Honors College

Bioengineering student went from Patriot to Pilgrim for summer internship

Shayla Brown — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 15:51:00 +0000

Bioengineering student went from Patriot to Pilgrim for summer internship  Shayla Brown Fri, 09/06/2024 - 11:51

��ӽ紫ý bioengineering student Berk Kasimcan spent his summer internship working on a proof of concept for what could be described as sunglasses for buildings. 

Kasimcan is working alongside Harvard University psychology students and second-year PhD engineering and computing student Raphael Kay as they attempt to alleviate the damage that buildings experience throughout the years from radiation, heat, cold, and light. 

“What if we create this glass system that has various liquids inside and is able to adjust the building temperature or the [impact of] the direct UV light?” Kasimcan said. “This research would be especially helpful for newer buildings that are made of mostly glass.” 

Berk Kasimcan. Photo provided.

Kasimcan’s internship took place in two lab locations on Harvard’s campus —the Aizenberg Biomineralization and Biomimetics Lab in the Science and Engineer Complex and the Center for Nanoscale Systems. The research being conducted is fairly new and led by Kay, who is also one of Kasimcan’s mentors.

“The environments are super-fast paced and each university has their own culture when doing research, so I get to learn a lot of different ways to conduct important research,” said Kasimcan.   

The Aizenberg lab is similar to the MIX here at ��ӽ紫ý, but with more of a focus on engineering. The Center for Nanoscale Systems is where students work on decomposition and microscopic materials too small to be seen unaided by the human eye and requires researchers to wear full-body clean room suits, Kasimcan explained. 

The team built a total of four setups this summer to measure how much light and heat is getting deflected, and how much heat transfer is present. 

 “Our goal for this summer is to build test benches. Once we perfect our devices and formulas, we will actually be able to use the test benches to get reliable results on light and heat detection,” said Kasimcan, who is enrolled in ��ӽ紫ý’s accelerated master’s bioengineering program.    

Berk Kasimcan at Harvard University Campus. Photo provided.

Kasimcan, who is in the Honors College, credits the mentorship he received at ��ӽ紫ý from associate professor of bioengineering Shani Ross and assistant professor of bioengineering Quentin Sanders, as well as his senior design project experience, for helping to prepare him for this internship. 

Working with Sanders in his Intelligent assistive technology, Neuromuscular control and Physiology, Wearables and Rehabilitation Robotics (ImPoWeR) lab for a year was great experience, Kasimcan said. “I worked on research addressing rehabilitation, robotics, and developed exoskeletons and prosthetic devices for individuals that have experienced a neurological injury or amputation.”

The feeling was mutual, according to Sanders. “It was a pleasure working with Berk. With his work ethic, intellectual curiosity, and general interest in the biomedical sciences, I can see him working at a top tier company within the health care industry,” said Sanders.  

“I’m sure he’ll do great wherever he ends up. I wouldn't be surprised at all if I looked up one day and Berk was the leading scientist in the research and development division of a huge company,” he added.  

Kasimcan, along with his peers, spent a year working on hydrogel research with the goal of creating a water filtration system in the event of an emergency so communities can access clean water.    

“It’s not something we can use 24/7 unfortunately, but when it comes to emergencies, it was a pretty useful device,” said Kasimcan. 

For their efforts, Kasimcan and his teammates won multiple awards including two People’s Choice Awards for engineering from ��ӽ紫ý’s Bioengineering Department and 2nd Place in a Star-Tides Poster Competition.

Kasimcan graduated with a bachelor of science from ��ӽ紫ý in spring 2024 and is currently pursuing his master's in engineering.

In This Story

Quentin Sanders

Shani Ross

Find a job or internship through Career Services

Topics

internships

College of Engineering and Computing

Early Identification Program, family support led Honors College freshman to engineering

Teresa Donnellan — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 17:39:47 +0000

Early Identification Program, family support led Honors College freshman to engineering Teresa Donnellan Tue, 08/20/2024 - 13:39

STEM has long been a field of interest for incoming ��ӽ紫ý freshman Dmitry Oleynik, in part due to his family background. His grandfather, an engineer from Russia, played a pivotal role in nurturing his interest in mathematics and engineering from a young age.

Dmitry Oleynik. Photo provided.

“My grandfather taught me, my mom, and most of my family… He would start off pretty early, especially with the multiplication tables. He would want me to nail those down,” Oleynik recalled. This early exposure to math, coupled with his success in high school math classes, has driven him to pursue engineering at ��ӽ紫ý.

Oleynik carried his grandfather’s zeal for early preparation into his participation in ��ӽ紫ý's Early Identification Program (EIP). Since the eighth grade, Oleynik has attended EIP events, developing a familiarity with the university. The program, designed to prepare students for the rigors of college, provided Oleynik with a head start in various subjects, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

“[EIP] prepared me for college pretty well, and that was part of the reason why I chose Mason,” said Oleynik, who is a member of the Honors College.

Oleynik’s EIP experience was not only about academics but also about building confidence with ��ӽ紫ý. Having spent summers at the Fairfax Campus, he feels a sense of comfort and connection to the university, which was a factor in his decision to stay close to home for college. His familiarity with the university's layout and resources, such as the Mason Innovation Exchange (the MIX) makerspace in Horizon Hall, adds to his excitement about starting his undergraduate experience.

While Oleynik is currently undecided about his major, he has an initial inclination toward mechanical engineering and has registered for related classes. The versatile nature of the field appeals to him, he said, as it could lead to opportunities in various industries, from automotive to robotics. He has a pragmatic approach to education, aiming for a degree that offers both personal interest and professional flexibility.

“I feel like mechanics are needed everywhere, so that’s a good degree for me to get,” he said.

Oleynik’s journey at ��ӽ紫ý is just beginning, but his foundation in STEM, nurtured by his family and the EIP, has set him on a promising path. He is well equipped to make the most of his time when he starts this fall.

Learn more about the EIP Program roadmap

Topics

mechanical engineering

Early Identification Program (EIP)

Honors College

Students

Ian Candy’s First Year: Combining Politics, Neuroscience, and Forensics—to Help Others

Andrew J Schappert — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 14:00:36 +0000

Ian Candy’s First Year: Combining Politics, Neuroscience, and Forensics—to Help Others Andrew J Schappert Wed, 08/14/2024 - 10:00

Request Schar School program information

Learn more about the Schar School

Ian Candy’s interest in politics developed early, at age 10, when he found he enjoyed watching political news shows with his parents instead of cartoons.

“My parents love watching the news,” he said. “And oddly enough, I enjoyed it. I ended up becoming very invested with the political side of the news…. This love for democracy that was planted in me as a child has only grown. The roots of this seed have cemented, making the study of government and international politics dear to my heart.”

Ian Candy: ‘It is no secret that our democracy can light up a room in a second, but just as quickly cover it in shadows.’

As a first-year student at the Schar School of Policy and Government at ��ӽ紫ý, Candy will major in government and international politics at a Carnegie Research 1 institution that happens to be located just a few miles from Washington, D.C. Both of those were “huge check marks on my list” of potential schools, he said.

“It is no secret that our democracy can light up a room in a second, but just as quickly cover it in shadows,” he said. “No stranger to governmental legislation targeting my communities, I have and will continue to advocate for anyone facing those shadows.”

The South Dakota native will double major in neuroscience at ��ӽ紫ý’s College of Science, a program that prepares students for medical and health-related fields.

“I truly believe that the breadth of both fields lends themselves to a great deal of intersectionality not seen in many other double majors,” he said. “Neuroscience captivates me, but imperatively, I feel a duty to study this field.”

Candy said that “the people in my life that are closest to me have and continue to struggle with mental illness and brain function disorders. Researching the causes and solutions to ‘give back’ [to those in need] would be incredibly fulfilling.”

Candy is convinced that he can overcome what he calls “the ambiguous intersectionality between neuroscience and government” with a third interest of his: storytelling. In fact, the University Scholar and Honors College student will hone his storytelling skills as a member of ��ӽ紫ý’s forensics team, which placed second in the nation in 2024.

“What I found most remarkable about him was that he is very engaging and likeable,” said forensics director Dawn Lowry, who recruited Candy at the National Speech and Debate Association’s high school expo in Des Moines, Iowa. “He has a great energy and when he is into something, he wants to know everything about that subject.”

Meeting Lowry and other members of the team made Candy feel “welcomed and at home, just from the few conversations I had,” he said.

While a career path is still uncertain for the new college student, “I hope to achieve what 10-year-old me envisioned: to help other people.

“Whether that looks like a career defending others in the courtroom, providing psychiatric assistance to patients, drafting science and technology-based policy, or working on something that doesn’t even exist yet, helping others—while hearing and advocating for their stories—is my main goal.”

Topics

Government and International Politics

Honors College

Schar School of Policy and Government

Schar School News for August 2024

Students

College of Science

Forensics Team

Schar School Student Spotlight

University Scholars

first year students

Cybersecurity Honors College student ready to hit the ground running

Nathan Kahl — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 17:59:19 +0000

Cybersecurity Honors College student ready to hit the ground running Nathan Kahl Mon, 08/12/2024 - 13:59

Jose Perez starts at ��ӽ紫ý this fall, majoring in Cyber Security Engineering and participating in the Honors College. But the Falls Church, Virginia native feels like he’s already a student, in a way.

“I’m familiar with so many of the faculty at this point because I participated in the Early Identification Program—I’ve been coming here for summer events since as early as 8th grade,” he said. “I’ve already formed a sense of community here. And as an International Baccalaureate student, I had college-level work for two years and so have decent academic preparation.”

He describes himself as a “STEM kid from the get-go,” and participated in cybersecurity-related extracurriculars in high school. “For me, it’s the best cross between raw engineering and computer science.” Being part of Meridian High School’s Cyber Patriots team exposed him to the challenges and opportunities in computer science.

Perez took part in the First Robotics Competition in high school. Photo provided

He burnished his high school resume with a lot of extracurriculars: He was the lead engineer on a Science Olympiad team, participated in ��ӽ紫ý’s Youth Research Council, volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, and was a four-year participant in the urban farm project at his school.

Perez is the child of immigrants from the Philippines—both his parents are nurses—and he recognizes that opportunities presented here at ��ӽ紫ý will allow him a great path toward upward mobility that he might not have at other institutions, especially being able to save money while living at home. “I knew I would be happy here and get what I need, especially because I feel like I've already formed a sense of community here.”

He’s ready and excited for what new changes are in place. “I’m aware of the new amount of freedom and responsibility I’ll have as a college student. I’ll just be prepared to take that on. I’m trying to push myself to do a lot this first semester and I’m part of the Global Gateway and will be going to Korea in my second semester. It will be a great way to throw myself in there.”

Topics

Cyber Security

Honors College

Early Identification Program (EIP)

Students

��ӽ紫ý’s summer forensics camp created a pathway for this rising sophomore

Shayla Brown — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 18:54:29 +0000

��ӽ紫ý’s summer forensics camp created a pathway for this rising sophomore Shayla Brown Wed, 07/31/2024 - 14:54

Samuel Dalachinsky could have attended college tuition-free in Florida. But his experience at the ��ӽ紫ý Institute of Forensics in the summer of 2022, before his senior year of high school, convinced him to look at ��ӽ紫ý.

Samuel Dalachinsky. Photo provided.

“[The summer institute] definitely helped build a bridge to transition from high school into college for me, so I had a lot of hope in the university,” he said.

For 20 years, the Institute of Forensics has been helping high school students from around the United States practice and improve their speech and presentation skills to become tournament ready. ��ӽ紫ý has one of the top forensics teams in the country and regularly lands in the top five nationally. This is year they placed second out of almost 60 schools at the American Forensics Association Tournament.

The summer institute also brings awareness about the university’s forensics program to potential future students as about 20% of high school students who attend this camp subsequently attend ��ӽ紫ý.

“The camp was such an important experience to me. It let me find this way to radically embrace my identity,” he said.

��ӽ紫ý’s reputation for inclusiveness in the LGBTQ+ space was supported by Dalanchinsky’s experience at the summer institute.

“I came to camp with the intention of writing an angry piece about how I was feeling, and they showed me all of these beautiful poems written by trans people. It made me reevaluate the way I was thinking about things,” said Dalanchinsky, who is an Honors College student.

College of Humanities and Social Sciences faculty members and forensic team coaches Dawn Lowry and Tyler Watkins, who is also a ��ӽ紫ý alum, mentored Dalanchinsky while he was at the camp.

“Dawn really uplifts me and gives me so much confidence,” said the psychology major. “She had known me for about a week and said that she already knew she wanted me on the [��ӽ紫ý] team.”

Dalanchinsky’s family had invested in Florida’s Bright Future Scholars program, which would have guaranteed him free in-state tuition, he said. But the forensics team coaches helped him find scholarship opportunities that made it possible for him to attend ��ӽ紫ý, as well as offering him financial aid.

“The coaches definitely helped me out a lot with the scholarship application process,” said Dalanchinsky.

Dalanchinsky, who wants to combine his major in psychology with social justice topics, specifically LGBTQ+ rights, has found the routines and practices taught at the institute helpful in preparing speeches. Dalanchinsky uses research topics and information from his classes at ��ӽ紫ý to write his speeches, which allows him to practice the application of psychology to the LGBTQ+ community, which he hopes to one day do professionally, he said.

“��ӽ紫ý is very open-minded when it comes to picking your own topics of research and speech,” said Dalanchinsky. “Speech has not only given me confidence with public speaking or communicating with others in general, but also a lot of research abilities, which I think is very important.”

Dalachinsky appreciates the coaching he’s received since joining the ��ӽ紫ý team. “The coaches are very quick to tell you if you come off as a little too quiet, and they get it out of us really quickly,” he said. “They’ve also helped me with networking, and I've gotten to meet some really interesting people throughout the speech circuit.”

Dalachinsky is considering graduate school at ��ӽ紫ý. “I’d love to do graduate assisting coaching for Dawn and Tyler. I think it would be great to continue my education here,” he said.

Start your journey at ��ӽ紫ý

Topics

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Business student’s summer internship is an opportunity to practice sustainability

Colleen Rich — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 18:35:00 +0000

Business student’s summer internship is an opportunity to practice sustainability Colleen Rich Mon, 07/29/2024 - 14:35

��ӽ紫ý rising junior Vidhi Pathak spent a year searching for the perfect summer internship, before landing her current position as asset management intern for Summit Ridge Energy (SRE).

“I have concentrations in both finance and management information systems and wanted to make sure that I had an understanding of what both industries look like before graduating,” said the Costello College of Business student, who investigated to more than 200 internships in her search.

Pathak’s main project this summer is to create a comprehensive power business intelligence dashboard for SRE.

SRE operates solar assets for people who live in apartments or rented space, and don’t have the means or opportunity to install solar panels on their homes. Community solar or shared solar allows more people to go solar in an efficient and renewable way by subscribing to the shared solar array for credits that lower their energy bills.

SRE has around 10 teams ranging from land development and geographic information systems to project finance and engineering, Pathak said. “Managing the company’s solar assets sits right at the end of the cycle, moving cash flow around and seeing that both the customer and our joint venture partners are paid out,” she said.

“I'm really excited about this assignment because not only does it directly correspond to what I'm learning at ��ӽ紫ý, but this is something that SRE’s asset management team and the C-suite executives at Summit Ridge are going to be using on a regular basis going forward,” said Pathak, who is an Honors College student.

The internship combines her business skills with her passion for sustainability, which is also one of the university’s main research areas and the focus of its Institute for a Sustainable Earth.

“I'm always trying to approach things from a sustainable point of view,” said Pathak. “I know there's a lot of preconceived notions about business majors only caring about money, and I want to prove that I care about the bigger world around me.”

When Pathak first came to ��ӽ紫ý, she joined Costello’s Impact Fellows Program where she was able to approach essential business courses with a sustainability mindset.

“I’ve experienced a lot of cool extracurriculars through this program. We went to visit a bee farm and took a trip to Asheville, North Carolina, to visit sustainable businesses; everything from nonprofits that work on water waste management in the region to big food banks,” said Pathak.

She also served as a member of the Mason Sustainability Council and as the undersecretary of University Sustainability with ��ӽ紫ý’s Student Government during her sophomore year.

“That role involved a lot of correspondence with fellow students, faculty and staff, and people in the local community, and bringing them together for events like the Patriot Packout or Earth Month initiatives,” said Pathak.

Pathak is also featured in University Sustainability videos teaching students the best practices for recycling, saving water, minimizing our carbon footprint, and more.

“I love the Earth and hope to integrate this passion into whatever job I end up doing post-grad,” said Pathak.

“I'm always trying to approach things from a sustainable point of view”

Learn more about ��ӽ紫ý's Impact Fellows Program

Topics

Students

internships

Summer Internship

Costello College of Business

Sustainability

student government

Honors College

Blimps and business collide at the Mason Innovation Exchange

Sarah Holland — Fri, 24 May 2024 15:01:55 +0000

Blimps and business collide at the Mason Innovation Exchange Sarah Holland Fri, 05/24/2024 - 11:01

Building a drone and building a business are, at first glance, two very different tasks. Academically, you’d be hard pressed to find a robotics course in a business school, and vice versa. But at the Mason Innovation Exchange (MIX), all that separates these two is a staircase.

From the fabrication floor to the incubator’s loft, the MIX is demonstrating how principles of entrepreneurship and innovation aren’t so easily siloed with two new courses: BLIMP and Student Innovator Mastermind.

The MIX BLIMP workshop was an outgrowth of an Office of Naval Research-funded Bio-inspired Lighter-than-air Instructional Mechatronics Program, developed to expand unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)—or drone—education, with a desire to build a pipeline for students to participate in the biannual Defend the Republic lighter-than-air robotics competition. In this course, students learn introductory concepts of UAVs and, within small interdisciplinary groups, build their own blimps with flapping wing mechanisms.

Daigo Shishika helps students flight test their blimps in the Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center (MARC). Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

“We use organic life as the inspiration for these builds,” said instructor Daigo Shishika, assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. “Students study the biomechanics of fish, insects, and birds, and then use those principles of flight and motion to create their own blimps.”

Each group learns how to build, program, and control flying robots. Using balloons made of mylar films, the students construct the blimp bodies and mount the electronic components—circuitry, motors, and microcontrollers—while ensuring that the blimp is well balanced.

At the end of the course, groups present their design and describe what creatures inspired their works: butterflies, stingrays, tuna, and even dragons were referenced when building.

“This process is meant to be exploratory,” explained Shishika. “I didn’t want to discourage the groups from trying out-of-the-box ideas. The dragon, for example: I wasn’t confident it would work. But they proved me wrong, and demonstrated some technical benefits of that type of wing.”

“As much as we’re teaching them the basics,” Shishika continued, “they’re teaching us new ways of thinking about design and fabrication.”

Along with the microcredential the students earn upon completion of the course, Shishika hopes they leave with a better sense of creative design and confidence in their ability to design, develop, and deploy robotics.

“It’s fun to build something from scratch and see it fly,” he said.

BLIMP flight testing in the MARC aviary. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

The Student Innovator Mastermind course uses a similar approach: building foundations while allowing space for creativity and innovation. ��ӽ紫ý alum Lisa Shapiro, BA Psychology ’03, Med ’06, is a seasoned business owner and entrepreneur. When she started at Mason as the MIX’s assistant director of entrepreneurship programs, the entrepreneurship incubator on the MIX’s second floor was empty.

“I wanted to reinvigorate the space and provide student innovators with a place to share ideas, develop their businesses, and form a community with other entrepreneurs,” she said.

The Student Innovator Mastermind program is a six-week mastermind group where 10 Mason student innovators and business founders gather for peer-to-peer collaboration and workshops. The inaugural mastermind cohort included students developing video games, a skincare line, mobile applications, and a business that supports the elderly population with nutritional needs—which was one of the finalists in the 2024 Patriot Pitch competition.

A key part of the programming was what Shapiro calls “transformational talks”: presentations from industry professionals that the students can immediately apply to their work. Speakers cover topics such as mindset, marketing and branding, goal setting, customer segment, and advice for business ownership.

“Being able to take what they’ve learned and immediately apply it is super important,” said Shapiro. “Entrepreneurship is super hard. You need the right mindset to be able to handle the ups and downs. I want to get them started off in the right way so they’re better prepared.”

The incubator is also a space for the students to learn from each other. Sharing ideas and challenges is, Shapiro said, a necessary part of the process. “We’ve had a phenomenal response from the students,” she said. “They’re helping each other, recommending professors and other people to meet that could help with their ideas.”

Honors College student Sahil Jagtap, who is majoring in computer science, participated in the Mastermind and the drone-prototyping programs this semester. “I have a passion for building, making, and breaking stuff. I love doing research on new and unique technologies and their potential to solve real-world problems,” he said.

The course offerings at the MIX were an opportunity for Jagtap to get hands-on experience in developing and launching tech-based solutions. “The skills I acquired from both programs, such as project management, teamwork, and technical expertise, are invaluable,” he said. “In addition, the mentorship and networking opportunities have connected me with industry professionals and potential collaborators, which will be beneficial as I continue my career in technology and entrepreneurship.”

Most of all, Shapiro and Shishika both hope that this type of programming keeps students coming back to the MIX.

“Now that they’ve had a taste of the full process,” Shishika said, “they can focus on the aspect they enjoyed the most and dig deeper, whether that’s robotics, electronics, fabrication, or something else.”

“The MIX is a space for prototyping,” Shapiro said. “It’s a place for anyone with an idea to come and try to make it a reality.”

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Create and innovate at The MIX

In This Story

Daigo Shishika

Topics

Students

Research

The MIX

College of Engineering and Computing

Honors College

entrepreneurship

Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center

Strategic Direction

Outstanding Graduating Student: Amanda Magpiong

rstaffo2 — Fri, 17 May 2024 16:59:59 +0000

Outstanding Graduating Student: Amanda Magpiong rstaffo2 Fri, 05/17/2024 - 12:59

Each semester, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at ��ӽ紫ý recognizes some of their most outstanding graduating students. Honors College Spring 2024 graduate Amanda Magpiong was nominated by the Department of Sociology and Anthropology for her academic achievements and contributions.

What was the most impactful class you took in your major?

Intro to Biological Anthropology with Dr. Rick Smith, it changed my life. Dr. Smith has been the best mentor and been in my corner since that class. He has coached me through research, 2 conference presentations, and helped me land internships and jobs even outside of anthropology.

What activities were you involved in during your time at Mason that impacted you?

Clubs: President of Patriot PIRG helped launch Generation Action, President of Club Softball. Research: anthropology research for two years, with funding help through OSCAR. Internships: Africa Unite (Cape Town, South Africa, through Mason living abroad for two months) and with a Congressman from Philadelphia on Capitol Hill. They have all been amazing and my time abroad was life changing.

What is your most memorable “Mason moment?”

The feeling of rebuilding a group of girls into a real softball team watching them all become friends and play as one.

As you are reflecting on your time at Mason, what is one piece of advice you would give a student who is just starting off on their Mason journey?

Take EVERY opportunity that you can, you won't regret it.

What is your next step after graduation? What are your future plans?

Possibly to work in politics in D.C. or a PhD program.

Topics

Department of Sociology and Anthropology

Honors College

Students

Graduation

This Senior of the Year found ‘true community’ at ��ӽ紫ý

Colleen Rich — Thu, 09 May 2024 21:24:11 +0000

This Senior of the Year found ‘true community’ at ��ӽ紫ý Colleen Rich Thu, 05/09/2024 - 17:24

Senior of the Year Celine Apenteng has made an impact during her time at ��ӽ紫ý, and she isn’t done. After graduating this spring with a bachelor’s degree in conflict analysis and resolution with a concentration in global engagement, and minor in intelligence studies, the Silver Spring, Maryland, native will continue to pursue her master’s degree in international security at the Schar School of Policy and Government through the university’s accelerated master’s program.

Senior of the Year Celine Apenteng. Photo provided

Senior of the Year is awarded annually by the ��ӽ紫ý Alumni Association. In nominating Apenteng, her academic advisors at the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution—Isaac Jasper, Jane Walker, Averi Jordan—wrote: “From her academic to her professional success, Celine has shown she is leaving the university as an ambassador of the best ��ӽ紫ý has to offer.”

Throughout her college career, Apenteng, who is a member of the Honors College, was active in Student Government, serving as Student Body Vice President in 2022-23 and as Speaker of the Student Senate. She also was a member of President Gregory Washington's Student Advisory Board and co-chair of the Student Advisory Council for the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

Outside of the classroom, Apenteng held several internships that she said helped shape her as a person and a professional. She interned at the White House in the Office of Public Engagement and U.S. Department of State.

She also started out as an intern at the Carter School’s John Mitchell Jr. Program for History, Justice, and Race, which focuses on promoting a more informed public, political, and academic dialogue on the intersections between historical memory, justice, and racial reconciliation. She continues her work with the program as a fellow, documenting the impact of lynching incidents on African American communities and conducting historical archiving to preserve evidence of racial terror.

How have you grown while at ��ӽ紫ý?

Mason has helped me create a life of collaborative relationships instead of competitive ones. When I look for friendships, workspaces, and all other types of connections, I find myself gravitating toward people who want the same, a life filled with supportive people, doing their best, whatever that looks like, and wanting the best for the people around them. I can’t say that wanting that has changed since coming to Mason, but my efforts to seek it out certainly have.

Senior of the Year Celine Apenteng with Carter School Dean Alpaslan Özerdem. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

How did your internships affect your career path?

[The internships] have all offered me different perspectives on what progress looks like for the world. Without a doubt, I can say that the key players are the local leaders we see every day who help us when no one is looking. As people look for opportunities, solutions, and answers, don’t overlook what your local or regional efforts can do for the people you know and the people you don’t.

What’s your best memory at ��ӽ紫ý?

During my junior year, I was Student Body vice president. Although the entire year is filled with great memories, one that sticks out the most is the fall farmer's market. So many people had come out to support the local vendors we had brought to campus, Student Government members were out in full force, and we were all having a great time. We danced to music, played games, and of course ate really good food. Seeing everyone out just happy to be in that environment made me really happy, and I hope that event continues with the same excitement that made so many people feel the presence of true community at Mason.

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

You are on time. If you think you’re behind, you're not. There’s no science to living life and college is just one chapter of a (hopefully) very long book! It can be easy to feel like everything is passing you by, but just think back to high school and where you thought you’d be now. Your hopes will change, your dreams will change, and you will change. And that’s all just a part of the process of being alive. So don’t stress about what you can’t control and enjoy what you can.

Join the Mason Nation

Topics

Senior of the Year

Graduation

Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Students

Honors College

Schar School of Policy and Government

Schar School Student Spotlight

Schar School News for May 2024

Peraton Awards ��ӽ紫ý Honors College Students National Security Scholarship

rstaffo2 — Thu, 09 May 2024 15:52:36 +0000

Peraton Awards ��ӽ紫ý Honors College Students National Security Scholarship rstaffo2 Thu, 05/09/2024 - 11:52

The Honors College at ��ӽ紫ý and Peraton awarded 11 students the selective Peraton Scholarship in National Security at the conclusion of the Spring Semester. Award winners are committed to advancing the field of national security: “It means so much to be able to be financially supported for something that I care so much about,” says award winner Dominique Harper, a Computational Data Science major with a minor in Intelligence Studies.

Peraton is an innovative national security company with over 500 ��ӽ紫ý graduates as employees. The Peraton Scholarship in National Security is awarded to ��ӽ紫ý Honors College students who will contribute to the next generation of national security solutions. Funded by a generous donation from Peraton, each recipient receives financial support for their studies and academic enrichment. "As the state of national security continues to change, we are evolving in lockstep to meet new challenges as they arise," said Stu Shea, chairman, president, and CEO, Peraton. "Peraton and I are proud to support ��ӽ紫ý's next generation of problem solvers, critical thinkers, and solution architects who will help protect the nation today and prepare it for tomorrow through this scholarship."

Many award winners underscore the opportunities that this award will enable them to pursue. Joshua Farmer, a Conflict Analysis and Resolution major with a minor in Intelligence Studies says he “will be able to take on additional field experiences that otherwise would not have been possible without the support of the Peraton Scholarship.” Farmer is currently studying European perspectives on intelligence work in Spain. Similarly, Jacob Little, a Computer Engineering major, says “This award will give me more time to explore myself and my interests.” 

Many top performing students are faced with choices between opportunities that will help them advance academically while building the skills necessary to address tomorrow’s grand challenges and earning the money needed to support themselves. Award winner Brynne Severns, a Forensic Science major studying biometrics indicates that “This award is going to allow me to step back from a couple of my jobs and really have time to focus on my internship. I'm interning federally this year and really take the time to dive into my studies and continue my education in the field of national security.” Olivianna Watkins, a Government and International Politics major, notes that the award will enable her to take “an internship that I would rather do, rather than just having to go work, financially.” 

Award winners include:

Avery Boardman, Government and International Politics
J.I.B., Government and International Politics
Joshua Farmer, Conflict Analysis and Resolution
Dominque Harper, Computational Data Science
Jacob Little, Computer Engineering
P.R., Cyber Security Engineering
Brynne Stevens, Forensic Science
Ayesha Shaik, Computer Science
Griffin Wack, Global Affairs
Rachel Wang, Cyber Security Engineering
Olivianna Watkins, Government and International Politics

Strengthen your studies at the Honors College

Join the Mason Nation

Topics

Stu Shea Peraton Scholarship

Honors College

National Security

Students

Honors College

Bioengineering student went from Patriot to Pilgrim for summer internship

In This Story

Find a job or internship through Career Services

Related Stories

Topics

Early Identification Program, family support led Honors College freshman to engineering

Learn more about the EIP Program roadmap

Related Stories

Topics

Ian Candy’s First Year: Combining Politics, Neuroscience, and Forensics—to Help Others

Request Schar School program information

Learn more about the Schar School

Topics

Cybersecurity Honors College student ready to hit the ground running

Topics

���ӽ紫ý’s summer forensics camp created a pathway for this rising sophomore

Start your journey at ���ӽ紫ý

Related News

Topics

Business student’s summer internship is an opportunity to practice sustainability

Learn more about ���ӽ紫ý's Impact Fellows Program

Related Stories

Topics

Blimps and business collide at the Mason Innovation Exchange

Create and innovate at The MIX

In This Story

Related News

Topics

Outstanding Graduating Student: Amanda Magpiong

Topics

This Senior of the Year found ‘true community’ at ���ӽ紫ý

How have you grown while at ���ӽ紫ý?

How did your internships affect your career path?

What’s your best memory at ���ӽ紫ý?

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

Join the Mason Nation

Related News

Topics

Peraton Awards ���ӽ紫ý Honors College Students National Security Scholarship

Award winners include:

Strengthen your studies at the Honors College

Join the Mason Nation

Related Stories

Topics

��ӽ紫ý’s summer forensics camp created a pathway for this rising sophomore

Start your journey at ��ӽ紫ý

Learn more about ��ӽ紫ý's Impact Fellows Program

This Senior of the Year found ‘true community’ at ��ӽ紫ý

How have you grown while at ��ӽ紫ý?

What’s your best memory at ��ӽ紫ý?

Peraton Awards ��ӽ紫ý Honors College Students National Security Scholarship