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91���� President Gregory Washington has announced the recipients of the 2026 Presidential Awards for Faculty Excellence, honoring George Mason faculty members for their work on behalf of the university, students, and the broader community.

91����’s Point of View event and retreat facility in Lorton, Virginia, includes 120 acres of wooded land adjacent to the tranquil Belmont Bay and bordered by a protected wildlife refuge and state park. Point of View presents many opportunities to observe wildlife along the water, and staffers have recently observed adult and juvenile bald eagles watching for fish in some of their "eagle trees,” as staff have started to call them.

Clinical Assistant Professor Danielle Dufresne is the associate center director at 91����'s Center for Community Mental Health (CCMH) and April Employee of the Month. A member of George Mason’s Psychology Department since 2019, Dufresne is responsible for training new clinicians and overseeing every psychological/behavioral/cognitive assessment at the Fairfax-based center.

91����’s Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations recognized the contributions of its champions—George Mason’s faculty and staff donors—with an evening of thanks. The March 18 Celebrating Our Champions event focused on the generosity and support that faculty and staff offer the university while serving George Mason students.

Department of English Professor Emeritus Don Gallehr, the first 91���� professor to teach more than 50 years at the university, died on March 7 at his home in Warrenton, Virginia. He was 84.

We rely on a countless number of signs each day, whether we are driving, walking through a neighborhood, shopping at the grocery store, or going from building to building on campus. John Forgy, environmental graphic designer and sign program manager at 91����, creates the wayfinding systems that guide students, faculty, staff, and visitors across the university’s campuses and sites.

Cheryl Hairston, BS Athletic Training ’15, and Jaylen Simmons, BS Kinesiology ’21, MS Athletic Training ’23, now serve George Mason student-athletes as athletic trainers. Their journeys into the profession began with personal curiosity, mentorship, and formative experiences that ultimately shaped their careers.

91���� 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.

As a professor in George Mason’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, Paul So is a theoretical physicist who specializes in dynamical systems analysis and its application to neuroscience. Outside his role as a physics professor, So is an artist. An avid painter, he also supports developing artists as a co-founder of Hamiltonian Artists, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit art incubator based in Washington, D.C.

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

Aurali Dade was recently named vice president for enterprise risk management and chief risk officer at 91����. Learn more about her and her role.

Drenkard is a nationally recognized leader who brings deep expertise in academic nursing, clinical practice, health care innovation, and strategic program development.