From the South to the East Coast, this week’s campus cutie, Sam Wolfe, is experiencing it all.
Sam is a freshman at GMU, and already making his mark. Not only is he already showing to be a passionate Patriot, but more importantly, Sam is an amazing friend and person. Read below to get to know about him, and his journey to Mason!
Age: 18
Major: Communication (concentration in Public Relations)
What brought you to Mason?
I first heard about Mason when I was invited to attend the Washington Journalism and Media Conference in the summer before my senior year. I fell in love with the East coast, but didn’t quite know what I wanted to do with my life and decided that moving far away from home for college was out of the question. I received an email a few months later inviting me to come back to Mason for their Fall Premiere in October. I talked it over with my parents and, to my surprise, they were completely willing the make the journey with me for a weekend. Of course, by this time the Fairfax trees had turned to their beautiful shade of autumn-orange and the air was crisp and cool, making for a perfect campus visit. By this time, I had applied to one school and one school only, which was about 6 hours from home yet still in Texas. I visited Mason with a closed mind and didn’t even think about finishing my application here. Big mistake. I spent the rest of my senior year completely uneasy and not sure if my heart was in the right place with college. After graduation in May, I found out I had been accepted to return to WJMC as an Intern, where I would have the chance to work with the Mason Admissions team throughout the summer and perfect the Conference that I had grown to love.
That week changed my life. Not only did I get to see students live out my experience from the previous year, but the Admissions team had done the unthinkable; They managed to change my mind about college, less than a month before the start of the academic year. I rushed home that weekend and explained everything to my parents in a whirlwind of emotions. I withdrew my application from the university in Texas one week before move-in day, finalized my application at Mason, scheduled my orientation session, booked my flight to DC, and started to rethink my future entirely. I haven’t looked back since. Choosing Mason was a difficult yet simple choice, and it is one I will never regret.
What do you like about Mason?
I absolutely LOVE the diversity and acceptance our campus has. I know that’s a completely cliché answer, but it has to be true to become a cliché in the first place! I have met people from just about every culture and ethnicity that you can think of. I have heard more languages in my first eight weeks on campus than I had in my 18 years before college. And the best thing is that it’s all accepted and welcomed. It’s practically encouraged! Different is okay. I love how everyone can be themselves here and not have to worry about being judged. Mason definitely feels like home because I can express myself on my terms and make true friends who accept me as I am.
What are your on-campus involvements?
Since coming to Mason, I have started working as an Intern in the Office of Admissions for the Washington Scholars Program. WSP is the team that runs the Conference I attended and worked at the past two summers, and it is so incredible to be able to see this team everyday and promote the school that I love. I also have become a Mason Ambassador and serve the University by giving tours to prospective students and their families, as well as alumni and distinguished guests. Most recently, I was hired as a Staff Writer for the Odyssey Online, which is a social content platform that showcases the works of thousands of students from over 300 communities nationwide.
Dream job?
I haven’t quite figured this one out yet. I would love to work as a public relations officer for the government (think Jennifer Jereau from Criminal Minds), but I also would be interested in a career in Law itself as a lawyer. I have also dabbled in radio and TV production in the past, so I could very well make my way into the entertainment field and work as a producer for a major news network, but for now I’m keeping my options open!
Dream date?
During my first two months at Mason, I have managed to travel to the city way more than I thought I would. My absolute FAVORITE place of all time is definitely the Georgetown Waterfront. I can think of few greater things than basking in the sunset while overlooking the water and listening to the birds fly overhead, all whilst strolling down the boardwalk and spending time with someone I just can’t seem to get out of my mind.
How has transitioning from Texas to Virginia been like? Has there been any culture shocks?
Oh, boy. The switch from Texas to Virginia has been HUGE. I would definitely say there have been some culture shocks along the way for sure. For starters, I grew up in the South, so the people where I come from are mostly Conservative Republicans who all hold virtually the same values. There’s nothing wrong with this, but it’s not the crowd I fit into. Conversely, Northern Virginia has every mix-match of political ideologies that you can think of. The South also isn’t that accepting of homosexuality. Coming from a predominantly Christian part of the nation, growing up gay was a challenge for me… One that almost claimed my life. Moving to a place where being gay is not looked down upon was something that was so freeing and nearly impossible to put into words. People here don’t see me as their “gay best friend” or the “class homosexual”; They see me as Sam Wolfe. The friends I have made at Mason are pushing me to do more and achieve greater things than I could have ever imagined possible, but they are also here to encourage me on some of my harder days.
All photos belong to Sam Wolfe