Bridge to Belonging for Students - Center for the Advancement of Well-Being

Bridge to Belonging uses the evidence-based ProjectConnect curriculum to help students build a stronger campus community for greater social and emotional well-being. In Bridge to Belonging, students will meet in groups of 4 to 6 participants over five 1-hour sessions and engage in thought-provoking questions and activities.

Bridge to Belonging is a great fit for students who are:

Community-builders who want to improve the well-being of the George Mason community
Committed to participating in deeper, more interesting conversations
New to George Mason or want to expand their social circle
Interested in getting to know others in a small group setting (4 to 6 participants)
Willing to commit to all session dates

Register for a Student Bridge to Belonging Group

	Tuesdays at 1 p.m.
Group	Incoming First-Year Student Group
Location	Virtual via Zoom
Dates	July 22 July 29 August 5 August 12 August 19

Sign up between July 7-16, 2025: https://forms.office.com/r/UvLSmjj2jp

Facilitator Bios – Student Groups

Katie Clare: Katie is the Director of Well-Being Programs for the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being (CWB) where she is responsible for leading and collaborating on well-being programs offered to our campus community such as the Resilience Badge, Mental Health First Aid, mindfulness training courses, and Bridge to Belonging. Knowing the significant relationship between social connection, mental health, and well-being, she is proud to help foster connections as a Bridge to Belonging facilitator. When not working, Katie loves spending time with her teenage son, reading, going to museums, and cooking/baking new and favorite recipes.

Kye Hopkins: Kye currently works as one of the Assistant Directors for Student Success Coaching at George Mason University. He joined the Student Success Coaching team in January 2020 as a Student Success Coach. Additionally, Kye served as a Well-Being Professional Intern for The Center for the Advancement of Well-Being during the Fall 2023-Spring 2024 semesters. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science in 2015 and his Master of Science in Education Administration Leadership in 2017 from Shenandoah University. Kye is passionate about helping students and looks forward to assisting them in reaching their goals. He is excited about being a part of Bridge to Belonging!

Zareena Khan, MPH, CHES®: Zareena is the Assistant Director of Student Well-Being Programs in the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being and the Program Lead for Bridge to Belonging. In her role, she also collaborates with Housing and Residence Life to support residential student populations. Zareena earned her Master of Public Health in Health Promotion from George Washington University in 2019 and has been a Certified Health Education Specialist® since 2016. She is passionate about the connection between social connectedness and well-being and enjoys facilitating Bridge to Belonging groups for George Mason students. Outside work, Zareena loves traveling, creative journaling, watching movies/TV, and trying new coffee shops with friends.

Bridge to Belonging is sponsored by The Center for the Advancement of Well-Being. If you have questions or would like more information about Bridge to Belonging, please contact Zareena Khan, Assistant Director of Student Well-Being Programs, at [email protected].