Christy Hudson

In its first year, George Mason University’s Accelerated College and Employability Skills (ACCESS) Academy is already demonstrating strong indicators of demand, academic rigor, and early student achievement. Interest in the program has grown rapidly. For the 2026-27 admissions cycle, ACCESS received 387 applications from ninth graders, nearly double the 193 applications submitted the previous year.

Through the Educational Research Alliance of Northern Virginia, a research and practice partnership that connects George Mason faculty with K–12 and state leaders, the College of Education and Human Development is convening some of the region’s most forward-thinking voices to define what readiness for AI in education truly means.

An open house at Fuse at Mason Square offered an exciting glimpse into the future for George Mason University’s ACCESS Academy, complete with robotics demonstrations and hands-on technology experiences. Behind the buzz and energy was a deeper message: Through a collaborative partnership with Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), ACCESS Academy freshmen will take their first college course this spring, an opportunity rarely available to ninth-grade students.