“I wouldn't want to be anywhere but Mason, so I'm thankful for this help that has enabled me to stay.”

Kennedy Keenan

A Call to Serve Others

Public service has shaped Kennedy Keenan’s life, almost from the start. With a father and brother who are both firefighters, it’s not much of a surprise that she feels so compelled to give back to the community.

Kennedy’s personal volunteer efforts have included everything from making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the homeless to planning a holiday party for local foster children.

The government and international politics major loves her volunteer work, but she is also passionate about her future career in emergency management. Ultimately, she wants to work in the field in her home state of Delaware. To gain experience, she is interning with the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) in Fairfax.

At one point, Kennedy was working three jobs to afford her education. Scholarship support allowed her to cut back. Kennedy has received the Olza M. and Sally A. Nicely Scholarship, George Mason University Alumni Association Service Scholarship, and the Samuel and Daphonal Bell Endowed Scholarship.

Kennedy hopes to graduate early and apply for Mason's master's degree in public administration.