attending Northern Virginia Community College, to the Fairfax Campus frequently. Photo by Nicolas Tan

“Their teachers, principals and counselors see that they have the academic and often leadership potential to benefit from this program. These students have been able to turn their lives around and need help, direction and encouragement, and that’s what Dream-Catchers provides.”

Selected students are nominated by a Dream-Catchers liaison at the alternative high school and are partnered with a Mason faculty or staff member who volunteers to be a mentor to the student in their junior or senior years of high school through the completion of a university program.

“When I first met Mohamed in spring 2008 he was very shy, but over time our relationship has transformed,” says Padmanabhan (Padhu) Seshaiyer, associate professor of mathematical sciences and Hashi’s mentor.

“Although we spend time together outside the classroom, I try to bring Mohamed to campus as much as possible. I think it helps him stay focused and driven when he sees all the activity on campus. It reminds him what he’s working toward.”

Razeghi notes that the response from faculty and staff to volunteer is often overwhelming. However, it is not always possible to find a student match for each volunteer.

“Because the mentors are often on the Fairfax Campus and the students are off-campus attending the alternative high schools, such factors as time and location in traveling to meet become important issues,” says Razeghi. “We also try to match mentors with students based on academic need or other shared hobbies or interests.”

Hashi and Seshaiyer have formed a stronger bond because Seshaiyer is able to help Hashi understand complex math theories and help with his math homework.

“Mohamed is someone with very high hopes, but he knew attaining a college degree would require a lot of hard work. He just needed the right guidance,” says Seshaiyer.

“He knows his path and exactly what to do, and that is something of which I am definitely proud. The Dream-Catchers program is fantastic with helping students overcome their fears and giving them the chance to realize that their dreams can come true.”

Hashi also has kind words for his mentor.

“I really liked Padhu the first day I met him because it was as if we had known each other for a long time,” says Hashi. “Having a mentor like Padhu is like having a teacher and a big brother in one. Both Padhu and the Dream-Catchers program have helped me believe in myself and my goal of attending George Mason University.”

Along with the support of Mason faculty and staff, Razeghi notes the tireless work of the Dream-Catchers liaisons at the high schools as well as the generous support of Apple Federal Credit Union Education Foundation in making the program a success. The foundation tries to award each student $1,000-$2,000 in scholarship money to help them get started in their quest for higher education. Since 2000, the foundation has awarded about $6,000 per year for student scholarships.

President Barack Obama visited Mason in August for an event celebrating the passage of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, which pays college tuition for veterans who served since the attacks. With Obama is Staff Sgt. James Miller, who is attending Mason. Former Sen. John Warner, at right, also spoke. Creative Services photo

When President Barack Obama visited Mason in August, he addressed 350 military veterans and advocates about the introduction of the new GI Bill that will help up to a quarter-million veterans pay for college tuition and related expenses.

With the new GI Bill, Mason’s current population of nearly 1,000 student veterans is expected to rise by as much as 25 percent. The university’s Office of Military Services is assisting this new group of active duty, reserve, National Guard and veteran students in adapting to collegiate life.

“As the student veteran population continues to grow, Mason understands that providing services to veterans is an area that needs additional attention,” says Michael Johnson, director of the Office of Military Services and a 17-year Marine Corps veteran.

“This diverse group of students has specialized needs, and the Office of Military Services strives to connect and support student veterans as they pursue their studies at Mason.”

Mason Recognized for Its Efforts

Since Johnson joined Mason in October 2008, he has made significant progress in creating a one-stop resource center for veterans and their families. Helping to reinforce the importance of Johnson’s efforts and emphasize Mason’s dedication to serving its student veterans, the university has received several awards and recognition.

Mason was recently awarded a Success for Veterans Award grant from the American Council of Education and the Wal-Mart Foundation. This $100,000 grant will help the Office of Military Services evolve into a comprehensive resource and support center to ensure academic, psychological and transition support for veterans.

Mike Johnson. Photo by Catherine Ferraro

For example, with this grant, Johnson was able to hire two new staff members. Jim Miller, transition assistance coordinator and eight-year Marine Corps veteran, will help students navigate college life. Linda McLaine, re-adjustment counselor, has been working with the military for the past 30 years on a variety of social work issues. She will help students deal with post-traumatic stress disorder and emotional distress.

In addition, Mason joined more than 1,100 college and universities across the country in supporting veterans by joining the Yellow Ribbon Education Enhancement Program. The new initiative, which Mason is offering in partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is aimed at expanding higher education funding for post-9/11 servicemen and women.

Mason’s Office of Military Services will provide tuition assistance to help up to 25 qualifying veterans who enroll as graduate students. These students will receive a $500 tuition discount from the university that will be matched by $500 from VA.

“We are very pleased to be a part of these initiatives and believe it speaks volumes about Mason’s commitment to our veteran population,” says Johnson. “We hope that ultimately Mason will provide guidance and serve as a resource and model for other institutions.”

Mason was also named by G.I. Jobs magazine as a “Military Friendly School for 2010.” According to the magazine, the list honors the top 15 percent of more than 7,000 colleges, universities and trade schools in the nation that are striving to embrace America’s veterans as students.

A Unique Group of Students

Often considered a singular population, student veterans are usually older and more likely to be married than traditional students. As reserve members, it’s not unlikely that they may be called up for deployment in the middle of the semester or return from combat with emotional issues.

Despite these challenges, Mason administrators agree that student veterans are an asset to the Mason community. Their unique experiences, says Johnson, offer alternative perspectives to faculty, staff and other students at the university and provide an opportunity for mutual learning and growth.

Jonathan Zapien, one of Mason’s student veterans instrumental in creating the Student Veterans Association chapter, agrees that having a strong student veteran population is important at any university.

“I’m a government major, and in most of my classes we discuss what is happening in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East,” says Zapien. “Having served two tours in Afghanistan, I’m able to offer a first-person perspective about my experiences and what is going on in these countries.”

Student Veterans Need More Than Money

While the new GI Bill will help alleviate financial worries for student veterans going back to school, many students have expressed the need for resource centers that help them become accustomed to the university atmosphere and deal with emotional issues.

In response to these concerns, Johnson and David Alpher, a graduate student and faculty member in Mason’s Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, set up an informal peer counseling network for military students where they can share their experiences and engage in work-study programs.

Serving in Iraq from 2007 to 2008, Alpher worked with an organization called International Relief and Development on a community stabilization project to rebuild infrastructure and create jobs for people 17 to 25 years of age – often considered the “usual suspects” who join terrorist groups.

When he came to Mason, he understood that while there were many student veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder, most students did not need formal counseling. According to Alpher, most student veterans just need help getting back into mainstream society.

With a push from Johnson, Zapien and Joshua Lawton-Belous, another founding member of Mason’s Student Veterans Association chapter, Alpher assembled a list of student veterans who were willing to be “on call” for other student veterans who just needed someone to talk to.

“It is important that the counseling network be very informal so students don’t feel like they are being evaluated by a psychiatrist,” says Alpher. “The counseling network is intended for students to be able to talk to someone to whom they don’t have to explain what they have been through. They need someone who understands everything about their experiences – how it looked, smelled and felt.”

Honoring Veterans Close to Home

President Alan Merten traditionally hosts the annual luncheon to honor Mason's veterans. Creative Services photo

This Veterans Day, Mason President Alan Merten will continue the tradition of honoring all Mason community military veterans. The fifth annual Veterans Luncheon will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 11, from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Center for the Arts Concert Hall Lobby on the Fairfax Campus.

Retired Lt. Gen. Claude Kicklighter, director of the Critical Infrastructure Protection Program in the School of Law, will give the keynote address. Before joining Mason, Kicklighter served as inspector general of the Department of Defense. In addition, he has served in several senior positions in the Departments of Defense, State and Veterans Affairs.

To RSVP to the event, contact Nathan Whitten at nwhitten@gmu.edu or 703-993-2709.

Kathryn Jacobsen. Creative Services photo

Increasing access to clean drinking water is one of the most important ways to reduce child mortality and to promote population health, but it is not as easy as simply drilling new wells, says Kathryn H. Jacobsen, assistant professor of global and community health.

In a Visions Series lecture on Monday, Nov. 9, Jacobsen, an epidemiologist, will explain why clean water alone does not necessarily improve child health unless it is accompanied by other interventions.

Jacobsen’s talk, “What Happens When Water Is Cleaner? Tracking Transitions in Global Health,” will be presented at 7 p.m. in the Center for the Arts Concert Hall on the Fairfax Campus.

Over time, clean water opens up a new set of health concerns as immunity to waterborne infections drops and the risk of outbreaks rises. Using waterborne disease as an example, Jacobsen will describe the shifting mix of threats to community health that occur with development and globalization. She will raise important questions about planning now for appropriate responses to anticipated health transitions.

Jacobsen, a professor in the College of Health and Human Services, researches and teaches about infectious disease epidemiology and the ethics of international health research. She is the author of the textbook “Introduction to Global Health,” which gives an overview of major global health concerns ranging from nutrition and infectious disease to reproductive health and occupational injuries.

Jacobsen earned an MPH in international health and a PhD in epidemiology from the University of Michigan.

This lecture is free, but tickets are required. See the Center for the Arts web site for more information.

Gunston and his friend "Mason" make learning about environmental awareness and renewable energy fun. Photo by Traci Claar

The discussion of global warming continues to heat up, and many fear the earth’s resources are in serious jeopardy. Some environmentalists say it’s never too late to become more environmentally conscious, but administrators at Mason say it’s never too early.

The university, in partnership with the National Energy Education Development project, created an interactive environmental education program for elementary school children in grades K-3. “Go Green with Gunston” combines education and entertainment into a distinctive curriculum specifically aimed at teaching young kids the benefits of “going green” and focusing on renewable energy sources.

Gunston—formerly known as Mason’s furry green mascot who appeared in the stands and on the sidelines at countless athletic events—was given a makeover and a new job title as the university’s community ambassador.

“We wanted to develop a way to connect with this particular age group to get them excited about science and sustainability, and Gunston was the ideal character for the job,” says Traci Claar, director of community relations.

Kids enjoy interacting with Gunston at the Orange Hunt Elementary School after-school program. Photo by Traci Claar

“Our hope is that teaching these kids fun lessons about the earth and saving energy will spark new interests which may lead [the kids] to pursue an education in science and perhaps even a career in that field.”

Gunston travels with his co-worker and friend, “Mason,” an actor/educator, to visit students who participate in the School Age Child Care (SACC) program in Fairfax County. The two engage the kids in songs, stories and games about going green.

Before Gunston visits each school, the children participate in two pre-visit lessons provided by the university. The first is designed to give students a basic understanding of how energy is used and how it can be saved. The second introduces students to renewable and non-renewable energy sources.

These activities were established to showcase Mason’s commitment to a scientific understanding of energy and the ways in which energy consumption impacts the environment.

“This is a great initiative, and I am looking forward to the wonderful and creative things that our teachers and Gunston will be coming up with,” says Terry Johnson, childcare specialist and regional supervisor for SACC.

Students at Orange Hunt Elementary School made papier-mâché Gunston heads in preparation for the visit. Photo by Traci Claar

“This is a topic that our educators will continue to teach the students long after Gunston leaves the classroom.”

The program is just underway, with one successful visit to Orange Hunt Elementary School already on the books. Gunston and Mason will be out visiting a different SACC Center in Fairfax County every Monday from now until late June. They’ll finish the month of October at Hunt Valley and Oakview SACC Centers. The schedule for November includes Cherry Run, Fairview, Bonnie Brae, Laurel Ridge and Terra Centre SACC Centers.

“This type of community outreach to our neighbors throughout Fairfax County is another example of the benefits to having a world-class university right in their own backyard,” Claar says. “It stems from our continued effort to improve the quality of life for the kids, their families and the surrounding community.”

For more information, visit the Go Green with Gunston web site.

Students at Cultural Fusion Field Day played chess on a giant board. Photo by Nicolas Tan

Tai Chi demonstrations, pickup soccer games and chess played on gigantic boards aren’t part of Mason’s daily schedule of events. But on Oct. 8, these activities and other performances, booths and demonstrations were all on display at the Fairfax Campus.

Organizers junior Mrinalini Ramanan, a biology major, and Naliyah Kaya, a sociology graduate student, estimated that the second annual Cultural Fusion Field Day (CFFD) attracted more than 400 students.

Vendors, student groups and performers set up shop on the Quad outside of Student Union Building I. Students played soccer and chess, dressed in clothing from different cultures and posed for photos at the Global Photo Booth, signed up for prizes and visited information booths.

According to organizers, CFFD aimed “to create a nonthreatening environment for the free exchange of ideas about world sports, dance, politics, food and everything fun to promote a cosmopolitan environment.”  By all accounts, the event met that goal.

“The feedback I received from participants and passersby was that they wanted to have events like CFFD on a more frequent basis, especially the student performances and demonstrations,” Kaya said.

The event attracted Mason student organizations such as Student Government and the Arab Student Association, as well as outsiders such as William O’Brien, who set up an exhibit featuring all things Irish.

“I’m interested in joining an organization, so I visited just about all of the stands there,” said junior Rafiq Baccouche, an information technology major.

CFFD featured a rap performance, two belly dancers and the Tai Chi demonstration as the main attractions. The rapper–V–performed for free, Ramanan said. The belly dancers followed up their performances, which were presented by the Mason Bellydance Club, by teaching their craft to some in the audience. After the Tai Chi demonstration, which was sponsored by the Confucius Institute at Mason, audience members took part in a mini lesson.

“The performances were a really big hit this year and will definitely continue to be a part of CFFD in the future,” Kaya said. “The performance workshops were a way for students, who did not necessarily participate in sports, to take an active and fun learning role in a culture that was new to them.”

Students heard about the event through friends, Facebook and flyers.

Organizer Mrinalini Ramanan, center, and friends Emily Perdue and Rayanne Mroczek had fun trying out cultural clothing. Perdue created the backdrop for the Photo Booth and was a Photo Booth photographer. Photo by Lori A. Wilson

“A couple of friends wanted to go, so I joined them,” said junior Kawthar Yusuf, a neuroscience major. “I was there for about five or 10 minutes, and we got to watch the belly dancers.”

Even some alumni made it out.

“Last year, I helped out a bit with [preparation],” said Michael Gryboski, BA History ’09. “This year, I came out to enjoy myself. I got in a couple of good games of soccer and a couple of games of chess. I am undefeated thus far, which is awesome.”

Many others were involved in the planning and preparation for the event, Ramanan said. Erica Hernandez, an administrative assistant in the Office of Admissions, designed the logo and many of the banners for the event. Erek Perry, director of the University Scholars program, provided guidance throughout the process and Leandra Johnson was the table fair organizer, Ramanan said.  The Office of Diversity Programs and Services, University Life, University Scholars and various student organizations, especially the Hispanic Student Association, were some of the sponsors.

To find out more, visit CFFD on Facebook.

At the Berlin Wall. Photo by Paul Fusco, 1961

Millions of people around the world can remember exactly where they were when the Berlin Wall fell. Most college-age students, however, were too young to remember; many weren’t even born yet.

For this reason, when the German Embassy decided to organize its campaign celebrating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, it included outreach efforts to colleges in the United States. Many feel that reaching out to modern-day university students is crucial to preserving the memory and inspiration of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

George Mason University is one of more than 25 universities to receive a grant to participate in the national Freedom Without Walls campaign.  Like other universities participating in the program, Mason will host a range of events, from debates to lectures, art exhibitions (both on campus and at the Goethe Institute), a gala, a unity walk and the building and demolition of a replica of the Berlin Wall.

Marion Deshmukh, who teaches German history and art history, is coordinating the commemorative events at Mason.

“The commemoration at Mason doesn’t involve just the German department,” she says.  “We are enlisting as many different students and student organizations as possible. Students from communications are involved with the debates, students in the School of Art are helping to construct the wall, and students from the performing arts are preparing for the gala. It’s a wonderful community effort.”

The events at Mason span several months and began with a talk by visiting German installation artists Renata Stih and Frieder Schnock in mid-September. In late September, there was an on-campus panel discussion by German journalists, as well as a “Fall for the Book” event featuring presidential historian Robert Dallek and journalist James Mann. Well-known German novelist Peter Schneider will speak to students on Nov. 10.

Beginning Oct. 19, students under the guidance of Walter Kravitz, a professor in the School of Art, will begin constructing a replica of the Berlin Wall. The plywood structure will stand about 8 feet tall and 16 feet wide and will be erected near the North Plaza clock tower on the Fairfax Campus.  Kravitz and students will paint the replica a grayish color and give it some texture to mimic the surface of the original wall, which was concrete. The wall will be attached to a stage on which students will give speeches and hold debates.

Once the wall is up, students may paint graffiti on it, as was done on the western side of the original Berlin wall.

“The idea is not to repeat the social and political statements on the original wall but to make the new graffiti important and poignant within a contemporary context,” says Kravitz.

Beginning Oct. 26, an art exhibition of photographs from the Library of Congress will be featured at the Johnson Center in Room 116. Natasha Müller, a senior majoring in art history and minoring in German, has curated the exhibition of photographs that photographer Paul Fusco took for Look Magazine in the early 1960s.

The photographs, which depict scenes on or near the Berlin wall, were taken from the west side, as Fusco wasn’t permitted on the east side of the wall.

“There is this one of a woman who had just had a baby,” says Müller.  “She’s holding up her baby, trying to show her family on the other side. That one’s pretty intense.”

Müller, who was only four when the Berlin wall fell, has no memory of the event. Nor do most of her college-age contemporaries. This makes the commemoration events all the more imperative.

“These Berlin Wall projects are reminders that the wall existed, but also a celebration that it fell, freeing and reuniting people. These projects will be interactive history lessons and a great way to meet other students who are interested in this topic,” says Müller.

The events for Freedom Without Walls will culminate on Nov. 9. At noon that day, the university will hold a unity walk as part of the commemorative efforts. The walk will finish at the Berlin Wall replica. Then, students will be invited to demolish the wall, as the Germans did that very day 20 years before.

Jacob Kohut, a second-year graduate student working on a master’s in music composition, is organizing the unity walk. Kohut will also play the bassoon for a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at a student gala on Oct. 29. Dancers at the gala will also perform to a piece that Kohut wrote, titled “The Wall.”

Kohut believes that remembering the fall of the wall is critical to moving forward, as nations are interconnected as never before.

“To understand the path before us in a globalized world, we must ponder the mistakes that divided a city,” he says.

To learn more about Freedom Without Walls and the events taking place both on and off campus, visit the Freedom Without Walls web site. Freedom Without Walls can also be found on Facebook.

Victor Lena completed the Career Switchers Program and left his job as an electrical engineer to teach middle school. Photo by Lori A. Wilson

This fall is sure to be full of challenges and surprises for Victor Lena. After 37 years, Lena is trading in a lucrative career as an electrical engineer to fulfill a lifelong dream of teaching. Having thought about teaching at various times during his engineering career, Lena felt it was never quite economically feasible, since he has three children.

“When my middle son entered his fourth year of medical school, I was confident there was indeed a light at the end of the ‘tuition tunnel’,” says Lena. “I began to explore post-engineering alternatives in earnest, and it didn’t take long for the idea of teaching to reassert itself.”

Having completed Mason’s Career Switchers Program in May, Lena now teaches math, algebra and life science to middle school students at the Philip Michael Pennington School in Manassas, Va.

Lena is not alone in his choice to change careers and become a teacher. Since the Career Switcher Program started in 2000, 55 people have completed the program. With close to a 90 percent placement rate, graduates of the program have filled teaching positions in math, science, English and history/social studies in area classrooms.

Career Switchers, which is a state-approved teacher training program, provides an alternative route to attaining a secondary education licensure (grades 6-12). While the program requires applicants to have a minimum of five years of professional experience, most come to the program with 18-20 years of experience in their field.

“The average age of a career switcher is 42 years old,” says Libby Hall, coordinator of the program in Mason’s College of Education and Human Development. “Many of our applicants are attorneys, but we get applicants from all walks of life.”

In fact, this year the Career Switcher Program enrolled a veterinarian and two physicians. Hall explains that students with backgrounds in the sciences and math are extremely important to the program, which was created to fill teacher vacancies in critical shortage areas.

Christine McCommas. Photo courtesy of Christine McCommas

Christine McCommas, who has worked for 34 years as a government contracts attorney for the U.S. Army, enrolled in the Career Switcher Program this fall. Teaching is something she has always wanted to do.

“In college, I majored in English/secondary education and I have a strong interest in the subject matter,” says McCommas. “I chose the Career Switcher Program at Mason because of its strong track record and reputation, and because it affords me the flexibility to continue earning an income while making the transition to teaching.”

The program takes approximately 18 months to complete and requires students to complete six credits each semester.  In addition to completing the required course work, students must spend a minimum of 15 hours on field work for each of the four courses, which means 60 hours total in a local classroom. Upon completing the course work and procuring a full-time teaching job, each student registers for their final internship course.

While Career Switchers has seen a steady increase in enrollment in the program, it’s too soon to say whether it’s because of the economy, Hall says. She notes, however, that there is “definitely a trend in growth and interest.” Thirty-six people have enrolled in the program in 2009.

Hall cautions that while many people are interested in the program, it’s not for everyone. Career Switchers is an accelerated program and requires students to complete the PRAXIS II exam prior to entering the program. Most education students take the Praxis I test for admission to a licensure program and take the Praxis II  exam near the end of their academic program. Adding an interview to the application process has helped ensure that those who enter the program are truly qualified and capable. When the situation does arise that someone might not be a good fit for the accelerated program, Hall suggests that they look into the traditional secondary education licensure program.

Lena explains that his own experience in the program has been one of continuous discovery. Students who are new to the program will find it “to be more difficult than initially expected,” he says.

“Along with our methods courses, much of the course work focuses on educational and adolescent psychology. This was a completely new field of study for me,” says Lena. “In addition, exposure to all the nuances of ‘No Child Left Behind’ with respect to diversity and differentiated instruction proved to be an almost daily eye-opener. The teaching profession is so much more complex and challenging than I ever imagined. “

For more information on the Career Switcher Program, see the web site or call 703-993-3679.

Grad Student Lands Department of Education Position

By Rashad Mulla

Megan Ibbotson. Photo by Nicolas Tan

Aspiring teacher Megan Ibbotson (BA Psychology ’06) wears several hats, and, as the longest-tenured current member of the Patriot Platoon, the Mason men’s basketball fan club, she sometimes wears a green wig.

Working toward a master’s degree in counseling and development, Ibbotson joined the U.S. Department of Education in the summer of 2008 as part of its Student Career Experience Program. (One of the perks of the position, she recently learned, was getting to play basketball with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. She says she used moves she learned from watching Mason basketball.)

Ibbotson currently works in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, a post which allows her to help others, she says. She reviews proposals, notifications and press releases and helps review and distribute grants to universities or institutions. Funds from her office help people with disabilities as well, she points out.

“My supervisor brought me in with the intention of making this a learning experience,” Ibbotson says. “I have never done the same thing twice. I’m always given new tasks and responsibilities, so every day is a new challenge to learn.”

Last year, Ibbotson was responsible for planning an Education Department conference, and she was the department’s sole representative at the National Council of Rehabilitation Educators conference held in San Antonio, Texas. She is currently planning another conference to be held later this month. As her time with the department has increased, so have her responsibilities.

“When this opportunity came along, I ran with it,” Ibbotson says. “Meeting researchers and scholars at conferences and having this broad knowledge will help me in general as a counselor.”

Her plan is to eventually become a teacher, but she says she loves her Education Department job and says it will help her in the long run. When she graduates in December, she becomes eligible for a position with the government.

Ibbotson has complemented her academic career with internships and jobs with several Virginia schools. She worked in Loch Lomond Elementary School and George P. Mullen Elementary School, both in Manassas, Va. She now has an internship at Bull Run Middle School in Gainesville, Va.

Ibbotson is also the president of Chi Sigma Iota, the honor society for counseling students at Mason.

Mason Law Students Visit GTMO as JAG Interns

By Steve Fugelsang and Donna Sneed

Natasha Clay, Juli Porto and Steve Fugelsang in front of the Marine Corps East Gate to Cuba. Photo courtesy of Steve Fugelsang

Three Mason School of Law third-year students traveled to Guantánamo Bay Naval Base in July as guests of Joint Task Force Guantanamo. They were on a four-day trip arranged by the U.S. Department of Defense for about two dozen Army and Air Force Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps summer interns.

The primary purpose of the trip was to tour the base facilities and legal operations. These included the Expeditionary Legal Complex, built for the Office of Military Commissions, including the state-of-the-art courtroom and holding cells in which Khalid Sheik Mohammed and other detainees were tried by military commission.

The visit allowed for briefings on the history of military commissions, as well as the background and present status of the military commission process, and included discussions with a prosecutor, a defense counsel and a military commissions judge for a full perspective on the commissions process.

While staying at GTMO, the students—Juli Porto, Natasha Clay and Steve Fugelsang—were billeted in air-conditioned military tents at the base’s Camp Justice.

On a bus tour of Camp Delta, the group visited six of the detainee prison camps, where they viewed the exteriors of the camps and disembarked for a closer view of a portion of the prison area.

The chief of detainee investigations and a representative from the detainee medical corps charged with overseeing the health and well-being of the 230 prisoners on base briefed the interns during their visit.

Another destination was the Marine Corps East Gate to Cuba, the designated Cuban-American border area where U.S. and Cuban officials conduct monthly meetings to discuss issues pertaining to the American presence on the island.

Fugelsang and Clay at Camp Justice, where the students stayed in military tents. Photo courtesy of Steve Fugelsang

“It was an intense and sobering experience,” says Porto, an Army JAG intern at Fort Belvoir in Fairfax, Va.

“I gained a perspective of the legal and practical issues facing the United States regarding how to manage the Guantánamo Bay detainees that I don’t believe can be gleaned from second-hand reports.”

Fugelsang echoed Porto’s sentiments, saying, “After seeing the unrivaled dedication and professionalism of our uniformed men and women at Guantánamo, I’m more committed than ever to serving our country in the Armed Forces.”

An Air Force JAG intern at the U.S. Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C., Fugelsang hopes to join the U.S. Navy JAG Corps after graduation.

Clay, an Air Force JAG intern at the 11th Wing Base Legal Office at Bolling Air Force Base, comments, “I had an incredible experience, and I’m really looking forward to applying to be an Air Force JAG after graduation.”

Emily Adelman. Photo courtesy of Emily Adelman

Emily Adelman has always had two major goals: to help others and excel in the arts. Selected from 678 applicants across the country as one of 30 students to receive a 2009 Jack Kent Cooke Graduate Scholarship, Adelman is pursuing her interests in adult education and literacy at Mason this fall.

Since it was launched in 2000, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation has helped students with financial needs reach their full potential through education.

Adelman chose to attend Mason because it is the only university in the Washington, D.C., area that offers a master’s degree in Spanish with a focus on bilingual and multicultural education.

Originally from Delray Beach, Fla., Adelman was an outstanding student at Cornell University, where she majored in Spanish with a concentration in Latin American studies. During her time at Cornell, she developed an interest in reaching out to others less fortunate than herself.

She was involved with the Community Learning and Service Partnership at Cornell and tutored an adult service worker in GED test preparation. In addition, she volunteered as a conversation partner for English language learners, a translator at the Red Cross and a reading tutor at an after school program.

Never neglecting her interest in the arts, Adelman was a member of Teatrotaller (Spanish for “theatre workshop”) at Cornell and was also chair of the CUTonight Commission, which provided funding for late-night cultural and social events at Cornell. In addition, she received the Dorothy Sugarman Prize for Poetry.

According to Adelman, the most life-changing moments of her undergraduate years occurred off campus. After a semester studying abroad at the University of Salamanca in Spain, Adelman conducted independent research in Argentina as a Tanner Dean’s Scholar, studying a grassroots adult literacy project.

This research led to her honors thesis, which analyzed the connections between adult literacy campaigns and popular movements in Latin America. Adelman earned summa cum laude honors for her thesis and was awarded the J.G. White Prize for Excellence in Spanish from the Department of Romance Studies at Cornell.

After receiving the John F. Kennedy Memorial Award for Public Service and graduating from Cornell in 2005, Adelman moved to Maryland and began working in outreach and community organizing at the Latino Economic Development Corporation (LEDC), a community-based economic development organization. She also served as a loan officer for LEDC’s microloan program.

In her most recent position, she was a local first program manager, working with alliances of local, independently owned businesses in Silver Spring and Wheaton on two “buy local” outreach campaigns.

“During my time at LEDC, I had the opportunity to experience various facets of our work,” says Adelman. “When one of our clients would do business with another client or teach a friend how to build good credit, we could actually see the impact of community development happening before our eyes.”

After attaining her master’s degree, Adelman hopes to teach Spanish in adult educational settings such as community colleges and will continue to work with the Latino community in the Washington, D.C., area.

In her free time, Adelman is actively involved with the dance ministry at her church in Wheaton. In addition, she enjoys cooking, reading nonfiction, the outdoors, the arts and learning to speak Brazilian Portuguese.

“I feel extremely fortunate to be a recipient of the Jack Kent Cooke Graduate Scholarship,” says Adelman.  “The Foundation has not only alleviated the financial burden of graduate school, but also provided a support network of other scholars, staff and people from the academic and professional community.”