Student Success Blog

Tag: Graduate

Family of the Year Award winner: Eun Kyung Choi

Family of the Year 2025

Eun Kyung (EK) Choi is a full-time graduate student in the Inclusive Early Childhood Education Program at George Mason University, and a student parent. EK is also the winner of the Dr. Alan and Sally Merten Family of the Year Award! Keep reading to learn more about EK’s family, and their experience at George Mason.

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Meet Henrico Virtual Academy’s Teacher of the Year

Claire Hsieh celebrating her Teacher of the Year award with colleagues

Claire Hsieh is a graduate student in George Mason University’s Mathematics Specialist Leadership Program. While working toward her degree online, Claire also teaches math at Henrico Virtual Academy, where she was recently named their Teacher of the Year for 2025-2026. Keep reading to learn more about her experience and for advice she has for prospective and current students.

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Fall 2025 Scholarship Recipients

Students walking across the Fairfax campus of George Mason University
Students learn how to join hundreds of student organizations and clubs at the Get Connected Fair on the Fairfax Campus. Photo by Evan Cantwell/George Mason University

Each semester, the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) Office of Student and Academic Affairs awards scholarships funded through the Development Office by alumni and philanthropists dedicated to student success.  

These scholarships help students to offset their expenses at George Mason while also highlighting the remarkable achievements of our applicants and their future potential.  

We are proud to recognize our undergraduate and graduate scholarship recipients for fall 2025. Congratulations to all recipients, and thank you to our generous donors for making these awards possible!   

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Addressing the push to “get published!”

Stack of research papers

The push to “get published” at the doctoral level is ever-present.

Students are strongly encouraged to get their name out there at least once during their PhD coursework but going about this can feel intimidating. The competition to get published in a big-name journal can feel discouraging, especially when there is a fee for submitting manuscripts for review. It can feel overwhelming to have to consider the fact that your manuscript will be peer-reviewed by others in your field, some of whom you may have met (or will meet) at conferences, and some who you may very well have referenced in your work before. Keep reading to discover how I pushed through these feelings of intimidation and embarked on my own journey of getting published for the first time. 

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Erin Kowalevicz is REACHing students across the globe

Erin Kowalevicz working directly with elementary school students in Uganda
Erin Kowalevicz headshot

Erin Kowalevicz, an elementary school teacher for Arlington Public Schools and a part-time George Mason student pursuing her master’s degree in the Education Leadership Program, spent her spring break collaborating with fellow educators through a study tour with REACH for Uganda.

During this experience, she worked directly with students and local teachers and led professional development workshops focused on collaborative learning, supporting students with special needs, and project-based instruction. Continue reading for insights into Erin’s experience.

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