Author: Brianna Alford

Each year, faculty in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) come together to select an outstanding student in their program to receive the honor of being named as their program award winner. Students selected for this award embody the very best of their program: they excel in their studies; they demonstrate leadership in classes and internships; and they have a genuine and tenacious passion for their discipline.

This year, faculty in the Literacy program have selected Caroline Sauer as their Outstanding Student in Literacy. Congratulations, Caroline!

Q & A with Outstanding Student in Literacy, Caroline Sauer:

What academic accomplishment are most proud of?  

I have been working in elementary schools since 2013 and I was a classroom teacher in New York City schools for five of those years. After graduation from this program, I will have earned two Master’s Degrees in Education.  

What are your plans after graduation?  

I plan on becoming a Reading Specialist within Fairfax County Public schools. 

What is your favorite memory in CEHD or your favorite part of being a CEHD student?  

I loved the variety of experiences that my program required of me. I was able to truly practice adapting literacy instruction to students at the primary and secondary levels. We had to interview and assess students to determine their literacy needs and many of the students we worked with had a variety of backgrounds and cultures. It was a very challenging but ultimately extremely rewarding experience and I feel like a much stronger reading instructor as a result. Additionally, the professors are fantastic and have such a wealth of knowledge! 

What advice do you have for fellow CEHD students (especially those that are not graduating yet)? 

 My advice is to stay on top of assignment requirements. Ask your professors lots of questions. The rubric is your friend!  

Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself?  

During my time in this program, I was pregnant with and had my sweet baby boy Marshall at the beginning of the Fall 2019 semester. It has been a new challenge to balance school work, full time teaching and new motherhood simultaneously!  

 

Each year, faculty in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) come together to select an outstanding student in their program to receive the honor of being named as their program award winner. Students selected for this award embody the very best of their program: they excel in their studies; they demonstrate leadership in classes and internships; and they have a genuine and tenacious passion for their discipline.

This year, faculty in Tourism and events Management have selected Natalie Williams as their Outstanding Student  in  Tourism and Events Management. Congratulations, Natalie!

Q & A with Outstanding Student in Tourism and Events Management, Natalie Williams:

What academic accomplishment are most proud of? 

The academic accomplishment I am most proud of is the research paper I wrote for my research methods class. The subject was on how generations differ in their tourism habits and I found the process very interesting and satisfying. 

What organizations/affiliations have you been involved with while at Mason? 

I have been very involved with the Catholic Campus Ministry (CCM) at Mason. CCM has offered me a home and a family of people who share my faith and values. It has helped me to grow as a person by teaching me leadership skills, the value of true friendship, and how to live out my faith in everyday life. 

What are your plans after graduation? 

My plans after graduation are to continue working at my current job as an Admissions Assistant at Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School. 

What is your favorite memory in CEHD or your favorite part of being a CEHD student? 

My favorite part of being a CEHD student is being able to do two internships. Both internships really helped me figure out what kind of career I want to have and taught me a lot about the industry. 

What advice do you have for fellow CEHD students (especially those that are not graduating yet)?  

My advice for fellow CEHD students is to talk to your professors. They’re here to help us and they’re very good at their jobs! 

Each year, faculty in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) come together to select an outstanding student in their program to receive the honor of being named as their program award winner. Students selected for this award embody the very best of their program: they excel in their studies; they demonstrate leadership in classes and internships; and they have a genuine and tenacious passion for their discipline.

This year, faculty in Health and Physical Education have selected Martin Brown as the recipient of the Tony DeGregorio Memorial Award for Outstanding Student Health and Physical Education. Congratulations, Martin!

Q & A with Outstanding Student in Health and Physical Education, Martin Brown:

What academic accomplishment are most proud of?  

I’m most proud of my student teaching experience at the elementary level. Due to the education received throughout my coursework in the Health & PE program at GMU, I was able to create and teach developmentally appropriate lessons that were challenging, yet fun, and successfully aligned with the standards.  

What organizations/affiliations have you been involved with while at Mason?  

Shape America, VAHPERD, GMU Men’s Tennis (2006-2008)  

What are your plans after graduation?  

My plan after graduation is to land a job teaching health & PE in Fauquier County. 

 What is your favorite memory in CEHD or your favorite part of being a CEHD student?  

I have many enjoyable memories during my experience in the CEHD program at GMU. Student teaching and other fieldwork experience are definitely the most rewarding because of the direct interaction with the students. During my coursework, Mr. D was absolutely the most influential and positive mentor I’ve ever had, not just in higher education, but in life. Among many other things, he reinforced the importance of connecting with your students, believing in yourself and them, never giving up, and using fun as the vessel for learning…. “need a demonstration?”  

What advice do you have for fellow CEHD students (especially those that are not graduating yet)? 
My advice to current and future CEHD students is to reflect on the “why” everyday during your studies. Why are you passionate about this field? Why are you creating specific lessons and why are those lessons important to you and your students? Why are you going to be successful in your field? The answers to these questions and your other “whys” are going to be your fuel for motivation. You CAN and WILL do it!  

Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself?  

I’d like to express my gratitude for my friends, family, loved ones, colleagues, and faculty that have helped me on this journey. Dr. Banville- for pushing me to meet the highest level of expectation.  
Ms. Norden– for creating a safe and encouraging learning environment.  
Risto– for bringing new energy to our program.  
Coach Jones- for demonstrating the power of confidence and resources.  
Mr. & Mrs. D- for believing in your students and revealing the true meaning of being a quality educator.

Much love! -Martin  

Each year, faculty in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) come together to select an outstanding student in their program to receive the honor of being named as their program award winner. Students selected for this award embody the very best of their program: they excel in their studies; they demonstrate leadership in classes and internships; and they have a genuine and tenacious passion for their discipline.

This year, faculty in Counseling and Development have selected Caitlyn Largent as their Outstanding Student  in  Counseling and Development (Community Agency Counseling). Congratulations, Caitlyn!

Q & A with Outstanding Student in Counseling and Development, Caitlyn Largent:

What academic accomplishment are most proud of? 

Balancing work, academics, and my practicum/internship. It was an exhausting year, but I am very grateful for my support system and all that I learned.   

What organizations/affiliations have you been involved with while at Mason? 

I served on the Chi Sigma Iota Leadership Team and worked as a grad student for the Student Support and Advocacy Center. 

What are your plans after graduation? 

I am currently working as the Advocacy Specialist at George Washington University and pursuing licensure in DC. I am planning to stay in Higher Education!  

What is your favorite memory in CEHD or your favorite part of being a CEHD student? 

My favorite part of being a CEHD student is the community I built during my time at Mason. I moved to Virginia from Ohio for this program, and it was a big transition for me. Some of the people I met through being a CEHD student have become some of my closest friends and biggest supporters. I am very lucky to have them in my life!   

What advice do you have for fellow CEHD students (especially those that are not graduating yet)? 

Most importantly, reach out to your resources. Mason has some amazing resources on their campuses that are available to students for free. The Student Support and Advocacy Center, Counseling and Psychological Services, Student Health Services, Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education & LGBTQ+ Resources, the list goes on! You’re not alone in any of this, there are people there to support you. Also, take advantage of the opportunities available to you as a CEHD student. I was able to connect with a lot of really amazing people and discovered passions I wouldn’t have known I had otherwise because I was always looking for ways to get involved and learn more.   

 

 

Each year, faculty in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) come together to select an outstanding student in their program to receive the honor of being named as their program award winner. Students selected for this award embody the very best of their program: they excel in their studies; they demonstrate leadership in classes and internships; and they have a genuine and tenacious passion for their discipline.

This year, faculty in Educattional Psychology have selected Ava Driscoll as their Outstanding Student in Educational Psychology (Assessment, Evaluation, and Testing). Congratulations, Ava!

Q & A with Outstanding Student in Educational Psychology, Ava Driscoll:

What academic accomplishment are most proud of?  

I am very proud of my master’s capstone project! It’s a formative evaluation of a social-emotional learning program and the results are going to directly impact my community.  

What organizations/affiliations have you been involved with while at Mason?  

As a full-time elementary teacher, I unfortunately didn’t have time to join any organizations at Mason while completing my masters, but I sing with the Vienna Choral Society and am a Teach for America alumna.  

What are your plans after graduation?  

After graduation I plan to continue teaching while I try to find a different role within the field of education to work on research and program evaluation. 

What is your favorite memory in CEHD or your favorite part of being a CEHD student?  

My favorite part of being a CEHD student is getting to work with and learn from the amazing faculty and my fellow graduate students. Our student body is incredibly diverse- we come from all walks of life, have fascinating experiences and backgrounds, and come from all over the world. It’s been a privilege to hear from so many unique perspectives.  

What advice do you have for fellow CEHD students (especially those that are not graduating yet)? 

My advice to fellow CEHD students is to always ask questions and use your resources! The CEHD faculty and students are an invaluable wealth of knowledge and experience- so don’t be afraid to use them!