Manassas

Governor’s School at Innovation Park offers high school students a pathway to college at 911��’s Science and Technology Campus

lclarkg — Wed, 21 May 2025 17:56:21 +0000

Governor’s School at Innovation Park offers high school students a pathway to college at 911��’s Science and Technology Campus lclarkg Wed, 05/21/2025 - 13:56

The Governor’s School at Innovation Park, located at 911��’s Science and Technology Campus, holds a special distinction: It’s Virginia’s only academic-year Governor’s School located on a four-year college campus.

That means that high school juniors and seniors spend part of each school day experiencing life as 911�� students.

Governor's School at Innovation Park students gather in Verizon Auditorium at Colgan Hall on the Science and Technology Campus. Photo provided

The Governor’s School at Innovation Park celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. Located in Manassas, it is one of 19 academic-year Governor’s Schools in the commonwealth. Students earn college credit for their coursework through dual enrollment at their high school and 911��.

"The Governor's School at Innovation Park provides a vital opportunity for local high school students to experience the rigors of college education,” said Janette Muir, vice provost for academic affairs at 911��. “The program exemplifies 911��’s role as an anchor for access to higher education in Northern Virginia.”

Qualified students at partner high schools are offered guaranteed admission to 911�� after completing the program.

The Governor’s School at Innovation Park serves 166 students from 15 high schools across three school divisions. The program’s faculty are Prince William County Schools employees and are also 911�� affiliate faculty. Several also work as adjunct faculty at 911��.

The program was founded in 2010 through the collaborative efforts of 911��, Prince William County Public Schools, Manassas City Public Schools, and Manassas Park City Schools. The STEM-focused curriculum includes real-world research and mentorship opportunities in business, industry, government, and university settings.

“Our location at 911��’s SciTech Campus has had an incalculable impact on all three school divisions, as well as the campus,” said Jason Calhoun, director of the school. “Our students’ access to world-class laboratory facilities has allowed them to conduct research and excel in national and international research and STEM competitions.”

Students are selected for the program through a committee review process in their school division. Applicants are evaluated based on a holistic review of their academic performance in high school and must have demonstrated excellence in advanced STEM courses.

“There is no better opportunity to prepare our advanced STEM students for the rigors of advanced course work and research, while still having access to the opportunities and socialization that high school allows,” said Calhoun.

Governor's School students at their annual research symposium. Photo provided

Calhoun noted that the program helps students hone laboratory and research skills, time management, and organizational skills, which are critical to success in college and beyond.

“The breadth and depth of their growth over two years is amazing, in part due to the structure of our students’ schedules and the early access to college life and expectations,” said Calhoun.

The Governor’s School semester has wrapped up with a research symposium and a graduation ceremony for seniors. And with STEM coursework under their belt from 911��, their paths to success have a foundation of excellence.

Learn more about the Governor's School at Innovation Park

Mason team tackles climate change in Virginia counties through new three-step initiative

Mariam Aburdeineh — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 17:54:54 +0000

Mason team tackles climate change in Virginia counties through new three-step initiative Mariam Aburdeineh Thu, 12/09/2021 - 12:54

In This Story

Joel Hicks

Solving climate change is a grand challenge facing the planet. As more individuals and leaders are recognizing the need to switch to environmentally friendly practices, 911��’s Local Climate Change Planning Initiative (LCCPI) is helping make that a reality for counties across Virginia.

“Our vision is to have Mason be the lead university in helping counties that lack the resources and expertise in [addressing climate change] get this done,” said Paul Bubbosh, a 1988 Mason alumnus and adjunct professor at the Schar School and College of Science.

Wealthier counties have funding to mitigate environmental issues, said Bubbosh, who started LCCPI with Schar School adjunct professor Joel Hicks in Fall 2021. Many smaller jurisdictions do not, he said, and they may not have staff for these initiatives.

LCCPI, housed within the Center for Energy Science and Policy, allows Mason to bring in its resources and expertise in modeling, engineering, environmental science, policy law, and more, to provide pro bono services to these counties, Bubbosh said.

Students will play an active role in the initiative’s three-stage process, which the Mason team is piloting in Manassas City.

The first stage, which Bubbosh said takes four to six months, is about gathering data on the county’s emissions footprint and having students conduct inventory modeling.

The next stage involves working with community leaders for a year to develop goals, such as changing streetlights to LEDs or reducing emissions, he said.

“In that process, which involves students leading community meetings with faculty, we begin to educate members of the public about the things they desire,” Bubbosh said. “It’s moving them toward understanding what makes the best, most economical, most practical sense for the community.”

Working at the local level is where critical change can happen, said Bubbosh, who said LCCPI was inspired by his time as a Peace Corps volunteer, when he saw how local communities are impacted by climate change.

That’s why stage three provides heightened value.

Hanna Metuda is one of two undergraduates volunteering with LCCPI. Photo provided.

“Any contractor you hire to do this leaves at stage two,” Bubbosh said. “We want to embed students in internships with the local county to help them implement what they found in stage two.”

“Being in the forefront and crafting creative solutions that could ripple through other communities is really inspiring,” said Hanna Metuda, a senior studying government and international politics. “That Mason is allowing students to be a part of that is exciting…and it gives me hope for our environment.”

Metuda is one of two undergraduates volunteering with LCCPI. She said growing up in the Philippines with the effects of pollution and climate change inspired her environmental drive. While she said she’s excited to apply what she’s learned in the classroom, she understands challenges could arise.

“Students will discover hurdles along the way that no classroom will ever be able to prepare a student for,” Bubbosh said, suggesting some challenges may be insurmountable. “However, that learning experience, even at a loss, is a win for students in terms of practical work experience.”

“It’s about seeing results—not academic exercises—and actually making a difference in someone’s life,” he said.

From left to right: Delegate Rip Sullivan (D-48th) from Manassas, Paul Bubbosh and Ambassador Richard Kauzlarich, Director of Mason's Center for Energy Science and Policy. Photo provided.