2026 Celebration of Distinction honors alumni leaders from across the university

The George Mason University Alumni Association's annual Celebration of Distinction recognizes outstanding alumni, faculty members, and students.

Since 1975, the George Mason University Alumni Association has recognized alumni, faculty, and students for outstanding achievement, service, and leadership at its annual Celebration of Distinction.

Each year, the Alumni Association presents its highest honors-including Alumnus/a of the Year, Alumni Service Award, Faculty Member of the Year, Senior of the Year, and Graduate of the Last Decade (G.O.L.D.)-while also celebrating distinguished alumni from George Mason's colleges, schools, and alumni chapters.

At this year's celebration, held on October 15, the association honored these five alumni:

Guylaine Saint Juste, BA International Studies '94, is Alumna of the Year. She is the president and CEO of NABA, a national organization representing more than 200,000 business professionals in accounting, finance, and related fields. Saint Juste has more than 30 years of executive experience in financial services, governance, and organizational transformation. In 2025, Accounting Today named her one of its Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting for the fifth consecutive year. Learn more.

Charity Rankins, BS Psychology '22, received the Alumni Service Award. While Rankins is a human resources leader professionally, her most visible impact is through her entrepreneurial work in the community. She is the founder of P.S. Karma Arts and Crafts Enrichment Company, an organization dedicated to the creative and emotional development of children, particularly in high-risk communities. The organization's work has been recognized as among the best arts and crafts programs in the region for five years.

Anthony Amos, MPP '24, received the Graduate of the Last Decade (G.O.L.D.) Award. He is only the second African American to serve on the City of Fairfax City Council. He leads multiple council committees and initiatives and serves as the city's representative on the water and air quality committees with the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and the Virginia Municipal League. Among Amos's projects are creating the city's first-ever affordable housing strategic plan and Virginia's first kindergarten-to-college fund.

Cher Weixia Chen, a professor in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences' School of Integrative Studies, is the Faculty Member of the Year. She is the founder of the Human Rights and Global Justice Initiative, a senior scholar of the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being, and a faculty fellow of the Institute for a Sustainable Earth. Her teaching and mentoring work have received numerous awards. Chen's research focuses on women's and Indigenous rights, among other marginalized groups. She has written and edited six books and numerous articles and chapters related to human rights law and policy.

Rakibul Alam, BS Management; Marketing '26, is the Senior of the Year. As a student, Alam focused on connecting his business education with real-world impact. He held eight internships, five leadership roles, and went on three study-abroad experiences. He was the cofounder and president of Mason Consulting Group, which offers pro bono consulting for local Fairfax businesses. He also helped to found the Collective Organizations of South Asia and served as a student senator for Student Government. He was a U.S. State Department Gilman Scholar and an OSCAR research grant recipient and led research and community impact programs in South Asia.

In addition to the five honorees, 18 alumni received Distinguished Alumni Awards from their school, college, or affinity alumni chapter at this year's event. See the full list.