The Mats Hormel vQ scholarship endowment is making a difference in the lives of Mason LIFE Students

"It has transformed the life of my child in remarkable ways and helped them discover the strength and resiliency that was always inside them." This sentiment is common among families whose young adults attended George Mason University's Learning Into Future Environments (Mason LIFE) program.

Now even more students will be able to take part in the program, thanks to the financial support provided by the Mats Hormel vQ Scholarship Endowment.

This scholarship endowment is provided by Tommy Everett and Sarah Hormel Everett in honor of their son, Mats Von Quillfeldt, a former Mason LIFE student. The scholarship was established to help defray the costs associated with attending Mason LIFE, including tuition, fees, housing, textbooks, and related expenses. Scholarship awards are given to both incoming and continuing Mason LIFE students and are based on a student's demonstrated financial need.

The Everetts have made a $1.2 million pledge to expand the existing Mason LIFE scholarship. The Mats Hormel vQ Scholarship Endowment will now offer two full-ride scholarships for the program, doubling the financial support previously provided.

Mason LIFE is a comprehensive four-year postsecondary transition program in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) that offers young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities a full university experience in a supportive academic environment. The Mason LIFE program focuses on research, academic progress, community involvement, employment and housing with the goal of gaining independent living skills. The impact of Mason LIFE on students who participate in the program is nothing short of transformational.

Von Quillfeldt, who completed the program in May 2020, captures the essence of what the Mason LIFE program is all about.

"College changed my life. I would not be able to work full time or have my own apartment with two roommates without my Mason LIFE experience," Von Quillfeldt said. "Mason LIFE taught me how to cook, shop, do my laundry, be respectful of my roommates and be on time to classes and work. I learned to plan my daily life."

In addition to his academic work-he said his favorite subject in college was Early American History-Von Quillfeldt held an internship on Capitol Hill, where he performed administrative duties in a congressional office. He traveled to and from Capitol Hill on his own using the Metro bus and subway system.

His mother, Sarah, highlighted the positive impact that the Mason LIFE program had on him. "It is amazing to have gone through this whole process with him. Even during his junior year in high school, I would not have imagined him to be able to live independently. This is an incredibly unique program. Just having this inclusive setting for these young adults is priceless."

His father, Tommy, concurred, adding, "Mason LIFE opened our eyes to what he could do."

Through the shared experience of living together, learning together, working together, and supporting one another, students in the Mason LIFE Program build important skills that help them in living a more independent life. They earn a certificate of completion at the end of the program.

Linn Jorgenson, associate professor of special education at George Mason and director of Mason LIFE, has dedicated herself to the program's success.

"Our students participate in academics, they participate in the community, they have a work component, and they have the option to live in campus housing," said Jorgenson.

Jorgenson points out that some students begin the Mason LIFE program feeling apprehensive. For many, like Von Quillfeldt, it is their first time being away from home and making certain decisions on their own. As they begin their educational journey under the guidance of Mason LIFE faculty and staff, these same students quickly acclimate to their new surroundings, and their sense of independence begins to develop. Their self-confidence grows stronger as they progress through the Mason LIFE program and are exposed to new experiences.

Noah Miller, a Mason LIFE student from 2018 to 2022, spoke highly of the program, highlighting the life skills he acquired, particularly in Mason Life's independent Living Course. "All four years I lived on campus in the dorms. That's how I learned to be independent," Miller said. "Cooking for myself, getting along with my roommates-all the good stuff."

Miller appreciated his other classes too, especially those in sport management. His enthusiasm leaves no doubt about how much he valued his time at George Mason. "College was the best," Miller said. "I enjoyed George Mason a lot. Not only getting to be in the Mason LIFE program but also getting to explore other classes as well."

The faculty and staff of Mason LIFE routinely hear from the families of students who are grateful for the life-changing opportunity their students received, many because of the generous financial support provided by the Mats Hormel vQ Scholarship Endowment.

"My hope for a person who completes the Mason LIFE Program is that they learn who they are and that they live a life that they had hoped for whether that is independent living, working, contributing, or just being part of a world that they had hoped to be part of," said Jorgenson.

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