BIS in Individualized Study

Sheila Creed

How did you decide on the BIS program?

My name is Sheila Creed and I am a BIS major with a concentration in Drug Policy and Legal Studies. I first came across the BIS program when I was considering going back to complete my education after my divorce. My sister, Kathleen, texted me a link to a BIS information session because she thought the program might be a good fit for me. She was right!

There are many benefits to pursuing the Bachelor of Individualized Study. It allows for flexibility in the coursework you choose. I love picking out interesting courses, studying what I’m curious about, and researching topics I am passionate about.

The BIS program also makes me feel like I belong here at GMU, despite being different than the typical college student in age and circumstance. I love the message “It’s never too late”, and the BIS program is a proponent of this message.

What have you learned in a BIS class that really surprised you/changed your perspective?

The BIS program is largely about integrating your real life, rather than compartmentalizing your education from the rest of your life. The BIS courses touch on self-reflection, self-compassion, and tapping into your true interests and goals. We also learn a lot about how the brain works, different ways to study, and finding what works for you. And of course, there is a huge emphasis on the research process. The BIS program encourages an interdisciplinary approach to research that draws on and illustrates connections between disciplines. This helps us draw upon our vast and varied life and work experiences and how they also can ultimately tie together.

In BIS, everything can be useful and nothing is wasted. The community college credits you took in your youth were not a waste. The gap in your education was not a waste. Valuable life lessons and experiences come in many forms.

Tell us about your dream occupation and how your BIS degree will help you achieve it.

My dream occupation is to become an attorney. My BIS degree allows me to create a concentration that is relevant to my future career. Next semester I’m taking a variety of law classes, including criminal law, law and justice around the world, philosophy of law, and constitutional law.

My BIS advisor also pointed me in the direction of my pre-law advisor (who also became my business law professor), the esteemed Professor Phillip Mink. I am now active in the Schar Pre-Law Group here at George Mason. I even won the Patriot Pre-Law Program’s LSAT Scholarship Initiative award last semester! I also participated as a witness in the Costello mock trial competition at George Mason’s Antonin Scalia Law School last year.

Have you had any internships? Or interesting jobs or volunteer experience that relate to work in the BIS program? Tell us about it/them.

I’ve been a yoga teacher for about six years now. Yoga helps me cope with the stresses of life and allows me to stay sharp and composed. In addition to local studios and fitness clubs, I teach weekly classes at the Federal Reserve Board and the International Monetary Fund. I also teach yoga and wellness at corporate health fair events. Past clients of mine include The Washington Post, as well as law firms such as Smith Gambrell & Russell LLP and Zuckerman Spaeder LLP.

Any accomplishments you’re proud of, or research opportunities you’ve taken advantage, of here at Mason?

I am extremely proud of myself for maintaining a 4.0 GPA while being a working single mom. BIS has taught me a lot about the value of grit and that is something I keep in mind and continue to cultivate on my academic journey. I love my boys so much and I’m glad they get to see their mom doing something so empowering.

As far as research opportunities are concerned, I have a strong desire to help people who are suffering, in particular people who struggle with substance abuse. My BIS research focuses on efforts to shift the perspective of drug addiction from being a criminal issue to a public health issue.

I also became co-president of the Scholars and Young Professionals Alliance of the Virginia Mediation Network and we will apply to become an officially recognized Mason student group under the mentorship of Dr. Pamela Stuss. She is a highly skilled and experienced mediator (as well as my mediating conflict professor). I am also a member of the Virginia Mediation Network and am in the process of becoming a Virginia Supreme Court certified mediator. I have completed all of my requirements other than a bachelor’s degree (one more year!) and conduct small claims landlord/tenant co-mediations at the Prince William County Courthouse as part of my training.

Last semester I participated in a mediation competition at Washington and Lee Law School as a timekeeper, and it was a wonderful experience.

Tell us something people would be surprised to know about you.

I recently became an Irish citizen. I also grew up overseas: elementary school in Germany, and middle and high school in South Korea. I’ve been privileged to travel the world, which led me to obtain a broad perspective on life and a deep appreciation for diversity.

What did we miss that you think prospective students need to know?

I would like to mention my appreciation for the BIS faculty. They are all so encouraging, knowledgeable, and helpful. I have especially developed a close rapport with Professor Janet Poirot as she is my BIS advisor as well as my BIS 300 and BIS 390 professor. She has a knack for teaching the research process in a thorough and comprehensible way. I personally appreciate her approachable nature and the way she roots for her students. I am grateful for her, the BIS program, for George Mason University, and for all of its wonderful faculty.