Cora Jackson is an incoming freshman in the Carter School for Peace and Conflict and the Honors College.
Jeffrey Zitomer: Where are you from?
Cora Jackson: I’m from Silverthorne, Colorado, which is in the mountains of Colorado. There are several local ski resorts, so that was also a big part of my upbringing. It’s a small community, but it’s been a really nice place to grow up. It’s gorgeous!
Jeffrey: What are you passionate about?
Cora: I do like skiing! I’ve been skiing since the age of two. I also did track and cross country all through high school. I really love running.
I spent my junior year of high school in Valencia, Spain and developed a love of travel and different cultures. I was able to volunteer at the Red Cross in Spain, and I taught English to children every weekend. I also volunteered at the American Space, which is part of the American Embassy, and met people in local government and ambassadors, which is where I developed a passion for international relations and conflict analysis.
I also like outdoor, live concerts.
Jeffrey: Do you have any pets?
Cora: I have a cat, named Patches. I’ve had her since second grade – ten years ago. She’s getting old, but still very playful and energetic!
Jeffrey: What most excites you about college?
Cora: It’s a good opportunity to be in a new place, surrounded by new people who’ve had very different experiences from me. I’m really excited to start my course of study; conflict analysis seems really interesting! It’s such a break from high school; there are so many courses I really want to study. George Mason has such a wide variety of course and professors, I’m excited to explore different the different options!
Jeffrey: Why did you choose the Carter School?
Cora: George Mason was the only school I looked at that offered conflict analysis. Also, the size of the school was attractive to me. It can be so overwhelming because [George] Mason is so big, but Carter is so small with a smaller community, that it’s comforting to me.
The program is so unique and we’re so close to DC, it’s easy to make connections or get internships, which is another reason why I chose the Carter School.
Jeffrey: Ideally, what would you like to do, post-graduation?
Cora: I can see myself working in several different sectors, either the government or the private sector, and I might be interested in living abroad again.