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George Mason鈥檚 Student Body President and Vice President are strengthening campus community

Sarah Holland — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 17:27:17 +0000

George Mason鈥檚 Student Body President and Vice President are strengthening campus community Sarah Holland Wed, 09/25/2024 - 13:27

When Student Body President Maria Alejandra Romero Cuesta and Vice President Colin McAulay were looking at universities, George Mason 麻豆国产鈥檚 proximity to Washington, D.C., and Schar School of Policy and Government鈥檚 strong reputation made it a top choice for them both.

Photo by Eduardo Macedo/Office of 麻豆国产 Branding

And for both of them, joining Student Government just made sense: Cuesta, an international student, plans for nonprofit work in support of her home country of Colombia, and McAulay dreams of a future in diplomacy.

Now, the two of them are leading with a vision of an empowered and interconnected campus community.聽

Cuesta, a double major in Government and International Politics聽and economics and in the Honors College, was inspired by her peers to run for president. 鈥淎s an active member of the Hispanic Leadership Alliance, Honors College Connects, and the First-Gen+ Center, I got to know what was happening on campus, what students needed, and that understanding inspired me to pursue a pathway of helping other students,鈥� she said. Her connections also gave her a wide platform from which she could launch her political career.聽

For McAulay, a senior international security and law major, three years in Student Government gave him a strong understanding of the university, its structure, and how to best organize people to accomplish a shared vision. When election season came around, Cuesta and McAulay thought their combination of connections and institutional knowledge made a winning ticket.聽

Cuesta and McAulay worked hard over the summer to start constructing the groundwork for their term. One word stands at the core of their vision: community.聽

鈥淲e want to build bridges between the diverse organizations at George Mason,鈥� Cuesta said. 鈥淲e want to set that foundation, not only to create community but to then sustain community so it continues for generations to come.鈥�

Cuesta wants to see a campus where groups are less siloed. 鈥淲e have so many student groups for a wide range of identities, and we see a trend of students just sticking with their groups. And while we want students to have those spaces, we also want the groups to connect with each other more, to work together to achieve their shared goals and to continue to develop an interconnected and supportive campus community.鈥�

鈥淲hen I first came to George Mason,鈥� McAulay added, 鈥渋t was right out of COVID-19, and the community wasn鈥檛 able to thrive. But with each year, we鈥檙e restoring that sense of community, and it鈥檚 important to keep it growing for each new class that comes in."

President Cuesta and Vice President McAulay hit the ground running, starting the semester off with events to bring the campus community together such as tailgating a recent women鈥檚 soccer game. Both hope that their lasting mark on the university will be one of community.聽

鈥淭here are many resources here, so many opportunities to socialize, make friends, network, find your community, and build your career,鈥� Cuesta said. 鈥淚 hope George Mason continues to be a place where students can be authentically themselves and feel like they belong.鈥�
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Business student鈥檚 summer internship is an opportunity to practice sustainability

Colleen Rich — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 18:35:00 +0000

Business student鈥檚 summer internship is an opportunity to practice sustainability Colleen Rich Mon, 07/29/2024 - 14:35

George Mason 麻豆国产 rising junior Vidhi Pathak spent a year searching for the perfect summer internship, before landing her current position as asset management intern for Summit Ridge Energy (SRE).

鈥�I have concentrations in both finance and management information systems and wanted to make sure that I had an understanding of what both industries look like before graduating,鈥� said the Costello College of Business student, who investigated to more than 200 internships in her search.

Pathak鈥檚 main project this summer is to create a comprehensive power business intelligence dashboard for SRE.

SRE operates solar assets for people who live in apartments or rented space, and don鈥檛 have the means or opportunity to install solar panels on their homes. Community solar or shared solar allows more people to go solar in an efficient and renewable way by subscribing to the shared solar array for credits that lower their energy bills.

SRE has around 10 teams ranging from land development and geographic information systems to project finance and engineering, Pathak said. 鈥淢anaging the company鈥檚 solar assets sits right at the end of the cycle, moving cash flow around and seeing that both the customer and our joint venture partners are paid out,鈥� she said.

鈥淚'm really excited about this assignment because not only does it directly correspond to what I'm learning at George Mason, but this is something that SRE鈥檚 asset management team and the C-suite executives at Summit Ridge are going to be using on a regular basis going forward,鈥� said Pathak, who is an Honors College student.

The internship combines her business skills with her passion for sustainability, which is also one of the university鈥檚 main research areas and the focus of its Institute for a Sustainable Earth.

鈥淚'm always trying to approach things from a sustainable point of view,鈥� said Pathak. 鈥淚 know there's a lot of preconceived notions about business majors only caring about money, and I want to prove that I care about the bigger world around me.鈥�

When Pathak first came to George Mason, she joined Costello鈥檚 Impact Fellows Program where she was able to approach essential business courses with a sustainability mindset.

鈥淚鈥檝e experienced a lot of cool extracurriculars through this program. We went to visit a bee farm and took a trip to Asheville, North Carolina, to visit sustainable businesses; everything from nonprofits that work on water waste management in the region to big food banks,鈥� said Pathak.

She also served as a member of the Mason Sustainability Council and as the undersecretary of 聽麻豆国产 Sustainability with George Mason鈥檚 Student Government during her sophomore year.

鈥淭hat role involved a lot of correspondence with fellow students, faculty and staff, and people in the local community, and bringing them together for events like the Patriot Packout or Earth Month initiatives,鈥� said Pathak.

Pathak is also featured in 麻豆国产 Sustainability videos teaching students the best practices for recycling, saving water, minimizing our carbon footprint, and more.

鈥淚 love the Earth and hope to integrate this passion into whatever job I end up doing post-grad,鈥� said Pathak.

聽

鈥淚'm always trying to approach things from a sustainable point of view鈥�

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Mason鈥檚 Student Body President and Vice President want to make sure Mason is a place for all

Colleen Rich — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 14:05:30 +0000

Mason鈥檚 Student Body President and Vice President want to make sure Mason is a place for all Colleen Rich Mon, 10/23/2023 - 10:05

Cyber security engineering major Paul Wyche decided he wanted to run for George Mason 麻豆国产 Student Body President when he realized that, while Mason prides itself on diversity, 鈥渟ome student groups don鈥檛 always feel the inclusion piece.鈥�

Mason Student Government Vice President Nell Palumbo and President Paul Wyche. 鈥嬧€嬧€婸hoto by Ayman Rashid/Office of 麻豆国产 Branding

Wyche, a junior, has been active in Student Government and has served as a Student Senator, chair of the Government and Community Relations Committee, and Speaker of the Student Senate, before stepping into the presidency this year.

Nell Palumbo, a junior government and international politics major, said she ran for Vice President to 鈥�use my voice to advocate for students who may not feel comfortable advocating for themselves.鈥� Her priority is helping students get in touch with campus resources to have a positive college experience.

Another of Palumbo鈥檚 goals is to provide support to everyone in Student Government. She wants everyone to have the resources that they may need to succeed in their respective positions.

Wyche and Palumbo鈥檚 campaign motto was 鈥�Making sure Mason is a place for ALL.鈥� Recognizing this is a lofty promise, Wyche explained the duo has several smaller goals to achieve this. These include fighting food insecurity and ensuring Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance on campus, as well as heading the GIVE B(L)ACK initiative, 聽a service-based project focused on giving back to the local community and businesses that are either owned by and/or cater to individuals from Black, African-Heritage, and Caribbean backgrounds.

Palumbo and Wyche both chose Mason because of its proximity to Washington, D.C., and the resources Mason offers in their respective majors that will help them advance their future careers. Wyche went to an engineering high school and wanted to pursue a cyber-focused major. He found that not a lot of institutions offer cyber security engineering, whereas Mason is one of the top institutions in the nation for the major. Palumbo knew the Schar School of Policy and Government would help her find internships and support her in her future career.

Both students credit Mason for helping them to become the people they are today. Palumbo said her courses have given her valuable experience and access to professors who have been able to guide her toward her career path. Mason has also offered her opportunities for internships and real-life work experience that will help her succeed after graduation.聽

Wyche says that in addition to providing top-ranked academic programs, Mason has helped him grow as an individual 鈥渂y immersing me in an environment that is diverse in so many ways.鈥� What he finds so valuable about Mason鈥檚 diversity is that it promotes thought-provoking and bias-challenging discussions that he believes will help individuals better prepare for the real world.

Palumbo is currently studying for the Law School Admission Test and plans to attend law school in 2025 after graduating from Mason.

After graduation, Wyche plans to work in the private sector or in the federal government as a cybersecurity advisor/analyst and pursue a master鈥檚 degree in cybersecurity and business. He foresees a future career in politics as well.

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March 20, 2023

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Meet the New VP of Student Government: Nell Palumbo

Andrew J Schappert — Mon, 01 May 2023 15:45:49 +0000

Meet the New VP of Student Government: Nell Palumbo Andrew J Schappert Mon, 05/01/2023 - 11:45

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Nell Palumbo poses with a vintage auto during a study abroad visit to Cuba.

If ever there was a lesson to be learned about elections, this year鈥檚 contest for student body leadership was it. Paul Wyche, a cyber security engineering major, and running mate Nell Palumbo, a government and international politics major at the Schar School of Policy and Government, won the George Mason 麻豆国产 student body presidency and vice presidency, respectively, by a mere three votes.

Of the 1,474 votes cast, the Wyche-Palumbo combo took 646 of them, topping the Liam Keen-Amanda Magpiong ticket鈥檚 643 votes. Wyche and Palumbo were sworn in on April 27.

For Nashville native Palumbo, the three weeks of campaigning she characterized as 鈥渟tressful鈥� were worth the effort. 鈥淚 believe that the most important part of Mason is the students,鈥� she said.

Palumbo, who will be a junior in the fall, chose to attend Mason since it fit with her desire to go to a large university near Washington, D.C., where she could pursue a future in government. But as her first semester as a freshman came and went, she was nervous that she would be lost amid crowds.

To her surprise, she saw benefits of belonging to a smaller school鈥攖he Schar School鈥攚ithin a larger institution and found that it unlocked more paths for her future.

She added that relationships with professors, who encouraged her to explore new avenues of academics, influenced her to consider law school, which is now on her horizon.

Palumbo has taken advantage of leadership opportunities during her Mason career. As her sorority鈥檚 president, Alpha Phi, she strives to motivate peers and improve community building. Although the chapter does not have a traditional Greek house, she has managed to live with several of her sorority sisters in a home that offers stress-busting DIY projects. At the moment, she is working on gardening boxes she plans to bring from the Mason greenhouse to her own house.

Palumbo is also enjoying the proximity to Washington, working this summer as an intern on Capitol Hill. A prior internship for the Institute for Justice in Arlington, Virginia, prepared her for her next political assignment.

Included on the Wyche-Palumbo campaign platform was a promise to increase student engagement with student government. Palumbo hopes to explore new ways to use communication platforms to generate participation in common goals.

And in doing so, maybe get more students to vote.

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Student body president and vice president are speaking their constituents鈥� languages

Colleen Rich — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 17:10:46 +0000

Student body president and vice president are speaking their constituents鈥� languages Colleen Rich Mon, 08/22/2022 - 13:10

Meet Sophia and Celine

Mason鈥檚 new student body president Sophia Nguyen and vice president Celine Apenteng will be doing an Instagram Live for 30 minutes on Monday, August 29, 2022 at 2 p.m. ET on the George Mason 麻豆国产 Instagram channel.

For Sophia Nguyen and Celine Apenteng, George Mason 麻豆国产鈥檚 new student body president and vice president, respectively, accountability to their fellow students is paramount.

Photo by Cristian Torres/Strategic Communications

So much so that on the webpage that displays their platform, there is a contact box through which they can be reached directly. And in a recent conversation about their administration, there was this invitation:

鈥淲e are here for you, we will listen to you, we will work with you firsthand,鈥� Nguyen said. 鈥淚f you want to sit down and have coffee or meet at the Johnson Center, just let me know.鈥�

That kind of outreach is the norm for Nguyen, a senior majoring in government and international politics and minoring in global affairs, and Apenteng, a junior majoring in conflict analysis and resolution with minors in intelligence studies and data analysis.

In fact, when they posted their platform, they did it in seven languages: English, Arabic, French, German, Korean, Russian, and Spanish, to reach as many students as possible.

鈥淥ne part of our platform is to translate our syllabi into multiple languages, so our friend said, 鈥榊ou should translate your platform,鈥欌€� Nguyen said. 鈥淲e have a diverse group of friends, so we asked them what languages they know how to speak and write.鈥�

In exchange for lunch or coffee, Nguyen and Apenteng got their translations.

鈥淭his was such a smart idea,鈥� said Lauren Kaplan, Mason鈥檚 Student Government advisor. 鈥淪haring their student government platform in seven languages underscored the inclusiveness of our diverse student body. I thought it was so unique and clever. A smart initiative to appeal to every student here on campus.鈥�

Nguyen, from Chesapeake, Virginia, and Apenteng, from Silver Spring, Maryland, are members of Mason鈥檚 Honors College and are experienced Student Government participants. Both were senators and worked extensively with the Government and Community Relations committee of which Apenteng, a 麻豆国产 Scholar, was chair. She was also speaker of the Senate.

Nguyen, whose brother, Anthony is a Mason alumnus (BS mechanical engineering 鈥�18), was chair of the 麻豆国产 Life and the Diversity and Multicultural Affairs committees. She also just finished a summer internship at the White House, working to eliminate hate against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

Apenteng over the summer traveled to Switzerland, France, Belgium, and Luxembourg with Mason鈥檚 International Security Studies Program through the Global Education Office.

Fast friends, they complement each other鈥檚 personalities.

鈥淪he鈥檚 my accountability person,鈥� Nguyen said of Apenteng. 鈥淪he helps my flaws because my flaws are being a little too shy when it comes to saying my feelings. I鈥檓, like, 鈥榃ait, Plan D, what should I do?鈥� She鈥檚 like 鈥榥o, stop,鈥� so that鈥檚 her.鈥�

Their platform is extensive and includes working with Mason Dining to ensure all students have food options that fit their dietary or religious guidelines, and with the Office of Sustainability to decrease the amount of disposable plastic material on campus.

They also want to create a Title IX student advisory group and revive the 鈥淐offee with Cops鈥� program in which students talk about issues with Mason police.

Both Nguyen and Apenteng said they have benefited from their Mason experience.

鈥淚 really like the atmosphere on campus,鈥� Apenteng said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 find it to be very competitive. It鈥檚 much more collaborative. It鈥檚 great to be able to work in that kind of environment so people know they can have input and be part of something.鈥�

And speaking of input, 鈥渋f there鈥檚 a problem that impacts you as a student, it impacts us as student leaders,鈥� Apenteng said. 鈥淚f we don鈥檛 know about it, it鈥檚 a problem for us, so come talk to us, let us know. At the end of the day, that鈥檚 our job鈥攖o support you.鈥�

That鈥檚 a language anyone can understand.聽

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Meet Student Body President and Schar School Senior Sophia Nguyen

Andrew J Schappert — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 17:47:08 +0000

Meet Student Body President and Schar School Senior Sophia Nguyen Andrew J Schappert Tue, 07/19/2022 - 13:47

Sophia Nguyen never pictured herself as a government major, but she realized that to accomplish her goal of fighting discrimination, she needed the knowledge that comes from studying policy and government.

Now the native of Chesapeake, Virginia, is a senior in the Schar School of Policy and Government and serves as the incoming president of the George Mason 麻豆国产 student body.

New Mason student body president Sophia Nguyen: 鈥業 wanted to be more active rather than just be posting on social media.鈥� Photos by Ron Aira/Creative Services

In addition, this summer the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants scored an internship at no less than the White House, working to eliminate hate against Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities.

The incoming student body president is working at the White House this summer in an office dedicated to eliminating hate and discrimination against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

Nguyen鈥檚 reason for fighting AAPI hatred was fueled by the rising attacks against those vulnerable communities, which were maligned by the previous presidential administration during the outbreak of COVID-19. Further inspired by the Black Lives Matter protests in wake of the killing of George Floyd, she wanted to make a change and fight for AAPI communities.

Her passion fueled her ambition. 鈥淚 wanted to be more active rather than just be posting on social media,鈥� she said.

Nguyen,聽an聽Honors College聽student,聽brings this energy to Mason while participating in organizations such as the Asian Pacific American Coalition and serving as chair of the 麻豆国产 Life Committee and the Diversity and Multicultural Affairs Committee. She frequently engages in anti-racism activities and actively raises awareness of issues within Asian American communities, such as mental health.

Her leadership as an undergraduate has not gone unnoticed by the student body. After being elected to the student senate in 2020, Nguyen got to work, organizing events as well as being a vital bridge between students and the university鈥檚 administration.

Her student government career progressed when she ran for president in the spring 2022. She aggressively campaigned with vice president running mate Celine Apenteng and together they secured the highest vote count of any ticket since 2014, voted in by more than 900 students.

After assuming office, Nguyen organized events such as a Mason Farmers Market, a colorful event which not only helped students cope with the stress of finals, but also promoted small businesses.

One of her proudest accomplishments was spearheading a well-received Anti-AAPI racism panel, which brought activist from the AAPI community to campus to speak on their activism and raise awareness about hate.

The culmination of her on-campus accomplishments and her passion for AAPI activism led to the White House initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders internship, which is devoted to advancing equity, justice, and opportunity to those communities. In her role, Nguyen helps organize events and works on issues related to the AAPI community with White House representatives.

After graduation from the Schar School, Nguyen intends to continue her fight for AAPI rights and hopes to go into humanitarian work, particularly for people who have been affected by poverty and violence.

鈥淚 just want to help people in need and make people鈥檚 lives a little bit better,鈥� she said.

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Mason Lobbies promotes students as 鈥榩art of a bigger picture鈥�

Colleen Rich — Wed, 26 Jan 2022 17:10:21 +0000

Mason Lobbies promotes students as 鈥榩art of a bigger picture鈥� Colleen Rich Wed, 01/26/2022 - 12:10

Dozens of George Mason 麻豆国产 students are gearing up for the 10th annual Mason Lobbies on Thursday, Feb. 3, when they will meet virtually and discuss legislative issues important to Mason with lawmakers from across the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Mason Lobbies recognizes that students are 鈥減art of a bigger picture, and it sheds important light on student challenges,鈥� said Steven Zhou, president of Mason鈥檚 Graduate and Professional Student Association (GAPSA) and a PhD student in Mason鈥檚 Industrial-Organizational Psychology program.

Previously, Mason Lobbies was primarily led by Mason鈥檚 undergraduate students in Student Government. This year, however, Student Government collaborated with GAPSA to include graduate students in the event.

Getting more graduate students in front of legislators is important in emphasizing Mason鈥檚 great research and advocating for aspects specific to graduate student life, including funding for research and teaching, Zhou said.

Other topics of discussion will include increasing financial aid and increasing faculty and staff compensation, said Sara Heming, associate director of student organizations in Mason鈥檚 Office of Student Involvement.

The event will take place virtually to allow attendees and state legislators to interact safely. Instead of being broken into groups, attendees will meet with legislators and speakers all together through Zoom, though Heming said final details are still to be worked out.

鈥淔or students, it is an opportunity to share their Mason story and what they are passionate about. For legislators, it is to listen and learn where they can be helpful,鈥� Heming said, adding that involvement in this event has also led some students to career opportunities and a professional network.

While training, facilitated by members of Student Government working with Mason鈥檚 State Government Relations team, is required for all attendees before the event as guidance about discussion topics, attendees are free to share anything about their experiences as members of the Mason community, Zhou said.

鈥淓specially from a graduate student perspective, the reputation of the university is quite important,鈥� particularly for future career opportunities, Zhou said.

Mason鈥檚 celebration of its upcoming 50th anniversary in April will also be highlighted.

鈥淗aving the state legislators recognize the institution and all its progress and success in its tenure is important,鈥� Heming said. 鈥淢ason is a special place affording many people a great education, and that鈥檚 something to be proud of.鈥�

The deadline to participate in Mason Lobbies or promote specific lobbying initiatives to Student Government is open to all undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff, and alumni until Jan. 27. Use this form to apply.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really cool to see students making an impact in state-level decisions that could directly impact the entire university,鈥� Zhou said.

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Meet the Freshman Working in the Student Senate and What He Hopes to Accomplish

Andrew J Schappert — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 19:44:48 +0000

Meet the Freshman Working in the Student Senate and What He Hopes to Accomplish Andrew J Schappert Tue, 12/07/2021 - 14:44

Zayd Hamid is a first-year Schar School student from Manassas Park, Virginia, serving as the vice chair of the Mason Student Senate academics committee as well as the senate outreach liaison. While those who represent the student body in student government likely have their own motivations for serving, Hamid鈥檚 reason for adding student government duties to a busy schedule can be pinpointed to a local elected official.

鈥淥ne of my biggest inspirations is [Virginia] Delegate Danica Roem [D-13], a fantastic public servant who represents my home city of Manassas Park,鈥� he said. (Roem, it should be pointed out, is a former longtime journalist and, in 2018, became the first out transgender person elected to the Virginia General Assembly.)

鈥淪he was part of what inspired me to join student government in high school,鈥� Hamid said. 鈥淚 wanted to continue that work of constituent service here at Mason. I want to be someone who can make lives better through policy formation and execution, to be a signer of legislation that tangibly improves lives.鈥�

Hamid, who is majoring in government and international politics, said he enjoys the nuts and bolts of politics: 鈥淚 love discussing legislation and passing things that improve the quality of life for students.聽In regard to my motivations for representing my fellow students, I do it because I care about my community. I have a lot of friends here and I know that I鈥檓 in a place of influence where I can make a change to support people in need. The people I care about make the stress and work of the job all worth it every day. 鈥�

Prior to enrolling at Mason, Hamid served as captain of Manassas Park High School鈥檚 academic team, participated in several programs and organizations, and worked for his local community center among other activities that involved him in his community.

鈥淭hese varied experiences have given me a diverse background of experiences to help me prepare for a school like Mason, which takes pride in the diverse array of opportunities available for students to explore,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e fostered my personal and professional skills over the years and hope to continue doing so through the opportunities at Mason鈥攖o make me a better student, a better public servant, and a better man.鈥�

Hamid parted with some words for the Mason student body.

鈥淚 want people to know that the student government is here for you,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e are here to support and serve you. Anyone can feel free to reach out with ideas for what they鈥檇 like to see changed on campus and we will try our best to materialize those wishes. Always feel free to reach out to me; I am here for you. That goes for all my colleagues in student government as well.鈥�

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Vice President Kamala Harris encourages Mason students to get out the vote

Mariam Aburdeineh — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 18:02:22 +0000

Vice President Kamala Harris encourages Mason students to get out the vote Mariam Aburdeineh Wed, 09/29/2021 - 14:02

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris visited George Mason 麻豆国产鈥檚 Fairfax Campus on Tuesday to speak to students on the importance of voting, in commemoration of National Voter Registration Day.

Before appearing to hundreds of students gathered on Wilkins Plaza, the vice president spoke to Assistant Professor Samuel Frye鈥檚 integrative studies class, 鈥�Community, Culture and Change,鈥� as a surprise guest speaker.

鈥淚 wanted to come and talk with you because you are the leaders of today and tomorrow,鈥� Harris said. 鈥淚n the tradition of George Mason, and the leadership of students at this particular university, I am a strong believer that the most important progress that our country has made has been a function of movements, and almost every one of those movements were fueled by students.鈥�

Harris, who was welcomed by Provost Mark Ginsberg and answered student questions following her talk, also spoke on the power of community engagement, and on protecting voting rights for all citizens.

鈥淪ome of our greatest movements [as a nation] have been built not only by community, but about a way of doing policy work and organizing that is called coalition-building, knowing that the vast majority of us have so much more in common than what separates us,鈥� Harris said.

鈥淥ne of the biggest takeaways I had from today was how [Harris] emphasized our strength in numbers,鈥� said Sydney Howard, a junior studying social justice and human rights. 鈥淚t can be discouraging to think [if] our vote matters individually, but she touched on the power we have when we stick together and the policies that we鈥檝e already brought into fruition.鈥�

Harris emphasized that the goal of American democracy should be unity, not uniformity, where all voices can be heard and disagreements on the issues can be explored with healthy debates.

鈥淵our vote is an expression of your voice, and we should never support anything that would stifle somebody鈥檚 voice or take their power,鈥� Harris said, making the case that Congress should pass the Freedom to Vote Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

The vice president also mentioned how Mason鈥檚 efforts in registering students to vote in 2020, and subsequent polling turnout, helped pave the way for change across the nation.

鈥淪tudents got out and voted, and it was powerful,鈥� Harris said. 鈥淵ou have demonstrated a durability to organize the power of your vote in a climate where the right to vote is being threatened.鈥�

鈥淚 really enjoyed hearing [the vice president] talk about how each voice matters鈥� said McKenna Beauchamp, a senior integrative studies major. 鈥淲e shouldn鈥檛 push away other people鈥檚 voices because they don鈥檛 conform to the whole idea [of a particular party].鈥�

鈥淚'm extremely grateful for [Harris] coming out here, just showing the students that voting is important,鈥� said Mason Student Body President Natalia Kanos. 鈥淗er presence reassures that Mason is advancing in so many ways鈥攊t puts our university in the forefront, and I'm really excited to be part of this institution, to register people to vote, to get people out there.鈥�

Students said the opportunity to engage with the vice president was exciting and surreal, and felt it was a unique benefit afforded to them by Mason.

鈥淏eing this close to D.C.鈥� we have the opportunity to engage with policymakers [and] change-makers firsthand,鈥� Howard said. 鈥淭hey care about the quality of our education, they want to come in and assist us in that, and it鈥檚 a great opportunity.鈥�

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Campus News

School of Integrative Studies

Meet the Government Major Who is Vice President of the Student Body: Veronica Mata

Andrew J Schappert — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 19:01:21 +0000

Meet the Government Major Who is Vice President of the Student Body: Veronica Mata Andrew J Schappert Wed, 09/01/2021 - 15:01

Veronica Mata: 鈥業 have always taken my leadership opportunities as a way to advocate for others, and being vice president is the perfect way to do that for me.鈥� Photo by Shelby Burgess/Creative Services

In a short period of time, Veronica Mata has accomplished much as a George Mason 麻豆国产 student. This semester she begins one of her crowning achievements, serving as vice president the student government.

Mata, a senior who is double-majoring in Government and International Politics at the Schar School and Integrative Studies at the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, came to Mason specifically to study in the Washington, D.C. area. Immersing herself in the school enhanced her experience and inspired her to become more involved.

鈥淭hroughout my time here I really fell in love with the campus and the organizations I was a part of,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ecause of that excitement I had for the campus, I decided to join student government.鈥�

She teamed up with fellow Schar School student Natalia Kanos in her successful campaign to be student body president.

鈥�I have always taken my leadership opportunities as a way to advocate for others, and being vice president is the perfect way to do that for me,鈥� said Mata.

Mata鈥檚 record of student involvement demonstrates her passion for leadership and academic service. At Mason, she has served as secretary, panhellenic delegate, and new member educator of the international women鈥檚 fraternity, Alpha Omicron Pi. She also served as for two years as clerk and government and community relations chair and co-chair of the ad-hoc Committee on Recruitment, Reorganization, and Representation.

Mata has worked as a research assistant at Mason and has conducted research for projects including Black Lives Next Door, which investigates the racial inequities that shaped community life on the outskirts of the Fairfax campus during the formative years of Mason.

When asked what her biggest takeaways from her experiences at Mason will be, Mata, who hopes to pursue law school after graduation, said, 鈥淎part from the knowledge I have gained from my government classes, I think the greater lessons they have given me, combined with the leadership qualities I have been able to develop through student government, will give me the confidence I need to be successful in the future.鈥�

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