Anjusha Kasetty Ramesh Kumar, Candidate for Vice President of Fairfax Campus

Anjusha Kasetty Ramesh Kumar, Candidate for Vice President of Fairfax Campus

Graduate Degree Program: Doctoral student, Education, College of Education and Human Development (full-time student)

Expected Date of Graduation: May 2030

Campus of Academic Department: Fairfax

Campus(es) of Classes, Work, and/or Residence: Fairfax

Biography and Candidate Statement

My name is Anjusha Kasetty Ramesh Kumar, and I am a first-year PhD student in Education with an interdisciplinary specialization in Social and Environmental Psychology at George Mason University’s Fairfax campus. I am running for Vice President of the Fairfax Campus because this past year as a GAPSA General Assembly Program Representative has shown me how much this organization can do for graduate students and how much more is possible with dedicated, campus-level leadership. As a program representative, I have attended every monthly General Assembly meeting, brought forward student concerns about program support and graduate life, and connected students directly with university administrators when issues needed resolution. This role has given me a firsthand understanding of how GAPSA operates, what students on the Fairfax campus care about, and how to navigate the channels that actually produce change. I aim to continue this work with greater reach and responsibility as a VP. Beyond GAPSA, I currently serve as Vice President of Rho Phi Lambda, the honors society for recreation, park, and leisure studies at Mason, where I have coordinated funding efforts to support graduate student participation in the Virginia Recreation and Park Society annual conference. At Ball State University, I served as Secretary of the International Ambassadors Association, where I helped revive a dormant organization, launched the “Cultural Connextions” program pairing students across cultures, and organized events that built genuine community. I have also worked as a Graduate Assistant across multiple departments, planning and conducting events, supporting student transitions, and community research. These experiences have helped me hone the communication and coordination skills this VP role demands. As VP of the Fairfax Campus, I would prioritize making graduate students feel heard and connected. My broader goal is to make GAPSA visible and relevant to graduate students who may feel isolated in their individual programs, as graduate school can be lonely and many students simply do not know a community like this exists. I plan to hold regular town halls and organize cross-program mixers so that graduate students across disciplines can connect, share concerns, and feel part of a broader community. Regarding availability, I am fully committed to the 2026–2027 academic year at the Fairfax campus. My primary obligations are my PhD coursework and my Graduate Research Assistantship, both of which have structured, predictable schedules. I have successfully balanced multiple leadership roles alongside research this year, and I am confident in my ability to meet the biweekly Executive Board meetings, regular advisor check-ins, and the broader programming responsibilities of this position. I would be honored to serve students as a VP and bring my experience, energy, and genuine investment in the Fairfax graduate community to this role.

Availability and Commitment to the Time and Expectations of the Position

I am fully committed to meeting the time expectations of the Vice President role for the 2026–2027 academic year. My primary ongoing commitments include three graduate courses, which are scheduled on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 4:30–10:00 PM, and a 20-hour per week Graduate Research Assistantship. Outside of these structured obligations, I have significant flexibility across the rest of the week and intend to dedicate approximately 5 hours per week to my responsibilities as VP, including biweekly Executive Board meetings, regular check-ins with GAPSA advisors and University Life staff, planning town halls and community events, and maintaining timely communication with Fairfax campus students. I am confident in my ability to manage my time effectively and show up consistently for this position.