Students

PhD student’s research addresses how adolescent social media use predicts in-person friendship networks

Shayla Brown — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 18:03:18 +0000

PhD student’s research addresses how adolescent social media use predicts in-person friendship networks Shayla Brown Wed, 02/04/2026 - 13:03

�鶹��Ƶ doctoral student Caroline Toth looks at how adolescents’ social media use is associated with the structure of their in-person friendship networks. Her research shows that friendships were more likely among youth with similar levels of problematic social media use and digital status seeking.

Photo by Getty Images

“This reflects a social network mechanism known as homophily, which is essentially love of the same, meaning that youth select friends who are similar to themselves in problematic social media use and digital status seeking. By doing this study, we're showing that friendships aren't forming at random, but being shaped in part by digital habits and values that are shared among friendship networks,” said Toth, a graduate research assistant in George �鶹��Ƶ’s Applied Developmental Psychology Program in the Department of Psychology.

Her first paper on the topic was recently published at the Journal of Children and Media.

“Adolescence is a very sensitive time for social processing. Teens are very sensitive to social cues,” said Toth, who earned her master’s degree from the same George �鶹��Ƶ program in 2021.

Caroline Toth. Photo provided.

Toth’s paper, “Problematic social media use, availability distress, and digital status seeking: Links to friendship network structure among U.S. adolescents,” explores how adolescents use social media to feel connected to others and gain social standing.

“Previous research has mainly examined links between social media use and disrupted sleep, anxiety, and depression. However, as a social networks scholar, I'm really interested in how adolescents’ online behaviors and emotional reactions to social media affect the structure of their friendship network,” Toth said.

This research is especially relevant to Generation Alpha, born between 2010 and 2024. When adolescents select friends who engage in similar problematic online behaviors, the resulting shared emotional thoughts, reactions, and behaviors can start to feel expected and encouraged within these friendship groups, said Toth.

This can be especially harmful because teens use social media to gain popularity and approval. The normalization of problematic online behaviors within friend groups makes them appear necessary for social success, explained Toth.

An example of problematic social media use is excessive use of social media to the point that it impacts your ability to focus on school or work. Within friend groups, adolescents are likely to reinforce this problematic usage because it’s what they see their friends doing. Toth emphasizes that algorithms are becoming more sophisticated and increasing adolescents’ exposure to highly engaging, emotionally charged content, keeping them constantly active online.

“It's critical that we continue to examine the constant feedback loop between the demands of the peer group and adolescents’ own emotional reactions to their online activities, so that we can help adolescents develop better coping mechanisms and survival skills for online life,” she said.

Toth states that interventions focused on improving self-regulation of social media use and emotional regulation show promise in helping young people resist algorithmic content manipulation, and take back control of their social media usage.

Olga Kornienko. Photo provided.

Toth and her mentor Olga Kornienko, an associate professor of applied developmental psychology, are collaborating with a public school district in Arizona to understand sources the role of social relationships as sources of risk and resilience in the lives of contemporary youth.

Working out of George �鶹��Ƶ’s Peer Networks and Development Lab, Toth and Kornienko are collecting data from ninth-grade students through a series of questions about their social media use, culture, and psychological well-being.

They are collaborating with scholars from University of California, Davis, and Arizona State University, where Kornienko earned her PhD in 2010.

“Our study is not specific to any one social media platform. We were able to capture the broader digital experience that adolescents have online that reflects their everyday life. We hope it will remain relevant to Gen Alpha and beyond because even as individual platforms go in and out of use or new ones pop up, they're still going to have those core aspects of promoting constant engagement and peer feedback,” said Toth.

Toth said that while she didn’t have much experience with academic publishing before coming to graduate school at George �鶹��Ƶ, she hit the ground running. “We started [this research project] in my very first semester, so it was a very important part of my professional development working with Dr. Kornienko,” Toth said. “[She taught me about] so many different aspects of peer interaction and networks, social media, and how they're all interconnected.”

“It’s been such a pleasure seeing Caro grow as a researcher and academic,” said Kornienko. “She is addressing a very complex topic and contributing to more positive adolescent experiences.”

Topics

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

George �鶹��Ƶ women’s basketball team named USBWA Team of the Week

ckearney — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 21:52:44 +0000

George �鶹��Ƶ women’s basketball team named USBWA Team of the Week ckearney Tue, 02/03/2026 - 16:52

The George �鶹��Ƶ women's basketball team has been named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Team of the Week after going 2-0 last week and extending their best start in conference history to 10-0.

On January 28, the Patriots beat the Davidson Wildcats 62-51. It was just the second time George �鶹��Ƶ has beaten Davidson in North Carolina. Zahirah Walton scored 14 points, 6 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 blocks. Kennedy Harris added 12 points on 56% shooting, 5 assists, and 3 steals.

Then on Saturday, George �鶹��Ƶ faced Saint Louis, beating the Billikens 66-51 as part of Homecoming Week 2026. Walton once again led the team with 15 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals. Harris added 12 points, 5 steals, and 4 rebounds. Louis Volker also played a big role, tallying 11 points, 3-4 3FG, and 5 rebounds.

The Patriots are one of just two non-power conference teams to be named USBWA Team of the Week in 2025-26.

Their next game is Saturday, Feb. 7, at University of Richmond.

Topics

Campus News

�鶹��Ƶ Athletics

Students

George �鶹��Ƶ is launching a Space Forward Frontiers Seminar with Northrop Grumman

Domonique Hopkins — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 15:45:36 +0000

George �鶹��Ƶ is launching a Space Forward Frontiers Seminar with Northrop Grumman Domonique Hopkins Mon, 01/26/2026 - 10:45

Explore the College of Science

Explore Mechanical Engineering

�鶹��Ƶ’s College of Science is launching the Space Forward Frontiers Seminar Series in spring 2026, in partnership with Northrop Grumman and George �鶹��Ƶ’s College of Engineering and Computing.

The one-credit, in-person seminar (PHYS 391/590, cross-listed as ME 500) is open to undergraduate and graduate students of all majors interested in the space industry.

Limited to 50 students, the Thursday afternoon seminar features weekly lectures from George �鶹��Ƶ faculty and industry professionals, offering practical and academic perspectives on today’s space sector. Topics include the space industry’s foundations, enabling technologies, policy considerations, and future directions, with the inaugural offering focusing on crowding and events in the space environment.

With no prerequisites or textbooks, the course is highly accessible and connects students to such emerging opportunities as NASA’s Landolt Mission, led by George �鶹��Ƶ faculty. The seminar also supports the university’s Grand Challenge Initiative (GCI), advancing both 21st-century education and pioneering space exploration through industry collaboration.

Topics

Aerospace

Space

College of Science

College of Engineering and Computing

mechanical engineering

innovative classes

Students

Bridging Health and Justice: How Schar PhD Student Loveline Phillips Is Shaping Policy Research

Andrew J Schappert — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 14:30:52 +0000

Bridging Health and Justice: How Schar PhD Student Loveline Phillips Is Shaping Policy Research Andrew J Schappert Mon, 01/26/2026 - 09:30

Loveline Phillips on Schar School faculty: ‘The professors are welcoming, they’re warm, hospitable, and they just want to see you excel as a student.’ Photo by Buzz McClain/Schar School of Policy and Government

Loveline Phillips’s path to �鶹��Ƶ has been anything but linear. Born in Nigeria, educated in her homeland and the United Kingdom, and now pursuing a PhD at George �鶹��Ƶ’s Schar School of Policy and Government, Phillips carries with her a global perspective shaped by migration, scholarship, and persistence—and, more recently, motherhood.

Loveline Phillips Photo provided

Her first experience in the United States came in 2017, when she visited from the United Kingdom where she was studying sustainable development on a Commonwealth Shared Scholarship, a fund designed to support students from underserved Commonwealth nations to pursue master’s degrees.

Her then-fiancé was a student at Purdue University in Indiana, which brought her to the United States.

Ever the scholar, Phillips completed one year of a master of philosophy degree in Santa Monica, California, at Pardee RAND Graduate School, an institute within the RAND Corporation, where she deepened her training in policy analysis and research.

From there, she set her sights on a PhD in public policy and applied to the Schar School. Acceptance at the school introduced her to a mentor who would shape her work at George �鶹��Ƶ: University Professor Faye Taxman, a health services criminologist and founding director of the Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence, exclamatorily known as ACE!.

The match was not obvious at first. Phillips’s background was in international economic development and health policy, not criminal justice.

“I’d never done anything on criminal justice prior to coming to George �鶹��Ƶ,” she said. Still, she leaned on advice instilled by her parents: “Whatever your hands find to do, do it to the best of your ability.”

At the Schar School, Phillips found a way to connect her prior interests with her new field.

“There’s a health and justice nexus,” she said. “These are vulnerable populations that are prone to health challenges and have poor health outcomes.”

Her published work with Taxman examines probation, reentry, and community supervision through both health and justice lenses—a combination she now sees as central to her academic identity.

Phillips credits the Schar School, and Taxman in particular, with accelerating her development as a scholar.

“Prior to joining the Schar School, I never had a first-authored publication,” she said. “And now I have two, with one book chapter coming out soon.”

Taxman, she added, is “my advisor, she’s my dissertation committee chair, she’s a mentor, and she has really pushed me in my career.”

Beyond mentorship, Phillips said the Schar School has given her rigorous methodological training, including using powerful research tools, such as the qualitative data analysis software, ATLAS.ti. That, mixed with her quantitative and social network analysis skills through coursework, results in a valuable mix of method skills, allowing her to approach problems from multiple angles.

“Using both her qualitative skills and system-theory causal loop diagram methods, she has uncovered patterns of how different systems interconnected,” said Taxman. “From this, she identifies how to improve the functioning of systems and organizations.”

Phillips is, she said, “a remarkable graduate student committed to applying the methods she learns at the Schar School of Policy and Government.”

What has surprised Phillips most about the Schar School is its ethos of real-world policy and public service work as well as its collaborative and experiential culture.

“Seeing how faculty is really invested in students’ development stands out,” she said. “The professors are welcoming, they’re warm, hospitable, and they just want to see you excel as a student.”

Balancing doctoral research with life as a parent to a 14-month-old daughter, Tioluwani, Phillips remains focused on the impact of her work. Her next paper looks at how probation conditions impact probationers, especially as they re-enter society, with the goal, she said, of informing both practitioners and researchers for the public good.

In This Story

Faye S. Taxman

Request Schar School program information

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ACE!

Schar School of Policy and Government

Schar School Featured Stories

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Students

George �鶹��Ƶ faculty and students host inaugural Qualitative Research Day

Shayla Brown — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 14:46:15 +0000

George �鶹��Ƶ faculty and students host inaugural Qualitative Research Day  Shayla Brown Wed, 01/21/2026 - 09:46

In This Story

Supriya Baily

Erin D. Maughan, PhD

�鶹��Ƶ recently held its first-ever Qualitative Research Day, an event for PhD students of all disciplines to engage in hands-on and interactive opportunities with the goal of learning new qualitative research techniques and methodologies. The inaugural event is the latest innovation in George �鶹��Ƶ's ongoing efforts to find new ways to support its PhD students.

The event was a collaboration between faculty and students from the College of Public Health, the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), and the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, including Supriya Baily from Carter School, Erin Maughan from the School of Nursing, Bethany Letiecq from CEHD, PhD students Karthik Ramanujam and Tara Altay, and Fenwick Library team members, including Debby Kermer and Ramanujam.

The team received funding from each of the colleges as well as the Graduate Nursing Organization and the Graduate Division.

Baily, who served as president of the Comparative and International Education Society, an academic association comprising more than 3,500 researchers, analysts, practitioners, and students, used her connections to bring national research experts to the event to deliver keynotes, lead workshops, and guide students through data analysis activities. Students were able to refine their qualitative research skills and network with professional qualitative researchers from across the globe.

Keynote speakers Kevin Roy (left) and Colleen Vesely at Qualitative Research Day. Photo by Shayla Brown/Office of University Branding.

"We did this purely because we thought the students needed it. We were determined that this was going to be a hands-on and interactive event to ensure that the students left having learned something new," said Baily, who was previously co-director of the Center for International Education.

"I was very grateful they were willing to come here and share their expertise with the students," Baily said of the guest speakers.

"PhD students need to enhance their skills in this area—be more rigorous, professional, figure out how it's valued—and look at the new methodologies of doing it," she said.

Maughan teaches NURS 920 Qualitative Research in Nursing and Health Care in the School of Nursing where she met students who were passionate about qualitative research, including Altay, her advisee and doctoral nursing student.

"I was helping Tara navigate the resources on campus, and that's when we realized that there's actually a bit of a gap in resources for qualitative research compared to that for quantitative research, which tends to be the more traditional research for many [PhD candidates]," said Maughan.

The team made sure the events really resonated with the students by identifying where they wanted more information. The biggest area of interest for PhD students focusing on qualitative research was analysis.

Qualitative Research Day presentation. Photo by Shayla Brown/Office of University Branding.

Guest speaker Jeffrey Lee, former professor of education at University of Massachusetts Global, guided students through best practices in data coding, data analysis, and theme development. His workshop helped students build expertise by framing the complexity of data analysis in an accessible and scaffolded approach.

Lee also categorized reviews from the recent Bruce Springsteen biopic Deliver Me from Nowhere to demonstrate the process for qualitative analysis of audience reception.

Altay, who is working on a PhD in nursing and earned a Qualitative Research Certificate, worked with Maughan and Baily to help make Qualitative Research Day happen.

"To my knowledge, it's rare for students in the School of Nursing to do a full qualitative dissertation, but the nursing faculty have been super supportive of my doing a full qualitative dissertation, which is such a huge thing," said Altay, whose research focuses on the stigma sex workers face with health care providers.

"It's all about students' professional development so they can be the best versions of themselves when they go off and get jobs as researchers and scholars," said Baily. "As the next generation of academics, they'll be able to say 'George �鶹��Ƶ trained me well.'"

Topics

College of Education and Human Development

College of Public Health

Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Air Force veteran chooses George �鶹��Ƶ for its ever-evolving environment

Taylor Thomas — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 15:36:52 +0000

Air Force veteran chooses George �鶹��Ƶ for its ever-evolving environment Taylor Thomas Tue, 01/20/2026 - 10:36

As a chef in the Missile Squadron in the U.S. Air Force, veteran Collin Terling was constantly on the move, traveling four days out of the week to prepare meals for security forces. After completing his military service, Terling wanted a university that could keep pace with his desire for forward momentum. �鶹��Ƶ originally registered on his radar because his sister is an alumna, and he determined it was a perfect fit.

Air Force veteran Collin Terling. Photo provided.

“My favorite thing about George �鶹��Ƶ is that it never stops; it is always trying to improve. I wanted a quality education that could help my long-term growth,” said Terling, who is graduating with bachelor of science in health administration in spring 2026.

Terling is a first-generation student and a part of the George �鶹��Ƶ chapter of the federal Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program, which provides beneficiaries with assistance with tuition, fees, books, and school supplies.

George �鶹��Ƶ has consistently ranked as the number one college for veterans in Virginia. He commends the Office of Military Service for their steadfast diligence in supporting his journey back into higher education.

“George �鶹��Ƶ is a great school for veterans and offers a wide range of programs with endless opportunities for post-military veterans looking to get back into educational pursuits,” Terling said.

Terling decided to pursue a career in health care after seeing individual and systems-level pitfalls in quality improvement for patient care, electronic health records, financing, and integration of artificial intelligence in health. A number of College of Public Health faculty and staff guided him in his degree program planning. He cites Assistant Professor Lee Black, Assistant Professor Stephen Brown (retired), and Adjunct Professor Jerome Bozek for their knowledge and instruction of health care finance, health care law, and medical practice management. Terling states his academic advisor Julio Diaz-Carroll has been an instrumental support as he completes his degree.

“It took me a long time to really figure out what degree I felt aligned with,” he said. "I love problem-solving and hope I can make an impact on helping patients, the community around us, and contribute to the revamping of a struggling health care system."

Terling is doing an internship with UVA Health spring 2026 semester, where he hopes to take a deep dive into the complexities of the health care world and its systems.

“I want to get as much experience as I can working within multiple departments and collaborating with other teams to really get an overarching view of the many different perspectives from patients and health care staff,” Terling said.

Topics

Veterans

Department of Health Administration and Policy

Office of Military Services

HAP Students

Students

Military

George �鶹��Ƶ partners with the Fairfax County Health Department to support employees in earning public health certificates and degrees

Shayla Brown — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 15:34:51 +0000

George �鶹��Ƶ partners with the Fairfax County Health Department to support employees in earning public health certificates and degrees  Shayla Brown Fri, 01/16/2026 - 10:34

In This Story

Marybeth Mitcham, PhD, MPH

Sarah Liu, MPH

�鶹��Ƶ has partnered with the Fairfax County Health Department to provide current FCHD employees with the opportunity to complete public health certificates. Some employees are going a step further and earning their master’s degrees in public health fields.

Photo by Getty Images.

“This partnership between George �鶹��Ƶ’s College of Public Health and the Fairfax County Health Department reflects a shared commitment to supporting the people who protect and promote our community’s health," said Melissa Perry, dean of the College of Public Health. "By investing in public health professionals with strong local roots and proven training, we are strengthening the workforce that serves Northern Virginia every day and building a healthier future for all who live here.”

This partnership with FCHD is another example of George �鶹��Ƶ’s commitment to improving health and well-being, not just for community members, but for the workers who serve the community.

Since the partnership began in 2019, 46 students have enrolled to earn their certificates. Of the cohorts that have completed the certificate, 57% have gone on to earn their MPH from George �鶹��Ƶ.

Sarah Liu. Photo provided.

Sarah Liu, BS Community Health ‘17, is the Department of Global and Community Health MPH program coordinator as well as the program coordinator for the FCHD partnership.

Liu describes the partnership as an outgrowth of FCHD’s commitment to the continuing education of its medical professionals. The students’ tuition is covered by the county.

“We help the certificate students register for classes, and they're immersed with other students. A lot of our students are working professionals, so we offer classes that can more easily fit into their schedule,” said Liu.   

It was Gloria Addo-Ayensu, director of health for Fairfax County who reached out to Robert M. Weiler, senior associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Public Health, about the partnership. Weiler was chair of the Department of Global and Community Health at the time. 

“The certificate requires students to complete 18 core credits or six classes. They’re taking most of the same courses as the students in the classes in the Department of Global and Community Health master’s programs, so they have opportunities to get to know all the students,” Liu said.  

Salisa Sathityudhakarn works for FCHD as a school health aide assigned to Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS)  and has worked in the healthcare industry for 11 years. 

“I provide basic healthcare for sick and injured students includes emergency care, administering daily medication, or when necessary, giving EpiPen for allergic reactions and albuterol for asthma attacks,” said Sathityudhakarn, who started with the program in fall of 2024. “I also conduct vision and hearing screenings for the students as well as handle the admin responsibilities.” 

Salisa Sathityudhakarn. Photo provided.

Sathityudhakarn, who previously earned degrees in communication and mental health counseling, said her favorite course was GCH 609 Community Assessment and Partnerships with Marybeth Mitcham. “She created a very supportive learning environment. I see her as a role model and her lessons just made me want to learn more,” Sathityudhakarn said.   

“Through this certificate program, I have learned different aspects of public health. I’m looking forward to applying the knowledge I have learned to my current role as a school health aide and to better serve FCHD, my school, my students and their families, as well as new endeavors in public health,” said Sathityudhakarn. 

Employees who have worked in the health department for at least one year are eligible to participate in the program. 

Liu and Addo-Ayensu are currently working together to expand the partnership and allow more FCHD workers to take advantage of educational opportunities such as this. 

Topics

College of Public Health

Community Engagement

Certificate Programs

Department of Global and Community Health

Students

partnerships

workforce

Students use AI to solve everyday challenges at recent Fail-a-Thon

Shayla Brown — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:35:24 +0000

Students use AI to solve everyday challenges at recent Fail-a-Thon  Shayla Brown Mon, 01/12/2026 - 12:35

�鶹��Ƶ is preparing students to transform setbacks into stepping stones with a “Fail-a-Thon," a hackathon event where failing forward is the goal.

The event, hosted by the College of Engineering and Computing, encouraged students to explore bold ideas under two themes: artificial intelligence (AI) for everyday challenges and tech for well-being and creativity.

Junior computer science major Oluwatomisin Badmus and his partner, junior applied computer science major Chesney Noye, working under the team name “AfroHacks,” took first place. 

Chesney Noye (center) and Oluwatomisin Badmus presenting at the Fail-a-thon. Photo provided.

Badmus and Noye are international students and wanted to emphasize the importance of checking in with one another within their community. The duo used an AI coding tool to build an application that allows users to log their current mood over the course of the day, and the system then uses the logged mood when responding to questions.

“You might describe it as a mood-aware AI chatbot,” explained Badmus.

They were able to complete a working version of the application to present to the judges. The team 808s won 2nd place and the Three Musketeers won 3rd. 

“I'm very passionate about AI, so I make sure to take advantage of every educational opportunity regarding AI. I hope to apply that knowledge in my work to make an impact both in and out of school,” said Badmus, an Honors College student. 

Badmus said he has participated in other George �鶹��Ƶ hackathons and competitions at other institutions such as Morgan State, John Hopkins University, and online. Badmus encouraged Noye to participate in the event with him in hopes that he would also find the experience rewarding. 

“I’ve always wanted to participate in a hackathon, so when I saw the flyer for the Fail-a-thon, I knew it would be a great opportunity to gain experience in a relatively low-stakes environment,” said Noye, who has a concentration in software engineering.

Noye said hackathons always seemed too intimidating, but he was encouraged by the fail-a-thon's easygoing approach.

“Having an event centered around failing gave people room to go out there with their ideas, and getting to see all the projects everyone else came up with was great,” he said.

“Getting to share stories with the other participants there on where our projects failed, what weird bugs we had, and how different our initial ideas and final products ended up was a great bonding moment and really helped normalize the idea that failing is okay,” said Noye.

The students had two hours to build real-world practical projects using provided AI tools. Many of the project features were built and working, and judges and attendees could see them live during the presentations. 

Humaira Akhtari (left) with Christi Cartwright Wilcox, director, Office of Outreach Student Success and Engagement. Photo provided.

“Watching students turn ideas into functional solutions in just two hours was genuinely exciting and inspiring,” said Humaira Akhtari, a term instructor in the Department of Information Science and Technology and one of three faculty judges at the event.

Other judges included professors Socrates Dimitriadis and Maha Shamseddine from the Department of Computer Science.

“I kept telling the teams, ‘I would be the first person to use your app’ because their ideas were genuinely useful. Seeing students build practical solutions, collaborate across disciplines, and confidently present their work made the experience incredibly rewarding,” said Akhtari. “It brings me so much joy seeing my students grow beyond the classroom. Whether it’s capstone presentations, Fail-a-Thon, or Engineering Week, I love seeing how my students are thriving.” 

Students from electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, IST, and cyber security engineering participated. The mix of backgrounds really elevated the ideas and discussions, said Akhtari. 

When evaluating projects, judges looked at creativity, risk-taking, learning through failure, and how well teams communicated their ideas.  

“Rather than penalizing mistakes, we looked for evidence of iteration, reflection, and growth. The goal was to celebrate experimentation and meaningful learning,” said Akhtari. 

“Events like Fail-a-Thon create a safe space where students learn that failure is not something to avoid—it’s part of the process. This mindset is essential not only in academics, but also in entrepreneurship and real-world problem solving,” said Akhtari.

One team built a study management tool where students could upload their course syllabus, and the app would automatically generate a personalized study plan based on upcoming assignments and deadlines.

Another team designed a nutrition app that helps users track dietary preferences like Halal, vegan, and other restrictions.  

There were also projects focused on productivity, motivation, and wellness—apps that help users stay on track with their schedules, motivate them to stay consistent at the gym, or even guide users while grocery shopping based on their calorie goals.  

Topics

College of Engineering and Computing

competitions

Hackathon

Applied computer science

computer science

Artificial Intelligence

Honors College

Students

CEC students

In This Story

Humaira Akhtari

Socrates Dimitriadis

Maha Shamseddine

Artificial Intelligence at George �鶹��Ƶ

Graduate Success Fellows program empowers students to support peers

Katarina Benson — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 20:38:32 +0000

Graduate Success Fellows program empowers students to support peers Katarina Benson Fri, 01/09/2026 - 15:38

Being a graduate student isn’t easy—it can be difficult to balance an academic workload, teaching, and a job, all while adapting to a new environment. Rather than facing these challenges alone, graduate students now have a new resource to help them navigate the graduate school experience: Graduate Success Fellows.

Graduate Success Fellows with their supervisors. Photo provided

The Graduate Success Fellows program was established in the fall semester by �鶹��Ƶ’s Graduate Division based on feedback from the 2024 �鶹��Ƶ Graduate Experience Survey, which showed that graduate students typically turn to their peers—rather than faculty or staff—for guidance about the graduate education journey.

“The survey results made it clear that the channels that we typically use to communicate with graduate students weren’t the ones they preferred,” said Alyssa Bivins, senior graduate professional development coordinator for the Graduate Division. “With this insight, we saw an opportunity to train graduate students who could serve as trusted sources of information on all aspects of graduate education—everything from funding opportunities, exploring internships, and flexible job options to connecting with others who share similar interests.”

To launch the program, the Graduate Division asked schools and colleges to nominate graduate students to serve in the inaugural cohort of fellows. Throughout the fall semester, 12 fellows received extensive training to learn about the support and services available to graduate students at George �鶹��Ƶ, and met with their individual academic units and with offices across campus, including Graduate Student Life, the Office of Fellowships, and others.

Bivins and Stephanie Bluth, associate director for graduate professional and career development in the Graduate Division, lead a a mentorship training session for the fellows. Both received training from the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The session focused on peer leader and mentorship techniques to support diverse graduate students.

“The training was really eye-opening,” said Harris Davis, a second-year student in the School Psychology Program in the College of Education and Human Development. “I wish I had known about these resources when I started my master’s program.”

For Davis, the information about financial assistance and employment stood out the most. “So many graduate students have questions about funding opportunities, and George �鶹��Ƶ’s graduate financial support services can really help,” he said. “They do more than just scholarships and traditional aid. They cover all areas of graduate education, from finding a job that fits your schedule to obtaining funding for travel to present at a conference.”

Sara Almadani, a second-year PhD student in the Climate Dynamics Program in the College of Science, was impressed with the social resources that are available for graduate students at George �鶹��Ƶ. “Coming into a university as a graduate student can be lonely,” she said. “Being able to talk to someone to find out what to do for fun or where to meet other people in the program makes it easier to adjust to graduate life.”

More than just taking on an ambassador role for the university’s graduate student services, Graduate Success Fellows are also working on projects within their schools and colleges to better support graduate students. These projects include improving social media outreach, creating a professional development series, and deploying surveys to better understand graduate student needs, among others.

“I’ve been blown away by the initiative of the fellows,” said Bivins. “Our inaugural group had to do a lot of pioneering to figure out what this program will look like and how it will operate. They really have the best interests of their fellow graduate students at heart, and it shows.”

Graduate students who want to connect with a Graduate Success Fellow can get in touch with their academic unit’s representative. Contacting a Graduate Success Fellow is free—and can save hours of searching online for the right information.

“If you have a question, no matter how small, reach out and we can help you find a solution,” said Davis. “Whether you’re looking for a quiet space to study or just want to know where to grab some free popcorn, we’re here to help.”

Graduate Success Fellowships are paid full-time graduate professional assistant positions. Students are nominated by their school or college. Information about the selection process for the 2026-27 school year and information regarding requirements and responsibilities is available at graduate.gmu.edu.

Learn more about the Graduate Success Fellows

Topics

Office of the Provost

graduate students

Students

Peer mentors

Film students spread the mission of a local nonprofit through the power of storytelling

Shayla Brown — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 17:57:37 +0000

Film students spread the mission of a local nonprofit through the power of storytelling  Shayla Brown Wed, 01/07/2026 - 12:57

�鶹��Ƶ film and video studies major Aryaman Kantawala knew that getting real-world experience was an essential part of building his career. But he wasn’t expecting to get as much creative free rein as he did on his most recent project. 

Kantawala is directing a student-produced documentary about  the nonprofit DC Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation, a local nonprofit that supports children with cancer, as well as their families. 

The opportunity to direct the documentary came courtesy of Entertainment 2 Affect Change (E2AC), an organization that provides creative students and individuals the opportunity to use storytelling to share the mission and impact of local nonprofits.

Kantawala working on the documentary film. Photo provided.

E2AC is partnering with chapters from Delta Kappa Alpha (DKA), a national cinematic arts society open to all majors, including the George �鶹��Ƶ  chapter. 

“We talked to [E2AC], and they gave us some guidelines, but mostly they gave us a lot of freedom,” said Kantawala, who is part of the E2AC Student Fellowship program. 

Kantawala has mapped out the arc of the film, which will be shown at a DC Candlelighters’ fundraising event in March 2026. 

“We’re making a narrative of a family whose child was diagnosed with cancer, and our documentary will center on their lives and how they were impacted by this. Then we'll show how they found this amazing organization,” said Kantawala, a sophomore Honors College student and the networking chair for George �鶹��Ƶ’s DKA chapter. 

“We’ll show some of the organization events and then at the end of the documentary, we’ll loop back to the original family to see how the child is doing,” he said. 

Mel Moya-Jaldin is a senior film and video studies major with a concentration in producing and a minor in business who is also working on the film as a producer. She joined George �鶹��Ƶ’s DKA chapter in the fall of 2023 and is now the president.  

“I was very excited to hear about a huge national organization like E2AC wanting to work with young filmmakers and actually taking that initiative,” said Moya-Jaldin. 

Mel Moya-Jaldin (front, center) with other Delta Kappa Alpha members. Photo provided.

“From the first meeting, whether it was with the organization’s presidents or volunteers, I felt like I was connecting with a wider community, which is where you’d start for any kind of project, but especially nonfiction, documentary film work.”

Moya-Jaldin says she hopes to learn more about the logistical and business side of filmmaking as well as improve her public speaking skills so she can become more comfortable pitching films, “and also supporting any filmmakers that might be a little bit shy to put themselves out there," she said. 

“I’ve had two opportunities this semester to make videos similar to the one we’re making for DC Candlelighters. Thankfully, I’ve been able to apply the knowledge I’ve obtained from DKA and my courses to the work I’m doing for E2AC,” she said. “I'm learning about what it takes to work with a nonprofit and make content for them in real time, which is really cool.” 

“The DKA environment is really inspiring. Everyone is so knowledgeable and they really uplift the organization. I decided to focus on producing and hopefully eventually enter a leadership position within the organization and am very happy to have made it this far,” said Moya-Jaldin, who is partnered with Kantawala for the E2AC Student Fellowship program. 

The students say working with E2AC is a really good opportunity for young filmmakers who are trying to get their foot in the door while also supporting an important cause. 

“Their goals are definitely something that's aligned with me personally because I really want to find my footing in the filmmaking industry, but also make an impact on my community,” Moya-Jaldin said. 

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