Schar School of Policy and Government

It’s an annual right of passage with George Mason University professor Laurie Schintler’s capstone transportation class: Examine a problem for a client, develop a solution, present the findings and make the world a better place.

For a self-proclaimed “small-town graduate from Missouri”, Connor Gary’s life has been anything but insular. A current student in the Peace Operations master’s program at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government, his résumé is stocked with overseas travels and remarkable appointments, including stints in the corporate world, radio, and Peace Corps.

Turana Baghirova has no ordinary job. As a protection field officer for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Azerbaijan, she helps to trace those who went missing during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, unearthing their fates and bringing closure to their loved ones.

For Michael Donoghue, tackling critical analytical research on issues facing the nation is just another day at the office.

A great time was had by all at the 5th Annual Schar School Policy (and Tasting) of Wine. This year’s event highlighted the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), featuring fine wine and food from New Zealand. The Honorable Tim Groser, New Zealand’s Ambassador to the United States, provided a brief presentation. Ambassador Groser shared an insider’s perspective on the TPP and the seven year journey to its passage. The TPP marks a new era in international relations, and is an exciting step forward in global trade.

Schar School of Policy and Government PhD graduate Nazia Hussain has been awarded a postdoctoral fellowship by the United Nations University-Centre for Policy Research in Tokyo.

When Layla Bonnot began toying with the idea of graduate school, she thought she’d be going in for an MBA.

Emily Olson is the Director of Operations for a relatively new DC-based nonprofit – the Schools, Health & Libraries (SHLB) Coalition – Olson uses the knowledge she earned in grad school to get her organization’s wheels turning.

Last Spring, when a joint committee of the California Assembly held a special hearing on the outside compensation for executives who serve on corporate boards within the University of California and California State University systems, they turned to Judith Wilde as one of the lead witnesses. Dr. Wilde, who was recently appointed as Chief Operating Officer for the George Mason University Schar School of Policy and Government, is one of the leading authorities on the structure of employment agreements for university presidents.

In fulfillment of the pledge made by President Obama during his 2013 Africa trip, the U.S. Government announced its commitment of $3 million to fund anti-wildlife trafficking efforts in South Africa. This funding comes through the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), and demonstrates the increased U.S. focus on combating the scourge of wildlife trafficking, as laid out in the 2014 National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking.