MA in Sociology

Lilianna Deveneau, 2022

Lilianna Deveneau

2020 Dean's Challenge Award Recipient

My name is Lili Deveneaua sociology master’s student with a passion for social justice and human rights: through research, policy, and collaboration, I aim to eradicate child sexual abuse via collaborative education and prevention efforts. 

As such, I challenge myself in each course, tailoring writing and research assignments to further explore root causes, theories, systems, programs, and challenges to ultimately dismantle this convoluted pandemic issue, and am a National Sexual Assault Hotline volunteer for RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network), the largest U.S. anti-sexual violence organization.   

I am the coauthor of four chapters in an undergraduate nursing textbook discussing public and holistic health, health ministries, and violence.   

Additionally, I coauthored several articles on population health, public policy, access, human rights, and interprofessional collaboration, as well as multiple book reviews in print and review.  

In fact, I recently created a model to promote successful population health initiatives, by analyzing the actions of US nursing founders, that will be published within the calendar year, promoting evidence-based practice, collaboration, and advocacy to build a more equitable world for all.  

Through my role as Graduate Sociology Student Association (GSSA) secretary, I organized and facilitated professional and career development workshops and created a sociology student handbook, along with actively participating in Public Sociology Association (PSA) meetings and events  

I also served as this year’s Graduate and Professional Student Association (GAPSA) representative, advocating on behalf of my fellow students. 

In addition to my academic experiences, I’ve worked in many industries; as a copywriter for the world’s largest staffing agency, I gained invaluable insight into what employers truly want, and am dedicated to ensuring Mason graduate students acquire the skills, tools, and other resources necessary to thrive while making a positive impact within one’s community, whether local or global