The Archive of the Magazine for the George Mason University Community

Alumni Profiles

Principal of the Year Leads by Example

By Mason Spirit contributor on December 6, 2022

photo of Amy Schott greeting a student with school buses in the background

In April, Amy Schott was chosen as the Washington Post’s 2022 Principal of the Year from 14 finalists in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.

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Entrepreneur Fully Embraces Change

By Mason Spirit contributor on June 21, 2022

Shaza Andersen, BA Area Studies ’89, has built a successful career in banking that has earned her a number of accolades. The founder and CEO of Trustar Bank shared her success story with the Winter 2021 graduating class in December.

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Answering Research Questions that Matter

By Mason Spirit contributor on June 21, 2022

Virginia “Ginny” Espina, PhD Biosciences ’13, has been instrumental to Mason’s community health and safety protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s the latest in a long line of professional accomplishments for the research professor.

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Making Movie Magic

By Mason Spirit contributor on June 21, 2022

Alexander Hammett working on the set of Tale of Tarot.

Alexander Hammett, BA Film and Video Studies ’21, who won accolades at the Miami Indie Films festival last year, returned to campus for the annual Best of Mason film showcase and to share career advice with film students.

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A Top Influential Arab American

By Mariam Aburdeineh, BA ’13 on December 16, 2021

Laila Mokhiber

Laila Mokhiber, BA Global Affairs ’09, director of communications at United Nations Relief and Works Agency USA, was named among the top 40 influential Arab Americans under 40 by the Arab America Foundation for 2020.

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Meet the Mason Nation: Philip Wilkerson

By Priyanka Champaneri, BA '05, MFA '10 on December 16, 2021

Philip Wilkerson

As an industry adviser for University Career Services, Philip Wilkerson, MEd Counseling and Development ’12, spends his days advising students who are hoping to pursue employment in creative fields, from the performing or visual arts to events management and tourism.

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The Show Must Go On

By Mason Spirit contributor on December 7, 2021

Christian White

Christian White, BA Communication ’21, was able to pursue his acting career and finish his degree while appearing in four episodes of a Showtime crime drama starring Kevin Bacon.

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Negotiating with the Taliban

By Mariam Aburdeineh, BA ’13 on September 10, 2021

Khalid Noor, BA Conflict Analysis and Resolution ’19, is the youngest member of an Afghan negotiating team seeking peace with the Taliban.

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Turning an Injury into an Opportunity

By Damian Cristodero on September 7, 2021

Michael Murphy, MA History ’12, a paraplegic athlete and speaker, has turned his life-changing accident into an inspirational message of positivity and hope, which he details in a new book.

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All Rise

By Mason Spirit contributor on September 3, 2021

Melissa Long, JD ’95, became the first Black justice on the Rhode Island Supreme Court earlier this year. Her historic appointment was another moment in her family’s legacy of breaking barriers.

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