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School of Integrative Studies (SIS) professor Dr. Al Fuertes has been appointed Commissioner to the Philippine Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), a 100% civilian-led and independent Commission to advance public accountability, uphold the right of truth, and support national healing by producing an authoritative, evidence-based public record of extra judicial killings and related patterns of lethal violence that have undermined human dignity and the rule of law, of the former President Duterte’s war on drugs, which escalated in 2016.

We had the opportunity to honor our 2026 MAIS and HEP Graduate and Doctoral students on May 14th.

This academic year, Samantha “Chevi” Chung has had a research opportunity that few have had by participating in a yearlong workshop at the Folger Shakespeare Library. The theme of Chung’s workshop is “Shakespeare and Black Performing Women,” which ties in perfectly with her thesis. 

George Mason's Center for Mason Legacies hosted its fourth Black Lives Next Door symposium on February 10 with the African and African American Studies Program as a celebration of Black History Month.

November 7 through November 14, GMU joins many others across the Americas for the Next System Teach-Ins.

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences is proud to honor Casey Klemmer, MAIS '23, with the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award in women and gender studies. Klemmer is a humanitarian aid worker and LGBTQ rights advocate supporting refugees in Samos, Greece. Klemmer has worked across Europe and on the border in Greece, Serbia, and Morocco, providing psychosocial support and essential services to displaced communities.

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences is proud to honor Mary Jo Lopez Duckwitz, BA Religious Studies '06, MAIS '09, with the Distinguished Alumni Award in religious studies. Lopez Duckwitz is a longtime adjunct instructor in Latin American politics, and serves on her staff council to foster institutional growth and cultural development.

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences is proud to honor Christopher Michael Johnson, MAIS '11, with the Distinguished Alumni Award in interdisciplinary studies. Johnson was named president of the University of West Georgia, effective August 1, 2025. He leads a comprehensive regional public university, which offers more than 100 academic programs and serves more than 14,000 students across multiple Georgia locations.