Students

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.

In May, a George Mason University law student, working with the Mason Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic (M-VETS), advocated for a U.S. combat veteran before an administrative law judge at a hearing before the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA). 

Death has been the constant companion in Steven Luu’s life—from war-torn Vietnam to the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. But through art, Luu, now an MFA student at George Mason University’s School of Art, has discovered peace, purpose, and a path to healing.

A crisis simulation game, hosted by the Center for Security Policy Studies at the Schar School, trains students to anticipate the next international emergency.

Captain Naquan Staton applied to the prestigious Marine Corps Congressional Fellowship to learn how to do financial management better for the Marines. Read his story and what he hopes to discover about how Congress decides to spend money.

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.