Students

911�� course brings expertise from audio description pioneer

sbrown79 — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 15:26:32 +0000

911�� course brings expertise from audio description pioneer sbrown79 Tue, 10/20/2026 - 11:26

In This Story

For some, accessibility in the arts is a question of philosophy. 911�� adjunct professor Joel Snyder approaches the idea more literally.

Snyder is a pioneer in the niche industry of arts audio description—the process of translating the arts into spoken language, making theater, film, dance, and other art forms more accessible for people who are blind or have low vision.

Joel Snyder using a stenomask to audio describe a show. Photo provided.

Snyder has made that skill the center of a new audio description course in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA). 

He said 911�� stood out as the right place for the first-ever semester-long, for-credit audio description course in the United States because of the university’s existing commitment to accessible arts programming and its willingness to invest in the future of the field.

“I knew there was an interest at 911�� in making the arts events even more accessible,” Snyder said. “I’m thrilled that the university is forging ahead with courses like this."

For Snyder, the class is part of a broader vision for how accessibility should be understood on campuses and beyond: because audio description also enhances the experience of neurodivergent viewers. “It helps people on the autism spectrum, with ADHD, and it helps people who are learning a new language. Audio description builds literacy,” Snyder said.  
   
The course, CVPA 399 Audio Description for the Arts , connects students to a growing archive of audio description history and practice. Snyder donated more than 100 boxes of scripts, recordings, papers, and other materials to University Libraries in order to create a foundation for the Dr. Joel Snyder Audio Description Archive, a first-ever university-based collection of audio description historical materials and production elements. 

Snyder said he hopes the archive will be further digitized and made available to anybody around the world.

“These records provide a solid base to grow the primary source record on the development of audio description and thus accessibility from the last quarter of the 20th century to the present,” said Lynn Eaton, director, Special Collections Research Center. “Dr. Snyder’s donated collection will help current and future historians and researchers with essential documentation of his work and others in helping to make arts more broadly available.” 

There are nine students in the course, including three students who tune in from North Carolina, Texas, and Missouri respectively.

For Betsy Yancey, who has worked as the audience services manager at 911��’s Center for the Arts (CFA) for 24 years, the course offers a direct connection between the classroom and her day-to-day work.

Betsy Yancey (left) with her former student employees at the Center for the Arts.

“Part of my job is to coordinate access services for our performances—audio description, ASL interpretation, and captioning,” Yancey said. “I’m taking this course because I want to know more about [access services] and potentially be a backup in case our regular audio describer, Ermyn King, is unavailable.”

Her work at CFA includes coordinating with audio describers weeks before a performance, sharing scripts and rehearsal materials, and ensuring patrons can access show information in advance through large-print and screen-reader-friendly materials.

This season, more than 20 CFA performances include audio description, spanning productions in the School of Theater, School of Dance, and School of Music, as well as the professional artists series.

Yancey said she hopes the course encourages students and art professionals to think about accessibility as part of the creative process and not something added at the end.

“It would be great if all of our performing and visual arts departments as well as the companies that we present create the audio description script as they're working on their art because they know the [creator’s] intent,” Yancey said.  

“That's something that the audio describer may not know depending on how much access they've been given to the materials.”

She also sees opportunities for 911�� to expand audio description into digital spaces, including Mason Arts Amplified, the university’s digital arts platform.

"We have a college-wide commitment to making the arts accessible to more people, and Joel Snyder is one of the true founders of a key element of this mission, audio description,” said CVPA Dean Rick Davis. “His passion for this mission is stronger than ever after more than four decades of pioneering research and practice, and we're honored to have him with us."

Marybeth Haneline at the Kreeger Theater at Arena Stage audio describing CrazySexyCool: The TLC Musical. Photo provided.

Marybeth Haneline, who is auditing the course through 911��’s Senior Citizen Tuition Wavier program, brings another perspective to the course.

She is now in her third season as a volunteer with the Metropolitan Washington Ear audio description program, a program Snyder spearheaded in the 1980s. Haneline, who has audio described dozens of shows, said the class will allow her to apply what she’s learning to live performance. 

For her final project, Haneline plans to audio describe Frida: A Self Portrait at Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C., where she is also currently enrolled in the Salon Series, an interactive, behind-the-scenes program.

Haneline plans to use the Laban/Bartenieff Movement System, a comprehensive movement framework, to audio describe the show.

“It's really the perfect show for this project,” said Haneline. “The solo performer is trained in the Suzuki Method and there are these movement pieces that provide space for me to develop a script and do something useful.”

Snyder hopes students leave the course with practical skills they can use in professional settings.

“I hope they build the skillset of writing, voicing, and audio editing descriptions for professional work,” Snyder said. “Audio describers, the writers, and the voice talents are in great demand.”

He also hopes audio description continues to expand across 911��, including in visual art spaces. 

“If there's an art exhibit on campus, there should be audio descriptions of those images available,” Snyder said.

As the course gains momentum after several semesters of planning, Snyder sees 911�� as part of a much larger shift—one that treats access as a creative and educational responsibility.

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College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)

Costello student’s start-up mixes her love of baking with a passion for business

sholla4 — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 15:43:17 +0000

Costello student’s start-up mixes her love of baking with a passion for business sholla4 Mon, 10/19/2026 - 11:43

Do you smell that? Sharp cinnamon, sweet brown butter, subtle banana: mouth-watering cookies layered in a ribbon-tied box. This is Mama’s Table, a brand-new business started by 911�� senior Noor Musa. With a lifelong love of baking and dual majors in marketing and business analytics from the Costello College of Business, Musa is tackling small business ownership and her education with a cup of creativity, a dash of determination, and a whole helping of heart.

Noor Musa tabling at a farmers market. Photo provided.

Baking is a family affair. Taught by her mom, Musa found passion and serenity in measuring, stirring, and decorating. “If I have a stressful day, I bake. If I have a good day, I bake. Everything comes back to baking,” she said. Turning her hobby into a business was something she’d considered for a few years before taking the plunge.

“I went back and forth about it. ‘I shouldn’t start this, I don’t have enough time,’” she said. “But I realized you’re never going to have enough time. You just start it and see where it goes.”

Mama’s Table sells original, homemade baked goods, all made by Musa and her mother, Soraya Amra. They’re selling their tasty treats at local farmers markets and pop-ups around the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region.

In many ways, baking and marketing are extensions of one another: disciplines where creativity exists within exactness and precision. “If you’re following brand guidelines, you can’t stray from that. The words you choose have to be exact,” she said. The same is true of her minor in business analytics. “You have to be specific.”

Musa in the local paper at 9 years old. Photo provided.

But between those exact measurements and precise temperatures, magic happens for someone like Musa. Her three cookie flavors for fall—salted brown butter chocolate chunk, double chocolate chunk banana bread, and cinnamon swirl espresso—are original creations. And, according to Musa, they’re flying off the shelves.

“Being a student at 911�� during this time while I build my business has really helped,” she said. “You have access to this wide community of people who are going to advocate for you.” The Women in Business student organization, of which Musa is the vice president of administration, provided feedback when she soft-launched Mama’s Table. And her coursework has helped her hone the required skills for a small business owner.

An underlying thread in all Musa’s work is the dedication and patience required. Every recipe starts as trial and error; that banana bread cookie was a long, arduous experiment until she found the right ratios to make it a bestseller.

Developing her skills in marketing and business analytics is no different. Self-described as “anxious and very shy” speaker when she first arrived at 911��, Musa embraced being forced out of her comfort zone in order to grow into a successful communicator.

Photo provided.

“All my classes were public speaking and group work on real-world projects with real businesses,” she said.

MKTG 335 Strategic Brand Management included a brand audit, where she and her team are meeting with senior executives to better understand the branding choices made and offer suggestions for how to improve.

“I think most people think that public speaking just comes naturally,” she said. “That’s so not true. I think it’s a taught skill, whether you teach it to yourself or learn it in a class.” And her coursework at 911�� has given her the opportunities to learn, practice, and improve; so much so that Musa became a consultant for the university’s Communication Center until recently leaving the position for an internship.

“It all really helped my personal development, which led to me building the courage to launch my business,” she said. “Three years ago, I could not have imagined myself here. You’re constantly growing at 911��, and that’s really prepared me for the real world.”

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Student and faculty researchers team up to drive societal change

Susan Martonik — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 16:47:47 +0000

Student and faculty researchers team up to drive societal change Susan Martonik Wed, 10/14/2026 - 12:47

This summer, classrooms gave way to labs, field sites, and data sets as 911�� faculty and students partnered to tackle some of society's most pressing challenges. The research teams explored complex issues—many aligned with the university’s Grand Challenge Initiative—examining them from multiple perspectives and generating new insights to help shape future solutions.

These Summer Team Impact Projects, supported by grants from Mason Impact, were led by faculty members who assembled teams of undergraduate and graduate students from across disciplines. Students—who received stipends to support their participation—took part in a one-week boot camp to begin the 10-week program, along with various enrichment activities throughout the summer. The students shared their findings at the Office of Student Creative Activities and Research Summer Celebration of Student Scholarship and Impact.

Summer Team Impact Project researchers Abigail Naidoo (left) and Katelyn Mckee present at the OSCAR Summer 2026 Celebration. Photo by Susan Lawrence.

The research spanned a wide range of topics, including homelessness and climate-related challenges, using virtual reality to support health, changes in the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to better understand how people move through cities, and the impact of generative AI on student writing.

Susan Lawrence and Courtney Massie, director and assistant director, respectively, of the Writing Center, led a project titled “Student Writers and Generative AI: Investigating Practices, Knowledge, and Critical Literacies.” Working with a team of six undergraduate students and one graduate mentor, their research examined how 911�� students are integrating generative AI into their writing processes in realistic academic settings. It also explored the extent to which writers saw themselves thinking critically and the ownership they felt over their work.

While Lawrence and Massie oversaw the project, their team of students led the research-- interviewing participants, coding results, and analyzing data to generate findings.

“I conducted qualitative research using in-depth interviews and coding to determine insights about how 911�� students use generative AI in their writing,” said Marisa Parikh, an Honors College student majoring in public administration in the Schar School of Policy and Government. “One of the most valuable things I learned was how new developments in technology are impacting students today. This helped me look more long term at how institutions can promote accessibility to education for all students and use this technology as a tool to increase student success outcomes.”

Lawrence spoke highly of the student researchers’ work. “Having a multidisciplinary team of student researchers was a major asset for this project,” she said. “They connected easily with participants during interviews, and their diverse perspectives on generative AI helped shape how we ultimately interpreted the data.”

The team has submitted their project for presentation at the International Writing Centers Association conference in October and are moving toward publishing a manuscript. Beyond its scholarly contributions, the project also highlighted the Writing Center as a valuable setting for research on writing and literacy.

Jenna Krall, associate professor of global and community health, and Marybeth Mitcham, assistant professor of global and community health, both in the College of Public Health, along with Fengxiu Zhang, assistant professor in the Schar School, led another Summer Team Impact Project on “Supportive Housing as Climate Resiliency: Resident, Community, and Government Perspectives.” Working with a team of nine student researchers, the project sought to understand the challenges of homelessness and environmental hazards using community health, environmental science, and policy frameworks.

“There are huge knowledge gaps in this space, so we split our researchers into three groups to gather multiple perspectives,” said Krall. “Our team meetings became a space where the students could experiment and sandbox ideas for how to analyze the data they collected. They weren’t just checking boxes; they were helping build a knowledge base to inform future research and practice.”

Professor Krall's Summer Team Impact Project members take a field trip to the Lamb Center. Photo by Jenna Krall.

The research team presented their findings to local partners, including the Lamb Center and the City of Fairfax. Efforts are also underway to publish the research.

“The project provided me with real-life experience of how it is to work on a team, in particular building my skill of patience through the research process, understanding the reason for the project, working with colleagues, and letting creative ideas flow,” said student researcher Alex Romero Valenzuela, a community health major in the College of Public Health who is pursuing a master's degree in public health through 911��'s bachelor’s-to-accelerated master's (BAM) program.

For Krall, the experience was rewarding both professionally and personally. A 911�� alum, she participated in a summer research project as an undergraduate. “I’ve wanted to apply for this grant since I started teaching at 911��,” she said. “It’s especially meaningful to come full circle and introduce current students to research as a potential career path.”

“The Summer Team Impact Projects provide valuable experience for all involved. Faculty can pursue research in areas of personal and professional interest, while students gain hands-on experience with research design, implementation, and analysis,” said Jesse Guessford, director of curriculum and initiatives in the Office of Undergraduate Education. “This program brings together two of 911��’s key priorities: supporting student success and creating opportunities for faculty scholarship and innovation.”

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Skills-focused academic minor programs prepare 911�� students for the workforce

Susan Martonik — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 16:33:19 +0000

Skills-focused academic minor programs prepare 911�� students for the workforce Susan Martonik Wed, 10/14/2026 - 12:33

In today’s competitive job market, students are increasingly looking for ways to distinguish themselves in the eyes of potential employers. To help its graduates gain a competitive edge, 911�� is strengthening students’ career readiness through its specialized workforce-ready minor programs. To date, 34 programs are available—and more are on the way.

“These programs provide students with an opportunity to enter the workforce equipped with the practical skills and experiences that employers seek,” said Elizabeth Loun, program manager for university internships in the Undergraduate Education. “They are also highly accessible. In many cases, students can earn a workforce-ready minor by completing only a few additional courses before graduation.”

911��’s workforce-ready minor programs currently span seven schools and colleges. They are designed to complement any major, and all programs include internship-based courses and career-relevant assignments, giving students the opportunity to gain practical experience and ensuring career readiness. Available minors include environmental consulting, government contracting, nonprofit studies, renewable energy, leadership, arts management, and more. These programs are designated in the course catalog for the first time this fall, making them easier for students to identify and explore.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

The workforce-ready minors are strategically aligned with high-demand occupations identified by the Virginia Career and Technical Education Resource Center, a Virginia Department of Education-funded initiative that helps ensure that academic programs remain connected to the needs of employers across the commonwealth. These occupations are grouped into 17 career clusters—including energy, health sciences, information technology, and government and public administration—and represent 83 distinct career pathways.

“In the years ahead, we anticipate significant growth within these career clusters,” said Loun. “By helping students develop in-demand skills, our workforce-ready minor programs prepare 911�� students to pursue opportunities in these fields and contribute as future leaders.”

To expand access to career-focused learning opportunities across the curriculum, 911�� launched the Workforce-Ready Minors initiative earlier this year. Through the initiative, faculty members received stipends to modify programs, enhance courses, or create internship courses.

In the School of Art, Professor John von Bergen used the grant to redesign AVT 462 Advanced Sculpture, an upper-level course that teaches students advanced 3D fabrication techniques used in contemporary creative industries. With the Workforce-Ready Minors program, von Bergen enhanced the course to have a career-relevant focus each week. Throughout the semester, students create presentation materials tailored to careers in art, design, fabrication, and creative technology, participate in resume workshops, and engage with industry professionals to gain real-world experience and build professional networks. This course is scheduled to be offered in fall 2027.

“We received a tremendous response to our call for proposals this spring and summer,” said Loun. “The strong interest from faculty enabled us to double the number of workforce-ready minor programs in just a few months. In some cases, existing programs already met the workforce-ready minor criteria and required no additional funding.”

She continued, “With a final round of grants being distributed this fall, we look forward to building on this momentum and broadening our portfolio of offerings even further.”

Browse workforce-ready minors

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Students

Patriot Profile: Maya Bayat

ckearney — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:51:48 +0000

Patriot Profile: Maya Bayat ckearney Tue, 10/13/2026 - 11:51

Maya Bayat

Year: Senior

Major: Business with a minor in visual art

Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

It might be difficult to guess based on how much 911�� student-athlete Maya Bayat, BS Business ’26, fits into her day, but she says she’s grown a lot when it comes to time management. Bayat is in the Bachelor’s-to-Accelerated Master’s Program working on a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in finance with a minor in visual art. In addition to her classes, she trains and competes for the women’s tennis team, works as an intern at two galleries and an art nonprofit, and creates her own art.

Home Away from Home: For Bayat, the chance to play Division I tennis while staying close to her family in Arlington made 911�� the right choice. “Having my family’s support means a lot to me. They help me every step of the way,” she said. As someone with many interests and the determination to follow them, Bayat has taken advantage of the myriad opportunities she’s had a 911�� to build relationships with teammates and coaches, network in the Costello College of Business, and expand art connections through Mason Exhibitions. “I would say as a person—not necessarily that I'm more extroverted—but I'm more open to connecting with people,” she said.

Maya Bayat. Photo by Art Pittman/Athletics

Leveling Up: Bayat, who plays both singles and doubles, started tennis later than most Division I players, but her enthusiasm for the game fueled her extra hours on the court. “We all love winning,” she said, but her training focuses on the process as much as the results: “I'm always trying to improve technically, mentally, physically.” She is also on the university’s Student–Athlete Advisory Committee, where representatives from all the Division I teams collaborate to improve the experience of current and future Patriots.

No Canvas, No Problem: “For as long as I can remember, I've been making art,” said Bayat. “I did my first structured art class when I was around five years old.” Painting in particular has provided an outlet. “[During COVID] I ran out of canvases because I was painting so much.” She had already transformed the mailbox, the driveway, and an old cabinet into artwork, so her parents said she could decorate some walls, and she discovered a new “love for murals.”

Finding Her Niche: This summer, Bayat interned at Mason Exhibitions Arlington and the Fred Schnider Gallery of Art in Arlington. Her Mason Exhibitions supervisor made sure she could apply her finance skills to real-world projects like grant applications, but she also learned about every aspect of running the gallery. Bayat helped with exhibit de-install; learned how to care for artwork; and contributed research, wall text, and press releases to the What Remains? exhibit, which features art by veterans and runs through November. The experience, she says, “makes you respect…art galleries, art institutions, museums so much more.”

The Art of the Deal: Bayat describes herself as entrepreneurial—she has sold her own paintings to fund tennis expenses. She is now interested in pursuing a career in the art value investment market, which combines her love of art and her interest in investing. As for tennis, she’s begun coaching recently and would like to play in professional tournaments. “I'll always have it in my life. . . I love tennis. I feel like it has its own art form too. It's a way of expressing yourself.”

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High school flag football coach dominates the field with kinesiology and coaching knowledge

sholla4 — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 19:58:48 +0000

High school flag football coach dominates the field with kinesiology and coaching knowledge sholla4 Fri, 10/09/2026 - 15:58

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

The Lightridge High School girls flag football team may be new, but it's far from green. Their perfect record is proof of a spectacular inaugural season. And it's thanks, in part, to their head coach and 911�� student Maya McAfee. By combining her kinesiology major with a coaching minor and a passion for football, McAfee is helping Lightridge High School score big on the flag football field.

McAfee's path toward a kinesiology degree began with a lifelong love of sports. “Sports have always been a huge part of my life,” said McAfee, who grew up playing basketball, volleyball, and softball. Chronic hip issues requiring multiple surgeries often kept her out of the game; as a result, she started her college career at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) as a biomedical engineering major with a plan to pursue orthopedics.

Recovering from another hip injury her freshman year at VCU, McAfee sought personal training in order to stay connected to sports. And when she couldn’t find a trainer, she decided to become one. Over the course of her personal training certification, she realized that the real healing process happened during rehabilitation. “Physical therapy wasn’t just about rebuilding my physical strength; it required an incredible amount of mental resilience and trust in my body,” she said. “That’s when I started to realize that I was more interest in being part of the process of helping athletes rebuild themselves.”

McAfee transferred to 911�� and into the kinesiology major in the College of Education and Human Development in 2022. She picked up the minor in coaching after becoming the assistant coach for the junior varsity (JV) girls basketball at Independence High School. She went on to become the head coach of JV girls basketball at Tuscarora High School before becoming head coach for JV girls basketball at Lightridge High School, where she is now the coach for the varsity girls flag football team.

"I'm a die-hard Washington Commanders fan, and football has always been a true passion of mine. And I fell in love with flag football playing on 911��'s intramural team," she said. "It's a safe space for me, and it's a safe space for these girls."

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

After the announcement of flag football's inclusion in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, the sport exploded in popularity across the United States. While dreams of Olympic gold are certainly part of the equation, McAfee explained that flag football is also a more accessible version of gridiron football that allows for wider participation.

"Since its newer, everyone is entering the sport on a more even playing field," she said. "It's something different, which is good for lifelong athletes tired of other sports. And people can enjoy the game of football without fear of potentially dangerous physical contact."

As a coach, McAfee is finding that one of the best parts of the job is helping the students build confidence in themselves as athletes and leaders. This is where her 911�� education has been especially valuable. “Studying kinesiology has helped me tremendously with the physical side of coaching, while my coaching minor has helped me develop a stronger understanding of the mental and psychological foundations,” she explained. "I'm using what I learned in my Foundation of Sports Coaching and Psychology of Sports classes daily.” Public Speaking—a class she took to fulfill a Mason Core requirement—also helped strengthen her ability to communicate with students, parents, staff, and other coaches.

"The more I learn, the more I realize how much there still is to learn. That's one of the things I love most about coaching. I'm constantly eager to be a sponge absorbing as much knowledge as possible and continue finding ways to improve," she said.

And the results are apparent in the scores. In its inaugural season, the Lightridge Lightning have dominated the field. They won the inaugural NOVA Girls Flag Football Tournament, and have gone on to have a perfect first season leading to the playoffs. It's also caught the eye of her favorite team; The Washington Commanders named McAfee the Flag Football Coach of the Week in September.

One thing is for certain: football will always have a special place in McAfee's life, whether she's making a play on the field or coaching from the sidelines.

"My 911�� education has really helped me in the real world," she said. "And the more I'm educated, the more I can bring back to the field to help my girls. It's just very full circle."

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

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Learn more about the College of Education and Human Development

Playing it out: A new way to teach health economics

Heather Carroll — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 17:49:22 +0000

Playing it out: A new way to teach health economics Heather Carroll Wed, 10/07/2026 - 13:49

In Phillip Zane’s 911�� classroom, students weigh an invitation to jump out of an airplane. The skydiving lesson and jump are free, and the exercise assumes there is zero risk of death. But an injury could mean $10,000 in medical expenses and $1,000 in lost wages.

Some have health insurance. Others don’t. Everyone has to decide whether to take the leap.

Phillip Zane presenting to students during class
Photo by Heather Carroll/College of Public Health

The imaginary jump brings a question of health economics within reach: how insurance can change the risks people are willing to take, and what happens when those choices add up across a health care system.

Zane, an associate professor in the Department of Health Administration, Policy, and Informatics, has built his Health Economics and Policy course around such experiments, pulling students into questions that can seem abstract or remote on a textbook page.

He and his colleagues, including associate professor Debora Goetz Goldberg, describe the approach in a new paper, “More Than a Game,” published in a special issue of The Journal of Health Administration Education focused on gamification.

Course evaluations from 129 students between 2022 and 2025 suggest the approach resonated: About 89 percent found the class environment engaging, and 85 percent said the teaching methods enhanced their learning.

In written feedback, students said the games clarified challenging concepts and exposed them to classmates’ different approaches.

Invitation to play

Students participating in Zane's class
Photo by Mary Cunningham

The idea took hold during a summer of online teaching in 2022, when most students kept their cameras off. Zane wanted a way to keep them engaged. “It’s a topic that I love, but they didn’t seem to get it,” he said.

Many of his health administration students came to the course with little background or interest in economics. Game theory—which examines how people make decisions when their outcomes depend on others’ choices—offered a way in. A former antitrust lawyer, Zane had used its principles in the past to help clients decide whether to settle lawsuits. Now he thought it might help students understand the economic forces underpinning health care.

Zane started with the “ultimatum game,” a well-established experiment in which one party offers to divide a financial windfall with another. In his version, Kit Kats stand in for cash. One student makes a proposal to their classmate, who can accept it or turn it down, with a rejection leaving both empty-handed. As it turns out, some students would rather get nothing than accept an unfair share—prompting a discussion about why fairness can outweigh personal gain.

From there, Zane began adding more exercises, some adapted from existing game-theory models and others of his own design, and adjusting according to student feedback.

Students listening to Zane during class. Photo by Mary Cunningham/College of Public Health

In his original orange juice game, students are assigned to groups with different levels of competition, from a single seller with a monopoly to a crowded market with many sellers. Zane tells each group he will pay up to $5 for a bottle of juice. The monopolist can hold near that ceiling, while competing sellers must undercut each other. In the most crowded market, the price can fall close to zero, showing students how competition drives down prices.

The games are only part of the lesson. After playing, students explain their choices and compare their reasoning with others in the class. Reading those reflections helped Zane see whether the economic lessons were landing.

“It became pretty clear that most of the students were getting it,” he said.

In addition to Zane and Golberg, additional co-authors to the paper were doctoral students Shaan Muberra Khan and Sravya Vunnam of the Department of Health Administration, Policy, and Informatics.

The Journal of Health Administration Education special issue also features HAPI professor John Cantiello and associate professor Renee Geschke’s research on case-based learning.

Key Takeaways

911�� associate professor Phillip Zane uses games and simulations to teach health economics.
A new journal article by Zane describes the teaching approach as part of a special issue on gamification.
In evaluations, most students found the learning environment engaging and said the teaching methods helped them learn.

In This Story

Phillip Zane, JD

Debora Goetz Goldberg, PhD, MHA, MBA

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Simulation

Active Learning

immersive technologies

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Students

One mission, many paths: 911�� senior advances youth mental health through research and outreach

sbrown79 — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 19:36:02 +0000

One mission, many paths: 911�� senior advances youth mental health through research and outreach sbrown79 Tue, 10/06/2026 - 15:36

911�� senior Mehmood Shajih has built his college experience around one goal: creating better mental health outcomes for young people.

That mission has shaped both his academic path as a psychology major in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and his long-running internship with Prince William County (Virginia) Schools (PWCS)—a unique opportunity that was created specifically for him.

Mehmood Shajih. Photo provided.

Shajih, who is also part of 911��’s Honors in Psychology program, first became interested in developmental psychology in high school. As a student in the biomedical science program at Osbourn Park High School in Manassas, Virginia, he completed a year-long research project on how parents influence children’s behavior. He also worked with AlphaBEST, a before- and after-school care program, where he saw firsthand how early mental health and education challenges can affect children.

And when he wasn’t studying students’ behavior, he was advocating on behalf of it. As a member of his high school student senate, Shajih represented his peers to county leaders and built relationships with school system officials. That’s how he met Anaid Shaver, former PWCS administrative supervisor of career counseling.

“When he reached out to inquire about an internship, his background and clear interest in child psychology and youth development aligned directly with the office’s mission,” Shaver said.

There was only one problem.

“There were no internship positions in her office; she had never had an intern before,” said Shajih. “But we spoke about my interests and career goals and basically developed the role that I eventually took on together.”

That initiative made an impression on Shaver.

“Rather than taking on pre-defined tasks, Mehmood actively developed and implemented the College and Career Student and Alumni Ambassador Program from the ground up,” Shaver said.

For Shajih, who immigrated to the United States in 2016, the work is personal. He said he faced challenges navigating the college application and financial aid processes.

“My parents and I were unfamiliar with the post-high school graduation processes in America, so I was learning about that process all on my own,” he said. “Now, I really want to help students facing the same issues that I faced before.”

Shajih and psychology professor Sabine Doebel at the 2026 OSCAR Celebration of Student Scholarship and Impact. Photo provided.

As an intern with PWCS, Shajih supports initiatives designed to help students think about their futures early and often. “There is a level of preparation that can be instilled no matter where you are in life,” he said.

Shajih has assisted with college and career fairs, helped develop school-based college and career clubs, and created systems to support long-term program success. He also developed a standard operating guide for the clubs and introduced pre- and post-surveys so school staff could better assess student outcomes and program effectiveness.

He also helped organize PWCS’s broader focus on career exploration. The district offers specialty programs in areas such as nursing, biotechnical, biomedical, firefighting, and auto tech, among others.

“They’re a great way to get students interested in these fields early on and keep them on track,” said Shajih. “Students can change their mind at any point, but at least they are gaining knowledge about different fields.”

Shajih said the work he does for his internship, which was funded by the Honoring Our Community Fellowship Program, a paid fellowship program for Honors College students, was heavily reinforced by his academic experience at 911��, where he worked on child developmental research with his mentors—911�� psychology professors Jennifer Brielmaier and Sabine Doebel.

Mehmood's intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm for learning stood out early on during his time in the Honors program,” said Brielmaier. “I saw tremendous growth in Mehmood. Not only did he improve his analytical, writing, and oral presentation skills, but he became a leader within his Honors cohort.”

Shajih’s research focused on the marshmallow test, an assessment of children’s ability to delay gratification. Over three semesters, he worked closely with his mentors to complete and defend his honors thesis. He later developed that meta-analysis into a research paper, Why Wait? A Meta-Analysis of Task and Sample Moderators of Children’s Performance on the Marshmallow Test, which was published in the Journal of Cognition and Development.

Shajih presents his research: "Why Wait? A Meta-Analysis of Task and Sample Moderators of Children’s Performance on the Marshmallow Test." Photo provided.

“Meta-analyses are much more methodologically sophisticated and labor-intensive than the projects undertaken by most of our Honors students,” Brielmaier said. “Mehmood was involved each step of the way, from designing the study to screening abstracts for inclusion to developing the code for data analysis.”

At the spring Office of Student Creative Activities and Research (OSCAR) Celebration of Student Scholarship and Impact, Shajih was one of six students recognized with a 2026 OSCAR Excellence Award for his research.

Looking ahead, Shajih said he plans to attend medical school and hopes to build a career that combines clinical care with research, particularly in work involving children and adolescent mental health. He sees his research and internship experiences as a foundation for that future.

“The research and internship experiences that came from my time at 911�� were priceless,” Shajih said. “They’ve helped me start a dedicated career to do more for the children in my community.”

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Master of International Security Graduate Student Earns Boren Fellowship

Andrew J Schappert — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 12:19:37 +0000

Master of International Security Graduate Student Earns Boren Fellowship Andrew J Schappert Mon, 10/05/2026 - 08:19

Xavier Isaac enrolled in the Master of International Security Program at the Schar School of Policy and Government at 911�� to enhance his interest in international affairs. The appeal of the subject developed for him during two study-abroad experiences he had as an undergraduate at Virginia State University.

Xavier Isaac. Photo provided

“Interacting with people from other countries really intrigued me,” he said. “I saw how I took for granted the U.S., the role that we have as being leaders of the free world.”

A couple of factors influenced Isaac’s decision to attend 911��: in-state tuition and location. But the reputation of the Schar School’s faculty confirmed his choice.

“A lot of the professors I had were not just academics or commentators in the field, they actually had roles and experience working in the government and the private sector,” he said. “It gave a lot more credence to the lessons being taught and I learned a lot because of that.”

Isaac mentions Richard Kauzlarich and James Danoy with a special shoutout to Ellen Laipson, director of the Master of International Security Program and the Center for Security Policy Studies (CSPS), as being influential professors and mentors. Laipson, he says, was instrumental in his earning a Boren Fellowship.

“I had a coffee chat with her, and she really helped me with regard to recommendation letters,” he said. “I really appreciated that. I wouldn’t have gotten that fellowship without her support and advocacy.”

In January 2027, Isaac will begin the yearlong Boren Fellowship in Tokyo, Japan. The Boren award provides funding for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to study critical languages abroad while committing to future public service to enhance U.S. capabilities, deterrence, and readiness.

“I look at it as another opportunity to expand upon what I’ve learned at the Schar School and have another focus—going overseas and learning another language,” Isaac said.

Laipson describes Isaac as a thoughtful and hard-working student and was thrilled to learn that he was selected for a Boren Fellowship.

“The opportunity to be immersed in a foreign culture—especially one as significant as Japan—will make him and any Schar School student a more effective professional in the national security world,” she said. “I am confident he will make the most of his time in Japan.”

The fellowship will allow Isaac to build on his international security studies at the Schar School while gaining additional language skills and firsthand experience abroad.

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Ellen Laipson

Richard Kauzlarich

James P. Danoy

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Patriot Profile: Tori Bates

Katarina Benson — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 18:26:33 +0000

Patriot Profile: Tori Bates Katarina Benson Thu, 10/01/2026 - 14:26

Patriot Profile: Tori Bates

Year: Senior 

Major: Special Education

Hometown: Ada, Michigan

911�� student and lacrosse goalkeeper Tori Bates couldn’t have known that a decision she made as a teenager about how to spend the summer would end up defining her life’s purpose. For Bates, that moment came when she was looking for a meaningful way to spend her time and began volunteering at a therapeutic center for children ages 1-14 with developmental disabilities. What began as a summer activity sparked a passion for helping others. “I just absolutely fell in love with it,” she said. “It was just so much fun and so rewarding to see how much influence I had in their progress in just a couple of months.”

Tori Bates. Photo by Rafael Suanes/911�� Athletics

Lending a Hand: Bates volunteered in a speech and occupational therapy program, serving as both a peer and role model. She found particular joy in seeing children build their communication skills. For Bates, those moments represented something much bigger: helping children gain another way to express who they were and what they needed. At an end-of-camp ice cream party, for example, Bates asked a girl who had had trouble verbalizing her needs what flavor she wanted. When the ice cream came out too cold, the girl handed it back with a single word: "cold." It was the first time she had verbally advocated for herself. “It was a momentous moment,” Bates said.

Signs Point to 911��: That same instinct to connect with and help others carried over to learning American Sign Language, which the aspiring special education teacher took as her foreign language all four years of high school. Bates is sharpening those skills at 911�� with a ASL minor, and the university’s proximity to the Washington, D.C., area deaf community means she has plenty of opportunities to use the skills.

Alexandra Raines, special education assistant professor in the College of Education and Human Development, said Bates brings that same level of compassion, thoughtfulness, and dedication to the classroom. “Tori is a hardworking and supportive classmate who consistently contributes meaningful ideas and makes those around her better,” Raines said. “I have no doubt she will make a lasting and positive impact on the students and families she serves!”

Between the Pipes: As a four-year varsity lacrosse player, three-time All-Conference selection, and Second Team All-State honoree at Forest Hills Central High School, Bates set Michigan state records in saves in a single game and in a single season. On the field for the Patriots, she is vocal and calm under pressure, always steadying the ship with her sense of humor. "When we’re relaxed and enjoying ourselves, that's when we have the best chemistry, and we play better," she said.

Bates (center) with her teammates. Photo by 911�� Athletics

“Tori serves as a strong example of how the simple act of showing up – especially on the days when it feels difficult – can lead to meaningful growth over time,” said Kara Mupo, 911��’s women’s lacrosse head coach.

The Student-Athlete Balance: A two-time Provost Scholar, Bates carries a 3.9 GPA and was recently among the program-record 12 Patriots named to the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division I Academic Honor Roll. Bates also serves as vice president on 911��’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) and works part time as an administrative assistant with the 911�� Police Department, where she assists with research, including background checks. In her downtime, Bates enjoys scrapbooking, crafting, or curling up with a good book and her 12-year-old cat, Chanel.

“Tori is a vital part of our team whose dedication to what she does is readily apparent,” said Assistant Chief Michael F. Lighthiser, Mason Police. “She's been a great addition to the department.”

Parental Guidance Accepted: Initially drawn to occupational and speech therapy, Bates said it was her mother who suggested special education might be a natural fit. She also credits her parents for modeling what it looks like to work hard, show up, and stay committed. "They always say: Try your best," she said. "It didn't matter if I got a B, as long as they saw the effort. They showed me that you always show up to the commitments you've made." She’s taken the lesson and made it practical. “It’s really all about planning,” she said. “But when you’re so passionate about so many things, you make the time.”

Bates working with a child in occupational therapy. Photo provided

Next Up: Bates isn’t slowing down after graduation. She’s enrolled in 911��’s Bachelor's to Accelerated Master’s Degree program in Adaptive Curriculum for grades K-12. She hopes to one day teach for the Department of War Education Activity, which operates schools in the United States and overseas, including, Japan, Germany, and Guam. She's also passionate about educational policy and would love to play a role in updating the 2004 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Wherever her classroom is, she already knows what she wants it to feel like. "I want my students to feel like it's their space too," she said. "I want to celebrate differences. Everyone has a right to learn, feel safe, and be seen. I want learning to be fun."

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Major: Business with a minor in visual art

Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

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Patriot Profile: Tori Bates

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Year: Senior

Major: Special Education

Hometown: Ada, Michigan

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Year: Senior 