Student Success Blog

Tag: Mason

Gradstravaganza 2023

Gradstravaganza 2023 Save The Date

All new and continuing Mason graduate students are invited to Gradstravaganza, Mason’s annual graduate student welcome event! Gradstravaganza is a two-day event: first, a fully virtual line-up of sessions on Friday, August 18, 9am-4pm to help kickstart your graduate student experience, followed by an in-person picnic to celebrate the end of the first week of classes on Saturday, August 26 on Wilkins Plaza!  

Friday’s Success sessions will feature workshops highlighting strategies for success, presentations to help prepare Graduate Assistants (GRAs, GTAs, and GPAs), and a student panel sharing their tips for optimizing your graduate school experience. 

Saturday’s Picnic will feature FREE food, t-shirts, games, crafts, giveaways, and plenty of activities to enjoy! You will also have opportunities to connect with academic units, campus resources, and graduate student organizations. Families are welcome! 

Registration instructions are available on this page. Contact Graduate Student Life with questions at [email protected].   

This event is brought to you by Graduate Student Life, the Graduate Division, the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GAPSA), Mason Recreation, and University Life. 

Doctoral Graduate Research Assistant Position Open with Project E-Ignite

Project E-Ignite is a Jacob K. Javits grant housed in the College of Education and Human Development. The project is looking for a doctoral graduate research assistant for the 2023-2024 academic year.  

The grant focuses on:
  • Identifying and serving Gifted and Talented students from underserved populations including Black, Latinx, and English Learners, as well as those who are economically disadvantaged and children with disabilities.
  • Promoting effective instruction in classrooms in high-poverty schools.
  • Increasing teacher understanding of Problem-Based Learning (PBL).
  • Increasing student cognitive skills, engagement, and motivation to learn.
  • Promoting STEM Education with PBL curriculum.
A GRA on Project ExCEL-Ignite will engage in the following tasks:
  • Development and creation of research measures
  • Curriculum revision and development
  • Preparation of teacher professional development materials
  • Analysis of quantitative and qualitative data (student and teacher data)
  • Preparation and maintenance of student consent and assent data
  • Collaboration with team faculty and staff on school implementation, data collection, analysis, and dissemination tasks
The GRA will learn and improve:
  • Qualitative and quantitative research skills on a large-scale federal grant in multiple school districts
  • Academic writing and referencing skills
  • Interviewing skills
  • How to work effectively as part of a collaborative team
How To Apply:

For information about the project or to apply, please send a resume/CV and a letter of interest to Dr. Kimberley Daly, Coordinator, Project E-Ignite at [email protected]. If you have any questions about the project, you can also email Dr. Daly.

This position is a full-time GRA position (20 hours/week). Optimally, we are looking for a student who has past qualitative or quantitative research experience or has completed EDRS 810.

Undergraduate Research Assistant Position with INTO Mason 

INTO Mason is hiring an Undergraduate Research Assistant to support a curriculum development grant seeking to: 

  • Integrate and align civic engagement and antiracist and inclusive excellence (ARIE) learning goals throughout the undergraduate International Pathways curriculum  
  • Redesign key courses to ensure that they suit the linguistic and cultural needs of Pathway students and Direct Entry international students at both Fairfax and Mason Korea campuses  

The changes we propose within and across these courses would result in a well-scaffolded, intentional integration of learning outcomes related to civic engagement, antiracism, inclusion, and equity, with materials and activities designed to meet the needs of international students and multilingual learners. With the curricular changes we propose, international students would be prepared to engage more fully in campus and community life and conversations around antiracism and inclusion.  

The undergraduate RA would work from August 2023 – June 2024, on the following tasks:  

  • Independently researching diverse art, literature, music and other media from diverse cultural groups in the U.S.  
  • Organizing and summarizing research   
  • Researching and developing culturally and linguistically appropriate course materials  
  • Testing course materials and activities as well as survey or interview questions  
  • Recruiting research participants  
  • Conducting interviews, observations, or other data collection  

Requirements:  

  • Strong interest in Social Sciences, History, Literature, Art, or Education  
  • Ability to work well independently  
  • Strong research, organization, and communication skills  
  • Excellent attention to detail  

Pay: $15/hour, maximum of $4000/semester  

Instructions:  

  1. Submit CV and Cover Letter to [email protected] or on Handshake  
  1. Submit 2-3 minute video explaining your interest and fit for this position: https://flip.com/b1236cee  (Join code: b1236cee) 

Well-Being Opportunities for Students

Read below for two well-being opportunities for students in Fall 2023: Mental Health First Aid and Explore Resilience! Interested in enrolling in either or both courses? Visit Patriot Web today!

Mental Health First Aid

Enroll in a fall semester section of UNIV 372: Mental Health First Aid for 0-1 credit. Through your participation in the course, you have the option to earn a Mental Health First Aid certification. This course will help you become more familiar with a variety of mental health challenges and explore how stigma may affect help-seeking behaviors. You will also learn basic skills to help someone experiencing a mental health or substance use-related crisis. 

UNIV 372 CL1 CRN 75998

  • August 24 – October 5
  • Thursdays 9:00 – 10:15
  • Online via Zoom with Katie Clare

UNIV 372 001 CRN 75999

  • October 19 – November 30
  • Thursdays 9:00 – 10:15
  • Fairfax Campus with Patrice Levinson
Mental Health First Aid Flyer

Explore Resilience in Fall 2023

Enroll in UNIV 170 or 370: Explore Resilience in Fall 2023 for 0-1 credit to explore and enhance resilience while earning a digital credential. 

UNIV 170 CRN 79137 or UNIV 370 CRN 79138

  • October 19 – November 30
  • Thursdays 12:00 – 1:15
  • Online via Zoom
Explore Resilience in Fall 2023 Flyer

Learn more at wellbeing.gmu.edu

Three CEHD Students Awarded Fellowships

Three students in the College of Education and Human Development were awarded fellowships for the 2022-2023 academic year.

Read this news story for more, and learn more about each student below.

Ninamarie Avedissian

Ninamarie Avedissian, pursuing an MEd in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), was awarded the Critical Language Scholarship.

Headshot of Ninamarie Avedissian

“As an avid language learner, I want to utilize the methods that have helped me learn languages, such as translating songs, in my future ESOL classroom and help students see the beauty in learning another language.

Through participating in CLS Spark, I hope to expand my cultural awareness and gain inspiration for culturally inclusive activities I can implement in the classroom. I hope to better understand the challenges Arabic-speaking students may face when learning English and create meaningful connections with students and families of Arabic backgrounds.”

Ninamarie Avedissian

Trinidee Baker

Trinidee Baker, graduating this spring with an MEd in Education Leadership, was awarded the Presidential Management Fellowship.

Headshot of Trinidee Baker

“I chose the Education Leadership program because I wanted to advance my career within the educational realm. I also hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, which helped me develop leadership and relationship-building skills.

I have taught English as a Second Language for the past 10 years and I have held various leadership positions during my teaching journey. I have a desire to positively affect the lives of people and I am dedicated to being a lifelong learner. As a recipient of the Presidential Management Fellowship, I hope to continue to use my teaching skills to help others and continue to fight for equitable and fair treatment for all.”

Trinidee Baker

Melissa DeLury

Melissa DeLury, pursuing a PhD in Education with specializations International Education and Research Methodology, was awarded the Cosmos Scholars Grant.

Headshot of Melissa DeLury

“I chose International Education and Research Methodology as my primary and secondary specializations. My career before Mason was rooted in international education: working in higher education settings, conducting research as a graduate student at Trinity College Dublin (2013-2015) and Fulbright Scholar in India (2017-2018), and currently working as an Education Technical Manager in international development. I wanted to explore the role of history education in facilitating peace and/or conflict in postcolonial settings via listening to the experiences of teachers and students.

My Cosmos Grant will allow me to work with Queens University Belfast by visiting different schools in Belfast to understand both the role of history education in current contexts, and the meanings that teachers and students make to narrations of past conflict. I hope to continue working internationally to explore how history education can facilitate peace through using more participatory methods.”

Melissa DeLury