In This Story
Looking back at my time at the Schar School of Policy and Government, I have grown so much since first stepping onto campus. Coming fresh off of a gap year spent teaching and field organizing, I had no idea what I was getting into. My experiences on and off campus and my major in government and international politics have uniquely prepared me for the world ahead. I understand that college can be daunting, so as a graduating senior, here are my biggest tips for success.
In my freshman year, I lived on campus in the First-Year Democracy Lab, where members of the residential learning community engage with the issues that define the journey of democracy in the United States and around the world. Joining Democracy Lab set me up for success and gave me so many incredible opportunities. My biggest piece of advice is to take any opportunity you are shown. Hidden Curriculum, a series of conversations every two weeks with experts around George Mason and Washington, D.C., was one of the greatest opportunities I had that year. Being able to sit down with other Schar School students, advisors from Career Services, and people who are actually practicing in their field gave me a deep insight into how many fields actually worked.
I also studied abroad my freshman year with the Global Gateway program. I traveled to Morocco, where I was able to take different classes with different perspectives. I also was able to travel around the country and begin to learn Arabic in that environment. I would highly recommend study abroad for any student who is able to, and the Global Gateway program was a great way to do it financially for me.
As a second year, I became the president of BridgeAtMason, a registered student organization aimed at decreasing political polarization on campus. My biggest piece of advice to any student is to get involved in student organizations. I was able to connect with so much of the student body through my role on various executive boards! I also joined the Elections and Disputes Commission for Student Government, helping to run the elections for the student body. Both of these opportunities helped me develop my network and connect with people all over campus.
As a senior, I was a research assistant for Jennifer Victor with the Undergraduate Research Assistant Program in the fall, and was able to further develop my research skills. I then continued and expanded my research from previous years, building off a project on Hindu extremism in South Asia that I started for the International Relations Policy Task Force, another of the Schar School’s learning communities. I was able to present my research at the Midwest Political Science Association and the National Conference for Undergraduate Research. I encourage every Schar School student to take advantage of our robust research programs and opportunities, especially if you are interested in researching a specific topic or field.
Throughout my time at the Schar School and George Mason, I had the opportunity to work with incredible mentors: Associate Professor Jennifer Victor, Associate Professor Eric McGlinchey, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Recruitment Janssen Keiger, adjunct faculty member Christopher Anzalone, Assistant Director of Registered Student Organizations and Student Governance Ayleen Leonhardt, and Associate Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life Phil McDaniel. To all current and incoming students, I hope you enjoy your time here and take advantage of all that George Mason and the Schar School have to offer!