College of Education and Human Development

Outstanding Students Named Presidential and Dean Scholars

Six outstanding students have been named Presidential or Dean's Scholars by the College of Education and Human Development.

The awardees were selected from a total of 56 new doctoral students who will be entering the PhD in Education program at George Mason University in fall 2012.

Presidential Scholar

The Presidential Scholars program is a highly competitive program reserved for outstanding applicants to PhD programs at Mason. The program supports full-time doctoral students with a research assistantship that includes a stipend, tuition waiver, and university paid health insurance for up to three years.

CEHD is delighted to announce its newest Presidential Scholar:

• Heather Keenan
  Heather has a bachelor's and master's degrees from Arizona State University, with a focus on math education. A classroom teacher since 2003, she is currently an ESOL mathematics teacher at Marsteller Middle School in Bristow, VA. She is pursuing a PhD in Education at Mason, with an education policy specialization.

Dean's Scholars

The Dean's Scholars program provides awards to outstanding applicants to the PhD in Education program, with priority given to those specializing in one of three fields: STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education; learning technologies design research; and educational psychology. The program supports full-time doctoral students at CEHD with a research assistantship that includes a stipend, tuition waiver, and university paid health insurance for up to four years.

CEHD is pleased to announce its five new Dean's Scholars:

• Alexander Britt
  Alexander is a severe disabilities special education teacher in Fairfax County Public Schools. He received his master's degree from Mason and a bachelor's degree from Belmont University. He is pursuing a doctorate degree with a specialization in assistive technology/special education.
  
• Andrew Evangelos
  Andrew was a chemistry and AP chemistry teacher with Rush Henrietta High School in Rochester, NY for four years. He has a bachelor's degree from Nazareth College and a master's degree from SUNY Brockport in chemistry education. He is pursuing a PhD in Education with a concentration in science education research.
  
• Melissa Gallagher
  Melissa has a BA in economics and elementary education from the College of William and Mary, an MA in international education from George Washington University, and an endorsement in gifted education from the University of Virginia. She is a National Board Certified Teacher with Fairfax County Public Schools and has been an educator in Pakistan, Ethiopia, El Salvador, and Kenya. Her doctoral specialization will be teaching and teacher education.
  
• Lesley King
  Lesley is a sixth grade math and science teacher at Mayfield Intermediate School in Manassas, VA. She has two master's degrees, in mathematics education from the University of Virginia and in elementary education from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. She is pursuing a PhD in Education with a specialization in mathematics education leadership.
  
• Mariya Sumaroka
  Mariya received a master's degree in social ecology and is a research assistant at the University of California at Irvine where she is studying the educational content in children's online games. She was a post-baccalaureate fellow with the National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development and received a bachelor's degree from Rutgers University. She is co-author on several publications and will be pursuing a doctoral degree with a specialization in learning technologies design research.
  

For additional information:

• Contact CEHD Communications: cehdnews@gmu.edu
• College of Education and Human Development: cehd.gmu.edu
• PhD in Education program: gse.gmu.edu/programs/phd