Schar School’s Jennifer Victor Named NCAPSA Top Mentor

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Six women stand in front of the Capitol Building on a sunny day.
Schar School Associate Professor Jennifer N. Victor, center, frequently takes mentees to key institutions in Washington, D.C. Photo provided.

The National Capital Area Political Science Association (NCAPSA) has awarded Schar School of Policy and Government Associate Professor Jennifer N. Victor its 2024 NCAPSA Pi Sigma Alpha Award. The award recognizes meaningful contributions to their students, their institution, or their profession through their work to mentor undergraduate students.

The award was presented Saturday, October 5, during NCAPSA’s inaugural APSA-NCAPSA Workshop and Annual Business Meeting in Washington, D.C.

“I’m honored to be recognized for undergraduate mentoring,” said Victor, who has been at George Mason University since 2012. “Mentoring is a part of the job that is often unrecognized and is its own reward, as students advance their educational and professional goals. So, it’s very nice to receive recognition for this ‘quiet’ work.”

Victor, who was presented with George Mason’s Teaching Excellence Award in 2019, is director of the Democracy Lab Learning Community.

“The undergraduate students I work with are talented, motivated, and eager to be mentored—they are delightful students to work with in research, academic pursuits, teaching, and with student organizations,” she said. “George Mason students have passion, energy, and important goals for our collective future. It’s gratifying to help them.”

NCAPSA is the official political science association for the National Capital Area, including the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and West Virginia. Its members include political scientists in universities, think tanks, government agencies, and graduate students with a goal to build connections between academic and applied political scientists, as well as the general public.