Congratulations are to ensure that Professor Jennifer Mascott of George Mason, winner of the 2023 Joseph Story Award. This award acknowledges a junior tutorial who has demonstrated excellence in authorized scholarship, a dedication to educating, a priority for college kids, and who has made a major public affect in a way that advances the rule of legislation in a free society. This award is well-deserved.
Matt Phillips, who chairs the Story Committee on the College of Chicago, supplies a few of the highlights of Jenn’s profession:
Mr. Phillips started by detailing Professor Mascott’s scholarly contributions. Referencing her article “Who Are Officers of the US?,” which he referred to as “an originalist tour de drive,” Mr. Philips famous that Professor Mascott’s “seminal work”located her on the “forefront of the nationwide debate” on the separation of powers. He mentioned Prof. Mascott is an “mental trailblazer” and “stalwart defender of the rule of legislation.” He additionally identified her in depth involvement within the authorized occupation, together with her “unimaginable thought management” because the Co-Government Director of the Grey Middle, Public Member of the Administrative Convention of the US, and Vice Chair of the Constitutional Legislation and Separation of Powers Committee throughout the ABA’s Part of Administrative Legislation and Regulatory Follow, in addition to her “tireless public service” on the Workplace of Authorized Counsel within the Division of Justice.
Lastly, Phillips described Professor Mascott’s energy as a “devoted instructor and mentor” to her college students at Scalia Legislation. He recognized her numerous roles on campus, together with that of school director of the legislation college’s Supreme Court docket and Administrative Legislation clinics, founding father of the Separation of Powers Clinic, and co-professor with two Supreme Court docket Justices. Within the phrases of her college students, she is a “implausible teacher” and “fantastic particular person” who “fashions a dedication to household and takes real pleasure in her occupation.”
This award got here at a really tough time for Jenn and her household.
Mr. Phillips closed with a second of silence to honor the reminiscence of Professor Mascott’s late husband, Jeff Mascott, who handed away only some days earlier, on February 28, after battling superior pancreatic most cancers.
In accepting the award, Prof. Mascott remarked that the award got here at a tragic and tough time for her and her household. However she famous that the award additionally supplied the chance to “replicate on deep-seated values of household, sacrifice, and religion which are vital to this neighborhood and to the event and flourishing of non-public excellence and character within the apply of legislation.”
Prof. Mascott started by thanking and remembering her late husband Jeff, who by way of his dedication to household enabled her to “take pleasure in authorities service on the Division of Justice, to affix many legislation college symposia, conferences, and Federalist Society chapter occasions across the nation, and to take a prolonged time frame in our basement as a Georgetown Olin/Searle Fellow once I researched the unique which means of officers of the US.” She additionally thanked her inlaws and her many mentors within the authorized neighborhood who all through the years “supplied encouragement and a mannequin of excellence for scholarship, service, and household oriented values alongside the best way.”
Jenn accepted the award with grace and energy that few of us may muster.
Learn the remainder of the discharge right here, and the video of the ceremony begins at 1:15:00.
I used to be honored to sit down at Jenn’s desk as she acquired this distinguished recognition. Welcome to the membership!