The Military, Veterans, & Families Initiative (MVFI), Office of Military Services, and Alumni Association are excited to introduce Military Mondays to Mason Nation. This webinar series will cover a variety of topics relevant to our military-affiliated community.
All webinars will begin at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
February 8: Building Our Military and Veteran Community at Mason with Keith Renshaw, PhD, Department Chair and Professor of Psychology, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Director, Military, Veterans, & Families Initiative
Approximately 10% of Mason’s student body self-identifies as a member of the military, veteran, or dependent, and a number of faculty and staff are also military-affiliated in some way. In light of this, Mason has launched the Military, Veterans, & Families Initiative, which aims to leverage our strengths as a public research university in serving this important population. Join us for our inaugural “Military Mondays” discussion, where we will give a brief overview of the Initiative, and then have a discussion about how we can strengthen our sense of community among military-connected students, alumni, faculty, and staff here at Mason, particularly during the pandemic.
February 22: The Science of Mind Body Medicine with Tricia Winklosky, Senior Director, Clinical Health and Wellness, Hope for the Warriors
Gain foundational knowledge about the body’s response to stress and how stressors affect both the mind and body. Learn about the body’s counter-response to stress, commonly known as the relaxation response along with an essential resilience technique to combat stress.
March 8: Am I Prepared…What’s Next? with Duane McHenry, Vice President, NGA Unit, InTec LLC.
Join Air Force veteran and engineering specialist Duane McHenry as he discusses entry into the new job market, assessing a potential employee’s skills, job objectives, networking abilities and salary negotiations. During the discussion he will address how well-prepared veteran and military servicemembers are for finding employment in the new job market of today and tomorrow and how you can use leadership skills developed in the military to make you a stronger candidate than most civilians.
March 22: Military Transition: Navigating the Opportunities and Obstacles to Your Post-Military Career with LTC (USA, ret.) Matthew Louis, Louis Advisors LLC.
Author Matthew Louis will discuss his recent book ‘Mission Transition.’ The book is a practical guide for veterans in career transition, their families, and their prospective employers. It attempts to address this primary question: How can transitioning veterans realize their full potential by avoiding false starts and suboptimal career choices following active duty?
April 12: How the Arts Have Created a Virtual Community for Veterans, Servicemembers, and Their Families with Niyati Dhokai, PhD, Research Assistant Professor, College of Visual and Performing Arts, and Program Director, Veterans and the Arts Initiative, Hylton Performing Arts Center
In March 2020, the Hylton Performing Arts Center’s Veterans and the Arts Initiative’s community arts programs moved to virtual platforms within five days. Since then, the Initiative has served military-connected community members regionally and nationally through music and art workshops, a smart phone photography exhibition to support the Virginia Women Veterans Summit, and a virtual concert. Join us for a conversation with our community to reflect on the individual and community impact of gathering virtually to create music and art during the past year.
April 26: Plugging into the NOVA Military Community with Children with Jennifer Drake Patrick, PhD, Assistant Professor and Consultant, Center for Social Equity Through Science Education, College of Education and Human Development
Dr. Drake Patrick will address how schools can best prepare to meet the unique needs of military-connected children and their families as they transition between K-12 school settings. She will share strategies both families and schools can engage in to provide a welcoming, supportive community for families of both Veterans and active duty military members.
May 10: Spotlight on Amazon: Veteran Employment Opportunities with Col. (ret.) Beau Higgins, Senior Manager, Military Affairs Team, Amazon
Amazon’s Global Military Affairs team will provide an employer spotlight that provides insight into the culture and employment opportunities that exist at Amazon. If you have ever had any questions about working at Amazon or how the hiring process works, this is your opportunity to learn more.