Prosperity

Everyone Loves a Success Story

By Maia Kedem

Everyone loves a success story; Seabiscuit, The Mighty Ducks, Robert Downy Jr., Rocky. Befitting that theme, the following is a shining story about a recent college graduate destined for greatness. Alex Jackson is a George Mason University alum who has taken the lessons she learned in the classroom and has applied them to help her gain success within the workforce. So, this is for all you skeptics out there. Yes, it is possible to graduate from college and find a rewarding and satisfying job. Jackson graduated from Mason in the spring of 2011 with a degree in communication. Since then she has become a vital member of her family’s company Frieda’s Specialty Produce; founded by Jackson’s grandmother, Frieda Caplan. Her mother, Karen Caplan is acting President and CEO, and her aunt Jackie Caplan Wiggins, Vice President and COO

Since joining the team, Jackson has undoubtedly made an impact through her role as communications coordinator. Her responsibilities entail all media aspects of the company. Once Jackson joined the ranks she began by helping revamp the website and introducing new and useful media outlets such as Twitter and Facebook, and has undeniably helped bring Frieda’s Specialty Produce into the 21st Century.

Jackson’s story is the epitome of what many college graduates hope to accomplish. Going off to college, gaining knowledge, and getting a “dream” job in order to apply said knowledge. In today’s world finding a job that makes you happy is a feat in itself. That is exactly what Alex Jackson did.

Working for her family was a decision that Jackson had made before beginning her search for the right university. She worked very hard to prepare herself for the job. Frieda’s Specialty Produce was already a brand name and a successful business when Jackson decided to join. Since today’s topic of discussion is school and the value of education, here’ s a little lesson. Frieda’s Inc. markets and distributes more than 600 different varieties of fruits, vegetables and gourmet items to supermarkets, foodservice and wholesalers across North America. An additional fun fact; Frieda is most known for introducing Kiwifruit to U.S. produce departments. Yes, you read that right, the women is responsible for bring the kiwi to the United States of America, okay, now back to the story.

Once Jackson had decided on her career she applied to colleges and universities. Her first order of business was to find a university that fit her criteria. In her words she chose Mason because she “loved that it is near DC but outside of the city”. When she visited the school her decision was made. She found the environment to be very welcoming and comfortable. After receiving her acceptance letter, she then declared her major, communication with a concentration in public relations. She spent the next four years taking a myriad of different classes, absorbing and learning all she possibly could. Her objective was to apply as much of her newfound knowledge as she could within her position at Frieda’s Specialty Produce, and that time had finally come.

To sum it up, all of the classes she took, all of the extra curricular activates she participated in and all of the internships completed were finally going to be put to use. Exemplifying a typical recent graduate mindset, Jackson stated, “I was ready to go into the work force and apply what I had learned to something greater than a classroom.”

Jackson praised the education she received at George Mason University.  Noting that it’s the skill set you develop and the expertise you gain that truly prepares you for the next chapter in your life after graduation.

Jackson acknowledged that through working in groups in many of her classes at Mason it helped develop her ability to work with others, a rather important aspect of her job. Being a communication major myself, I feel the need to concur. There are absolutely an astonishing amount of group projects. However, Jackson commended the use of group projects and further supports her stance by stating,

“ I was really prepared for working with others whom I am reporting to or who may be reporting to me. In my job, I am sometimes leading a project or a group of people and have learned how to work with different personalities and work ethics to lead to successful final product.”

Jackson took on the role of full time student with ease. So it came as no surprise that she described her transition from school to work as ‘smooth’. Like all new ventures, the change in her day-to-day schedule took some time to adjust to.  Jackson found it difficult to get used to not having any seasonal breaks. However, she then cleverly mentioned the “very easy transition into getting a paycheck”.

Even with Jackson finishing school and beginning a new chapter of her life she’s still learning new lessons every day. On-the job experience is just as important and working for a thriving company is a lesson in itself.  For Jackson its’ about, learning about how products are grown, understanding budgets, and to appreciate what people are looking for. At one-point these lessons were subjected to mere notes on a piece of paper. Today Jackson is working her problems out in a real work environment.

For that I applaud Alex Jackson, and all that she has achieved. Successfully transitioning from college to career is an admirable and utterly attainable accomplishment.  Alex Jackson personifies that with her rise to success. I foresee nothing but greatness in her future that only time will tell.

More Than Pint Sized

By Allison Dauksz

You would think that someone calling you the “blood lady” would be bizarre or maybe someone mistaking you for a character in one of the recently popular vampire series. For Liz Lewis this is a term of endearment seeing as she is currently a Donor Recruitment Representative for the American Red Cross (ARC) in Winchester, VA.

The ARC has been collecting blood for 131 years and Liz is a vital part of that operation; however, blood drives are not the only thing Liz and the ARC are providing for the community. The American Red Cross supplies almost 40 percent of the nation’s blood in addition to; feeding and providing emotional support to victims of disasters; providing international humanitarian aid; teaching skills that save lives; and supporting military members and their families.

The ARC will fly family members overseas to visit an injured soldier or provide ways of communicating with them when it can be very difficult.  Liz and the ARC are the humanitarians who will be there during a disaster at 3am serving your community in all aspects possible.

Aside from her position at the ARC, Liz is also a disaster volunteer. She strives to learn the company from the ground up truly living by the ARC motto, “We Are One Red Cross”. It seems to Liz that more employees are also taking that action hopefully creating a stronger brand army for the ARC.

Her passion for disaster management began with her internship at the Federal Emergency Management Agency. She got to experience what disaster services can mean to people and knew that she wanted to make that her career.  Liz says, “It is the ARC mission that gets me up every morning”. She uses every chance she can, from media exposure to talking to people in her local grocery store while shopping, to raise awareness as to the importance of the American Red Cross and its role in disaster management.

Unlike Liz there are few trained communicators who do this type of work. Her education at Mason undeniably prepared her for the challenges she faces in her position as a Donor Recruitment Representative. When she is handling a blood drive she is responsible for everything except taking the actual blood.

Anyone can be a blood drive sponsor and she helps them to create the most productive drive possible. Liz helps create poster, flyers, and handouts; explains how the donations work; and does radio and media spots. There are a minimum of 5 meetings between the ARC and sponsor before the actual drive occurs.

Liz works with many different types of communicators. Her Mason training prepared her to work with volunteers who will be involved in every aspect of the drive and also those that she has trouble getting in regular contact with. With all of these challenges she is never sure what the day will bring.

Going to Mason also prepared Liz to not be afraid to fight for her cause. Not many people are willing to “walk into a room and ask you to pull up a sleeve and save a life”, but Liz is. She loves to be able to give back and hopes that her passion and drive will inspire people to do the same. At Mason she learned the importance of putting yourself out there. As Liz says, “everything is what you make of it”.

Even with this positive attitude it is still hard to find volunteers to staff these important events. With the amount of charities and non-profit organizations that rely on volunteers the availability is becoming scarce. There is an aging volunteer population and many are involved in a full schedule of humanitarian efforts. Liz hopes that the ARC along with her help can inspire a new generation of volunteers. They have some programs already in effect that are bringing a new momentum to the ARC. The Red Cord program is where seniors in high school are invited to donate a minimum of three times and they will receive a red tassel for graduation.

There is also the Pint Size Hero program which gives elementary students a possibility to help as well. This allows children, who cannot donate, a chance to ask older friends and family members to donate in their honor. The ARC then rewards them with scholarships or funding of special programs within their schools.

Along with reaching out to a younger volunteer generation Liz spoke of other advancements in the ARC. They have recently made available a series of emergency preparedness apps for mobile devices. She said it is something that the ARC has never tried before but they are very excited about its popularity. During the week of the recent hurricane their hurricane alert app was the top most downloaded in the store.

There is also the Be Red Cross Ready campaign which gives you multiple survival instructions and emergency dispatch at your fingertips. These two campaigns along with other media efforts really show the ARC efforts to stay current and attract a wider audience.

Keeping an expansive audience and bringing awareness to the efforts of the ARC is what is most important to Liz. She said, “the number one reason people don’t donate blood is because they were never asked to”. To Liz it is the quickest way to be a doctor without going to medical school. One pint of blood can save a life and almost everyone has the ability to donate. With help from everyone along with Liz and the ARC’s commitment more lives can be saved every day. The world is a little better off with individuals like Liz Lewis in the wings.  

Seeking Speakers

By Eddy Campos

 It has been two years Since George Mason University Alumni Brandon Weathers graduated. Brandon received a Communication degree with a concentration in Public Relations. The big question many current Communication students are wondering is what is it like out there? Is Mason adequately preparing me for the real world? Are you in a profession which allows you to utilize the skills that Mason currently teaches? With the state of the economy, many wonder about the opportunities that currently exist and which ones are disappearing. The best way to get answers to many of these questions is to go straight to the source. In this case it happens to be Brandon Weathers.

It only took Brandon two months after graduating to get his present position. Many students struggle for months to find an entry level position in the field they were trained for. Brandon credits the success of his current position to networking. He is the logistics coordinator for Kepler Speakers. His responsibilities include finding the most cost effective transportation for the speaker, making sure that the speaker’s requirements are being met and working with the speaker managers who do most of the speaker interactions.

Brandon gives a lot of credit to Mason for helping him build a foundation for his position and his volunteer position. In addition to being a Speaker coordinator, Brandon also works with a group called D.C. Dance Marathon. The group works with The Children’s Miracle Network. The Children’s Miracle Network raises funds and awareness of children who are diagnosed with serious health issues. Brandon coordinates all the social media for D.C. Dance Marathon and is in charge of their budgeting. Currently he is researching the best channels of communication to get event media coverage.

Some of the major skills that prepared Brandon for his multiple roles are his writing and critical thinking abilities. Brandon cannot stress enough how important writing is. Whether it is an e-mail or a press release, the content must be clear and concise. Brandon states “The difference between the right word and the almost right word can make or break a message.” Critical thinking is a skill that is vital to both his paid and volunteer positions. These two major skills that Brandon relies on were shaped by the Communication courses and faculty of Mason.

Brandon encourages Communication students about to graduate to really utilize the resources available to them. One being the campus career center and career advisors. Networking is also a major skill that can mean the difference between a job and unemployment. Brandon’s communication career has just begun, however his time spent at Mason has jump started his journey. 

Back to School: A New Chapter

By Peter Milligan

Most American students will go back to school a total of thirteen times throughout their scholastic careers. But most people's back to school pilgrimage stops at college once college graduation rolls around.

That is not the case, however, for those individuals who choose to find a job in the field of education. And for new professionals like Hayley Roder, a recent graduate from the George Mason University Department of Communication and the new Development Coordinator at San Diego State University, her back to school journey's are seemingly just beginning.

Roder, who received the George Mason Department of Communication's Excellence in Communication award this May, says that she is curious to discover what it's like to be on the other side of the back to school tradition.

“I've always been one of those people who is excited to go back to school,” she said.

“But I've often wondered if the teachers and faculty that I'm so excited to see at the start of school share in my enthusiasm.”

Roder has been sharing that enthusiasm with her friends and family via social media, posting pictures of her new office on Facebook, and giving tidbits about her new school – and employer – on her Twitter account.

“I want people to see what I'm doing with my new life, and also how awesome my new job is!” she said.

Roder's new job is part of the University's Office of Advancement, which “positions the University by articulating a clear image, establishing deep and long-lasting relationships with constituents, and broadening the resources available to the University,” according to their website.

Roder says the Mason has prepared for a lot of what her new job demands.

“My Communication degree has really helped me get ready for the Public Relations aspect of my position,” Roder said.

“My professors did a great job developing my hard skills – writing well, making press releases, brochures, etc. – but they also encouraged me to develop meaningful relationships with the people I'm working with, which in my case are the supporters of the University.”

Roder's position requires her to spend a good deal of time talking with donors, sponsors, and other supporters of San Diego State, not to mention keeping detailed and comprehensive databases of them.

And though her position requires more behind the scenes work than a college professor, Roder is able to gauge the level of excitement of students and staff coming back for the start of another school year.

And so far, she says, faculty and staff at San Diego State seem to be just as jazzed – if not more so – than their students.

“Yes, I see some 'I can't wait to get out of here' faces on some of the students,” she said.

That is to be expected, of course, of students who are entering their twelfth, thirteenth, even sixteenth or seventeenth years in the U.S. Public School System. But for Roder, who has finished that chapter in her life and is knee-deep in starting another, she just can't wait to get started. 

From Forensics to Politics

By Peter Milligan

The week before election day marks the time in our political cycle when voters re-evaluate their role in American politics.

Voter A: Able to clearly, responsibly and intelligently articulate their political views, and will go to their polling place on November 6^th, press the button for either President Obama or Governor Romney, and go on their way.

Voter B: Shout their ideals to the heavens, shoving their views down the throughts of anyone who makes the mistake of listening, and will parade to their polling place, slam the button for Obama or Romney with authority, and exit making sure to let everyone know which lucky candidate got their vote.

And some others, like Tommy Herbert, a senior in George Mason University's Communication Department, are somewhat of a hybrid, combining the rationality of the Voter A passion of Voter B.

“I'm easily bothered by people who spout political nonsense without even pausing to think about what they're saying,” said Herbert, a Richmond, Va. native.

So rather than turn into the monster that he despises, Tommy decided to channel his political passions into a hobby – a hobby that later turned into a college scholarship, and could eventually lead to a very successful career.

Herbert began debating in high school during his sophomore year, and he eventually caught the attention of the Mason Forensics Team and its director, Dr. Peter Pober. 

The Mason Forensics Team is a nationally-ranked intercollegiate speech team. They represent Mason at speech tournaments all of the country, and often place very highly.

Members of Mason Forensics spend hours memorizing speeches, which can range in length from two minutes, to ten minutes and longer.

Herbert, who was on team for two years before leaving to begin work on his political career, specialized in the Duo and Dramatic Interpretation events – both of which he placed in the top 50 nationally.

“Peter [Pober] did a really great job of preparing us so that we were in the position to do really well at these events,” Herbert said. “He really demands excellence out of his team, which is why they are such a national powerhouse.”

That excellence has lead to top-25 rankings nationally for 24 of the last 32 years.

So Herbert must have had a pretty compelling reason to leave such a dynamic and succesful team. That reason was Tim Hugo.

Hugo represents Virginia's 40^th district in Fairfax County in the Virginia House of Delegates, and also serves as Majority Caucus Chairman.

Herbert began working with Hugo his sophomore year at Mason, initially working as an office aid during his 2011 campaign. Now, Herbert serves as a new media conultant, running Hugo's blog, managing social media and also working with video editing.

Though he doesn't necessarily link his political prowess to his forensics experience, Herbert does give his time with the team its due praise.

“The team really gave me the confidence I needed to do well in what I already knew I had the skills to do,” Herbert said.

Herbert plans to pursue a career as a lobbiest for national prison reform.

Rich Moore

By Sarah Flemming- Dahl

Is just  skating by enough? So many people do the bare minimum- in school, work, even in their home lives. Students are just passing a class. Professionals do the most basic work to not get in trouble with their boss. Is this the way to go?

Now imagine the exact opposite. Think of someone who is highly motivated and overachieves. No matter how daunting the task, they seem to persevere through it and come out on top. The person I am describing is Rich Moore.

Moore owns his own successful consulting company that provides marketing strategies and advice including international matters. His client base includes both national and international companies.

However, the road to this life wasn’t neatly paved.

Moore has journeyed through his career, using his innovation and determination.

“People say I’m lucky, but I’m not. I’ve stuck my neck out to get where I am. The whole process is going to knock on every door and getting your foot in the door at every opportunity.”

Moore started his career at NBC as a page assistant. He moved up the career ladder by conducting research for broadcasting. Later, he became a stage manager, traveling to many cities and countries as a part of his positions.

“I was hungry for new things and for adventure,” Moore said. “I just worked my way up…built a reputation.”

By building his reputation and trying out new jobs, Moore became a US Navy officer that later changed to a technical writer for Hollywood movies. He decided to go back to a Navy focus and began producing television commercials for the navy recruiting.

As a result of an important event in his life, he and his family decided to move to Lake Tahoe and Moore needed a job. He spent weeks looking up the most influential people in the town and began to contact them all.

 “I wrote letters to all the potential companies I had researched,” Moore explained.  “I got 20 interviews out of 30 people and by the time I moved [to Tahoe], I had a job.

As a result of his reputation and popularity, Moore got elected to a seat on the Lake Tahoe Chambers of Commerce. He also started his own company, Rich Moore Inc.

Rich Moore is the picture of success for some and with that, he is an inspiration on how hard work can get you to a place you are happy and satisfied with.

So what kinds of advice would he give to a society where some people believe that mediocre is enough?

“If you want to experience life, you need to just keep setting goals. It’s a self-discipline.”

Moore’s advice is to focus on the goal that you are working towards. Motivate yourself to look at the outcome you hope to recieve. Another tip is to take satisfaction in knowing things are done right.

Once you know that satisfaction of complete effort, anything below that will not give you that feeling of accomplishment and keep you striving to improve and succeed.

When you do the bare minimum, you are not scamming your boss, your professor, your family or the community. You are cheating yourself. The knowledge and experience you obtain from giving 100% isn’t something that a degree or a job position can give you. It is about the self-discipline and self worth you give to yourself.

So when you are struggling to study for an exam or complete a report for work. Just think of the end product and don’t be afraid to give yourself proper credit. When you allow yourself to get well-earned satisfaction, you will crave the feeling again. The bottom line is give it your best and keep improving. The rewards are worth it.

Keep Calm and Pursue On

By Megan Speight

In New York City, when the ground shakes, you usually think it’s just a subway passing by or a large truck coming. However, in places on tectonic plates such as the state of California and Japan, the ground quaking beneath your feet has an entirely different meaning. On March 11, 2011, Japan experienced its largest earthquake ever. The Earthquake itself shook up most people, however, the aftermath affects where what really put the people of Japan on edge.

Before the Earthquake on March 11, 2011, Japan had always experienced quakes due to its location on four highly active tectonic plates. However, most of the time, residents of Japan hardly felt them. As a matter of fact, they consider Japan “the country of earthquakes.”  The people would live their lives day-by-day not usually affected by the earthquakes despite their frequency.

After the Earthquake and the effects there after, all of that changed. The earthquake itself affected most of Japan by tearing apart roads and demolishing buildings, however the tsunami that resulted from the Earthquake added to the destruction.

Ayano Ibato, a Graduate of Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan, and a current Graduate Student at George Mason University was in Japan for the disaster and was effected by its aftermath. While she did feel the quake in her hometown of Tokya, she luckily was not affected physically by the tsunami. Emotionally, she was crushed to see many places that she frequently visited demolished by the tsunami. The live streaming of the disaster on television gave Ibato an insight as to what was happening around her. “ I watched cars sinking into the ground at Tokyo Disney Land io television. Disney Land is close to Tokyo and I often go there, so it crashed my emotions and I felt so scared seeing that,” she said.

Ibato was able to move on from the disaster and graduated from Sophia University in March 2011. Her graduation ceremony was cancelled due to the disaster, however she still received her diploma. One week after the disaster, she shared her experience via CNN iReport. She followed up with another iReport one year later and she also blogged about her experience on her personal blog, Whimsicalyetinvincible.

Now, almost two years later, Ibato is working on finishing her Masters of Arts in Communication at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. She is a Program Assistant for The Office of International Programs and Services at Mason and a Communications Specialist for Jannery Communication. She keeps busy, but still has reminders from time to time of the disaster. While the earthquake and tsunami did not have any effect on her personal future plan, she still fears for her family in Japan specifically as a result of the levels of radiation.

Through all of the trials and tribulations Ibato has been through during the last two years, she has not let the devastation stop her from achieving her dreams. After graduating from Mason, Ibato says her “goal is to be a journalist for Lonely Planet” so she “can travel around the world writing about different cultures.” As no rookie traveler, Ibato is ready to see the world. However, she will always have Japan in her heart.

George Mason University Student Juggles Intimidating Schedule

By Amanda Schwartz

Today, more than ever, college students are feeling the pressure of both working and going to school. According to an article from USA Today, a recent poll conducted by Stanford University finds: “A majority of students at four-year colleges say they routinely feel at least a little worried about having enough money to make it through the week.” This, in combination with the increasing amount of student loans, results in a whole new and more challenging college experience for today’s students. According to the same article from USA Today,  “Almost 6 in 10 students rely on loans to help with college costs, and nearly half who do say they’re uncomfortable with the debt.” The hard economic times have not helped this situation and have made it more difficult for students to get assistance from their parents.

Local George Mason University (GMU) student Brittany Sanders is all too familiar with this trend. Sanders, a junior at GMU, is a communication major with a concentration in public relations. Sanders is one of those 6 in 10 students who rely on student loans, “I never wanted to go to Mason.  I wanted to go to Rutgers or Penn State.  I was so excited when I got my acceptance letters but then I got the bill and Mason it was” said Sanders. The pressures are enormous to be a full time student and also have to worry about financial responsibilities, but Sanders seems to do a fine job at it. Sanders works two jobs, in addition to her full course load of five classes.

Uniquely, Sanders not only attends classes at Mason but also is employed by GMU. Sanders works for the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) and Mason Recreation.  Days are often long and strenuous with her work and school schedule. “Thursday is my longest day” Sanders admitted.  Sanders starts work  at OSP at 8:30 a.m., attends classes from 10:30-1:15, then goes back to work at 1:30 at OSP until 6:30 and then over to work at her second job, Mason Recreation, until 11:00 p.m.. Add to all of this the necessary studying to maintain good grades and it starts to become clear just how difficult many college students have it these days.  Clearly there are greater burdens put on students like Brittany Sanders especially in today’s tough economic times.

Staying positive helps Sanders get through her long days. “I think that me paying for college myself has made me realize how important it is to do well and work hard” stated Sanders. She credited her determination to succeed in school and get a good job to the fact that she is the one paying her way through college.

Although times are tough, students like Sanders show the world that the future is bright. The resolve of young America is strong even in hard economic times as shown in the following statistic: “Despite the rising costs, 85% of students and recent grads say college is worth the time and money (USA Today).” This goes to show the importance students put on getting a college education.  Many college students are getting a real world taste of financial responsibility a little earlier than expected.  Not a bad thing, in the long run.