Anna Stolley Persky

High school graduates head to Mason with scholarships, thanks to Early Identification Program

ckearney — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 16:25:14 +0000

High school graduates head to Mason with scholarships, thanks to Early Identification Program ckearney Tue, 06/29/2021 - 12:25

Brenda Leverson, Early Identification Program participant and incoming Mason freshman, bumps elbows with Fairfax County Public Schools superintendent Scott Brabrand at the 2021 EIP Senior Graduation and Recognition Ceremony. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services

Brenda Leverson, a first-generation college student born in Honduras, is attending George Mason University this fall on a full tuition scholarship through Mason’s Early Identification Program. A graduate of Annandale High School in Northern Virginia, Leverson will enroll in the Honors College and intends to study business administration and accounting.

“I am really happy and proud of myself for working this hard and achieving my goals,” said Leverson, who has worked part-time since she was 15 to help support her family.

Leverson is one of 32 graduating seniors in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) who participated in the Early Identification Program (EIP), and one of eight FCPS students to accept partial or full scholarships to Mason. In total, 108 Northern Virginia graduating seniors participated in EIP. Of that amount, 48 have chosen to go to Mason. Twenty-eight of those students have been awarded partial or full scholarships.

EIP participant Muhammad Farhan Babar spoke at the Senior Graduation and Recognition Ceremony in May. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services

“This is a special group of students,” said Khaseem Davis, EIP director. “They are academically strong, socially aware and have a good understanding of themselves. They know they have to work and sacrifice to get through hardships, and I’m so proud of them.”

EIP is an extensive outreach effort to first-generation, college-bound students in the Northern Virginia area. Established in 1987, the program is designed to help students hone their academic skills and increase their confidence, while providing access to educational resources. EIP works in seven local public school systems, including Arlington County, Falls Church City, Prince William County and Alexandria City. The multi-year program provides mentoring, enrichment classes and study sessions, as well as college preparation assistance and scholarships.

This year, FCPS leads in the number of EIP students receiving scholarships.

“As a district, we are grateful for the EIP partnership with George Mason University,” said Eileen Ruzicka, FCPS’s EIP Liaison. “It has increased access and support for FCPS middle and high school students who are from populations that are historically underrepresented on college campuses, especially those who face challenges caused by poverty, racism and lack of access to resources.”

EIP participant Stacy Maravi poses with her father at the Senior Graduation and Recognition Ceremony. Photo provided

A graduate of Fairfax High School, Stacy Maravi will also be attending Mason as part of the Honors College and plans to study bioengineering. Maravi, a University Scholar, said that EIP helped her focus and better understand the college process.

“Without EIP, I wouldn’t have gotten where I am,” said Maravi.

Muhammad Farhan Babar, a graduate of FCPS’ Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, received a full tuition scholarship and will also be attending as part of the Honors College. Babar said he chose Mason for its engineering program, affordability and its diverse and welcoming community. Babar, who was born in Pakistan, credits EIP for helping him with resources when he needed them and providing him with mentors.

“Through EIP, I’ve experienced the community at Mason, and I enjoyed what I experienced,” said Babar. “The community is great.”

Topics

Students

Early Identification Program (EIP)

Scholarships

Honors College

Mason’s Early Identification Program for local students pivots to online services

ckearney — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 09:00:00 +0000

Mason’s Early Identification Program for local students pivots to online services ckearney Fri, 09/04/2020 - 05:00

Mason student Carlos Alvarez-Ayion helps Matias Nicholls of the Early Identification Program during a cybersecurity class at STEM Fusion in February 2020. Photo by Lathan Goumas/Office of Communications and Marketing

When the coronavirus pandemic shut down her school, Meeha Bhuiyan, a rising senior at Gar-Field High School in Woodbridge, Virginia, struggled. But Bhuiyan had mentors from George Mason University upon whom she could rely.

“I texted my mentors when I was down, and they would text me back encouragement,” said Bhuiyan, who plans to apply to several colleges, including Mason. “And I was also able to do one-on-one sessions with them virtually.”

Bhuiyan, 16, is a participant in Mason’s Early Identification Program (EIP), an extensive outreach effort to more than 700 first-generation college-bound students in the Northern Virginia area. EIP provides access to educational resources for students from seven local public school systems, including Fairfax County, Prince William County and Alexandria City. The program is intended to equip students with skills that will help them become lifelong learners, leaders and responsible global citizens.

The program has always focused on in-person mentoring and enrichment classes in which students can meet other students with similar aspirations. However, during the pandemic shutdown, EIP, just like all programming at Mason, was forced to pivot to online platforms.

EIP staff, teachers and student mentors switched to Blackboard Collaborate, an online learning platform, to reach students and Zoom to communicate with families, said Khaseem Davis, EIP director.

“We had to be flexible and find new ways to engage our students online,” Davis said.

Davis said they are planning a robust online program for the fall in which students will receive academic support and college and career preparation in a “virtual space.” He plans to recruit aggressively and is anticipating getting additional help from College of Education and Human Development students who are training to be teachers.

Established in 1987, EIP is a multiyear college preparatory program for middle and high school students who will be the first in their families to attend college.

EIP participation begins in eighth grade. To participate, students are nominated by school counselors and apply at the end of seventh grade. Students who successfully complete the program and meet Mason’s admissions requirements are guaranteed admission.

Students who participate in the program said they have a support system that helps them concentrate on their academic success and preparation for college. In addition, they rely on Mason students, many of whom are Honors College students and EIP alumni, as mentors, often making lasting friendships.

“It’s another family supporting me in my goal to go to college,” said Bhuiyan, who plans to study biology.

During a normal school year, Mason students meet in person with EIP participants to tutor and mentor them at their schools or at Mason. Students also attend STEM fusion classes during the school year on Mason’s Fairfax Campus, as well as a three-week academic enrichment program in the summer.

This summer, however, students attended Summer Academy, a three-week enrichment program virtually using Blackboard Collaborate. Jhenesy Lopez, a rising senior at George C. Marshall High School in Fairfax County, said she enjoyed the online classes and appreciated that she didn’t have to travel back and forth to Mason.

“The classes were to-the-point and helpful,” said Lopez, 17.

Lopez said she is looking forward to the fall and getting guidance on her college applications. She is planning on applying to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and Stanford University, to name a few.

“I’m sure they will figure out a really good way to make sure we get the assistance we need,” Lopez said.

Topics

Early Identification Program (EIP)

coronavirus; COVID-19; News; Editorial

Campus News

STEM Fusion classes draw students from throughout Northern Virginia

ckearney — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 09:00:54 +0000

STEM Fusion classes draw students from throughout Northern Virginia ckearney Thu, 03/12/2020 - 05:00

Mason alumnus Sarom Leang (standing), who participated in the EIP Program from 1993 to 1998, teaches a computer programming class at STEM Fusion. Photo by Lathan Goumas/Office of Communications and Marketing.

Betzy Balladares, a senior at Patriot High School in Nokesville, Virginia, was spending her Saturday in class on George Mason University’s Fairfax Campus. She was there, she said, to learn as much as she could to prepare for college.

Balladares, who is currently deciding which university to attend, will be the first in her family to go to college. She came to the United States from Peru when she was 8.

“I want to go to a good college to encourage my little brother,” Balladares said. “I want to be a good role model.”

Balladares was participating in one of five STEM Fusion Days held every year to help empower students to excel in their math and science coursework. During a recent cold February day, about 350 middle and high school students from throughout Northern Virginia attended a variety of classes. Some of the classes helped students review topics they were learning in school or prepared them for upcoming coursework. In addition, students were able to attend classes on new topics, such as cybersecurity and video game design.

The STEM Fusion program is part of Mason’s Early Identification Program (EIP), an extensive outreach effort to more than 650 first-generation college-bound students in the Northern Virginia area. Established in 1987, EIP is a multiyear college preparatory program for middle and high school students who will be the first in their families to attend college.

“STEM Fusion Days expose students to careers in STEM and provide math and science enrichment in coursework that students are currently enrolled in at their base school,” said Khaseem F. Davis, EIP’s director. “We provide math and science support from content experts who deliver the material in fun and engaging ways.”

Honors College senior Jesse McCandlish (right) has served as a tutor in math, science, and programming for the EIP Program during her time at Mason. Photo by Lathan Goumas/Office of Communications and Marketing.

Nawal Ali, an eighth-grade student at Kenmore Middle School in Arlington, Virginia, said the STEM classes “help me get prepared for school.”

In addition, she’s made friends with other students.

“They are all like me, they come for the same reason—that they believe they can do better things in life,” Ali said.

“Teaching provides me with an opportunity to give back to the same program that helped me embark on an academic journey that has resulted in my professional career as a computational scientist,” said Mason alumnus Sarom Leang, BS Chemistry ’04, who participated in the EIP Program from 1993 to 1998 and teaches a computer programming class at STEM Fusion. He is currently working for EP Analytics.

EIP participation begins in eighth grade. To participate, students are nominated by a school counselor and apply at the end of seventh grade. Students who successfully complete the program and meet Mason’s admissions requirements are guaranteed admission.

During the school year, Mason students tutor and mentor EIP participants. EIP participants also participate in an intensive three-week academic enrichment program in the summer. In addition, students from Mason’s Honors College help EIP participants in the college application process.

“The majority of our students come from groups historically underrepresented in college,” Davis said. “Mason’s EIP helps provide students with access to excellence.”

In fall 2019, the program had 223 participants enrolled from Fairfax County Public Schools, 143 from Arlington County, and 129 from Prince William Country, along with students from Alexandria City, Manassas Park, Manassas City and Falls Church City.

“It’s a little intimidating getting to college,” Balladares said. “My parents don’t know anything about the process, but I have the help of EIP, thank goodness.”

Topics

Early Identification Program (EIP)

STEM outreach

Campus News