Dean's Blog: Hello world – Meet Our Game Changers
Every few years, the world comes together to celebrate the best in sport. At this year's Olympics in Paris, France, the 10,500 and 4,400 Olympic and Paralympic athletes personify the spirit of competition, bravery, and creativity, with so much national pride on full display. Can you hear the 2024 Olympic song Hello World by Gwen Stefani and Anderson Paak playing in your head?
We can't help but tune in and root for the athletes from our countries and heritage. The George Mason hometown favorites include Katie Ledecky, the Maryland native who has become the most decorated female Olympian from the U.S. Or did you watch Arlington, Virginia’s Torri Husk, a swimmer who takes home 5 medals, after anchoring a few USA swimming relays and competing admirably in her own individual events. How about the USA sprinter from Alexandria, VA, Noah Lyles, whose gold in the 100M allows him the title of fastest man in the world right now.
There are some elements of the games that to some may seem different this year. The camaraderie and community across nations is palpable. Maybe it's because the athletes are so thankful their families, coaches, and friends can be there with them. You may recall the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo kept spectator stands empty to limit COVID-19 spread.
We find ourselves rooting for people we didn't even know—the sprinter from St. Lucia who wins the country’s first Olympic medal ever, a specialist who competes in one event among superstars and manages to deliver the best routine of their lives. The local hero in the pool, who sees his moment and wins gold again, and again, and again, and again. He smiles at the crowd, perhaps realizing his life will be forever changed by what happened at these Olympic Games.
We also learn of their stories of adversity, and their grit and driving determination that they've overcome just to become an Olympian, nonetheless stand on top of a podium, fortunate enough to win a medal.
As I write this blog, the United States has won 86 medals, 24 of them gold. The US has 594 (315 women and 279 men) competing in 32 Olympic sports and 130+ Paralympic athletes competing in 18 sports. And this is the first time the Olympics had just as many men as women competing. I can't help but make some interesting comparisons to our own situation here in George Mason’s College of Science.
Our college brings in and graduates roughly 800 to 1,000 students each year. Our graduate programs present a similar ratio with 50/50 for individuals who identify as men and women and the gender within our undergraduate ranks reflect an almost unheard of 62% female in our college’s STEM fields. Our students are coached by expert faculty and researchers whose primary focus is on their learning and growth, encouraging them to think bigger, to be boldly creative. Rather than change their sport, we encourage them to change their field by solving society’s scientific challenges in new, exciting ways.
We highlight their success stories constantly across our digital communications. Some follow an expected path, perhaps taking pre-med coursework and getting into medical school (their version of winning a gold medal). Others encounter new scientific disciplines that intrigue them taking them to new levels of excitement and scientific achievement.
Our most successful College of Science students have habits that run in parallel with these athletes. They train, practice, and work hard each day to bring them steps closer to the audacious goals they set. Some days they succeed. Some days they may fall short. Each day they wake up, perhaps refine or develop a new, creative approach and try again. But the mental health struggles are also real in both domains. You can see how much pressure the athletes find themselves in, their mental preparedness and self-care evident. They feel pressure that they either put on themselves or they believe others may place there. They must advocate for their own well-being. No one knows them better than themselves yet, just like in the Olympics, our students, faculty, and staff are not alone in their quest for their goals.
As we prepare for our next semester, hopefully the feelings of community, belonging, shared sportsmanship, and Patriot Pride will be obvious. And as we welcome in our newest group of scientific ‘olympians,’ we will show the stands are full. We are engaging directly or sharing resources to help, cheering them. We can't wait to celebrate their successes as they strive to change the game.
~ CWE
