Wai Ling Fong

I am a first-generation college graduate from Malaysia and a former Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant. I began my journey at George Mason University in 2017 as an international graduate student. Through the many transformative opportunities George Mason has offered me, I have grown into a researcher, educator, and community builder. 

What was your specific area of study and how did you choose it? Please describe your dissertation. 

For my dissertation, I conducted a qualitative case study on the long-term influence of the Online Course Design Primer (OCDP), a faculty development program initiated by the Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. This program was designed to support the transition to remote teaching. Using the Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model, I examined faculty reaction, learning, and behavioral change stemming from the training. I was interested in this study because few long-term studies evaluate whether faculty genuinely learned and applied the skills from their training. With support from the Stearns Center, this longitudinal study drew on data originally collected in 2021 and was expanded through follow-up interviews with the same faculty participants in 2024. The findings reveal that even after returning to in-person teaching, faculty continued to apply the skills learned in the OCDP and credited the training for fostering adaptability and flexibility. The study underscores what works in online faculty training and the importance of long-term program evaluation to truly understand faculty experiences. 

How did your academic experiences in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences impact you? 

My higher education coursework was through the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, which profoundly shaped how I understand the field. Coming from a practitioner background, these courses provided the theoretical foundation and frameworks that helped me grasp the inner workings of higher education—its structures, stakeholders, policies, and evolving challenges. I gained knowledge and the confidence to navigate and contribute meaningfully to higher education. 

Which accomplishments during your time at George Mason are you most proud of? 

I am proud to have pursued many opportunities that allowed me to grow as a scholar while fully leveraging my experiences as a graduate student. 

As a student leader, I served in the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GAPSA), becoming the first Executive Vice President under its new structure with a dedicated Graduate Student Council. This role allowed me to advocate for the unique needs of graduate students and contribute to shaping graduate student life. 

In my various Graduate Professional Assistant (GPA) roles within University Life, I led the Patriot Experience, a co-curricular program aimed at helping students feel a stronger sense of belonging. I collaborated with multiple University Life offices to co-design engaging, resource-rich programming. 

Later, I was involved in launching the Graduate Staff Academy (GSA), a nine-month community of practice for graduate staff. I co-developed the program with the University Life Professional Development team. I was honored to present this work at NASPA 2024 in Seattle, sharing about the GSA with a national student affairs audience. 

Another highlight was participating in the 3MT (Three Minute Thesis) competition, where I earned second place. This experience taught me the art of powerful, concise storytelling and public speaking. I took full advantage of George Mason's resources to prepare for the competition. I attended the Communication Academy under Graduate Education, sought scriptwriting assistance from the Writing Center, practiced my delivery at the Communication Lab, and received support from my chair, colleagues, and peers to refine my presentation. This experience enabled me to communicate my research with clarity and impact in just three minutes. 

Additionally, I'm incredibly grateful to have received the Summer Research Fellowships (2023 and 2024) and the Spring 2025 Completion Grant, which gave me the focused time and support to complete my dissertation. 

Are there faculty or staff members who made a difference during your George Mason career? 

Absolutely. My dissertation chair, Professor Kelly Schrum, has been a constant and encouraging presence throughout my doctoral journey. From our early days in Portfolio I, when my research interests were still scattered, to the final stages of writing and presenting, she guided me with patience, wisdom, and kindness. Her mentorship strengthened my research and helped me grow into the scholar I am today. In my final year, we collaborated on two projects exploring how to elevate scholarly communication through poster design at the ISSOTL and SoTL conferences. As part of the collaboration, I had the opportunity to lead a workshop at the SoTL Commons conference in Savannah, Georgia, in February of 2025. 

I am also incredibly thankful to my supervisors and mentors in University Life and INTO Mason, who shaped my identity as a student affairs practitioner: Mallory Mills and Kirsten McLagan from INTO Mason, Adrienne White and TJ Pegg from the Patriot Experience, and Meeghan Milette and Amy Snyder from University Life Professional Development 

Each of them saw and affirmed my strengths, supported my doctoral journey, and created opportunities for me to grow. Their belief in me made all the difference. 

What advice would you give to an incoming cohort of graduate students? 

Embrace a beginner’s mindset and give yourself permission to follow what genuinely interests you. Let your curiosity and inner resonance guide your path. When I began graduate school, I believed success meant checking all the boxes in my academic program. But I soon realized that I was responsible for shaping my own learning and growth. Graduate school is truly what you make of it. Use this time intentionally. Seek out opportunities that excite you, and don’t hesitate to chart your own course. Your professors trust that you know what you’re doing, and they’ll support you along the way. You don’t need to ask for permission. Just start. Most importantly, lean into the support systems around you. You’re not meant to do this alone. Find your tribe, and don't hesitate to be the community builder. 

What are your current career plans following graduation? What are your long-term career goals? 

I am a multi-passionate educator, researcher, creative, and community builder. My strengths lie in making complex information accessible through storytelling and data visualization. 

In the short term, I hope to continue working in higher education, particularly student well-being. I want to use my research and program design skills to create intentional, inclusive, evidence-based programs supporting students' holistic development. Whether they are traditional college students or adult learners, I believe in honoring the full spectrum of their experiences to help them thrive within and beyond the university setting. 

In the long term, I aspire to work with an international NGO such as UNESCO, where I can contribute to global education through research, training, and communication. I'm especially drawn to creating materials that translate data into stories, highlighting the impact of educators making a difference worldwide. As a former Fulbright grantee, being part of a global mission-driven organization would be a meaningful extension of my values and skills. 

And in the very long term, I want to create a wellness retreat center for high-achieving individuals seeking rest, reconnection, and realignment. I envision it as a sanctuary where people can unplug from the demands of daily life, return to themselves through stillness and reflection, and gather in community with like-minded souls. It would culminate my commitment to well-being, intentional living, and nurturing the human spirit—a space where ambition and inner alignment coexist.