Nathan Ferraro, a communication student with a double concentration in journalism and political communication at George Mason University’s Honors College, was awarded the Akal Seva - Bhatti Family Scholarship at the Spring Research Exhibition and Awards Ceremony on May 1, 2026.
Created by Sunny Singh, the Akal Seva - Bhatti Family Scholarship takes its name from a phrase meaning “timeless service,” reflecting the Bhatti family’s commitment to service, resilience, and opportunity for future generations. Ferraro said the award will help him say “yes” to more of the experiences that most matter to him. “One of the biggest priorities for me in going here is engaging in as many extracurricular and experiential learning opportunities as possible, and that’s really hard to do when I’m worried about paying for school,” he explained. “What this scholarship will do is allow me to engage in those opportunities, and I’m really excited about that.”
Ferraro, who hails from Ford City, Pennsylvania, has a clear record of leadership in journalism and saying “yes” to the opportunities available. At Armstrong Junior-Senior High, he served as editor of the student paper. At George Mason, he now serves as managing editor of Fourth Estate, the student-led newspaper that delivered its first physical issue since the pandemic in April 2026 under his leadership.
He has also built professional experience as a staff writer intern at Trib Total Media in the Pittsburgh region, where he will return this summer.
In the classroom, Ferraro has found ways to pursue these interests. In his first semester research class in the Honors College, he researched the decline of physical newspapers and the emergence of news deserts – work he plans to extend in the honors section of the communication major’s research requirement.
Beyond the newsroom, Ferraro embodies the values of service and ensuring opportunity for future generations. He participates in the Bonner Leader Program, a civic engagement learning program that pairs students with community partners for the course of their undergraduate studies. In this capacity, he works with Britepaths, a local nonprofit supporting families with food security, workforce development, and financial empowerment.
Ferraro credits the Honors College with shaping his George Mason experience: “There are a lot of opportunities for professional development and community building within the Honors College: it makes a big campus feel smaller.”