The College of Humanities and Social Sciences is proud to honor Cher Weixia Chen with the 2025 CHSS faculty civic excellence award.
Chen is an associate professor in the School of Integrative Studies at George Mason University and a leading voice in human rights education. She founded the Human Rights and Global Justice Initiative and co-developed multiple academic programs focused on social justice and human rights.
Her teaching spans international studies, legal studies, and human rights, and her scholarship centers on marginalized communities, including women’s rights and indigenous rights, and law and policy. Chen’s contributions have earned her the Oscar Mentoring Excellence Award, the Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Human Rights and Social Justice, and the Human Rights in Higher Education Award by University and College Consortium for Human Rights Education.
A senior scholar with the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being and a faculty fellow of the Institute for a Sustainable Earth, Chen’s work bridges disciplines and communities.
Congratulations, Cher Weixia Chen!
The College of Humanities and Social Sciences honors distinguished alumni each fall at Community and Catalysts: Achievements, Awards, and Innovations. This signature event is a celebration of alumni, faculty, and students whose leadership, research, and service have made outstanding contributions to their fields, communities, and to the university.
September 25, 2025