Two members of the Costello College of Business at George Mason University have been honored with the Jack Wood Award for Town-Gown Relations.
(left to right) Ajay Vinzé, interim provost and executive vice president of George Mason University; Iman Chaudhry, Rebecca Howick holding son; JK Aier, senior associate dean for academic affairs and global engagement at Costello. Photo by Hannah Patterson/Costello College of Business.
Selected in the staff category was Rebecca Howick, director of operations and engagement for the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE). In the student category, Iman Chaudhry, a sophomore studying management information systems, was recognized.
Named for the former mayor of Fairfax, who was the driving force behind locating George Mason’s campus on land adjacent to the town and deeded to the university, the awards recognize individuals and groups who have demonstrated leadership in fostering mutually beneficial relationships between the university and the local community.
As the public face of the many programs offered by the center, Howick also leads the behind-the-scenes work and coordinates everything that makes them possible. A signature example of how she has strengthened the partnership between the center and Fairfax City Economic Development (FCED) is through The Depot, a collaborative initiative that brings together the university and local businesses to provide students with hands-on exposure to how small businesses operate. She first worked with FCED in partnership with the Nova Labs organizing team to bring Maker Faire NoVa to the Fairfax Campus in 2018 and 2019. Across the two events, they attracted approximately 10,000 people to campus to learn about and be inspired by the maker community.
“The Jack Wood Award is a tremendous honor and one that represents the ongoing work of the center's team and the Costello leadership. I brought my oldest son, Simon [age 5] as my guest to the awards ceremony. My hope is that this experience encourages him to find ways he can make a positive impact within our community as he discovers what he’s passionate about in life.”
— Rebecca Howick, director of operations and engagement for the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE)
Under her leadership, she has demonstrated great skill in blending the university’s academic environment with civic and industry expertise, bringing stakeholders together to expand experiential learning opportunities for students and strengthening local business development efforts. She has secured multiple grants from FCED to support initiatives connecting the university with the city. Through her efforts, FCED and Fairfax City have joined the Patriot Pitch Competition as both sponsors and judges.
Over the past four years Howick has consistently found ways to reduce costs for the center while maximizing impact for both the community and student learning. She has also played a crucial role in sustaining and strengthening the university’s relationship with the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia, bringing forward ideas for initiatives that align with the Foundation’s mission and resonate with donors.
“The Jack Wood Award is a tremendous honor and one that represents the ongoing work of the center's team and the Costello leadership,” says Howick. “I brought my oldest son, Simon [age 5] as my guest to the awards ceremony. My hope is that this experience encourages him to find ways he can make a positive impact within our community as he discovers what he’s passionate about in life.”
Chaudhry has already accomplished a great deal at Costello in a short amount of time, especially as president of the Mason Consulting Group (MCG), a student organization that empowers future leaders to think differently and solve business problems through real-world client-based projects, case competitions, and professional workshops led by consultants from top firms.
When she first became involved with MCG as a freshman, the organization was not yet consulting for local businesses. At the same time, she was interning for FCED and saw an opportunity to build a partnership between the two organizations. Acting as an intermediary, she helped build the partnership from scratch. This semester, MCG is consulting for three small businesses, engaging over 20 student consultants, with plans to expand to corporate partners and Mason Korea.
Chaudhry especially enjoys the final presentations at the end of the semester when students showcase their work to clients. “Seeing all the hard work pay off, and then hearing the positive feedback from our clients, Costello leadership, and the Fairfax City Economic Development—it’s really a full-circle moment,” she says.
In addition, Chaudhry works for the Costello Advancement team as a strategic outreach and engagement coordinator, where she collaborates closely with Costello leadership and the Dean’s Advisory Council, helping translate those relationships into new opportunities for MCG.
Rebecca Howick and Iman Chaudhry are outstanding representatives of the Costello College of Business and exemplify the spirit of the Jack Wood Award for Town-Gown Relations. Through their efforts, they have expanded opportunities for student learning, strengthened local partnerships, and reinforced Costello’s role as an engaged partner in Fairfax City. Their recognition underscores the lasting impact of collaboration, service, and community engagement across George Mason and beyond.