NSPP Cohort Program Resources

Welcome to the National Security and Public Policy (NSPP) Cohort! This program offers an accelerated pathway for students eager to enter the policy-relevant workforce with both an advanced credential and a community of peers who share their interests in national security and public policy.

George Mason’s Master of Public Policy (MPP) is already one of the nation’s most student-centered programs. The NSPP Cohort builds on that foundation by providing a more cohesive, shared experience as you move together through a diverse and practical curriculum.

NSPP is more than a degree program—it is a fellowship that will last a lifetime, uniting rigorous learning with enduring professional connection.

Professor Justin Gest, NSPP Program Director

Nicholas Abplanalp

Hometown: Charlottesville, Virginia 

Undergrad: University of Maryland Global Campus | Major: Political Science 

What drew you to the Schar School and the NSPP Cohort?
My passion for combatting hatred and domestic extremist threats within the United States 

What’s your favorite way to unwind and destress?
Watching a good movie 

What’s a fun fact about you?
I have a 3 year old rescue dog 

Jack Boyce

Hometown: Traverse City, Michigan

Undergrad: Michigan State University | Double Major in International Relations & Political Theory 

What drew you to the Schar School and the NSPP Cohort?
The NSPP cohort program itself drew me to the Schar School - I was looking at both national security masters programs and public policy masters programs and this seemed like the perfect in-between. 

What’s your favorite way to unwind and destress?
Video Games

Nicolette Chester

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Undergrad: University of Georgia | Major: Political Science, Minor: International Affairs and Public Policy and Management 

What drew you to the Schar School and the NSPP Cohort?
The combination of Public Policy and National Security, the masters being completed in one year, and the Switzerland/France study abroad. 

What’s your favorite way to unwind and destress?
Spend time with my friends or family

Avery Cowan

Hometown: Lorton, Virginia 

Undergrad: Virginia Tech | Major: National Security and Foreign Affairs, Minor: Leadership 

What drew you to the Schar School and the NSPP Cohort?
I was especially drawn to the courses offered through the cohort, the faculty’s expertise, the location near DC, and the opportunity to study abroad. 

What’s your favorite way to unwind and destress?
My favorite way to destress is to either to hang out with friend or listen to music. 

What’s a fun fact about you?
A fun fact about me is that my family lives in England! 

Ryan Llufrio

Hometown: Fredericksburg, Virginia 

Undergrad: University of Mary Washington (UMW) | Major: History 

What drew you to the Schar School and the NSPP Cohort?
I applied to the Schar School’s International Security program to follow through on my interests in foreign affairs and government policy that I nurtured during my history studies. With the NSPP Cohort, I am looking forward to the opportunity to receive another multidisciplinary education at the Schar School and to have a shared academic experience with students with similar interests. I am excited to expand applicable core skills I learn in a graduate education setting and to learn from some of the best faculty and experiences the Schar School has to offer. Finally, I was drawn to the opportunity to travel and study abroad again alongside the NSPP Cohort. 

What’s your favorite way to unwind and destress?
While I have a couple of different hobbies, my top picks include card/board games, fencing (historical styles), and archery! On the artistic side, I also like assembling and painting miniatures for tabletop games, though I still have a lot to learn about the painting side of things.

What’s a fun fact about you?
In late February-early March of 2022, I was studying abroad in Poland as part of a spring break academic experience learning about Polish history, culture, and the Holocaust while visiting Warsaw, Kraków, Auschwitz-Birkenau, the Oskar Schindler factory, and other sites. Before we departed, however, the war in Ukraine had freshly broken out again a few days before we left, and we witnessed different demonstrations and displays of support for Ukraine while we visited Poland.  

Elaina Ryan

Hometown: New Boston, Michigan 

Undergrad: University of Michigan | Double Major: Political Science and History 

What drew you to the Schar School and the NSPP Cohort?
I took a few courses at George Mason University as an undergraduate while I was part of The Fund for American Studies summer program. I was drawn to the NSPP Cohort because I realized that all of my policy interests were in some way connected to national security. A combination of proximity to the nation's capital, faculty with a diverse range of experiences in academia and government, the study abroad segment of the program, and the promising sense of community that a cohort-style program offers all drew me to the NSPP program. 

What’s your favorite way to unwind and destress?
I usually unwind by reading a book or doing some creative writing. 

What’s a fun fact about you?
I share a birthday with Mariah Carey! 

Wesley Strong

Hometown: Sylacauga, Alabama

Undergrad: University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), 2016 | Major: Sociology, Minor: Military Science 

What drew you to the Schar School and the NSPP Cohort?
The opportunity to learn national security policy from instructors who have worked or are currently working in the field drew me to the Schar School. I feel like the National Capital Region is the best area in the country to learn what goes into policy making and the classes offered in the NSPP Cohort are some of the best compared to other schools in the area. The accelerated program also gives me the opportunity to earn my degree faster while networking with experienced professionals in national security while growing with my classmates. I look forward to going through the program with my classmates during the next year!

What’s your favorite way to unwind and destress?
I enjoy reading fantasy novels and biographies of historic figures. I also enjoy running and playing tennis. 

What’s a fun fact about you?
I wear a size 17 shoe haha.

Emily Ulizio

Hometown: Middletown, Delaware

Undergrad: Washington College | Major: International Studies and Political Science, Minor: International Economics

What drew you to the Schar School and the NSPP Cohort?
The opportunity to get a master's in one year, the study abroad winter semester, and the focus on national security within the realm of public policy. 

What’s your favorite way to unwind and destress?
Read, workout, go for walks 

What’s a fun fact about you?
I taught in Indonesia for a summer