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One mission, many paths: George Mason senior advances youth mental health through research and outreach

sbrown79 — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 19:36:02 +0000

One mission, many paths: George Mason senior advances youth mental health through research and outreach sbrown79 Tue, 10/06/2026 - 15:36

��ɫ��Ƶ senior Mehmood Shajih has built his college experience around one goal: creating better mental health outcomes for young people.

That mission has shaped both his academic path as a psychology major in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and his long-running internship with Prince William County (Virginia) Schools (PWCS)—a unique opportunity that was created specifically for him.

Mehmood Shajih. Photo provided.

Shajih, who is also part of George Mason’s Honors in Psychology program, first became interested in developmental psychology in high school. As a student in the biomedical science program at Osbourn Park High School in Manassas, Virginia, he completed a year-long research project on how parents influence children’s behavior. He also worked with AlphaBEST, a before- and after-school care program, where he saw firsthand how early mental health and education challenges can affect children.

And when he wasn’t studying students’ behavior, he was advocating on behalf of it. As a member of his high school student senate, Shajih represented his peers to county leaders and built relationships with school system officials. That’s how he met Anaid Shaver, former PWCS administrative supervisor of career counseling.

“When he reached out to inquire about an internship, his background and clear interest in child psychology and youth development aligned directly with the office’s mission,” Shaver said.

There was only one problem.

“There were no internship positions in her office; she had never had an intern before,” said Shajih. “But we spoke about my interests and career goals and basically developed the role that I eventually took on together.”

That initiative made an impression on Shaver.

“Rather than taking on pre-defined tasks, Mehmood actively developed and implemented the College and Career Student and Alumni Ambassador Program from the ground up,” Shaver said.

For Shajih, who immigrated to the United States in 2016, the work is personal. He said he faced challenges navigating the college application and financial aid processes.

“My parents and I were unfamiliar with the post-high school graduation processes in America, so I was learning about that process all on my own,” he said. “Now, I really want to help students facing the same issues that I faced before.”

Shajih and psychology professor Sabine Doebel at the 2026 OSCAR Celebration of Student Scholarship and Impact. Photo provided.

As an intern with PWCS, Shajih supports initiatives designed to help students think about their futures early and often. “There is a level of preparation that can be instilled no matter where you are in life,” he said.

Shajih has assisted with college and career fairs, helped develop school-based college and career clubs, and created systems to support long-term program success. He also developed a standard operating guide for the clubs and introduced pre- and post-surveys so school staff could better assess student outcomes and program effectiveness.

He also helped organize PWCS’s broader focus on career exploration. The district offers specialty programs in areas such as nursing, biotechnical, biomedical, firefighting, and auto tech, among others.

“They’re a great way to get students interested in these fields early on and keep them on track,” said Shajih. “Students can change their mind at any point, but at least they are gaining knowledge about different fields.”

Shajih said the work he does for his internship, which was funded by the Honoring Our Community Fellowship Program, a paid fellowship program for Honors College students, was heavily reinforced by his academic experience at George Mason, where he worked on child developmental research with his mentors—George Mason psychology professors Jennifer Brielmaier and Sabine Doebel.

Mehmood's intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm for learning stood out early on during his time in the Honors program,” said Brielmaier. “I saw tremendous growth in Mehmood. Not only did he improve his analytical, writing, and oral presentation skills, but he became a leader within his Honors cohort.”

Shajih’s research focused on the marshmallow test, an assessment of children’s ability to delay gratification. Over three semesters, he worked closely with his mentors to complete and defend his honors thesis. He later developed that meta-analysis into a research paper, Why Wait? A Meta-Analysis of Task and Sample Moderators of Children’s Performance on the Marshmallow Test, which was published in the Journal of Cognition and Development.

Shajih presents his research: "Why Wait? A Meta-Analysis of Task and Sample Moderators of Children’s Performance on the Marshmallow Test." Photo provided.

“Meta-analyses are much more methodologically sophisticated and labor-intensive than the projects undertaken by most of our Honors students,” Brielmaier said. “Mehmood was involved each step of the way, from designing the study to screening abstracts for inclusion to developing the code for data analysis.”

At the spring Office of Student Creative Activities and Research (OSCAR) Celebration of Student Scholarship and Impact, Shajih was one of six students recognized with a 2026 OSCAR Excellence Award for his research.

Looking ahead, Shajih said he plans to attend medical school and hopes to build a career that combines clinical care with research, particularly in work involving children and adolescent mental health. He sees his research and internship experiences as a foundation for that future.

“The research and internship experiences that came from my time at George Mason were priceless,” Shajih said. “They’ve helped me start a dedicated career to do more for the children in my community.”

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Master of International Security Graduate Student Earns Boren Fellowship

Andrew J Schappert — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 12:19:37 +0000

Master of International Security Graduate Student Earns Boren Fellowship Andrew J Schappert Mon, 10/05/2026 - 08:19

Xavier Isaac enrolled in the Master of International Security Program at the Schar School of Policy and Government at ��ɫ��Ƶ to enhance his interest in international affairs. The appeal of the subject developed for him during two study-abroad experiences he had as an undergraduate at Virginia State University.

Xavier Isaac. Photo provided

“Interacting with people from other countries really intrigued me,” he said. “I saw how I took for granted the U.S., the role that we have as being leaders of the free world.”

A couple of factors influenced Isaac’s decision to attend George Mason: in-state tuition and location. But the reputation of the Schar School’s faculty confirmed his choice.

“A lot of the professors I had were not just academics or commentators in the field, they actually had roles and experience working in the government and the private sector,” he said. “It gave a lot more credence to the lessons being taught and I learned a lot because of that.”

Isaac mentions Richard Kauzlarich and James Danoy with a special shoutout to Ellen Laipson, director of the Master of International Security Program and the Center for Security Policy Studies (CSPS), as being influential professors and mentors. Laipson, he says, was instrumental in his earning a Boren Fellowship.

“I had a coffee chat with her, and she really helped me with regard to recommendation letters,” he said. “I really appreciated that. I wouldn’t have gotten that fellowship without her support and advocacy.”

In January 2027, Isaac will begin the yearlong Boren Fellowship in Tokyo, Japan. The Boren award provides funding for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to study critical languages abroad while committing to future public service to enhance U.S. capabilities, deterrence, and readiness.

“I look at it as another opportunity to expand upon what I’ve learned at the Schar School and have another focus—going overseas and learning another language,” Isaac said.

Laipson describes Isaac as a thoughtful and hard-working student and was thrilled to learn that he was selected for a Boren Fellowship.

“The opportunity to be immersed in a foreign culture—especially one as significant as Japan—will make him and any Schar School student a more effective professional in the national security world,” she said. “I am confident he will make the most of his time in Japan.”

The fellowship will allow Isaac to build on his international security studies at the Schar School while gaining additional language skills and firsthand experience abroad.

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Ellen Laipson

Richard Kauzlarich

James P. Danoy

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George Mason students earn prestigious fellowships across disciplines

Susan Martonik — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:04:49 +0000

George Mason students earn prestigious fellowships across disciplines Susan Martonik Thu, 07/02/2026 - 11:04

This past spring, nearly a dozen ��ɫ��Ƶ students received nationally competitive fellowships and scholarships, supporting work across a wide range of fields. Addressing topics from artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom to air pollution to the history of musical instruments, these honors highlight the breadth of student achievement and underscore that funding awards are within reach for students in any field.

“This year alone, George Mason students have benefited from more than $168,000 in funding to further their education, study abroad, engage in meaningful research, and more,” said Megan Bruening, director in the Office of Fellowships. “These prestigious grants and awards open the door to unique opportunities that foster personal growth and build valuable academic and professional skills.”

Several of this year's award recipients were recognized at the May Board of Visitors meeting. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Recent fellowship recipients include:

Ashleigh Williams, Fulbright Award and Berlin Program Dissertation Fellowship
In September 2026, Williams, a historian of race, visual culture, and socialist internationalism, will travel to Germany to conduct research for her dissertation on the racial politics of the German Democratic Republic between 1961 and 1996. Williams is pursuing a doctorate in history in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Cora Sula, Fulbright Award
Sula, a third-year PhD student in the Department of Information Sciences and Technology in the College of Engineering and Computing, will study the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in classrooms in Estonia. As one of the few countries with a national rollout of AI-assisted classrooms, Sula will investigate how this initiative is shaping Estonian teachers’ professional practices and classroom pedagogy.

Lina Bondesson, Critical Language Scholarship
Selected from a competitive pool of more than 4,500 applicants nationwide, Bondesson, a conflict analysis and resolution major in the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, will study Korean language and culture. The opportunity is part of a U.S. State Department program that provides immersive experiences in languages critical to the United States’ national security and economic prosperity.

Xavier Isaac, Boren Fellowship
An international security major in the Schar School of Policy and Government, Isaac’s fellowship will allow him to travel to Japan. The Boren award provides funding for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to study critical languages abroad while committing to future public service to enhance U.S. capabilities, deterrence, and readiness.

Sofie Strompf, Goldwater Scholarship
Strompf, an Honors College student and neuroscience major in the College of Science, has received funding to continue her education at George Mason. Created to support future leaders in the STEM field, the scholarship was awarded for Strompf’s curiosity, discipline, and vision to become a research leader.

Xiaorong (Sherry) Shan, COVES Policy Fellowship
Shan, a Commonwealth of Virginia Engineering and Science (COVES) Policy Fellowship recipient, will spend her summer serving as an advisor at the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. In this role, she will work on environmental justice-related initiatives, including updates to the environmental justice guidance in the permitting process and supporting community engagement efforts. Shan is a civil and infrastructure engineering major the College of Engineering and Computing.

Yingjie Zhang, COVES Policy Fellowship
A PhD candidate in bioinformatics and computational biology in the College of Science, Zhang will complete his COVES fellowship with Virginia Bio, a statewide nonprofit trade association representing the life sciences industry in the commonwealth. He will bring his research experience in AI-driven drug discovery and development to the fellowship while expanding his understanding of the intersection between science, artificial intelligence, and state-level policy.

Jayme Kurland, Smithsonian Institution Fellowship
Kurland, a PhD candidate in history in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, will conduct research at the Smithsonian Museum of American History as part of her predoctoral fellowship. Her dissertation research investigates the roles women have played in the early history of the Fender Electric Instruments Company.

Alexandra Miller, Urban Communication Foundation Research Assistance Grant
Miller received a grant to support her project, “You Can’t Do That Here: Misuse of Space in New York at the Turn of the Twentieth Century.” A doctoral student in history in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Miller researches green spaces, most recently urban parks and playgrounds in the American Progressive Era.

Ali Kothawala, COMTO DC Scholarship
Kothawala, an earth systems and geoinformation sciences major in the College of Science, received an inaugural Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) DC scholarship in recognition of his academic achievement, leadership potential, and commitment to advancing excellence in transportation and infrastructure.

The Office of Fellowships supports current George Mason students and alumni in preparing strong applications for nationally competitive grants and scholarships. In the 2025-26 academic year, the office assisted more than 135 students.

“The fellowship application process is worthwhile, even if students or alumni don’t receive an award,” said Bruening. “Applicants strengthen their communication skills, enhance their goal-setting abilities, and expand their professional network, all while gaining clearer direction for their academic and professional path.”

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George Mason English professor named Guggenheim Fellow

ckearney — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 15:52:30 +0000

George Mason English professor named Guggenheim Fellow ckearney Thu, 04/17/2025 - 11:52

Tania James, associate professor of English at ��ɫ��Ƶ, has been named a 2025 Guggenheim Fellow in the Fiction category.

Tania James. Photo by Elliott O’Donovan

James, a professor in the Creative Writing Program, was one of 198 individuals in the United States and Canada awarded a fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, which is celebrating its 100th class of Guggenheim Fellows. The Guggenheim Foundation has awarded hundreds of millions of dollars in fellowships to nearly 20,000 notable individuals, many of whom have gone on to win other prestigious awards, such as the Nobel Prize, the Turing Award, the Fields Medal, and the National Book Award.

“Professor James is receiving this award in recognition of excellence in her career, thus far, and the exceptional promise her work holds for the future,” said George University Provost James Antony. “��ɫ��Ƶ is incredibly proud of Professor James and looks forward to the continued contributions she will make as a scholar, and as a mentor to our students.”

The Class of 2025 Guggenheim Fellows represents individuals from 53 fields chosen from a pool of nearly 3,500 applicants. James was one of just 10 selected in the Fiction category. She plans to use the fellowship to work on her speculative historical fiction novel set in Mammoth Cave in Kentucky.

“We are thrilled for Tania to receive this prestigious fellowship from the Guggenheim Foundation,” Ann Ardis, dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, said. “This recognition speaks to Tania’s impact as an author. The Guggenheim Foundation celebrates those who show ‘exceptional promise,’ and we couldn’t be happier for Tania, who continues to inspire her peers and students.”

James is the author of four books, all published by Knopf. Her most recent novel, Loot, has received numerous accolades, including nominations for the 2023 National Book Award and the Carol Shields Prize in addition to being included on Book of the Year lists by the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, NPR, and Kirkus Reviews.

She has also written The Tusk That Did the Damage, which was a finalist for the International Dylan Thomas Prize; Aerogrammes and Other Stories, named a Best Book of 2012 by Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, and The San Francisco Chronicle; and the novel Atlas of Unknowns, which was a New York Times Editor’s Choice and a finalist for the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature. 

“I’m deeply grateful to have an institutional home like George Mason, a place where I’m so often inspired by the research and teaching of my colleagues,” James said. “There is so much uncertainty with a life in the arts, but the sense of stability and support means I can take my time with my work and take the sort of creative risks necessary to feeling fulfilled as a writer."

Check out the Creative Writing program at George Mason

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George Mason PhD is living the dream in NYC with Met fellowship

Katarina Benson — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 17:57:26 +0000

George Mason PhD is living the dream in NYC with Met fellowship Katarina Benson Wed, 02/19/2025 - 12:57

��ɫ��Ƶ history PhD candidate Jayme Kurland is living her dream this academic year as the Jane and Morgan Whitney Fellow at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

George Mason PhD candidate Jayme Kurland at the Met. Photo provided

Kurland started her college career as a viola performance major at the University of Oregon before earning her BA in music history. She then got a master’s in music history at Arizona State. As a Met fellow, Kurland is working in the musical instruments department and conducting research for her dissertation. “I’m back in my happy place,” she says, “just working with objects and thinking about the stories they can tell us.”

It’s Good to Be Back: Kurland fell in love with museum work as an undergrad when she landed a job at the Musical Instrument Museum in her hometown of Phoenix. “I never planned to move back home, but working as a curatorial assistant blended my music background with my love of museums.” She also worked as a curatorial research fellow in musical instruments at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston from 2013 to 2017.

Finding Your People: Working at the Met has allowed Kurland the opportunity to connect with scholars in the musical instruments department, as well as throughout the institution. And, of course, the resources the Met offers are unparalleled. “Returning to the museum world at an institution like the Met has been tremendously rewarding. I have been able to complete hands-on work with the museum's guitar collection and really dig into my own research.”

Guitar Heroes: Kurland’s research focuses on a group of Mexican American women who wired amplifiers, wound pickups, and assembled first guitars and amps for guitar manufacturer Fender between 1946 and 1965. In addition to examining instruments in the Met’s collection and conducting oral histories, Kurland is also working with experts at Brooklyn Lutherie, a women-owned guitar and violin repair shop, where they are building a piece of equipment called a pickup winder. “[Winding pickups] is one of the skills of the women I'm studying that was completed by hand. I think that understanding the physical skills [required of the women] is a way to better understand their experience.”

Putting Yourself Out There: In addition to working on her dissertation, Kurland gets to present her research to the public in various ways, including presenting to docents, in public programs, and in a symposium called Research Out Loud, where Met fellows discuss their work. Kurland also started a writing group for fellows that meets twice a week and “holds each other accountable for what we're working on.”

Out on the Town: When not working, Kurland explores the Big Apple. “I am living in NYC full time and really trying to take advantage of the city's music scene. I try to see as much live music as possible!”

Connect with the Arts at George Mason

Mason grad students Kiernan Hogan and Ashley Robertson receive prestigious Boren Fellowships

John Hollis — Thu, 26 May 2022 20:12:01 +0000

Mason grad students Kiernan Hogan and Ashley Robertson receive prestigious Boren Fellowships John Hollis Thu, 05/26/2022 - 16:12

Two ��ɫ��Ƶ graduate students have been awarded prestigious Boren Fellowships and will travel overseas this fall to immerse themselves in languages as they continue work toward their master’s degrees.

Kiernan Hogan, an interdisciplinary studies (MAIS) graduate student with a specialization in energy and sustainability, and Ashley Robertson, who is in the master of science program within Mason’s Environmental Science and Policy Department with a concentration in energy and sustainability policy and science, were among the 121 recipients of Boren Fellowships from around the nation who will study different languages throughout Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.

Kiernan Hogan. Photo provided

“It's a huge honor. It feels partly like recognition of all the hard work I've put in, the quality of the support I received from Mason staff and my advisors, and at the same time an investment in my future after Mason,” Hogan said. “Being awarded the fellowship means I presented a compelling argument as to why adding a linguistic specialization to my master's program is worthwhile, and that I hope much of my future work will have a strong international component to it.”

Hogan will travel to Brazil and engage in an intense Portuguese course in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, partly through the Federal University of Minas Gerais. Upon his return to the United States, his long-term goal is to work the Bureau of Energy Resources in the Department of State, focusing on energy policy in Brazil and South America.

Robertson will attend Ewha Woman’s University in Seoul, South Korea, to conduct research on the country’s energy policy as part of her master’s thesis and will engage in intensive Korean language study. Upon returning to the United States, she plans to seek a position as a researcher in the Department Energy.

Ashley Robertson. Photo provided

“It’s an incredible honor,” Robertson said of her Boren Fellowship. “I still can’t believe it, but I’m excited. To have it happen is one of the biggest achievements I’ve had in my academic career. To be able to do research while I’m there is also really exciting.”

Megan Bruening, who is Mason’s assistant director of graduate fellowships within the Office of Fellowships, said she came away very impressed with both of these amazing students.

“It was a great pleasure to work with both on this process,” Bruening said.

Both students worked under the auspices of Jennifer Sklarew, an assistant professor in the Environmental Science and Policy Department.

Boren Fellowships provide up to $30,000 for U.S. graduate students to add an important international and language component to their graduate education through specialization in area study, language study or increased language proficiency. In exchange for funding, Boren Awards recipients commit to working in the federal government for at least one year after graduation.

The awards are named for former U.S. Senator David L. Boren, who was the principal author of the legislation that created the National Security Education Program in 1991 and the scholarships and fellowships that bear his name. The fellowship is an initiative of the NSEP, which provides funding for U.S. students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests.