George Mason The Pulse

The Pulse Vol. 7, No. 1 WINTER 2024

WWW.SCHAR.GMU.EDU

INTERNSHIPS! WHERE, WHEN, HOW, AND WHY 28:

THE SCHAR SCHOOL OFFERS STUDENTS THE CHANCE TO LEARN FROM ACCOMPLISHED LEADERS WHILE WORKING IN PROFESSIONAL SETTINGS AT KEY INSTITUTIONS THROUGHOUT WASHINGTON, D.C. SOMETIMES THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TURN INTO JOBS.

INSIDE: ALUMNI ACCOLADES 16 From Lithuanian basketball to Capitol Hill

21 Start a scholarship? Here’s why.

19 'Restaurateur of the Year' Rose Previte

26 'Washingtonian of the Year' Nicole Lynn Lewis

LETTER FROM THE DEAN

GEORGE MASON UNVEILS NEW LOGO, SLOGAN

THE PULSE MAGAZINE EDITOR/PUBLISHER Buzz McClain (BA ’77) WRITERS Erin Egan Colleen Kearney Rich (MFA ’95) Taylor Ramirez (BA ’23) Gabriella Grabovska Shayla Brown Abigail Danfora (MS ‘24) Aidan Jacobs PHOTOGRAPHERS Buzz McClain Ron Aira Xavier Jimenez Abigail Danfora (MS ‘24) John Boal Photography Jim Remington Photography

A s a high school student in southeast New York state, I was chosen in my senior year to participate in a three-week study program in far off Washington, D.C. Given my early enthusiasm to follow politics, the opportunity was energizing and exciting and I couldn’t wait to live and work in the nation’s capital, even for just three weeks. Part of that program included an internship component, one that seemed too good to be true. I was going to work in the Rayburn Building office of U.S.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, OR IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING, GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY HAS REBRANDED. In late April, President Gregory Washington and the Office of University Branding unveiled the interlocking sans serif “GM,” which replaces the more familiar, 20-year-old “quill M.” Also gone is the shooting star “starbolt” logo used by Athletics. The new logo is intended to echo and support the university’s new slogan, “All Together Different,” which highlights the school’s diversity, inclusivity, and a bold approach to problem solving and research. A new tradition begins. —Buzz McClain

ON THE COVER: Interns: Where, When, How—and Why?

table of contents

MARK J. ROZELL

2 Letter from the Dean:

Even Deans Were Interns Once Masthead: Meet the Crew

Rep. Benjamin Gilman, the moderate Republican who represented my home district. The experience—not that they let teenagers do much of consequence in the way of creating policy—had a big impact on my ultimate decision to major in political science. A second congressional internship, this one during college, also had a profound impact on my career. It convinced me that I much preferred to study and analyze politics than be a practitioner. It was a valuable lesson to learn, and I am grateful I had the period during the internship to learn it. And that’s what internships provide. Working in a professional environment as a college student helps illuminate your true passions, gives direction to your future, and affords an opportunity to assemble a network of new colleagues to make your ambition a reality. Our cover story, “Internships: Where, When, How—and Why,” details the many ways the Schar School helps our students find, apply for, and land internships at key institutions and businesses in nearby Washington, D.C. I’m happy to say we routinely find positions for students in the White House, Capitol Hill, the Pentagon, and at countless nongovernment organizations, nonprofits, and private enterprises that have established strong relationships with us over the years. In fact, they count on us to provide them with prepared and enthusiastic students to help them achieve their goals. In addition to learning about internships, this edition of the Pulse has a wide variety of news about our faculty, students, and alumni, all of whom continue to make us proud in a remarkable number of fields. Be sure to stay updated with our latest news at schar.gmu.edu/news-media. Enjoy the Pulse and have a great semester.

17 With U.S. Senate Help, Creating a New AI Center for Small Businesses 18 University’s ‘Senior of the Year’ Joins Master’s Program Jennifer Victor Named NCAPSA Top Mentor 19 ‘Restaurateur of the Year’ Delivers Degree Celebration Keynote 20 ALUMNI NEWS City of Fairfax Mayor Joins Alumni Board 21 Colin Hart: Here’s Why You Establish a Scholarship 22 Famous in Ukraine, Officially Unwelcome in Russia Wahab Named President of American University in Iraq 23 Graduate Student Reaps Rewards of Global Commerce and Policy Program David Hart Becomes Senior Fellow at Council on Foreign Relations 24 A ‘Rising Star’ for Helping Foreign Service, Military Spouses How ’17 Grad Evan Dunne Is Reshaping Tribal Health 25 A Noted Neurosurgeon Earns Biodefense Master’s Degree 26 ‘Washingtonian of the Year’: Nicole Lynn Lewis What is Mason Now ? 27 ODKM Turns 30! 28-31 Cover Story: Interns: Where, When, How—and Why More Resources for Interns 32 Parting Shots: • His Grandmother Was China’s Last Consort • Biodefense Students Get Touchy with Plasticized Organs

3 An All Together Different Logo 4 Shark Writes a Book About AI With AI

Aly Rayle Nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year Fulbright Sends Correa-Cabrera to Mexico

The Pulse Magazine is a publication of the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. For copies, please contact editor Buzz McClain at bmcclai2@gmu.edu; find it online at SCHAR.GMU.EDU/PULSE ABOUT THE SCHAR SCHOOL The Schar School of Policy and Government is one of the 10 schools and colleges of George Mason University, with approximately 2,000 students, 90 full-time faculty members, and more than 20 degree and certificate programs offered on George Mason’s campuses in Fairfax and Arlington, Virginia. Degree programs include government and international affairs, public policy, public administration, political science, international security and law, and global commerce and policy, among others. The Schar School prepares undergraduate and graduate students to be leaders and managers who solve problems and advance the public good in all sectors and levels of government—in the United States and throughout the world. For more, contact Buzz McClain at bmcclai2@gmu.edu. A DYNAMIC EDUCATION FOR AN EVOLVING WORLD.

5 A New University Partner in Hungary

Rodriguez Wins Award Named for Oppenheimer Virginia Legislature Declares Honor for Malawer 6 CNN Fixture Schneider Creates Scholarship Van der Wees Receives Taiwanese Presidential Medal 7 Faye Taxman’s Career Achievement Award Transformative Travel 8 It’s NEW: Pilot Program Introduces Cohort to Women Leaders 9 Meet Our Ukrainian ‘Scholar in Exile,’ Tetiana Khutor Auerswald Leads America250 Innovation Council 10 A Posthumous Degree Is Conferred 11 A Firebrand Undergrad Departs Early—for Georgetown Law 12 MPA Students Meet MPA Grad Government Leaders 13 Trump Trials ‘Jack’ Podcast Live on Stage Learning Communities Expand 14 The ‘Obama Whisperer’ Reveals All (or Some) 15 TraCCC Creates Map, Warns About Illicit Hubs New Book Debunks Myths of Nonprofit Dynamics 16 From Professional Basketball in Lithuania to I-SEC Master’s Degree

Mark J. Rozell Dean, Schar School of Policy and Government Ruth D. and John T. Hazel Chair in Public Policy

facebook.com/ScharSchool @ScharSchool linkedin.com/school/gmu-schar @ScharSchool @scharschoolofpolicyandgov

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SCHAR SCHOOL AND HUNGARY’S LUDOVIKA UPS FORGE INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP Í me egy jó hír*: The Schar School has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Ludovika University of Public Service (UPS) in Budapest, Hungary. The MOU formalizes the relationship between the two schools and will facilitate collaboration among the respective faculties and student bodies. “We are delighted to form this new partnership with the Ludovika University of Public Service, which already has resulted in a visiting faculty lecture there,” said Schar School dean Mark J. Rozell, referencing a lecture there by adjunct professor Charles N.W. Keckler. “We anticipate many more intellectual exchanges among our respective faculties and students.” Ludovika UPS was founded in 2012. The school’s 6,200 students are enrolled in undergraduate and graduate degree programs focusing on public administration, law enforcement, and military affairs. * Here is good news. —Buzz McClain FELLOWSHIP HONORING OPPENHEIMER BIOGRAPHER GOES TO RODRIGUEZ S char School assistant professor J. Luis Rodriguez was honored with the inaugural Martin J. Sherwin Fellowship by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Rodriguez, who specializes in global governance and nuclear arms control, is one of the first faculty members appointed to the Schar School’s new undergraduate International Security and Law bachelor of arts program. Sherwin’s biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer, American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer—with coauthor with Kai Bird—won a Pulitzer Prize in 2006 and inspired the 2023 Academy Award-winning film by Christopher Nolan. He was also a University Professor of History at George Mason from 2007 until his death in 2021. Rodriguez was recognized by the Wilson Center as “a rising star in the field of nuclear proliferation research … Luis’ project centers on issues dear to the work and legacy of the late Martin J. Sherwin and will strengthen the center’s focus on one of the most important international security threats and its deeper, global history.” —Buzz McClain

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SHARK COWRITES BOOK ON AI WITH AI S char School Associate Professor Alan R. Shark’s latest book is called Artificial Intelligence—A Primer for State and Local

“ AI helped with organizing thoughts, creating outlines, and seeking sources,” Shark said. “The book was edited twice using AI—so it was AI checking on AI.”

Governments: Everything You Need to Know Since Yesterday , a self-description that pretty much sums up the contents. The 164-page book was cowritten by ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Perplexity AI. Wait. What? Did the professor use AI to write a book about AI? In fact, he did. — Buzz McClain

SCHAR SCHOOL’S ALY RAYLE NOMINATED FOR NCAA WOMAN OF THE YEAR S char School student athlete Aly Rayle is the first Schar School student to be nominated for the prestigious NCAA Woman of the Year Award. The acknowledgment capped a standout college career for the Global Commerce and Policy master’s graduate. Rayle was an all-star pitcher on George Mason’s softball team, which won its first-ever Atlantic 10 conference championship in 2023. She was named A-10 Pitcher of the Year and helped the team to the championship with a 19-9 record, posting a 2.01 ERA. She set the all-time single-season strikeouts record and became the only Patriot pitcher to have

struck out 200 batters in a single season. She led the conference in overall strikeouts (242) and looking strikeouts (72). She finished the A-10 tournament with a 4-1 record, pitching 33 innings and recording 39 strikeouts to earn the A-10 Championship’s Most Outstanding Player award. Rayle also was a leader in the softball program’s community relations efforts, donating countless hours of to a variety of causes, including mentoring students at a local elementary school. — Buzz McClain

J. LUIS RODRIGUEZ

CORREA-CABRERA AWARDED A FULBRIGHT TO EXPLORE BORDER SECURITY AND IMMIGRATION S char School Professor Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to conduct research and teach in Mexico as part of the Fulbright-García Robles Social Sciences and Humanities Program. The highly competitive fellowship program has been awarded to 62 Nobel Laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners, and 80 MacArthur Fellows. She is one of eight George Mason faculty members to be awarded Fulbrights this year. Correa-Cabrera will reside at El Colegio de a Frontera Norte (El COLEF) in Tijuana, Mexico, where she will teach topics related to border issues as well as conduct research on the phenomenon of human smuggling and its impact on immigration policy and border security. “This opportunity is very important to me professionally,” she said. “It represents the closing of a period of very intense field research for me,” adding that she is finishing a book that will “identify the main actors facilitating human mobility through illicit forms, their social networks, and the systems they form.” — Buzz McClain

VA LEGISLATURE HONORS MALAWER T he Virginia Legislature passed Senate Joint Resolution No. 80, recognizing the contributions of Professor Stuart S. Malawer upon his retirement from the Schar School. With a career spanning 46 years at George Mason (and a total of 55 years in academia), Malawer’s impact extends far beyond the classroom, as recognized by the lengthy Senate resolution. A Mason Distinguished Faculty Member of the Year awardee, Malawer said he considers his years at Mason “as public service of the highest order. My students over the years have

been from all areas of the commonwealth and the world, and they have been simply outstanding. They have greatly enriched me and opened my eyes to many things globally.” —Buzz McClain

STUART MALAWER

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FORMER CNN PUNDIT BILL SCHNEIDER ESTABLISHES FUND FOR STUDENTS—WITH A CATCH W hen Professor Emeritus Bill Schneider established a fund to help Schar School public policy students, he had only one stipulation. “The only condition I placed on it was a relative preference should be given to students whose parents do not have college degrees,” he said of the $250,000 Bill Schneider Endowed Scholarship. “Lots of people go to college, but they never get a degree, and that includes my own parents. I gave [the gift] so there would be more students from underprivileged backgrounds who would have an opportunity to study at the Schar School.”

FAYE TAXMAN RECOGNIZED WITH VOLLMER AWARD T he American Society of Criminology presented Schar School Distinguished University Professor Faye S. Taxman with its highest accolade, the August Vollmer Award, given to “the individual whose scholarship and professional activities [have] made outstanding contributions to justice and/or the treatment or prevention of criminal or delinquent behavior.” Much of the work that Taxman oversees as the director of Schar School’s Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence (ACE!) involves working with agencies to implement reforms, study the efficacy of the reforms and the implementation efforts, and continue to make tweaks as new information emerges. Her team at ACE! has ongoing relationships with 67 national associations to incorporate science into practice. ACE! provides a fertile ground for students to learn and apply rigorous research methods in the design and implementation of innovations. As ASC President Shadd Maruna pointed out, Taxman “is a very deserving recipient of the Vollmer Award, which is meant to celebrate criminological scholarship that has an impact on the real world of justice practice and reform.” —Buzz McClain

The Portsmouth, Virginia, native was the beneficiary of higher education benefactors, which, after graduating from Brandeis University on a scholarship

“ The only condition I placed on it was a relative preference should be given to students whose parents do not have college degrees.”

FAYE TAXMAN

from his hometown newspaper and a PhD fellowship at Harvard University, led to his 30-year career in journalism, including stints at the Los Angeles Times and the Atlantic

magazine. For 21 of those years, he covered American politics—and became a familiar election night pundit—for CNN. Schneider taught at Mason for 12 years, brought to the school by his Harvard PhD advisor and one of the founders of what is now the Schar School, Seymour Martin Lipset, an acclaimed social scientist and author of groundbreaking theories on economic development and democracy. The connection between economic status and democracy is not lost on Schneider, who sees education as vital to combating increasing threats to democracy. —Buzz McClain TAIWAN PRESIDENT BESTOWS MEDAL TO GERRIT VAN DER WEES I n May, Schar School adjunct professor Gerrit van der Wees was given one of Taiwan’s highest civilian honors by outgoing Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen: The Order of the Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon. The presidential medal was presented for van der Wees’ founding editorship of Taiwan Communiqué, a bimonthly, prodemocracy publication covering the island’s transition to democracy beginning in 1980 to 2016. The publication played a key role in informing the U.S. Congress, the Department of State, and the international community of Taiwan’s successes and challenges.

TRANSFORMATIVE TRAVEL I n the last year, the Schar School hosted not one but two visits to one of the most provocative locations in the world: The border between the U.S. and Mexico. The study abroad journeys were packed with activity that brought students face-to-face with policy leaders in both countries as well as those living day to day in the region. “Putting a face to the border was fascinating,” said Davis Kaderli, a Master of Public Policy student and participant on the trip. “What I actually saw isn’t what the mass media often portrays. It is much more complex than the majority of Americans understand.” Which is the point of study abroad opportunities. “Being able to spend time in other countries, talking to educators, politicians, and businesspeople, opens up an important ‘real-world’ window not always available in the classroom,” said Schar School Professor Kenneth Reinert. “Many of our students and instructors are from other countries, but visiting those countries in an educational capacity is an invaluable addition to the degree.”

The border trips were among those offered to students throughout the academic year and summer months. Other locations, guided by Schar School experts, include Cyprus, Rwanda, Britain, South Africa, Vietnam, and Cuba, among other destinations. —Buzz McClain and Aidan Jacobs

Upon receiving the award, van der Wees stressed that there remained dangerous challenges for Taiwan, including continued threats from Beijing to isolate it on the international stage. Van der Wees has taught the History of Taiwan since 2012, as well as a graduate course on Current Issues in East Asia since 2020. He continues to write commentaries on Taiwan’s history and political developments in and around Taiwan for the Taipei Times and the Diplomat. —Buzz McClain

GERRIT VAN DER WEES AND PRESIDENT TSAI ING-WEN

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SCHAR SCHOOL HOSTS ‘SCHOLAR IN EXILE’ FROM UKRAINE: TETIANA KHUTOR T he Schar School welcomed its third “scholar in exile” this summer when Tetiana Khutor joined the faculty as a professor of practice. Because of the devastating war with Russia, the Ukraine native was unable to perform her research at her Kyiv-based think tank, Institute of Legislative Ideas, or teach at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. Khutor, 31, teaches anticorruption policy and devises legislative strategies to combat corruption and encourage good governance. The war has inspired her to focus rebuilding her country. She is lecturing on “the instruments of confiscation” in seized Russian assets—billions of dollars that could be used to defend and reconstruct Ukraine. Scholars in exile come to the Schar School by means of the New School’s New University in Exile Consortium, a collection of colleges dedicated to supporting scholars facing threats at home. George Mason is one of 12 in the United States participating in the program. —Buzz McClain AUERSWALD HELPS LEAD AMERICA250 INNOVATION COUNCIL S char School professor Philip Auerswald is cochair of the American Innovation Advisory Council for America250, the nonpartisan initiative working to engage the public in commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In case you have lost track, America’s semiquincentennial arrives on July 4, 2026. Auerswald, who studies entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation in a global context, shares duties with cochair Darlene Cavalier, a professor at Arizona State University, founder of public research incubator SciStarter and a founding board member of the Citizen Science Association. — Buzz McClain

TETIANA KHUTOR

U.S. REP. JENNIFER MCCLELLAN, CENTER IN PURPLE, MEETS WITH THE NEW LEADERSHIP COHORT.

NEW LEADERSHIP VIRGINIA: A WEEK OF VISITS WITH WOMEN LEADERS S ixteen undergraduates, all of them women, from universities in Virginia spent a week in June meeting with women’ leaders in business, nonprofits, and politics as the first cohort of the NEW Leadership Virginia program. The residential program, the only one of its kind in Virginia, was hosted by the Schar School’s Gender and Policy (GAP) Center in partnership with the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP). A mid-week dinner and networking event saw the presentation of three “Women Who Mind the GAP” Leadership awards: Director of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Civil Rights Center Naomi Barry-Perez; Doorways CEO Diana Ortiz; and President of the Consumer Technology Association Kinsey Fabrizio, a 2003 George Mason alumna in government and international politics and Spanish.

“Being surrounded by women who have big aspirations in various fields is so inspiring and is an experience I wouldn’t have been able to have otherwise,” said government and international politics student Ella Duncan-High. —Maya Khachab and Taylor Ramirez

Students completed an “action project” in which faculty and interns helped them research a public-facing issue, imitate a legislative hearing, and defend their team’s position, with the idea being to develop public speaking and communication proficiencies, among other skills. A highlight was a day-long visit to Capitol Hill for in-person meetings with U.S. Reps. Abigail Spanberger, Jennifer McClellan, and Don Beyer. They were also hosted by Rep. Jen Kiggans’ professional staff.

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REMEMBERING MARI TISERA WITH A RARE POSTHUMOUS DEGREE F or just the 32nd time in the 52-year history of the school and the third time in Schar School history, George Mason conferred a posthumous degree. The parents of Mari Tisera , a student in the Schar School’s government and international politics undergraduate program, accepted a commemorative framed diploma in her honor at the Schar School’s Degree Celebration held in May. Tisera passed away June 6, 2023, of melanoma. She was 20 years old. It was her close friend and George Mason alumna McKenna Beauchamp, a 2022 integrative studies graduate, who, with the assistance of Schar School Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs Ann M. Ludwick, who made the degree a reality. “She never let her cancer define her or hold her back in any way,” said Beauchamp, who was relentless in advocating for her friend. “She lit up every room. She had no enemies, and her laughter is unlike anything I’ve ever heard. It just really brings joy to everybody.” In addition to studying government, she was also a Spanish language minor and organized campus marches for women’s, LGBTQ, and Black rights, and continually fought for the rights of the unhoused. She was proud to be a “sweetheart” for the fraternity Zeta Psi, a symbolic position for women that afforded her opportunities to contribute to the fraternity’s activities. In July, U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA) delivered a eulogy from the House floor honoring her. Tisera was an intern for the congresswoman. “I’ve turned something positive out of all this,” Beauchamp said. “It’s really a good thing to celebrate. It’s helping me with closure so I’m sure it’s helping other people as well.” — Buzz McClain

SCHAR SCHOOL TRAILBLAZER MOLLY IZER TAKES EARLY LEAP TO GEORGETOWN LAW O regon native Molly Izer graduated in the spring with a Schar School degree in government and international politics a year early, after acceptance to Georgetown University Law Center. It’s hard enough to get into Georgetown Law, but “it is doubly difficult to get in through early admission,” said Phillip Mink, director of the Patriot Pre-Law Advising Program and an assistant professor in the Schar School. “Molly is such an exceptional student that she didn’t have to wait.” Izer, also an Honors College student, finished her senior year of high school while working in an industrial factory. At George Mason she was the captain of the university’s Forensics Team— 2024 second place in the country and herself a triple national champion. That would be accomplishment enough for any student, but Izer didn’t stop there. A cursory look at her resumé includes: an active member of the university’s Democrats club; director of policy for the Mason chapter of the Roosevelt Institute; director of outreach for the Patriots for Accessible Voting; a Schar School student liaison assisting other students; a research assistant who published one paper on her own and coauthored two others; delivered her research findings at major political science conventions in Chicago and Canada; and taught classes as an undergraduate government course instructor. In her first year, Izer landed a position as a U.S. Senate intern on Capitol Hill, serving in the office of U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D OR). That was followed by a stint as a legislative affairs intern at no less than the White House, followed by a full-time position as a policy intern at the National Association for the Deaf, where she put her minor in American Sign Language to use.

“I view every opportunity that came to me as a gift,” she said. “My time at Mason was beyond my wildest dreams.” “I wasn’t sure if Mason was the place for me, or if anywhere was the place for me coming from so far away,” she said. “But after visiting the campus, I was hooked on it, and it felt more like a home than other places. I think a lot of the successes in my life came because this is the setting that I chose to pursue them in.” —Buzz McClain

MOLLY IZER

MARI TISERA

“ “She lit up every room. She had no enemies, and her laughter is unlike anything I’ve ever heard. It just really brings joy to everybody.”

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HAYDEN CENTER RECORDS PODCAST ‘JACK’ IN THE FLESH

SCHAR SCHOOL MPA STUDENTS ENGAGE WITH COUNTY LEADERS— GRADUATES OF THE SAME PROGRAM T he 2024 edition of Local Government Night, a cornerstone event of the Schar School’s George Mason’s Master of Public Administration program for over two decades, took first-year MPA students to Arlington County’s government headquarters where they met with department leaders, many of whom, as it happened, are graduates of the MPA program. Th meeting immerses MPA students in the workings of local government, offering them a chance to learn firsthand about its operations, understand the challenges faced by its employees, and gather insights that could aid their career in public service. A central part of the evening was a meeting with the county manager, Mark Schwartz, who engaged in meaningful dialogue with the students, addressing their inquiries about leadership development in public service. Another highlight was a session on combating the opioid crisis, where Arlington County Police Department Lieutenant Steven Proud, a 2023 MPA graduate, and Suzanne Somerville from the department of human services, shared their experiences. “My biggest takeaway from the event is that you had to be competent, quick to adapt, and be able to show empathy to the people you work with,” said Tanzia Amreen Haq, an international student with nongovernment organization experience. “And, although I already knew this, I also learned the importance of having a good leader in order to make a high-pressure environment also a place where individuals who want to serve the public can thrive.” —Schar School Staff

S ome 135 audience members were joined by another 260 witnesses watching on livestream in May as “Jack: A Special Counsel Podcast” cohosts Allison Gill, an award-winning podcaster, and Andrew McCabe, Schar School Distinguished Visiting Professor and former deputy director of the FBI, took the Van Metre Hall stage with special guest Brian Greer, a former attorney for the CIA and chief of staff for the agency’s general counsel. Lawfare’s legal fellow and courts correspondent Anna Bower was the moderator of the 90-minute conversation about the numerous charges federal prosecutor Jack Smith has brought against former president Donald Trump. The event, hosted by the Michael V. Hayden Center for Intelligence, Policy, and International Security, was recorded as the 76th “Jack” episode. —Abigail Danfora

ANNA BOWER, LEFT, AND ALLISON GILL

LEARNING COMMUNITIES EXPAND I n the fall of 2021, the Schar School introduced its first faculty-led learning communities (LC) , Democracy Lab and the International Relations Policy Task Force. First-year students accepted into the LC program work, study, attend special events, hear guest speakers, and travel on field trips together.

Since the LCs’ debut, the school has added Pillars of Research LC and the Jurisprudence Learning Community to the list, and most recently, by popular demand, created a residential Democracy Lab for upper-level students. Zach Lincoln, a Schar School and Honors College junior majoring in public administration, first heard about Democracy Lab from Congressional staffers on Capitol Hill. Through the variety of experiences in Democracy Lab, he says he was able to better prepare for his future career in Virginia state and local politics. “[Dem Lab] taught me bonus tips to succeed in college and life,” he said. Specifically, he cites collaborating with the “You’re the

Voter” team on its website establishment. With that project, he gained problem-solving and adaptability skills that will benefit him in the fast-paced environment of American politics. Dylan Morse, a senior majoring in public administration, served as one of three resident assistants for the learning community. He has seen Democracy Lab evolve over the past three years. The learning community enjoys a diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and beliefs that contribute to its sense of community. “We enjoy our experiences together,” he said. —Gabriella Grabovska

ARLINGTON COUNTY MANAGER MARK SCHWARTZ TAKES QUESTIONS FROM MPA STUDENTS.

“ [Dem Lab] taught me bonus tips to succeed in college and life”

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JAMES DANOY BRIEFS PRESIDENT OBAMA. PHOTO BY PETE SOUZA.

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TRACCC STUDY ILLUSTRATES 4 ‘HUBS’ OF ILLICIT TRADE— AND THE REASONS THEY FLOURISH

A major new Schar School study highlights four geographic hubs of illicit trade for organized crime and specifies how each of the hotspots shares an enabling environment for criminals. In identifying the locations and the lax regulation and governance gaps that create the illicit trade zones, law enforcement and policymakers can take action to curtail the massive human, economic, societal, and security harms across the world. The study, Smugglers’ Paradises in the Global Economy: Growing Threats of Hubs of Illicit Trade to Security and Sustainable Development, was released at the 2023 International Law Enforcement Intellectual Property Crime Conference organized by Interpol in Oslo. “This study underscores the critical need for governments and the private sector to prioritize the fight against illicit activities and to crackdown on organized crime within their Free Trade Zones and other hotspots,” said University Professor Louise Shelley, director of the Schar School’s Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC) and Hubs of Illicit Trade project director. TraCCC’s Anti-Illicit Trade Institute (AITI), codirected by former U.S. diplomat David M. Luna, also participated in the project. The study reveals that four global hubs—South America (the Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay tri-border area), Central America (Panama, Guatemala, and Belize), the Middle East (Dubai), and Eastern Europe (Ukraine)—share an enabling environment that fuels illicit trade, facilitated by regulatory laxity, and are points of convergence for different types of criminality, such as corruption, money laundering, and other security threats that contribute to the movement of illicit goods and contraband in Europe and the United States, amongst others. —Schar School Staff

JAMES P. DANOY: ADJUNCT, ALUM, AND FORMER PRESIDENTIAL INTELLIGENCE BRIEFER W hen it comes to supporting senior-level decision makers with intelligence, Schar School adjunct professor and George Mason graduate, James P. Danoy reached the pinnacle: For more than a year, Danoy met with President Barack Obama each morning to present the President’s Daily Brief—the PDB— the Intelligence Community’s daily assessment on national security issues produced for the president. Danoy, who teaches intelligence policy in the international security program, has two degrees from George Mason that he says prepared him for what’s been called “the most important job in the Intelligence Community.” He received a bachelor’s degree in government and international politics in 1979 and a master’s degree in modern European history 11 years later.

“My degrees at George Mason were a great foundation for what I was later going to do, which is serve as an intelligence officer,” he said. “They really gave me a solid foundation to be an intelligence analyst specializing in Europe, but also an understanding of how the government operates and what the role of the Intelligence Community was in supporting decision making.” On occasion, he said, he made sure to wear a George Mason necktie and badge lanyard “because I’m a proud George Mason graduate.” Obama, he said, took notice when he wore the green and gold and was fond of the university. While in office both Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama paid visits to George Mason. —Buzz McClain

LOUISE SHELLEY

For more than a year, Danoy met with President Barack Obama each morning to present the President’s Daily Brief—the PDB— the Intelligence Community’s daily assessment on national security issues produced for the president.

NEW BOOK DEBUNKS MYTHS OF NONPROFIT DYNAMICS I n a new book, Standing Up for Nonprofits , Schar School professor Alan J. Abramson challenges the notion that large national organizations dominate political power over smaller local groups. Written with coauthor Benjamin Soskis and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the book is freely available online. Through case studies and interviews, Abramson offers strategies for nonprofits to enhance their political influence, emphasizing the importance of local connections in advocacy efforts. —Schar School Staff

POINT OF PRIDE

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@GEORGEMASON

FIRST CENTER FOR SMALL BUSINESS AI INNOVATION LAUNCHES WITH $1M GRANT I n a groundbreaking move set to bolster the economic competitiveness of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across Virginia, George Mason University has been awarded a $1 million grant to establish the nation’s first Center for AI Innovation for Economic Competitiveness (CAIIEC) . Schar School Distinguished University Professor J.P. Singh is principal investigator. The $1 million grant was sponsored by U.S. Senators from Virginia, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, and is directed through the U.S. Small Business Administration. The center will draw expertise from several colleges across George Mason’s campuses, including the Schar School, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the College of Engineering and Computing. “I’m excited George Mason University’s Center for AI Innovation for Economic Competitiveness is receiving $1 million in federal funding, which I was proud to have helped secure in the recent government funding bill,” said Senator Kaine. “This will help prepare small businesses and Virginians to harness AI and lead to new opportunities for economic growth and jobs in the commonwealth.” The new center promises to provide much-needed leadership, support, and training to these enterprises, ensuring they do not get left behind in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. George Mason’s interdisciplinary team, comprising computer scientists, public policy experts, economists, environmental and medical scientists, and ethicists, is uniquely positioned to drive this initiative.

FROM LITHUANIAN BASKETBALL TO NATO AND CAPITOL HILL F ormer point guard for Lithuania’s professional basketball team Kauno Aistės-LSMU (go Komandos!), Livija Kaktaite , arrived in the U.S. as a high school senior with a single bag in her hand. She came to George Mason as an undergraduate to fulfill her dream of playing NCAA Division 1 basketball, along the way earning a Schar School Master of International Security degree and interning at NATO, a Capitol Hill congressional office, and the Lithuanian Embassy. “I always say George Mason is my golden lottery ticket,” she said. “I got to study what I love and play D1 basketball. This place means so much to me.” The varied internships reflect her wide-ranging academic curiosity. “I’m interested in different things,” she said. “But mainly I’m interested in the European region, the Asia-Pacific region, aerospace, and also energy security.” As it happens, one of her professors, Schar School adjunct Arnold C. Dupuy, is the chairman of the energy security program at the NATO. When Kaktaite asked if there was anything she could do, Dupuy put her to work. “She’s been helping out with my work for the NATO Science and Technology Organization,” said Dupuy, himself a George Mason and Schar School graduate (BA, History, ’88, MA, International Transactions, ’94). “She’s highly motivated and isn’t afraid to take on

challenging research projects…I have no doubt she’ll succeed in whatever field she chooses.” “Having professionals who truly care about you and sharing their own experience in their field is important, and they want you to be successful,” Kaktaite said. “It’s not just a job for them; they want you to become the next analyst, the next advisor to the president. “It’s an amazing school.” —Buzz McClain

“I am proud to have helped secure funding for the Center for AI Innovation for Economic Competitiveness at George Mason University,” said Senator Warner in a statement. “This investment will help position Virginia as a leader in AI development by creating programs to help small businesses and communities thrive in the digital market, marking a huge win for Virginians across the commonwealth.”

“ I’m interested in different things. But mainly I’m interested in the European region, the Asia-Pacific region, aerospace, and also energy security.”

“Here is another great example of how George Mason continues to deliver on our commitment to access and community engaged technology diffusion, partnering with diverse communities in new and innovated ways,” said Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Economic Impact Andre Marshall. Co-principal investigator Amarda Shehu, a professor in the Department of Computer Science and a longtime AI researcher, emphasized the practical benefits the center will offer. “As an AI researcher, I see firsthand how fast AI is moving,” she said. “I also get to see through my various interactions with industry that such a pace can be challenging, particularly for small businesses. We thought about how Research 1 universities, such as George Mason, can unlock the power of AI for small and medium enterprises.” This center will do that, she said . —Buzz McClain

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@GEORGEMASON

‘SENIOR OF THE YEAR’ BEGINS I-SEC MASTER’S PROGRAM

2024 DEGREE CELEBRATION SPEAKER & ALUM IS ‘RESTAURATEUR OF THE YEAR’

G eorge Mason’s 2024 Senior of the Year, Celine Apenteng , joins the Schar School as a Master of International Security student through the university’s accelerated master’s program. The Silver Spring, Maryland, native graduated in the spring with a bachelor’s degree in conflict analysis and resolution with a concentration in global engagement, and a minor in intelligence studies. Throughout her college career, Apenteng, who was 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 interned at the White House in the Office of Public Engagement and at U.S. Department of State. —Reporting by Collen Kearney Rich

T he keynote speaker for the Schar Schools’ 2024 Degree Celebration, alum Rose Previte , was named the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington’s Restaurateur of the Year. Previte credits her 2007 Master of Public Policy degree for her success in opening her first restaurant in 2014, Washington, D.C.,’s famed Compass Rose, a perennial entry on major “best restaurants” lists. Since then, her No White Plates company includes, in addition to Compass Rose, the Michelin-starred, fire-based cuisine of Maydān, the Middle East-themed Medina, and the Eastern Mediterranean Kirby Club in the Mosaic District of Fairfax, Virginia, as well as Go There Wines, which brings to market wines created by women and underrepresented winemakers. “One thing I always appreciated about Mason in my graduate studies was the diversity of the classroom,” she said. “I ended up appreciating the range of opinions in every classroom, which I don’t think is common at other schools in the area where there’s so much leaning one way or another.”

The engaging classroom experience led to real-life public policy work. While at Mason, she traveled to New Orleans to assist on an independent study on how the city could recover after Hurricane Katrina. She also interned for D.C. City Council member Jack Evans, who was leading the effort to fund a new Major League Baseball stadium for the Washington Nationals. After completing her Mason degree, Previte earned a fellowship that allowed her to work for the Arlington County manager for a year. From there she relocated to New York City and worked for the speaker of the city council before moving to Russia with her husband, David Green, who became NPR’s Moscow correspondent. —Buzz McClain

JENNIFER N. VICTOR

JENNIFER VICTOR NAMED NCAPSA TOP MENTOR I n October, the National Capital Area Political Science Association (NCAPSA) awarded Schar School associate professor Jennifer N. Victor its 2024 NCAPSA Pi Sigma Alpha Award. The award recognizes meaningful contributions to their students, their institution, or their profession through their work to mentor undergraduate students. NCAPSA is the official political science association for the National Capital Area, including the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and West Virginia. —Buzz McClain

ROSE PREVITE

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News

TO ASSIST STUDENTS AND RAISE UNIVERSITY STATURE, ALUM COLIN HART LEADS BY EXAMPLE S char School graduate Colin Hart , MA Global Commerce and Policy ‘93, and his brother Guy have established the Howard P. Hart Memorial Scholarship Fund, a gift named for their late father that provides significant scholarships for Schar School students. The Harts have given more than $100,000 to date in combined contributions to ensure its legacy. “Scholarships provide the ability for students to attend George Mason, providing a pathway to higher education and a greater likelihood of a successful and rewarding career,” Colin Hart said. “For the donor, the impact is intangible yet highly rewarding as you have bettered society by aiding your fellow Patriot.” Hart, who received the 2024 Schar School Distinguished Alumni Award from the university, has maintained a close connection to the school and the university since his 1993 graduation. After first volunteering as an ad hoc member of the alumni chapter, he served as its president for more than two years. Hart is now on the board of trustees of the George Mason University Foundation and serves as chair of the investment committee. The foundation is the nonprofit entity that manages and invests private gifts made in support of the university. As part of his foundation duties, Hart is actively involved with supporting the current George Mason comprehensive capital campaign entitled Mason Now: Power the Possible. This five-year, $1 billion campaign will support and grow George Mason’s global and domestic ascension. “I want to contribute to George Mason’s rise as a respected and globally known university where you can receive a good education at a feasible price,” Hart said. —Buzz McClain

FAIRFAX CITY MAYOR READ JOINS ALUMNI CHAPTER BOARD

A mong the new slate of members of the Schar School Alumni Chapter Board is Catherine G. Read , BA Government and Politics ’84. She is also the first George Mason alum and the first woman to be elected mayor of the City of Fairfax, home to George Mason’s Fairfax Campus. Working to develop closer “town and gown” relations between the city and the university is a priority, she said, as well as is helping the Schar School expand its reputation as a national policy and government powerhouse. Her Schar School experience had contributed to her success as an elected official. “When you talk about what are you going to do with a degree in government and politics,” she said, “you have to understand how the political system works, and you have to help other people understand how good policy gets made. Being mayor is being able to make that kind of difference, but I have a bigger platform.” Besides, she added, “I’ve got skin in the game. My George Mason degree has grown in value as George Mason has grown in stature in Virginia and globally. I consider it an amazing return on investment.” Here are the new members elected by alumni to serve until 2026 with Read and Chapter President Brennan R. Georgianni, MPP ’16, whose term ends in 2025: • Troi Dixon, MPP ‘22 • Daniel M. Gerstein, PhD Biodefense ‘09 • Paul J. Goodfellow, MPA ‘17 • Leah M. Hoffman, BA Public and International Affairs ‘21 • Greg M. Hunt, BS Public Administration ‘94 • Mike K. Riley, BS Biodefense ‘09

COLIN HART, LEFT, WITH SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT MARISOL MADDOX

SUPPORT THE Schar School of Policy and Government. Scan here to make your gift:

New board members will serve with these returning board members until their term is up in June 2025: • Ashley Cole, MPA ‘17, graduate certificate ‘17 • Paola M. Jimenez, BA Government and Public Administration ‘08 • Erika M. Laos, BA Public and International Affairs ‘01 • Freddy L. Mitchell, MPP ‘17 • Brett A. Palat, MPP ‘05 —Buzz McClain; additional reporting by Damian Cristodero

Scholarships provide the ability for students to attend George Mason, providing a pathway to higher education and a greater likelihood of a successful and rewarding career. For the donor, the impact is intangible yet highly rewarding as you have bettered society by aiding your fellow Patriot.

BRENNAN R. GEORGIANNI

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ALUMNI NEWS

ALUM JASON SMART IS A WELCOME GUEST IN UKRAINIAN MEDIA—NOT SO IN MUCH IN RUSSIA I t’s not every day you meet someone who is officially persona non grata in Russia, but that’s the case for Schar School 2007 graduate Jason Jay Smart . In 2009, as a recently minted 24-year-old George Mason graduate working for the International Republican Institute (IRI), a U.S.-financed nonprofit promoting democracy, Smart found his visa to Russia declined (most likely because the IRI’s chairman was U.S. Senator John McCain). The lifetime banishment from Russia hasn’t slowed down him down. He is a Kyiv-based consultant on international relations, national security, and politics in which he helps clients navigate particularly treacherous and difficult negotiations across the post-Soviet space and Latin America. At George Mason, Smart was a double major, in government and international politics at the Schar School and Russian studies in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences; he also earned a doctorate from Moldova State University in Chișinǎu (’19). “I’m probably the most televised American in Ukraine,” he said of his popularity in Ukrainian media. “Last year, I probably gave 300, 400 television interviews there. I published more than 300 articles in English, and more in Russian and Ukrainian.” The high media exposure, he said with a laugh, “doesn’t necessarily mean I’m really good at it. It’s just there’s not a lot of other people who feel comfortable in four languages to go on TV or up on a stage to discuss geopolitics with somebody—but I do.” —Buzz McClain

ALUM BILAL WAHAB NAMED PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF IRAQ, SULAIMANI B ilal Wahab , a 2015 graduate of the Schar School’s PhD program, is the president of the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani (AUIS). The not-for-profit university, founded in 2007, is among the top-ranked private universities in the Kurdistan region. Wahab took the reins this spring of the 1,400-student campus from AUIS president Bruce Walker Ferguson, who announced his departure in July. The school teaches primarily in English and focuses on liberal arts, critical thinking, and leadership skills in graduate and undergraduate studies. “I am equally honored and humbled,” Wahab said of the AUIS board of trustees’ unanimous vote for his appointment. As a AUIS faculty member from 2012 to 2016, Wahab taught courses on the petroleum industry, public policy, and international politics and founded the school’s Center for the Development of Natural Resources. His Schar School dissertation focused on oil federalism in Iraq. “It is my sincere and heartfelt thanks for the unwavering support extended to me by the Schar School and the many scholars I studied under,” he said after his appointment. “It has been a journey, but here I am, embarking on a new personal and professional chapter.” —Buzz McClain

GRADUATE STUDENT REAPS REWARDS OF GLOBAL COMMERCE AND POLICY PROGRAM A fter taking international studies as an undergraduate, Amber Pittman didn’t immediately pursue a graduate degree. She soon realized that without additional education, finding a fulfilling job might prove elusive. She explored graduate programs near her hometown of Woodbridge, Virginia, and decided on the Master of Global Commerce and Policy Program at the Schar School. “George Mason is right here in the area and the program seemed to be a perfect fusion of everything I wanted to learn about,” she said. One area Pittman knew she needed to investigate further was the economics portion of the program, she admits, initially not her favorite.

“I was willing to explore that a little bit more and I’m really proud that I did,” she said. “I enjoy it more than I thought I would.”

“ “I joined this program because I wanted to know what I didn’t know. I can’t imagine spending my time any other way at this point.” Pittman attributes her enjoyment of all of her courses to her professors, who make sure students truly understand the concepts they teach. She also took advantage of networking opportunities available. She attended numerous events and worked with the Career Development Office to polish her resume and interview skills. That, combined with recommendations from her professors, enabled her to secure an internship with the Federal Reserve Board. With one year of graduate school in the books, Pittman feels confident in her decision to enroll in the Global Commerce and Policy program. “I joined this program because I wanted to know what I didn’t know,” she said. “I can’t imagine spending my time any other way at this point.” —Erin Egan

BILAL WAHAB

DAVID HART BECOMES SENIOR FELLOW AT COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS P rofessor David M. Hart has been appointed Senior Fellow for Climate and Energy at the Council on Foreign Relations. He will enhance research and outreach in CFR’s Energy Security and Climate Change Program and collaborate with Senior Fellow Varun Sivaram on a new climate change initiative. Hart will leverage his extensive research on clean energy and climate-tech innovation policy to explore the relationship between trade policy and climate change, as well as promote the global adoption of emerging technologies. —Schar School Staff

JASON JAY SMART

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