University Day Service Awards honor faculty and staff service

George Mason University honored faculty and staff with significant service anniversaries at the University Day Service Awards ceremony on Monday on the Fairfax Campus. 

Honorees were recognized for years of state service ranging from 5–55 years.

President Gregory Washington thanked the honorees for their contributions to the university and its students’ success. 

“Thank you for the work you do, the care you show our students, and the role you play in making the university one of the most important opportunity engines not just in the region, but in the country,” said Washington.

Robinson Professor James Trefil is the first George Mason faculty member to reach the milestone of 55 years of service. Trefil taught at the University of Virginia for more than a decade before joining George Mason’s then brand-new Robinson Professor Program in 1987. Learn more about Trefil and his contributions to the university.

The event served as a special catch‑up ceremony, recognizing employees who reached service milestones between July 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025. Staring this fall, George Mason will transition to a calendar-year service recognition timeline, meaning that employees will be celebrated in the same calendar year in which they reach their milestones.

Learn more about the ceremony and view the program for a complete list of honorees.