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Fakhira Halloun holds two contradictory identities: She is Palestinian and an Israeli citizen.
It wasn’t until she began facilitating peace dialogues between Israelis and Palestinians in Jerusalem in 2000, that she realized Palestinian citizens of Israel could be the missing link in bridging ties between the two groups.

Kristen Alleyne and Elene Lipartiani, incoming freshmen at George Mason �鶹����, have been honored with I-Achieve scholarships for academic excellence. The awards are being given for the first time this year, as part of a grant Mason received from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation last fall.

Despite a path to George Mason �鶹���� that was challenging and, in her own words, “unconventional,” incoming freshmen Juliette Reyes moved on to campus this fall.

The Parkland, Florida, native will be double majoring in government and international politics and conflict analysis and resolution, a decision based on an initial interest in politics in high school that grew into a passion.

May Abboud Melki’s home was in shambles following the massive August 4 explosion in Beirut, Lebanon. Glass shards from blasted windows and debris filled her home, and nearly everything she owned had been damaged. That is, except for her piano.

When Taurus Patterson was looking at colleges, George Mason �鶹���� struck him right away as a place that he could call a “second home.”

“I felt like I would be welcome,” said Patterson, 18. “Everyone I met was so nice, and it didn’t seem forced. When I visited the campus, people just started talking to me, and it was so natural. I already felt like I belonged.”

Patterson is a member of Mason’s Honors College, a �鶹���� Scholar and a recipient of the Merten-Womble Scholarship. He says he’s looking forward to studying finance in the School of Business, and is considering a second major in public administration.

“A long time ago, I wanted to be president, and then I wanted to be a financial consultant,” Patterson said. “Really, I have a passion for both finance and politics, so I would like to be able to combine these interests.”