October 2024
October 11, 2024After a year learning Russian in the Kyrgyzstan Republic, Anusha Chaluvadi begins her career at George Mason: Honors College, University Scholar, and a major in the Schar School’s International Security and Law undergraduate four-year degree program.
October 11, 2024The National Capital Area Political Science Association (NCAPSA) presented Associate Professor Jennifer N. Victor with their Pi Sigma Alpha Award for mentoring undergraduates. See what it means to her.
October 9, 2024A roundup of recent media appearances by Schar School faculty, students, and staff for September 30th - October 4th, 2024.
October 2, 2024How important is the Black vote in the coming presidential election? The Schar School’s Michael K. Fauntroy and Columbia’s Frederick Harris offer insight in an October 16 webinar.
As They Leave Office, Libby Garvey and Justin Wilson Reflect on Local Government in a Changing WorldOctober 1, 2024Two longtime departing local politicians, Arlington’s Libby Garvey and Alexandria’s Justin Wilson, will discuss the status and future of regional politics at Mason Square on October 9. The Schar School’s Alan Abramson will present an overview of the discussion.
September 2024
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October 1, 2024A roundup of recent media appearances by Schar School faculty, students, and staff for September 23rd - 27th, 2024.
September 27, 2024As the Schar School’s ODKM heads toward its third decade, here’s a rundown on how it got there and what’s the future holds for this distinctive master’s program.
September 25, 2024Schar School Learning Communities held orientation sessions before classes began.
September 25, 2024When Student Body President Maria Alejandra Romero Cuesta and Vice President Colin McAulay were looking at universities, George Mason University’s proximity to Washington, D.C., and Schar School of Policy and Government’s strong reputation made it a top choice for them both.
September 25, 2024See how 2017 government and international politics graduate Evan Dunne used his degree to help launch a health information and technology platform to help Native American and indigenous communities.
September 23, 2024A roundup of recent media appearances by Schar School faculty, students, and staff for September 16th - 20th, 2024.
September 20, 2024The Hayden Center hosted the Virginia opening of War Game, a chilling documentary that asks the question: What would happen if a presidential candidate had enough military might to challenge a losing election?
September 19, 2024A German documentary crew visited George Mason’s Fairfax Campus to learn how young voters feel about the coming presidential election. See the photos.-
September 10, 2024A welcome reception for new and returning Schar School students kicked off the academic year.
August 2024
September 4, 2024Three Schar School researchers examine how vaccine mandates exacerbated the labor shortage in the health care industry.
September 4, 2024With a $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation, Assistant Professor Fengxiu Zhang will study policy and scientific challenges in making bus fleets less dependent on fossil fuel.
September 4, 2024A $16.5 million grant for the Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN), led by Faye S. Taxman, will enable the research network to expand its focus.
September 4, 2024New faculty member Thema Monroe-White joins the Schar School and the College of Engineering and Computing.
September 4, 2024At a U.S. Senate Committee hearing, Associate Professor Gregory Koblentz advocated for the creation of a new federal agency to manage oversight of biological and pandemic risks.-
September 3, 2024A roundup of recent media appearances by Schar School faculty, students, and staff for August 26th - 30th, 2024.
August 29, 2024The Schar School’s P3 Policy Center presents a multipanel symposium exploring new developments in the public-private partnership field.
August 28, 2024Dana Staley found herself deep in her Master of Public Administration program with a newborn, a fulltime job, and eventually, a pandemic crisis. See how she managed to succeed through it all.-
August 26, 2024A roundup of recent media appearances by Schar School faculty, students, and staff for August 19th - 23rd, 2024.
August 19, 2024A roundup of recent media appearances by Schar School faculty, students, and staff for August 12th - 16th, 2024.
August 15, 2024Schar School adjunct professor Lee Roberts is recognized as a Teacher of Distinction by George Mason University. See why, as a U.S. Army strategic intelligence officer, it’s important to him to teach international security.
August 14, 2024Ian Candy is coming to George Mason from South Dakota to study government, neuroscience, and will compete in forensics. See how he hopes to combine it all in an effort to make the world a better place.
July 2024
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August 5, 2024A roundup of recent media appearances by Schar School faculty, students, and staff for July 29th - August 2nd, 2024.
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July 25, 2024A roundup of recent media appearances by Schar School faculty, students, and staff for July 22nd - 26th, 2024.
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July 19, 2024A roundup of recent media appearances by Schar School faculty, students, and staff for July 15th - 19th, 2024.
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July 12, 2024A roundup of recent media appearances by Schar School faculty, students, and staff for July 8th - 12th, 2024.
July 11, 2024A new master’s degree alum—and former professional basketball player from Lithuania—is spending the summer gaining experience on the Hill and beyond. Meet Livija Kaktaite.
July 8, 2024When the war with Russia disrupted Tetiana Khutor’s work in Ukraine, she found a temporary home at the Schar School. The “scholar in exile” hopes to develop relationships in Washington that will help rebuild her homeland.-
July 3, 2024A roundup of recent media appearances by Schar School faculty, students, and staff for July 1st - 3rd, 2024.
July 2, 2024President Biden’s performance in the June 27 debate with Donald Trump did not go well, to say the least. One Schar School professor warned about the consequences of such a mishap a year ago. Read Jeremy Mayer’s take in USA Today.
June 2024
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July 2, 2024A roundup of recent media appearances by Schar School faculty, students, and staff for June 24th - 28th, 2024.
June 28, 2024A $1 million grant from the U.S. Senate will create a new interdisciplinary center at George Mason designed to help Virginia small businesses take advantage of advances in artificial intelligence. Read who is behind this first-of-its-kind center and how it will work.
June 26, 2024The Schar School and the Washington Post team up to deliver data on the uncommitted and “double haters”—registered voters who may decide who wins the presidency in 2024.
June 25, 2024Rona Jobe says her 2013 Master of Public Policy degree prepared her to help other women and minorities elevate their businesses. Now she’s a Rising Star winner from a major nonprofit.
June 25, 2024A weeklong residential program to bring undergraduate students together with women leaders in politics and business just concluded. See who they met and what they learned.
June 24, 2024Graduate student Nick Marko earned a master’s in biodefense and a graduate certificate while working full time as a neurosurgeon.-
June 24, 2024A roundup of recent media appearances by Schar School faculty, students, and staff for June 10th - 21st, 2024.
June 20, 2024A course teaching graduate students how to successfully manage large-scale crises prepares them for even more prominent public-facing roles. Read about the class and the professor teaching from experience, James Olds.-
June 10, 2024A roundup of recent media appearances by Schar School faculty, students, and staff for June 3rd - 7th, 2024.
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June 5, 2024This year’s Schar School Paul L. Posner Federal Budgeting Career Legacy Award goes to Leon Panetta.
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June 4, 2024A roundup of recent media appearances by Schar School faculty, students, and staff for May 27th - 31st, 2024.
May 2024
May 29, 2024A weeklong boot camp for selected early-career researchers will teach them how to communicate policy ideas to those who can enact change. And they’ll be learning from those who have been there.
May 29, 2024Schar School adjunct professor and former longtime Dutch diplomat Gerrit van der Wees receives one of Taiwan’s top civilian honors: the Order of the Brillian Star with Grand Cordon.
May 28, 2024The Schar School signs a memo of understanding with Hungary’s Ludovika University of Public Service.
May 28, 2024The famed Wilson Center makes Schar School nonproliferation expert first-ever Sherwin Fellow. The fellowship honors the coauthor of American Prometheus, the biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer.-
May 28, 2024A roundup of recent media appearances by Schar School faculty, students, and staff for May 20th - 24th, 2024
May 28, 2024Enrolling in the Schar School’s Global Commerce and Policy program proved to be the right decision at the right time for Amber Pittman.-
May 22, 2024Health benefits for those in the correctional system need changes. A new study shows what that might look like.
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May 21, 2024The Schar School’s 11 Outstanding Student Award winners are ready to change the world. See who they are.
May 20, 2024Seeking a more fulfilling career, Xhulia Rapo left the corporate world to earn her master’s degree in public policy.-
May 20, 2024A roundup of recent media appearances by Schar School faculty, students, and staff for May 13th - 17th, 2024
May 16, 2024See a brief recap of the Schar School’s May 10 Degree Celebration.-
May 16, 2024In a Schar School exclusive, the popular Trump trials podcast “Jack: A Special Counsel Podcast” was taped with a moderator and a special guest before a live audience. Here’s what happened.
April 2024
April 30, 2024Three Virginia municipalities will see lower energy costs and lower emissions thanks to the Schar School’s Local Climate Action Planning Initiative’s Energy Action Plans. More are coming.
April 29, 2024Alumna Sophie Wozniak spoke to International Relations Policy Task Force students about how the Schar School influenced her career path.-
April 25, 2024A roundup of recent media appearances by Schar School faculty, students, and staff for April 22nd - 26th, 2024.
April 24, 2024What is it going to take to automate the federal government with Artificial Intelligence? Or should it happen? A new Schar School study has answers for policymakers.
April 23, 2024Mason’s Institute of Immigration Research adds Schar School legal studies professor Kelly K. Richter to its growing staff of experts.
April 22, 2024The Schar School’s Democracy Lab Learning Community provides a solid foundation for freshmen pursuing a career in politics.-
April 22, 2024A roundup of recent media appearances by Schar School faculty, students, and staff for April 15th - 19th, 2024.
April 18, 2024For developed countries, reliable energy is just that—reliable. But in a changing world, how long can that last? A major conference at Mason’s Schar School will focus on new demands, new infrastructure, and new policies for energy of all types.
April 18, 2024Members of the Schar School’s Democracy Lab learning community visited the best-known, best-fortified private residence in the world: the White House.-
April 18, 2024While much of Washington focuses on threats by China, Russia, and the Middle East, a Schar School panel emphasizes the emerging and existing threats from south of the border.
April 17, 2024¡Felicidades! Border policy expert Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera receives a Fulbright fellowship to study and teach in Mexico.
April 17, 2024Mason will confer its third posthumous degree to a Schar School student on May 10.
March 2024
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March 27, 2024Three former intelligence leaders focused their experience and expertise on a familiar subject in a panel discussion called “Assessing Russia.”
March 27, 2024Upon his retirement, Schar School Professor Emeritus Bill Schneider, formerly with CNN, endowed a public policy scholarship. The catch: Recipients’ parents are without a college degree—as were his.
March 26, 2024The Schar School’s Jeremy Mayer traveled to China to deliver an update on the U.S. presidential election. But his main reason for the trip was to deliver historic documents collected when his grandmother was consort to the last empress of China.-
March 25, 2024Expertise by Schar School faculty and students is in demand. Here are some recent news items about how they are contributing to conversations throughout the region.
March 25, 2024Catherine Read is the first woman and first Mason graduate (BA government and politics ’84) to be mayor of Fairfax City, Va., the university’s hometown, and she isn’t shy about touting a university she says helped teach her how to think critically. Want to know why it’s good to “disrupt the system,” why it’s important to get more women into policy-making decisions, and why our educational system doesn’t reward bold ideas? Read tells you.-
March 25, 2024The deadly terrorist attack on a Moscow music hall by ISIS-K brings new urgency for Tuesday’s Hayden Center panel discussion, “Assessing Russia.” See who will speak and how to register.
March 25, 2024George Mason University students are working with the U.S. Department of State to find out what motivates students to study abroad, specifically in Southeast South Korea.-
March 25, 2024A roundup of recent media appearances by Schar School faculty, students, and staff for March 18th - 22nd, 2024.
March 21, 2024A Schar School degree helped Colin Hart propel his career. Years later, the scholarship he and his brother established in their father’s name is helping graduate students achieve their own success.-
March 19, 2024Where do first-time elected leaders turn for learning the ropes of governing? The Schar School’s Regional Elected Leaders Initiative teaches them not only how to govern but how to unite for the greater public good.
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March 18, 2024Schar School junior Minh-Dy Pham and senior Kalkidan Zewdu received the Partnership for Public Service Award, recognizing young leaders in federal government.
March 18, 2024A Mason graduate paid for his Schar School master’s degree by working at Mason—as a policeman. Along the way, Detective Ryan Grant learned research skills while earning the trust of the Patriot community.
February 2024
March 4, 2024Schar School senior public administration major and master’s degree candidate Zayd Hamid has taken advantage of the Schar School’s location and curriculum to pursue a career in higher education.-
February 27, 2024A winter study-abroad trip focuses on the political meanings of the ancient art and structures of Athens and Rome. A highlight is a visit to a museum of Greek folklore that few have heard of.
February 23, 2024More than 70 George Mason University students traveled to Richmond on Thursday, Feb. 15, to advocate for Mason’s legislative priorities during Mason Lobbies.-
February 22, 2024Five members of the Schar School of Policy and Government’s international and national security faculty took the stage to take questions from in-person and virtual audience members about current events in intelligence. There was plenty to talk about.
February 21, 2024Schar School senior Maaz Abbasi juggles full-time studies while working as a teaching assistant and legislative intern.
February 20, 2024She’s helped 450 young families achieve higher education goals since 2010. Now Nicole Lynn Lewis, MPP ’06, is Washingtonian of the Year.-
February 19, 2024Confused about the Trump trials? There’s a podcast for that: Meet “Jack,” the weekly breakdown of all-things Jack Smith hosted by Allison Gill and the Schar School’s Andrew McCabe.
February 15, 2024A new study by the Center for Regional Analysis shows the inventory of affordable workforce housing will increase if new arenas are built in Alexandria.
February 14, 2024Six whirlwind months as a visiting professor on a Fulbright fellowship at the Schar School helped sinologist Gundumella Venkat Raman teach, learn, and make connections in Washington, D.C.
February 13, 2024Two Mason faculty members received year-long grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), part of 260 grants worth $33.8 million from the NEH this year for humanities projects across the country.
February 12, 2024A newfound passion convinced Ruthu Josyula to pursue a government and international politics major at the Schar School.
January 2024
January 24, 2024Mark J. Rozell, dean of the Schar School of Policy and Government, and Jeremy D. Mayer, associate professor, attribute the increased success of Black Democratic candidates for statewide office in parts of the South between 2017 and 2022 to demographic changes and an increased willingness of whites to vote for Black candidates running on progressive platforms. Rozell and Mayer use five case studies in their award-winning book to argue that the conditions that precipitated these electoral successes are likely to continue in the future.
January 24, 2024In this podcast, Schar School associate professor Sonia Ben Ouagrham-Gormley discusses why policy makers and security experts tend to underestimate just how hard it is for rogue governments and nonstate actors to acquire biological weapons.
January 23, 2024Schar School associate professor Jennifer N. Victor highlights the costs, in terms of lost employee time and an erosion of trust, that the government incurs when Congress comes close to not meeting deadlines for funding the government.
January 12, 2024In a discussion among leading public intellectuals about existential threats to American identity and governance, Goldstone attributes political fractures to economic causes, particularly the failure of wages to keep pace with national output.
January 9, 2024With his Minerva Project, Distinguished University Professor J.P. Singh wants to understand “how preferences or interests from society, business, or other government actors shape policy in terms of what countries are doing with their national AI infrastructures.”
January 5, 2024Schar School Professor and former Deputy Director of the FBI Andrew McCabe cohosts a podcast, with 57 episodes through the end of 2023, on the investigation of President Donald Trump by the U.S. Department of Justice.
December 2023
January 4, 2024Schar School Professor Mark Katz argues that the nations in the Middle East want more Russian and Chinese engagement in the region, in large part to enable them to play the great powers off one another.
December 12, 2023With his master’s degree in global commerce and policy, Carter N. Coudriet aims to pursue a position at the Arctic-focused nexus of trade and national security.
December 12, 2023Taking advantage of Mason’s myriad study-abroad opportunities, Schar School junior Maggie Reier journeyed to Oxford, England, for a semester and thrived.
December 11, 2023Schar School associate professor Gregory Koblenz depicts as both symbolic but also impactful two recent efforts by both government and human rights organizations to hold the Syrian government accountable for its use of chemical weapons. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons passed a proposal to prevent Syria from acquiring the materials used to make chemical weapons. The proposal also calls for providing technical and legal support to efforts to prosecute the use of chemical weapons anywhere in the world. On the same day, 16 human rights and survivor organizations unveiled a separate proposal to create an international tribunal in which to prosecute parties accused of using chemical weapons.
December 11, 2023Schar School professor Terry Clower suggests that Maryland has only a marginal initial advantage in efforts to retain the Washington Commanders, who have announced their intention to find a new stadium. Although Maryland already has designated land and an apparatus to provide public funding, the selection of a site for a new stadium will largely come down to the availability of public funding in the DMV region. Clower posits that the final decision will have more of a reputational impact than a financial one.
December 11, 2023Schar School Visiting Professor Bill Bolling, who cast a record-setting number of tiebreaking votes while serving as Virginia’s lieutenant governor, offers insight into the unique role during a moment of divided government provided to U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, who just cast her 32nd tiebreaker in the U.S. Senate. With this vote, Harris, in only two-plus years, surpassed the mark set by John C. Calhoun.
December 6, 2023A new project, led by Schar School associate professor Jennifer Victor, aims to increase voter awareness and turnout at Mason.
December 5, 2023Lydia Sigman grabbed every Schar School opportunity to position herself for a career in government.
December 4, 2023Maria Cuesta’s passion for global politics, economics, and community service led her to the Schar School.
November 2023
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December 11, 2023In a wide-ranging interview, Schar School Professor Jack Goldstone imagines some of the transformative changes that could result from current demographic shifts. He imagines how, in several decades, Africa could be the “new China,” leading the world in productivity growth, serving as the focal point of youth culture and consumption, and offering medical care and retirement communities to the aging populations of Europe and North America.
November 29, 2023Pearlstein blames Congressional gridlock on “political fantasies.”-
November 28, 2023Mark Katz offers two theories to explain why Russian President Vladimir Putin suddenly called for an end to what, in a departure from past practice, he referred to as the “war” in Ukraine. Katz suggests that Putin might recognize the costs of the war and genuinely want to end it; he may also want to incentivize Western governments to stop supporting Ukraine at current levels.
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November 24, 2023A Chinese scientist modified the genes in human embryos that became living babies. A new paper takes note of the world’s reaction, particularly within China.
November 22, 2023A weekend-long conference near Washington, D.C., brought undergraduate students from several universities together to learn the art of policy communications. The sessions were taught by practitioners in an event hosted by the Schar School.-
November 21, 2023After seeing a family member struggle with inadequate help in dealing with the criminal legal and treatment systems available, Faye S. Taxman devoted her career to developing change. In November, she received the criminology field’s highest honor.
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November 20, 2023A major story in the Post breaks down all the ways the Senate is designed, intentionally or not, to favor particular populations. In a telling quote, the Schar School’s Jennifer N. Victor confirms it.
November 20, 2023The big winners of a two-month-long competition to create innovative ways to combat counterfeiting were Mason students and alumni—and the world at large. See who won the thousands in prize money in the Bring Down Counterfeiting Hackathon 2023 and who helped sponsor it.-
November 16, 2023Are flying saucers real? Are they a national security threat? The outgoing director of the Pentagon’s UAP program and a Washington Post intelligence reporter discuss what’s new and known in the UFO world.
November 15, 2023What’s it like delivering the daily intelligence briefing to the president of the United States each morning? Adunct and Mason alum James P. Danoy can now tell all.
November 14, 2023Voice of America explains how the GOP is hamstrung on a single wedge issue: abortion. The Schar School’s Jeremy Mayer confirms it for the global audience.
November 10, 2023A guest speaker to a Schar School classroom provided first-hand insight into life, such as it is, in North Korea. And Justin Seo should know: He’s a defector.
October 2023
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October 31, 2023Schar School’s Mark N. Katz describes what Russia stands to gain from the rising tensions in the Middle East.
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October 30, 2023Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in October? Clearly, we had a lot on our minds.
October 26, 2023Location? Check. Access? Double check. When the White House wanted to invite students to help welcome Australia’s prime minister Anthony Albanese to Washington for a state visit, they reached out to George Mason University. Schar School of Policy and Government undergraduates were only too happy to answer the call.
October 25, 2023New York Times: Schar School Distinguished Visiting Professor Michael J. Morell is quoted about two wars.
October 24, 2023Abortion has surged as a key issue for women and Democrats for the November 7 legislative elections in Virginia, the last state in the South to hold out against restrictions on the procedure in the year since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, according to a Washington Post-Schar School poll.
October 23, 2023Nature magazine reviews Schar School professor of public policy Kenneth A. Reinert’s new book, The Lure of Economic Nationalism: Beyond Zero Sum (Anthem Press), as one of its “five of the best science picks.”
October 20, 2023While members of the GOP remark about the dangers of an “open border” using the Israel-Gaza conflict as an example, Schar School border policy expert Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera explains in the New York Times the historic trope behind the rhetoric.
October 18, 2023With a strong desire to advocate for others, Schar School senior Ernesto Galeas says the Schar School “is providing me with tools and knowledge, putting into practice what I've been learning and making me a better worker, a better citizen, and also better at helping others in need.”-
October 17, 2023Putin seems to be expanding his ground forces with more “volunteers” from private companies, a la Wagner. But Schar School professor Mark N. Katz, a longtime observer of Russia’s military, says the Kremlin is fighting to hold the Ukrainian territory it occupies now.
October 16, 2023Smugglers use misinformation on social media to make crossing into the U.S. from Mexico sound like “a vacation package,” said a Homeland Security agent. This practice, which drives up prices for smuggling, is “nefarious,” said Schar School border security expert Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera.-
October 12, 2023Schar School Professor Mark N. Katz, a longtime observer of Russia and the Middle East, writes that the Kremlin seems to be confounded by the conflict in Israel. “Moscow’s warnings about conflict in the Middle East spreading are an indication that it fears its own interests would be harmed if this occurs.”
October 7, 2023Gest is an advisor for the Axios-Ipsos Two Americas Index that tracks how politics influences where people live. The Nobles of Iowa are not alone in their flight. “I think what Americans are reporting is that politics is a factor in these very, very important residential choices,” Justin Gest.
September 2023
September 29, 2023Schar School distinguished professor and former ambassador to Azerbaijan provided insight to PBS NewsHour on the fast-moving conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.-
September 29, 2023What countries are doing the most for immigrants? The least? Schar School Professor Justin Gest presents the data derived from his Migrant Rights Initiative database in this piece in the latest Foreign Policy Magazine.
September 29, 2023In a global first, the Schar School’s Center for Business Civic Engagement partners with Romania’s Babeș-Bolyai University to address advancements in intelligent automation.-
September 28, 2023An innovative program to fund unpaid federal internships for Schar School students launches. Read more about the Federal Workforce Initiative.
September 27, 2023The featured results of a Washington Post/Schar School poll revealing growing diversity in American home schooling.-
September 27, 2023Schar School Professor Justin Gest is among political experts interviewed for an op-ed about the importance of the upcoming 2024 elections.
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September 27, 2023A groundbreaking study uncovers where four of the world’s most dangerous illicit trade centers are located. The report also reveals who allows them to persist and succeed.
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September 26, 2023A pandemic-era boom has fundamentally changed the face of American home schooling, transforming a group that has for decades been dominated by conservative Christians into one that is more racially and ideologically diverse, a Washington Post-Schar School poll finds.
September 22, 2023A Schar School researcher turned the pages of history and discovered Nazi sympathizers in 1935—in the U.S., and they were abundant.
September 20, 2023Steven Pearlstein imagines a conversation between Congressional leaders. It’s the conversation they should be having and are not. Read his take in the Washington Post.-
September 19, 2023The mental health of the region’s workforce costs a staggering $16 billion in the last two years. A new study provides policymakers an urgent roadmap.
September 13, 2023From teaching about the presidency and legislative politics, former Assistant Professor Colleen Shogan is sworn in as national archivist by the first lady.
August 2023
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August 31, 2023Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in August? Clearly, we had a lot on our minds.
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August 31, 2023A new book by Schar School senior fellow and adjunct professor Mark S. Langevin is a study of an existential trade conflict most have never heard of: The “cotton dispute” between the U.S. and Brazil.
August 30, 2023Registration is open to those who want to win $20,000 for finding a way to curtail counterfeit goods trafficking. It’s Hackathon Time again!-
August 24, 2023Nationalism you know about. But “economic nationalism” cements the ideology in wide-ranging policy. Schar School Professor Kenneth Reinert’s new book examines the topic from all angles.
August 23, 2023Her undergrad degree is in political science, which works out great for Schar School students: Meet Lorena Jordan, the Schar School librarian. She does more than check out books.
August 16, 2023Can justice truly be served decades later? The Schar School’s Jo-Marie Burt writes in El Faro about a trial for a massacre—allegedly committed by the Guatemalan arm in 1982.-
August 16, 2023As he prepares to retire after 35 years at George Mason University, Mark N. Katz emerges as an important observer of all things Russia.
August 16, 2023For many, the pandemic was a total shutdown. For Maurice Kugler, it offered a unique chance to study its economic effects on developing countries.
August 15, 2023As he prepares the follow up to his award-winning debut book, Schar School Associate Professor Ahsan Butt takes a few questions from an international media outlet.
August 9, 2023An internship at a legal nonprofit in Madrid leads a rising senior on a journey of self-discovery. Meet Gabriela Manzanares.-
August 8, 2023I am pleased to share an exciting announcement that marks a significant stride forward for our master’s and certificate programs at the Schar School of Policy and Government, as well as a reaffirmation of our commitment to public service, regional collaboration, and access to quality education.
August 3, 2023A delegation of energy scientists from Pakistan met with leaders in the Schar School’s Center for Energy Science Policy. The goal: To improve Pakistan’s energy and climate policies.
July 2023
July 27, 2023Mason’s pre-semester, four-day Quill Camps introduce new Mason students to the school and the surrounding area. Schar School freshmen and others got tour of the seat of power—Washington, D.C.
July 26, 2023If popular movies are to be believed, penitentiaries are run by ruthless dictators with little concern for those they govern. A new Schar School book by Christopher Berk shows the reasons behind it—and what might be done to change it in the future.
July 25, 2023Lobbying for nonprofit organizations has always been a political balancing act. But a new study indicates that when advocacy is limited, so is influence. The solution may be in educating those who make decisions for nonprofits.
July 24, 2023The Schar School’s Bonnie Stabile, members of Congress, and feminist leaders sent off a bus to the ERA Centennial Convention with a press conference and rally on Capitol Hill.
July 20, 2023A study abroad visit to the Texas-Mexico border expands worldviews and gives international security students a firsthand view of the realities of the issues facing both governments.-
July 18, 2023A roundup of recent Schar School faculty and graduate student news.
July 18, 2023Meet the director of the Schar School’s Center on Nonprofits, Philanthropy, and Social Enterprise, Alan J. Abramson.
July 13, 2023Mason softball pitcher Aly Rayle is the Schar School’s first-ever NCAA Woman of the Year Award nominee.-
July 12, 202310,070 applications, 850 finalists: 8 Schar School scholars nail Presidential Management Fellowships.
July 12, 2023Schar School 2007 alumna made news—again—this week when she was named Restaurateur of the Year by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington. Find out how a Master of Public Policy degree helped Rose Previte earn this distinction.
July 11, 2023The Schar School’s Andrew McCabe discusses his experiences as the leader of the FBI and in his Schar School classrooms with George Mason University President Gregory Washington.-
July 11, 2023Meet the two rising seniors who won a competitive scholarship within the Honors College: Aarush Jambunathan and Sebastian Rodinov.
June 2023
June 30, 2023Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in June? Clearly, we had a lot on our minds.-
June 29, 2023The Schar School’s AI-driven Robotic Process Automation has a new name to reflect the fast pace of the technology’s usage. Meet the “Intelligent Automation Initiative.”
June 27, 2023The pandemic lockdown sent students and professors to remote learning platforms. One Schar School grad believes he and his fellow Patriot employees have a better idea than what’s in use now. Meet TutorDudes.-
June 22, 2023In May, a cohort of 20 selected AI and Tech fellows gathered at Mason Square for Mason’s AI Strategies first AI and Tech Policy Summer Institute.
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June 22, 2023A reunion of 20 years of Northern Virginia Public Service Fellows shows how the Schar School’s unique Master of Public Administration program creates successful public leaders.
June 13, 2023A new collaboration between the Schar School and the University of Central Florida will help ensure people on probation and parole get the help they need while also maintaining public safety.
June 12, 2023The sophomore was rejected for every internship before discovering the secret to success: Getting to know their professors.
June 6, 2023Meet the ’91 alumna who now heads the Student Conservation Association: Lidia Soto-Harmon.
June 1, 2023White House Office of Management and Budget veteran Kathy Stack is the 2023 Paul L. Posner Award winner for government service.
May 2023
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May 31, 2023Meet the 2023 Schar School Outstanding Student Award winners. The future—theirs and ours—is bright.
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May 31, 2023Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in May? Clearly, we had a lot on our minds.
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May 16, 2023Congratulations to Schar School master’s student Aly Rayle, who helped the Patriots’ softball team win its first-ever A-10 title. The pitcher threw four complete games, two of them shutouts. Now it’s on to Duke for the next round.
May 11, 2023Women and nonbinary PhD students often are at a loss during the final stages of their degree program. Mentoring can be vital, and is available, said the Schar School’s Catherine Maclean.
May 10, 2023From attending school board meetings in Fairfax to working on Capitol Hill, this graduating student is applying his degree to a new position in Tulsa.
May 9, 2023International track champ and Schar School master’s student Grace Furlong helps Mason’s track and field women take the A-10 conference championship.-
May 2, 2023Schar School students discover what happens inside the Council on Foreign Relations during a learning communities visit. (Good news: There are jobs and internships.)
May 2, 2023Academics, industry professionals, and local leaders gathered at a conference to develop effective pathways for collaboration on energy and climate action for local communities. Here’s what they said.
May 1, 2023The lesson for this government and international politics student politician? Every vote counts. She won student body vice president by three!
April 2023
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April 27, 2023Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in April? Clearly, we had a lot on our minds.
April 26, 2023Intelligence experts and their university students presented research and ideas during the annual Intelligence Studies Consortium symposium at Mason Square.
April 26, 2023Who needs a master’s degree? Andrew Strasberg is going from graduating senior straight to Ph.D. student. Learn about his journey and the professors helping him make it happen.-
April 25, 2023High-profile keynote speakers and three panels of industry experts take the stage at Mason Square to examine the future of public-private partnerships in transportation.
April 25, 2023The results are in, and U.S. News & World Report says the Schar School continues to do well in national rankings. Homeland security was No. 5 in the country.-
April 20, 2023George Mason University President Gregory Washington presented 12 of the university’s faculty members with Awards for Faculty Excellence. The Schar School’s Justin Gest was one of them, recognizing his groundbreaking research in immigration.
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April 18, 2023Despite disparities in student performance, a majority of Virginia voters say they believe the state's public schools provide equal opportunities for students across racial and income groups, according to a Washington Post-Schar School poll.
April 17, 2023Police put their lives on the line every day, but few think about the cumulative trauma. Meet the ODKM master’s student who is starting a service treating their issues. And she’s a cop.-
April 16, 2023D.C.-area leaders have tried desperately to lure teleworking employees back into their offices, hoping to restore the vibrancy and generous tax revenue previously offered by buzzy commercial and downtown corridors that largely emptied during the pandemic. But a large majority of people in the region with remote-capable jobs say they would prefer to mostly work from home if offered the choice, a Washington Post-Schar School poll finds.
April 13, 2023A guest speaker at the Schar School laid out recommendations for bringing equity to philanthropy. Bottom line: “Ask big, bold ‘what if’ questions.”
April 12, 2023Meet the Degree Celebration 2023 speaker, director of the Office of Personnel Management, Kiran Ahuja. And guess what? The federal government is hiring!
April 10, 2023The odds of winning a Presidential Management Fellowship are low—4 percent of applicants are chosen each year. But Schar School grad Aurelia Berisha beat the odds and is making the most of her two-year federal government opportunity.
March 2023
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March 31, 2023Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in March? Clearly, we had a lot on our minds.
March 30, 2023Two Schar School learning communities visited two seats of the federal government at the same time on the same day. Here’s where they went and what they did.-
March 28, 2023When and if a new ownership group formally takes over the Washington Commanders, it will inherit a team that has hemorrhaged supporters across the area, a fan base that wants a new stadium built in the District and a region that cites team owner Daniel Snyder as the biggest reason for the sharp decline in interest in the franchise.
March 27, 2023Newly appointed Arlington County Director of Economic Development Ryan Touhill, BA GVIP ’06, likes what he sees in Mason’s Fuse at Mason Square concept.
March 23, 2023What’s the future of Ukraine look like after the Russian invasion? Ukrainian ambassador Oksana Markarova joins others in an in-person panel discussion about a new book tackling that difficult topic.
March 17, 2023A recap of a gun safety panel discussion cohosted by the Schar School of Policy and Government and the nonprofit Safer Country.
March 16, 2023Biodefense graduate Janet Marroquin Pineda wins a significant award for answering “the most challenging U.S. security and science policy questions with objective analysis.”-
March 15, 2023A new study of more than 200 nonprofits shows those led by people of color have a harder time receiving funding than those led by white chief executives. Is there a solution?
ODKM Master’s Student Maggie Huang Receives Mentoring for Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence AwardMarch 14, 2023Her pioneering work examining the professional experiences of Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) women in the U.S. lands an Organization Development and Knowledge Management master’s student an award from the university’s president’s office.-
March 9, 2023As federal lawmakers rejected D.C.’s bid to overhaul its criminal code, they described the city as awash in violent crime. But D.C. residents feel safer from crime in their neighborhoods than they did this time last year, according to a Washington Post-Schar School poll. More than three-quarters of Washingtonians (77 percent) feel they are “very” or “somewhat” safe from crime in their neighborhoods, up from 69 percent in 2022 and about the same percentage as in November 2019, before the pandemic.
March 9, 2023"Just so you know," Catherine Read said casually during a recent conversation, “I’ve got more ideas than a dog has fleas.”-
March 8, 2023Two leaders of U.S. intelligence agencies took the stage to talk about some that was previously forbidden: counterintelligence.
February 2023
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March 1, 2023Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in February? Clearly, we had a lot on our minds.
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February 23, 2023Two Schar School scholar-athletes were recognized for their academic achievements by the provosts.
February 17, 2023Mark J. Rozell discusses the presidency and secrecy in a new six-part podcast hosted by author Peter Shane of NYU Law.
February 15, 2023Schar School biodefense grad Matthew Ferreira is named an “emerging leader” in biosecurity with a Johns Hopkins’ fellowship.
February 15, 2023Meet the undergraduate whose compelling research revealed “a laboratory for surveillance” of the Turkic ethnic group.
February 13, 2023The intelligence experts at the Schar School’s Michael V. Hayden Center took the stage and then took questions in an “ask me anything” forum.-
February 10, 2023When Virginia’s school board leaders needed insight as to how to ask Congress for vital funding, they turned to the experts at the Schar School.
February 3, 2023The combat veteran is director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Exercise Division (NED), an important position. But MPA student Shawn Lenore wants to learn how to do it better at the Schar School.
February 2, 2023Schar School students visited Richmond to convince the General Assembly to make changes. As it happened, it was the students who changed. Here’s the story.
January 2023
January 31, 2023Schar School professor David Hart has his legacy rewarded with a lifetime fellowship with the American Association for the Advancement of Science.-
January 30, 2023Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in January? Clearly, we had a lot on our minds.
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January 24, 2023New research shows when cannabis is legal, prescription opioid abuse goes down. What does that mean for public health policy?
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January 19, 2023Adjunct professors are vital to the Schar School’s mission. Here’s what they bring to the classroom.
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January 11, 2023What’s new at Mason Square? Look up on the building.
December 2022
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January 9, 2023Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in December? Clearly, we had a lot on our minds.
December 12, 2022The Regional Elected Leaders Initiative presented its annual awards to four local officials during a ceremonial dinner at the Schar School. Here’s who they are.
December 7, 2022Is Julian Assange a criminal or a persecuted journalist? A Hayden Center panel attempted to find an answer.
December 5, 2022Among the resources available to students to make sure they are on the right path are fellow students trained to be “peer academic advisors.”-
December 1, 2022The Schar School’s Center on Nonprofits, Philanthropy, and Social Enterprise assumes responsibility for a pioneering data project that is crucial to the nonprofit sector.
December 1, 2022A Schar School biodefense PhD student delivers an important message to an important audience—about the safety of the labs where deadly pathogens are studied.
November 2022
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November 30, 2022Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in November? Clearly, we had a lot on our minds.
November 30, 2022The 2022 Regional Leadership Award winners have been announced.-
November 28, 2022A road trip of academics and professionals in jurisprudence and incarceration fields takes them to civil rights landmarks that inspire them to continue their work.
November 18, 2022Schar School economists present the past and future of the Washington, D.C., region’s economy. Here’s what they said.
November 18, 2022After two veteran politicians discussed the midterm elections, two sitting directors at the CIA divulged details (as much as they could) on how the agency operates.
November 17, 2022This public administration student listened to his heart—and a mentor—and changed the direction of his life. He’s now in law school in Iowa.
November 17, 2022Two panel discussions examine how and why Virginia voters voted the way they did in the 2022 elections.
November 16, 2022After a long and successful career in public policy—despite little formal training in the field—T. Spike Terwilliger endows a PhD fellowship to better prepare future policy makers.
November 16, 2022“Science nerd” U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) discusses technology and policy with Schar School students. He also asks them to come to Capitol Hill to help strengthen the “science and tech capacity of the House.”
November 10, 2022Paul Deller and Michael Harris are part of a cohort of 11 Marine Corps officers attending Mason through the Congressional Fellowship Program, which gives Marines opportunities for professional development that include working on Capitol Hill for one year and enrollment in Mason’s graduate public policy program.
November 10, 2022Schar School biodefense graduate students were eager to look inside an operating BSL-3 lab, home of deadly pathogens. Can you say “geek out”?-
November 9, 2022George Mason University’s community is invited to a first-ever conversation about U.S. intelligence between two sitting CIA directors.
October 2022
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October 31, 2022Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in October? Clearly, we had a lot on our minds.
October 27, 2022Undergraduate researcher Andrew Strasberg wanted to know what creates an ultra-fanatical sports fan. With the help of Schar School faculty, he presented his findings to a national political science conference.
October 26, 2022An Estonian region rattles its saber and the rest of the world is shaken. Schar School students spent a day proposing solutions to this crisis. Happily, it was only a realistic simulation.
October 25, 2022Once they earn their master’s degrees from the Schar School, these Marine officers will work in offices on Capitol Hill for a year. Two U.S. Representatives told them what to expect.-
October 24, 2022A day-long symposium will examine the changing dynamics of the Arctic, addressing the region as a national security issue.
October 21, 2022Schar School international security master’s student Sara Michels is the winner of an inaugural Vespa motor scooter contest. The essay competition is a collaboration among Mason, a regional Vespa nonprofit, and a local Vespa dealership.
October 20, 2022She’s already founded a successful PAC and raised $1.6 million to help progressive candidates in need. Now Kiera Hall wants to know how to do more, and better, as a Master’s in Public Administration student at the Schar School.
October 19, 2022Schar School assistant professor Saskia Popescu is named a senior fellow at the Council on Strategic Risks. She’s also being celebrated by the university as a distinguished alumna.
October 18, 2022After a perilous journey through war-torn Ukraine, a freshman Schar School student looks forward to a new life. But she’s concerned for her parents who remained behind.
October 13, 2022How many international graduate student-athletes can there be? Master of Public Administration student Grace Furlong may be the only one at the Schar School.-
October 12, 2022China’s recent aggressive actions toward Taiwan have raised questions as to the readiness of the island nation to defend itself with its existing military.
October 11, 2022According to a new study, it’s going to cost $700 billion more in aid for public schools to recover from the loss of learning caused by the pandemic. Right now, $190 billion is budgeted.
September 2022
October 3, 2022Her “transformative” career at George Mason University prepared Jennifer Vasquez for her new role: Vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion for the NBA champion Golden State Warriors.
September 28, 2022An important new study shows how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the manufacturing of PVC. It also shows what might happen if it’s business as usual.-
September 27, 2022A new grant brings the Schar School and Duke University together in an effort to help U.S. communities devastated by the opioid crisis.
September 27, 2022The Schar School welcomes two new professors of practice to the faculty, Terry McAuliffe and David Ramadan.-
September 22, 2022Two new faculty members, Adam Thiel and Donell Harvin, bring practitioner experience to the Schar School’s Emergency Management and Homeland Security program.
September 21, 2022A senator discusses midterm elections, former national security experts take on classified documents, and a top executive for a major company discusses law. Just a typical day at the Schar School.
September 20, 2022Working with a Schar School mentor, a George Mason Honors College second-year student presents original research at an international policy conference.-
September 14, 2022A collaborative study on mental health and jail populations in the U.S. wins a major research award.
September 13, 2022The Schar School’s Alan Abramson is the recipient of the nonprofit research field’s highest honor.
September 12, 2022What better way for new students to bond than climbing a tower made of logs and ropes? Democracy Lab and International Relations Policy Task Force students did just that. Along with a few professors.
September 7, 2022Schar School professor David K. Rehr is appointed to the board of Virginia Humanities.-
September 6, 2022In a post-COVID world, it’s essential someone tracks the biosafety level labs around the world. The Schar School’s Biodefense program is doing just that.
August 2022
August 31, 2022The Schar School’s Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence is working with officials in St. Louis to improve conditions at the county’s jail. The grant is $300,000.-
August 26, 2022An election year speaker series promises a lineup of high-profile Washington, D.C., insiders. Here’s the schedule.
August 25, 2022An important new study of 3,100 counties shows the relationship between a community’s mental health services and the local jail population. It also shows how to reduce that population.-
August 25, 2022Students who want to study solutions to climate change and energy issues can now create their own course. Energy and Climate Policy, is open to graduate students as well as undergraduates and launches in the Spring of 2023.
August 23, 2022Mason really wasn't on the radar for University Scholar Charly Dutton until she took a campus tour.
August 16, 2022A visit to South Korea on the heels of President Biden provided Schar School students an unparalleled opportunity to learn about the region. After pandemic restrictions, study abroad is back.
August 15, 2022A new undergraduate degree program at the Schar School will prepare students to confront the Big Problems facing the globe: International Security and Law.
August 11, 2022Starting a nonprofit to help inner city schoolchildren is a big task. Getting a master’s degree is a big job, too. Meet Damali Lambert, the teacher who is a student who is doing both at the same time.
August 9, 2022Ashley Jardina: Meet the new associate professor who studies the political consequences of race relations.
August 8, 2022George Mason University’s Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center and Amazon have joined forces to help combat counterfeiting and its criminal supply chain networks.
August 5, 2022From Colorado to Ecuador, this Schar School freshman is going places.-
August 2, 2022Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in July? See our op-eds.
July 2022
July 25, 2022A successful Schar School PhD graduate hosted the dean during a lecture tour of Jordan. Here’s who they met and what each of them discovered.
July 19, 2022Schar School student and racism activist Sophia Nguyen takes the reins of Mason’s student government. Here’s her story.
July 18, 2022As town manager, Mason alum India Adams-Jacobs oversees the day-to-day operations of Colonial Beach, Virginia.
July 7, 2022The first Democracy Lab living-learning community is in the books. Here’s what happened.
July 5, 2022Meet the Syrian immigrant who has found a new home at George Mason—and the Schar School: Jad Makdissi.
June 2022
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June 30, 2022Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in June? See our op-eds.
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June 23, 2022News briefs: Schar School faculty members are honored by peers and promoted to leadership positions.
June 21, 2022The spokesman for the nation’s capital police department is a Schar School Master’s in Public Administration graduate. It’s not a coincidence.-
June 15, 2022After a two-year hiatus, the Young Women’s Leadership Program founded by former U.S. Representative Barbara Comstock resumes at the Schar School.
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June 1, 2022Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in May? See our op-eds.
May 2022
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May 27, 2022This year’s Paul L. Posner award winner for contributions to improving the federal government’s budget process is a professor of public policy: Philip Joyce.
May 25, 2022After earning her BS in chemistry from George Mason University in 2019, Meron Aboye had a plan to attend pharmacy school. She has always followed a checklist. Go to college. Check. Take the right classes. Check. Get your bachelor’s degree. Check. Apply to pharmacy school. Check. But as she began receiving acceptances from several schools, she started to panic.
May 17, 2022Thanks to her efforts in leading the Patriot Period Project and other ambitious initiatives, Shafuq Naseem is this year’s Gender and Policy Center Leadership Award winner. “Our mission is to address menstrual equity and period poverty on Mason's campuses.”
May 16, 2022Olga Diupina, who finished her bachelor's degree in three years, completed several research projects on the accessibility of higher education, finding inspiration in English-language learners’ transition from high school to college.
May 13, 2022Want to know how Washington really works? An exclusive course on the inner workings of Washington featuring high-profile speakers is a first-ever partnership between George Mason University and the University of Pennsylvania.
May 11, 2022With encouragement of peers and professors, an undergraduate discovers a passion for research. Her passion turned into an award for her work.
May 9, 2022A Schar School professor wrote a report about global commerce and culture. The British Council commissioned a dozen artists to interpret the information. The results are on display.-
May 5, 2022There are many ways the Schar School supports undergraduate research. The annual Research Fair is one of the highlights of the semester.
May 4, 2022A stellar student eschews the traditional path to take a prestigious fellowship in Congress. Aaron Stuvland believes it will prepare him for a career in academics.
May 3, 2022Former U.S. ambassador and distinguished senior fellow at the Schar School Bill Farrand has died.
April 2022
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May 2, 2022Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in April? See our op-eds.
April 29, 2022After presenting her work to the National Honors Society, this Schar School senior earned one more honor, an unexpected one at that.
April 27, 2022This Schar School undergrad is making the most of opportunities, the likes of which she would never have enjoyed at home in Cuba.
April 26, 2022Undergraduate research isn’t a longshot at the Schar School, it’s encouraged.
April 21, 2022Professionals from the U.S. diplomatic corps provided insight to careers in diplomacy to Schar School students. They were told they were needed around the world now more than ever.
April 21, 2022Researchers from the Schar School of Policy and Government’s Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence! and the College of Health and Human Services are translating research into actionable guidelines to help probation officers support their clients to achieve better outcomes.-
April 20, 2022Three George Mason University students from Ukraine offered to answer questions about the fate of their country during an “Ask Me Anything” session.
April 19, 2022Perú native Ana Belen de Abril García Inga came to the Schar School with high aspirations. She’s determined to accomplish them, for the good of her home country.-
April 19, 2022A new exhibition of original art commissioned to illustrate a book-length report by Schar School Professor J.P. Singh will be unveiled April 29, followed by a keynote from the ambassador from Tanzania and a panel discussion.
April 18, 2022Philosopher and activist Cornel West was the debut guest of the Schar School’s new Race, Politics, and Policy Center.
April 13, 2022Arriving at George Mason University in fall 2018 as a freshman, John Marin Elias had already faced—and overcome—a myriad of challenges for one so young.
April 12, 2022The Schar School’s new “learning community” attracts students who are serious about saving democracy. Shreyas Adicherla came from Arkansas to do just that.
March 2022
March 31, 2022Schar School students were thrown into a dangerous international crisis that could have escalated into war. Fortunately, it was only a simulation—but the outcome was still a positive.
March 30, 2022Stu Shea, president, chairman, and CEO of Peraton, a Virginia-based national security company, will be the featured speaker at George Mason University’s Spring Commencement.
March 30, 2022In his first-ever visit to George Mason University, famed academic and activist Cornel West makes an appearance in the Schar School’s Race, Politics, and Policy Center’s first-ever in-person event on April 14.-
March 29, 2022The results are in: The Schar School of Policy and Government moved up nine spots in the latest U.S. News & World Report for 2023 Best Graduate Schools.
March 29, 2022PBS NewsHour anchor Judy Woodruff is the Schar School’s 2022 Spring Degree Celebration speaker.-
March 24, 2022The top-ranked International Commerce and Policy (ICP) master’s degree program at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government is changing its name, but not its objective.
March 17, 2022More than 1,300 people from across the United States and overseas tuned in to “The Directors' View: Russia & Ukraine,” a virtual program hosted by Mason's Michael V. Hayden Center for Intelligence, Policy and National Security.
March 15, 2022The app allows users to filter an interactive map of rapidly developing events in specific neighborhoods throughout the besieged country. A link to the original media outlet accompanies each data point representing a military or nonmilitary event.-
March 9, 2022A first-ever multi-campus “teach-in” took a look at the Ukraine crisis from the viewpoints of several Schar School experts—and two of the war’s victims.
February 25, 2022Schar School of Policy and Government professor J.P. Singh leads a team of researchers from across George Mason University campuses that has been awarded a three-year, $1.39 million grant to study the economic and cultural determinants for global artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructures—and describe their implications for national and international security.
February 2022
February 23, 2022The conflict in Ukraine the world is observing now is nothing new to Anton Liagusha. When gun-brandishing, Russia-backed separatists took over the Donetsk National University in Donetsk, Ukraine, in 2014, the country’s prime minister hastily relocated the school to a new campus in Vinnytsia, 20 hours away by train. Now the disused former diamond cutting factory is the site of a university that is, technically, in exile.
February 23, 2022Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in February? See our op-eds.
February 17, 2022The results of climate change are creating Big Problems for policy makers. The Schar School has been teaching climate change as a national security problem, and governments should respond accordingly.-
February 15, 2022A webinar promises to lend insight to several important public policy topics: Incarceration, race, housing, and employment, among others.
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February 4, 2022Study abroad students traveled to Scotland to participate and observe the climate change conference COP26. Here’s why, and what they learned.
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February 3, 2022Schar School researchers set out to see what impact George Soros’ philanthropy was having on democracies. What they discovered might surprise you.
January 2022
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January 31, 2022Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in January? See our op-eds.
January 26, 2022The Schar School’s Naoru Koizumi leads a team of researchers working on a little-known public policy medical problem: racial disparity among live-donor kidney transplants.
January 26, 2022For Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Cold War with the United States never ended, said Richard Kauzlarich, a distinguished visiting professor at George Mason University.-
January 25, 2022See, hear, and read the insightful program about abortion rights and the attack on democracy at this page provided by Ms. Magazine.
January 24, 2022Meet the MPA student who works to keep space sustainable—outer space, that is.-
January 12, 2022A panel discussion co-sponsored by the Schar School and Ms. Magazine tackles a particularly thorny subject—two of them actually: Attacks on abortion and democracy.
January 7, 2022In a roundup of comments from the world’s top infectious disease experts on what has been learned from the pandemic, Saskia Popescu says the crisis has taught her the alarming, counterproductive political nuances of a collective response.-
January 5, 2022Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in early December? See our op-eds.
December 2021
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December 22, 2021A Washington Post-Schar School poll finds that most Americans are skeptical over whether several Internet giants will responsibly handle their personal information and data about their online activity, and an overwhelming majority think that tech companies don’t provide people with enough control over how their activities are tracked and used. According to the survey, 72 percent of Internet users trust Facebook “not much” or “not at all” to responsibly handle their personal information and data on their Internet activity.
December 13, 2021Freshman Daksha Magesh traveled 3,000 miles with an impressive pre-college resume to come to the Schar School. “I know I made the right choice,” she tells us.-
December 7, 2021A new course taught on Capitol Hill aims to instruct students on how Capitol Hill truly operates.
December 7, 2021Some freshmen students are inspired to do more than classwork. Zayd Hamid says he is here to help fellow students. Find out how and why.
December 6, 2021After witnessing a violent revolution in Cairo, Nardine Mosaad is now earning a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree at the same time at the Schar School. What’s she studying? Government, of course.-
December 3, 2021The fourth Schar School Regional Elected Leaders Initiative (RELI) capped off the year with an in-person dinner on the Arlington Campus after hosting the ceremony online last year.
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December 3, 2021A discussion among practitioners in Virginia’s criminal justice system about major reforms is long overdue. So we had one.
December 2, 2021A PhD candidate is named a “40 Under 40” Middle East scholar to watch. Jon Hoffman is 26. He can make the list for another 14 years.
December 2, 2021A Q&A with a Schar School freshman from Oregon who is interning on Capitol Hill. Meet Molly Izer.
November 2021
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November 30, 2021Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in November? See our op-eds.
November 16, 2021Coming as an exchange student from Spain, Clara del Olmo thought American college life would be all fun and games. She discovered she was wrong. It’s better.
November 10, 2021The media strategists behind the most expensive gubernatorial race in Virginia’s history met on stage to talk about what went right—and what went wrong.- November 4, 2021What is political science? We asked five Schar School professors who not only teach it, but are also political scientists themselves.
Meet the PhD Biodefense Student and Counterproliferation Advisor Who Writes Sci-Fi and Spy ThrillersNovember 4, 2021A science-fiction and espionage romance writer—who is also a Schar School PhD student in the biodefense program—reveals her true identity.-
November 2, 2021Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in October? See our op-eds.
October 2021
- October 27, 2021We ask Cato Abbot, a fulltime Schar School senior, what it’s like living—and studying—in Rome.
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October 18, 2021The Schar School’s Richard Kauzlarich discusses a new book about the changing nature of national borders with the author Klaus Dodds.
October 12, 2021As we close out Hispanic Heritage Month, the College of Education and Human Development’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) wants to honor the contributions of faculty members of Hispanic/Latinx heritage.
October 7, 2021A new national survey of U.S. nonprofits shows scale of diversity and the effects of the pandemic on donation trends.
October 6, 2021Three new studies funded by the national JCOIN program address addictions and disease in justice settings.
October 6, 2021With thousands of people and countless opportunities, there’s a lot to take in at Virginia’s largest public research university. To help George Mason University students find community and boost their on-campus experience, Housing and Residence Life created Learning Communities (LC), where students with common interests live and learn together during the academic year. Democracy Lab is one of the newest LCs. More than 60 freshmen from the Schar School of Policy and Government are enrolled for its inaugural year.
October 5, 2021One undergraduate student shares the value of her three internships. Her advice? Go for it.
October 4, 2021The Schar School’s Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence! Lands an NIH grant to mentor a scientists studying opioid abuse in criminal justice settings.
October 1, 2021Fulbright scholar Ludmila Oleinic joins the Schar School’s political science unit as a research assistant.
September 30, 2021Israel’s Mossad is said to have used a remote controlled weapon to assassinate an Iranian nuclear scientist.
September 28, 2021Associate Professor A. Trevor Thrall is interviewed by MIT Security Studies Program.
September 2021
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September 22, 2021A September 28 panel discussion takes on the timely topic of COVID-19’s impact on women and minorities in the workplace.
September 21, 2021The program directors behind the Schar School’s new learning communities came up with a clever way to teach new students living on campus where everything is. Plus, Mason president Gregory Washington delivered an inaugural address.-
September 17, 2021Democrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin are locked in a tight race for Virginia governor, with McAuliffe standing at 50 percent to 47 percent for Youngkin among likely voters in a Washington Post-Schar School poll.
September 15, 2021David Rehr said he has spent his entire life thinking about how government can be more efficient and effective. That's a key reason he co-founded Mason’s RPA Initiative, in partnership with global software company UiPath, in January.
September 9, 2021To mark the 20th anniversary of Sept. 11, we reached out to our colleagues at the Michael V. Hayden Center for Intelligence, Policy, and International Security and the Schar School of Policy and Government for their remembrances. Many of them have worked in the intelligence and policy communities and each has a unique perspective on a day that changed our world.
September 9, 2021Distinguished Visiting Professor Michael Morell is the only person who was with President George W. Bush on Sept. 11, 2001, when the 9/11 attacks occurred, and with President Barack Obama on May 2, 2011, when Osama bin Laden was killed.
September 7, 2021A team of Mason researchers at the Schar School of Policy and Government and the Volgenau School of Engineering helped the 3M corporation disrupt a significant and dangerous supply of counterfeit PPE.
September 1, 2021The new vice president of the George Mason University student body, Veronica Mata, has taken advantage of the school’s copious opportunities to practice leadership.
August 2021
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August 30, 2021Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in August? See our op-eds.
August 25, 2021Mason officials welcomed its largest incoming class ever, with Schar School’s Jennifer Victor delivering a Victor-ious speech about civility.
August 23, 2021The president of the student body at George Mason University, Natalia Kanos, is majoring in government for reasons beyond the classroom.
August 18, 2021Schar School of Policy and Government alumna Hiwot Yohannes has taken her lessons from her International Commerce and Policy degree and created a global skincare company for women of color.-
August 17, 2021While millions of Americans stayed home during the coronavirus pandemic, many others moved — some motivated by the ability to work remotely.
- August 17, 2021As the government in Afghanistan collapsed and the Taliban seized power on the heels of the American exit from the country, Ellen Laipson, former vice chair of the U.S. National Intelligence Council and director of the international security program at the Schar School of Policy and Government, gave her assessment of the situation in an opinion piece for Asia Times.
August 17, 2021Armed with degrees in two different fields, Thys van Schaik found the perfect position at George Mason University. He leaves the Schar School this year a quarter of a century later.-
August 16, 2021About 1 in 5 workers overall has considered a professional shift, a signal that the pandemic has been a turning point for many, according to a Washington Post-Schar School poll. Additionally, since the pandemic began, 28 percent of U.S. adults say they have seriously considered moving to a new community, and 17 percent say they had already moved, either temporarily or permanently.
August 16, 2021When a Philippian terrorism researcher won a Fulbright scholarship, there was only one place she wanted to work: the Schar School of Policy and Government’s Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center.-
August 12, 2021New guidelines co-created by the Schar School’s Faye Taxman for the National Institute of Justice examines the “risk and needs assessment” instruments that impact those in correctional settings.
August 11, 2021A field trip to Washington, D.C., memorials introduce incoming Schar School of Policy and Government undergraduates to their new home while creating a policy-driven mindset.
August 9, 2021John S. Earle is promoted to University Professor by George Mason University’s Board of Visitors.
July 2021
- July 30, 2021The devastation by extreme weather events caused by climate change is having an impact on more than the environment: It’s a major national security concern. The Schar School is addressing it as such.
- July 28, 2021Author Raymond Kuo’s latest publication, Contests of Initiative: Confronting China’s Gray Zone Strategy, explores current dynamics in the East and South China Seas and strategies for how the U.S. can deter Chinese coercion.
July 21, 2021Longtime George Mason University adjunct professor and benefactor Col. (ret.) Douthard R. (D.R.) Butler died on July 10 at age 86.
July 9, 2021Schar School Public Policy graduate Kevin Jon Fandl passed away June 29 from leukemia.
July 8, 2021In a world haunted by the specter of man-made pathogens, it’s useful to know where the Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) labs are. A team of Schar School researchers created an interactive map to identify them.-
July 6, 2021Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in June? See our op-eds.
July 1, 2021Professor Emeritus Hugh Sockett wrote a trilogy sequel to Dickens’ Great Expectations. What else would you do in retirement?
June 2021
June 29, 2021Starting a new job as a vaccine scientist at the same time as beginning a master’s degree might be daunting for some, but scholarship winner Lewis Grant is flourishing.-
June 28, 2021A $20 million, 5-year program launched in 2019 to study substance abuse will continue its groundbreaking research in a new location beginning this summer.
- June 28, 2021An impressive list of thought-leading speakers take on global climate change in a first-ever Schar School summer study-abroad course.
June 28, 2021Master’s in Public Policy 2015 alumna Camille Touton has been tapped by President Biden to manage water and power for 31 million citizens. It’s a big job, but she’s ready.-
June 28, 2021The Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC) at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University has entered into an agreement with the Human Trafficking Center of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico City.
June 24, 2021George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government will launch its new Race, Politics, and Policy Center in Fall 2021 under the leadership of Professor Michael Fauntroy. Fauntroy, who taught at Mason for 11 years before joining the faculty at Howard University in 2013, returned to Mason in June.
June 22, 2021A new study shows why government agencies should adopt Robotic Process Automation. Bottom line: It makes government work better.
June 22, 2021Ready for the future: Master’s in Public Administration student Dymon Bailey lands a prestigious state fellowship and a summer job in state government.- June 21, 2021A trio of Schar School professors assumes the editorial leadership of a seminal nonprofit journal.
- June 15, 2021A Schar School professor uncovers “hidden figures” in Jim Crow-era Kansas City high schools.
- June 8, 2021Former CNN analyst Bill Schneider retires from the faculty after a dozen years teaching American politics.
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June 7, 2021A Schar School adjunct professor brings a career full of experience and expertise to the security studies classroom.
May 2021
- May 25, 2021Schar School of Policy and Government assistant professor Fengxiu Zhang lands a grant to begin work on a timely issue: infrastructure.
May 21, 2021Thinking about a career in intelligence? A panel of distinguished former intelligence officials spell out what’s in the future for the field.-
May 5, 2021ICYMI, a recap of our Hayden Center conversation with three best-selling spy authors.
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May 3, 2021A new study by the Schar School’s Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence confirms the idea that a community needs to perceive changes in correctional systems as legitimate before being effective.
- May 3, 2021The 2021 keynote speech at graduation will be delivered by a woman who rose to the top levels of federal government—and she’s an alumna of the Schar School of Policy and Government.
April 28, 2021Illegal goods can have deadly consequences. Whether it’s a counterfeit face mask that doesn’t provide a frontline worker adequate protection from COVID-19, or a counterfeit pill laced with fentanyl (a synthetic painkiller 50-100 times more potent than morphine), millions of lives can be at risk. A multidisciplinary team of researchers and students at George Mason University is working to stop such criminal activity. Thanks to a nearly $650,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF)—and a $16,000 grant supplement awarded to two undergraduates on the team—they will be investigating how to disrupt illicit supply chains, influence policy, and ultimately save lives.
April 2021
- April 30, 2021Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in April? See our op-eds.
April 30, 2021This year’s Schar School of Policy and Government’s Godbold Award winner for public administration, Hunter Young, enjoyed a range of academic and practical activities that prepared him for his post-graduation career.
April 21, 2021Playing football for University of Notre Dame was something Steve Elmer said he could only dream of when he was younger. His talent combined with a scholarship had him playing on the field with a golden helmet as freshman. He became one of the team’s most experienced offensive linemen, having 30 starts to his name.- April 21, 2021A conference addressing international crime and asylum helps a high court reverse a crucial decision.
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April 21, 2021A 2014 PhD in Biodefense graduate has won a major award as an outstanding federal employee. Brian Mazanec is a director at the Government Accounting Office specializing in security issues.
- April 21, 2021A Guggenheim ‘Distinguished Scholar Grant’ will help the Schar School’s Philip Martin and colleagues to study post-conflict peacebuilding in Côte d’Ivoire.
- April 21, 2021Former senator and Schar School professor Chuck Robb discusses his new memoir May 5 with Brian Lamb.
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April 20, 2021A new Schar School program makes rapid grants available to improve practices affecting those in criminal justice settings. Speed is everything.
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April 19, 2021Professor Peter Mandaville discusses the Middle East tonight. We wondered what fascinates him about the region?
April 13, 2021Schar School alumna Lisa Greenhill has never let not being something stop her. Now she’s in a leadership position at an association, helping a professional field diversity.- April 5, 2021The Schar School’s Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence becomes part of a national network of like-minded university centers.
- April 1, 2021Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in February? See our op-eds.
March 2021
- March 31, 2021The new U.S. News & World report rankings show the Schar School’s graduate programs continue to climb.
- March 29, 2021A new $400,000 grant will enable Schar School and CINA experts to combat illicit trade that disguises itself as cybercurrency transactions.
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March 26, 2021More than 400 students representing120 universities from across 30 countries competed to control a simulated pandemic. Three students from the Schar School advanced to the final round.
- March 24, 2021A panel of law enforcement experts will examine the rise of domestic terrorism Thursday, March 25.
- March 11, 2021How Mason has changed in the past 31 years through the eyes of Schar School professor, Priscilla Regan.
- March 11, 2021Schar School Professor J.P. Singh is a Richard von Weizsäcker Fellow for the second time. Encore!
- March 11, 2021Retired professor Hazel M. McFerson died February 27. She was 78.
- March 11, 2021House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) discussed the state of U.S. intelligence with Michael Morell from the Schar School’s Hayden Center.
- March 11, 2021Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in February? See our op-eds.
February 2021
- March 11, 2021The new Graduate Certificate in Strategic Trade is already leading students towards their lifelong career in export controls.
March 11, 2021Three Schar School biodefense graduates—all from the class of ‘19—take the helm of a global health organization, the Next Generation Global Health Security Network.- March 11, 2021Hayden Center Distinguished Visiting Professor Michael Morell will come “Face to Face” with House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff on February 25.
- March 11, 2021George Mason University President Gregory Washington will discuss his experiences in change management in an inaugural event for the Master’s in Organization Development and Knowledge Management program.
- March 11, 2021Master’s in International Security student Sarah Erickson is named a visiting fellow at the think-tank Independent Women’s Forum. Here’s how the Schar School is helping.
- February 15, 2021When it comes to educating future diplomats for the Foreign Service Office, Mason is in the top 10 of U.S. universities.
- February 15, 2021Will we be in a rush to return to the days of “rush hour”?
- February 15, 2021One Schar School professor addresses climate change by studying what happens to those affected by it. His students get to create a map of communities affected by it.
- February 15, 2021NOT going with the flow: A new book by Schar School scholars collects public policy essays examining the Flint, Michigan, water crisis.
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February 15, 2021Orlando native Natalie Nehme uses what she learned in her government and international politics degree daily as a Washington, D.C., advocate.
January 2021
- February 15, 2021An Air Force veteran applies his expertise in a PhD dissertation that could have international impact.
- February 15, 2021The Schar School’s Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC) at the Schar School of George Mason University becomes a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
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January 19, 2021Former CIA officer and author David Priess becomes a professor in the Schar School of Policy and Government’s master’s in international security program.
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January 19, 2021The Schar School of Policy and Government partners with software firm UiPath to bring robotic efficiency to governments.
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January 19, 2021A graduating Schar School of Policy and Government senior overcomes childhood obstacles to excel in college life.
- January 19, 2021Collecting our thoughts: What were Schar School scholars thinking in December? See our op-eds.
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January 10, 2021Retired professor and former Schar School of Policy and Government department chair Louise White dies from complications from the novel coronavirus.