George Mason is fighting food insecurity, one Empty Bowl at a time
George Mason is fighting food insecurity, one Empty Bowl at a time
Sarah Holland
Mon, 04/07/2025 - 12:37 Body If you’re taking a bowl home from a party, most people leave with leftovers in hand. But at George Mason University’s annual Empty Bowls event, the guests leave with just that: a handmade, and very empty, ceramic bowl.
Bowl selection at the inaugural Mason empty Bowls in 2024. Photo provided Empty Bowls is a global grassroots movement to support food-related charities and educate people on issues of poverty and hunger in their local communities. At Empty Bowls events, guests give a donation in exchange for a handmade ceramic bowl and a simple soup meal, leaving the event with an empty bowl as a reminder of how many people go without food in the local community. The idea of Empty Bowls at George Mason started in the least surprising of places: a pottery studio. Maggie Daniels, professor of tourism and events management in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), and Lauren Long, executive director of Student Involvement, share a love for pottery. Both of them are long-time potters at Manassas Clay. Together, Daniels and Long decided to bring Empty Bowls to George Mason, in support of the Food and Housing Insecurity Fund through the Student Support and Advocacy Center (SSAC). In order for students to succeed, their basic needs must be met, including stable housing, physical safety, and access to food. The SSAC was started to help connect students with resources as they face life challenges, including ensuring their basic needs are fulfilled. The Food and Housing Insecurity Fund, a donor-generated fund, supports this work. “About one-third of all college students have experienced some type of food insecurity in the past year,” explained Margaret Olszewska, director of the SSAC. “Food insecurity covers a wide spectrum of situations in which a person lacks consistent access to nutritionally adequate and safe food. It ranges from not eating healthy food due to lack of resources, to missing entire meals.” The fund supports students at all levels of food insecurity through various programs and resources. In 2024 in collaboration with Sodexo, SSAC distributed 2,400 meal swipes for George Mason on-campus dining halls and had 818 unique users of the Patriot Pantry. Starting in fall semester, a new partnership with Capital Area Food Bank offered students a digital purchasing card so they could buy perishable foods at their local grocery stores. The fund also contributes to helping students find temporary housing on campus in the event of a sudden loss of shelter or safe living situation. Long and Daniels were determined to make a no-cost event so 100% of the proceeds from ticket sales and the silent auction could go to the fund. Hosted in the Center for the Arts, guests enjoy a soup meal and dessert, music by Green and Gold Soul, and a silent auction with items from local vendors. Everything is donated, so every cent can go directly to the fund. "The Center for the Arts and Student Involvement are great partners throughout the year, and this is one of our favorite collaborations,” said Julie Thompson, executive director for the Center for the Arts. Mason Dining contractor Sodexo, the caterer for the event, created a soup menu to reflect warmth, comfort, and inclusivity with locally sourced ingredients and a range of options for different dietary concerns. “Empty Bowls aligns perfectly with Sodexo’s mission to fight food insecurity and support sustainable food initiatives,” said Jenita Thurston, district manager for Sodexo. Perhaps the most exciting part of the evening is the bowl selection. Each guest gets to take home a handmade ceramic bowl, crafted and donated by potters at Manassas Clay and other studios around Northern Virginia. From small teacups to large serving dishes in a rainbow of different glazes and finishes, there’s a bowl for everyone, and all of them are microwave, dishwasher, and oven safe. “What’s really special about Empty Bowls is that this grassroots event was born out of the care and concern of our own George Mason community members,” said Olszewska. “It’s one of many examples of how our faculty and staff care about the students we serve beyond just our jobs.” “For a CEHD faculty member and a University Life director to come together, to be innovative and creative in order to meet the needs of our students, is really at the core of what makes George Mason such an incredible place,” said Long. Daniels agreed. “It showcases the best of who we are at George Mason.” Get tickets to the 2025 George Mason Empty Bowls event.Mason Empty Bowls 2025
Learn more about the Student Support and Advocacy Center
Related news George Mason is fighting food insecurity, one Empty Bowl at a time April 7, 2025 Patriot Pantry partners with Capital Area Food Bank for food delivery November 30, 2023 Donors helped address food insecurity at Mason during Mason Vision Day 2023 July 20, 2023 Mason researchers connect with community members to develop an app for individuals recovering from opioid use disorder March 30, 2023 Close to home: Food insecurity on Mason’s campuses March 29, 2023Topics Topics Campus News College of Education and Human Development University Life Mason Empty Bowls Center for the Arts Student Support and Advocacy Center (SSAC) Patriot Pantry Capital Area Food Bank Sodexo
If you’re taking a bowl home from a party, most people leave with leftovers in hand. But at George Mason University’s annual Empty Bowls event, the guests leave with just that: a handmade, and very empty, ceramic bowl.
Empty Bowls is a global grassroots movement to support food-related charities and educate people on issues of poverty and hunger in their local communities. At Empty Bowls events, guests give a donation in exchange for a handmade ceramic bowl and a simple soup meal, leaving the event with an empty bowl as a reminder of how many people go without food in the local community.
The idea of Empty Bowls at George Mason started in the least surprising of places: a pottery studio.
Maggie Daniels, professor of tourism and events management in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), and Lauren Long, executive director of Student Involvement, share a love for pottery. Both of them are long-time potters at Manassas Clay. Together, Daniels and Long decided to bring Empty Bowls to George Mason, in support of the Food and Housing Insecurity Fund through the Student Support and Advocacy Center (SSAC).
In order for students to succeed, their basic needs must be met, including stable housing, physical safety, and access to food. The SSAC was started to help connect students with resources as they face life challenges, including ensuring their basic needs are fulfilled. The Food and Housing Insecurity Fund, a donor-generated fund, supports this work.
“About one-third of all college students have experienced some type of food insecurity in the past year,” explained Margaret Olszewska, director of the SSAC. “Food insecurity covers a wide spectrum of situations in which a person lacks consistent access to nutritionally adequate and safe food. It ranges from not eating healthy food due to lack of resources, to missing entire meals.”
The fund supports students at all levels of food insecurity through various programs and resources. In 2024 in collaboration with Sodexo, SSAC distributed 2,400 meal swipes for George Mason on-campus dining halls and had 818 unique users of the Patriot Pantry. Starting in fall semester, a new partnership with Capital Area Food Bank offered students a digital purchasing card so they could buy perishable foods at their local grocery stores. The fund also contributes to helping students find temporary housing on campus in the event of a sudden loss of shelter or safe living situation.
Long and Daniels were determined to make a no-cost event so 100% of the proceeds from ticket sales and the silent auction could go to the fund. Hosted in the Center for the Arts, guests enjoy a soup meal and dessert, music by Green and Gold Soul, and a silent auction with items from local vendors. Everything is donated, so every cent can go directly to the fund.
"The Center for the Arts and Student Involvement are great partners throughout the year, and this is one of our favorite collaborations,” said Julie Thompson, executive director for the Center for the Arts.
Mason Dining contractor Sodexo, the caterer for the event, created a soup menu to reflect warmth, comfort, and inclusivity with locally sourced ingredients and a range of options for different dietary concerns. “Empty Bowls aligns perfectly with Sodexo’s mission to fight food insecurity and support sustainable food initiatives,” said Jenita Thurston, district manager for Sodexo.
Perhaps the most exciting part of the evening is the bowl selection. Each guest gets to take home a handmade ceramic bowl, crafted and donated by potters at Manassas Clay and other studios around Northern Virginia. From small teacups to large serving dishes in a rainbow of different glazes and finishes, there’s a bowl for everyone, and all of them are microwave, dishwasher, and oven safe.
“What’s really special about Empty Bowls is that this grassroots event was born out of the care and concern of our own George Mason community members,” said Olszewska. “It’s one of many examples of how our faculty and staff care about the students we serve beyond just our jobs.”
“For a CEHD faculty member and a University Life director to come together, to be innovative and creative in order to meet the needs of our students, is really at the core of what makes George Mason such an incredible place,” said Long.
Daniels agreed. “It showcases the best of who we are at George Mason.”
Latest The George
- This campus greenhouse is powered by the sun—and student innovationThis campus greenhouse is powered by the sun—and student innovation Lauren Reuscher Wed, 04/23/2025 - 13:11 Body Gardening season is here, and those with green thumbs are preparing their planting strategy for the season. In any garden, plants need basic essentials to grow: sunlight, soil or nutrients, air, and water. Through a new solar array at George Mason University’s Fairfax Campus, the sun will play double duty in the successful growth of plants. Solar energy will power the Presidents Park Greenhouse with the electricity it needs to support the plants growing inside. The Presidents Park Greenhouse uses hydroponics and aquaponics to grow produce on campus. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding Designed by student researchers and partially funded by a research grant, the solar array will help offset the energy consumption for the equipment and temperature controls in the greenhouse, which uses hydroponics and aquaponics to grow produce on campus. A team of 10 George Mason student researchers applied for support from the Patriot Green Fund, an annual sustainability fund provided by Facilities and Campus Operations to make George Mason’s campuses more sustainable through infrastructure improvements. The Patriot Green Fund covers $20,000 of the total $185,000 project cost. The remainder of the budget is provided by Facilities and Campus Operations. “This student-led project is designed to reduce electricity costs, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and provide educational and volunteer opportunities for the George Mason community,” said Demin Zhu, Patriot Green Fund program manager with University Sustainability. The Presidents Park Greenhouse operates year-round and produces approximately 1,000 pounds of fresh lettuce and salad greens annually, which are served on campus at Ike's dining hall. Other fruits, vegetables, and herbs are donated to the George Mason community through free produce pickups. A team of 10 George Mason student researchers applied for support from the Patriot Green Fund, an annual sustainability fund provided by Facilities and Campus Operations to make George Mason’s campuses more sustainable through infrastructure improvements. Photo provided Students are a driving force behind greenhouse operations, working inside for service hours, internships, and experiential learning. They have the opportunity to learn about the greenhouse’s hydroponic and aquaponic food production systems. “The electricity from the solar panels will feed into the greenhouse to power our fans, pumps, cooling system, and grow lights,” said Doni Nolan, greenhouse and gardens program manager with University Sustainability. “The electrical equipment helps us grow lettuce, baby greens, tomatoes and more in the greenhouse to provide local sustainable ingredients to our dining halls.” The ground-mounted solar panels will be installed outside the greenhouse and are expected to offset more than 80% of the electricity it requires. The solar array is estimated to produce more than 22,000 kWh per year. The panels will reduce the building’s annual greenhouse gas impact by 13.8 metric tons of CO2, which is about equal to the carbon footprint of 2.2 typical single-family homes. The concrete pad under construction will accommodate the new solar array for the Presidents Park Greenhouse. Photo provided The students developed the project under the guidance of several George Mason faculty and staff, including Nolan, Christy Hogan, who is senior director of university asset management in Facilities and Campus Operations, and Colin Reagle, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. George Mason currently has one other on-campus solar array, at Mason Square. Vertical solar panels on the face of Fuse demonstrate how a solar array can be integrated into a building’s design in an urban setting. A vertical solar array requires less space and captures sunlight from multiple directions throughout the day. The array produces about 1% of the electricity used by the building and is part of a range of sustainable features that help Fuse meet LEED Platinum standards. The installation at President’s Park expected to be complete by early June. Crystal Bowers, BS Mechanical Engineering ’23, was one of the students who led the solar array project during her time at George Mason. “Working on the Solar Greenhouse Project was one of the most impactful experiences of my time at George Mason University,” said Bowers. “It not only deepened my understanding of sustainable infrastructure and project management, but also demonstrated the power of collaboration in transforming ideas into tangible, lasting change on campus.” Learn more about the Greenhouse and Gardens Read More Like This This campus greenhouse is powered by the sun—and student innovation April 25, 2025 George Mason students learn to tackle complex problems and engage with Virginia state senator March 14, 2025 Student organization recovers more than 1,600 pounds of food from dining halls, campus events February 21, 2025 Turning “trash” into treasure: diverting surplus property from the waste stream February 21, 2025 Breaking down the composting process January 23, 2025Topics Topics Campus News Sustainability Sustainability Patriot Green Fund University Sustainability mechanical engineering College of Engineering and Computing Mason as a Living Lab
- George Mason highlighted as one of Carnegie’s Opportunity Colleges and UniversitiesGeorge Mason highlighted as one of Carnegie’s Opportunity Colleges and Universities Katarina Benson Wed, 04/23/2025 - 12:52 Body The Student Access and Earnings Classification recognizes institutions that foster opportunities for student success. The Carnegie Foundation and American Council on Education (ACE) announced Thursday that George Mason University was named to the highest tier of its list of Opportunity Colleges and Universities: Higher Access, Higher Earnings, in recognition of the university’s commitment to accessibility, return on investment, and upward mobility. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding Carnegie said universities earning this distinction “are higher access, higher earnings institutions that can serve as a model for fostering student success,” according to information from the foundation. “This ranking from Carnegie and ACE reaffirms George Mason’s commitment to providing access to a high-quality education to all students who are academically prepared for the challenges of an R1 institution,” said George Mason President Gregory Washington. “It reflects our values, our student success rate, and our commitment to graduating students who are prepared to enter the evolving workforce in the commonwealth and beyond.” The designation is composed of two parts. The access portion refers to Pell Grant recipients and undergraduate students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. In fall 2024, 24% of George Mason undergraduate students were first-generation, and 28% were eligible for federal Pell grants, which is greater than the state average. The fall 2024 incoming class also boasted record enrollment for African American, Hispanic, and international students. George Mason does not use race-based admissions and admits nearly 90% of applicants. The university’s graduation rate exceeds national graduation rates regardless of race, ethnicity, or wealth status. The university’s ADVANCE partnership with Northern Virginia Community College creates successful transfer pathways for students and reduces or eliminates credit loss in the transfer process, saving students time and money. The earnings portion of the ranking reflects how much graduates earn compared to their peers in the job market. The methodology for this ranking involves Carnegie’s “calculated comparison values,” which are based on the locations served by the institution, using U.S. census data, Carnegie said. A value of 1 indicates that an institution’s data exactly matches the comparison value. Values greater than 1 therefore show that the institution’s data is higher than the comparison value. Institutions like George Mason that meet the Opportunity Colleges and Universities criteria (Higher Access, Higher Earnings) have an access ratio at or above 1 and earnings ratio at or higher than 1.5, for baccalaureate and higher institutions. With an access score of 1.2 and an earnings score of 1.64, George Mason is the only public doctoral university in Virginia to achieve the designation. Marymount, a private doctoral university, also received the designation. As an institution that has been named the top university in Virginia for value and upward mobility by The Wall Street Journal and U.S. News and World Report, George Mason is a catalyst for student success. U.S. News also named George Mason the top school in Virginia for internships reflecting its commitment to developing the talent needed for today’s dynamic workforce. George Mason graduates earn among the highest starting salaries of graduates from Virginia public universities, on average about $8,000 more. According to a survey of 2024 George Mason graduates, 85% reported a positive career outcome within six months of graduation. According to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, 73% of in-state George Mason graduates launch their careers in Virginia, as do 29% of out-of-state George Mason graduates. That out-of-state figure is 45% higher than the state average of 20%. In the 2025 classifications, 479 institutions have been identified as Opportunity Colleges and Universities, which is about 16% of all classified institutions. In addition, Carnegie also named George Mason a Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate-Doctorate Large institution, as part of its revamped institutional classifications. This classification includes 107 institutions, or 3% of U.S. colleges and universities in the institutional classification. The “Mixed” portion recognizes the breadth of degrees George Mason offers, with fewer than 50% awarded in any one category. The “Undergraduate/Graduate” portion requires what Carnegie calls “a sufficient focus on the doctorate,” and the “Large” designation is for schools with at least 20,000 students. George Mason is one of 107 schools nationwide to earn this designation, representing 3% of U.S. colleges and universities in this institutional classification. The Carnegie Classifications are updated every three years, with the next scheduled for spring 2028. More information is available here. Check out George Mason in the Rankings Related News George Mason highlighted as one of Carnegie’s Opportunity Colleges and Universities April 24, 2025 George Mason ranks among Top 50 graduate programs nationally in engineering, public policy, and other fields April 8, 2025 George Mason in the Rankings April 7, 2025 Cyber sweep: George Mason students take top three spots in national transportation cybersecurity competition March 27, 2025 George Mason achieves “Top Producing Institution” status from Fulbright Scholars program February 25, 2025Topics Topics Campus News Rankings Student Success
- George Mason English professor named Guggenheim FellowGeorge Mason English professor named Guggenheim Fellow Colleen Rich Thu, 04/17/2025 - 11:52 Body Tania James, associate professor of English at George Mason University, has been named a 2025 Guggenheim Fellow in the Fiction category. Tania James. Photo by Elliott O’Donovan James, a professor in the Creative Writing Program, was one of 198 individuals in the United States and Canada awarded a fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, which is celebrating its 100th class of Guggenheim Fellows. The Guggenheim Foundation has awarded hundreds of millions of dollars in fellowships to nearly 20,000 notable individuals, many of whom have gone on to win other prestigious awards, such as the Nobel Prize, the Turing Award, the Fields Medal, and the National Book Award. “Professor James is receiving this award in recognition of excellence in her career, thus far, and the exceptional promise her work holds for the future,” said George University Provost James Antony. “George Mason University is incredibly proud of Professor James and looks forward to the continued contributions she will make as a scholar, and as a mentor to our students.” The Class of 2025 Guggenheim Fellows represents individuals from 53 fields chosen from a pool of nearly 3,500 applicants. James was one of just 10 selected in the Fiction category. She plans to use the fellowship to work on her speculative historical fiction novel set in Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. “We are thrilled for Tania to receive this prestigious fellowship from the Guggenheim Foundation,” Ann Ardis, dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, said. “This recognition speaks to Tania’s impact as an author. The Guggenheim Foundation celebrates those who show ‘exceptional promise,’ and we couldn’t be happier for Tania, who continues to inspire her peers and students.” James is the author of four books, all published by Knopf. Her most recent novel, Loot, has received numerous accolades, including nominations for the 2023 National Book Award and the Carol Shields Prize in addition to being included on Book of the Year lists by the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, NPR, and Kirkus Reviews. She has also written The Tusk That Did the Damage, which was a finalist for the International Dylan Thomas Prize; Aerogrammes and Other Stories, named a Best Book of 2012 by Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, and The San Francisco Chronicle; and the novel Atlas of Unknowns, which was a New York Times Editor’s Choice and a finalist for the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature. “I’m deeply grateful to have an institutional home like George Mason, a place where I’m so often inspired by the research and teaching of my colleagues,” James said. “There is so much uncertainty with a life in the arts, but the sense of stability and support means I can take my time with my work and take the sort of creative risks necessary to feeling fulfilled as a writer."Check out the Creative Writing program at George Mason Related News George Mason English professor named Guggenheim Fellow April 17, 2025 George Mason PhD is living the dream in NYC with Met fellowship February 19, 2025 Master of Health Administration program wins award for excellence in innovative education from CAHME January 28, 2025 Schar School Biodefense Students Selected for Distinguished Fellowship January 23, 2025 Counseling graduate student awarded fine arts fellowship June 11, 2024Topics Topics Campus News College of Humanities and Social Sciences Fellowships
- College of Public Health convenes panel on a growing public health crisis—social isolationCollege of Public Health convenes panel on a growing public health crisis—social isolation Mary Cunningham Wed, 04/16/2025 - 16:10 Body When George Mason University student Jawad H. first heard talk of reducing hours at the 24/7 campus dining hall, he saw more than a logistical issue—he saw a threat to a rare space where students could connect and stave off isolation. “I ran into a friend there at 11 p.m.,” he said during a recent College of Public Health panel. “By the time we finished talking, it was 3 a.m.” As a member of the Student Government at the time, Jawad helped mobilize his peers to activate to preserve the dining hall’s hours—and defend its role as a social lifeline. The theme and importance of intentional connection ran throughout “Stronger Together: The Impact of Social Ties on Public Health,” an April 9 panel at George Mason's Fairfax Campus hosted by the College of Public Health. This year, the annual National Public Health Week “Conversations and Connections” event explored a growing recognition that loneliness isn’t just a personal issue but a public health threat. Moderator Dean Melissa Perry and the panelists. Photo by Mary Cunningham/CPH “Perhaps nothing has changed more profoundly in recent years than how we interact as human beings,” said Melissa Perry, dean of the College of Public Health, who moderated the panel. “We may check our phones hundreds of times a day, but go days without a real conversation. That disconnect has real health consequences.” Two recent events helped elevate the issue: the collective isolation the world experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, and a 2023 advisory from then-U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declaring loneliness “a national epidemic.” Murthy’s report links social isolation to a 29% increased risk of heart disease, a 32% increased risk of stroke, and a 50% increased risk of dementia for older adults. Loneliness, he warned, is as deadly as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. “I’m glad that there’s a spotlight, because … loneliness has been sort of relegated to the purview of, this is an individual’s problem, as opposed to a systemic, structural problem,” said Rachel Wernicke, George Mason’s chief mental health officer. “We’re seeing more acceptance that there’s a collective responsibility for addressing this.” Moderator Dean Melissa Perry and the panelists. Photo by Mary Cunningham/CPH Panelists focused on two groups especially vulnerable to isolation: older adults and young people. George Mason alumna Mary Louise Pomeroy, PhD Health Service Research '22, a postdoctoral researcher at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, noted that 1 in 3 older adults report frequent loneliness, and around 25% are socially isolated. “What’s unique about older adults,” she said, “is the combination of high health needs with declining social support.” For many in this population, technology—like smartphones, video chats, or even “social robots” in nursing homes—can be critical for easing isolation. For young people, though, technology can sometimes have the opposite effect. “Their mood is just dropping,” said Wernicke, describing the impact of “passively scrolling” through social media. “But they’re not actually interacting—it’s the illusion of interaction.” A 2022 national survey found that 60% of U.S. college students reported feeling “very lonely” in the past year. Connections won’t emerge without deliberate intent, said LaToya Thomas, principal and founder of the urban planning consultancy Brick & Story, which focuses on community resilience. “We might need to do a little work, and that work is actually investing in our own inner curiosity about other humans,” she said. “And that curiosity might actually help pull someone out of a state of loneliness and isolation.” Thomas pointed to tailgates before football games as one example of humans creating connections from inert spaces. “There is generally nothing exciting about these parking lots,” she said. But “people come and they bring chairs, they bring paraphernalia for their teams, they bring barbecue pits, they bring music. They literally create a space where there is no space. It’s really the intentionality of what we as social animals decide to do in terms of making spaces—as complex or simple as they can be—into something that is really dynamic.” Watch the full panel here, Past “Conversations and Connections” events have covered topics including climate change and public health (2024) and violence prevention (2023). Learn more about the College of Public Health Related News College of Public Health convenes panel on a growing public health crisis—social isolation April 16, 2025 Announcing the recipients of the 2025 Presidential Awards for Faculty Excellence April 16, 2025 George Mason ranks among Top 50 graduate programs nationally in engineering, public policy, and other fields April 8, 2025 Rear Admiral Pamela Miller, highly decorated U.S. Navy medical officer, announced as College Degree Celebration speaker April 7, 2025 New coaching course in the College of Public Health motivates students of all majors March 3, 2025Topics Topics Public Health CPH social isolation Campus News College of Public Health
- Announcing the recipients of the 2025 Presidential Awards for Faculty ExcellenceAnnouncing the recipients of the 2025 Presidential Awards for Faculty Excellence Lauren Reuscher Mon, 04/14/2025 - 10:49 Body George Mason University President Gregory Washington has announced the recipients of the 2025 Presidential Awards for Faculty Excellence, honoring 12 George Mason faculty members for their work on behalf of the university, students, and the broader community. The awards honor faculty with up to six years of service, six to 12 years of service, and more than 12 years of service. This is the ninth year for the Presidential Awards for Faculty Excellence. Recipients are selected by a review committee that includes prior award recipients and senior leaders from relevant areas. They will be honored at a reception May 13. “Faculty excellence is an undeniable reason why George Mason is consistently ranked as one the country’s top 50 public universities,” President Gregory Washington said. “We honor these faculty members’ scholarship and dedication to help students achieve their highest potential with the university’s highest faculty recognition.” The John Toups Presidential Medal for Excellence in Teaching is presented to a faculty member whose teaching inspires and stimulates students in the finest tradition of higher education. The Beck Family Presidential Medal for Excellence in Research recognizes extraordinary contributions by members of the Mason faculty to consequential research of high impact. The award is presented annually to a George Mason faculty member whose research represents groundbreaking advances in their field. The United Bank Presidential Medal for Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion recognizes extraordinary contributions in teaching, research, scholarship, creative works, or service that directly advances diversity and inclusion inside and outside the George Mason community. The Earle C. Williams Presidential Medal for Excellence in Social Impact is presented to a faculty member in any discipline who makes extraordinary efforts to use their scholarship to solve real-world problems. The complete list of 2025 honorees is below. See prior recipients for 2017 to 2024. Bethany Cieslowski Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award Recipient Bethany Cieslowski Chief Innovation Officer for Immersive Technologies and Instructional Associate Professor, School of Nursing Bethany Cieslowski joined the faculty of the School of Nursing as an instructional faculty member in 2021. She serves as the chief innovation officer for immersive technologies and the bachelor of science in nursing director in the College of Public Health. Since 2017, when she received the Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE) certification, she has devoted herself to educating the nursing workforce of the future using simulation and technology. Cieslowski has been a pioneer at George Mason in the use of virtual reality (VR) simulations that immerse students in clinical nursing scenarios. To aid this effort she established the College of Public Health’s VR SIM lab, which is the first lab in the country to receive accreditation from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare for the use of immersive technologies in medical scenarios. Angela Miller John Toups Presidential Medal for Excellence in Teaching Recipient Angela Miller Associate Professor, College of Education and Human Development Angela Miller is an associate professor in the College of Education and Human Development. Her primary teaching focus is on quantitative research methods. She has taught 13 different courses in her time at George Mason, and she took the lead in redesigning the research methods curriculum for PhD students and developed three new courses to that end. While her own teaching has been focused on the graduate level, she took a lead role in developing, teaching, and now mentoring graduate students and other faculty in an undergraduate statistics course that is part of the Mason Core for Quantitative Reasoning. Miller makes deliberate efforts to tailor her instruction to the unique needs of her students and she consistently receives outstanding evaluations. She has made significant contributions to graduate mentoring, having chaired six dissertation committees, served as the methodologist on an additional 18 dissertation committees, and chaired six MA thesis committees, as well as an additional 16 MA capstone projects. She was also a recipient of the 2017 George Mason University Teaching Excellence Award. Weiwen Jiang Faculty Excellence in Research Award Recipient Weiwen Jiang Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Weiwen Jiang, an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the College of Engineering and Computing, received his PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh in 2019 and spent two years at the University of Notre Dame as a postdoctoral researcher. Jiang’s research is in the relatively new field of quantum computing, which uses quantum mechanics to enable computers to solve more complicated problems. Jiang’s research has important applications. For example, one of his recent papers combines quantum computational techniques with machine learning to solve problems relating to the discovery of new medicines. Jiang has an impressive research record of top-tier conference presentations and publications, some of which are in the most selective journals in his field (Nature Communications, Nature Electronics, Scientific Reports). Xuesu Xiao Faculty Excellence in Research Award Recipient Xuesu Xiao Assistant Professor, Computer Science Department Xuesu Xiao received his PhD in Computer Science in 2019 from Texas A&M University, and after three years in industry as a roboticist with Everyday Robots, an Alphabet/Google company, he joined the Computer Science Department in the College of Engineering and Computing. His research aims to develop intelligent mobile robots that can navigate in challenging terrain with minimal human oversight. His cutting-edge work in the field of social robot navigation seeks to develop robots that can navigate human-occupied public spaces safely while respecting social norms. At George Mason, he established the RobotiXX Lab, in which he works with postdocs, graduate students, and high school students to develop deployable robots. An outstanding researcher, he was awarded the New Generation Star recognition at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) International Conference on Robotics and Automation. Aarthi Narayanan Faculty Excellence in Research Award Recipient Aarthi Narayanan Professor, Biology Department Aarthi Narayanan joined the George Mason faculty as a tenure-line faculty in 2013 after spending six years at the National Centre for Biosecurity and Infectious Disease. She is currently a professor in the Biology Department in the College of Science. Her research focuses on the impact of viruses–including SARS-CoV-2, Ebola, Dengue, and HIV–on disease progression at the tissue and cell level. Her work has led to important discoveries in vaccine development, drug discovery, and biomarker identification for infectious diseases. Narayanan has an exceptional record of publications and external funding for her research. Moreover, she has been an exemplary citizen of the university and her profession. She has been a dedicated mentor to emerging scientists in academic and industry settings; a leader in mentoring junior faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and students; a vital contributor to curriculum development for undergraduate and graduate programs; and dedicated to outreach to the local community, participating in STEM programs for girls. Allison Redlich The Beck Family Presidential Medal for Faculty Excellence in Research Recipient Allison Redlich Professor, Criminology, Law and Society Department Founder and Director, Modeling Decision-Making in the Legal System (MoDiLS) Lab Allison Redlich is a professor in the Department of Criminology, Law and Society in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and is the founder and director of George Mason’s Modeling Decision-Making in the Legal System (MoDiLS) Lab. Her research is deeply interdisciplinary. Trained in psychology, she brings insights from that field to address critical issues facing the legal system. For example, she has published influential research about interrogations and confessions in police and military contexts. This scholarship has been widely cited in amicus briefs to states and the Supreme Court, and Redlich herself has provided expert testimony in important cases involving contested confessions. She has produced similarly influential research on topics such as guilty pleas and mental health courts. Her work is credited with transforming scholarly thinking on these topics, and by all accounts is having a significant impact on current practices within the legal system. A prolific scholar and researcher, she has been elected a Fellow to the three most influential organizations in her academic fields: the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science, and the Academy of Experimental Criminology. Redlich has also distinguished herself as a mentor and has received mentoring awards from George Mason and from the American Society of Criminology and the American Psychology-Law Society. Daphne King Faculty Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award Recipient Daphne King Assistant Professor, Social Work Department Daphne King joined the faculty at George Mason’s Department of Social Work in the College of Public Health in 2020 as an assistant professor and also serves as the MSW Online Program director. Prior to arriving at George Mason, she had an impactful career as a social worker working with individuals experiencing mental health challenges, with homeless and incarcerated populations, and in school social work settings. King’s scholarship and national contributions focus on the intersection of social work practice, clinician identity, and pedagogical strategies. Within the Social Work Department at George Mason, she has been proactive in providing leadership in course development, course refresh processes, and faculty training, particularly around online teaching to ensure that there is adequate support for diverse learners in digital and hybrid learning environments. Janani Umamaheswar Faculty Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award Recipient Janani Umamaheswar Associate Professor, Criminology, Law and Society Janani Umamaheswar joined the Department of Criminology, Law and Society in 2021 as an assistant professor in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. She is also an affiliate faculty member in the Women and Gender Studies Program. She is an accomplished scholar whose research addresses issues relating to social inequality, punishment and incarceration, and qualitative research methods. In her teaching she makes a point to include a broad range of perspectives on whatever subject matter she is teaching, and in her course design she creates assessment methods that give students of diverse backgrounds and viewpoints the opportunity to share their learning in different modalities. She has also created experiential co-curricular activities designed to help students grasp issues relating to inequality. For example, she worked with the Douglass Project, the country’s foremost prison visitation program, to take George Mason graduate students for a guided dialogue session in the Washington, D.C., jail. She has been an active member of the mentoring programs run by multiple divisions of the American Society of Criminology. Jacqueline McDowell United Bank Presidential Medal for Faculty Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Recipient Jacqueline McDowell Associate Professor, School of Sport, Recreation, and Tourism Management Assistant Dean for Faculty Success Jacqueline McDowell is assistant dean for faculty success and associate professor in the School of Sport, Recreation, and Tourism Management in the College of Education and Human Development. A well-respected scholar, her work focuses primarily on diversity and inclusion in organized sports and recreation organizations. She has published widely in this field, particularly on the experiences of women and sport, such as athletic administrators and coaches. One of her articles was awarded the 2017 President’s Award for Article of Distinction at the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association. In McDowell’s teaching, issues of inclusion are central. She has also been active in advancing inclusion in her professional service, both here at George Mason and in external professional organizations. For example, she serves on the American Kinesiology Association’s Membership Committee, where she has led efforts to bring more Historically Black Colleges and Universities into the field by developing outreach strategies. Due to the effectiveness of these efforts, she was asked to chair this committee for the American Kinesiology Association. Margarita Tadevosyan Faculty Excellence in Social Impact Award Recipient Margarita Tadevosyan Research Assistant Professor and Executive Director, Center for Peacemaking Practice, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution Margarita Tadevosyan received her PhD in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University in 2019 and is a research assistant professor and executive director of the Center for Peacemaking Practice at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. She is a scholar-practitioner of conflict resolution and local peacebuilding, with a focus on South Caucasus and other post-Soviet areas. Specifically, she focuses on long-term peacebuilding, local conceptions of peace, local practices to build peace, and ways that international and local peacebuilders can work together respectfully. Tadevosyan’s social impact involves fostering dialogue and cooperation between communities that have experienced long-standing conflicts. She has also brought Carter School students into her work as co-planners, co-facilitators, and co-evaluators of conflict resolution and media literacy programs. Susan Howard Faculty Excellence in Social Impact Award Recipient Susan Howard Instructional Associate Professor, School of Integrative Studies Susan Howard joined George Mason as a full-time faculty member in the School of Integrative Studies in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences in 2016. Howard is an educator, behavioral scientist, and entrepreneur-innovator who leverages and humanizes technology for social impact. Her teaching, research, and entrepreneurial focus is broad, ranging from global health to environmental science and design thinking. Her impact beyond the university has come primarily through the free digital gaming platform that her company has produced for an audience of marginalized youth in India and Nepal. The games, which are free to play, are designed to educate youth about the social and public health decisions they face in their own lives. To extend the impact of her work, Howard has formed partnerships with stakeholders in the adolescent health sector, including NGOs, women entrepreneurs, and nonprofits. Howard’s gaming platform, “Games of Choice, Not of Chance,” has received multiple accolades for its work, including the 2024 Innovation Award at the Global Digital Health Summit. Rebecca Goldin Earle C. Williams Presidential Medal for Faculty Excellence in Social Impact Rebecca Goldin Professor, Mathematical Sciences Rebecca Goldin is Professor of Mathematics in the Department of Mathematical Sciences in the College of Science. For many years she has served as a driving force behind a global effort aimed at promoting statistical literacy among journalists and connecting the scientific community to the media. In that capacity she has written more than 100 articles, appeared in dozens of high-profile news shows and podcasts (CNN, NPR, ABC News, and PBS), and given a great number of public talks and interviews to audiences at major conferences and mathematics festivals. In addition to her far-reaching communication and outreach efforts, Goldin has done extensive volunteer work locally. Her efforts have been widely recognized by professional organizations in her field. In 2013, she was given the Association for Women in Mathematics Service Award for her contributions to the cause of educating women and girls in mathematics. In 2019, she was named a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society, an extraordinary honor that goes to only a few mathematics scholars per year, for both her scholarly contributions to the field of differential geometry and for her efforts to promote mathematical and statistical thinking to a wide audience.About the Presidential Awards for Faculty Excellence Icon Icon George Mason Retirees: October 2024 to April 2025 April 25, 2025 Around Mason: Week of April 22, 2025 April 22, 2025 Campus Notice: Mason Day is Friday, April 25 April 18, 2025 Outstanding Achievement Awards honor the dedication of faculty and staff April 18, 2025 Remembering William Reeder, College of Visual and Performing Arts founding dean April 17, 2025Topics Topics Faculty and Staff News presidential awards for faculty excellence College of Public Health College of Education and Human Development College of Engineering and Computing College of Science College of Humanities and Social Sciences Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution School of Integrative Studies School of Nursing Campus News C-TASC
- Carter School’s Spring Peace Week examines “Conflict Resolution in a Changing and Uncertain World”Carter School’s Spring Peace Week examines “Conflict Resolution in a Changing and Uncertain World” Katarina Benson Wed, 04/09/2025 - 12:35 Body Since fall 2020, the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University has been hosting Peace Week, a semi-annual event that features a series of roundtables, webinars, and workshops. For Spring Peace Week beginning Monday, April 14, the theme is “Conflict Resolution in a Changing and Uncertain World. Events include lectures, panel discussions, including an event hosted by world-renowned cellist and conductor Diego Carneiro, and the return of the popular fireside chats on the Fairfax Campus. “In the unprecedented times in which we live, it is more important than ever to find sustainable, nonviolent means of resolving our differences, whether they are between individuals, groups, or nations,” said Carter School dean Alpaslan Özerdem. “Since Peace Week started in the fall of 2020, it has grown to become a tradition at the Carter School, where hundreds of faculty members, guests, students, and attendees from around the world gather to showcase their expertise, learn, and share ideas and stories on a wide range of current and engaging topics.” A few highlights include: Monday, April 14, 2-3 p.m., Somalia Governance Capacity Gains: Impacts on Peace and Stability in the Horn of Africa. This session at Van Metre Hall at Mason Square is presented by the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation and features Somali Ambassador Dahir Hassan. Explore the interplay between improved governance and regional dynamics, addressing both opportunities and challenges. Tuesday, April 15, 2:30-5 p.m., Science Diplomacy and Peacebuilding: A Negotiation Skills Workshop. This in-person workshop at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C., will focus on the connections between the environment, science, and peacebuilding and include a presentation by Professor Silvia Danielak of the Carter School. Tuesday, April 15, 4:30-5:50 p.m., Book Talk: Chimpanzees, War, and History: Are Men Born to Kill? This virtual session cosponsored by the Genocide Prevention Program at the Carter School, and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology features author Brian Ferguson, who in his book Chimpanzees, War, and History deconstructs efforts to illuminate human warfare via chimpanzee analogy, and provides an alternative anthropological theory grounded in Pan-human contrasts that is applicable to different types of warfare. Wednesday, April 16, 10:30-noon, Countering Violent Extremism. This virtual session, led by Carter School professor Daniel Rothbart and two master’s degree students, examines how the social psychology of self-righteousness, perceived threats, and outgroup acrimony underpins the violence of most extremist groups. Thursday, April 17, noon-1:20 p.m. The World Is My Country film, World Passports & Self-Sovereign IDs. This PBS film screening introduces the audience to Garry Davis, a song and dance man from the Golden Age of Broadway and his amazing adventures with Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, John Paul Sartre, and Simone de Beauvoir. Thursday, April 17, 1:30-3 p.m. Paths to Peace—A Musical Journey with Diego Carneiro at the Center for the Arts on the Fairfax Campus will be a captivating session with world-renowned cellist, conductor, Rotary Peace Fellow, and founder of Orchestrating Peace, Diego Carneiro, as he takes us on a transformative journey through the universal language of music. All Peace Week events are free and open to the public, although registration is required. For more information and a full list of events, go to the site. In This Story People Mentioned in This Story Daniel RothbartRelated Stories Professor, students travel to Rwanda for peace-building mission April 16, 2025 Carter School’s Spring Peace Week examines “Conflict Resolution in a Changing and Uncertain World” April 9, 2025 Susan Allen joined WTOP’s Sarah Jacobs to discuss Jimmy Carter’s achievements, including being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. December 31, 2024 Remembering Former President Jimmy Carter: Statesman, Humanitarian, and Peacemaker December 29, 2024 Mason Korea student promotes inclusivity through Korean ArtPop Storytelling Workshop October 7, 2024 Topics Topics Peace Week Campus News Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution Mason Square