inclusive excellence

Mini career fair helps neurodivergent students build job search skills

ckearney — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 21:01:51 +0000

Mini career fair helps neurodivergent students build job search skills ckearney Tue, 01/06/2026 - 16:01

A mini career fair in October brought together 17 students and nine employer partners for a networking experience designed with intention: a quieter, structured environment where neurodivergent students could practice professional skills without the sensory overload of a conventional career event.

The mini career fair gave students space to rehearse their personal pitches, ask questions, and receive individualized feedback. Photo provided

Hosted by �鶹��Ƶ’s �鶹��Ƶ Autism Support Initiative (MASI) and the Executive Functioning Program (EFP) in Disability Services, in collaboration with University Career Services (UCS), the event gave students space to rehearse their personal pitches, ask questions, and receive individualized feedback.

Employers from organizations including Fairfax County Government, the Smithsonian National Postal Museum, Melwood, BroadFutures, and the Organization for Autism Research’s Hire Autism Program met students and offered insight into job opportunities, workplace culture, and accessibility. The focused, calm, and conversational tone made it clear that this was not simply a recruitment event; it was an environment engineered for confidence-building.

MASI and EFP created the fair in response to a familiar challenge: large crowded networking events often obscure rather than illuminate opportunity, particularly for neurodivergent students. Here, students moved through a sequence of core skills, including introducing themselves, articulating employment goals, presenting a résumé, and posing targeted questions. Employers responded with candid, practical feedback rooted in real workplace expectations.

The approach worked. Sharon Toda, EFP assistant director, noted that 60% of students reported encountering no obstacles during their interactions—an uncommon statistic for a group that frequently names career fairs as particularly stressful events. For those who did describe challenges, such as uncertainty about how to introduce themselves or what information employers might want, staff emphasized that these moments are exactly the point: The fair exists to make the unfamiliar navigable.

Employer enthusiasm matched student engagement. According to Toda, several employer partners were “pleasantly surprised by the university’s initiative to support individuals with disabilities,” and one partner was motivated enough by the experience to help recruit an additional employer for future fairs. Their participation reflected a shared understanding that access and preparation are not separate goals but mutually reinforcing ones.

First piloted in the spring 2025 semester, the MASI/EFP mini career fair continues to evolve through close collaboration with employer partners and Ann Garner, a Career Services advisor. Participants also had access to a preparation workshop, led by UCS career advisor Zakeyah Frazier.

The fair echoes George �鶹��Ƶ’s broader mission of inclusion and creates yet another path for student success. By shaping the environment around students’ needs and engaging employers committed to accessible hiring, MASI and EFP turned a standard career interaction into something intentional and empowering. The mini career fair is set to return in April 2026.

To learn more about Disability Services’ programming and events, visit ds.gmu.edu.

Topics

Students

inclusive excellence

University Career Services

job fair

workforce

University Life

�鶹��Ƶ recognized for commitment to access, diversity and inclusion

ckearney — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 17:33:54 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ recognized for commitment to access, diversity and inclusion ckearney Wed, 10/09/2024 - 13:33

�鶹��Ƶ has been recognized with a 2024 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from Insight into Diversity magazine, an honor given to institutions that demonstrate a commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion across their campuses.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

The award acknowledges the colleges and universities that are dedicated to promoting access, diversity, and opportunity, creating a more inclusive campus environment. George �鶹��Ƶ, along with other 113 recipients, will be featured in the upcoming November/December issue of Insight Into Diversity, the oldest and most-robust diversity-focused publication in higher education.

“This award recognizes George �鶹��Ƶ’s steadfast efforts to promote inclusivity within higher education and its unwavering commitment to fostering a sense of belonging and opportunity for all students,” said Sharnnia Artis, George �鶹��Ƶ’s vice president and chief diversity officer.

George �鶹��Ƶ, with its dedication to access, is ranked best in Virginia for value and upward mobility by U.S. News & World Report and the Wall Street Journal. The �鶹��Ƶ Virginia Promise provides a pathway to a bachelor’s degree through both its ADVANCE partnership with Northern Virginia Community College and its expansion to other select community colleges in the commonwealth. The university also has a direct admissions program with more than 20 high schools, which led to more than 400 students enrolled for fall, and is opening two lab schools.

Another example of the university’s work in this area is the Access to Research and Inclusive Excellence (ARIE) National Conference, held this spring on George �鶹��Ƶ’s Fairfax Campus. The event brought together student researchers, faculty, and industry leaders to address critical issues in mental health, neurodiversity, and immigrant family support, reflecting the university’s commitment to advancing inclusive excellence through meaningful research and community engagement.

In a press release, Lenore Pearlstein, the publisher of Insight Into Diversity, explained the rigorous selection for the award.

“The HEED Award process consists of a comprehensive and rigorous application that includes questions relating to the recruitment and retention of students and employees—and best practices for both—leadership support for diversity, campus culture and climate, supplier diversity, and many other aspects of campus diversity and inclusion,” Pearlstein said. “We take a detailed approach to reviewing each application in deciding who will be named a HEED Award recipient. Our standards are high, and we look for institutions where diversity and inclusion are woven into the work being done every day across their campus.”

Topics

Campus News

Around �鶹��Ƶ (E-Files)

Faculty and Staff News

inclusive excellence

Strategic Direction

FOCUS summer program marks a decade of engaging middle-school girls in STEM

ckearney — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 20:36:39 +0000

FOCUS summer program marks a decade of engaging middle-school girls in STEM ckearney Wed, 08/14/2024 - 16:36

�鶹��Ƶ’s popular FOCUS outreach program marks its 10th anniversary this summer and continues to expand its science and tech immersion programs.

From left, FOCUS Camp founders Danielle Craddock, Kelly Knight, and Padmanabhan Seshaiyer with the 2024 campers. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

FOCUS stands for Females of Color and those Underrepresented in STEM, and when the camp is in session, the middle schoolers and their counselors can be seen moving around George �鶹��Ƶ’s Fairfax Campus in their brightly colored t-shirts as they immerse themselves in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities from coding and building a robotic arm to viewing distant planets at the Observatory.

For the past decade, FOCUS Camp day programs have invited rising sixth- through eighth-graders to participate in interactive and hands-on workshops. The first year brought 18 girls to campus, with support from donors including the Business Women’s Giving Circle of the Community Foundation of Northern Virginia. Since then, the program has served more than 460 campers—filling to capacity each year within hours of opening admission.

The program’s founders include George �鶹��Ƶ mathematics professor Padmanabhan Seshaiyer, forensic science professor Kelly Knight, former biology professor Claudette Davis, and George �鶹��Ƶ alumna Danielle Craddock, MAIS ’11, the founder of Girls Inspired and Ready to Lead Inc. (GIRL). Knight now leads planning efforts on behalf of the College of Science’s STEM Accelerator Program and has remained steadfast in the FOCUS mission to introduce young women of color to STEM fields and nurture their scientific curiosities.

“We always assess participants the day they begin camp and the day they leave, and it’s truly rewarding to see how much their interest in STEM spikes,” Knight said. “On average, interest rises about 30%, which is huge.”

Professor Karen Sauer and Kelly Knight work with campers to create their own spectrometers. Photo by Eduardo Macedo/Office of University Branding

With the program’s success and an interest from camp alumni wanting to return, organizers expanded in 2018 to also offer the George �鶹��Ƶ College of Science FOCUS Academy—a more advanced and immersive college experience for high school students that further expands STEM topics and incorporates college prep, goal setting, and other classes designed to build their confidence, enhance their leadership skills, and support their social and physical wellness. These workshops cover forensic science, chemistry, bioinformatics, mathematics, and astronomy, which also happen to be areas of specialization for George �鶹��Ƶ.

“I’ve had participants tell me that being around other young girls of color affected the way they felt about attending a STEM program and helped them feel more comfortable when participating,” said Knight. “It helps them gain the skills and confidence they need when they move on to less inclusive spaces, to know that they can be successful.”

And it’s not only the FOCUS attendees who feel the impact. Knight said the George �鶹��Ƶ undergraduate students who serve as counselors feel it too. Some have moved on to teaching careers in STEM subjects, while others have launched their own nonprofits for young girls in STEM.

George �鶹��Ƶ alumna Jade Kirkland said the FOCUS camp is the highlight of her summer. Kirkland had just finished her first year at George �鶹��Ƶ as a forensic science major when she received the email about volunteering at FOCUS. Since then, she’s graduated from George �鶹��Ƶ with both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in forensic science and now works in a biotechnology lab in Manassas, Virginia. She said she saves her personal time off each year so she can take one week off to come back to George �鶹��Ƶ to serve as a FOCUS counselor.

“What brings me back every year is the fact that I get to have an impact on these girls at a young age and let them know that STEM isn’t just for the boys,” said Kirkland, who has worked as a FOCUS counselor since the beginning. “It’s something I didn’t have when I was that age.”

As a FOCUS counselor, Kirkland makes sure each camp participant gets as much out of the week as possible. That includes answering questions in workshops, sharing her own experiences as a forensic scientist, guiding them across the college campus, and ensuring a safe space for them to learn.

FOCUS participants viewed microfossils under a microscope and learned how they are used to investigate past climates and reconstruct ancient ocean conditions. Photo by Eduardo Macedo/Office of University Branding

“I have as much fun participating in the activities as they do, and it’s amazing to watch how they think through things,” said Kirkland, describing a lab she and the campers participated in last year to explore chemistry topics. Each made their own small bottle of perfume. “I get a new perspective of STEM every year through these girls, and it makes me fall in love with science all over again.”

In 2021, the program expanded further to offer FOCUS MOST, led by Seshaiyer, a professional development program for K-12 STEM teachers that encourages the design of STEM workshops for camp participants that can then be brought back to their schools.

“It’s not just the 50 girls coming each summer who are impacted,” said Knight. “It’s these teachers who are now taking methods back to their own schools. Along with the counselors mentoring these young girls who choose to continue to work even after they leave George �鶹��Ƶ.”

So, what comes next? Knight said that there is still work to be done. While efforts to increase an interest in STEM for middle school and high school students have been effective, she said more needs to happen to influence representation at the college and early-career levels.

“We need to expand the ecosystem of support for students so that they can continue to thrive in STEM even when they’re in college or at the professional level,” she said. “We’re not seeing enough change in the numbers because there’s not enough support once students approach graduation and enter the workforce.”

The next FOCUS program expansion will consider ways to support women of color at the college level as they navigate the STEM fields and choose what they want to do after they graduate. And Knight said she also wants to extend the program’s reach.

“Thinking bigger about what it means to have impact on not just students local to Virginia, but on a national and international level, I think is going be another next phase for us for sure.”

Topics

Annual Scholarship Dinner recognizes donors and students in an evening of gratitude

ckearney — Thu, 16 May 2024 12:55:10 +0000

Annual Scholarship Dinner recognizes donors and students in an evening of gratitude ckearney Thu, 05/16/2024 - 08:55

“If I was able to meet the people who had given me the scholarship I received? For starters, I would give them a big hug!”

The enthusiasm of �鶹��Ƶ student Dean Johnson, integrative studies major and recipient of the Howard Book Fund Scholarship, brought smiles to faces throughout the dining room of the International Country Club in Fairfax. Johnson’s and two other George �鶹��Ƶ scholarship recipients’ experiences were featured as a video finale for an evening where many scholarship recipients were able offer thanks—in person—to the individuals who had made their scholarships possible.

George �鶹��Ƶ’s Scholarship Dinner brings together the generous individuals who have given to student scholarships with some of the amazing students who have received scholarship support.

“You can tell an event is important based on who shows up,” said George �鶹��Ƶ President Gregory Washington. “I’ve counted seven deans here!”

Students, donors, and �鶹��Ƶ staff enjoyed an evening of gratitude, with 200 guests in attendance to hear students’ stories of impact.

More than 1,100 scholarships have been awarded in FY 24, totaling more than $3.5 million.

Business major Rakibul Alam spoke about his George �鶹��Ƶ experience at the event. Photo by Sean Kelley Photography

"This evening represents the power of philanthropy coming to life,” said Trishana E. Bowden, �鶹��Ƶ Foundation president and George �鶹��Ƶ’s vice president for advancement and alumni relations. “Your generosity gives students a chance—a chance to learn, a chance to challenge themselves academically, a chance to lead, and an opportunity to immerse themselves in the multitude of perspectives that they see in their peers. Through scholarship support, you bring promising students to the arena, allowing them to grow and advance beyond their own perceived limits.”

Several students spoke to the group about the impact that scholarships had had in their lives. “Receiving scholarship support has not only eased the financial burden of pursuing my degree, but has inspired me to strive for academic excellence and allowed me to actively contribute to student life,” said Rakibul Alam, a business major who is a recipient of the Shrivastava Diversity and Inclusion Scholarship. Alam is an Honors College professional development fellow, part of George �鶹��Ƶ’s Student Government, and is a Costello College of Business student ambassador. “I take on these extracurricular opportunities because I believe that I have a responsibility to give back to a place that has already given me so much.”

Several students spoke to the group about the impact that the scholarships had had in their lives. Photo by Sean Kelly Photography

Sumeet Shrivastava, MBA ‘94, hosted the evening’s events. Shrivastava is a leader in the government IT industry and a committed alum, board member, donor, and volunteer for the Costello College of Business and �鶹��Ƶ. His family’s generosity to �鶹��Ƶ has made it possible for many students to realize their academic goals.

Shrivastava related the circumstances of his father’s engineering education, which began in India and continued with his master’s degree at the University of North Carolina—a step that was catalyzed through a scholarship. “That scholarship didn’t just fund his education,” said Shrivastava, “it forged connections that would shape the course of his life. Through his studies, he met mentors who believed in his potential, peers who shared his ambitions, and a network of support that pushed him forward.”

Describing his own philanthropy as “an opportunity to be the bridge for someone else’s journey,” Shrivastava encouraged the attendees to forge connections and be the architects of change.

Bowden, too, confirmed the impact of the scholarship she had received during college. “The message behind this act was truly compelling: to realize that someone I had never met believed in what I could achieve. It gave me confidence in my own abilities and potential. You could even say that it inspired my life’s work: bringing such opportunities to other students.”

And she shared a special message with the George �鶹��Ƶ students gathered. “Please know how proud we are of you,” she said. “We know how hard you are working and are delighted to be part of your story.”

Topics

A sport for everyone: George �鶹��Ƶ Ice Hockey Club builds lasting connections with the community

Sarah Holland — Wed, 15 May 2024 15:05:14 +0000

A sport for everyone: George �鶹��Ƶ Ice Hockey Club builds lasting connections with the community Sarah Holland Wed, 05/15/2024 - 11:05

Andrew Nash, BS in Sports Management ’17, MS in Sports Management ’18, has played a lot of sports in his lifetime. Nothing, he says, is like hockey.

Andrew Nash, left, on the ice at the annual charity game. Photo by Matt Ricciardi

“Maybe it’s the travel, or the difficulty of the sport, but it really bonds you together like no other sport I’ve played,” Nash said. “The sense of community is stronger than I ever felt.”

Community is the foundation of the �鶹��Ƶ Ice Hockey Club, a philosophy that extends beyond the barriers of the rink and past the stadium’s aluminum bleachers. In partnership with the Washington Capitals and Prince William County, George �鶹��Ƶ Ice Hockey is working to expand access to hockey through an outdoor ball hockey rink right next to their home ice in Prince William Ice Center.

While a fantastic sport, ice hockey can be inaccessible. Players need access to an ice rink and need to be able to skate adeptly; they need full-body padding and a means to transport and care for that equipment; they need to be able to pay club fees, rink fees, and travel fees.

However, ball hockey—also called street hockey—opens the door to opportunity. Players only need sneakers, a stick, and a ball, and you’re ready to play.

“Ball hockey is a fantastic way to expand access to ice hockey,” said Steve Hyjek, former head coach of the George �鶹��Ƶ Hockey Club. “It gives more people the opportunity to try the sport, to love the sport, and to become future players or fans.”

Hyjek, who retired from his role as head coach this year at the team’s 2024 charity game, wanted his players to be active and engaged citizens, giving back to their communities long after their time at George �鶹��Ƶ has ended.

The annual charity game is one component of that. Prior to the game, for example, players meet with the people for whom they’re fundraising. “I want them to understand who they’re helping, and why we’re helping them,” Hyjek said. “It makes them feel more connected to the cause, and to the community that supports them, but it also makes this act of giving back almost like a muscle memory. So when they graduate, they keep doing it.”

This philosophy is one that has shaped his players’ careers.

During his junior year, Nash got an internship at the Washington Capitals thanks to Hyjek and the other coaches’ connections. Nash has worked for the Capitals ever since, now as the manager for youth hockey development. His job is expanding accessibility of hockey to the Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland community, through off-ice clinics in the form of ball and inline hockey.

“There will always be people who can’t afford to play ice hockey, or for whom an ice rink is too far from them to make regular games and practices feasible, but we don’t want to push them aside and say, ‘you can’t afford it, you’re not close to a rink, so you don’t matter,’ ” Nash said. “The hope with these workshops is that we show kids and families that there are alternatives, and further develop a community for the Capitals through increased interest in the sport.

“Without the community,’ Nash said, “there is no team.”

Steve Hyjek at his final charity game as head coach. Photo by Matt Ricciardi

Mae Whitesides, BA Criminology, Law and Society ’19, managed the team’s social media and website during her time at George �鶹��Ƶ. Like Nash, her time in George �鶹��Ƶ hockey opened the doors for a career in sports with the Washington Capitals marketing department and, more recently, social media for MLB Network and NHL Network. The dedication to supporting each other and the community was, she said, one of her fondest memories from her time at George �鶹��Ƶ.

“The charity game my senior year was standing room only,” she said. “We would not be who we are today if not for that support from the community, and the work people like Steve put into building up our team.”

Hyjek agreed. “When you expand the community of folks who are playing the game or who are interested in the game, it helps the sport. For us, we hope that our work brings more players interested in George �鶹��Ƶ and �鶹��Ƶ Hockey, or even just more fans.”

This hypothesis has already proven to be true: After spending the day at a local elementary school, teaching kids how to play ball hockey, he’s seen some of those students in the stands of their games, as well as at Learn to Skate clinics. With the new ball hockey rink, he hopes that interest will continue to grow, not just in hockey but in George �鶹��Ƶ as well.

“You’re planting seeds,” Hyjek said. “Planting seeds so that George �鶹��Ƶ can be on their list when the time comes.”

Hit the ice with George �鶹��Ƶ Ice Hockey Club

Find your team with George �鶹��Ƶ club sports

Topics

Alumni

George �鶹��Ƶ Ice Hockey Club

School of Sport Recreation and Tourism Management

College of Education and Human Development

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

club sports

inclusive excellence

�鶹��Ƶ film student’s inclusive festival celebrates its second year

Shayla Brown — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 20:27:11 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ film student’s inclusive festival celebrates its second year Shayla Brown Fri, 01/05/2024 - 15:27

As a film student at �鶹��Ƶ, Roberto Ferreira De Araujo wanted to celebrate diversity and highlight the full spectrum of experiences represented by the LGBTQ+ community.

During his first semester at �鶹��Ƶ in fall 2022, Ferreira De Araujo and two of his classmates created the Here and Queer Film Festival as a final project for KJ Mohr’s FAVS 399 Curating and Programming course.

Roberto Ferreira de Araujo posing with the 'Here and Queer Festival' poster during on screening day. Photo provided.

“Growing up, I didn't see a lot of films with queer characters, and when I did, they always involved crimes, violence, and diseases,” said the film and video studies major. “I struggled to find a film that I really loved, so I attempted to find those films with this festival.”

“Roberto is building a safe and celebratory space for communities at �鶹��Ƶ in particular. It comes at a crucial time with the majority of students being in their late teens and early twenties,” said Mohr, who is the director of the Maryland Film Festival and the director of programming for the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival in Florida. 

“It's such a crucial moment in one's life to be grappling with these issues and to feel that net of support can be, frankly, a matter of life and death,” she said.

Ferreira De Araujo found inspiration to create the festival after completing an internship with the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art in the summer of 2022, where he was involved in programming films, he said.

“I knew that I wanted to make something around films and showcasing films,” said Ferreira De Araujo, who transferred to �鶹��Ƶ from Northern Virginia Community College and is graduating this spring. “I would spend 40 hours a week just watching films and writing notes about it, creating lists of the themes and how would that be presented.”

The first festival was such a success that Ferreira De Araujo decided to hold a second iteration this November in the Johnson Center. “I received such positive feedback [last year] and noticed a strong interest in a second edition. It motivated me to start working on this year's programming,” he said.

The 2023 festival featured short films from all over the world including work from �鶹��Ƶ students and faculty, including Djola Branner, director of �鶹��Ƶ’s School of Theater, whose film, Mighty Real, was shown at the festival.

“It’s important to me to show more queer films and have more representation. I'm trying to put content out there that I wish I had when I was [younger],” said De Araujo. “These films not only provide entertainment but also contribute to meaningful conversations surrounding queer experiences.”

“I wanted people to [leave the festival] with the assurance that no matter what, they would always have a community out there that celebrates and supports them,” he said.

Additional reporting by Katarina Benson.

In This Story

Learn more about Film and Video at �鶹��Ƶ

Topics

College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)

College of Visual and Performing Arts Film and Video Studies

LGBTQ+

Students

inclusive excellence

�鶹��Ƶ is ‘best of the best’ for LGBTQ+ students

ckearney — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 14:33:14 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ is ‘best of the best’ for LGBTQ+ students ckearney Wed, 08/30/2023 - 10:33

�鶹��Ƶ is one of only 30 institutions nationwide, and the only one in Virginia, to be awarded a 2023 “best of the best” ranking in Campus Pride’s recently released survey.

The acknowledgment adds to a growing list of accolades for the university for creating a welcoming and supportive campus for students, faculty, and staff, including:

A national No. 7 ranking, and No. 1 in Virginia, for developing high-level support networks for LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff, according to a combined report by Best Colleges and Campus Pride.
A five-star Premiere Campus ranking by the Campus Pride Index.
And a 100% score in the Athletic Equity Index, one of just 19 institutions to receive that distinction in an examination of how NCAA Division I institutions support LGBTQ+ student-athletes.

“�鶹��Ƶ is a place where all are welcome, supported, and can find their community,” said Rose Pascarell, vice president for University Life at �鶹��Ƶ. “It is important to highlight these rankings to celebrate the students, faculty, staff, and community partners who have made �鶹��Ƶ a national leader in this space.”

It doesn’t mean �鶹��Ƶ is perfect, said Josh Kinchen, director of �鶹��Ƶ’s LGBTQ+ Resources Center, but that “there is active, ongoing, committed work going on across campus.”

“It also helps students, particularly prospective students find us,” Kinchen (he/ze) said of the rankings. “We want them to come here. It’s an opportunity for us to celebrate that and the university’s commitment to doing this work.”

The already extensive work is expanding, Kinchen said.

More than 100 students engaged with new LGBTQ+-centric affinity spaces at New Student Convocation, Kinchen said. Lavender Orientation, which in the past was only offered only at Fall Welcome2�鶹��Ƶ, will now also be offered during the spring event.

The LGBTQ+ Residential Learning Community will, for the first time, participate in Virginia PrideFest in Richmond in September. And the Safe Zone+ workshops that have been available at �鶹��Ƶ Korea for three years will now have facilitators trained from within the �鶹��Ƶ Korea community.

It is the kind of proactive atmosphere that attracted Sunny Sellers to �鶹��Ƶ.

“Mostly I was looking for a place I could flourish,” said Sellers (they/them), a sophomore social work major who is also a student coordinator at the LGBTQ+ Resources Center. “As an LGBTQ+ person, I was really trying to find somewhere where I saw people like me and be in a place that accepted and respected me.”

It is an ongoing, evolving process, Kinchen said.

“We continue to think about new and innovative ways to engage our community, because we have more students identifying as part of that community, and because of the community’s complexity and vibrancy,” Kinchen said.

Campus Pride Index 2023

LGBTQ+ Resources Center

In This Story

Rose Pascarell, MA

Josh Kinchen

Topics

�鶹��Ƶ one of 28 schools leading the way by admitting and graduating low-income, high-achieving students

ckearney — Fri, 26 May 2023 17:03:38 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ one of 28 schools leading the way by admitting and graduating low-income, high-achieving students ckearney Fri, 05/26/2023 - 13:03

�鶹��Ƶ has earned the American Talent Initiative (ATI) High-Flier distinction as one of 28 colleges or universities that provide “transformative leadership in college access and success for lower-income students, serving as a model for colleges and universities across the country.”

�鶹��Ƶ graduates at Spring Commencement 2023. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

�鶹��Ƶ is the only Virginia university to receive the honor, announced Tuesday by Bloomberg Philanthropies. Among the criteria were �鶹��Ƶ serving students who receive Pell Grants and innovative recruitment, enrollment and retention practices that ATI will highlight to other four-year colleges and universities.

�鶹��Ƶ 29% of �鶹��Ƶ students qualify for federal Pell Grants because of financial need. The press release about the High-Flier recognition notes that since joining the ATI in 2019, �鶹��Ƶ has “maintained one of the highest Pell shares among its 137 peers.”

“We share the urgency of ATI’s mission to prioritize access and outcomes,” �鶹��Ƶ President Gregory Washington said. “We must provide opportunities for students of all backgrounds and then work with them so they graduate poised for success. It’s not just about getting them in, it’s about getting them out.”

The 28 high-flier universities include institutions of varying sizes, among them Princeton, Yale, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, the University of Michigan and the University of Texas.

The ADVANCE partnership with Northern Virginia Community College, the �鶹��Ƶ Virginia Promise (and MVP Grant), and the Early Identification Program are among �鶹��Ƶ initiatives that support enrolling and graduating students from low-income families and closing equity-based retention and graduation disparities.

“George �鶹��Ƶ has worked hard to achieve these outcomes for students, and we are launching new programs to enhance these efforts, such as Direct Admission, where we partner with area high schools to offer admission to qualified students without a formal application,” said David Burge, �鶹��Ƶ vice president for enrollment management. “The High-Flier recognition from ATI is further validation that �鶹��Ƶ is a bridge of opportunity that connects potential with academic and career success.”

In 2021, ATI cited �鶹��Ƶ for growing its number of Pell Grant-receiving students by the fifth-largest total in the country over a five-year period. ATI is a partnership among Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Aspen Institute’s College Excellence Program and Ithaka S+R.

"The economic fallout from the pandemic has made it even more important for schools across the country to adopt innovative new ways to attract and retain students from under-represented backgrounds," said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies and 108th mayor of New York City, in the High-Flier press release.

“I applaud ATI's 28 High-Fliers for leading the way in this work and increasing the diversity of their campuses,” Bloomberg continued. “We hope their efforts serve as an example for other schools that are committed to creating opportunity for more lower-income students, so we can accelerate national progress on this critical challenge.”

Topics

Campus News

American Talent Initiative

inclusive excellence

enrollment growth

Strategic Direction

Finding �鶹��Ƶ’s voice en español

ckearney — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 15:26:34 +0000

Finding �鶹��Ƶ’s voice en español ckearney Wed, 01/25/2023 - 10:26

If you recently caught a glimpse of the familiar green and gold on the side of a Northern Virginia bus, you may have also noticed something new. Since May 2022, �鶹��Ƶ has invited the families of prospective Hispanic students to learn about the university in its first Spanish-language marketing campaign.

The campaign features Spanish-language posters on buses and at Virginia Rail Express and Metro stations in Northern Virginia, as well as social media advertising and radio marketing aimed at the Hispanic community in the greater Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland area. The models in the ads are all �鶹��Ƶ students.

In addition, radio marketing has included commercials during 2022 World Cup coverage and Spanish-language faculty interviews, which received an overwhelmingly positive response.

Spanish speakers are invited to learn more about �鶹��Ƶ via a Spanish web presence, or to call for more information. The Office of Admissions and Enrollment and Office of University Branding, which operates the university switchboard, have both hired bilingual phone attendants to welcome callers and connect them with the offices that can help them.

�鶹��Ƶ enrolls and graduates the largest percentage and number of Hispanic students among Virginia and Maryland public universities, which makes the expansion into Spanish-language marketing even more important.

“The Hispanic populations in Virginia and at �鶹��Ƶ have both increased significantly in recent decades,” said Eric Woodall, associate vice president of brand marketing for the Office of University Branding. “This campaign is part of our efforts to better highlight our current Hispanic student population and ensure that prospective families have materials in Spanish to help them make informed decisions.”

“We are starting a lasting dialogue with households headed by those who may not be conversant in or comfortable speaking English, and are looking for way-finding to get their sons and daughters to and through college,” said Paul G. Allvin, �鶹��Ƶ vice president and chief brand officer. “Our messaging mirrors what these families tell us they look for and find in a �鶹��Ƶ education: flexibility, affordability, safety, and the existence of their own culture in campus life.”

Despite a nationwide increase in Hispanic college students, Hispanic young people are still the least likely among their peers to be enrolled in college or have a bachelor’s degree, according to the Pew Research Center. Taking this into account, the campaign’s first phase focused on raising parent awareness of �鶹��Ƶ’s commitment to diversity and accessibility.

“What comes next for us is maintaining our presence in terms of Spanish-language advertising and looking to expand and strengthen our partnerships with Hispanic community organizations,” Woodall said.

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Meet Melissa J. Perry, the new dean of the College of Health and Human Services

ckearney — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 17:21:29 +0000

Meet Melissa J. Perry, the new dean of the College of Health and Human Services ckearney Mon, 08/29/2022 - 13:21

Melissa J. Perry, the new dean of �鶹��Ƶ’s College of Health and Human Services, recently sat down to discuss her personal and academic background, her vision for the college, and her approach to lifelong learning.

Dean Melissa J. Perry joined �鶹��Ƶ August 1. Photo by Ron Aira/Creative Services

Perry served as professor and chair of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health in the George Washington University Milken School of Public Health. She also recently completed an assignment in Albania as a Fellow in the Fulbright International Education Program for Global Scholars working to build public health capacity in that country.

CHHS is in the process of becoming a college of public health. Why is this transition important to �鶹��Ƶ, the region, and the world?

Having a College of Public Health in the commonwealth will benefit those who live in the state and the region in many tangible ways. We will continue to engage with communities to improve health equity and access; foster workforce readiness and expand the pipeline of health care workers; and generate groundbreaking interdisciplinary research. Equity and inclusion will be at the center of all we do.

There’s no doubt in my mind that �鶹��Ƶ is the place to launch the first College of Public Health in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

How has the pandemic underscored the impact that a College of Public Health could have?

The timing of launching the College of Public Health is essential. Infectious disease experts predicted decades before that we would face a pandemic. But in the United States, we were caught off guard because over the past two decades the jobs in public health have been reduced by at least 200,000. So investments in public health had been deteriorating. This pandemic has now made epidemiology, emerging infections and public health household terms that are fully recognized and that the importance of which are understood.

The pandemic also brought to the forefront long-standing disparities in access to health care in underserved populations who were severely impacted by COVID-19. While public health practitioners and care providers have recognized and sought to address health equity for decades, the pandemic increased awareness within the public.

The college has extensive outreach into the greater community. What role does and should the college play in the region?

During COVID, the university’s ability to respond in a health crisis, and the college’s ability to respond to community needs as it related to testing and vaccinations, has just been remarkable. And that is just one example of the significant example of the role the college can and will play within the region.

Imagine in five to ten years being able to reflect on the growth in leaders in public health having been trained here—leaders in health care, nursing, social work, nutrition, epidemiology, community health, and global health. Imagine being able to say, yes, the arrival of the College of Public Health was the conduit through which a whole generation of new public health leaders were equipped to provide care and advise on policy, and make decisions about how to keep the population as healthy as possible, and how to make it accessible and equitable.

Has the pandemic increased student interest in pursuing careers in public health?

In the last two years, applications to programs and schools of public health across the country have increased by 16%. So that’s an inordinate number of students nationally who have decided based on the upheaval and the profound disruption of the pandemic to go into public health. Public health and health care careers are the fastest-growing occupations in the country, with a projection of an increase in more than 2 million jobs in the next decade.

In terms of locally and within the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is a nursing crisis, and there is a health care provider crisis. That is why the college is integrally involved in several workforce initiatives to prepare the next generation of leaders across many disciplines, including health informatics, nursing, public health, and social work. We’ll be able to rise to even more of that demand, caring for disenfranchised and marginalized communities, as well as addressing preventive care and the mental and behavioral health problems that most of the country has experienced.

You’ve said that the college has an important role to play in advancing health as a human right. How so?

�鶹��Ƶ is about inclusivity. The university welcomes at least a third of students who are low income, at least 40% who are first-generation college students. That is very unique. And that’s, I believe, a reflection of innovation and forward thinking. What better a way to achieve health as a human right than to ensure anyone who wants an education in public health, anybody who is interested in being part of the solution, to have access to a top-notch education?

You grew up in rural Vermont, six miles from the Canadian border, and attended the University of Vermont on a Pell Grant. Could you have envisioned this career arc, with stops at Johns Hopkins and Harvard and now becoming a dean?

My teenager friends and I would sit around in our tiny town and we would say: Can you imagine ever driving in Burlington? And I would say, no way, I’m not going to drive in Burlington! That’s going to be too scary and too complicated. So it was a really transformative experience to step foot on the University of Vermont campus to study psychology and soon be turned on to the idea of public health and mental health and the prevention of mental disorders. My experiences help me appreciate the variety of perspectives that our students bring to their education.

As your career has advanced you’ve sought training in management and leadership and now you’re completing your MBA at �鶹��Ƶ. Why is this important to you at this stage of your career as an accomplished scientist and public health leader?

What I’ve learned is that oftentimes researchers and academics get hired into positions of leadership not based on their leadership skills or even their attitude but solely for their aptitude. If you want to be a good leader you should be willing to continually learn and adapt. Everything I’ve learned throughout my career and more recently through my MBA program has a direct impact on my daily approach to leadership. If one has a spirit of inquiry, a thirst for new knowledge and curiosity about ways of approaching new problems, then lifelong learning becomes the catalyst for both happiness and success.

The College of Health and Human Services is now the College of Public Health

The College of Public Health at �鶹��Ƶ brings an inclusive approach to public health education, research, and practice. More than 60% of the College of Public Health student body is from historically underrepresented groups, and 38% of its undergraduates are first-generation college students.

Learn how �鶹��Ƶ is advancing public health for Virginia and beyond