School of Education

C&D Students and Faculty Advocate on Legislative Day 2020

On January 16th, 2020, C&D students Fatima Samha and Jennifer Melfie represented George Mason University and the Counseling and Development program with Dr. Tori Stone to advocate with colleagues on Richmond’s Capitol Hill. They lobbied for lower student/counselor ratios in Virginia’s schools and for comprehensive school counseling programs statewide.

Here is what the students had to say about the experience and importance of the event:

“My experience in lobbying and advocating to lower school counselor ratios was very rewarding. It was nice to be able to speak to Virginia legislators about our profession and our role in the schools, and to see that they were not only actively engaged in our conversation but also in support for lower ratios was remarkable. I had a wonderful, eye-opening experience, and I know that this is just the beginning of my advocacy work!” – Fatima Samha

"My experience at VSCA's Legislative Day was empowering, informative, and exciting. I enjoyed the opportunity to speak directly to legislators, while being surrounded by a community of school counselors. I feel it is critical that school counselors develop collaborative relationships with decision-makers in order to remove systemic barriers and ignite positive change." - Jennifer Melfie

Part of this special day was spent meeting and speaking with Atif Qarni, Secretary of Education. Mr. Qarni, a GMU alumnus, taught at Beville Middle School in Prince William County, leading courses in civics, economics, U.S History, and mathematics. He also served as a GED Night School Instructor. In 2016, Atif was recognized as the Dale City Teacher of the Year.

In addition to his work as an educator, Atif is a former Sergeant of the United States Marine Corps, and was deployed to Iraq in 2003 during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He has also served at the state level, having been appointed by Governor Terry McAuliffe to the Small Business Commission in 2013.

Secretary Qarni holds a Bachelor’s in Sociology from George Washington University as well as a Master’s in History and teaching license from George Mason University.

George Mason and the Counseling and Development program are grateful for the advocacy efforts of our students on behalf of all Virginia school counselors and the profession. School counselors are certified/licensed mental health professionals and educators in schools and are required to have a minimum of a master’s degree in Counseling. They are specifically trained to provide social/emotional learning, prevention programs, mental and behavioral support, and crisis response in the school setting.