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George Mason student project presents sticky situation for hackers

Teresa Donnellan — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 20:56:10 +0000

George Mason student project presents sticky situation for hackers Teresa Donnellan Wed, 12/17/2025 - 15:56

When a cloud computing class at �� called for a team project, master’s student Kevin Landry saw an opportunity to share what he knew and give classmates a taste of real-world cyber defense.

A seasoned cybersecurity enthusiast, Landry introduced his team to the concept of a honeypot—a decoy system designed to lure and monitor cyber attackers. As he put it, honeypots allow you to “reach out and touch actual attackers,” bringing textbook concepts to life in a way few classroom exercises can match.

“You’ll never look at the internet the same way again after running a honeypot,” Landry said. “It’s eye-opening to see how many bots are out there scanning for vulnerabilities.”

For his teammates—many of whom had never built home labs—the project offered hands-on experience that mimicked an enterprise environment and bridged the gap between theory and practice. Honeypots aren’t just academic tools; companies maintain them to study hacker activity, identify patterns, and share intelligence that helps reveal common vulnerabilities.

Kevin Landry. Photo provided.

“It’s a low-investment, high-yield product that’s passive,” Landry explained. “You do all the coding and setup, then just let it run and watch attackers come in.”

The team deployed Cowrie, an open-source honeypot that simulates a Linux shell. But Landry didn’t settle for the default configuration.

“I changed every standard setting possible,” he said. “Fake encryption keys, fake password files, fake directories—everything to make it look like a lazy or incompetent sysadmin left the doors open.”

Those tweaks made the trap convincing enough to attract hundreds of attackers, from automated bots to human hackers.

Once customized, the honeypot started buzzing—logging intrusion attempts almost immediately. To make the experience even more interactive, the team integrated real-time alerts through Discord, receiving up to 500 notifications a day whenever an attacker engaged with the system.

At one point, the attack volume was high enough that Discord temporarily rate-limited the alerts, thinking they were automated traffic. Landry resolved the issue by rotating through multiple webhooks and fine-tuning the alert frequency to keep everything running smoothly.

Over the course of 48 days, the honeypot captured an extensive dataset. Landry even created an interactive visualization of the activity for the team’s class presentation, showing where attacks originated and how they unfolded over time.

To make the project even more aligned with industry practices, Landry’s team uploaded the attackers’ IP addresses to Gray Noise Intelligence, a company that allowed him to use its enterprise-grade platform for the project. The software analyzes IP addresses and assigns confidence levels indicating how likely each one is malicious, giving students a window into professional threat intelligence workflows.

“It makes me feel good that I’m wasting hackers’ time or bots’ time,” Landry said.

For Landry—who served ten years in the U.S. Coast Guard and earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Mary Washington before pursuing his master’s in applied information technology at George Mason—the honeypot was both an academic milestone and a career-building moment. He believes projects like this are essential for breaking into cybersecurity.

“Cybersecurity jobs—even entry-level—want three years of experience, but you can’t get experience without getting a job,” he noted. “Home labs and projects like this help build a portfolio and show employers you can do the work.”

As cyber threats grow more sophisticated, George Mason’s applied approach to technology education ensures students are ready to meet them head-on. For Landry, the honeypot was not only a class assignment but also a chance to turn passion into practice—and to share that experience with others.

An image from the interactive visualization of the project. Full visualization available here: https://gemini.google.com/share/24b205428724.

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Costello Scholarship Luncheon showcases growth in named scholarship funding

Katelynn C Hipolito — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 20:39:51 +0000

Costello Scholarship Luncheon showcases growth in named scholarship funding Katelynn C Hipolito Wed, 12/17/2025 - 15:39

The Costello College of Business at �� recently announced a significant increase in scholarship money awarded to students—$1.3 million for the 2024-25 academic year—$500,000 of which went to named scholarships. Over the past five years, both the total amount of scholarship funding and the number of students who have received Costello scholarships have more than doubled.

Costello scholarship recipients. Photo by Hannah Patterson/Costello College of Business.

As outlined by Ajay Vinzé, interim provost and executive vice president of ��, priority number one at Costello is student readiness and career preparedness. “Scholarships play a huge role in the success of our students,” he said.

Costello celebrated donors and scholarship recipients on November 18 at the annual Costello Scholarship Luncheon. The luncheon featured an inspiring lineup of speakers whose lives and careers have been shaped by scholarship support. Mitchell Cho, founder and CEO of FedWriters, Inc. (FWI), and a proud George Mason alum, shared his journey. As a student, he said, he was not the overachiever some might assume. What he did have was persistence and grit. Today, as a member of the Corporate and Community Partners Program, Cho views scholarships as an investment in the future. “Supporting scholarship is not just about philanthropy for us,” he said. “It’s about investing in the future.”

Longtime donor Jim Beers, retired managing partner of Beers & Cutler, encouraged students to keep pushing forward toward their dreams. “It’s so important what you’re doing now—and it will be even more important after you graduate,” he said.

Sandra Flores, BS Business Analytics ‘23, MS Business Analytics ‘25, Historian of the Costello Alumni Chapter, speaking at the Costello Scholarship Luncheon. Photo by Hannah Patterson/Costello College of Business.

Current students also shared their heartfelt reflections.

“Something I really appreciate about Costello is how it helps us grow,” said Iman Choudry, recipient of the Robert Amy Scholarship.

Historian of the Costello Alumni Chapter Sandra Flores, BS Business Analytics ‘23, MS Business Analytics ‘25, credited her donor’s generosity for making her dreams possible. “I made a promise that I would give back when I can,” she said.

“I made a promise that I would give back when I can,” she said.

— Sandra Flores, BS Business Analytics ‘23, MS Business Analytics ‘25, Historian of the Costello Alumni Chapter

While the speeches inspired and provided valuable insights, the luncheon’s greatest asset was bringing students and their donors together to express gratitude, network, and to ask questions. Many of the donors once stood in the shoes of the recipients, facing similar challenges.

Costello scholarship donors and Costello Alumni Chapter members. Photo by Hannah Patterson/Costello College of Business.

The Costello Scholarship Luncheon is a proud tradition, celebrating both student achievement and the generosity of donors. With the named scholarship funding continuing to rise, the Costello College of Business is sending a clear message that their business is student success.

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Graduation student speaker wants to use his bioengineering degree to change lives

Colleen Rich — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 19:10:41 +0000

Graduation student speaker wants to use his bioengineering degree to change lives Colleen Rich Wed, 12/17/2025 - 14:10

When this year’s Winter Commencement student speaker Ayham Elayan was choosing a major he knew he wanted to do something that would make a difference in people’s lives. He is graduating from �� this week with a bachelor of science in bioengineering with a pre-health concentration.

“Starting out, I knew that I wanted to head into a career with meaningful impact, where I could change lives across the world for the better,” he said.

Elayan said he chose George Mason because of the strength of the engineering program and to stay close to home. He is also part of a George Mason family with three of his four siblings attending the university.

As a student in the Honors College, Elayan immediately excelled in research. His freshman-year research proposal from his Honors 110 Principles of Research and Inquiry class was nominated for the Schwartzstein Award for First-Year Research. He also received funding from the Office of Student Creative Activities and Research (OSCAR) to carry out his project and present it at the Virginias Collegiate Honors Council conference.

The mentoring and support he received in the College of Engineering and Computing also opened doors for Elayan. During his time at George Mason, he worked with biomaterials and nanofibers in one of the bioengineering research laboratories to improve orthopedic implants and ultrasound imaging.

He gained additional experience with prosthetics through a study-abroad experience in Ecuador. Elayan traveled with a group of students from the BENG 417 Bioengineering World Health class to Quito, where he helped build prosthetic legs for amputees in need. Working with the nonprofit Range of Motion Project, Elayan was part of a team that fitted 22 people with prosthetics in one week.

One patient he worked with—a man who lost a leg due to diabetes—told him the prosthetic “re-enabled” him. Others shared similar experiences. The team watched, over only a week, as several patients took independent steps for the first time in years.

The experience reframed his understanding of engineering. “I always knew that engineering could make a difference in people’s lives, but it was nice to see it in action and firsthand. Bioengineering can be challenging, but it’s very rewarding.”

These experiences helped Elayan land a competitive internship last summer at a leading pharmaceutical company.

Outside of research, Elayan also founded a registered student organization during his time at George Mason. Inspired by affinity groups such as the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Elayan took the initiative and pitched the idea of a student chapter to the national organization Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects (AAAEA) and got an enthusiastic response.

Within months of starting the George Mason chapter of AAAEA, three other universities in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area launched chapters. Today, AAAEA operates as a regional network across the D.C. area. Its growth echoes Elayan’s belief that community often flourishes beyond the borders of a single campus.

“I think everything that is successful has to start with someone taking a leap,” he said. “I’m grateful to have branched out.”

As graduation approaches, Elayan encourages students to explore the opportunities that feel personally meaningful, “so they can be motivated to succeed and make an impact. We can tackle so much across the world,” he said.

He is looking to continue his education with a master of science in biomedical engineering.

Mathilda Tataw contributed to this article.

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This MBA student is already putting her degree to work

Sarah Holland — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 15:30:18 +0000

This MBA student is already putting her degree to work Sarah Holland Fri, 12/12/2025 - 10:30

Working full-time while getting a graduate degree is no easy feat. But for Air Force veteran and soon-to-be �� alum Kathleen Gillmore, hard work is second nature.

Gillmore is graduating from George Mason in fall 2025 with a master of business administration and a graduate certificate in business analytics from the Costello College of Business. She started her degree at the same time she started as a data analyst at Accenture Federal Services.

What made you choose George Mason?

I first heard about George Mason from my husband, who grew up in Reston and knew the school well. When we moved to Virginia after leaving the Air Force, he recommended George Mason so we could stay close to family and have a solid support system.

Once I researched the university myself, I was really drawn to its strong ties with major tech and business companies in Northern Virginia, as well as its connection to federal agencies. I chose George Mason because it offers a great pathway into both the local industry and government sectors.

How have your professors impacted your time at George Mason?

My business analytics professors have made a huge impact on me. They really fueled my love for working with data, and I enjoyed getting hands-on experience with the different analytics software we used in class. Being able to apply what I was learning with real tools made the material come alive and helped me grow both technically and professionally.

How have your classes helped prepare you for your work as a data analyst?

My classes have directly supported my work at Accenture Federal Services. The business-focused courses helped me understand how organizations operate from a strategic and operational perspective, which improved my ability to interpret the “why” behind the data. The business analytics classes taught me to approach data from multiple angles and to think more critically about patterns, insights, and decision-making. These skills have translated seamlessly into my current role.

How do you hope this degree will advance your career?

This degree has expanded my knowledge in both business and analytics, and I’m already applying what I’ve learned in my current role. Looking ahead, I see the MBA as a versatile credential that will help me continue advancing in roles that involve analytical problem-solving and strategic decision-making. It opens doors across many areas of business and gives me the flexibility to pursue opportunities in different industries as my career grows.

What is one piece of advice you would give to an incoming student?

Use everything George Mason offers: office hours, workshops, software access, and especially the networking events and career fairs. Those resources not only help you stay on track academically, but they also open the door to meaningful professional connections and opportunities.

What's next for you?

Academically, after completing this degree, I will be returning to George Mason next year to pursue a second master’s degree in data analytics engineering. Professionally, I look forward to applying everything I’ve learned in the MBA to continue growing as a data analyst and to open up new career opportunities. I’m excited to build on the momentum from this program and position myself for roles that allow me to contribute more strategically and analytically within my field.

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Global affairs grad encourages others to give back to their communities

Katarina Benson — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 19:17:17 +0000

Global affairs grad encourages others to give back to their communities Katarina Benson Wed, 12/10/2025 - 14:17

Tereana Battle can look back on many accomplishments during her time at ��, but one of the memories that gives her the most satisfaction is her capstone project, creating an anti-bullying workshop for middle school students.

With her workshop, she helped equip students in Loudoun County with cultural competency skills so they can treat one another with kindness and respect.

A native of Chesapeake, Virginia, Battle is graduating this month with a bachelor’s degree in global affairs.

Battle said giving back to the community is important to her because as a young person she sought out mentorship and guidance and wanted to provide that for other students. During her time at George Mason, she served as a Patriot Leader, helping new students and their families make the transition to college through Orientation and other programs.

Battle also participated in the Bonner Leadership Program, which combines exploration of citizenship and democracy studies with civic engagement through work at community agencies. “Not only did it help me with my vocational experiences, but also allowed me to continue to study full time as an undergraduate student,” she said.

At an internship with Catholic Charities Diocese of Arlington provided Battle with another opportunity for service. There, she learned about immigration policy while assisting families.

Battle also took advantage of many of the student services the university offers, including the Writing Center, career readiness and success coaching.

“With the Writing Center, I was able to create my goal statement, and with my goal statement, I was able to get into the Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Program within the Schar School, which is highly competitive,” Battle said. She plans to pursue a master of public administration.

She served in Student Government and worked as an access services student assistant for the University Libraries. She also studied in Spain through the Global Gateway scholarship program, living with a host family and improving her Spanish language skills.

She was also a member of Every Nation on ��, or ENC, a faith-based group.

She encourages current and future Patriots to find clubs that align with their passion and values.

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From rugby pitch to classroom, this Patriot is redefining what success means to him

Colleen Rich — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 16:53:54 +0000

From rugby pitch to classroom, this Patriot is redefining what success means to him Colleen Rich Mon, 12/08/2025 - 11:53

At 26, Max Dacey enrolled at �� with a singular goal: to earn his degree quickly and better support his family. A former competitive rugby player, he didn’t imagine a traditional college experience. His plan was to take classes, stay focused, “get the paper, and get out,” he said.

However, a year and a half later, the public relations major from Alexandria, Virginia, is graduating with far more than he expected: new confidence, a renewed sense of purpose, and a community that shaped the way he sees himself as a student, coach, and leader.

Fitting in as a contemporary student

Dacey’s decision to enroll was guided by a mentor from his hometown—a George Mason alum who urged him to return to school and reconnect with the university’s rugby program.

Once he entered the classroom, the sense of belonging broadened. “In my first class, a lot of students were above the age of 23 and talked about who they were outside of class,” he said. “I immediately felt like part of a community. The professors cared about my opinion, which was uplifting.”

Over time, Dacey uncovered strengths he hadn’t seen in himself. “I did not know that my critical analysis was as good as it is,” he said. In a rhetoric course last spring, his professor noted how consistently he identified metaphors and underlying connections—insights he hadn’t even realized he was making.

Max Dacey (far right) with the rugby team. Photo provided

Returning to school also gave him something he hadn’t had in his professional life: time to pause, think, and dig deeply into ideas. George Mason’s classroom environment offered the space to stretch intellectually and write about what mattered to him. One of his favorite assignments was a critical analysis of The Lord of the Rings, a series he has loved for years. Approaching it from a scholarly angle, dissecting its metaphors, themes, and world-building, was “challenging and energizing,” he said.

That shift, he realized, was transformative. It wasn’t simply about meeting degree requirements; it was about learning to think hard, ask questions, and make connections.

Coaching, leadership, and community

Throughout his student experience, rugby remained his anchor. Dacey first joined the club sports program as an assistant coach, eventually stepping into the head coach role. Leading teammates close to his age brought complexity along with humor.

“I didn't like being called ‘coach,’” he said with a laugh. “I joked with them, ‘I’m teaching you rugby because that’s what I’m good at. But if you tutor me in a class, I’m not calling you Coach —we’re peers.”

Max Dacey. Photo by Andani Munkaila/Office of University Branding

Coaching is one of his proudest accomplishments and has guided his journey in developing leadership skills. “My time at George Mason as head coach,” he said, “has given me a chance to better myself outside the classroom and lead my peers in the sport I love.”

Charting his own path

As graduation approaches, Dacey is exploring his next steps with intention, looking for opportunities that align with both his public relations training and leadership experience.

Success, to him, is deeply individual. “Success means achieving your goals in a way that you’re proud of,” he said. “Everyone has different aspirations and methods. Accomplishing them in your own way is success.”

His advice to other George Mason students, especially those returning to campus after time away, is grounded in his own experience. “Make as many connections as possible, attend every networking event, and have confidence in yourself,” he said. “The more you put yourself out there, the more confidence you’ll have. You’ll surprise yourself with what you can accomplish.”

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Public health doctoral candidate’s dissertation awarded in university-wide Three Minute Thesis competition

Taylor Thomas — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 14:56:30 +0000

Public health doctoral candidate’s dissertation awarded in university-wide Three Minute Thesis competition Taylor Thomas Mon, 12/08/2025 - 09:56

Rooshna Mohsin, a PhD in public health student, was this year’s third-place winner in ��’s annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, a research communication competition for PhD candidates across the university. Competitors are judged on their ability to present the significance of their dissertation or thesis research using a single slide and within a strict three-minute time limit.

Rooshna Mohsin. Photo provided.

Mohsin offered a compelling presentation on dietary and social exposure to PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), commonly known as forever chemicals, among Hispanic children.

“I found that animal-based foods were associated with higher levels of some PFAS, while taking part in free/reduced school-based meal programs were associated with lower levels. When analyzing associations between PFAS and vitamin D, we found some PFAS were associated with higher levels of vitamin D, which may imply interference of PFAS in vitamin D metabolism in the body,” Mohsin explained of her research’s key findings.

Her full work is entitled Balancing the Risks: Dietary and Social Predictors of PFAS Exposure and Associated Health Outcomes in Hispanic Children.

Mohsin intends to build upon her findings next steps by evaluating the associations between PFAS and cardio metabolic measures (blood pressure and cholesterol) in Hispanic children, which are pediatric measures of heart disease later in life.

The competition took place on November 7, 2025, and was organized by the Graduate Division of the Provost’s Office. PhD students from the College of Education and Human Development, College of Engineering and Computing, College of Humanities and Social Science, College of Public Health, and College of Science participated. A panel of eight judges evaluated the presentations on a diverse range of topics, including the integration of Gen-AI in K-12 classrooms and novel approaches to combating bacteria and biofilms.

Congratulations to all 3MT winners!

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Historic victory for George Mason’s Debate Team

Shayla Brown — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 16:22:50 +0000

Historic victory for George Mason’s Debate Team  Shayla Brown Thu, 12/04/2025 - 11:22

��'s Debate Team won the prestigious West Point Sword at the United States Military Academy’s 60th annual National Debate Tournament in West Point, New York.

“This is one of the most iconic awards in college policy debate, and it was the one title George Mason Debate had never won until now,” said Jackie Poapst, director of the Debate Team. “To see our name finally engraved among the champions in the tournament’s 60th year is nothing short of historic. This moment represents six decades of legacy, and the future of excellence at George Mason.”

The victory in October was one of many for the George Mason varsity team this season.

George Mason's Debate Team. Photo provided.

George Mason students competed against teams from Harvard, Cornell, James Madison University, Liberty University, Binghamton University, New York University, the University of Rochester, and Suffolk University.

This year’s tournament topic was labor rights, and the George Mason team had several wins on the tournament leaderboard:

Austin Davis (Communication, sophomore) and Del Gorman (Government and International Politics, sophomore) — 1st Overall Seed, undefeated, Tournament Champions
Ashley Wright (Government and International Politics, junior) and Ben Witkov (Economics, freshman) — 2nd Overall Seed, Tournament Co-Champions
Reet Taxali (Criminology, junior) and Dean Richter (Government and International Politics, senior) — 4th Overall Seed, Elite Eight
Brenda Reyes (Conflict Analysis and Resolution, senior) and Amira Shananier (Computational and Data Science, senior) — 7th Overall Seed, Elite Eight

George Mason debaters also triumphed as individual speakers, winning four of the top five speaker awards, with Davis taking first place.

Students from George Mason's Debate team accepting the West Point Sword. Photo provided.

“I told my coaches last year after losing in the finals that it was ‘Sword or bust’ this season. To win it with Del and to do it for George Mason Debate, it’s a dream realized,” said Davis, who is also a teaching assistant for the writing-intensive course COMM 300 Rhetorical Theory and Criticism.

Other students placing individually were Witkov at 3rd, Gorman at 4th, and Wright at 5th.

Reyes also serves as the team’s social events coordinator.

“We've been going to this tournament every single year, and our director has always been our biggest supporter. I’m so proud of my team's hard work and dedication. It’s an honor to be part of this legacy,” said Reyes, who is in George Mason’s Bachelor’s to Accelerated Master’s Program.

“My partner Amira and I centered our debate on marginalized populations often neglected in labor rights,” said Reyes, who also serves as vice president of George Mason’s Kappa Alpha Pi Pre-Law and Government Fraternity. “We argued that migrants and undocumented workers are not classified as workers by the [National Labor Relations Act] therefore, do not get access to all labor rights under most generic cases. This makes teams start to question what they can do for migrant laborers who are undocumented, who we believe are the backbone of America.”

One of Reyes’ takeaways from this experience is that as a senior, her time on the team is winding down.

“The moments of working together to achieve our team's goal of earning the West Point Sword will always be a special core debate memory,” said Reyes. “These memories from supporting our George Mason team, no matter the results, are what matter the most.” “We argued that migrants and undocumented workers are not classified as workers by the [National Labor Relations Act]; therefore, they do not get access to all labor rights under most generic cases."

George Mason’s performance was described by tournament officials as “one of the most comprehensive team showings in recent memory.”

“This win means everything to our students,” Poapst said. “They have proven that teamwork, resilience, and belief in each other can quite literally make history.”

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George Mason dance students perform alongside Limón Dance Company

Shayla Brown — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 17:27:00 +0000

George Mason dance students perform alongside Limón Dance Company Shayla Brown Wed, 12/03/2025 - 12:27

This fall, ��’s dance studios buzzed with excitement as School of Dance students prepared for and performed José Limón’s 1958 original composition Missa Brevis, alongside professional dancers from the Center for the Arts artists in residence Limón Dance Company.

“We’re thrilled to welcome one of the most prestigious modern dance companies to George Mason,” said Victor Adebusola, assistant director of programming and engagement in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. “Their residency gives our School of Dance students the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with incredible professional artists.”

More than 80 George Mason students participated in an intense audition process, led by Limón company members Kurt Douglas and Logan Francis Krueger, and 13 were selected to perform the piece.

Junior dance major Avery Nank said that these auditions can get pretty intense. Nank had previous experience with the dance company, participating in two Limón summer intensive sessions in Colorado and New York City, but auditioning still made her nervous.

“I had previously learned some of the choreography, but I was still really nervous because I wanted it so badly,” she said.

After winning a spot in Missa Brevis, the students then worked with Douglas and Krueger to learn the choreography and prepare for the company’s November Concert Hall performance.

Guest artist residencies are intense learning opportunities and a chance for George Mason dance students to make connections that are invaluable to their careers. After the guest artists choose their cast, a challenging 10-day rehearsal period begins that parallels a professional work schedule. These long days result in a finished work that is performed before a Center for the Arts audience.

School of Dance students rehearsing with Limón Dance Company members. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding.

Limón Dance Company was founded in 1946 by José Limón and Doris Humphrey. The piece Missa Brevis takes place during World War II and was inspired by Limón’s tour of Europe, organized by the U.S. Department of State. The choreography is meant to reflect resilience and hope amidst devastation.

“When [Limón] went to Poland, he saw how ruined it was, but also how uplifting the people were,” said sophomore dance major Robert Harris. “He wanted to carry that and show the world that even though something can be torn down, the fight against adversity is higher and that you can achieve what you want to with your community.”

The guest artist program lets George Mason dancers learn to perform the piece and gain insights into the lives of professional dancers.

“It was cool to hear about the dancers’ experiences that led them to Limón,” said Harris. “They were very open with us, answering all of our questions and being very patient with us. It was a very eye-opening experience because it showed me that there really is a possibility of me being able to do this in the future.”

“As a young student, it's not often that you get to work with a professional company as a learning opportunity. I’m very thankful knowing that I was able to be a part of this. It was once in a lifetime,” said Harris.

Nank said her biggest takeaway was the possibility of growth when working as a team.

“We can all grow immensely if we're doing it at the same time and we’re doing it together. It just takes patience, discipline, and taking the time to care about the people around you,” she said.

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Study abroad influenced this graduating senior’s worldview

Katarina Benson — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 23:30:30 +0000

Study abroad influenced this graduating senior’s worldview Katarina Benson Tue, 12/02/2025 - 18:30

Honor College student Cashlyn Bonds said her time at �� has been defined by her passion for justice, human security, and international understanding.

She graduates in December with a BA in Conflict Analysis and Resolution with a concentration in human security and justice, from the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. She also has minors in intelligence studies and Spanish.

Her commitment to understanding and resolving global conflicts through empathy, research, and collaboration are the driving forces behind her academic success, she said.

Bonds has studied all over the globe. In the summer of 2023, she participated in a study-abroad program in the Balkans, traveling to Bosnia and Croatia through Mason Korea to study the aftermath of the Yugoslav Wars.

Cashlyn Bonds. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Most recently, she completed a semester-long exchange program in Madrid, Spain, where she furthered her cross-cultural understanding and Spanish proficiency.

“The global perspective and meeting people from all around the world has proved to be the most influential thing in my life,” Bonds said of her time at George Mason.

Her commitment to service at George Mason began her first year when she joined George Mason’s chapter of Camp Kesem, for children whose parents have had cancer. She attended the camp as a child growing up in Metairie, Louisiana.

“Knowing that you were part of something as a child and seeing how you can continue the cycle and continue spreading joy fulfills you and fulfills the community,” she said.

She also served as the communications director for the university’s chapter of Pi Gamma Mu, the International Honor Society in Social Sciences.

After graduation, she plans to continue her education and pursue a career in international law and humanitarian advocacy. She hopes to use the knowledge and perspective she gained at George Mason to create meaningful change and promote peace and equity across communities.

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