Schar School News for March 2025

Global Commerce and Policy

Alumni

Michelle Lammers, ‘05: From Master’s Student to a ‘Woman to Watch’ in National Security

Andrew J Schappert — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 16:18:01 +0000

Michelle Lammers, ‘05: From Master’s Student to a ‘Woman to Watch’ in National Security Andrew J Schappert Thu, 03/20/2025 - 12:18

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Named in February as one of Colorado’s “50 Top Women to Watch,” George Mason �鶹�� alum Michelle Lammers has carved out an impressive career in national security, bringing strategic communications expertise to a field where precision and discretion are paramount.

Michelle Lammers on her Schar School master’s degree: “I think it brought the ability to step back and look at the picture and ask, ‘How do we fit into what’s going on today, and why does it matter?’”

As vice president of communications at Nightwing, a cutting-edge intelligence and cybersecurity firm, Lammers is at the forefront of safeguarding clients’ most sensitive data while shaping the company’s public presence.

She earned her master's degree in International Commerce and Policy—now called Global Commerce and Policy—in 2005 from the Schar School of Policy and Government. The program, known for its rigorous curriculum and distinguished faculty—including professionals with high-ranking intelligence backgrounds—laid the groundwork for her career.

“I had some amazing professors who were full time at the CIA in senior roles,” Lammers recalled in a Zoom call from Denver. “That exposure really helped me understand the intelligence landscape.”

After graduating from the Schar School she worked in strategy, mergers, and acquisitions before pivoting into business development and communications. While her path has been dynamic, she credits her degree with teaching her how to analyze complex policy issues and apply them to real-world business challenges.

“It’s about understanding context,” she said. “I think it brought the ability to step back and look at the picture and ask, ‘How do we fit into what’s going on today, and why does it matter?’”

Those skills, she said, “were what my master’s [degree] was focused on, and it’s really helpful.”

A longtime Denver resident, Lammers has spent years actively engaging with the local community, which has earned her multiple industry recognitions, including a spot on Denver Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” list and the current “50 Top Women to Watch” by Women We Admire, a nonprofit providing news and information about women executives and leaders in major U.S. industries.

Closer to home, Lammers was named a “Top MarCom Exec to Watch in 2024” by Washington Executive magazine.

Though she’s based in Colorado, her work at Nightwing keeps her connected to national security hubs across the country. The company, headquartered in Sterling, Virginia, has a presence in 46 states, employing more than 2,200 professionals. Lammers oversees the company’s external and internal messaging, ensuring that its cybersecurity and intelligence missions are clearly communicated to employees, stakeholders, and the public.

“We’re heavily focused on cybersecurity and other intelligence and national security missions,” she said, highlighting the importance of aligning public messaging with the ever-evolving security landscape.

For Schar School students looking to follow in her footsteps, Nightwing presents opportunities. The company actively recruits from George Mason’s highly regarded computer science and cybersecurity programs, offering positions that cater to those with security clearances or aspirations of obtaining them.

“We have some really cool missions,” she said. “If you have a clearance or are interested in national security work, we have jobs in the D.C. metro area and beyond.”

One of her transformative experiences at George Mason was a three-week summer study-abroad program at the �鶹�� of Oxford’s Mansfield College in the United Kingdom, made possible by George Mason’s Global Education Office’s Mason Oxford Programs. At Oxford, she developed lifetime friendships with classmates, so much so she was in the wedding of one and has attended family Thanksgiving holidays with others.

From her studies in international policy to her leadership role in a major intelligence firm, Lammers’s career highlights the value of combining strategy, policy expertise, and business skills. For Schar School students interested in cybersecurity and intelligence, her message is straightforward: opportunities exist—you just need to pursue them.

Topics

Master of Global Commerce and Policy

Alumni

Democracy Lab Learning Community

Internships and Influence: Schar School Senior Dylan Morse Reflects on His College Career

Andrew J Schappert — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 13:58:22 +0000

Internships and Influence: Schar School Senior Dylan Morse Reflects on His College Career Andrew J Schappert Tue, 03/18/2025 - 09:58

In This Story

Sita Nataraj Slavov

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Vermont native Dylan Morse didn’t get to tour his future college campus before enrolling. The pandemic had shut the world down during his senior year of high school, leaving him to rely on virtual research from his home in Hartland.

Dylan Morse, left, and U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont): ‘Join Democracy Lab if you can,’ Morse said. ‘It’s an immediate community source for friends and can help navigate the ropes of college when you first come here.’ Photos provided.

But he knew what he was looking for, and he found it at George Mason �鶹��’s Schar School of Policy and Government.

With its proximity to Washington, D.C., its impressive national rankings, and a news-making faculty, the Schar School seemed like the right fit for a student drawn to politics and public service. Now, as he approaches graduation, Morse reflects on the experiences that have shaped his path and the lessons he’s learned along the way.

A public administration major, Morse quickly immersed himself in government work, in and out of the classroom. His first taste of the political world came during back-to-back summer internships in Vermont’s centrist Republican Governor Phil Scott’s Montpelier office, where he assisted with constituent services and research for the State Workforce Development Board. The position called for Morse to respond to calls from Vermonters and connect them with government resources; he also recorded citizens’ opinions. The experience helped him see firsthand the impact of local governance.

Last spring, he interned on Capitol Hill for Vermont’s Democratic Senator Peter Welch. The role was similar in some ways—fielding constituent calls and drafting correspondence—but it also introduced him to the complexities of federal policymaking. He gave tours of the Capitol and contributed to policy work, particularly in the area of agriculture.

The contrast between state and federal government became clear to him. While they occasionally intersected—such as in Vermont’s response to last summer’s devastating floods—he realized they serve distinct roles, and he found himself drawn to the immediacy of state-level governance.

“The state and federal governments generally serve very different purposes, which was a very helpful insight into Federalism,” he said. “I think my long-term goal is to become involved in state government. I find it to be more hands-on and more personal. And you can be a bit closer to real change and making a difference.”

Dylan Morse: ‘I think my long-term goal is to become involved in state government. I find it to be more hands-on and more personal.’

Since his freshman year, Morse has been a part of the Democracy Lab Learning Community, first as a participant and later as a resident assistant (RA) of the Democracy Lab residence hall for three years. His leadership there reinforced the importance of civic engagement and professional development, while also providing him with a tight-knit community of like-minded students.

Beyond government, Morse has sought a well-rounded education. This semester he stepped into the world of lobbying, interning at Mehlman Consulting in Washington, D.C. The experience allows him to see how outside groups influence policymaking.

“It’s a little more corporate than my other internships,” he said. “I’m seeing the other side of the Hill from that perspective.”

His primary responsibility has been gathering information on newly elected representatives and their staffs, a crucial task in shaping legislative strategy for clients.

Academically, Morse is completing a capstone research project on the impact of pandemic-era migration to Vermont on housing prices. Working with Professor Sita Slavov, he hopes to contribute meaningful insights into a growing concern in his home state.

As graduation in May approaches, Morse hopes to gain direct experience with how policy affects constituents before returning to Vermont to work in state government.

While his ultimate goal remains public service, he values the diverse experiences he’s accumulated—from answering calls in a governor’s office to analyzing policy in a senator’s office to now observing the influence of lobbying.

For incoming students looking to study government at George Mason, Morse’s advice is simple: “Join Democracy Lab if you can,” he said. “It’s an immediate community source for friends and can help navigate the ropes of college when you first come here. And you’re getting extra content about professional development, career development, and how to best use your time at George Mason.

“All of that has been super valuable to me.”

Topics

Democracy Lab

Learning Communities

First-Year Democracy Lab

BS in Public Administration

Schar School BS in Public Administration

internships

Students

Graduation

A New Voice in Congress: Meet Schar School Grad U.S. Rep. Riley Moore

Andrew J Schappert — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 14:54:34 +0000

A New Voice in Congress: Meet Schar School Grad U.S. Rep. Riley Moore Andrew J Schappert Fri, 03/14/2025 - 10:54

The halls of Congress are filled with career politicians, lawyers, and policy experts, but U.S. Rep. Riley M. Moore (R), BA Government and International Politics ‘05, the newly elected congressman from West Virginia, brings something different to the table: experience with a welding torch and a deep-seated commitment to public service that he discovered as a student at George Mason �鶹��.

U.S. Rep. Riley Moore. Photo provided

Moore is the third George Mason alumnus to be elected to Congress. U.S. Rep. David Jolly (R-FL), JD ‘01, was the first, serving from 2014 to 2017. He has since retired. Following Jolly was U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn (R-MN) who graduated with a degree in government and international politics. He held office from 2019 to his death in February 2022.

Moore’s journey, from working in Herndon, Virginia, machine shops as a college student to walking the corridors of power on Capitol Hill as an elected official, is an inspiring one.

Fresh off his first few months in office, the congressman sat down for an interview in his Longworth House Office Building office, reflecting on his path from trade school to politics.

“I’ve worked here before,” he said, referencing his time as a congressional staffer. “But it’s a little different when you’re wearing this [Congressional lapel] pin and casting votes than recommending to somebody how they might want to think about voting.”

Moore’s story starts in Virginia, where he graduated from high school before heading to George Mason.

“I wanted to do something different,” he recalled, explaining his decision to forgo West Virginia �鶹��, where many of his family members had studied. “I wanted to be close to the Washington, D.C., metro area.”

His academic journey wasn’t straightforward—he had already gone through trade school and spent time working as a welder, a job that helped shape his understanding of skilled labor and industry. His major at that time was a vague idea of “computer science or something like that,” he said. “I was a welder, so I’m looking for an applied skill and was thinking computers.”

Then came 9/11.

“I was at George Mason that day,” he said, recounting the moment that changed the trajectory of his career. “I didn’t think a lot of Americans really understood how this happened, why this happened, who these people were,” including himself.

Soon Moore found himself obsessed with all the details surrounding the tragic event and changed his major to government and international politics.

His passion for politics was deeply influenced by some of the finest educators in the Schar School of Policy and Government. Among them, one professor who left a lasting impression is Mark N. Katz, now a professor emeritus.

“I still have one of his books on my shelf,” Moore said.

U.S. Rep. Riley Moore

Katz recalls Moore “as an active and effective contributor to classroom discussion,” he said. “I am not surprised that he went on to a successful political career.”

Public service, it seems, runs in Moore’s blood. His grandfather was the governor of West Virginia, though he was too young to fully grasp the significance at the time. “He stopped being governor when I was eight years old,” he said. “To me, he was just my grandpa in a big house.” His aunt, Shelly Moore Capito (R), is the senior U.S. Senator from West Virginia.

But his family influence wasn’t solely political as his other relatives were union laborers, a connection that led him to welding, a trade he continued as a student at George Mason.

“We were building torpedo clamps and all kinds of different things,” he said, adding that the hands-on experience helped him bring a unique perspective to the legislative process.

After graduating from George Mason, he interned on Capitol Hill while bartending at night, eventually securing a job in public service. He worked on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, spent time in the defense industry, and, despite never expecting to run for office, took the plunge.

“I ran for the [West Virginia] House of Delegates and won by a hundred votes,” he said. “Then I ran for state treasurer and won that. And now I’m here.”

As a newly minted congressman, he acknowledges there is hard work ahead, but he remains optimistic. “So far, so good. I’m loving it.”

In This Story

Mark N. Katz

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Topics

Government and International Politics

Schar School BA in Government and International Politics