Category: Faculty Advisor

Samantha Corza

SAMANTHA CORZA

Faculty Advisor

Samantha is a Certified Journalism Educator who teaches journalism and English in State College, Pennsylvania, hometown of Penn State University. She advises State High Publications, which includes award-winning print and digital content, daily live broadcasts, and a yearbook recognized at both the state and national levels. Her program is known for blending high standards with student ownership, emphasizing ethical journalism, leadership, and apprenticeship-style learning experiences. Samantha serves on the board of the Pennsylvania School Press Association as webmaster and membership director and coordinates the Central Pennsylvania student journalism competition. She is passionate about student voice, media literacy, and helping young people tell powerful, meaningful stories.

SAMANTHA CORZA

Faculty Advisor

Chandler Morrison

CHANDLER MORRISON

Faculty Advisor, WJMC Alum 2013

Chandler is a U.S. History Teacher at South Oak Cliff High School in Dallas, Texas. Earning his bachelor’s in communications at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chandler has worked within sports journalism for 5 years throughout college and eventually landed at ESPN, working in the SportCenter department. He earned his master’s in Christian ministry from Liberty University. Chandler has used media, production, and journalistic skills to find and tell compelling stories. He has served as a yearbook advisor in previous years as well as an ambassador for media projects within the classroom, encouraging his students to find and tell stories. He is a 2013 WJMC Alumni and enjoyed the connections and new experiences that came with the conference. In his free time, he enjoys having conversations about the gospel and religion, playing his guitar and mandolin, and running half-marathons on the weekends.

CHANDLER MORRISON

Faculty Advisor, WJMC Alum 2013

Keirsten Robinson

KEIRSTEN ROBINSON

Digital Political Strategist, Mothership Strategies

Keirsten Robinson is a WJMC and George Mason alumna who currently works as a digital political strategist. She graduated with a BA in Communication with concentrations in journalism and public relations and minored in both political communications and American government. During her time at Mason, Keirsten was a staff writer for the Fourth Estate and an anchor for Mason Cable News. In her current role, she creates digital media content for political campaigns and organizations. Most notably, she contributed to President Biden’s 2020 campaign as well as the 2 Georgia Run-Off Elections. In her free time she enjoys traveling the world, trying new food, and attending as many concerts as possible!

KEIRSTEN ROBINSON

Digital Political Strategist, Mothership Strategies

Marshall Adams

MARSHALL ADAMS

Counselor

Marshall joined the George Mason University Office of Admissions in 2019. As a Senior Regional Admissions counselor Marshall calls North Carolina home and works with students and community members in the Carolinas, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana. He earned his B.S. in business administration and his M.B.A. from East Carolina University (’15, ’17). In his free time, Marshall enjoys traveling, trying new foods, working out, and sports. He has a goal to attend a game at every MLS stadium by 2028.

MARSHALL ADAMS

Counselor

Lisa Gardner

LISA GARDNER

Faculty Advisor

Lisa Kick Gardner spent almost 20 years in broadcast journalism, most of that in television news. As a morning and evening TV news anchor, reporter and a radio morning show host, she has been asked to speak to numerous charity and community groups, businesses and school kids of all ages. (She’s even entertained on a cruise ship!) Lisa and her husband Steve have been a part of the Charlotte Country Day community since 2010 as Young Life leaders and Lisa started teaching in 2015. She’s currently the Podcast/Journalism and Public Speaking instructor. She and Steve have two children, Grace a junior at Appalachian State and Grant is a senior who plans to attend Davidson College in the fall of 2025.

John Gossett

JOHN GOSSETT

Faculty Advisor

John is the broadcast journalism teacher and director of sports broadcasting at Fayetteville High School in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Located just steps away from the University of Arkansas, John has built FHS TV into a nationally recognized program with students winning multiple Emmy’s along with numerous state awards. John is also a board member for the Arkansas Scholastic Press Association where his program serves as the media officer school. Originally from Dallas, Texas, John earned his B.A. in broadcast journalism and master’s degree in education both from the University of Arkansas.

JOHN GOSSETT

Faculty Advisor

Holly Bourquin

HOLLY BOURQUIN

Faculty Advisor

Holly teaches and advises the student newspaper at Allen D. Nease High School in Ponte Vedra, Florida. In addition to teaching journalism for more than 10 years, she also teaches IB Film and has taught English at the high school, dual enrollment, and college levels. She is the advisor for her school’s Quill & Scroll International Honor Society chapter and oversees student print, web, and podcast media. She has over 20 years of writing, editing, and publishing experience and has overseen the publication of an international magazine and served on the Florida Magazine Association board of directors. She holds a master’s in English with a concentration in technical and professional communication from East Carolina University. Holly is passionate about delivering media instruction to students that is hands-on and mirrors real-world industry practices. Outside of the classroom, she works as a freelance writer, editor, and consultant. She loves to spend time with her family, travel, read, and cook.

HOLLY BOURQUIN

Faculty Advisor

Camden Layton

CAMDEN LAYTON

Faculty Advisor

Camden Layton is a WJMC and George Mason University alum who
now works as the Political Director of AFT Virginia. He graduated from
Mason with his BS in Public Administration and a Master of Public Policy,
specializing in Education Policy. During his time on campus, Camden worked in
the Washington Scholars Program office and held many leadership roles, including
Student Body President. At his current job, he helps lead digital advocacy and organizing
efforts for teachers across Virginia, and educates members on how to
effectively use social media and their networks to move their campaigns
forward. Camden is very excited to be back with WJMC for his 8th summer!

CAMDEN LAYTON

Faculty Advisor

Camden Layton is a WJMC and George Mason University alum who now works as the Political Director of AFT Virginia. He graduated from Mason with his BS in Public Administration and a Master of Public Policy, specializing in Education Policy. During his time on campus, Camden worked in the Washington Scholars Program office and held many leadership roles, including Student Body President. At his current job, he helps lead digital advocacy and organizing efforts for teachers across Virginia, and educates members on how to effectively use social media and their networks to move their campaigns forward. Camden is very excited to be back with WJMC for his 8th summer!

Corey Payne

COREY PAYNE

Corey earned his PhD in Science Education from the University of Florida studying issues of representation in STEM. He is currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at St. Mary’s College of Maryland leading a grant through the American Physics Society that targets professional identity and self-efficacy to increase the recruitment of K12 science teachers. His primary research interests include mentoring, developmental network analysis, and inquiry-based science education. During graduate school, he worked on an NSF-funded project to redesign the chemistry laboratory curriculum for engineering majors to increase the retention and performance of underrepresented students. Outside of his educational research interests he has also worked with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in the forest ecology lab studying canopy structures and their relation to global climate change. He has also volunteered at the Whitney Labs studying climate change and the effect of the northern expansion of mangroves into Florida. In his free time, he enjoys restoring vintage mountain bikes, tubing in the Florida springs, and swimming in the ocean with his dog Maple.

Stephanie Strange

STEPHANIE STRANGE

Faculty Advisor

Stephanie is the publications adviser at Steele High School near San Antonio, Texas. She advises the online newspaper, the weekly broadcast and the 300-page yearbook. She also teaches Journalism and Photojournalism. This is her 6th year teaching high school. Prior to teaching, she was a missionary in China. She believes the world is beautiful and tries to bring that view into her teaching. She is passionate about showing others the importance of true journalism and believes that everyone has a story to tell that must be told with integrity, honesty, and kindness. Stephanie has been married for almost 25 years to her high school sweetheart, a local pastor, and they have three daughters, one son-in-law, and two dogs. She believes in transparency and isn’t afraid to admit when she doesn’t know something, to accept when she is wrong, and to rejoice in the small victories of life.