Schar School of Policy and Government - Click to Go Home
  • About
    The Schar School 
    Founders Hall

    A Dynamic Education for an Evolving World

    • About
    • About Dwight Schar
    • A Message from Dean Mark J. Rozell
    • Key Facts
      • Explore Washington, D.C.
    • Faculty Directory
    • Staff Directory
    • Maps & Directions
    • Contact Us
      • Contact Undergraduate Admissions
      • Contact Graduate Admissions
      • Contact Student Services and Advising
  • Prospective Students
    The Schar School 
    Founders Hall

    A Dynamic Education for an Evolving World

    • Prospective Students
    • Undergraduate Prospective Students
    • Application Requirements
    • Programs of Study
      • Undergraduate Programs
      • Master's Programs
      • PhD Programs
      • Graduate Certificates
      • Security Studies
      • Online Programs
      • Executive Education
      • Visiting Non-Degree Studies
    • Admissions & Aid
      • Graduate Admissions FAQ
      • International Applicant Requirements
      • For Military, Veterans, and Dependents
      • Tuition & Financial Assistance
      • Admitted Students
      • Contact Admissions
    • The Value of a Schar School Degree
    • Explore & Visit
      • Admissions Events
      • Undergraduate Admissions Recruitment & Events
      • Ask a Graduate Ambassador
      • Ask an Undergraduate Liaison
      • Viewbooks & Publications
    • Apply Now
  • Current Students
    The Schar School 
    Founders Hall

    A Dynamic Education for an Evolving World

    • Current Students
    • Short-Term Study Abroad Programs
    • Career Development Office
      • Career Resources for Students and Alumni
      • Career Development Webinars
      • Student Services Seminars
      • Graduate Internship Program
      • Career Outcomes Reports
      • Career Fair
      • Employers
      • Job Opportunities
      • Contact Career Services
    • Undergraduate Student Services
      • Undergraduate Advising
      • Undergraduate Career Readiness
      • Undergraduate Minors
      • Undergraduate Internship Program
      • Undergraduate Research Assistant Program
      • Patriot Prelaw Program
      • Undergraduate Services Contact Info
    • Master’s Student Services
      • Master’s FAQ
      • Graduate Degree Requirements
      • Academic Policies and Forms
      • Master’s 101
      • Information About POGO 511
      • Master's Student Services Contact Information
    • PhD Student Services
      • PhD 101
      • PhD FAQs
      • PhD Handbooks and Forms
      • PhD Milestone Guides
      • Doctoral Candidates & Research
      • PhD Student Advising Articles
      • Careers in the Academy
    • Scholarships and Funding
      • Scholarships for Undergrads
      • Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society
      • Grants for PhD Research
      • Graduate Scholarships and Fellowships
      • ERPi Patriot Scholarship for Veterans and Dependents of Veterans
      • Awards for PhD Dissertations
      • Post-Doctoral Fellowships & Awards
    • Course Syllabi and Schedule
      • Academic Calendar
      • Course Syllabi
  • News & Events
      The Schar School  
    Founders Hall

    A Dynamic Education for an Evolving World

    • News and Events
    • Latest News
    • Events Calendar
    • Schar School Magazine
    • Nexus Alumni Newsletter
  • Faculty & Research
    The Schar School 
    Founders Hall

    A Dynamic Education for an Evolving World

    • Office of Grant Development
    • Faculty and Research
    • Research in Action
    • Research Centers, Institutes, and Initiatives
    • Faculty Areas of Research
    • Resources for Faculty and Staff
    • Careers at the Schar School
    • Doctoral Dissertations Index
  • Alumni
    The Schar School 
    Founders Hall

    A Dynamic Education for an Evolving World

    • Alumni & Annual Campaign
    • Alumni
      • Schar School & Alumni News
      • Alumni Leadership and Chapter
      • Annual Alumni Awards Gala
      • Alumni Career Services
      • Alumni Faculty/Staff Liaisons
    • Annual Campaign
    • Volunteer
    • Update Your Information

Search form

Menu Close

Search form

  • About
    • About
    • About Dwight Schar
    • A Message from Dean Mark J. Rozell
    • Key Facts
    • Faculty Directory
    • Staff Directory
    • Maps & Directions
    • Contact Us
      • Contact Undergraduate Admissions
      • Contact Graduate Admissions
      • Contact Student Services and Advising
  • Prospective Students
    • Prospective Students
    • Undergraduate Prospective Students
    • Application Requirements
    • Programs of Study
      • Undergraduate Programs
      • Master's Programs
      • PhD Programs
      • Graduate Certificates
      • Security Studies
      • Online Programs
      • Executive Education
      • Visiting Non-Degree Studies
    • Admissions & Aid
      • Graduate Admissions FAQ
      • International Applicant Requirements
      • For Military, Veterans, and Dependents
      • Tuition & Financial Assistance
      • Admitted Students
      • Contact Admissions
    • The Value of a Schar School Degree
    • Explore & Visit
      • Admissions Events
      • Undergraduate Admissions Recruitment & Events
      • Ask a Graduate Ambassador
      • Ask an Undergraduate Liaison
      • Viewbooks & Publications
    • Apply Now
  • Current Students
    • Current Students
    • Short-Term Study Abroad Programs
    • Career Development Office
    • Undergraduate Student Services
      • Undergraduate Advising
      • Undergraduate Career Readiness
      • Undergraduate Minors
      • Undergraduate Internship Program
      • Undergraduate Research Assistant Program
      • Patriot Prelaw Program
      • Accelerated Master’s Programs
      • Undergraduate Services Contact Info
    • Master’s Student Services
      • Academic Policies and Forms
      • Graduate Degree Requirements
      • Master’s 101
      • Master’s FAQ
      • Information About POGO 511
      • Master's Student Services Contact Information
    • PhD Student Services
      • PhD 101
      • PhD FAQs
      • PhD Handbooks and Forms
      • PhD Milestone Guides
      • Doctoral Candidates & Research
      • PhD Student Advising Articles
      • Careers in the Academy
    • Scholarships and Funding
      • Scholarships for Undergrads
      • Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society
      • Grants for PhD Research
      • Graduate Scholarships and Fellowships
      • ERPi Patriot Scholarship for Veterans and Dependents of Veterans
      • Awards for PhD Dissertations
      • Post-Doctoral Fellowships & Awards
    • Course Syllabi and Schedule
      • Academic Calendar
      • Course Syllabi
  • News & Events
    • News and Events
    • Latest News
    • Events Calendar
    • Schar School Magazine
    • Nexus Alumni Newsletter
  • Faculty & Research
    • Office of Grant Development
    • Faculty and Research
    • Research in Action
    • Research Centers, Institutes, and Initiatives
    • Faculty Areas of Research
    • Resources for Faculty and Staff
    • Careers at the Schar School
    • Doctoral Dissertations Index
    • Faculty Directory
  • Alumni
    • Alumni & Annual Campaign
    • Alumni
      • Schar School & Alumni News
      • Alumni Leadership and Chapter
      • Annual Alumni Awards Gala
      • Alumni Career Services
      • Support the Schar School
      • Alumni Faculty/Staff Liaisons
    • Annual Campaign
    • Volunteer
    • Update Your Information
Schar School in the News
Zoom Recap: ‘Face to Face’ With Rep. Adam Schiff
March 01, 2021
What Were We Thinking? Selected Schar School Op-Eds (February 2021)
March 01, 2021
Strategic Trade Certificate Proves to be Strategic Career Move
February 26, 2021
Three Biodefense Grads Set to Lead Global Health Organization
February 23, 2021

Upcoming Events
The Schar School Advantage: Degrees for Difference Makers (3/4)
March 04, 2021
CSPS Event - National Security Implications and Potential Responses (3/5)
March 05, 2021
Virtual Learning Community (VLC) Open House (3/5)
March 05, 2021
First Fridays: Irish Spirit Cupcakes (3/5)
March 05, 2021
Recent Tweets

Tomorrow is @ScharSchool's 'First Friday' event for the month of March! Learn how to make Irish Spirit Cupcakes with Librarian @BookishKim. Register! https://t.co/itmbCBk6rV #StPatricksDay2021 @GeorgeMasonNews pic.twitter.com/QtbA3tNNJp

— Schar School (@ScharSchool) March 4, 2021

Congratulations to @ScharSchool's @GCorreaCabrera, who has been named an El Centro fellow at the @smallwars journal! She's 'made significant and distinguished contributions to the field.' Keep tip the good work, professor. https://t.co/Ah1Qx78NjW pic.twitter.com/uUB8jR5zQY

— Schar School (@ScharSchool) March 3, 2021

Universities have invested in screening for #COVID19, but if it works is hard to say. @ScharSchool’s @SaskiaPopescu tells the @nytimes that “the moral of the story is you can’t just invest in this tech without having a validation process behind it.” https://t.co/FDAg6aSjXb pic.twitter.com/CRgnYMOU7R

— Schar School (@ScharSchool) March 3, 2021

New study: #Syria’s chemical weapons program has been thoroughly investigated. @ScharSchool’s @gregkoblentz tells @nytimes that it is the “most comprehensive and detailed account of the Syrian weapons program available…” https://t.co/MVG7C1VwkA pic.twitter.com/pzF6ucI5na

— Schar School (@ScharSchool) March 3, 2021

A drone swarms’ flexibility is what makes them so shockingly lethal. As @ScharSchool’s Zak Kallenborn explained to @forbes “Ideally, drone swarms would be a bit like Legos: mix and match blocks to build the drone swarm the battle commander wants.” https://t.co/TTigi7bjrn pic.twitter.com/ABo8S5O8Wh

— Schar School (@ScharSchool) March 2, 2021

What is keeping #Taiwan from preparing for war? The number of answers might surprise you. As @ScharSchool’s @MichaelHunzeker testified before #Congress, Taiwan is not “optimally manned, trained, equipped, and motivated to defend against an attack.” https://t.co/8WLydcRWOx pic.twitter.com/5NLLIBjcyX

— Schar School (@ScharSchool) March 2, 2021

#Biden launched airstrikes on #Syrian militias, and the actions have faced backlash and praise. @ScharSchool’s Ellen Laipson op-eds @asiatimesonline about the specifics of the situation. “Iraqi Shiite militias may retain considerable value to Iran.” https://t.co/qGI74S60cU pic.twitter.com/vA96dS3vUL

— Schar School (@ScharSchool) March 2, 2021

The World Trade Organization has a new leader – a woman from Africa, firsts. @ScharSchool’s @Prof_JPSingh previews her challenges: “Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s remarkable achievement in being selected as the director-general of the @wto cannot be understated.” https://t.co/sca8PmZUHu pic.twitter.com/6J4xxZY57h

— Schar School (@ScharSchool) March 2, 2021

The #Amazon is an important issue for #climate. Can #Biden work with #Brazil? @ScharSchool’s @brazil_works Mark Langevin co-op-eds @thehill: We “should sidestep, circumvent and hurdle the obstacles to addressing global warming and deforestation.” https://t.co/lavaC3KJcO pic.twitter.com/NLyHepXPK0

— Schar School (@ScharSchool) March 2, 2021

What good are #Intelligence Committees? @ScharSchool's @ronamarks, former #CIA officer, op-eds on @thehill about Congressional oversight. "Speaker Pelosi knows that bipartisanship is a bygone dream and the current intelligence oversight system is broken." https://t.co/R1Opd6MPTb pic.twitter.com/03Bw5sHHoR

— Schar School (@ScharSchool) March 2, 2021
Home » News & Events » Latest News » Championing Teen Moms

Championing Teen Moms

By Michele McDonald November 02, 2015

Nicole Lynn Lewis, MPP ’06, knows what it feels like to juggle life as a teen parent and college student.

Even more than help with tuition, as an undergrad, she needed someone to lift her spirits when she had a midterm to take after staying up all night with a teething baby.

So she created Generation Hope five years ago to help other teen parents working toward college degrees. The nonprofit gives the parents money to go to college, but more important, it pairs them with a mentor to guide them through tough times.

“It’s so easy to get derailed,” says Lewis, who was named a 2014 CNN Hero. “But we know when these students graduate what that means for their community and for their children.”

Generation Hope currently supports 65 teen mothers and fathers in college. This year, five young mothers earned their undergraduate degrees with help from Generation Hope; two received associate of arts degrees from Northern Virginia Community College and plan to attend Mason in the fall. One success story is Angeline Palmer, who graduated from Mason in May 2015 with a degree in chemistry and a job teaching high school chemistry.

Lewis grew up in a family where a college education and top grades were part of the plan. But when she became pregnant in high school, that all changed.

“People told me, ‘You’re not going to go to college now. Your life is over.’”

She refused to accept that verdict.

“I had no idea where my tuition was going to come from,” Lewis says. “It was very much a leap of faith.”

She recalls her first day at the College of William & Mary.

“I looked at my feet and thought ‘These feet don’t belong on this campus.’ I was a young mother, I was poor, and I had an infant daughter at home.”

After graduation, she worked in nonprofits while earning a master’s degree in public policy from Mason. Married, and with another daughter added to her family, Lewis was discussing with her husband how to pay the bills now that her job contract had expired.

“I prayed to God that night and I woke up the next morning and wrote the business plan for Generation Hope,” Lewis said. “I knew in that moment it was a calling.

“I didn’t have a Rolodex or a big funder. I had a passion, I had a vision, and I had a strategy.”

Request Information

  • CONTACT US
  • Programs of Study
  • PRIVACY POLICY & DISCLAIMER
  • Support the Schar School
  • MESSAGING AND BRAND GUIDE
  • WORK WITH US
  • SITEMAP
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

A Dynamic Education for an Evolving World

Contact Us
Admissions Questions?
703-993-8099  
Schar Undergraduate Admissions: ScharUAA@gmu.edu
Schar Graduate Admissions: Schar@gmu.edu
 
General Inquires
703-993-2280 
 
Van Metre Hall, Fifth Floor
3351 Fairfax Drive,
MS 3B1
Arlington, VA 22201
 
Research Hall Room 359,
MS 3F4 
4400 University Drive 
Fairfax, VA 22030