Bachelor to Accelerated Master's program

An internship helped connect this EIP grad with a career path

Katarina Benson — Fri, 15 May 2026 17:27:04 +0000

An internship helped connect this EIP grad with a career path Katarina Benson Fri, 05/15/2026 - 13:27

Senior information technology major Crystal Forson likes to joke that her parents have been in school with her the whole time—"just without the studying.” Their support, she said, has been constant, from eighth grade when she joined the 911��’s Early Identification Program (EIP), all the way through graduation this May.

Forson and her family first learned about EIP when she was a student at Potomac Middle School in Dumfries, Virginia, and her mother’s excitement about the program was infectious. “What really pushed me to apply was knowing I wanted more for my future and for my family,” said Forson, who is a member of the Honors College. “I knew it was something worth giving my all.”

Forson completed an internship with CACI. Photo provided

EIP—which celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2027—supports first‑generation, college‑bound students beginning in middle school. Participants have access to academic enrichment, tutors, and mentors both in their home schools and on the 911�� campuses.

Through EIP’s STEM Fusion courses, Forson took a Python coding class that changed her trajectory. “After that class, I knew I wanted to do something related to Python,” she said. That early spark led her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in information technology with a concentration in web application development in 911��’s College of Engineering and Computing.

“Crystal is the kind of student who reminds us exactly why EIP exists,” said Alpachino Hogue, EIP's executive director. “She is bright, disciplined, and deeply committed to making the most of every opportunity. She has embraced EIP as both a community and a pathway to her goals.”

Family support is a cornerstone of EIP, and Forson’s parents—who immigrated from Ghana—fully embraced that role. They attended EIP’s Family Academy, ensured she had transportation to every program, and encouraged her at every step. “They were always willing to listen, always willing to show up,” Forson said. “They are one of my biggest driving forces.”

Hogue added, “Students do not sustain this kind of success without a strong foundation, and Crystal’s journey reflects that. Her family instilled in her the habits and values that matter most: perseverance, accountability, and a belief in oneself and the power of education.”

Forson’s dedication extended beyond EIP. She was selected for the inaugural cohort of CACI Scholars, a scholarship made possible by a 2023 gift from CACI International and awarded to 10 EIP alumni.

“By investing early, we’re not only developing skilled talent but shaping future leaders,” said Jeana Plews, vice president of CACI HR consulting solutions. “The program creates a strong, sustainable talent pipeline of motivated individuals with fresh perspectives and strong technical foundations.”

Forson first met the CACI team by chance while volunteering at a STEM event the company sponsored. “She stood out,” Plews said. “Not just for her initiative, but for the way she engaged with others.”

Forson credits EIP's Python course for helping her decide to pursue STEM. Photo provided

Her CACI summer internship, made possible through the scholarship, placed her on a team working to consolidate information across NASA’s many centers nationwide. The project blended her interest in technology with her passion for working with people. “I was exposed to technical solutions, including AI, while also working with the actual customer,” she said.

“Crystal’s academic background and major prepared her exceptionally well for our highly collaborative environment,” said Steve Brylski, CACI senior systems architect. “Her broad skill set aligned naturally with the way our teams work.”

The internship proved such a strong match that CACI offered Forson a full‑time business analyst position upon graduation. The job dovetails nicely with the master’s degree program she is already pursuing as a part of 911��’s Bachelor’s to Accelerated Master’s Program. She will earn a degree in management with a certificate in business analytics.

Forson also received the Paul and Gwen Patton Memorial Scholarship Endowment, awarded annually to an EIP alum attending 911��. The scholarship, housed in University Life, honors Paul Patton’s eight years of service on the University Life Advisory Board and is supported in part by CACI, where he served as a senior vice president for more than two decades.

During her time at 911��, Forson also served as a resident assistant for two years and was part of 911��’s chapter of Every Nation Campus, a faith-based international organization. Forson’s Patriot experience, combining her loves of Python and people, her desire for more and better, and fueled by the benefits of EIP and CACI, have already rocketed her to great heights.

Learn more about the Early Identification Program

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Historic victory for 911��’s Debate Team

sbrown79 — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 16:22:50 +0000

Historic victory for 911��’s Debate Team  sbrown79 Thu, 12/04/2025 - 11:22

911��'s Debate Team won the prestigious West Point Sword at the United States Military Academy’s 60th annual National Debate Tournament in West Point, New York.

“This is one of the most iconic awards in college policy debate, and it was the one title 911�� Debate had never won until now,” said Jackie Poapst, director of the Debate Team. “To see our name finally engraved among the champions in the tournament’s 60th year is nothing short of historic. This moment represents six decades of legacy, and the future of excellence at 911��.”

The victory in October was one of many for the 911�� varsity team this season.

911��'s Debate Team. Photo provided.

911�� students competed against teams from Harvard, Cornell, James Madison University, Liberty University, Binghamton University, New York University, the University of Rochester, and Suffolk University.

This year’s tournament topic was labor rights, and the 911�� team had several wins on the tournament leaderboard:

Austin Davis (Communication, sophomore) and Del Gorman (Government and International Politics, sophomore) — 1st Overall Seed, undefeated, Tournament Champions
Ashley Wright (Government and International Politics, junior) and Ben Witkov (Economics, freshman) — 2nd Overall Seed, Tournament Co-Champions
Reet Taxali (Criminology, junior) and Dean Richter (Government and International Politics, senior) — 4th Overall Seed, Elite Eight
Brenda Reyes (Conflict Analysis and Resolution, senior) and Amira Shananier (Computational and Data Science, senior) — 7th Overall Seed, Elite Eight

911�� debaters also triumphed as individual speakers, winning four of the top five speaker awards, with Davis taking first place.

Students from 911��'s Debate team accepting the West Point Sword. Photo provided.

“I told my coaches last year after losing in the finals that it was ‘Sword or bust’ this season. To win it with Del and to do it for 911�� Debate, it’s a dream realized,” said Davis, who is also a teaching assistant for the writing-intensive course COMM 300 Rhetorical Theory and Criticism.

Other students placing individually were Witkov at 3rd, Gorman at 4th, and Wright at 5th.

Reyes also serves as the team’s social events coordinator.

“We've been going to this tournament every single year, and our director has always been our biggest supporter. I’m so proud of my team's hard work and dedication. It’s an honor to be part of this legacy,” said Reyes, who is in 911��’s Bachelor’s to Accelerated Master’s Program.

“My partner Amira and I centered our debate on marginalized populations often neglected in labor rights,” said Reyes, who also serves as vice president of 911��’s Kappa Alpha Pi Pre-Law and Government Fraternity. “We argued that migrants and undocumented workers are not classified as workers by the [National Labor Relations Act] therefore, do not get access to all labor rights under most generic cases. This makes teams start to question what they can do for migrant laborers who are undocumented, who we believe are the backbone of America.”

One of Reyes’ takeaways from this experience is that as a senior, her time on the team is winding down.

“The moments of working together to achieve our team's goal of earning the West Point Sword will always be a special core debate memory,” said Reyes. “These memories from supporting our 911�� team, no matter the results, are what matter the most.” “We argued that migrants and undocumented workers are not classified as workers by the [National Labor Relations Act]; therefore, they do not get access to all labor rights under most generic cases."

911��’s performance was described by tournament officials as “one of the most comprehensive team showings in recent memory.”

“This win means everything to our students,” Poapst said. “They have proven that teamwork, resilience, and belief in each other can quite literally make history.”

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Graduate student uses internship to study political polarization

sholla4 — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 19:50:59 +0000

Graduate student uses internship to study political polarization sholla4 Fri, 08/25/2023 - 15:50

When 911�� graduate student Yuhyun Sihn worked as a student research fellow and a project intern for the Peace and Conflict Center Asia (PACSC Asia) in Mason Korea, she felt there were not enough opportunities for people to have a dialogue.

PACSC Asia strives to improve the relationship between people from North Korea and North Korean diasporas who have settled in South Korea and those already living there. That internship prepared Sihn perfectly for the work she is doing as a master’s student at Mason’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution and her internship this summer with the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/911��

“I want to create more spaces to discuss and share the future of the Korean peninsula with a variety of people,” said Sihn, who grew up in Incheon, Korea. “This [Sorensen] internship gave me a lot of insights and certainty in my vision to become a connector of people to resolve deep-rooted conflict in the Korean peninsula.”

After studying at Mason Korea, Sihn moved to the United States in January 2022 in time for the spring semester and completed her BA in conflict analysis and resolution in December 2022. Now she is working on her master’s in conflict analysis and resolution at Mason Square as part of Mason’s accelerated master’s program.

When she found out the Sorensen Institute of the University of Virginia’s 22nd Century Scholars summer internship program was open to students from other Virginia colleges, she decided to apply.

This year’s 22nd Century Scholars Program, which is a five-week virtual internship focusing on Virginia politics, was titled “Virginia—A Two-Party Dominion" and focused on common elements of how Republican and Democratic candidates have won gubernatorial elections since 2000, emphasizing themes such as education, jobs, health care, public safety, transportation, energy, and the environment.

“As I was interested in polarization, I thought this program would give me a great chance to explore solutions to division and polarization in society,” she said.

But first, Sihn needed to put in extra time to get herself up to speed on Virginia politics. “As the American political system and culture is quite different from the Korean ones, it was challenging to understand the unique sentiments and cultures that each region in Virginia has.”

Program speakers included former governors and lieutenant governors, policymakers, political strategists, data analysts, and journalists, who shared their experiences with the gubernatorial elections. Sihn even had the opportunity to ask Senator Tim Kaine how he and his team dealt with the divisive and polarized issues during his governorship.

Kaine told her: “Even though there is a person who has a different point of view from you, listen to it sincerely. This simple action helps to lower the temperature.”

“As a conflict scholar and a future practitioner, we will face so many issues or conflicts which are difficult to resolve and meet people with different understandings and interests,” Sihn said. “From his words, I realized it is important not to give up communication with people who have different opinions and views.”

^{“This [Sorensen] internship gave me a lot of insights and certainty in my vision to become a connector of people to resolve deep-rooted conflict in the Korean peninsula.”}

^{~ Yuhyun Sihn}

Learn More About the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution