Manouchehri is this year’s Winter Commencement speaker Katarina Benson Fri, 10/17/2025 - 10:28 Body Ali Reza Manouchehri, BA Philosophy ‘99, co-founder and chief executive officer of MetroStar, a company he started as a George Mason University student, will be the featured speaker at Winter Commencement on December 18 at EagleBank Arena on the Fairfax Campus.  Manouchehri will be the Winter Commencement speaker. Manouchehri launched MetroStar, a digital transformation company serving government agencies and the private sector, in 1999 from his residence hall room. The company now has a team of more than 500 engineers, designers, and innovators who assist clients in staying abreast of the latest technologies to modernize operations.  The Iranian-born Manouchehri also is co-founder and chairperson, and former CEO, at software company Zoomph. Both MetroStar and Zoomph are based in Reston, Virginia.   In 2023, Manouchehri was named Executive of the Year in the $75 Million-$300 Million category at the Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards. In 2022, he received WashingtonExec's 2022 Chief Executive Officer Award in the Private Company, Annual Revenue less than $150M category. In 2024 he was appointed director of MainStreet Bank.   Named a College of Humanities and Social Sciences Distinguished Alumnus in 2012, Manouchehri has been active in several capacities at George Mason, including as philanthropist, a judge at the Accelerator Investor Conference, and currently as an advisory board member for the Costello College of Business Baroni Center for Government Contracting.  Manouchehri spoke at the CHSS degree celebration in 2016.  Topics Topics Campus News Alumni Winter Commencement Graduation

PiVoT Peace Lab transforms conflict into connection Sarah Holland Fri, 10/17/2025 - 09:35 Body Look at any newsfeed in the United States, and it won’t take long to find an article, op-ed, or think piece on the growing divide between Americans. Left vs right, liberal vs conservative, blue vs red: political polarization has become a hot topic in American media as both a cause and a symptom of growing tensions across the country. But what’s missing from the conversation is the solution. How do we find common ground and bridge these growing gaps to create a more peaceful future? In the Polarization and Violence Transformed (PiVoT) Peace Lab in the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, researchers and practitioners are developing methods for peace-oriented responses to the negative impacts of extreme polarization and conflict around the globe. Daniel Rothbart. Photo by Creative Services/Office of University Branding “Most protracted violent conflicts are identity-based, meaning that the militants of one identity group are in a violent engagement with the militants or civilians of another identity group,” said Daniel Rothbart, Druscilla French Chair in Conflict Analysis and Resolution and director of the PiVoT Peace Lab. “That type of destructive polarization that encourages dehumanization is often at the center of these conflicts.” The lab hosts a number of student- and researcher-led projects diving deeply into polarization: its causes, its consequences, and its possible solutions. “It’s created for me this exciting opportunity to not only explore these important issues, but also to work with amazing students at all levels of our program,” said Rothbart. One of those students is PiVoT Peace Lab manager Randy Lioz. Lioz, a master’s student in conflict analysis and resolution, developed an interest in the study of polarization in 2016, when conversations with friends and family about the 2016 presidential election highlighted contrasting viewpoints. “I thought that what we’re missing are the tools and skills to have these conversations that could bring us into better understanding with one another,” he said. Since pivoting his career from the automotive industry to peacebuilding, Lioz has worked with practitioners and academics to develop methods and strategies for engaging opposite sides in relationship building that can break the cycles of dehumanization that fuel negative polarization. “We need to understand what forces exist and how they push people toward radicalization, extremism, and alienation,” Lioz explained, “and then we need to figure out the best interventions.” “Our mission as peacebuilders is to not only understand violent conflicts, but to help change the relationship among antagonist groups and help them transform,” said Rothbart. As part of the peace lab’s mission to develop methods of reducing or eliminating the negative impacts of polarization and to foster this transformation, one of Lioz’s ongoing projects is leading the Depolarization Labs and Trainers Alliance (DeLTA). DeLTA brings scholars and practitioners together to build connections and explore pathways for bridging the growing divide. Randy Lioz. Photo provided. “Putting nonprofit partners in the same room as academics gives folks who are working in this field a place where they can talk about their research and connect it back to practice on the ground,” Lioz said. DeLTA’s upcoming conference on October 27, “Pathways Forward: How Can We Restore Trust and Faith in America?” will give students, scholars, and practitioners the opportunity to learn about intervention techniques from national nonprofit leaders and university professors across the greater Washington, D.C., region. “Right now, our faith in our institutions has been shaken, and this is existential for us. We need to rebuild our social capital and our trust in each other,” said Lioz. “I want people to get inspired by the work that’s being done to bring us all back into community with one another, particularly students who might want to pursue this field as a career. I want this to motivate us to tackle this existential problem of our time.” But still, the question posed by the media remains: Can we come back from this? Lioz and Rothbart believe so. “Just as the forces of polarization have increased, I see the forces of depolarization are also intensifying. I see it in the strength and resilience that all over the nation, in how people are protecting the most vulnerable populations,” said Rothbart. “We talk about polarization as if it’s an inevitability; polarization is not inevitable, nor is it irreversible. There are so many reasons to be hopeful.”  Learn more about the 2025 DeLTA conference In This Story People Mentioned in This Story Daniel RothbartRelated news PiVoT Peace Lab transforms conflict into connection October 17, 2025 Fall 2025 Peace Week focuses on bridging peacebuilding, development, and security September 17, 2025 Carter School dean leads peacebuilding workshop in Hiroshima May 30, 2025 Carter School students attend the Oxford Consortium for Human Rights April 21, 2025 Announcing the recipients of the 2025 Presidential Awards for Faculty Excellence April 16, 2025Topics Topics Campus News Research Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution PiVoT Peace Lab GCI-Grand Challenge Initiative Mason Square

Powerful community partnerships help combat public health challenges Taylor Thomas Fri, 10/10/2025 - 13:06 Body The Mason and Partners (MAP) Clinics’ Empowered Communities program’s success is driven by dynamic partnerships between George Mason University and community organizations that are transforming public health outcomes in underserved communities.   Initiatives convene networks of nurses, peer specialists, community health workers, and students to bring acute and chronic health care services, immunizations, school health exams, substance misuse treatment, mental health services, and more to low-income, uninsured, or refugee populations. For example, the Empowered Communities Opioid Project helps people involved with the justice system who struggle with opioid use disorders connect with health care providers and community resources.  Photo by Emily Roscher. Empowered Communities programs exemplify how college-community alliances can directly improve highly targeted public health issues. These collaborations are foundational to delivering sustainable, person-centered care where it’s needed most. By combining academic expertise with on-the-ground community insight, these partnerships are creating scalable models for building healthier communities.  Prince William County and MAP Clinics partner on several initiatives, including the Jail Medication-Assisted Treatment Program, the Peer Internship Project, and Community MAT efforts. The collaboration is rooted in shared goals of expanding access to treatment, strengthening peer support services, and promoting recovery within justice-involved populations. Their remarkable collaboration was recognized with the Jack Wood Award for Town-Gown Relations in the category of Partnership Initiative.  “Partnerships like these are essential for building coordinated, comprehensive responses to the opioid epidemic, substance use, and behavioral health challenges in Prince William County, City of Manassas, and Manassas Park. By working together, we can leverage collective expertise, align resources, and deliver consistent, person-centered care across systems,” said Sara Wheeler, division manager of the Adult Behavioral Health and Recovery Services in the Prince William County Government.  Harnessing Tech Partners to Improve Health  Sri Vasireddy, co-founder and CEO of REAN Foundation, leads an organization dedicated to using technology to improve access, affordability, and efficiency in health care. Together, REAN and the MAP Clinics created Mason HealthLink, an AI companion that allows patients to self-manage their own care by connecting them with resources, practitioners, and updated care plans. Their partnership exemplifies the intersection of technology and health care.  “There is tremendous need for what we do and there's a lot that we need to put together. I am a technology entrepreneur, and I have little direct knowledge in health care,” said Vasireddy. "What I know comes from working with organizations and partnerships, meeting people, and learning about their communities’ needs. On the technology side, the technology people process aspects of building a platform. But we need nursing staff and community workers and volunteers to help answer is this contextualized, is this personalized? It’s not just one discipline. We need psychology, we need science, we need technology, we need business in terms of the operations." These partnerships—between academic institutions, local governments, and technology innovators—are the foundation of Empowered Communities’ success. They demonstrate how collaboration across sectors can drive sustainable public health solutions and improve outcomes for underserved populations.   Over the past two years, the Empowered Communities has hosted a conference that served as a platform for these partners to showcase milestones and reaffirm their shared commitment to providing resources to those most in need.  “Gatherings like the Empowered Communities Conference foster connection, knowledge sharing, and inspiration across sectors. They provide a platform to highlight innovative practices, celebrate progress, and strengthen the collective commitment to recovery, equity, and community resilience,” said Wheeler.  Photo by Emily Roscher.Topics Topics Empowered Communities Mason and Partners (MAP) partnerships collaboration Public Health Community Health School of Nursing Campus News GCI-Grand Challenge Initiative

Career Influencers Network guides career-ready students toward success Lauren Reuscher Thu, 10/09/2025 - 10:05 Body The Career Influencers Network at George Mason University empowers faculty and staff to provide career development support to students throughout their academic journey. The network is open to instructors, advisors, success coaches, supervisors, and any others across campus who are positioned to help students achieve their professional goals.  University Career Services hosted a reception in early October honoring the network’s 10th anniversary. The network started in 2015 with 19 members, and it has now grown to include more than 500 faculty and staff.  Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding The network exemplifies George Mason’s approach to preparing career-ready graduates. “The Career Influencers Network was the beginning of a ‘career ecosystem’ or ‘career everywhere’ approach,” said Saskia Campbell, executive director of University Career Services. “Preparing career-ready graduates is not confined to one office; it’s a shared responsibility of every faculty and staff member.” The Carnegie Foundation and American Council on Education (ACE) has named George Mason to the highest tier of its list of Opportunity Colleges and Universities: Higher Access, Higher Earnings, in recognition of the university’s commitment to accessibility, return on investment, and upward mobility. Positive, high-earning career outcomes contribute to that recognition.  Career Influencers offer students job-search advice, refer them to career advising, promote employer recruitment efforts at George Mason, and share career resources with students.  “Campus partners have helped students connect the dots between their academic experiences or on-campus jobs and their professional futures—and that is transformative,” Campbell said. The Career Influencers Network has garnered national attention—other institutions reach out for guidance to replicate its success on their own campuses. George Mason’s network has been highlighted by organizations supporting career services in higher education, including the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. The network’s ability to reach students wherever they are has been instrumental to its success.  “It's a common challenge many career services offices face: how to serve a large student population with limited staff and resources,” said Kristin Leonato, associate director of programs and outreach in University Career Services. “Utilizing career services is optional and not a required part of a degree program. The network allows us to connect with campus partners who students already know and trust.” To join the network, faculty and staff participate in an interactive, 4.5-hour training covering topics like career readiness, how employers recruit George Mason students, and strategies to support students at various stages of their career development. Engagement with the network does not end with the initial training. Career Influencers receive ongoing support from University Career Services, including workshops on related topics and monthly updates on career-related events and services. The 10th anniversary event included words of appreciation from Campbell and Rose Pascarell, vice president of University Life, who presented two awards recognizing faculty and staff contributions to the Career Influencers Network.  Erin McSherry, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (pictured at left), received the Star Recruiter Award for having referred the most new members to the Career Influencers Network. Pictured at right is Kristin Leonato, associate director, University Career Services. Photo provided Erin McSherry, assistant dean in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS), received the Star Recruiter Award for having referred the most new members to the network. About 50% of the faculty and staff in the network are referred by a colleague or supervisor.  Larry Guerin, adjunct faculty in the Criminology, Law, and Society Department within CHSS, received the Outstanding Influencer Award for demonstrating the impact career influencers can make on students’ personal and professional lives.  “It takes a strong network of committed professionals to support students in achieving their short-term and long-term professional goals in a wide range of career fields,” said Leonato. “The more than 500 faculty and staff in the Career Influencers Network are an important part of this work.” University Career Services Join the Career Influencers Network Read More Like This Meet the Mason Nation: Rachel Spence October 16, 2025 Center for Community Mental Health partnership provides behavioral health training October 15, 2025 Appreciation: Schar School Professor David Armor October 15, 2025 Around Mason: Week of Oct. 14, 2025 October 14, 2025 George Mason marketing professor receives prestigious research funding October 10, 2025Topics Topics Faculty and Staff News University Career Services career-ready graduates workforce College of Humanities and Social Sciences Campus News

Guiding innovation: Meet the George Mason mentors helping entrepreneurs turn ideas into impact Colleen Rich Wed, 10/08/2025 - 15:31 Body In the heart of Northern Virginia’s Innovation District, you can feel the buzz of ideas turning into action. Labs hum with experiments, whiteboards fill with sketches of prototypes, and the seeds of new ventures begin to grow. Guiding these entrepreneurs and inventors are TJ Master and Elizabeth Pyle, mentors with the Virginia Small Business Development Center’s (SBDC) Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program (ICAP). TJ Master. Photo provided Their job? Helping early-stage entrepreneurs transform vision into viable business strategy. For both Master and Pyle, mentoring is more than advising—it’s about meeting founders where they are, asking tough questions, and helping them navigate the uncertain early stages of growth. “I’m a go-to-market expert,” Master said, describing his background that spans Business-to-Consumer, Business-to-Business, and Business-to-Government sectors. “At ICAP, I work with teams from ideation through scaling. Most teams come in with an idea of their initial market and value proposition—I help them test those assumptions and figure out how to turn early interest into a go-to-market plan that makes sense.” Master’s experience is hard-earned. He helped lead a global communications company from start-up to more than $100 million in annual revenue across six countries—culminating in a NASDAQ IPO. Now, his focus is on using that experience to fuel others’ success. “Working within a community of peers fosters collaboration and shared learning,” he said. “Founders get access to objective guidance in a space where everyone’s trying to solve similar problems.” For Pyle, mentorship has always been about helping ideas find traction in the real world. Over the past two decades, she’s worked with start-ups and growth-stage companies in tech and health care, supporting founders as they turn ideas into sustainable businesses. Elizabeth Pyle. Photo provided As chief operating officer of Aperiomics, Pyle led operations and regulatory strategy. Before that, she helped shape the entrepreneurial ecosystem at the University of Virginia (UVA), directing the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps site program and serving as associate director for technology entrepreneurship at UVA’s School of Engineering and Applied Science. Today, through her consulting firm, Pyle & Associates, she supports companies across industries in interim leadership roles. At ICAP, “I typically work with first-time founders and later-stage teams, faculty spinouts, and start-up to early-stage companies in life sciences, tech-enabled, and government-adjacent sectors,” Pyle said. “My focus is helping them optimize business models, prepare for funding, and build teams that can execute.” Both mentors say that while funding is often the first thing founders mention as a challenge, it’s not the only hurdle. “Many teams haven’t deeply defined the problem they’re trying to solve,” Pyle said. “They focus on the technology instead of the customer’s pain. What they really need to do is set the tech aside and validate the problem—understand who has it, what it looks like, and how it affects workflow.” Hiring and limited lab space can also slow momentum.  Still, for both mentors, the region’s innovation energy is unmistakable. New initiatives like Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Lab-to-Launch program, which aims to streamline commercialization processes across Virginia’s universities, promise to make it even easier for entrepreneurs to turn ideas into impact. “It’s an exciting initiative,” Master said. “It introduces a transparent and founder-friendly approach to licensing and tech transfer across the state, helping both researchers and entrepreneurs move their products forward faster.” And while the innovation landscape is changing—particularly with artificial intelligence accelerating product development and investor expectations—Master sees opportunity in the shift. “Investors are asking for stronger growth signals earlier,” he said. “AI raises the bar for lean teams and drives faster hypothesis testing. That creates pressure and opportunity.” For founders who don’t have a technical background, Pyle has simple but powerful advice: Build your team. “Be honest about your strengths and weaknesses,” she said. “Recruit people who can fill the gaps. Investors back teams who they feel can execute.” Her second piece of guidance: Keep listening. “Leverage customer discovery interviews,” she said. “Talk to potential users, test assumptions, gather data, and refine the problem you’re solving.” That focus on curiosity and adaptability is exactly what the Innovation District, led jointly by George Mason, Prince William County, and the City of Manassas, and anchored by George Mason’s Science and Technology Campus, hopes to cultivate—a community where researchers, students, and entrepreneurs collaborate to build something bigger than themselves. Through ICAP, Virginia-based founders have access to free resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities designed to turn great ideas into market-ready ventures. Master and Pyle are both on site to meet with founders and teams in the Innovation District. Learn more and register to for ICAP program benefits and mentorship through the Virginia SBDC website.  To connect with Master and Pyle, entrepreneurs can sign up for the Innovation District newsletter by emailing ibhi@gmu.edu.  Learn more about Mason Enterprise Related Stories Guiding innovation: Meet the George Mason mentors helping entrepreneurs turn ideas into impact October 8, 2025 Mason Enterprise at George Mason University propels entrepreneurship across the region September 24, 2025 Youngkin launches university commercialization initiative to fast-track startups and accelerate innovation August 13, 2025 Fuse at Mason Square welcomes three new tech industry tenants July 18, 2025 Regional startups find support at annual Accelerate Investor Conference November 11, 2024 Topics Topics Campus News Science and Technology Campus Innovation District entrepreneurship Mason Enterprise

George Mason University drives upward mobility, salary outcomes, and value in Virginia according to the Wall Street Journal Colleen Rich Thu, 10/02/2025 - 09:26 Body George Mason University is Virginia’s leading public university for value, upward mobility, and salary outcomes, according to the Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. This recognition underscores George Mason’s impact as one of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s most influential public universities, providing students with a high-quality education and preparing graduates for strong career opportunities.    Climbing five spots nationally to 71st overall and 32nd among public universities, and to the top 5 in Virginia (4th overall), George Mason reinforced its consistent record of leadership nationally and in the commonwealth. Key highlights from the 2026 Wall Street Journal rankings include: No. 1 in Virginia for upward mobility No. 1 among Virginia and D.C. area public universities for salary outcomes No. 1 among Virginia public universities for best value Top 5 university in Virginia for student experience George Mason’s top ranking for upward mobility reflects its commitment to helping students from all backgrounds succeed. With above-average graduation rates, universal access to internships—including financial support for unpaid positions—and 85% of 2024 graduates reporting a positive career outcome, the university equips students to launch strong careers, with a majority remaining in Virginia and the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region.  Ranked No. 1 among Virginia and Washington, D.C., metropolitan region public universities for salary outcomes, George Mason also stands out nationally, earning a top 50 rank (42nd overall). Graduates consistently report among the highest starting salaries of any Virginia public university, a testament to George Mason’s focus on career readiness and success. The Wall Street Journal recognizes George Mason as No. 1 among Virginia public universities (95th nationally) for best value, emphasizing the university’s commitment to affordability and minimizing student debt.  Significant gains were made in student experience, with George Mason climbing into the top 100 public universities (93rd overall) and into the top 5 in Virginia (4th overall), reflecting increased student satisfaction, expanded opportunities on campus for collaboration and engagement, and continued investment in creating a dynamic learning environment that fosters students’ growth as individuals, scholars, and professionals. These results build on George Mason’s strong performance in other recent national rankings. U.S. News & World Report recognized George Mason as No. 1 in Virginia and the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region public universities for upward mobility and in the top 5 in Virginia for best value. Forbes places George Mason among the nation’s top 50 public universities (47th overall), while Washington Monthly ranks the university as top 5 in Virginia overall in Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars and No. 1 in Virginia overall in Best Bang for the Buck in the Southeast. Together, these rankings spotlight George Mason’s distinctive role in delivering access, value, and outcomes at scale. The full list of George Mason rankings is available at gmu.edu/rankings.Related Stories George Mason in the Rankings October 17, 2025 George Mason University drives upward mobility, salary outcomes, and value in Virginia according to the Wall Street Journal October 2, 2025 George Mason University is #1 among Virginia and DMV region public universities for upward mobility, and a top 5 school for best value in Virginia, according to U.S. News September 23, 2025 George Mason highlighted as one of Carnegie’s Opportunity Colleges and Universities April 24, 2025 George Mason ranks among Top 50 graduate programs nationally in engineering, public policy, and other fields April 8, 2025Explore Internships at George Mason George Mason Rankings