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Camp Costello gives first-year students a head start in their college careers

Sarah Holland — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 14:13:54 +0000

Camp Costello gives first-year students a head start in their college careers Sarah Holland Wed, 10/01/2025 - 10:13

No matter how big or small your university, the first semester of college can feel overwhelming. But a new initiative in the Costello College of Business at �鶹��Ƶ is hoping to make that transition a little smoother.

Camp Costello participants and student mentors. Photo by Hannah Patterson/Costello College of Business

This year, Costello hosted its inaugural Camp Costello: a three-day program for incoming first-year students starting on move-in day and ending with New Student Convocation.

“Many students attend Orientation early in the summer, so this was designed to bridge the gap,” said Maxwell Gocala-Nguyen, director of undergraduate recruitment and engagement in Costello. “It was a way for us to build community for students in an intentional way.”

Amanda Ngour, a business management major, came to Camp Costello, “because I wanted to have a head start for this semester and to be in a fun and creative community.”

In between community building exercises like challenge courses at The Edge on the Science and Technology Campus and icebreakers led by student mentors, the 50 participating students met with staff and faculty from various campus offices, such as Housing and Residence Life, Career Services, University Life, and the Alumni Association.

“We want to remove the barriers,” said Gocala-Nguyen. “We want them to see faculty, staff, and administrators as accessible, approachable, and committed to their success.”

Dean Ajay Vinzé poses with student mentors. Photo by Hannah Patterson/Costello College of Business

That includes barriers between first-year students and upperclassmen. “As student mentors, we’re there to help, to say, ‘hey, we knew exactly what you’re going through,’” said one of the eight Camp Costello student mentors Abhinav Dinesh, a senior business major and Honors College student. “And that student-to-student interaction can give them the confidence to, for example, reach out to faculty or offices that will help them. “I wish I had an opportunity like this when I was an incoming student,” Dinesh added. “It can be overwhelming in your first year, but our job is to show them that these offices and people are here for them, and to send them into their first semester feeling confident and prepared.”

Based on the support from the community, external as well as internal partners see Camp Costello’s mission as an important step on a new student’s path. “Our corporate partners, benefactors, and the Costello team really made this inaugural program come together,” said Gocala-Nguyen. “They offered their time and energy to give back to the university to help the next generation be successful.”

Even Dean Ajay Vinzé joined the students for some of the panels. Being able to speak directly with the dean is not an opportunity often afforded to college students. But that’s what makes George �鶹��Ƶ and Costello special. “Our leadership wants students to knock on their door and tell them their stories,” Gocala-Nguyen said. “We want to bring students into the conversation.”

“[The dean] is a student-first person and his involvement in Camp Costello really showed incoming students that he wants them to talk to him,” said Dinesh.

Photo by Hannah Patterson/Costello College of Business

For marketing major Geoffrey Yuan, a quote from Dean Vinzé is something he thinks he’ll carry with him throughout the coming school year. “He told me, ‘never say no to opportunities and work hard wherever you are. In this way more doors will open for you, but even if a door doesn't open, you're still on the right path to get to wherever you're trying to go,’” Yuan reported.

Camp Costello is a one-of-a-kind experience for first-year students that Gocala-Nguyen hopes will continue to grow year after year.

“By breaking down barriers, we’re showing how people at all levels of the university are deeply invested in student success and dedicated to building community that sticks with you long after graduation,” he said.

Dinesh said the bonds made during Camp Costello are persisting.

“These are the types of friendships that can last your entire time in college,” he said. “And having friends like that is one of the best ways to succeed.”

Photo by Hannah Patterson/Costello College of Business

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AI plus mathematical modeling equals a new tool for teaching

Sarah Holland — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 16:36:49 +0000

AI plus mathematical modeling equals a new tool for teaching Sarah Holland Tue, 09/23/2025 - 12:36

“Where am I going to use that?” is, according to Jennifer Suh, a common complaint in math classrooms. The real-world applications of algebra, geometry, and probability are often lost in the shuffle of textbook questions and equations. But this professor of mathematics leadership education is hoping to change the narrative.

Ziyu Yao, PI, assistant professor in the Computer Science Department in the College of Engineering and Computing; Suh, co-PI, professor of mathematics specialist leadership in the College of Education and Human Development; and collaborative site-PI Janice Zhang of William and Mary received a grant from the National Science Foundation’s Research on Innovative Technologies for Enhanced Learning (RITEL) program to develop MathVC: a virtual classroom where middle school students can work through mathematical modeling problems with AI-powered chatbot students. A preliminary version of this project was sponsored by Microsoft’s Accelerating Foundation Models award, also led by Yao.

“We're trying to build these 21st-century skills in collaborative problem-solving while preparing students to solve global challenges, all while making math modeling a more inclusive practice,” said Suh.

Mathematical modeling creates a mathematical representation of a real-world scenario to help teach students math concepts in context. These can be small scale scenarios—calculate costs for a party—or global challenges—supplying clean water to a city after a major flooding event.

A demo of MathVC with Yao communicating with the virtual students. Photo provided.

These types of math problems combine computational skills and soft skills like critical thinking, collaboration, and communication: identifying the problem, defining the variables, analyzing solutions, iterating on the model, and reporting findings.

“These are problems with real-world applications,” explained Suh. “It helps students understand the value.”

While mathematical modeling is an incredibly effective tool for math education, it comes with its own set of challenges. “Schools vary greatly in their access to classroom resources, teacher resources, education research...and as a result not all students are given the opportunity to engage with this type of learning,” Suh said. “And on an individual level, some students find the communication aspect of this more challenging than others.”

MathVC is one way to bridge those gaps of accessibility.

Within the virtual classroom, the human student can collaborate with generative AI students to work through these mathematical models.

“We see the benefits for multilingual students, as well as for students who want to develop their communication skills for math reasoning and justification through math talk,” said Suh. And for teachers, MathVC allows students to ask questions and be prompted through the problem without their intervention: a benefit for teachers with large classroom sizes who are otherwise unable to monitor every group.

Once the program is deployed, access will be as simple as logging into a website. “Our system is developed using state-of-the-art Large Language Models (LLMs). The cost of these tools is reducing, the programming required is reducing, so it’s an incredibly practical solution,” said Yao.

From the student perspective, MathVC’s success is dependent on how accurate the generative AI student voices are. Part of the grant supports the development of Math EdVentures Camp, a week-long program for students to build their skills in mathematical modeling, as well as an opportunity for Suh and Yao to collect valuable data on student problem-solving and communication techniques.

“AI safety is paramount,” explained Yao. “Authentic simulation prevents the students from losing the social skills of communicating with real-life peers, as well as makes the human-AI interaction more engaging.”

Students in Math EdVentures Camp explore how many water drops could fit on a coin. Photo provided.

This past summer, students in the Math EdVentures Camp explored STEM problems both large and small—from bridge engineering to calculating the number of water drops that could fit on a coin—in three-person teams with guest professors Theresa Wills and Andy Gilbert. Teachers provided feedback as they worked through the modeling problems. On the last day, Yao led the students through a demonstration of the MathVC and asked for their feedback.

All of this is helping mold the generative AI.

“We found that students don’t want to be told the answer,” said Yao. “They prefer the interactive learning, where they get thought-provoking questions that help them find the solution.”

Math EdVentures Camp leadership. Photo provided.

“Watching our fantastic team of Math EdVentures instructors and George �鶹��Ƶ student researchers work with the middle schoolers was also a rich source of data to improve how the AI will support student problem-solving and critical thinking,” said Suh.

Yao and Suh discovered some surprises, too.

“They were actually really interested in how we developed the program,” said Yao. “Students were asking me what classes they needed to take in high school or college in order to develop a platform like this themselves. And we had good discussions about keeping a critical mind while using AI.”

MathVC represents one way that George �鶹��Ƶ researchers are leveraging transdisciplinary collaboration to advance 21st education for all, a part of the university’s Grand Challenge Initiative. And there’s another goal as well—changing the narrative of math education.

“When we talk to middle schoolers, a lot of them have math phobia. But these more collaborative learning models get them excited and interested,” Suh said. “We want all kids to see that they are math people.”

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Can AI expand access to legal services? This aspiring lawyer hopes to find the answer.

Sarah Holland — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 19:23:17 +0000

Can AI expand access to legal services? This aspiring lawyer hopes to find the answer. Sarah Holland Fri, 09/05/2025 - 15:23

With an associate’s degree from Northern Virginia Community College already in hand by the time she graduated high school, Sharanya Maddukuri was determined to make the most of her final two undergraduate years. Because of its top ranking in Virginia for internships, �鶹��Ƶ was the place for her.

Maddukuri, an Honors College student, is majoring in government and international politics with a minor in ethics and artificial intelligence (AI) and wants to attend law school. She’s already hit the ground running, landing two internships at the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) in Washington, D.C., during spring and summer semesters in 2025.

How did you find your internship with the LSC?

I’m in the [Schar School of Policy and Government] mentorship program, and I’m paired with Tim O’Shea, BA Government and International Politics ’19. He’s currently a lawyer for the government. I told him about how I was having trouble finding an internship for the spring 2025 semester, and he recommended I look at opportunities with LSC.

You’ve interned in two different sectors of LSC. Your first internship in the spring was with the Pro Bono Innovation Fund (PBIF). What kind of work did you do?

Basically, the PBIF offers grants to legal aid organizations across the nation to help them engage more lawyers and non-legal professionals in pro bono services to help close the justice gap. So, one of my main projects was a five‑month audit of the Pro Bono Innovation Fund, where I analyzed data from 30 legal aid organizations. After presenting my findings, I realized my work had sparked a genuine shift in how the team approached its largest grant, which made this project one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had.

I also helped my supervisor plan a panel on pro bono work for the Equal Justice Conference in San Francisco, and I got to attend the conference to see the panel I had worked on for five months come to life! I had the opportunity to hear about pro bono cases all around the world, like a case of international kidnapping where private attorneys from a big law firm stepped in to provide resources and help the client. Hearing about these cases where pro bono made a difference was really inspiring.

In the summer, you transitioned to the Disaster Grants Program within LSC. How did your responsibilities change?

In the Disaster Grants Program, I mainly worked on the Legal Aid Disaster and Heartland websites, which are both resources for legal aid professionals working in disaster areas and for disaster survivors. One exciting project I did was paving the way for a site-wide content audit to support the development of an AI chatbot, which will greatly assist disaster survivors navigating the plethora of legal issues that arise after a disaster.

Maddukuri in front of the LSC sign in their office. Photo provided.

You mentioned the justice gap: Is this an issue you’re passionate about?

Yes, definitely. The justice gap has been growing since the ‘80s, and LSC reports that low-income Americans did not receive any or enough legal help for 92% of their civil legal problems. Having been exposed to the ways that legal aid organizations and LSC are using AI, I know I want to pursue a career helping legal aid organizations incorporate AI. Using AI responsibly to help reduce the load of their intake processes for applications, developing AI self-help resources for legal advice or completing paperwork, or even chatbots that can provide translation services: Those would really help people who don’t have access to legal services, and therefore would help narrow that gap. I would love to be at the forefront of that.

How have your experiences at George �鶹��Ƶ helped prepare you for the responsibilities of your internships?

The Jurisprudence Learning Community (JPLC) in the Schar School has been really helpful in equipping me with pre-law resources. The director of the JPLC, Assistant Professor Shea Holman Kilian, has been a great resource as well, particularly helping me prepare to apply for the internship. And her class is also very similar to a class you would take your first year of law school, so I feel better prepared for law school when it’s time.

Law and Society with [assistant professor] Kelly Richter was a welcome challenge and incredibly helpful. We analyzed the dynamic relationship where society shapes the law, and in turn, the law shapes society. And since I took that course in the spring, I was learning about procedural justice and all its complications while developing this pro bono panel that talked about procedural justice. I got to use what I was learning to develop my work.

And my courses with the Honors College prepared me with research skills that I’ve been able to use at LSC.

What have you gained from your time with LSC?

After this experience, I’ve decided that once I become a lawyer, I’ll be doing pro bono work, no matter what. I think it instilled that culture of service and caring about the community and really help reinforce that law is where I want to be. I believe in LSC’s mission now more than ever, and having had my eye on this profession since I was 11, this experience has only made me more certain that it’s the right place for me.

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Summer Academy transforms high school students into college-ready researchers

Sarah Holland — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 13:55:14 +0000

Summer Academy transforms high school students into college-ready researchers Sarah Holland Wed, 09/03/2025 - 09:55

When it comes to summer, perhaps the last place many students want to be is back in the classroom. But the students of �鶹��Ƶ’s Early Identification Program (EIP) are, as they say, “built different.”

As part of their commitment to the college access program, EIP students spend three weeks on George �鶹��Ƶ’s Fairfax Campus every summer attending courses in core academic areas and college preparation seminars.

“We want our students to have the tools and resources they need to make sound decisions about post-secondary options,” said Mia Hines, interim executive director of EIP. “Cultural capital—meaning understanding how the systems of higher education work—is an important part of that.”

Consistent exposure to college campuses and introductions to college offices and resources is one way students develop that “cultural capital.” And for the 11th graders, their penultimate Summer Academy experience is intended to inspire them to see college as a place where they can be empowered to cultivate their curiosity and take ownership of their research interests.

Fares Eloseily, center, with his team's poster presentation. Photo by Rahib Zaman/University Life

The core component of the 11th grade curriculum is the Research and Discovery Seminar, led by Nadeen Makhlouf, instructional faculty in the Honors College. Based on the Honors College first-semester research course HNRS 110 Principles of Research and Inquiry, this three-week seminar gives EIP students the opportunity to identify their interests and figure out what they can do with those interests if they decide to come to George �鶹��Ƶ. Not only are students exposed to the breadth and depth of opportunities available in a post-secondary education environment, but they also get to experience what collegiate-level research looks like.

“When they’re in high school, they are told what to write about. They’re given a prompt, they’re given a question, and then told to write an essay,” said Makhlouf. “In this course, we give them the power to decide. We want them to get a taste of the academic agency they’ll get in college.”

Students complete a survey to identify their interests. They are then placed into groups with other students with similar academic and career interests. Each group decides on a research question and then compiles resources that could support their investigation into that inquiry—courses they could take, labs they could join, skills they would need to develop, and careers they could pursue. They present their findings at a final showcase.

“This is the first time they’ve done something like this,” Makhlouf said, showing the array of posters set up in Dewberry Hall. “They were so excited to see the posters printed. Some of them want to take them home. It’s just such a unique experience for them and really makes them excited about their academic future.”

Edison High School student Fares Eloseily is interested in the intersection of international relations and music “I know what I want to do but didn’t know where that could lead. This project showed me how I could make a career out of the things I’m most passionate about,” he said. His team focused on international affairs and the dynamic between the Global North and South.

"It’s something completely different from what you experience in high school. I’m surrounded by people who are all committed and passionate about what we’re doing. And it’s eye-opening to see how college classes are different from high school,” he said.

A key part of this is peer mentorship, also provided by the Honors College and led by Makhlouf. Current Honors College students offer support and guidance to the EIP students during their Summer Academy experience while gaining valuable leadership skills.

Christine Ziu listens to one EIP student's presentation. Photo by Rahib Zaman/University Life

“These students are just starting to look at colleges, but many of them aren’t sure what they want to do, or what kind of careers are available. This program helps them narrow their focus and shows them what’s possible, while developing their research and collaboration skills,” said peer mentor, Honors College student and cyber security engineering major Christine Ziu. “And it puts them in contact with people like me, who understand their experiences and can help them navigate that scary transition from high school to college as first-generation students.”

For Betzy Balladeres Oviedo, one of the Honors College instructors working with EIP, Summer Academy has been full-circle moment. She began her George �鶹��Ƶ journey as an EIP student, joined the Honors College upon admission to George �鶹��Ƶ, and graduated in 2024 with a BA in social work. In addition to supporting EIP students in the Honors College's Research and Discovery seminar, she served as a program assistant for EIP's Institute of Excellence this summer.

“These students want to succeed for their families, and I definitely saw myself in their shoes,” she said. “EIP alleviated some of the stress I would have faced around applying for and attending college. I think this sort of program, where we show students what college classes and research are like, makes them much more confident.”

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CEHD and University Libraries are building a tool to improve navigating education research

Sarah Holland — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 19:32:40 +0000

CEHD and University Libraries are building a tool to improve navigating education research Sarah Holland Thu, 08/28/2025 - 15:32

The widening gap between research and practice represents exactly the type of grand challenge that �鶹��Ƶ's Grand Challenge Initiative seeks to tackle through cross-disciplinary innovation.

Faculty across the College of Education and Human Development, working with University Libraries, are exploring AI-powered ways to bridge that gap—exemplifying the Initiative's dual focus on advancing 21st-century education for all and driving responsible digital innovation in service of the public good.

Seth Hunter. Photo provided.

Seth Hunter, associate professor of education leadership and policy and senior fellow of EdPolicyForward: George �鶹��Ƶ’s Center for Education Policy, collaborated with the University Libraries to receive seed funding from EBSCO—a library database service—to develop a tool that utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to help practitioners in education find and interpret evidence-based practices and research that can be implemented to improve student outcomes.

Before coming to George �鶹��Ƶ, Hunter worked in state and local education agencies, where “research in educational studies in K-12 was available, but not being used to support important decisions at district and state levels. The disconnect between research and practice and policymaking was fascinating to me.”

This wasn't exclusive to education agencies; the same patterns appeared in local school districts as well. Beth Davis, PhD Education ’23, and postdoctoral fellow in EdPolicyForward, noted that she saw this gap in action.

“When I worked at a high school in Maryland, there were so many challenges that I knew there were better ways to do things than what we were doing, but I also didn’t feel like we had the time to figure out what those things might be,” she said.

Beth Davis. Photo provided.

As Davis pointed out, an efficient and effective search takes time, even for the most seasoned researcher. Combing through search results, sorting books from articles from reviews, tracking new keywords and phrases: It can be a challenging, and time-consuming, effort just to find the articles you need. And that doesn’t account for the time required to read and interpret the content once found.

As AI grew in its capabilities, Hunter saw an opportunity to leverage this new technology to perhaps bridge that research/practice gap.

“We’re looking at bespoke AI tools that are out there already to help practitioners find and translate research in ways that would enable school improvement for student benefit while meeting federal and state policy guidelines,” explained Hunter.

Early results show promise. In a pilot endeavor within the Education Leadership MEd program, the students asked to search for articles using AI-powered tools found the process much easier than traditional search methods, and they reported that the AI helped them understand the research through its ability to succinctly summarize the contents in more accessible language.

“It could streamline the process of making evidence-based practices and research easier to find and therefore implement,” said Davis.

Christopher Lowder. Photo provided.

As the primary provider for access to scholarly research, University Libraries is central to this project. Hunter recruited the expertise of Christopher Lowder, education subject librarian, to assist them in developing the tool.

“Having computers go through information quickly is not new,” said Lowder, “but now we’re thinking about how this new generation of AI can make the research content understandable to the average user. It’s almost like translation, or decoding.” For example: Can the AI alert the user if the study meets the standards set forth by federal and state Departments of Education?

For Hunter, bringing the public back to university libraries is a secondary benefit of the project. “I think university library systems are such a huge value-add for the public good,” said Hunter. “Libraries set universities apart from many other knowledge organizations.”

Hunter also notes that a tool like this supports fiscal responsibility. With evidence-based practices, leadership can be confident they are putting resources behind an initiative that has been empirically tested and verified. "We want to enable better decision-making so leaders can be better stewards of public resources that can improve students’ lives.”

As one of the top 20 universities for innovation in the United States and a leader in AI innovation in Virginia, George �鶹��Ƶ is working to advance research for the campus community and beyond. Multidisciplinary teams like this are, for Hunter, a core tenet of this, and necessary to the development of bold solutions to the grand challenges of our generation.

“We have these permeable boundaries within units and across colleges,” said Hunter. “I mean, this team illustrates that: We have CEHD faculty, we have a librarian, we’ll be working with computer scientists...we are encouraged to engage in transdisciplinary research and that feeds innovation.”

Lowder agreed. “George �鶹��Ƶ encourages us to try things in new and different ways and to include different voices within the conversation, and our leadership genuinely believes that our work can do good not just for the university but also for the wider community. I believe it’s a public good for information to be findable, understandable, and accessible.”

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This intern is learning the ways of the workplace at Warner Bros.

Sarah Holland — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 18:19:40 +0000

This intern is learning the ways of the workplace at Warner Bros. Sarah Holland Mon, 08/11/2025 - 14:19

�鶹��Ƶ is ranked #1 in Virginia for internships, that also contributes to career success post-graduation. For 2023 graduates, 88% reported job success relating to their career goals. Throughout the year, our students travel near and far to gain valuable experience at some of the world’s top companies.

Nimisha Kumar, a rising senior, is studying management information systems in the Costello College of Business. Over the summer, she moved to New York City to complete a summer internship with Warner Bros. Discovery.

Why did you choose George �鶹��Ƶ and how did you decide your major?

I knew a lot of alumni that went to school at George �鶹��Ƶ, and they thought they got a lot of resources that helped them in their careers, as well as lots of opportunities for extracurricular activities. And I think there’s a lot of opportunities when it comes to being so close to Washington, D.C.

I picked management information systems as my major because there are so many things you can do with the skills you learn in the program. What you learn can apply to health care, media companies, law, or engineering. It’s a flexible degree where, if you do change your mind about something, you can still use that experience to adapt to other roles and responsibilities.

What projects have you been assigned during your internship?

Photo provided

As an internal audit intern, I’ve been working on three projects. The first is a cybersecurity initiative project where we’re working to protect and ensure the integrity of global financial networks. Warner Bros. contains a bunch of global networks: CNN, TNT, Food Network, etc. And we basically try to detect early risk that could happen in the backend of these systems.

The second project is my end-of-internship project. Warner Bros. is splitting into two major sides: the global networks side and the streaming and studios side. So each intern has been assigned a side, and we’re creating pitches to deliver to current employees to persuade them to work for one side or the other.

My third project is a test script analysis for the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region during the SAP Compass Release cycle. Using Microfocus Quality Center, I reviewed failed test cases from the APAC SIT1 cycle, checked for linked defects, and documented defect IDs and failure reasons to support QA reporting and defect tracking.

What’s one of the most valuable things you’ve learned?

That it’s OK to be curious and ask questions. I think that’s really important, because it shows initiative and that you’re invested. Even just walking around and asking people what they’re up to in their work can show that you’re interested in the work and want to learn more.

How have your courses at George �鶹��Ƶ helped prepare you for the internship?

Doing a mix of a lot of things outside of my major has been really beneficial. In all my �鶹��Ƶ Core classes, I knew there was at least one thing that I could take from the course and expand it to apply to my career goals. I took FAVS 300 Global Horror Film [in Film and Video Studies] for example, and I learned how to analyze a piece of media and more clearly communicate my feelings and reactions to it.

How have your internships prepared you for the workforce?

I think diving into that 9-to-5 work schedule where I’m working alongside people with years of experience in internal audit has taught me how to carry myself in a professional environment. And you can’t really get that experience without being in the workplace.

What advice would you give to students starting an internship?

You really only have those two to three months, and they go by really quickly. You've got to take every opportunity offered to you and make the most of that short time you have. And I think it’s important to remember that you’re not supposed to know everything; that’s why you’re here. You're here to learn and to grow.

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ACCESS Academy’s inaugural AI Summer Camp builds critical technology skills—and miniature robots

Sarah Holland — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 13:38:25 +0000

ACCESS Academy’s inaugural AI Summer Camp builds critical technology skills—and miniature robots Sarah Holland Wed, 08/06/2025 - 09:38

In the kitchenette on the third floor of Fuse at �鶹��Ƶ Square, students huddle around laptops and inspect the codes on display in their Microsoft MakeCode programs. By their sides are little micro:bit three-wheeled robots. One sings a little 8-bit tune. Another flashes a pattern of colored lights. Another chirps like a bird, as the students at the table share a perplexed look.

Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

These high school students have spent the past week working on their robots, from assembly to coding, to make them do basic tasks like follow a provided track. Now, they’re each trying to do something new: make it go faster, sing a song, drive in reverse, or flash its lights like a turn signal. With every spin-out, slow-motion crash, or odd sound, the students return to their laptops to reprogram the bot and try again. If one student is struggling, they turn to their peers. Together, they’re making the robots work.

This is the inaugural ACCESS Academy Artificial Intelligence Summer Camp. Open to all 9th—12th graders across Virginia, the camp runs three one-week sessions at the ACCESS Academy headquarters in Fuse at �鶹��Ƶ Square. Through hands-on exploration of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, students can imagine and begin preparing for technology-sector careers. Only in its first year, the camp already has 130 total participants over the course of three sessions.

"The goal of ACCESS Academy is to create a more inclusive pathway to college and high-demand careers for students who may not have previously seen those opportunities as within reach,” said Dean Ingrid Guerra-López of �鶹��Ƶ’s College of Education and Human Development (CEHD).

“We continue to hear from industries that we are not preparing our high school graduates to be employable,” said Roberto Pamas, professor of education leadership and director of the ACCESS Academy. Prior to his transition to teaching higher education, Pamas served 30 years in Fairfax County Public Schools as both an educator and an administrator. “They want both technology skills and soft skills. How to collaborate, how to communicate: we’re building those skills in these programs. And CEHD is in the business of teaching, learning, and leading.”

AI was a natural choice for the camp’s curriculum. Working with faculty from the College of Engineering and Computing, the CEHD ACCESS Academy team developed a five-day program to build foundational skills to set students up for success.

Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

The first four days of the camp focus on conceptual understanding and real-world applications of those ideas. On Friday, guest speakers from local education innovation technology company Kovexa engaged with students as part of a tinkering lab.

“AI represents a cutting-edge field and a dynamic problem space where students can practice essential skills such as critical thinking, ethical reasoning, collaboration, and problem-solving,” said Guerra-López. “It’s not just about coding, but about asking better questions, evaluating outputs, and imaging new possibilities.”

The students agree.

Mariia Tkach (center) tests her robot on the track. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

“I really like the atmosphere of people coming together and doing the things that they love,” said Mariia Tkach, a rising sophomore at Marshall High School. Her father works in cybersecurity, and she hopes to follow in his footsteps. “We had an AI training, and it was very challenging. The process of figuring it out and competing with one another was fun.”

Arkash Reith, who is entering his sophomore year at Evergreen Christian School, said, “This camp gave me experience in what AI can help you do as well as what it can’t help you do. Like, with coding, it can help with basic stuff, but nothing too hard.”

After each day, students write down one word to describe their experience. From this first week, the white board is filled with words like “fun,” “inspiring,” and “fascinating.”

Guerra-López envisions the bootcamp not only as a hands-on learning experience for students, but as a launchpad for expanding access to AI education across the region.

“The tinkering lab model in particular is a powerful way to reduce anxiety around emerging technologies, increase skill and self-efficacy for both students and educators, and foster a stronger sense of community around innovation,” she said.

Plans are underway to explore how this model can scale—both to offer more advanced learning tracks for students and to engage educators in professional development that supports responsible, inclusive digital innovation.

“George �鶹��Ƶ is a keeper of knowledge for Northern Virginia,” Pamas said. “And I believe it is our moral imperative to share that knowledge, particularly with students who otherwise might not have access to higher education.”

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Summer Camps

ACCESS Academy

Artificial Intelligence

College of Engineering and Computing

Fuse at �鶹��Ƶ Square

�鶹��Ƶ Square

Technical assistance grant supports early childhood teachers throughout Virginia

Sarah Holland — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 19:39:48 +0000

Technical assistance grant supports early childhood teachers throughout Virginia Sarah Holland Wed, 07/30/2025 - 15:39

The first few years of a child’s life are some of their most important. Those years, full of learning, exploring, and growing, can shape their future for decades to come. It’s critical, then, that early childhood educators have access to the necessary tools to help children succeed at the early stages of their development, including young children with delays and disabilities.

Christan Coogle, associate professor of special education in �鶹��Ƶ’s College of Education and Human Development and principal investigator of the Early Childhood Training and Technical Assistance Center (TTAC), is hoping to expand and improve the toolboxes of teachers across Virginia to better support students with delays and disabilities.

Christan Coogle. George �鶹��Ƶ is part of a collaborative network of TTAC across the Commonwealth. Photo provided.

“There’s an increased need for resources and support in settings in which 2-5 year olds receive their education, particularly related to inclusion of children with delays and disabilities and how to best promote their development through effective interactions and practices,” said Coogle. The number of children with delays and disabilities continues to rise, and birth to five is a “critical window of opportunity” to alter and enhance their developmental trajectory, as well as their everyday interactions with peers, family members, and educators.

Within this window, evidence-based practices—practices with demonstrated effectiveness through rigorous research methods and replication across studies and research teams—are critical. “We know children cannot benefit from evidence-based practices they do not receive. The earlier we can reach children with delays and disabilities and their families, the better outcomes they have,” Coogle explained.

In collaboration with associate director Amber Gant, and coordinators Jacqueline Kilkeary, Alexandra Morris, and Kate Welsh, the TTAC team is bridging the gap between research and practice for educators in the field and building state capacity through differentiated supports which are responsive to school districts’ specific preferences and needs. These include resource banks, professional development sessions, and coming alongside administrators and educators to deliver and facilitate coaching. They have received more than $600,000 in funding from Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) since the program began in 2024-25.

This year, Coogle and her team organized a new method of support. Partnering with early childhood leaders within the VDOE, TTAC delivered three conferences for early childhood educators, hosted in Fredericksburg, Williamsburg, and Roanoke. Attendees included teachers, therapists, administrators, and representatives from VDOE. “This is an opportunity to come together and hear from one another with a commitment to learning from and growing together and disseminating information to the local communities in which we all serve," said Coogle

All of this comes together to help create more inclusive classrooms—as defined by the Commonwealth of Virginia's guide to inclusion—that are supportive of students across a spectrum of ability and development. Through this project, educators have access to quality support whose efficacy and fidelity are backed by data and whose implementation is supported by policy.

“Having a framework in which state agencies, practitioners, and institutes of higher education partner together to reach a common goal is something unique about Virginia,” Coogle said. “Educators, faculty, and administrators often say, ‘we want to do inclusion, but how do we do inclusion.’ This partnership provides a system of support to increasing knowledge, supporting the transition of knowledge to practice, and delivering evidence-based practices.”

George �鶹��Ƶ, Coogle said, is particularly well-positioned to support this work. And this work is part of the university's commitment to advancing 21st-century education for all, as part of the Grand Challenge Initiative.

“That’s one thing I really love about technical assistance work,” said Coogle. “It really is a model of a state agency like VDOE partnering with not only practitioners and educators, but also institutions of higher education to work together to meet a common goal, which is ultimately to increase inclusion and enhance outcomes for young children with disabilities and delays.”

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Helen A. Kellar Institute for Human disAbilities

College of Education and Human Development Division of Special Education and disAbility Research

Virginia Department of Education

V-TOP subaward will help make George �鶹��Ƶ’s top-ranked internship opportunities more accessible

Sarah Holland — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 19:42:01 +0000

V-TOP subaward will help make George �鶹��Ƶ’s top-ranked internship opportunities more accessible Sarah Holland Tue, 07/15/2025 - 15:42

In 2025, �鶹��Ƶ came out on top for its commitment to increasing access to opportunity in two key rankings. U.S. News and World Report ranked �鶹��Ƶ #1 in the state of Virginia for internships, and the Carnegie Foundation and American Council on Education (ACE) named �鶹��Ƶ to the highest tier of its list of Opportunity Colleges and Universities: Higher Access, Higher Earnings.

Critical to expanding the field of opportunities is University Career Services, which provides top-tier support for students, including critical scholarships to increase internship accessibility. And as a testament to their dedicated work, the office recently received a Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP) subaward for $40,000 for continued development and expansion of internship programs.

Students at the 2025 Career Fair. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Internships play a large part in career readiness. They give students a chance to test their skills in real-world situations while becoming comfortable in new office environments and navigating new responsibilities.

“Data shows that students who complete experiential educational activities are always more likely to be able to find career success in their first job,” said Matthew Myers, associate director of employer and alumni engagement and recipient of the subaward on behalf of University Career Services.

But one of the largest barriers for students interested in internships is the cost.

“A lot of George �鶹��Ƶ students are working while putting themselves through school,” said Myers. “Doing an unpaid internship might mean having to cut their hours or even quit the jobs that they need to provide for themselves and their families, without receiving supplemental income in return.”

To help give all students the opportunity to pursue an internship, University Career Services offers scholarships for students who take unpaid internships. The V-TOP subaward will, in part, support these scholarships.

“Part of our duty as a university is to provide students with opportunities. More opportunities mean better outcomes for them in both internships and future careers,” said Myers.

Myers noted that this doesn’t just help the students: It gives employers a unique opportunity to grow. Lack of funding for internships is just as much of a barrier for smaller organizations as it is for the students. Through the internship scholarships, smaller organizations get a chance to explore what interns can do for their company without as heavy a cost burden.

“Interns bring fresh perspectives and new talents, and they widen applicant pools, particularly for smaller organizations,” said Myers. “Once they see the value, we hope they’ll be encouraged to continue providing those opportunities."

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

George �鶹��Ƶ is well-regarded in the area for the strength of its graduates across various industries. Myers, in his work with employers, believes the proof is in their continued engagement with the university and recruitment of George �鶹��Ƶ students.

Angela Biehl, director of talent acquisition for the nonprofit organization ATCC, calls ATCC’s strategic partnership with George �鶹��Ƶ, “an integral component of our broader talent acquisition strategy.” Multiple ATCC team members are George �鶹��Ƶ alumni, many of whom started their early career journeys with internships at ATCC. And the pipeline continues: Two current George �鶹��Ƶ students are participating in their 2025 Summer Internship Program.

“ATCC’s partnership with George �鶹��Ƶ continues to deliver measurable results—fueling innovation, advancing our scientific mission, and empowering the next generation of scientists,” said Biehl. “It is a model of how strategic academic collaboration can drive workforce development and long-term organizational impact.”

“Our students are go-getters. They aren’t afraid of a challenge,” he said. “And the multicultural experiences they get in the classroom—working not just with people from around the globe but also of different ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, and more—is highly valuable to employers.”

Whether through scholarships, internship fairs, or resume and interview help, University Career Services’ dedication to connecting students with valuable internship experiences helps strengthen Virginia’s workforce.

Myers said, “we want our students to impact the community, and being able to get meaningful experiences in their field of choice is a big piece of that.”

Learn more about internships at George �鶹��Ƶ

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Internship

University Career Services