The Graduate Student Life Team

Bernard A. Atieme joins the Graduate Student Life team as Graduate Professional Assistant for graduate student leadership and advising. He has extensive experience mentoring student leaders and supporting student organizations in his academic and professional life. Bernard is currently a doctoral candidate at Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University. His master’s degree was in political science, emphasizing politics and public policy. His research interest is on election violence, contentious politics, migration politics, power and corruption, African politics, and development in Africa. Presently Bernard is working on his dissertation, exploring why people participate in election violence. He reads, plays soccer, listens to music, and watches movies in his leisure time.

As the Director of Graduate Student Life, Julie Choe Kim, Ph.D. (she/her/hers), promotes the success and well-being of Mason graduate students through engagement in professional development, personal development, community-building, and diversity, equity, and inclusion opportunities. She also serves as advisor to the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GAPSA).

As the Assistant Director of Graduate Student Life, Austin A. Deray's (he/his/him) primary focus is Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, Community Building, and Well-Being initiatives & programming for Mason’s graduate and professional student populations and oversees the management of the units communications. Austin joined the Mason community as a Graduate Professional Assistant for Graduate Student Life in August of 2016, after over ten years working in higher education both as a faculty member and Higher Ed professional.

Elisabeth “Betsy” M. Scotto-Lavino (she/her/hers) is the graduate professional assistant for Graduate Diversity Engagement and Leadership with Graduate Student Life.