Katarina Benson

In May, George Mason celebrated its research enterprise with Innovation Awards. Hosted by the Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Impact, the event recognized researchers, a start-up, and those who received and/or licensed a patent in the past two years.

Jennifer (Jenny) Chism, assistant dean of Admissions, has been an integral part of George Mason University’s Office of Admissions since 2021. She recently led the charge for the Office of Admissions to adopt new and better technology, which has greatly improved both George Mason’s application process and the office’s efficiency. For her leadership, she is being recognized as the July Employee of the Month.

Fourteen George Mason University students, from a variety of majors, were chosen as recipients of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship for study abroad. The U.S. Department of State’s competitive, merit-based Gilman Scholarship Program supports students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, providing them with skills critical to our national security and economic prosperity.

Joy Sobieralski, the financial reporting manager in Fiscal Services, is the June Employee of the Month. 

Senior of the Year Haley White said double majoring in business and art history was one of the best decisions she made during her time at George Mason University. Her second best decision was joining the Mason Chooses Kindness initiative.

Senior anthropology major Zain Alzubaidy recently completed an internship with the United States Department of Commerce. He worked in the Advocacy Center, a government service that provides commercial diplomatic support to American businesses in foreign markets.  

Patricia King, office manager in Research and Innovation Initiatives in the Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Impact (ORIEI), is the May Employee of the Month.

George Mason University computer science major Nasrin Ali has a unique accomplishment—she has completed two internships with Microsoft and begins her third this summer.

Science and Technology Campus machine shop manager Johnnie Hall embodies George Mason University value “students come first.”

In February, George Mason University students attended the first Undergraduate Research Showcase held by the Network for Undergraduate Research in Virginia (NURVa) in Richmond. The event was an opportunity for students to present their research as well as share their work with state legislators.