Interview by Basma Humadi, Assistant Lifestyle Editor

As a part of Women’s History Month, Fourth Estate wanted to celebrate the wonderful leading ladies of Student Media. As of now, all Student Media organizations are run by women. We thought it was pretty historic – especially since representation of women in leadership positions is sparse, according to Pew Research Center.  For this feature, we went around and got the inside scoop about their role and how they got to where they are now. Here’s our feature from The George Mason Review:

Photo by Allie Thompson

Nina Motazedi, Editor-in-Chief, The George Mason Review

How did you become a part of GMR and what made you want to join?

A friend at another college told me about her experience peer reviewing for their undergraduate research journal. He made it sound like an amazing learning experience and encouraged me to join Mason’s undergraduate research journal. I learned more about GMR at Student Media’s Press Pass event and started as a peer reviewer my freshman year.

What are you most proud of during your time at GMR?

Over the past three years, I’ve witnessed both the quality and quantity of submissions increase. It’s incredibly inspiring to read about the innovative research being undertaken by Mason undergraduates, and I’m glad that students are becoming more aware of GMR as an outlet for their work. We’re fortunate to be surrounded by a campus environment that fosters undergraduate research that we’re then in turn able to showcase in our annual publication.

Why are women in leadership positions important to you?

In any group, I think it’s important to have a range of perspectives and experiences. Having more balanced gender representation in leadership positions, and overall within an organization or industry, moves us closer to achieving that.

Who’s a women you look up to and why?

I greatly admire Marie Curie. Her dedication, passion, and sacrifice for her research resulted in a revolutionary discovery that’s forever altered the course of history.