Transfer Student Balances Degree and Raising a Family

Transfer Student Balances Degree and Raising a Family Image

December '14 Graduate Helps Kick-start a Non-profit Organization

Anousone Virkone transferred to Mason from Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) in Spring 2013 and received her global affairs degree in Fall 2014. At both NOVA and at Mason, she enrolled full-time, even while pregnant with her second and third children. She found that the challenge of balancing multiple responsibilities encouraged her to persevere through finishing her education, and strengthened her problem solving, critical thinking, and multi-tasking skills.

When Anousone first decided to get her degree in Global Affairs, her goal was to intern with the U.S. government while taking courses. She soon found that her coursework broadened her horizons: addressing international problems, poverty struggles, and global issues that people may not see first hand.

The mental maturity that she developed in addressing these issues in class also led Anousone to consider a bigger calling. When her father-in-law presented the opportunity to help establish and promote Global Mission Association, a non-profit organization, she envisioned making a change by giving hope and education to children. Anousone is looking forward to improving living conditions in third world countries by building schools, churches, hospitals, orphanages, and more. Since graduating, she has created social media accounts for the Global Mission Association to continue to promote its mission and accomplishments.