Staff
Meet Jacquelyn Nash!
Associate Director, University Studies, Contact for Proposing a New UNIV Course, University Studies Registrar, HR & Payroll Functions
Jackie has been affiliated with Mason since 1997 and with University Studies since 2008. Fun fact – she taught the first UNIV College to Career course in the spring of 1998!
Jackie earned her B.A. degree in Psychology from the University of Maryland, her M.Ed. in Counseling and Development from Mason, and achieved ABD status in her doctoral work, also in Counseling and Development, at Mason. Her areas of professional interest are holistic college student development, career education, and the broad spectrum of life transitions.
Jackie functions primarily in a Registrar and Human Resources capacity with University Studies, overseeing scheduling, registration, grading, as well as faculty hiring and pay activities. In addition, she works with campus partners interested in developing a new UNIV course, assisting them from design to implementation. To round out life, Jackie has loved playing backgammon since a teenager and will give anyone interested a run for their money! She also has a life-long friendship with books and devotes a large place in her heart to her three grown sons.
Meet Aslihan Yildiz-Odeh!
Associate Director for University Studies
Aslihan joined Mason and University Studies in Fall 2021. As an educator for over two decades, she has a wide range of experiences which include instruction, academic advising, curriculum design, program coordination and program management in both K-12 and higher education.
Her responsibilities with University Studies span the overall direction of the program such as course design and curriculum, campus partnerships, marketing, assessment and faculty relations.
Originally from Istanbul, Turkey, Aslihan has a B.A. in Business Administration and Management from Bogazici University and a Ph.D. in Economics from Georgetown University. After working at NGOs and think tanks in economic policy research, she found her passion in higher education. Aslihan enjoys gardening, traveling, doing volunteer work and spending time with her family.
Meet Ellen Boyd!
Training and Recruitment Specialist
Ellen Boyd is the Training and Recruitment Specialist for the University Studies Program. With a Master’s degree in education from Old Dominion University, Ellen has an extensive background in education from early childhood to higher education. Ellen plays a vital role in the university studies department, overseeing the recruitment, training, and ongoing professional development of both faculty and peer advisors. Ellen also co-teaches the UNIV 330 course, a classroom experience that helps development the skills of the Peer Advisors before they take on their new role.
Originally from Virginia Beach, VA, Ellen has moved several times due to her husband’s military service and returned to Virginia in June of 2023. Outside of her professional sphere, Ellen treasures moments of adventure with her husband and three children. Whether they’re hitting the gym for some exercise, gliding along on roller skates, or simply enjoying each other’s company. This balance between professional dedication and personal fulfillment is what fuels Ellen’s drive and passion in both realms of her life.
Meet Ashton Bingham!
Graduate Professional Assistant, Faculty and Curriculum
Originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, Ashton earned her Bachelor’s of Arts in Linguistics from the University of Tennessee. After graduation, she worked for 3 years as a Human Geographer and received a Post-Bachelor’s Certificate in GIS from Penn State. She is now studying to obtain her Master’s in Linguistics and TESOL Certification.
In her free time, Ashton enjoys baking, gardening, embroidery, learning about history and checking out new coffee shops.
Meet Kiyaijzia Jones!
Graduate Professional Assistant, Peer Advisor Program
Kiyaijzia graduated from George Mason University with a Bachelor of Arts in Forensic Psychology in December, 2021. She served as a Peer Advisor for two years and enjoyed being able to pass on the knowledge she had to learn on her own to the first-year students in the hopes of helping them create the best college experience at Mason. Kiyaijzia studied abroad in Madrid her freshman year, worked for the Mason LIFE program and served as the Lead Center Mentor for the Woman and Gender Studies Center. As of Fall 2022, she will be a graduate student doing her Master of Education in Counseling with a concentration in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Mason. She wants to work with at risk youth in minority populations, specifically adolescents.
Kiyaijzia is excited to be back in her new capacity as the Graduate Professional Assistant working with the Peer Advisor Program and working with student leaders to be able to impact the lives of the first-year students. In her free time, she enjoys creating artwork and crossing off various activities on her bucket list. She also is a foodie and loves trying new restaurants and foods from different cultures.