Honors College student leads with purpose, passion, and a global vision

Honors College student Marisa Parikh embodies the drive, curiosity, and global mindset that define George Mason University students. She serves as president of Be the Change, a student-led organization dedicated to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on campus. Under her leadership, the group focuses on raising awareness and inspiring action around the goals that most directly affect George Mason students.  

On March 2, Parikh and Be the Change will take part in in a virtual panel “Embrace Healing and Reconciliation in Countries That Suffer from Broken Systems.” Open to students and the public, this student-led conversation explores how restorative justice can help repair harm, rebuild trust, and transform systems affected by deep structural inequities. It also  serves as a prelude to the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution’s spring Peace Week.  

Parikh arrived at George Mason already ahead of the curve, having earned her associate’s degree at the Central Virginia Community College in Lynchburg, Virginia, while still in high school. Today, she is pursuing a major in public administration at the Schar School of Government and Policy, paired with a minor in conflict resolution and analysis from the Carter School. 

Her commitment to meaningful impact took root during an internship with George Mason professor Solon Simmons at the Carter School’s Narrative Transformation Lab. There, she contributed to Little Minds, Strong Values (LMSV), a Rotary International-supported initiative in Sri Lanka that uses music and dance to teach children values like kindness, honesty, and respect. Parikh conducted ripple mapping research to help measure the project’s reach and influence—an experience she describes as transformative. 

“Working on Little Minds, Strong Values helped me find my niche,” she said. “The South Asian community is my community and contributing to a project that uplifts children in that region was incredibly fulfilling. My coursework and the LMSV project together were a pivotal moment for me.” 

“Marisa was a core member of our lab team, anchoring a ripple effects mapping evaluation in Sri Lanka, a key research site in our Rotary partnership, and representing the Carter School in a national student dialogue on civic engagement at the University of Delaware,” said Simmons.  
“She made a substantive contribution to the school in more than one area and was a delight to work with.”    

After her internship, Parikh’s sense of purpose continued to grow. She became involved with Ashiyanaa, a nonprofit supporting South Asian women and children affected by gender-based and domestic violence. Her work with Ashiyanaa led her to join the Collective Organizations of South Asia (COSA), a George Mason student group dedicated to unity and cultural celebration. Through these connections, she helped facilitate a workshop on interpersonal relationship violence within the South Asian community—an effort that blended advocacy, education, and cultural understanding. 

Parikh’s love for her heritage also shines through in her creative life. As a member of the COSA dance team, she performs styles from across South Asia and helps shape the team’s digital presence as co–social media coordinator. Though she enjoys the full range of regional dance traditions, Gujarati Garba, a dance form from Gujarat, India, holds a special place in her heart. “It’s where my family is from. I grew up doing it,” she said.