By UL MarCom staff.
A pilot curriculum reached more than 100 students; recreation data revealed links to academic performance; and a campus voting effort increased turnout by 15 percentage points — all part of the work presented at the University Life (UL) Faculty Fellows Spring Showcase on April 28 in Merten Hall. The event brought together faculty and UL staff to review projects that apply research directly to student-facing work. The Faculty Fellows program connects faculty members with UL units and supports collaboration between academic and co-curricular areas to impact student success.
Vice President for University Life Rose Pascarell and Senior Assistant Dean Lori Scher opened the showcase, followed by four faculty presentations and question-and-answer discussions. Each project reflected a partnership with a UL unit, including the Center for Leadership and Intercultural Engagement, Mason Recreation, the Office of the Vice President for University Life, and Student Involvement. Organizers concluded the event with a networking session.
“This program is close to my heart…the focus has always been the same, which is to connect faculty who have an interest in working on something or connecting with students outside of the classroom with University Life,” said Pascarell.
One project tested how dialogue-based learning can move from co-curricular programming into the classroom. Graziella Pagliarulo McCarron of the School of Integrative Studies partnered with Nick Lennon from the Center for Leadership and Intercultural Engagement to convert the Conversations Across Difference program into a four-module curriculum. The pilot reached approximately 120 students and integrated reflection activities and assessment tools into courses, including Narratives of Identity and Global Leadership. The project will continue with a revised version based on student and faculty feedback.
Another project examined how student behavior outside the classroom relates to academic performance. Sammie Powers of the College of Education and Human Development partnered with Ethan Carter from Mason Recreation to connect facility-use and program-participation data with grade point average. The analysis identified a measurable difference between facility users and non-users and found a positive relationship between increased facility use and GPA.
“This showcase highlights how Faculty Fellows are partnering directly with our units to advance student success,” Scher said. “The projects show how faculty expertise can be applied in practical ways to strengthen the work happening across University Life.”
Jennifer Victor of the Schar School of Policy and Government focused on student voter participation and identified barriers to student voting. Victor partnered with Alissa Karton from the Office of the Vice President for University Life and campus and community collaborators to train about 60 student voting ambassadors and expand peer-to-peer outreach. The effort contributed to an increase in voter turnout at the university precinct from about 30 percent to 45 percent during the 2025 Virginia state election.
Maggie Daniels of the College of Education and Human Development led a student-driven research project examining how involvement patterns have changed since the pandemic. Daniels partnered with Lauren Long from Student Involvement to compare data from 2019 and 2026, focusing on communication preferences, participation barriers, and satisfaction. Undergraduate researchers conducted statistical analyses, presented their findings at a research symposium, and are preparing their results for publication.
The University Life Faculty Fellows program will continue to support new faculty partnerships and expand the use of research and assessment in UL initiatives.
If you have a Faculty Fellow project idea for your unit, please reach out to Lori Scher to explore possibilities.