Playing soccer professionally, working in scientific editing, and preparing for a counter terrorism career

ksheikh2 — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 18:44:12 +0000

Playing soccer professionally, working in scientific editing, and preparing for a counter terrorism career    ksheikh2 Tue, 02/25/2025 - 13:44

Honors College and student athlete alumna Breanna Connell (Forensic Science, ‘17) discusses her experience at George Mason University and beyond.   

As a dedicated Honors College student and athlete, alum Breanna Connell (Forensic Science, ‘17) appreciated the supportive and flexible community at George Mason’s Honors College, especially with her ever-changing schedule as an athlete. “We would have practices at certain set times each day, and it was very easy to schedule my classes around those times,” she said. “If I had to miss a class for a game, the professors were very understanding and allowed me to adjust deadlines for work when I needed to.”   

Photograph Provided

During her time at George Mason, Connell majored in forensic science, a program that prepares students for careers in Homeland Security, defense, and intelligence agencies. She also received a minor in intelligence analysis at George Mason, a university conveniently located a few miles away from Washington D.C. and ranked No. 4 nationally for Homeland Security according to U.S. News and World Report. Additionally, Connell was a dedicated student-athlete within the Honors College, having played soccer for all four years of her undergraduate degree.   

She continued her athletic career as a professional soccer player following her graduation, playing in the U.S. and for several countries in Europe. In fact, while in the process of applying to graduate school to study counter terrorism, Connell suddenly had the chance to play in Hungary. “I couldn't pass up the opportunity to continue my soccer career,” she said. “So, I'm putting my education goals on hold for a little bit, but I plan to revisit them at some point.”    

Connell also worked as a scientific editor at companies such as Cactus Communications, Actin, and Edit Pro during her post-graduate career. She recognized the profound impact her time at a nationally ranked R1 research university had on her later editorial work.   

Photograph Provided

She especially noted her memorable experience in Honors 110: Principles of Research and Inquiry, a required class for all Honors College freshman, where students conduct a semester long research project. “I learned a lot of strategies for research that have really come in handy in my work as an editor.”   

As for Connell’s future, she plans to continue her soccer and editorial careers. She also plans to work in the intelligence field supporting counterterrorism, or another related field. Connell reassures prospective student athletes within the Honors College that balancing a successful academic and athletic career is possible. “The school will support you in making time for your athletics,” she says, “and your athletic coaches will recognize the value of your education and make allowances for that as well.”  

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George Mason Honors College

Alumna Gains Global Perspective to Improve Opportunities for Students with Disabilities

Wasiq Muhammad Muhammad Ali — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 18:42:31 +0000

Alumna Gains Global Perspective to Improve Opportunities for Students with Disabilities Wasiq Muhammad… Mon, 07/25/2022 - 14:42

Each year, hundreds of American students, aged eighteen to twenty-four, vie for the opportunity to work and study in Germany through the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) for Young Professionals program. The reciprocal program, which has run for thirty-nine years, selects seventy-five Americans and seventy-five German professionals to spend a year experiencing life in their respective cultural-exchange nations.

This year, Mason is celebrating the selection of Honors College alumni, Abigail Hawkins, to the prestigious CBYX program. Hawkins, who graduated from Mason in May 2022, majored in global affairs with concentrations in human security and Middle East and North Africa Studies, and a minor in Arabic.

Throughout her undergraduate study, Hawkins worked with Mason’s College Diabetes Network and gained experience in the nonprofit sector to improve healthcare affordability and accessibility.

Alongside her studies at Mason, Hawkins is a two-time alumna of the US Department of State's Critical Language Scholarship (CLS), a program designed by the U.S. government to expand the number of American students, who represent a range of majors and disciplines, studying and mastering critical foreign languages. In addition to her participation in the CLS program, Hawkins has studied abroad in Jordan, Spain, and Japan.

With her newest opportunity in the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) for Young Professionals program, Hawkins continues to forge a path for herself in international education with the goal of improving access to study abroad opportunities for students with disabilities and chronic illnesses.

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alumna

Critical Language Scholarship

Honors College

College of Humanities and Social Science

Fellowships