Student Stories

Being a Hispanic, autistic, and Christian, I often feel like I’m navigating multiple worlds at once. In my life, I have learned to adapt in a system that was not designed for neurodivergent learners, in the community I have witnessed the challenges many Latino families face in accessing opportunities and representation. In my faith, I found a foundation of purpose, service, and resilience that guided me through moments of uncertainty. Together, these experiences have shaped not only who I am but how I choose to lead.

In my journey as a leader, I have begun to understand that leadership is not defined by visibility or authority, but by responsibility and impact that an individual can make. Being autistic taught me to approach leadership with intentionality, careful listening, and resilience. My Hispanic identity reinforced the importance of collective progress and community centered leadership, while my Christian values grounded my approach in selflessness, humility, service, and integrity. These perspectives have vastly shaped my beliefs in who leaders should be through creating spaces where individuals can feel empowered to contribute, grow and belong.

At the Center for Leadership and Intercultural Engagement, I've transformed these beliefs into action. As a leadership consultant, I design and facilitate workshops that help students develop confidence, communication skills, and ethical decision-making abilities. Actively seeking out and mentoring students who like me once questioned their capacity to lead and create inclusive learning environments where diverse identities are recognized as strengths rather than obstacles.

Having been previously a Student Coordinator with New Student and Family Programs, I’ve seen the impact leaders like me bring to the team, helping to plan and execute large-scale orientation programs, train patriot leaders, and ensuring that thousands of students felt welcomed and supported during their transition to George Mason.

Leadership is one of those things that challenges the individual, it makes them think differently about the world around them, makes them reconsider how they approach life, their aspirations and the people around them. By embracing my identities and experiences, I strive to build pathways for others who feel overlooked or unheard. Through my continued work at the Center, I lead with empathy, strategy, and service demonstrating that true leadership is not about standing above others but about lifting others forward.

Written by: Nicholas Cuevas, Student Leadership Consultant 

I started my journey at George Mason University, but my story began far from Fairfax, at Mason Korea. As an international student at Mason Fairfax, I had to learn how to live between cultures. This meant translating not just language, but also humor, classroom expectations, and even what leadership looks like in a new environment. Some days, I felt like everyone else already knew how to speak up in class, network, and sound confident, while I was still figuring out the basics.

For a long time, I believed leadership was only for people who were naturally bold and quick to speak. If you were not naturally fluent and outgoing, it was easy to feel like leadership was for someone else. My experience at CLIE reshaped that belief. CLIE believes “everyone has inherent value, alongside the potential to be a leader,” and that leadership grows through trust, exploring who you are, and working together for positive change. That message mattered to me because it made room for students like me to lead as we are, not as we think we “should” be.

As a Student Leadership Consultant, I get to put that belief into action. At CLIE, student leadership consultants help design and facilitate programs, workshops, and events that connect leadership to everyday life. We help our peers find their strengths, build inclusive communities, and lead with integrity and purpose. I have facilitated leadership-focused workshops, conversations, and activities that encourage students to reflect, practice communication, and grow, sometimes in small groups and sometimes in big groups that feel intimidating at first.

One of the biggest changes for me has been gaining confidence when speaking in front of people. Before CLIE, I often hesitated because I worried my accent would distract people, or that I would use the wrong word and be misunderstood. But leading groups taught me something important: you do not wait for confidence to show up, but you build it by doing. Little by little, I started to trust my own voice. I learned to slow down, make eye contact, ask better questions, and listen carefully. Now, when I stand in front of a group, I still get nervous sometimes, but it is a good kind of nervousness. It reminds me that I care.

Because of my international background, I am especially drawn to leadership that helps people connect across differences. CLIE focuses on dialogue and learning from different perspectives, building communication skills, critical thinking, and empathy through structured conversations. As an international student, I know how powerful it is when someone gives you space to speak, and how life-changing it can be to realize your perspective is not just extra, but essential.

To me, leadership is not about being the most visible person in the room. It is about responsibility and creating an environment where others feel welcome, capable, and heard. That is the kind of leader that I want to become and practice: someone who bridges communities, speaks with growing confidence, and helps others find their own voice too.

Written by: Minsoo Kim, Student Leadership Consultant 

Leadership, for me, has never been about position or visibility. It has always been about responsibility. Navigating different cultures, expectations, and systems taught me early on that opportunity is not evenly distributed. I saw how education can either limit potential or unlock it, especially for girls and underserved communities. Those experiences shaped not only my academic path in Government and International Politics, but also my belief that leadership must be rooted in justice, service, and long-term impact.

My work exists at the intersection of policy and people. As a Leadership Consultant at the Center for Leadership and Intercultural Engagement, I design and facilitate workshops that encourage students to reflect on their values, identities, and responsibilities as leaders. I aim to create spaces where leadership is intentional rather than performative, where students are challenged to think critically, engage ethically, and grow with clarity. I believe leadership development is not simply about building confidence; it is about cultivating discipline, empathy, and the ability to make thoughtful decisions under pressure.

Beyond campus, I am the founder of Amanah, a youth-driven initiative dedicated to advancing girls’ education and mentorship in marginalized communities. Through scholarship guidance workshops, educational resources, and international outreach, I have supported hundreds of young women navigating higher education pathways. This work has reinforced my conviction that leadership is measured not by recognition, but by access, by the doors that open for others because someone chose to lead with courage.

My academic and professional experiences further shape how I approach leadership. As a Research Intern at the Cato Institute, I analyzed K–12 education reform and legislative developments at both the state and federal levels. With a minor in Business Analytics, I approach policy questions with a data-driven lens, ensuring that advocacy is grounded in research and evidence. Engaging in both grassroots mentorship and national policy research continually reminds me that meaningful change requires both structural understanding and human connection.

Representing youth voices in international forums, from the UN LDC5 Conference to global policy and entrepreneurship platforms, has strengthened my commitment to inclusive, evidence-based solutions. These experiences have shown me that leadership operates across scales. Whether facilitating a workshop on campus or engaging in global policy conversations, I carry the same responsibility: to amplify voices that are often overlooked and to build systems that expand opportunity.

Leadership, in my view, is not about standing above others. It is about standing firm in your values while lifting others forward. Through my work at CLIE and beyond, I strive to bridge communities, disciplines, and perspectives, leading with empathy, strategy, and purpose.

Written by: Afsana Ahmadi, Student Leadership Consultant

Growing up, I was often inspired by fictional characters who embodied the kind of leadership I admired. Whether it was Aragorn’s resilience, Hermione’s initiative and intellect, or Ellen Ripley’s fierce yet protective nature, these figures shaped how I understood leadership from a young age. However, as an introverted person more comfortable observing from the sidelines than taking center stage, I initially found it difficult to emulate those qualities in my own life.

That began to change when I attended George Mason University’s branch campus in South Korea. With the encouragement of my COMM 101 professor, I stepped outside of my comfort zone and applied for leadership roles I had never imagined myself pursuing. I became involved in student government, served as an executive member of several student-led organizations, and worked as a communications and writing consultant at Mason Korea’s Academic Resource Center. Through these experiences, I was surrounded by driven and thoughtful individuals who not only excelled academically but also led with purpose and consistently worked to foster meaningful and positive change within the campus community.

After coming to Fairfax and joining the Center for Leadership and Intercultural Engagement as a leadership consultant, my understanding of leadership deepened even further. The office became a space where diverse perspectives, shared values, and a commitment to service shaped how we approached leadership. Through conversations with colleagues and by facilitating workshops for a wide range of audiences, I continued to grow and learn to lead with empathy, cultural awareness, and intention.

To me, leadership is the ability to act with positive conviction while bringing out the best in others. It is not only about guiding, but also about listening, uplifting, and creating space for others to thrive, thus elevating the potential of the group as a whole. While my early understanding of leadership was shaped by fictional role models, it is now grounded in the real individuals I have had the privilege to work with and learn from. As I move forward, I hope to continue growing into a leader who encompasses resilience, intellect, and care. I strive to lead with purpose and contribute to meaningful, positive change in the communities around me.

Written by: Renee Lim, Student Leadership Consultant

Serving as a Leadership Consultant has been one of the most meaningful and transformative experiences of my college journey, especially as an international student graduating this May. When I first arrived as a freshman, I never saw myself as someone who could inspire others to lead. I did not think of myself as a leader, nor did I imagine that my voice could create an impact in the lives of others.

Being a Leadership Consultant gave me the confidence to not only have my own voice heard, but also to help others find theirs. Through facilitating workshops such as icebreakers, SMART Goals, True Colors, Leadership 101, and group dynamics, I had the opportunity to connect with students from many different backgrounds and experiences. Each session reminded me that leadership is not about titles. It is about service, connection, and helping others recognize their own potential.

One of my favorite parts of this role was being able to teach leadership to the next generation through our partnerships with Unity Reed School and Terraset Elementary School. It was incredibly refreshing and inspiring to see young students care so deeply about ethical leadership, teamwork, and kindness.

Another program that deeply impacted me was Conversations Across Differences. At a diverse institution like George Mason University, our differences are what make our community stronger. These conversations created safe spaces where students could openly share their experiences, perspectives, and challenges while learning from one another. We discussed meaningful topics such as whether college is still worth it, especially with rising tuition costs, student loan debt, and the uncertainty of today’s job market. We also talked about how artificial intelligence is shaping higher education, how it should be used ethically, and how it affects social relationships and society as a whole. These discussions reminded me how important it is to listen with empathy and lead with understanding.

Beyond the workshops and programs, one of the greatest gifts of this experience was working alongside other Leadership Consultants from so many different backgrounds. Through collaboration, communication, and shared experiences, I grew not only as a leader but also as a person. As an international student, I also felt proud to share my own culture and experiences, helping others learn about my identity while learning from theirs as well.

Looking back, I feel deeply grateful for this opportunity. CLIE gave me more than just a leadership role. It gave me confidence, purpose, and a true sense of belonging.

When reflecting on my time at Mason, one of the things I’m most grateful for is the specific time when I entered the university. For those of us who first came to campus in the Fall of 2022, we stumbled onto George Mason University at an interesting time in its history. Prior to our entrance, the university, alongside the rest of the world, was still recovering and feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our upperclassmen, for the most part, had only experienced Mason during the pandemic. This left us with a unique opportunity to experience a campus that was slowly just coming back into bloom, a canvas with lots of white space that still needed to be filled.

I started working as a Leadership consultant in my Sophomore year at what was then the LEAD Office. This wasn’t, however, my first time encountering the LEAD Office. My first interaction with Mason’s leadership programming was with the Active Leaders program offered each fall. I had some leadership experience in High school and decided that joining the cohort would be a good way to expand upon my existing leadership abilities. Active Leaders not only did that, but also introduced me to the wider range of programming that the LEAD office performs.

As a leadership consultant, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to teach other students of a variety of ages, experience, and backgrounds about leadership, communication, and team building. Our programs focused on encouraging and strengthening students’ leadership skills through workshops, events, dialogues, and service. The crazy thing I realized at the end of my first year was that through teaching others about leadership, I was becoming a stronger leader myself.

Heading into my Junior year, my second as a leadership consultant, we learned that our office would be merging with another to form The Center for Leadership and Intercultural Engagement. Now our merger was far from easy; we had to take two existing formed beings and find a way to merge them together to create something new with shared values, language, marketing, everything you can think of had to be reshaped, a challenge I know our pro-staff faced more than the undergrads did.

I was, however, lucky enough to help play a hand in this merger. I served on a committee where we drafted, workshopped, and finalized new mission and vision statements that serve our entire center today across its three locations on campus. I’ve been able to spend this past year continuing to support our growing center, while helping expand upon our leadership trainings in new ways. I even assisted in helping to develop and facilitate the first workshop performed by both our leadership side and our intercultural side, creating a new experience with some of the best of what our entire center can offer.

During my three years as an LC, I’ve had the pleasure and privilege of being able to work alongside three different and unique teams. Each of these teams has taught me something new, given me new friends, opened the door to new experiences, and, during my second and third years, given me the opportunity to support and mentor the rest of the team. Being a Leadership Consultant taught me how to be an effective teacher, a smart event planner, and an ethical leader equipped for the modern world. This position has shaped my time at Mason and truly been one of the most valuable experiences of my life.

Written by: Andy Brown, Student Leadership Consultant

As a Graduate Professional Assistant for outreach and education at CLIE, my work has centered on creating meaningful learning spaces where students can explore leadership not just as a concept, but as a lived and evolving practice. Over the past two years, my role has allowed me to engage deeply with leadership education, both as a facilitator and as a learner.

One of the most impactful experiences has been co-facilitating the Active Leaders Program alongside Dr. Nick Lennon in Fall 2024 and Fall 2025. This 10-week, in-person seminar is designed to provide advanced leadership development opportunities for George Mason University students. Through interactive sessions, dialogue, and reflection, participants explore key leadership concepts, examine their personal values, and develop strategies for leading positive change. Rather than simply teaching leadership theories, we create spaces where students actively engage with ideas, challenge their perspectives, and learn from one another. Over the past two years, many students have shared with me how the program has impacted them, by helping them gain clarity in their goals, build confidence in their leadership abilities, and form genuine connections with others. Seeing these relationships and transformations continue beyond the program has been incredibly meaningful and reminds me of the lasting impact of leadership education.

In addition to this, I’ve had the privilege of serving as a Teaching Assistant for Ethics and Leadership (INTS 404) under Dr. Nick Lennon in Spring 2025 and Spring 2026. In this role, I supported classroom engagement, assisted with grading reflection-based assignments, and facilitated sessions on topics such as identity, inclusion, ethical dilemmas, and purpose. Engaging with students’ reflection papers and listening to them present their ethical purpose and commitment to action has been incredibly rewarding. Witnessing how they apply ethical frameworks to real-world challenges has increased my own understanding of leadership.

I am incredibly grateful for the mentorship and guidance of Dr. Nick Lennon throughout this experience, along with the continued support of the CLIE staff and Leadership Consultants. I am thankful to all the students and participants who have made my journey truly memorable and shaped my growth in countless ways.

Written by: Abhigya Pandey, Graduate Professional Assistant for Leadership Education and Outreach

I began my role as the Graduate Professional Assistant (GPA) with CLIE in Fall 2025. My specific position is GPA for Civic Engagement & Service, meaning social responsibility is a central part of my work. Since joining the team in August, I have had the privilege of working on multiple projects focused on civic engagement and community leadership, including Days of Service for Homecoming, Family Weekend, and more. These experiences have shown me the power in having a strong community, and how small acts of service can create meaningful change.

One project that has been especially meaningful to me was organizing a toy drive for Britepaths, a non-profit that provides food, financial, and other assistance to local families. I met my contact at Britepaths while tabling for CLIE at the Service Fair, where we introduced our organizations and discussed opportunities for collaboration. After more meetings, I organized a toy drive to support their annual Holiday Program. Through outreach across George Mason and the broader community, and in partnership with campus offices—including the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being's Mason Chooses Kindness initiative—we collected nearly 150 toys for donation.

Delivering the toys to Britepaths gave me the chance to see the impact of the drive for myself. As a result of our donations, Britepaths was able to expand their program’s capacity by 100 attendees. It was meaningful to contribute to something that directly supported my community, and it also highlighted how my role with CLIE can create opportunities to build connections and collaborate with local organizations. I realized that there are so many great causes right in our backyard, and taking the time to connect with others can create opportunities that would otherwise go undiscovered. It showed me the importance of reaching out, sharing resources, and being open to collaboration.

I am excited to continue in my role for a second year while completing my master’s degree and to explore additional ways to serve community partners. I plan to continue this toy drive next year, and I hope that CLIE’s partnership with Britepaths will continue well beyond my time in this position.