Community Engagement

Alumnus uses his creative voice to build connections, honor heritage, and foster peace

Shayla Brown — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 14:09:19 +0000

Alumnus uses his creative voice to build connections, honor heritage, and foster peace Shayla Brown Wed, 06/18/2025 - 10:09

Federico Frum, BA Art and Visual Technology ’05, believes in the power of art to bring people together. Known professionally as MasPaz—Spanish for “more peace”—Frum has spent his career fusing activism and creativity, using bold street murals, community engagement, and cultural storytelling to spread a message of unity.

Federico Frum/MasPaz poses in front of one of his murals. Photo credit Omar Garcia.

A multidisciplinary artist based in Washington, D.C., Frum most recently gained national attention for contributing to the design of a stamp for the Art of the Skateboard stamp series for the U.S. Postal Service, a project five years in the making.

“The graphic designer on the project had seen my work at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and really connected with it—especially coming from a Latino background himself,” Frum said. “When he reached out, I was thrilled. Skateboarding has been a part of my life for years—I even used to have my own skateboard company—so this project felt like home.”

That deep connection to skateboarding culture is more than a personal passion. Frum has worked in skate shops, helped manage an amateur skate team, and continues to sponsor local youth, offering them skateboards bearing his signature artwork.

While Frum’s work often appears on concrete walls, his art is rooted in something older and deeper—his Colombian heritage, Indigenous traditions, and a lifelong reverence for the planet. He draws inspiration from the intricate geometric designs of molas, the handcrafted textiles created by Indigenous peoples in Panama and Colombia.

“Growing up, my mother would hang molas around the house. They became my connection to our land, our ancestry,” Frum recalled. “Now I keep that tradition alive in a contemporary way—using a spray can or a paintbrush but always honoring that cultural lineage.”

His mural work is widely recognized for its themes of earth preservation, Indigenous identity, and community empowerment. But Frum’s impact goes far beyond public art. He visits high school classrooms, co-creating murals with students that are proudly displayed on campus—an invitation for young people to find their voice through art.

“I’ve always felt connected to Indigenous practices and the family dynamic,” Frum says. “And I’ve always respected the Earth. A big part of who I am is about protecting and preserving the planet.”

As a student at George Mason, Frum studied photography and digital art, with a thesis in 3D animation. He credits classes in web design and printmaking with giving him the technical foundation to support his creative vision. He also found mentorship from School of Art professor Chawky Frenn, a fellow advocate for art as a force for peace.

“My heart is filled with so much joy and gratitude to see that Federico is using his artistic voice for social change,” says Frenn, a two-time Fulbright Scholar whose own work explores art and peace. “As teachers, we never truly know what seeds we’re planting—but seeing Federico’s journey is a beautiful reminder of what’s possible.”

Frum’s work has been featured by ABC News, Telemundo, and The Washington Post, and he has collaborated with major institutions including Nike, National Geographic, Sierra Club, Smithsonian Institution, the National Gallery of Art, and the New Museum.

Recently, Frum returned to George Mason’s Fairfax �� to install We All Belong, a 30-by-30-foot tapestry mural on the Art and Design Building. The vibrant piece weaves together earth elements, ancestral motifs, and community imagery to deliver a powerful message of inclusion.

“It’s about showing that we’re all connected—that we matter,” Frum says. “That art can help us remember: We all belong.”

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Alumni

School of Art

Community Engagement

College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)

Law student represents combat veteran at Board of Veterans’ appeals hearing

Katarina Benson — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 21:02:48 +0000

Law student represents combat veteran at Board of Veterans’ appeals hearing Katarina Benson Mon, 06/16/2025 - 17:02

In May, a �� law student, working with the Mason Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic (M-VETS), advocated for a U.S. combat veteran before an administrative law judge at a hearing before the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA).

From left, M-VETS Client Richard Fahlman, Student Advisor Samantha Hargis, and M-VETS Director Timothy M. MacArthur. Photo provided

Founded in 2004, the M-VETS clinic enables Antonin Scalia Law School students to assist veterans, servicemembers, and their dependents with military/veteran/DVA administrative matters, including disability compensation and educational benefits appeals, discharge upgrades, and Boards for Correction of Military Records matters.

This case centered on a veteran’s 2016 claim for an increased rating for a service-connected disability resulting from an improvised explosive device attack in Afghanistan, which led to the veteran’s medical separation from the Army.

Originally, Army veteran Richard Fahlman received a 20% rating for his injury, but based on new medical evidence, M-VETS filed a request in 2019 to increase this rating to 40%. The DVA initially denied the request. Had the 40% rating been approved, Fahlman would have been medically retired and received all the benefits accompanying that status, including much-needed health care. In response to the DVA’s rejection, M-VETS filed a motion alleging a Clear and Unmistakable Error (CUE).

“I’m glad our client reached out to M-VETS, and we could advocate on his behalf at this hearing,” said M-VETS Director Timothy M. MacArthur. “Our position was that the decision review officer had made a CUE error, contradicting federal law and regulatory standards.”

Many Scalia Law students, called student advisors at M-VETS, worked diligently on behalf of the client during case preparations. Student advisor Samantha Hargis was chosen to conduct the hearing under MacArthur’s supervision.

“Working on this matter for our client was an incredible opportunity,” said Hargis, who graduated from George Mason with a JD in May. “I am deeply grateful to the student advisors who came before me and laid a solid foundation for our argument at the hearing, our client for his commitment and collaboration throughout the process, and my supervising attorney for his invaluable guidance and support.”

“Ms. Hargis did a phenomenal job arguing the motion and presenting evidence during the hearing,” MacArthur said. “Sam conducted a pre-hearing conference with the judge, delivered an opening statement, conducted a direct examination of our client, and delivered an impactful closing, effectively arguing our position.”

MacArthur said the DVA benefits process allows M-VETS student advisors to gain practical experience in a nonadversarial setting, while providing valuable pro bono services to veterans.

“Mr. MacArthur and Ms. Hargis put their heart, time, and soul into developing my defense, and I couldn’t have asked for a better legal team. Without M-VETS, combat veterans like me wouldn’t have a voice,” Fahlman said.

M-VETS continues to work with the veteran while the hearing outcome is pending.

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Antonin Scalia Law School

George Mason researchers look at low-cost solutions to increase solved cases and boost public trust in police

Katarina Benson — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 19:04:38 +0000

George Mason researchers look at low-cost solutions to increase solved cases and boost public trust in police Katarina Benson Thu, 06/05/2025 - 15:04

It’s a sought-after “sweet spot,” where effective police response to combatting nonviolent crimes earns public approval and builds community goodwill—all within tight budget constraints.

Cynthia Lum. Photo by Office of University Branding

Reaching that intersection is no easy task. That’s why �� researchers Cynthia Lum and Christopher Koper are testing solutions to help local police departments balance limited resources while strengthening public trust.

Lum, director of the Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy (CEBCP) within the Department of Criminology, Law and Society in George Mason’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Koper, a nationally recognized expert on firearms policy and policing and CEBCP’s Principal Fellow, are leading a new initiative supported by an $839,000 grant from Arnold Ventures. The Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit supports evidence-based policy, research, and advocacy to address systemic challenges where traditional approaches have fallen short, funding initiatives that aim to drive long-term, bipartisan reform.

The project emphasizes practical scalable steps police departments can take, especially when it comes to serious property crime cases, such as burglaries and auto thefts, which sometimes get low priority due to lack of investigative leads, high caseloads, and limited police resources.

“We are testing whether low-cost actions will help victim satisfaction and will possibly help police solve more crimes,” said Lum, a former Baltimore police officer. “If this works, then I think many police agencies across the country, especially those who don’t have a lot of resources, but who want to try to do something, will have an accessible approach that can lead to real improvements.”

Most crimes in the United States go unsolved. Violent crimes have higher rates of clearance, with homicide cases ranking highest at 58%. Nonviolent crimes—which are much greater in number—are solved at much lower rates, frustrating many victims and eroding trust in law enforcement.

Christopher Koper. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

To address that, the agencies participating in the George Mason three-year pilot will send officers to personally follow-up on stalled, low-priority cases that would not normally receive extensive investigation. If this uncovers potential new leads, it may increase the likelihood of solving these cases. Further, by demonstrating continued engagement, it is hoped that the follow-ups will improve victim satisfaction with police services and boost community views of the police. Lum and Koper will be measuring both outcomes.

“At the minimum, it gets officers back into the community, visibly showing their commitment to solving crimes and positively engaging with people,” Lum said, adding that this project will provide graduate students on the research team opportunity to learn how to carry out program evaluations and field experiments.

Lum and Koper are currently partnering with two police departments, one in Northern Virginia and the other in Maryland. While setting up logistics, such as data sharing and officer training, they are both optimistic about the possibilities.

“We’re trying to move the needle with a modest, low-cost change to investigative procedures,” Koper said. “That additional follow-up by an officer could make a difference.”

Should their research prove effective, they plan to disseminate the model and findings to law enforcement agencies nationwide.

“I think of it as helping police agencies balance the realities they face,” Koper said. “They want to solve more cases and earn a higher level of public confidence and trust. But they also face limits on how intensively they can investigate all cases.”

Study Criminology, Law and Society at George Mason

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Research

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

George Mason civil engineering students are helping local communities improve their flood resilience

Katarina Benson — Wed, 07 May 2025 18:04:10 +0000

George Mason civil engineering students are helping local communities improve their flood resilience Katarina Benson Wed, 05/07/2025 - 14:04

In September 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane and quickly became the deadliest hurricane in the United States since Hurricane Katrina. It brought catastrophic flooding, storm surge, landslides, and tornadoes, resulting in more than 250 deaths and $78.7 billion in damages, which some estimate may rise to $110 billion. Areas of Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee were devastated by the rainfall it brought, and Southwest Virginia experienced significant flooding.

“Flooding is a growing issue across local communities,” said Celso Ferreira, who leads ��’s Flood Hazards Research Lab. “It is one part of engineering that’s not well-solved. Communities want to understand and adapt to flood risk, but it’s expensive. If it were easy and cheap, it would already be solved. That’s where this idea came in—we thought, why not involve students? Not just teach them engineering but help them create useful products for these communities. Can we make a difference without a multimillion-dollar firm? Can we bridge the gap?”

George Mason PhD student Diana Veronez runs a modeling demonstration for the Flood Hazard Engineering and Adaptation course. Photo provided

Ferreira recently redesigned the CEIE 445/645 Flood Hazard Engineering and Adaptation course to work with community partners to deliver real projects as part of the Institute for a Sustainable Earth’s (ISE’s) NSF Accelerating Research Translation (ART) Seed Translational Research Project (STRP) Program. He taught it for the first time in its new format in fall 2024 and plans to offer it again this fall.

In CEIE 445/645, a course for civil engineering students, undergraduate and graduate students work together on teams to develop flood risk maps and conduct analyses to help real clients in local communities improve their flood resilience. For some communities, especially smaller counties or tribes with fewer resources or no engineers on staff, this can provide critical data to help them address areas at higher risk of flooding.

The student teams used the recently developed Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) models, which provided ground elevation surface (topography), hydraulic friction values, and surface water infiltration values. This served as a common framework each project could be built upon.

The class used Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation models to run scenarios. This figure shows areas of potential flooding in the Town of Quantico. Photo provided

During the first part of the semester, the students learned how to create models like those provided by Virginia DCR. Then, they worked with their clients to address individual case studies on flood mitigation.

“I think it’s transformational for the students,” Ferreira said. “I’m glad we’re able to do that. At the beginning, they wonder what they’ve gotten themselves into, but by then end, they’re proud of the projects they built. [This challenge] really captures their attention, and they get enthusiastic about it.”

Examples of student projects include:

Pamunkey Reservation Flood Resiliency Plan - Located on a peninsula east of Richmond, the reservation is just slightly above sea level, increasing its risk of tidal and pluvial (surface water) flooding. The student team—Jacob Ryan Tomechko, Amanda Mullen, Paul Pacheco, Angela Haines-Perez, and Heriberto Perez—helped identify potential problem spots for roadway flooding including scenarios to address sea-level rise and significant storm events such as hurricanes.
Forwarding Roadway Resiliency Efforts in Mathews County – Matthews County is located on Virginia’s middle peninsula and is at risk of coastal and pluvial flooding due to its low-lying roadways. The student team—Matthew Cantos, Daniel Cardona, Mike DeCarlo, Eglal Salih, and Allyson Skahen—assessed which areas were at a higher risk of flooding due to poorly designed drainage ditches or other characteristics.
Flood Adaptive Roadways in Quantico, Virginia – Located in Prince William County, the Town of Quantico is near the Potomac River and Quantico Creek. The student team—Sebastian Galarza, Marcos Sanchez, Roberto Mejia, and Gabby Wade—helped the town assess roadway flooding scenarios to inform future evacuation efforts.

As part of their work, the student teams created ArcGIS storymaps for each project, available through the course website.

After the course, several students were hired as undergraduate research assistants to continue working on the projects so that they could take them beyond one semester’s work and provide the clients with more advanced projects. They are reviewing and enhancing all the projects to improve alignment with the clients’ requests and developing a standardized product that each client will receive.

One client was interested in using the student maps and analysis to assist with their proposal for funding to address these flooding issues. This is one way Ferreira sees clients being able to use the student projects. He explained that when communities apply for a grant to hire an engineering company for a project, they need to do preliminary analysis as part of this proposal. Many communities don’t have this capacity—they don’t have engineers to do preliminary analysis.

Ferreira worked with a graduate research assistant, two post-docs, and a PhD student over the summer of 2024 to redesign the course. “The funding from the ART program made it possible. It provided the resources to adapt the course in this way. It was key to have those resources, because it was a huge undertaking that couldn’t be done by one faculty member alone.”

The goal of the NSF ART program is to translate science from the university to real solutions for local communities that can help them better prepare for climate-related disasters. The ISE and Virginia Climate Center (VCC) are collaborating with the University of Kentucky and the Center for Climate Strategies on the NSF ART initiative to close this gap and help communities in Virginia improve their resilience.

CEIE 445/645 will be offered in the fall 2025 semester, and applications are still open for local communities to participate as clients.

View the course website

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Strategic Direction

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New art course teaches students how to think differently about design

Shayla Brown — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 15:49:48 +0000

New art course teaches students how to think differently about design Shayla Brown Wed, 04/02/2025 - 11:49

“Furniture isn’t just a tangible item that’s supposed to mold to your body, but it can also mold to your lifestyle,” said Katherin Salazar, a �� senior art and visual technology major.

She is currently taking a new College of Visual and Performing Arts special topics course, AVT 496, which focuses on furniture design and is offered through the university’s School of Art.

AVT 496 students discussing their sculptures. Photo by Ayman Rashid/Office of University Branding.

“The goal is to teach students about the power of furniture and how the built environment is constantly communicating and reorchestrating hierarchical structures,” said Mallory Kimmel, a Washington, D.C.-based interdisciplinary artist who created and teaches the course.

“We’re learning how to cultivate a greater awareness of the intended power dynamics in space, and also to become a curator of reshaping hierarchies in space to be more oriented to social justice ethos,” she said.

Salazar, who has contracts with Smithsonian Folklife Festival and Skate Folk creating competitive atmospheres that serve as a gateway for local skaters, is currently building a quarter pipe ramp for a class project.

AVT 496 student showcases the functionality of a sculpture. Photo provided.

“The techniques we’re learning in this course go hand in hand with building a lot of structures related to skating,” said Salazar, who works as a student monitor in the university’s Sculpture Studio under the supervision of Ben Ashworth, sculpture and foundations supervisor in George Mason’s School of Art.

“Mallory and Ben have taught me the ways of the art world and how it's constantly changing and growing. The biggest lesson I’ve learned so far is to take pride in my skills and realizing the worth of them,” she said.

As a part of the course, the students will tour the National Gallery of Art and put what they’ve learned to practice by identifying and recommending ways to create a more welcoming environment for people to experience the art.

The students will also present how their finished sculptures address hostile architecture, which Kimmel defines as the “built environment containing features that aim to reject certain people or behaviors.”

An example of hostile architecture is public benches that have handrails in the center so that it's prohibitive for the houseless population to lay down, explained Kimmel.

AVT 496 student showcases the functionality of a sculpture. Photo provided.

“[This course] has allowed me to expand my thinking beyond just the functions of furniture, but about its design ethics and the body itself,” said Roland Payabyab, a senior art and visual technology major.

For Payabyab’s first project, he focused on posture in honor of his parents.

“I'm noticing as they age, they're developing a lot of back problems, so I'm creating a bench meant to relieve some of that pain by incorporating a function within this piece to move with them as they need, for example, when they’re bending over to put on shoes,” he said.

Payabyab was able to build his project with techniques, such as woodworking and joinery.

AVT 496 students discussing their sculptures. Photo by Ayman Rashid/Office of University Branding.

“Joinery was one of the things I was most excited to learn about, and it just so happened to be the first topic we would cover,” said Payabyab. “Now I know how to combine different materials without nails or screws to build my sculptures, which is great for me because that’s what I’d like to do as a career after I graduate.”

In This Story

Mallory Kimmel

Benjamin Ashworth

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College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)

National Gallery of Art

A collaborative solution to culinary career challenges

Sarah Holland — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 14:29:31 +0000

A collaborative solution to culinary career challenges Sarah Holland Tue, 03/25/2025 - 10:29

One of the best parts of any town is its local food. But in the aftermath of COVID-19 lockdowns, keeping local restaurants alive and thriving requires a new approach.

Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

In partnership with the City of Fairfax, Town of Vienna, and the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging, and Travel Association Foundation (VRLTAF), George Mason is working on a solution: the Culinary Careers Collaborative (CCC) is a workforce development project to get restaurant workers the foundational skills they need to succeed.

Jai Girard, director of education and workforce development for the VRLTAF, explained that the restaurant industry has often struggled with recruitment and retention. “The challenge has intensified in recent years,” she said. Hospitality employees who were laid off during the lockdowns found jobs in other industries. Business travelers, who were a significant market for Northern Virginia restaurants, have not returned to the pre-2020 numbers. And with growing competition from the gig economy, restaurants are struggling to recruit and retain their staff.

As restaurants face growing challenges, the City of Fairfax and Town of Vienna wanted to find a solution.

“This is a challenge that transcends jurisdictional borders,” said Ashley Curtis, marketing and business engagement specialist for the Town of Vienna. "Hungry diners aren’t thinking about where the city starts and the town begins: They’re just enjoying the food. We have a shared goal to support the places our residents and visitors love to eat.”

“We knew we needed partners who could bring expertise in hospitality and restaurant management, so we looked to George Mason and VRLTAF,” said Tara Borwey, assistant director of programs for Fairfax City Economic Development. George Mason has one of the only hospitality degree programs in the area.

“We’re all in such close proximity to one another, and therefore we all have a vested interest in maintaining a strong relationship and improving our shared community,” she said.

Using feedback from restaurant owners around Fairfax City and Town of Vienna, the team developed three tracks: beginning culinary skills, beverage skills, and advanced management. Each track totals 24 credit hours taken over four days. Fairfax City and the Town of Vienna fully funded the programs so they are completely free for participants.

Students practice during the beverage skills track. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

“Partnerships between universities and local communities are essential for creating meaningful workforce development,” said Min Park, associate professor in the Tourism and Events Management program in the College of Education and Human Development. “These partnerships ensure that training programs are academically sound and aligned with workforce demands.”

The beginning culinary skills track and beverage skills track are designed to build foundational skills for industry newcomers. Culinary students learn fundamental cooking techniques and knife skills; beverage students learned how to mix cocktails and pair wines; both tracks include instruction in hygiene and sanitation protocols, service management skills, regulation compliance, and operational strategies.

Students learn skills that will put them in a stronger starting position and get the chance to see if this industry is the right fit without risk for either the student or the restaurant losing a job or an employee.

“Retention is just as important as recruitment,” said Girard. “These tracks remove some of that steep learning curve barrier of these entry-level positions that could scare some people away. They can see if the industry is a good fit for them, while gaining skills that will make them more confident in what can be a stressful environment for someone new and untrained.”

George Mason alumna Sophia Tran, BS Tourism and Events Management ’22, a current graduate student pursuing a master's in management with a certificate in human resources in the Costello College of Business, took the beverage track and earned the ServSafe certificate and the Beverage Arts certificate. The ServSafe certificate, administered by the National Restaurant Administration, demonstrates an individual’s knowledge of food safety protocols and procedures. “I would highly recommend the track. I learned a lot about the wine and cocktail industries,” she said.

Advanced management track participants and instructors. Photo provided.

The third track—advanced management—is the only track specifically for current industry employees, designed to upskill current or potential leaders with instruction on managerial theories and practices. The inaugural module ran in July 2024 with 13 participants, taught through a collaboration between a professor of the Tourism and Events Management program and leading industry practitioners.

“Many of our restaurants are locally owned small businesses, and they don’t usually have resources like this. It’s a DIY mentality, training people on the job,” said Curtis. “But small business is the heartbeat of our region, so being able to support them makes this really special.”

The locations of the tracks vary based on the needs of the curriculum. Dolce Vita Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar in Fairfax City hosted the beverage class, which concluded its first session in January. The beginning culinary track, which will run its inaugural session in June 2025, will use the College of Public Health Nutrition Kitchen in Peterson Hall.

Said Curtis, “Collaborations like this make this region a great place to work, play, learn, and live.”

To register for upcoming tracks, visit the CCC website.

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College of Education and Human Development

Recreation and Tourism Management

Costello College of Business

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Costello College of Business News

Poetry Alive! expands services to Prince William County

Colleen Rich — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 18:02:19 +0000

Poetry Alive! expands services to Prince William County Colleen Rich Tue, 03/11/2025 - 14:02

Poetry Alive! is an arts outreach program designed to inspire and empower students at the Fairfax County Juvenile Detention Center (JDC) through interactive workshops centered on contemporary poetry. Now in its third year, Poetry Alive! has extended its reach to a new site, the Patrick D. Molinari Juvenile Shelter in Prince William County.

Photo by Getty Images

Poetry Alive! sends teaching fellows, recruited from the ��’s Creative Writing Program, into centers to teach poetry workshops. At the JDC, the teaching fellows work with students in the center’s Beta program—a year-long therapeutic initiative for male residents aged 14-17. The Molinari Shelter in Manassas, Virginia, is a nonsecure facility that acts as an alternative to detention and provides emergency placements for youths aged 11-17.

George Mason alumnus Ronald Pannell, MEd ’02, PhD ’12, supervisor of specialized instruction for Prince William County Schools, heard about the JDC poetry workshops through an article in the Mason Spirit magazine. While a doctoral student at George Mason, Pannell had done research on strategies using written expression to help elementary school students with emotional and behavioral disabilities. He immediately saw the value of implementing a Poetry Alive! program at the Molinari Shelter.

Pannell secured funding through a Virginia Department of Education grant and collaborated with Poetry Daily, which runs Poetry Alive!, to bring the program to Molinari in fall 2024.

Katey Funderburgh. Photo provided

The program at Molinari employs five teaching fellows: four MFA graduate students—Katey Funderburgh, McKinley Johnson, Martheaus Perkins, and Nicholas Ritter—and one undergraduate student, Faith Baylor, who is participating as part of their practicum coursework for a Poetry Daily course.

Funderburgh and Ritter are the lead teaching fellows in charge of expanding the program to the Molinari Shelter. Ritter and Funderburgh both served as Poetry Alive! teaching fellows last spring and are extremely passionate about the program.

“We spend each Poetry Alive! session introducing the students to new poets, discussing what different poems mean and how they’re crafted, and then we watch and listen as the students take these tools into their own hands,” said Funderburgh. “Whenever I am lucky enough to hear a student read their own poetry aloud, I remember that this is why I’m here, this is what poetry is for.”

“Our sessions are chances for these students to express [themselves] in new and creative ways,” said Ritter, who has been working with the program for three years. “Working with Poetry Alive! has shown me a pathway for poetry to work in the world in ways I hadn’t imagined before. Our work makes a direct and tangible difference, and I think that carries tremendous value.”

Nicholas Ritter. Photo provided

Pannell said the youth at the shelter really enjoyed the workshops. “It gave them another outlet to express themselves.”

He said that the teachers working at Molinari also benefited from the workshop and that Funderburgh and Ritter has passed on skills to the faculty there, enabling them to support the students as they explored writing and journaling outside of the workshop.

Founded in 1997, Poetry Daily is a nonprofit daily anthology of contemporary poetry that moved to George Mason in 2019 to continue its work connecting 570,000 readers across the world to the finest contemporary poetry. It also serves as a learning lab for George Mason students in teaching the art and practice of poetry publishing and is part of Watershed Lit: Center for Literary Engagement and Publishing Practice.

Poetry Alive! is modeled after the successful pilot initiated in spring 2022 by the inaugural Fairfax Poet Laureate and George Mason alumna Nicole Tong and has continued with the support of funding from ArtsFairfax. The program at the Fairfax County JDC is funded by ArtsFairfax.

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Film and Video students take home Capital Emmy Student Production Awards

Shayla Brown — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 13:59:06 +0000

Film and Video students take home Capital Emmy Student Production Awards Shayla Brown Tue, 02/11/2025 - 08:59

Students from ��’s Film and Video Studies Program collaborated in the classroom to create films that earned them their first Capital Emmy Student Production Awards. These awards, sponsored by the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, recognize outstanding achievement in video production in the region.

“I knew I loved editing my whole life. When I was a little kid, I thought ‘I'm going to be a famous YouTuber and make videos,’” said senior film major Xavier Jimenez, who received an award in the commercial category for “Media Production Program: Behind the Scenes.”

Xavier Jimenez directing his promotional video. Photo provided.

“It wasn't until my senior year [in high school] that I realized editing kind of falls into film, and I started researching more about videography and cinematography,” said Jimenez, who has a minor in photography.

During his junior year, Jimenez took COMM 358 Multi-Camera Studio Production with Department of Communication instructor David Miller at the Student Video Center.

“That semester was my first time meeting Professor Miller. I showed him some of my previous video work of our basketball and soccer teams, and asked if I could borrow the Sony FX3 camera,” explained Jimenez, who also creates content for George Mason Athletics.

Miller was thoroughly impressed by Jimenez’s videography skills, permitting him to use the new camera on the condition that he create a “behind-the-scenes” promotional video for the course aimed at prospective students. This project, directed, shot, and edited by Jimenez with Miller’s guidance, ultimately earned him his first Emmy Award.

“I always tell my students that the only prerequisites for my course are curiosity and hard work. I noticed that right away in Xavier,” said David Miller, who is the media production coordinator in the Department of Communication. “Honestly, Xavier appears to have an innate talent, and giving him additional challenges and opportunities will only help him reach new heights—he’s just that good.”

The promotional video was finalized in May 2024, and Miller submitted it to be considered for the award.

George Mason alumnus Mauricio Alarcon, BA Film and Video Studies ’24, also received a Capital Emmy Student Production Award in the Fiction-Long Form category for his film “La Vida.”

Mauricio Alarcon (center) directing his film, "La Vida." Photo provided.

He wrote and directed the film under the guidance of his supervisor, Film and Video Studies professor Thomas Britt. Alarcon created the film across three semesters involving two courses: FAVS 498 Development for Senior Project and FAVS 499: Senior Project.

“I wrote about 10 drafts of the script with Professor Britt and I received meaningful feedback every time,” said Alarcon. “It was nice to always have him in my corner supporting and reassuring me that I could do it. He helped me make sure the story could be told in the most impactful way.”

Britt, whose guidance covered everything from the initial script draft to the final sound mix, said he was proud, but not surprised by Alarcon winning an Emmy Student Production Award.

“It was a pleasure to work with Mauricio across three semesters on this project,” said Britt. “His vision for the film was strong from the beginning, so much of what I did was intended to help him bring that to the screen without losing his enthusiasm or purpose for the film.”

Alarcon has many excellent qualities, said Britt, but one that stands out is his follow-through.

“At every stage of the filmmaking process, he showed that he could deliver on that ambition, so he always backed up his goals with results that meant he did not have to compromise,” Britt said.

Alarcon’s film centers on a 17-year-old boy named Jorge who is the son of immigrants and whose aspirations to make his high school soccer team are halted by his father’s sudden absence and having to take care of his younger sister, Alarcon said.

Mauricio Alarcon (center) directing his film, "La Vida." Photo provided.

“I wanted to diversify the Latino American narratives. The Latino population in the DMV is primarily Central American, meaning El Salvador, Guatemala, or Honduras. I was lucky enough to work with Xavier, who's also El Salvadoran, as assistant camera,” said Alarcon, who minored in global affairs.

Alarcon’s film crew was made up of fellow film majors who he met during his time in the program. He was able to secure his locations through connections in the Arlington community, filming at his elementary school and local apartments buildings, as well as on George Mason’s soccer fields.

“La Vida” was shown at the Mason Film Festival, the Georgia Latino Film Festival, International Kolkata Short Film Festival, and the Chandler International Film Festival.

Alarcon, who hopes to continue telling Latin American narratives, is currently in grad school at Loyola Marymount University studying film and television production.

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Thomas Britt

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College of Visual and Performing Arts Film and Video Studies

Volunteers at Mason Korea share their time and talents in community beautification project

Lauren Reuscher — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 14:11:51 +0000

Volunteers at Mason Korea share their time and talents in community beautification project Lauren Reuscher Thu, 01/09/2025 - 09:11

Mason Korea recently joined forces with General Motors (GM) Korea to revitalize a youth home in Incheon's Bupyeong area through a collaborative beautification project. The activity was organized by Mason Cares, which focuses on community engagement around ��’s Incheon campus, and Mason Korea’s Office of Development and Strategic Partnership.

Volunteers from Mason Korea painted a mural designed by students and staff. Photo by Mason Korea.

Student, faculty, and staff volunteers, including Mason Korea �� Dean Joshua Park, worked diligently to bring a mural concept to life. The mural was designed by Mason Korea students and staff, and the volunteer artists received on-site support from the GM Korea team.

Photo by Mason Korea

“I was excited to participate in this project, because I have experience working in mural design from a similar volunteer project at the Smithsonian,” said Victoria Gehring, a sophomore business major.

This marks the second consecutive year of partnership between Mason Korea and GM Korea's mural painting project, underscoring a shared commitment to social responsibility and community engagement.

Photo by Mason Korea

Among the volunteers were four international students and eight participants from the MK Way program, Mason Korea’s conditional admission program offering intensive English instruction for students.

Photo by Mason Korea

Hyewon Lee, a freshman global affairs major, was grateful for the service opportunity. “I try to volunteer often, but it is sometimes difficult to find opportunities,” said Lee. “I was really happy to see this unique painting project organized by our school.”

Photo by Mason Korea

Learn more about Mason Korea

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Graduating Schar student raises the bar with her professional experiences

Shayla Brown — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:59:20 +0000

Graduating Schar student raises the bar with her professional experiences Shayla Brown Mon, 12/16/2024 - 09:59

When Daksha Magesh came to �� as a freshman in 2021, she already had an impressive resumé.

“My first experience with government came from when I was working on senate campaigns in high school. I knocked on doors, answered phones, worked on advertisements and expenditure tracking. It made me really curious about what it was like to be in government,” said Magesh, a government and international politics major and government analytics minor.

The Honors College student was working for federal prosecutor Manka Dhingra of the 45th District from her hometown of Seattle, Washington. Magesh says that’s where her interest in law comes from.

“I figured that if I’m going to be a lawyer, I might as well know how the government really works, so that's part of the reason why I chose this major for my future,” she said.

Since then, she has also worked for the Washington Senate Democratic Campaign and legal nonprofits, such as the Seattle Clemency Project.

“I was working with people who were sentenced at a young age and have been in jail for a really long time. We were helping them to get clemency and rehabilitation for early releases because they've served 25 plus year sentences,” said Magesh. “They are now 50 to 60 years old and have served their sentences. It’s really time they come out and be productive members of society.”

Magesh has also worked for the South Asian Bar Association, a collective of all the major South Asian lawyers in the country.

“I'm really grateful for all the people that I worked with while I was there. They were all very welcoming and it was the first time that I got to work with people that were of the same identity as me,” said Magesh.

“I love all of these experiences, but walking into a room and having everyone look like me in my field is incredibly rare. It was so cool,” said Magesh.

Magesh also worked with Schar associate professor Jennifer Victor on her Undergraduate Research Assistant Program team doing congressional caucus literature review as research for Victor’s new book.

Magesh worked with Victor again as a teaching assistant for her GOVT 103: Introduction to American Government course. “I taught recitations every Friday and my class was amazing. I tried to make recitations fun with a game or interactive experience, and I got really good feedback at the end of the year. It was a great experience,” said Magesh.

Daksha Magesh. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding.

What’s your best memory at George Mason?

George Mason movie nights are my go-to. My friends and I just get a bunch of snacks, cuddle up on the couch, and watch something fun. I also love Mason Day. My resident advisor and close friend Kennedi took me to my first one. The weather was perfect and I remember thinking ‘oh my God, there’s a Ferris wheel and a roller coaster.’ We had such a great time.

How have you grown at George Mason?

I really came out of my shell. I'm such an introvert and I was so scared because George Mason was very intimidating, and it was hard for me to make friends at first. But I've really impressed myself with the way that I was able to connect to new people. I’m also a Schar School Liaison and secretary of the Honors Recruitment Team, so connecting with people is one of the biggest things that you have to learn and that skill is definitely something I learned from my time at George Mason.

What advice do you have for incoming students?

The biggest thing is time management. Organize your time by keeping a calendar or a planner and writing down your assignments. Also networking and meeting people. Don’t be afraid to go up and introduce yourself. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or cold emailing. I’ve gotten two of my biggest internships through cold emailing. And another, with the [Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia] that I got through networking. Make sure you’re talking to people, whether that's professors or professionals, in your field.

What’s next for you?

I hope to pursue my legal career further. I'll definitely apply to law school in the future and be studying for the LSAT. I want to explore options on the East Coast, as I've really grown to love it. Ideally, I want to be able to work in a firm. It has always been my dream to be a lawyer and I will definitely achieve that.