Student Success Blog

Category: Post

Job Opportunity

The Jerome Buddie Ford Nature Center in Alexandria, Virginia is seeking several individuals or students who would be interested and a good fit for a seasonal, part-time position as a Recreation Leader/Naturalist.  Hired candidates will be responsible for delivering nature-based programming to children in their afterschool program.  The program has a very manageable adult to child ratio. 

This is a great opportunity for a local student who has their own transportation. The position closes on 8/16/2017 and pays $16.20 per hour.   

 Apply HERE.

The Jerome Buddie Ford Nature Center is not affiliated with George Mason University.  The College of Student and Academic Affairs periodically shares such opportunities as a service to our students.

 

CEHD Fall 2017 Scholarships Now Open!

The College of Education and Human Development is pleased to announce that we have several scholarships in varying amounts to award for fall 2017!  Visit CEHD Scholarships for more information, including criteria and how to apply.

The deadline to be considered for fall 2017 scholarships is Monday, August 21.  No late applications will be accepted.  If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Student and Academic Affairs at 703-993-2080.

The available scholarships honor the memories and devotion to education of the following:

Annette Gorn, MEd ’87, and member of the George Mason University academic advising staff.

Catherine “Cathy” Belter, education activist, Fairfax County School Board member, and education writer and presenter.

Dr. Marjory F. Brown-Azarowicz, professor emerita in the School of Education.

Dr. Sakineh “Simin” Redjali and Dr. Said Khadiri, pioneers in the field of education in Iran, and early childhood education advocates.

Wen Pei Wu, father, education advocate, and life-long learner.

Hit the Pause Button

We hope you’ll start getting that heathy balance in your life now so you can continue it when you return to campus.

A funny thing happened at yesterday’s CEHD Orientation. The Student and Academic Affairs staff plays a little icebreaker game with our students called “Where the Wind Blows” where they get up and swap chairs if they have done the activity mentioned by the person standing in the center of the circle. The wind blew for students who played high school sports, who love pizza, and who watch Game of Thrones.  Then the leader suggested that “The wind blows for anyone who’s had a vacation this summer.”

 No one moved.

Originally, we’d been planning to share some tips on getting organized for fall semester, but that game made us think. We thought we were the only ones without our toes in the sand. Are our students not soaking up the sun and recharging their batteries before they dive into the fall semester, too?  Don’t they know that one of the keys to student success is maintaining a balance between hard work and relaxation? 

It’s easy for students to let summer slip by as they work to pay for the next term, pursue internships, take summer courses, and care for family. Before you know it, August is here, classes and activities start, and by mid-term students feel burnt out.  Maybe the best way for you to “get organized for the fall semester” as July winds down is to just hit the pause button. 

Yes, we know that time and finances don’t always allow us a trip to Europe or a week at the beach, but there are lots of ways to recharge your batteries.  Carve out a few hours to relax with friends.  Spend some time in nature.  Give yourself an hour or two each day to read a book – not a textbook – just for enjoyment.  Take a mental health day.  We hope you’ll start getting that heathy balance in your life now so you can continue it when you return to campus, using resources like Mason’s Well-Being University Initiative.  Taking the time to unwind and breathe might be the best preparation of all for the academic year ahead.

Meg Yoder

Meg Yoder is living the dream as CEHD’s Student Communications Coordinator. If she’s not trying to entice you to read your Mason email, she’s probably crafting or gardening.

Check Out the CEHD Spring Dean’s List!

CEHD congratulates our students who made the Dean’s List for the Spring 2017 Semester.  This honor is given to undergraduate students who have enrolled in at least six credits and have earned a GPA of 3.50 or higher for the semester.  These students were notified by an e-mail from Associate Dean Ellen Rodgers in early June, but we wanted to acknowledge them publicly on the blog as they are exemplars of Student Success!  The College is proud to have such a long list of hard-working undergrads!  We hope to see even more of you on the list next semester!

Spring 2017 Dean’s List Honorees:

NAME

CLASS

MAJOR

Brady Acker

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Sarah Adcock

SR

Kinesiology

    

Almayasa Ahmad

JR

Tourism and Events Management

Anfal Al-Goraish

SR

Tourism and Events Management

Nicolas Alfonso

JR

Kinesiology

    

Hanadi Almansoor

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Tyler Amorese

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Devin Anderson

SR

Kinesiology

    

Adam Angeloff

JR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Rebekah Ansbro

SO

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Sydney Aulffo

JR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Alexandria Bailey

JR

Kinesiology

    

Ernest Barber

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Kaitlyn Baumann

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Samuel Beglau

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Carole Bell

SR

Kinesiology

    

Claire Bell

SR

Kinesiology

    

Raeshawn Bishop

SR

Kinesiology

    

Maggie Blondin

SR

Tourism and Events Management

Ashleigh Braxton

SR

Physical Education

   

Ian Brewer

JR

Athletic Training

    

Henry Brown

JR

Physical Education

   

Nicholas Brown

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Tavia Burden

SR

Tourism and Events Management

Leigh Burte

SO

Tourism and Events Management

Emily Busch

JR

Kinesiology

    

Giulia Cammarano

SO

Kinesiology

    

Veronica Canada

SR

Athletic Training

    

Ashley Candeletti

JR

Kinesiology

    

Coley Carpenter

JR

Physical Education

   

Meagan Carren

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Sarah Casey

SR

Tourism and Events Management

Maryam Cattaneo

JR

Human Development and Family Science

Christina Cherry

SR

Human Development and Family Science

Eric Chestnut

SR

Kinesiology

    

Jeanette Chisolm

JR

Human Development and Family Science

Connor Chmel

JR

Tourism and Events Management

Lillian Chong

SO

Kinesiology

    

Erin Cianflone

SR

Physical Education

   

Taylor Claybrook

SR

Tourism and Events Management

Dylan Clemente

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Nicholas Clements

SR

Athletic Training

    

Ashley Collins

SR

Tourism and Events Management

Janelle Companion

JR

Athletic Training

    

Iyana Cones

SO

Human Development and Family Science

Joshua Cooper

SR

Kinesiology

    

Allison Copeland

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Alyssa Cox

FR

Athletic Training

    

Quinlan Cross

SR

Kinesiology

    

Meghan Curtin

JR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Michael Dadamo

SR

Physical Education

   

Jenna Dambach

SR

Tourism and Events Management

Heather Deale

SR

Tourism and Events Management

Alexander Dean

SR

Human Development and Family Science

Colleen DeCent

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Caitlin DeMulder

SR

Human Development and Family Science

Heather Dennee

SR

Kinesiology

    

Julie DeVaughn

SR

Tourism and Events Management

Ashley Diamond

JR

Kinesiology

    

Jessica Dias

SR

Kinesiology

    

Erica Dobbs

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Tayler Dodson

SR

Physical Education

   

Demir Dogrul

SR

Outdoor Recreation and Experiential Leadership

Jennifer Eda

SR

Athletic Training

    

Anastasia Edwards

JR

Human Development and Family Science

Mariana Estrada Zepeda

JR

Human Development and Family Science

Anna Falco

SO

Kinesiology

    

Victoria Fauntroy

SR

Athletic Training

    

Zhanee Fickling

JR

Athletic Training

    

Lauren Field

SR

Athletic Training

    

Stephanie Fisher

SR

Tourism and Events Management

William Fitchko

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Jholeman Flores Espinoza

SR

Kinesiology

    

Michael Fowler

FR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Michael Fowler

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Joyce Frempong

SO

Human Development and Family Science

Olivia Fresa

SO

Human Development and Family Science

Zack Fyvie

JR

Kinesiology

    

Matthew Galanti

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Shelby Garnand

JR

Kinesiology

    

Kimberlee Geminiano

SR

Kinesiology

    

Osmundo Giron

SR

Physical Education

   

Hadley Graham

JR

Kinesiology

    

Mason Grove

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Jennifer Guerra

SR

Physical Education

   

Monica Guerra

SR

Kinesiology

    

Shanin Gur

SO

Kinesiology

    

Jasmine Gutierrez

JR

Human Development and Family Science

Alexis Haden

SO

Athletic Training

    

Lauren Hafley

SO

Athletic Training

    

Sara Hagenhoff

SO

Tourism and Events Management

Angela Han

SR

Tourism and Events Management

Kyle Hart

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Abdul Aziz Hasan

SR

Kinesiology

    

John Haskins

JR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Jessica Hauff

SO

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Amber Hawkins

SR

Kinesiology

    

Matthew Hetzer

SR

Kinesiology

    

Malachi Hinton

FR

Kinesiology

    

Ashley Hinton

SR

Physical Education

   

Jocelyn Hotter

SR

Physical Education

   

Michael Hower

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Stephen Hrebenach

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Avivi Huynh

SR

Tourism and Events Management

Amal Ibrahim

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Hannah Ikenberry

SO

Kinesiology

    

Lexus Isom

SR

Kinesiology

    

Katelyn Johnston

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Heather Jones

SR

Tourism and Events Management

Timothy Joseph

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Victor Jovel

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Lauren Kaufman

SR

Tourism and Events Management

Logan Kelly

JR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Sarah Kettlety

SR

Kinesiology

    

Elizabeth Kleveno

SR

Physical Education

   

Judith Ko

SR

Physical Education

   

Jacob Koyle

SR

Kinesiology

    

Keith Krause

SO

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Trent Lancaster

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Marianna Lash

SR

Human Development and Family Science

Julia Le

SR

Kinesiology

    

Marie Leano

SR

Physical Education

   

Mia Lenotti

JR

Tourism and Events Management

Jessica Leonard

SR

Kinesiology

    

Preet Lieu

SR

Tourism and Events Management

Jake Lu

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Sarah Lutz

JR

Physical Education

   

Brian Malajian

JR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Arjun Malhotra

SR

Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources

Marissa Marth

JR

Kinesiology

    

Sean Martin

JR

Athletic Training

    

Kelly Martinez

SR

Human Development and Family Science

Armand Masse

SR

Physical Education

   

Kristoria Mayes

SR

Kinesiology

 &nb

For SRHT Graduates, Degree Celebration is Only the Beginning

Amid a swirl of machine-made fog, colored lights, and emotional student voice-overs, the curtains rose to commence the School of Recreation, Health, and Tourism (SRHT) 2017 Degree Celebration. The celebration was held Friday, May 19 at the Hylton Performing Arts Center on the Science and Technology Campus in Manassas, VA. Such a planned dramatic entrance would seem only right for students studying Tourism and Events Management or athletic trainers and managers used to the theatrical entrance of today’s collegiate and professional athletes at sporting events. However, the students themselves were the stars making the grand entrance on this degree celebration morning, clad in their deep green Mason regalia.

The graduates were warmly welcomed to the stage by Dr. Mark Ginsberg, Dean of the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) serving as master of ceremonies, and SRHT faculty.  While emphasizing that the ceremony was a celebration for and about the graduates, Dean Ginsberg did take a moment to honor retiring Associate Dean for Research, Dr. Peter Barcher, before introducing the speakers.

Graduate Justin Merrigan was chosen to address the Class of 2017, an honor he had kept secret as a graduation day surprise for his mother. Justin spoke with humor and candor as he shared his struggles to overcome skepticism, failure, and self-doubt, and to learn to “embrace vulnerability” on the path to his Master of Science in Exercise, Fitness, and Health Promotion.  He encouraged his fellow graduates to take risks as he had when choosing to submit his research for academic publication and later in applying to PhD programs.  “Leave the ego at the door, accept criticism, and strive to be better,” he told them.  His advice rings true:  This fall Justin will join the CEHD School of Education to pursue his PhD.

Dr. Britt Davis, the CEHD 2017 Distinguished Alumnus, delivered the Degree Celebration Address.  Dr. Davis, who currently serves as the Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Special Advisor to the President of Campbell University, started his speech by comically zipping through 11 excellent commencement address themes he might have chosen before settling to his theme that no graduate earns a Mason degree alone.  He expressed that family, friends, and faculty are the keys to success, sharing examples from his own years as a Mason undergraduate.  Dr. Davis led the graduates and their loved ones through a group exercise wherein they repeated after him as they shared their thanks, pride, love, and support for one another.  By the time he had finished, the auditorium was awash with both laughter and tears in equal measure.  He finished by reminding graduates to carry their Mason heritage with pride and to always give back to Mason.

The speeches over and the students anxiously waiting for the highlight of the day, Dean Ginsberg set the stage for the presentation of degrees to the graduates.  Each SRHT Academic Program Coordinator stepped to the podium in turn, describing their program of study and then calling the names of their graduates with evident pride.  When all the names had been read, Dean Ginsberg announced the names of the 13 students chosen as Program Award Winners and then led the audience in applauding all of Mason’s newest alumni.    He concluded the ceremony by telling the graduates that the day marked an inflection point in their lives, not an end, but a beginning.  Presenting each graduate with a Mason luggage tag, he urged them to “take Mason with you” on the journey ahead.  Faculty and Graduates then processed out of the auditorium to the beat of Kool and the Gang’s “Celebration”.  For Mason’s 2017 SRHT Graduates, degrees in hand and bright futures ahead, the celebration had only just begun.

The School of Recreation, Health, and Tourism 2017 Program Award Winners:

Bryndan Wise Lindsey

Outstanding Student in Exercise Fitness and Health Promotion

Amanda D. Garrett

Emily A. Cookson

Outstanding Students in Sport and Recreation Studies

Lauren E. Field

Janet J. Lozar Commemorative Award for the Outstanding Student in Athletic Training

Forrest N. Stieg

Outstanding Student in Kinesiology

Nicholas Schwarz

Outstanding Student in Health and Physical Education

Raina Sage Aide, Parks and Outdoor Recreation

Jeremy D. Steinel, Therapeutic Recreation

Thomas L. Goodale Award for the Outstanding Students in Recreation Management

Danielle Elise Bush

Matthew Brian Quinn

Charley Casserly Outstanding Students in Sport Management

Samantha Sutton

Outstanding Student in Tourism and Events Management

Abigail R. Solis

College of Education and Human Development Excellence in Writing Award

Keriana Grace Sachtleben

John R. Linn Memorial Award for Outstanding Student Athlete