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Since Michael Riggi was about six years old, his father and brother would take him to a “Cars and Coffee” show in Great Falls, Virginia, on weekends. Being around classic automobiles and luxury vehicles, Riggi said he developed an appreciation for cars, and other machines that go fast, including planes, boats, and rockets.

Now, as a junior at George Mason �鶹����, his career path has also been racing forward.

CEC Diversity Associate Mercadi Crawford makes sure that--no matter who they are--all Break Through Tech students know a STEM career is possible with the right education, resources, and opportunities.

Break Through Tech peer leaders help provide support to students—especially females and those from underrepresented communities—-- pursuing computer science, engineering, and information technology degrees at George Mason �鶹����.

Libby Bradford, coordinator of outreach and student career management at Break Through Tech for the Department of Computer Science at George Mason �鶹����, dedicates her time to help students get into the tech workspace and harness their talent.

CEDRIC virtually launched on Friday, October 29 and it gives diverse students within CEC a unique space for mentorship, opportunities, and networking.

Break Through Tech at Mason partners with the Grace Hopper's Celebration (GCH) conference to bring together diverse women in the technology space.

The College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) launches first-of-its-kind Computing and Engineering Diversity Resource Information Center (CEDRIC) to provide resources for students, faculty, and staff.

Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to discover new initiatives from the Office of Diversity and Inclusive Learning as the College announces BLAST Off week. Blast stands for belonging, leadership, accessibility, success, and transformation all of which will be part of this week-long event.

George Mason �鶹���� is the most diverse and most innovative institution in Virginia according to the latest rankings by U.S. News & World Report for its 2022 Best Colleges List, reflecting the university’s mission of providing access to excellence. Six programs made the top 100, including engineering, which rose 16 spots in the past year.