Meet the Mason Nation: Rachel Spence

Rachel Spence

Job: Academic Manager, International Enrollment Partnerships, Global Education Office, and Chair of the Staff Senate

As the academic manager in George Mason University’s Global Education Office, Rachel Spence helps international students from partner universities worldwide with the transfer of classes, registration, and advising. 

In addition to helping students navigate their experiences in the United States and complete their George Mason degrees, Spence is also the chair of the Staff Senate, which represents the interests of all classified and non-student wage employees to the administration and Board of Visitors.

Learning at home and abroad: A career in education felt inevitable for Spence. “My dad taught elementary special education, and my mom taught freshman composition classes at colleges and universities,” said Spence. “Education is in my blood—but I always knew I didn’t want to teach.”

As an undergrad, Spence studied abroad for a semester in Denmark. “It was my first time leaving the United States and was truly transformative,” said Spence. “Especially for developing my sense of independence and my quest to understand different cultures.”

Passport to possibilities: That experience led her to pursue a master’s degree in international and intercultural communication. After graduating, she landed her dream job as a study-abroad advisor at Old Dominion University. “I loved helping students plan their own international experiences and working with them to make it happen,” said Spence. 

Global pathways: Since arriving at George Mason in 2017, she has shifted from helping domestic students plan their time abroad to also helping international students during their time in the United States. She assists students in the China 1+2+1 program, in which undergraduate students earn degrees from both their Chinese and American universities.

“I help students adapt to academic life in the U.S. and build pathways for students from other countries to earn a George Mason degree,” said Spence. 

Even though she does not travel as much and she would like, she said her job lets her have an international experience every day.

Serving all staff: In addition to her job in the Global Education Office, Spence serves as the chair of the Staff Senate, representing the interests of staff across the university.

A time of uncertainty inspired Spence to join the senate. Spence is a military spouse—her husband is in the Navy. When he received a new assignment across the country, Spence received approval from the university to work remotely from California. 

“However, just six months after we moved 2,600 miles away from campus, there was a state-level change in policy for remote work,” Spence said. “I thought that my approval might be revoked, and I’d be forced to leave my job.”

Navigating changes: When remote and hybrid work policy for state employees changed in 2022, Spence saw the Staff Senate as an important resource for employees navigating the quickly changing requirements.

“I appreciated how the Staff Senate was advocating and positioning itself as the voice of all classified staff on this issue,” said Spence. “I was so thankful for the special sessions they held that spring, I decided to give back and serve as a senator.”

Spence’s remote work agreement was ultimately approved, and she continued working in California for the duration of her husband’s military assignment. She has since returned to the Northern Virginia area and works on the Fairfax Campus.

Leading the way: Spence was nominated and accepted the role of Staff Senate Chair in spring 2025, after the previous chair left their role at George Mason. She agreed to cover the remainder of the term, and this summer, she was elected to serve as chair for another two years.

“I’m thankful to my colleagues on the senate for the vote of confidence and their encouragement to keep leading the group,” said Spence.

A seat at the table: Spence also serves as the Staff Liaison to the university’s Board of Visitors (BOV). The Staff Senate advocated for the addition of a staff representative as a nonvoting member in 2020. At the time, nonvoting faculty and student representatives were already part of the board’s membership. The Board of Visitors unanimously approved the change.

“I don’t take for granted that I am often the only staff voice in the room, or that staff only recently earned that seat at the table,” said Spence. “I hope that I can make sure that staff voices are not only heard but are valued and recognized as important members of the team.”

Connecting the dots: To Spence, one of the biggest challenges at a university as large as George Mason is keeping staff informed of the many changes and updates affecting their work. 

“I’m hoping to build a larger network and connect the Staff Senate with other groups on campus,” said Spence. “We already collaborate with Faculty Senate and Student Government, but I’ve also started reaching out to staff councils in the colleges. I think we’ll be even stronger together and can really expand our advocacy and communication efforts.”

Campus outreach: The senate is also bringing its meetings to the regional campuses. The November Staff Senate meeting will take place at the new Life Sciences and Engineering Building at the Science and Technology Campus, and the senate is hoping to host a meeting at Mason Square in spring 2026. “This will give our constituents on those campuses an opportunity to attend in person and connect with the senate on a more personal level,” said Spence.

Statewide explorer: Outside work and her senate activities, Spence enjoys spending time outdoors. “I completed the Virginia State Parks Trail Quest by visiting all the Virginia State Parks,” she said. That is no small quest—40 different parks participate in the program.

No place like home: Spence’s husband is an engineer, and many of their weekends are spent working on house projects. “For the first time ever, we are starting to realize our current house might be ours for more than a couple of years,” said Spence. “We are working on improving it and making it our own.”