Meet the 2023–24 Faculty/Staff Book Scholarship awardees

George Mason University’s Faculty/Staff Book Scholarship supports continuing education for Mason employees, recognizing that the pursuit of an education is a lifelong process. This competitive $250 book scholarship is available to eligible full-time and part-time faculty and classified staff.

The scholarship was established when Mason received a $25,000 endowment in 2010. Scholarship applicants must be currently enrolled in a degree or graduate certificate program at Mason, submit a written statement, have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, at least one year of service at Mason, and a successful recent performance evaluation.

Selected from a competitive pool of applicants, these George Mason University faculty and staff have dedicated their time outside work to further their education. Read more about why they decided to continue their education at Mason.

Kelly Kim, Purchasing and Administrative Coordinator, School of Sport, Recreation, and Tourism Management

Pursuing a Bachelor of Individualized Study (BIS) with a concentration in Information Technology and Leadership

My degree and professional background are in IT and marketing, but when I started working in fiscal services at Mason, I wanted to learn other disciplines for this new career. The Bachelor of Individualized Study (BIS) Program offers great flexibility, allowing me to design my own program of study. Instructors for BIS courses are especially accommodating to adult students like me. I am grateful for the opportunity to pursue my academic goals through the employee tuition benefit. —Kelly Kim

Jordan Mason, Program Manager, Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) NoVA Node, College of Engineering and Computing

Pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA)

With all of the uncertainty that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with increasing advances in technology, the ability to look at, organize, and understand large swaths of data and act on those insights with business acumen has never been more important. The MBA program empowers me to do so with greater confidence and greater skill, allowing to more effectively function in my current and future roles.
—Jordan Mason

Faiza Shaikh, Information Technology Specialist, Technology Services, University Life

Pursuing a Master of Science in Information Security and Assurance

My desire to enroll in the Information Security and Assurance program was sparked by my work at Student Health Services, where we handle extremely sensitive data, and by the realization that if one doesn't update themselves on a regular basis, they will become obsolete in this hyper-competitive, developing world of technology. I thought it would help me develop on a personal and professional level. —Faiza Shaikh

Zi Wang, Web and Digital Content Manager, Operations and Business Services

Pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Data Analytics

The online MBA program provides flexibility and convenience, yet a quality curriculum that allows me to work full-time while pursuing a degree. Each course offers on-trend topics and software applications that equip me with knowledge and hands-on experiences. The cohort-style learning let me meet many classmates, who became close teammates. We share our academic wins, challenges, and life celebrations that make our MBA journey more enjoyable. —Zi Wang