Mason’s Student Body President and Vice President want to make sure Mason is a place for all

Cyber security engineering major Paul Wyche decided he wanted to run for George Mason University Student Body President when he realized that, while Mason prides itself on diversity, “some student groups don’t always feel the inclusion piece.”

Wyche, a junior, has been active in Student Government and has served as a Student Senator, chair of the Government and Community Relations Committee, and Speaker of the Student Senate, before stepping into the presidency this year.

Nell Palumbo, a junior government and international politics major, said she ran for Vice President to “use my voice to advocate for students who may not feel comfortable advocating for themselves.” Her priority is helping students get in touch with campus resources to have a positive college experience.

Another of Palumbo’s goals is to provide support to everyone in Student Government. She wants everyone to have the resources that they may need to succeed in their respective positions.

Wyche and Palumbo’s campaign motto was “Making sure Mason is a place for ALL.” Recognizing this is a lofty promise, Wyche explained the duo has several smaller goals to achieve this. These include fighting food insecurity and ensuring Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance on campus, as well as heading the GIVE B(L)ACK initiative,  a service-based project focused on giving back to the local community and businesses that are either owned by and/or cater to individuals from Black, African-Heritage, and Caribbean backgrounds.

Palumbo and Wyche both chose Mason because of its proximity to Washington, D.C., and the resources Mason offers in their respective majors that will help them advance their future careers. Wyche went to an engineering high school and wanted to pursue a cyber-focused major. He found that not a lot of institutions offer cyber security engineering, whereas Mason is one of the top institutions in the nation for the major. Palumbo knew the Schar School of Policy and Government would help her find internships and support her in her future career.

Both students credit Mason for helping them to become the people they are today. Palumbo said her courses have given her valuable experience and access to professors who have been able to guide her toward her career path. Mason has also offered her opportunities for internships and real-life work experience that will help her succeed after graduation. 

Wyche says that in addition to providing top-ranked academic programs, Mason has helped him grow as an individual “by immersing me in an environment that is diverse in so many ways.” What he finds so valuable about Mason’s diversity is that it promotes thought-provoking and bias-challenging discussions that he believes will help individuals better prepare for the real world.

Palumbo is currently studying for the Law School Admission Test and plans to attend law school in 2025 after graduating from Mason.

After graduation, Wyche plans to work in the private sector or in the federal government as a cybersecurity advisor/analyst and pursue a master’s degree in cybersecurity and business. He foresees a future career in politics as well.