Mason Hoey Recognized as a Student Leader in Public Service

Mason Hoey (BA Political Science, BS Public Policy and Administration ‘25) Recognized as a Student Leader in Public Service

Harrisonburg, Virginia, April 9, 2025 – The Public Service Awards at James Madison University, sponsored by the JMU Master of Public Administration program and the Madison Center for Community Development, have announced their 2025 honorees and have selected JMU Student Government Association Legislative Affairs chair Mason Hoey for the 2025 Public Service Student Leadership Award.

Since 2009, the Public Service Awards at JMU has recognized over forty-five individuals across the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia region for their excellence in public service as part of the national Public Service Recognition Week.  Honorees are nominated and selected by their peers and are recognized at the annual Public Service Reception held on the JMU campus each April.

The Public Service Student Leadership Award recognizes a student attending a Shenandoah Valley college or university who has demonstrated meaningful commitment to serving the public interest by advancing the public good through the creation of opportunities for campus and community to actively participate in civic and community life while developing the public service leadership capacity of their peers.

The nomination for Mr. Hoey highlights his above and beyond commitment to advancing the interests of the JMU student body.  His efforts to empower all students to vote, participate in constructive civic dialogue, and engage with their elected representatives in the Virginia General Assembly contributed to JMU’s recognition as an exemplary campus for student civic engagement.

Her nominator writes “Where I am most proud of Mason is in his efforts at developing public leadership capacity in his peers. He does this in visible and not visible ways.  By working so consistently with his peers and emphasizing the right ways to engage in issue advocacy, Mason ensured that his peers voices were heard, respected, and considered at the Virginia General Assembly.”

The Public Service Awards coordinator, Dr. Rob Alexander states “Mr. Hoey’s nomination provides full evidence of public service student leadership excellence.  His combination of commitment to elevating the full public with empowering peers to take control of their own civic messages is precisely the qualities we seek to celebrate in a student public service leader.”

The 2025 Public Service Awards at JMU recipients will be recognized at a Reception on the JMU campus on Tuesday, April 22^nd.

The full set of 2025 Honorees are as follows:

Career Achievement in Public Service Award
Bonnie Riedesel, Executive Director (Retired), Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission
Excellence in Public Service Professional Award
Chris Rinker, Chief of Police, Town of New Market
The John B. Noftsinger Alumni Award for Public Service Excellence
Russell Leary (BA ’12, MAT ‘13), Co-CEO, On the Road Collaborative
Public Service Student Leadership Award

Mason Hoey (BS ’25, Public Policy and Administration and BA ‘25, Political Science), JMU Student Government Association

Madison Excellence in Community-Based Research Award
JMU School of Nursing UPCARE Scholars: Dr. Erika Metzler Sawin, Professor; Dr. Christina Lam, Associate Professor; Dr. Tina Switzer, Assistant Professor; Dr. Jamie Robinson, Associate Director for Undergraduate Programs, Associate Professor

Award descriptions and images available upon request.