Paloma Jimenez

Paloma received the MA in interdisciplinary studies in four years through the bachelor's/accelerated master's program, studying social justice and human rights. 

What was your specific area of study and how did you choose it? 

My specific area of study was social justice and human rights, which was my concentration for both my bachelor's and master's degrees. I landed on this area of study after taking a few different honors classes during my freshman year that were very interdisciplinary and global in their perspective. I left those classes wanting to take similar ones in the future, which is how I ended up changing my major from anthropology to integrative studies, as the latter allowed me to take classes from all kinds of departments and disciplines. From there, choosing my concentration in social justice and human rights was easy, as I already was engaged in activism and advocacy work in my personal life. As such, choosing this major presented an opportunity to align my educational journey with my activist orientations, which I happily took. 

If you completed a dissertation, thesis, or capstone, please tell us about it.  

For my master's capstone project, I chose to explore how collegiate student activists from marginalized and minoritized communities have been responding to the attacks on higher education and student activism over the past year. Essentially, I wanted to explore the experiences of students such as myself who, in addition to going to school, were also engaged in activism during an especially politically precarious year.

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

I was very fortunate to have amazing, dedicated teachers and enriching curricula that challenged and expanded my knowledge in truly transformative ways. My life would not be the same had I not taken the classes that I did.

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

I am very fortunate to say that all of my professors were very supportive and truly wanted their students to succeed. They all made a lasting mark on my academic journey in their own way. 

Why did you choose George Mason for your graduate studies? 

Getting a master's was the natural next step in my educational journey, especially with the bachelor's accelerated master's program being available for my major. 

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

Looking back, getting two degrees in 4 years while maintaining a 3.9-4.0 GPA is kind of astonishing, and is something I still struggle sometimes to wrap my head around. 

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

Struggling in a class is not a sign that you do not belong, but rather a confirmation that you made the right choice in choosing a class/degree that will challenge you and force you to grow as a student and scholar. 

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

I plan to work in the non-profit and/or civil service sector, where I can work with people to make lasting changes and fight for social justice and liberation for all people.