Anna Stolley Persky

Mason’s ADVANCE program celebrates first graduates

Colleen Rich — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 16:38:40 +0000

Mason’s ADVANCE program celebrates first graduates Colleen Rich Wed, 12/09/2020 - 11:38

George Mason University’s ADVANCE program, which partners with Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) to help students earn four-year degrees at Mason, is celebrating its first four graduates next week.

The ADVANCE graduates are Amir Bhatti, Rocio Cornero, Erica Koprowski and David Kowalewski.

“I am very proud of these graduates,” said Ashlie Prioleau, executive director of the ADVANCE program. “They thought strategically about their education and how to achieve a Mason degree while spending less money for it. They are dedicated to their education, intelligent, determined. To achieve this important milestone in a pandemic means these students are tenacious.”

Rocio Cornero. Photo provided.

Cornero, 31, transferred from NOVA to Mason in 2019, and is graduating with a degree in chemistry. A native of Argentina, Cornero started studying chemistry at a local university, before moved to the United States four years ago. She said her experiences at both NOVA and Mason have been “great.”

“I have felt so comfortable at both NOVA and Mason because there are so many people from so many different places, and we all get a chance to discuss our different cultures in very immigrant-friendly environments,” said Cornero.

The ADVANCE program was created in 2018 to help streamline the educational path of community college students wishing to attend a four-year institution. More than 1,800 students participate in the program.

Students who are accepted into the program are assigned success coaches who help guide them as to which classes they need to take to get credit from Mason, so they don’t waste money taking classes that don’t help them achieve their four-year degree. The success coaches stay with them throughout their time at both schools.

“Research has found that students in community colleges weren’t going on to four-year colleges because they lacked resources. One problem was that they were spending money for classes that didn’t transfer to four-year institutions,” said Prioleau. “The program was designed to mitigate these types of barriers and create a streamlined admissions process.”

Erica Koprowski. Photo provided.

Students who participate in the ADVANCE program also get access the Mason’s health insurance benefit and receive identification cards that allow them to be use Mason’s resources, such as its libraries and recreational facilities. Once they have earned their associate’s degree, students in the program can transfer to Mason without having to pay an application fee. To transfer, they must have maintained at least a 2.5 grade point average. Students with a 2.85 grade point average are eligible for a general education waiver.

Koprowski, 32, moved to Virginia with her husband, then started at NOVA in 2018, after having taken some community college classes in New Jersey. She has been working full-time as a human resources administrator while finishing up her classes at Mason. Koprowski said that her ADVANCE counselor helped her with the transition from NOVA to Mason.

“I felt much more comfortable with the transition because I knew she had my back,” said Koprowski, who is graduating with a BS in business with a management concentration. “There are no words to describe how excited I am to be graduating. I am feeling very accomplished.”

Cornero has been doing research on honey bee colonies since she first arrived at Mason for the Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program. She’s planning on pursuing a PhD in bioscience.

“The ADVANCE program helped me so much to get to where I am today,” said Cornero. “I am the first person in my family to get a college degree, so even though it has taken a long time, I am very proud. It’s been very important to me.”

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Washington tells of Mason’s plans to help re-educate workers at Board of Visitors meeting

Colleen Rich — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 19:13:12 +0000

Washington tells of Mason’s plans to help re-educate workers at Board of Visitors meeting Colleen Rich Fri, 12/04/2020 - 14:13

A slide from President Washington's State of the University presentation to the Board of Visitors.

George Mason University is looking at ways to provide education to experienced workers who were displaced as a result of the economic downturn associated with the coronavirus pandemic, President Gregory Washington told the Board of Visitors Thursday.

As part of the upskilling initiative to help displaced workers, Mason is aligning curriculum to allow individuals to attain the skills they would need to qualify for job openings in Northern Virginia, Washington said. The upskilling initiative is aimed at individuals with college degrees whose skills are increasingly mismatched for the changing job market. Regional unemployment peaked in April 2020 at 10.4%. There are currently 495,000 job openings in the greater Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia region.

“We have put together curriculum that matches the needs of those jobs,” said Washington. “We are looking to lower the cost of entry” for individuals who would want to update or modify their skillset.

Washington’s presentation occurred at the Board of Visitors’ December meeting held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic. During the meeting, the board also approved the further progress of the Arlington Campus extension.

The board also voted to add the Staff Senate chair as a nonvoting member, complementing the existing Faculty Senate chair representation.

Washington told the Board of Visitors that Mason is planning ways to best position its current students to join the workforce despite a difficult national unemployment rate, especially for recent college graduates.

“We have to figure out how to support students, and how to position them, such that when they graduate, they can take advantage of the opportunities in the workforce,” said Washington.

The university is creating the Mason Talent exchange, which is aimed at more precisely matching early career professionals about to enter the job market with regional employers looking for entry-level college-educated talent.

In addition, Washington said that Mason is planning to help meet the growing demand for higher education in Virginia by expanding access to the university through community college partnerships, such as the ADVANCE program with Northern Virginia Community College.

In his presentation to the board, Washington highlighted Mason’s accomplishments and recent rankings. Mason is the highest ranked institution in the United States under 50 years old and the eighth most diverse institution, said Washington.

Washington also highlighted the relatively low number of coronavirus cases at Mason during the fall semester through rigorous testing and safety protocols.

“We have been able to maintain our campus being open in a limited fashion,” said Washington. “Right now, we are planning for a spring reopening similar to the reopening in the fall.”

Gov. Northam highlights Mason as a model for safe reopening during Fairfax Campus visit

Colleen Rich — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 21:53:28 +0000

Gov. Northam highlights Mason as a model for safe reopening during Fairfax Campus visit Colleen Rich Tue, 09/22/2020 - 17:53

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam praised George Mason University for keeping its coronavirus numbers low during a visit to the Fairfax Campus on Tuesday where he announced a refinancing plan for colleges and universities.

“Mason has taken safety precautions very seriously,” said Northam, speaking through a Mason-branded face covering. “I know that this campus community understands that safety is a shared responsibility.”

Mason President Gregory Washington thanked Northam for his steady leadership during the pandemic. Washington also said it has so far been a great year for Mason.

“Earlier this year, we were worried if we could even open up,” Washington said. “Not only have we opened up, but… our plan for a Safe Return to Campus has far exceeded our expectations.”

Mason recently conducted 2,400 coronavirus tests to uncover an extremely low positivity rate of 0.45%, which Northam called “enviable.”

Mason created safety protocols such as requiring face coverings in public and when around others and practicing physical distancing whenever possible. Students have done an outstanding job in taking the pandemic seriously, Washington said.

Mason is “probably about the safest place you can be … outside of your home,” Washington told Northam.

The refinancing plan Northam announced could save Virginia colleges and universities more than $300 million over the next two years. The plan involves refinancing bonds issued by the Treasury Board of Virginia and the Virginia College Building Authority, which universities use for capital projects.

“The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have tremendous impacts on higher education, including the fiscal health of our colleges and universities,” Northam said. “Families all over the country are taking advantage of record low interest rates to finance their home mortgages, and we want our public institutions to benefit as well.”

If Mason takes advantage of the plan, it could save $58.3 million, according to the Office of the Governor. Higher education institutions would make no principal payments on the affected bonds through fiscal year 2023, and would also see their payment plans extended for two years beyond their current schedule.

After his announcement, Northam, along with Washington and other Mason officials, toured Peterson Hall, stopping at a nursing simulation lab. Washington, Northam and Mason Provost Mark R. Ginsberg talked to students in JoAnn Lee’s social work class. The group also visited the parking garage at the Ángel Cabrera Global Center, where they saw coronavirus testing being conducted.

“You are our ground zero,” Washington told about a dozen Mason employees conducting the testing.

Mason, Virginia’s largest and most diverse public university, grew this fall by about 2% compared with last fall to a total of 38,406 students. This fall, Mason offered a variety of in-person, hybrid and online classes to ensure students receive a quality education without sacrificing health and safety during the pandemic. In addition, all students, staff, faculty and visitors must fill out the Mason COVID Health Check anytime they are on campus.

Communications Manager John Hollis contributed to this report.

Gregory Washington, Mason’s incoming president, says school is ‘beacon for the country’

Colleen Rich — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 22:38:23 +0000

Gregory Washington, Mason’s incoming president, says school is ‘beacon for the country’ Colleen Rich Thu, 02/27/2020 - 17:38

Gregory Washington told regional and campus media that Mason's story is his story at his first press conference as George Mason University's eighth president. Photo by Lathan Goumas/Office of Communications and Marketing.

Newly selected George Mason University President Gregory Washington told a group of journalists Thursday that he’s “ecstatic” to be the school’s eighth president. He will join the university on July 1, 2020.

After a whirlwind tour of Mason’s campuses in Arlington and Manassas, Washington met with regional and campus media, including The Washington Post, Washington Business Journal, Associated Press, Diverse Issues in Higher Education, DVM, and local affiliates for NBC and Fox, along with The Fourth Estate, WGMU and Freshman Focus.

Washington said he was impressed with Mason as an institution that has combined world-class research with access to excellence.

Mason, Washington said, is set up to be “one of the beacons for the country.”

Washington said he was particularly attracted to Mason for its efforts to recruit and support first-generation and low-income students. Thirty-nine percent of Mason students are first-generation college students. Washington, Mason’s first African American president, is also a first-generation college student and said he comes from a low-income background.

Gregory Washington, Mason's newly selected president, is interviewed by Fourth Estate co-editors Hailey Bullis and Dana Nickel at his press conference on Thursday. Photo by Lathan Goumas/Office of Communications and Marketing.

“I recognize that the story of this institution parallels and is my story,” said Washington.

Washington said that he would be a strong supporter of programs promoting equal access to education, such as Mason’s Early Identification Program and its ADVANCE transfer pathway program.

“I have seen the power that education has in changing the fortunes of families,” said Washington. “I’ve lived that.”

Washington is dean of the Henry Samueli School of Engineering at University of California, Irvine. He earned his bachelor’s, master’s and PhD degrees in mechanical engineering at North Carolina State University. Learn more about his career.

During his meeting with regional and campus media, Washington introduced his wife, Nicole, and praised both Mason and the Northern Virginia community.

“This is a great fit for me personally,” said Washington. “This one just feels right.”