LGBTQ+ Experiences After Mason: Workplace Strategies for Success
Wednesday, June 29, 2022
7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. EST
Virtual Event via Zoom
(A link to view the program is available via the event confirmation e-mail.)
This event is a collaboration between the George Mason University Alumni Association, the LGBTQ+ Resources Center, the Women and Gender Studies Program, and the Global Affairs Program. Our discussion will focus on possible challenges in the workplace, how to best handle them, and where to look for support. We will hear from Mason alums who will share their professional experiences.
Introducing the Panel's Moderator:
David Powers Corwin
MA '16, MAIS '16, PhD '22
Assistant Professor, Women and Gender Studies Program
They began their role in Women and Gender Studies in 2013 where they served as the graduate assistant for the program. In addition to this role, they served in LGBTQ Resources from 2014-2015 as a graduate assistant and in 2016 was hired as the full-time program coordinator for Women and Gender Studies. Beginning in 2019, David was hired as full-time faculty and has since become an Assistant Professor of Women and Gender Studies, now in a joint appointment with the School of Integrative Studies. In their current role, they teach 6 courses a year, supervise all of the staff in the program, coordinate the course schedule and catalog revisions, keep the space open, and advise our undergraduate students.
Introducing the Panelists:
Nikita Fernandes
B.A. Psychology '19
Counseling and Wellness M.A.
LGBT Health, Education, and Social Services Dual Degree
Nikita shares that intersectional identities affect our distinctive experiences as human beings. The unique experiences she has had as a brown, queer, Indian woman, coupled with her knowledge of Sexual and Gender Minority theory impacts her work as a mental health therapist in New York City.
Nikita is trained to support people who are looking for culturally sensitive, poly & kink-friendly, and gender-affirming therapists. She has had the privilege of working in higher education LGBTQ+ spaces providing resources to LGBTQ+ students. She also worked for the Trevor Project and other therapy practices that center on communities of color.
Nikita earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a background in Women and Gender Studies from George Mason University. She also recently graduated with a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at New York University with a dual degree in LGBT Health, Education, and Social Services.
Jayna Tavarez
B.A. Integrative Studies '16, M.A. Interdisciplinary Studies '18, C.G. Women's Studies '18
Residence Director for Residential Life
Jayna Tavarez (she/her) is a proud bisexual alum of George Mason University. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Integrative Studies with a concentration in Social Justice and Human Rights in 2016, as well as a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Social Justice and Human Rights and a graduate certificate in Women and Gender Studies in 2018 during which she was awarded the 2018 College of Humanities and Social Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award for Women and Gender Studies. Jayna also worked for Mason’s LGBTQ Resources Center, as well as Housing and Residence Life, during her time as a graduate student.
Her current research is focused on the experiences of bisexual students engaged in LGBTQ activism on college campuses. Her recent article published in the Journal of Diversity in Higher Education titled “I can't quite be myself: Bisexual-specific Minority Stress within LGBTQ Campus Spaces,” examines the biphobia bisexual students experience within LGBTQ spaces on college campuses intended to be inclusive of their identity.
Jayna currently works as a Residence Director for Residential Life, and is going into her last year in the Education Specialist (Ed.S.) Social Justice Education program, at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
MaryAnn Vega
B.A. History '15, M.A. Sociology & Anthropology '18, M.A. Interdisciplinary Studies '18
MaryAnn Vega is a George Mason alum currently working on their PhD at the University of Illinois at Chicago. MaryAnn is activist centered, a trainer at heart, and an abolitionist. They have been doing workshops and trainings related to race, ableism, diversity and inclusion, and more for 4 years now and love having meaningful interaction with their communities.
Supported by the Lambda Alumni Chapter
The Lambda alumni chapter serves as a network for members of the LGBTQ+ community and its allies through various events, educational programming, and community service opportunities.