Student Success Blog

Program Award Winner: Ava Driscoll

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 StudentinEducational Psychology (Assessment, Evaluation, and Testing). Congratulations, Ava!

Driscoll

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!