At 26, Max Dacey enrolled at George Mason University with a singular goal: to earn his degree quickly and better support his family. A former competitive rugby player, he didn’t imagine a traditional college experience. His plan was to take classes, stay focused, “get the paper, and get out,” he said.
However, a year and a half later, the public relations major from Alexandria, Virginia, is graduating with far more than he expected: new confidence, a renewed sense of purpose, and a community that shaped the way he sees himself as a student, coach, and leader.
Fitting in as a contemporary student
Dacey’s decision to enroll was guided by a mentor from his hometown—a George Mason alum who urged him to return to school and reconnect with the university’s rugby program.
Once he entered the classroom, the sense of belonging broadened. “In my first class, a lot of students were above the age of 23 and talked about who they were outside of class,” he said. “I immediately felt like part of a community. The professors cared about my opinion, which was uplifting.”
Over time, Dacey uncovered strengths he hadn’t seen in himself. “I did not know that my critical analysis was as good as it is,” he said. In a rhetoric course last spring, his professor noted how consistently he identified metaphors and underlying connections—insights he hadn’t even realized he was making.
Returning to school also gave him something he hadn’t had in his professional life: time to pause, think, and dig deeply into ideas. George Mason’s classroom environment offered the space to stretch intellectually and write about what mattered to him. One of his favorite assignments was a critical analysis of The Lord of the Rings, a series he has loved for years. Approaching it from a scholarly angle, dissecting its metaphors, themes, and world-building, was “challenging and energizing,” he said.
That shift, he realized, was transformative. It wasn’t simply about meeting degree requirements; it was about learning to think hard, ask questions, and make connections.
Coaching, leadership, and community
Throughout his student experience, rugby remained his anchor. Dacey first joined the club sports program as an assistant coach, eventually stepping into the head coach role. Leading teammates close to his age brought complexity along with humor.
“I didn't like being called ‘coach,’” he said with a laugh. “I joked with them, ‘I’m teaching you rugby because that’s what I’m good at. But if you tutor me in a class, I’m not calling you Coach —we’re peers.”
Coaching is one of his proudest accomplishments and has guided his journey in developing leadership skills. “My time at George Mason as head coach,” he said, “has given me a chance to better myself outside the classroom and lead my peers in the sport I love.”
Charting his own path
As graduation approaches, Dacey is exploring his next steps with intention, looking for opportunities that align with both his public relations training and leadership experience.
Success, to him, is deeply individual. “Success means achieving your goals in a way that you’re proud of,” he said. “Everyone has different aspirations and methods. Accomplishing them in your own way is success.”
His advice to other George Mason students, especially those returning to campus after time away, is grounded in his own experience. “Make as many connections as possible, attend every networking event, and have confidence in yourself,” he said. “The more you put yourself out there, the more confidence you’ll have. You’ll surprise yourself with what you can accomplish.”