The Rose Pascarell & Ric Chollar Professional Service Award is administered as a collaboration between the LGBTQ+ Resources Center and the Women and Gender Studies program and given out at Mason’s annual Lavender & Women and Gender Studies Graduation at the Fairfax campus of George Mason University.
This award was created in 2019 to recognize the contributions and legacy of two Mason pioneers in advancing LGBTQ+ issues and gender equity. Rose and Ric served as the first administrative leaders in the offices of what are now Women and Gender Studies and the LGBTQ+ Resources Center, respectively. The spirit of the award also honors their continuous collaborations to build these offices, their coordinated efforts to serve students, and their friendship.
Rose Pascarell led what was then called the Women’s Studies Research and Resource Center, established in 1989. She also was the first advisor for Pride Alliance when they became recognized by the university as a student organization. She, along with instructional faculty, set in motion the co-curricular model that WGST has at its heart today. Rose then became an Associate Dean, the Associate Vice President and currently serves as the Vice President for University Life.
Ric Chollar came to Mason to lead the Safe Zone program in the early 2000s, shepherding a workshop series that students, faculty, and staff highly demanded. He started as a part-time coordinator, then a full-time coordinator, and eventually led the formation of a full department with its own space that became LGBTQ Resources, adding a graduate assistant and another full-time staff member. Ric retired from his full-time role in 2017 and has continued teaching in the Women and Gender Studies program at Mason!
A recipient of this award will have demonstrated the following:
○ Professional service for the advancement of historically marginalized students, faculty, and staff at Mason;
○ Collaboration must be at the core of the recipient’s body of work;
○ Accomplishments and achievements must include at least one of the following:
○ Activism toward equity and justice for gender & sexual identities
○ Advocacy for inclusive policy and practices for an inclusive campus
○ Evidence of commitment to student development
○ Advancement of the LGBTQ+ community through professional service
Additional Criteria
○ Administrative Faculty or Classified Staff at George Mason University
○ Full-time and employed no less than 12 months prior to the date of the award
Nominations are closed for 2024.
Past Honorees-
2023- S. Holland (Office of University Branding, College of Humanities and Social Science- at time of award)
2022- Holly Mason Badra (Women and Gender Studies, English Department- at time of award)
2021- Dr. Allie Minieri (Counseling and Psychological Services)
2020- Mark LaFrance (Mason Athletics)
2019- Rose Pascarell (University Life) & Ric Chollar (Retired-LGBTQ+ Resources Center/Adjunct Faculty-Women and Gender Studies)