Veterans

In George Mason University’s College of Science—where nearly 16% of students are connected to the military—Air Force veteran Rylee Ledoux is using her public health experience and passion for the environment to support fellow veterans and pursue a future in environmental science. A former Air Force public health technician, she now serves as the senior military transition coordinator in Mason’s Office of Military Services while completing her bachelor of science in environmental science and policy.

When Tiffany Taylor, BS Criminology, Law and Society ’20, enrolled at George Mason University, she expected her college experience to look different than most. An Army veteran and single parent with three school-aged children, Taylor was responsible for multiple schedules. But, over the next two years, she was still able to capitalize on the opportunities at George Mason—attending classes on campus, getting involved in her program and classmates’ projects, participating in internships, and embarking on two study-abroad trips. 

Navy veteran Becca Simon says coming to George Mason University and her experience as a student in the College of Public Health Department of Social Work has been life-changing.

In September, Antonin Scalia Law School’s Mason Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic (M-VETS) advocated for a George Mason University alumnus and U.S. Air Force veteran before the Department of Veterans Affairs Board of Veterans’ Appeals.

BSN Co-Enrollment Program student Frankie Farmakis’s military service and appreciation for diverse health systems informs his pathway to nursing

For Marine Corps Captain Desiree A. Peterson, studying at the Schar School as a Marine Congressional Fellow “offers a unique chance to see the legislative process from the inside, which I believe is essential for enhancing our effectiveness as a force.” See her story.

It was an epiphany of sorts, in the most unlikely time and place, but it changed the course of George Mason University veteran Abidail “Abi” Estrada’s life—and the many lives he’s touched since.

Paul Deller and Michael Harris are part of a cohort of 11 Marine Corps officers attending Mason through the Congressional Fellowship Program, which gives Marines opportunities for professional development that include working on Capitol Hill for one year and enrollment in Mason’s graduate public policy program.

Jennifer Connors, director of Mason's Office of Military Services, is the first recipient of the Admiral John Harvey Career Achievement in Military Education Excellence Award, which was presented by the Virginia Department of Veteran Services in September.

For his dedication to Mason’s military community, Ryan Barnett is one of only 19 people nationwide recognized as a 2021 Veteran Champion of the Year in Higher Education by G.I. Jobs.