Honors College Connects Student Leadership

Elizabeth is a sophomore in the Honors College pursuing a major in Global Affairs with a concentration in International Development and a minor in French. Elizabeth first joined Honors College Connects in the Spring of 2021 to combine academic work with real world impact. She is the current Operations Officer, focusing on institutional memory and outreach. Elizabeth is committed to helping foster the connection between academia and the larger community and is continuously inspired by the impact students make through helping their nonprofit partners.

Brandon is a junior in the Honors College majoring in Government & International Politics, with minors in Data Analysis and Global Affairs. Brandon participated in the inaugural Honors College Connects class, went on to serve on the E-Board, and currently serves as the Honors College External Experience Officer. As a result, Brandon saw the impact HCC can create by building a sense of community within the Honors College and developing meaningful professional relationships with nonprofits and peers. The opportunity to network with nonprofit leaders and give back directly motivated Brandon to foster the same passion for service in working with future students and nonprofit partners of HCC.

Elise is a junior English major who first joined Honors College Connects to find new friends and contribute to the local community, Elise stepped up as a leader in the program's transition from an extracurricular to a for-credit HNRS 261. Through this process, Elise got to see the behind-the-scenes aspects of HCC and the impact the program makes on the community. In her role as the Student Experience Officer, Elise is dedicated to building the sense of community between the students, mentors, and E-Board members to maintain the engagement that encouraged her to stay with the program. She continues to be inspired by the motivation and innovation of the HCC students as they navigate the challenges and deliver valuable products to the local community.

Brandon is a third year studying Cyber Security Engineering from Midlothian, Virginia and will serve as the new co-External Partner Experience Officer! Brandon has a passion for working with nonprofits and giving back to the community. He started his journey with HCC in Fall 2020, where he worked with his team for the nonprofit RENEW. He then joined the E-Board in Spring 2021, where his main contributions were helping to answer a set of strategic questions for HCC, along with involvement in our nonprofit recruitment and orientation. This semester, he has assisted with recruitment for the HCC hackathon through social media and print advertisements. Currently, he's working on two mini projects for recruiting BIPOC-led nonprofits and designing an HCC volunteer extracurricular opportunity.

Jeffrey is a junior in the Honors College pursuing a BS in Accounting with a minor in Computer Science. Jeffrey has been a member of Honors College Connects since his sophomore year and now serves as an E-Board member. Jeffrey joined Honors College Connects to learn more about the different nonprofit organizations around the area, meet new people, and gain service experience. As a member his sophomore year, he and his team worked to raise awareness for Bridle Paths, a non-profit that is focused on providing equine-assisted therapeutic services. He learned firsthand the struggles nonprofits face and acquired professional skills through working and communicating with a nonprofit in a professional environment. That experience led him to pursue an E-Board position to see how far he and Honors College Connects could grow.

Adrianna is a junior in the Honors College, majoring in Biology and minoring in Psychology. Adrianna has been involved in Honors College Connects since her first semester freshman year and is now a Student Mentor and an E-Board Member. Adrianna joined Honors College Connect to become more involved in the community around Mason and meet other students with a similar interest in serving the community. The connections formed with the non-profit partners and fellow students keep Adrianna motivated and passionate to continue her involvement with HCC.

Anna is a Sophomore in the Honors College majoring in Biology. Anna first participated in the program fall semester of her sophomore year, and she now serves as part of the E-Board. As a student with diverse volunteer experience and a passion for helping others, Anna joined Honors College Connects to give back to the local community while building relationships with others who share the same joy. The community, care, and passion of the HCC students and staff have inspired Anna to continue to be involved and give back to the community.

Malia is a junior in the Honors College pursuing a marketing major and a minor in graphic design. She is an inductee in the National Society of Leadership and Success and currently serves as a mentor for Honors College Connects. She has a passion for helping organizations market their services and has applied this to nonprofit marketing in Honors College Connects. She is excited to be a peer mentor for HCC and help her mentees succeed.

Reagan is a junior in the Honors College majoring in Communication. She joined HCC in Fall of 2020 and is now a Student Mentor for the program. The transition to online education, Reagan was motivated to join HCC as an opportunity to forge meaningful relationships with her peers and local organizations despite the digital platform.

Doria is a junior in the Honors College majoring in Economics with a concentration in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. Doria started working with Honors College Connects in the fall of her sophomore year and is now serving as a Student Mentor. She joined HCC to connect with the Fairfax community, build relationships with other students in the Honors College, and to learn more about how nonprofits function. Hoping to work with nonprofits in her professional journey, Doria is thankful for her wonderful experience building her skills with HCC. Stepping into her role as a Student Mentor, Doria is excited to guide other students as they get experience communicating, problem solving, and building in this service-learning experience!

Payton is a junior in the Honors College majoring in Global Affairs. She has been a part of HCC since August 2020 as a student in the inaugural class and now serves as a Student Mentor to new students in the program. Interested in a career in nonprofit work, Payton joined this class to help guide her career goals and give real-life experiences. After her experience in HCC, Payton wanted to continue with the program because of the fantastic work that is being done for the community beyond the boundaries of George Mason’s campus.

Elisa is a junior in the Honors College majoring in Psychology and minoring in Neuroscience. Elisa first participated in Honors College Connects in Fall 2020 because she wanted to make a difference in her community and see how working with nonprofits would make a real impact. After seeing how appreciative the nonprofit organization was for the student teams’ help, Elisa realised how students can help solve problems in the community. This inspired Elisa to continue her journey with HCC and become a Student Mentor so she can support other Honors students while they help their community.