With state funding for higher education continuing to decline, there is increased pressure for institutions to close the funding gap with philanthropic support. As we consider the growing importance of philanthropy in higher education, a shift must occur where philanthropy is no longer defined simply as “giving money”, but instead is considered an act of generosity to transform the wellbeing of others. This paradigm shift illustrates the need for higher education to make systematic changes to how it approaches philanthropy (Ruffalo, 2017).
This session will provide a broad overview of philanthropy at Mason and will incorporate interactive elements throughout that will allow attendees to reflect on the role they can play in building a culture of philanthropy and a legacy of giving at their institution. Whether you are just starting to think about philanthropy and how it relates to your unit or you have current practices in place to raise funds, this session is intended for anyone interested in expanding their thoughts and engaging in dialogue around philanthropy.
Disability Services actively serves over 5% of the Mason student population at any given time and that number continues to grow. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 26% of the US adult population currently lives with a disability. As Mason targets total student enrollment to exceed 40,000+ students within the next 5 years—coupled with a greater focus to increase access for all students through initiatives like ADVANCE—it will become increasingly important for all members of the Mason community to deliver programming, educational opportunities, and campus-wide events that adhere to principles of Universal Design (UD). While examples of UD are more readily evident and present in our everyday lives as physical elements (e.g., automatic/sliding doors, curb cuts), there are practices that we can all incorporate into our services, policies, procedures, outreach, and instruction that enhance accessibility.
Come learn about Disability Services and disability-related trends at Mason and across the nation more broadly. Participants will be provided with information about Universal Design and Universal Design for Learning. Participants will be asked to apply UD and UDL principles to their own specific services, offices, or programs with a chance to report back to the larger group.
Living Learning Communities (LLCs) at Mason have focused for years on innovative high impact practices through a co-curricular lens - and we would love to share some of those with you! Learn from our experiences in building partnerships and how they have helped us create some incredible experiences and living environments for our students. LLC staff will share the background and impact of some distinct examples of initiatives created over the years - from makerspaces in our halls to unique faculty engagement excursions! Let us share our lessons in collaboration and planning and engage in a dialogue around the creation of these initiatives built to enhance the student experience outside of the classroom.
The name of the game is Innovation here at Mason! Future success depends on uncovering new ways of doing things to increase opportunities for our students. This begins with expanding our view, widening our peripheral vision and seeing how we utilize what we already have in new and innovative ways.
Join us for an interactive session that explores how two units within separate divisions came together to elevate the student experience by reconsidering approaches to their programs. This session will also offer the opportunity for participants to engage in an activity to develop their own list of potential opportunities and work through an idea that they may have brewing.
It is estimated that 40% of first year students at Mason are the first in their families to attend college. Mirroring national trends within higher education, these numbers are expected to climb in the coming years. How do we meet the needs of this student population? Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education + LGBTQ Resources has developed several programs and initiatives to address and advocate for our student’s needs. During this interactive session, participants will learn about these research-based initiatives, as well as the impact these programs have had on student success and retention. These include the continuation of the Student Transition Empowerment Program (STEP), the establishment of the first generation peer mentoring program, and the re-establishment of a learning living community specifically for first generation students, among others. In addition, we will also discuss the challenges faced in the implementation of these programs, as well as challenges faced reaching our commuter first generation students. The session will include an opportunity for participants to ask questions and provide feedback. We will close this session by discussing ways we as a Mason community can continue to support our students.
Brandi Blake currently serves as the Assistant Director for Diversity, Inclusion and Multicultural Education and LGBTQ Resources at George Mason University. Her primary role is to support Black and African Heritage Students through programming, advising, support and advocacy. Additional... Read More →
Vanessa Correa currently serves as Associate Director for First Generation Initiatives in the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education (ODIME) + LGBTQ Resources at George Mason University. Within this role, she serves as the program director for the Student Transition... Read More →
Growing demand for mental health services and rising rates of suicidal risk in college students continue to be a challenge for universities. Participants will be exposed to research on contributing factors, the ways in which mental health trends present differently in diverse groups of students, and the emerging best practice of taking a university-wide public health approach to the prevention of suicide and serious substance abuse. We will present information about our grant-funded, four-year partnership with the Jed Foundation through the Jed Campus initiative that is designed to support our efforts in developing an effective public health approach to prevention at Mason. Data from our recent administration to students of the Healthy Minds Study will be presented along with discussion of our current prevention-related programs, practices, and policies. We will share the strategic plan recommendations we received from the JED Foundation for improving our university-wide prevention approach. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in small group discussions and activities designed to both increase awareness and knowledge of the issues, and to identify opportunities for engagement in this new Mason initiative.
Staff Psychologist, Counseling and Psychological Services
Dr. Gloria is a licensed clinical psychologist in Virginia. She completed her doctoral degree in counseling psychology at the University of Maryland, College Park. She completed an APA-accredited doctoral internship at the University of Texas at Austin where she worked at the Counseling... Read More →
Executive Director, Counseling and Psychological Services
Dr. Rachel Wernicke is a former Army officer and a licensed clinical psychologist, currently serving as Executive Director in Counseling and Psychological Services and Interim Associate Dean in University Life. She completed her doctoral degree in psychology at American University... Read More →
This presentation discusses the research funded by the National Association for Orientation, Transition, and Retention's Catalyst Grant, exploring the varying ways in which transfer students develop a sense of belonging. By exploring transfer student sense of belonging after the first semester, the preliminary findings of the study provide rich data to better assess learning outcomes associated for transitional programming targeted towards transfer students. Participants will learn how the preliminary results of the study deepen knowledge around how this timing affect a student's ability to successfully transition to a new campus environment.
George Mason University has set a Strategic Initiative of producing thousands of Career Ready Graduates over the next several years. International Students choose George Mason University programs with an eye to employment in the United States after they graduate. Many employers are fearful of hiring international students in this changing immigration landscape, students need to be educated on their employment benefits and how/when to deploy them, and departmental silos must be overcome in order to successfully guide a student from arrival, through employment while studying, and employment after they graduate.
This workshop will highlight the success of University Career Services and OIPS in creating a positive experience for students and employers by working hand-in-hand to address obstacles for students and employers and create a path for Career Ready graduates.
