Peer mentors

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

Break Through Tech peer leaders are cheer leaders for students

Rena Malai — Fri, 03 Dec 2021 18:13:20 +0000

Break Through Tech peer leaders are cheer leaders for students Rena Malai Fri, 12/03/2021 - 13:13

As soon as Andrea (Andi) Motas, a computer science major at �鶹��Ƶ, heard about the Break Through Tech peer leadership program, she wanted to join. Meeting other students, faculty, and making a contribution were the key factors that drew her in, she says.

“I can relate to the younger students, and I know what they’re going through,” Motas says. “I want them to feel supported and that they have a place to go.”

She says the main role of a Break Through Tech peer leader is to help support students—especially females and those from underrepresented communities—-- pursuing computer science, engineering, and information technology degrees at �鶹��Ƶ. Peer leaders are available to answer questions, meet, or simply talk.

“It’s important to have Break Through Tech in place because a lot of students can feel a lack of support, especially freshman getting adjusted to college life or minorities who may not see anyone that looks like them in any of their classes,” Motas says. “But they can come to Break Through Tech for that support whether they want someone to talk to, or help with a resume.”

She says being a peer leader is a natural fit for her because she’s done similar duties before with other student organizations. Motas brings plenty of experience to the table with hosting events, being able to connect with others, and giving advice.

“A lot of it, for students, is just how to get started in the right direction,” she says. “Freshmen will be curious about what internships are out there, and what classes to take. I like to share my own experiences with them of what worked for me and what didn’t, and the things that helped me to succeed.”

Motas is currently a senior, and is set to graduate December 2021. After graduating, she plans to start work as a software engineer at Oracle and eventually pursue a master’s degree in data science or machine learning.

She’s always enjoyed anything to do with computers and is keenly interested in how technology works behind the scenes.

“As long as you have the resources and an internet connection, you can build whatever you want and go wherever you want with it,” she says.

Motas was awarded the Washington Apple Pi Endowed scholarship and was recognized for her work with PatriotHacks in 2018 (awarded best data analytics hack) and HackViolet in 2021 (awarded best hack for female empowerment and best web app.)

The Break Through Tech peer leadership program provides support to all �鶹��Ƶ College of Engineering and Computing students. For more information, contact breakthroughtech@cs.gmu.edu.

Visit Break Through Tech DC at George �鶹��Ƶ for more information.

Topics

Tech Talent Investment Program (TTIP)

John M. Woolsey

rstaffo2 — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 21:22:36 +0000

John M. Woolsey rstaffo2 Thu, 02/11/2021 - 16:22

Assistant Dean of Faculty and Curriculum

Contact Information

Email: jwoolsey@gmu.edu
Phone: (703) 993-1110
Mail Stop: MSN 1F4
Office Location: Buchanan D205

Biography

Dr. Woolsey has a BA and MA in English Studies from Illinois State University, where he focused on innovative fiction and postcolonial theory, especially the work of Franz Fanon. He holds a PhD in Cultural Studies from �鶹��Ƶ and completed fields in critical theory and visual culture. His dissertation focused on the militarized integration of rights, development and relief discourses during the height of the Global War or Terror. In addition to serving on the executive council of the Virginias Collegiate Honors Council, Woolsey is currently working on projects that explore the impact of honors curricula on transfer populations and the impact of undergraduate mentoring and service learning on students long-term career paths.

Education

PhD, Cultural Studies, �鶹��Ƶ (2013)
MA, English Studies, Illinois State University (2001)
BA, English Studies, Illinois State University (1999)

Awards

Mentoring Excellence Award, �鶹��Ƶ (2023)

Education

PhD, Cultural Studies, �鶹��Ƶ (2013)

Peer mentors

Graduate Success Fellows program empowers students to support peers

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Break Through Tech peer leaders are cheer leaders for students

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John M. Woolsey

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Biography

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