Leadership and Community Engagement

Learning to be an effective leader and engaging with different communities are crucial skills across academia and industry. Investigate the many ways that you can develop your leadership and community engagement skills through George Mason University. 

Graduate Student Life provides a wide variety of programs that promote community building and engagement, professional development, personal development, and inclusion for all while connecting graduate students to campus resources. Explore the following resources on the Graduate Student Life page as you consider building your skills in leadership and community engagement: 

• Graduate registered student organizations (RSOs) are a great way to engage with your community both inside and outside of your program. 

• Get involved with the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GAPSA), the principal body for advocating for the needs of George Mason University graduate and professional students within the University and government bodies!

The Office of Community Engagement and Civic Learning (CECIL) develops strategies to help our students, faculty, and partners collaborate on positive social change in their communities.   

• Get involved in local community organizations with Community Partners. 

• Support Civic Engagement and review information about resources for voting and elections.

The Center for Leadership and Intercultural Engagement offers many resources and programs focusing on leadership, identity, and global coalition building, to create a legacy of positive change. 

The Graduate Success Fellows are a reliable cohort of graduate peer leaders who use their training and knowledge to ensure that graduate students have access to accurate information about George Mason University’s programming and resources for graduate students. In the GSF role, fellows will foster student success and encourage meaningful connections with peers across their college. GSFs will expand their peers’ access to knowledge about university and college-level policies, programs, procedures, and resources in order to support their academic journey. For more information, visit the Graduate Success Fellows page.

• Peer Advisors: Co-teach a ‘UNIV 100-Introduction to Mason’ course as a junior instructor! Help new students get adjusted to Mason while earning valuable experience in a paid position. As a mentor, leader, and advocate, Peer Advisors (PA) will help students successfully reach personal goals to have the best college experience possible. 

• Assistantships, Lecturers, and On Campus Employment are excellent ways to hone your leadership skills! Assistantship and lectureship opportunities are posted in Mason Jobs, Handshake, and on academic department pages.

• The Center for the Advancement of Well-Being offers several resources to develop and document your leadership skills, such as Leadership and Well-Being Certificate Programs and certified Leadership coaching. 

• University Sustainability provides volunteer opportunities for George Mason University students, faculty, staff, and alums as well as community members. Volunteers grow food sustainably, harvest and distribute produce, plant trees, participate in zero waste clean-ups, complete waste audits, support large-scale events, and more!