“I don’t know what I can say except thank you.

This support is helping me stay at Mason.”

Travis Johnson

Getting an Education, Giving Back

To Travis Johnson, idle time is wasted time. So when he is not in class or studying, he stays busy.

The biology major is an officer of the Mason Ambassadors, a student group that represents the university to prospective students and in the community. He works as a fitness instructor at the Aquatics and Fitness Center. He plays a variety of intramural sports. He sings in two choirs, and he participates in a salsa dancing club. Plus, he volunteers when he can.

Travis’s deep connection to Mason is what compels him to get involved in his many extracurricular activities. He views the university as more than just the place he attends classes, but as his community.

“When I was growing up, all I wanted was to go to a college I loved and to get a good education,” he said. “I do everything I can for Mason because it’s given that to me.”

However, Travis is not sure that he can complete his education at Mason. To pay his expenses, he relies heavily on loans and scholarship support, including Mason’s Student Giving Campaign Scholarship and the Bishop Book Award.

While he is grateful for the support he has received, he does not take for granted that such support will always be available. In fact, without the annual renewal of his federal and private support, Travis fears that he would have to leave the university he loves and return to his native Massachusetts.

So far, Travis has received the support necessary continue at Mason. His plan for the degree he will eventually earn? He wants to attend medical school to study orthopedic surgery.