About

Minding the GAP

The Gender and Policy (GAP) Center leverages the existing expertise of George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government to investigate and advance understanding about women’s positions of influence and power in the public sphere, as well as to identify and study policy issues for women and other affected groups.

By combining teaching, experiential learning, and scholarship about pertinent gender and policy issues, the GAP Center prepares Schar School students to become empathetic, problem-solving leaders who excel in their chosen careers in the communities they serve.

Tackling topics in three primary areas—politics and public authority, health and wellbeing, and gender-based violence—GAP Center faculty and students collaborate as researchers and benefit from the extensive knowledge and expertise of an Advisory Board comprised of professionals from the public and private sectors.

Addressing Critical Issues

Thought leaders and policymakers convene through scholarship and in-person and virtual forums at the GAP Center to address gender-related issues and make serious contributions to the public dialogue. Previous topics have included addressing domestic violence; observing the centennial of women’s suffrage; examining displacement and protection of women refugees; and understanding the history and implications of the Equal Rights Amendment.

Since 2017, the GAP Center has tackled timely issues, bringing insights from policy theory and practice to enhance policy outcomes. I am proud that the Schar School is committed to educating our students and engaging with wider constituents on the critical role of gender in the policy context.

– BONNIE STABILE, PHD., DIRECTOR, GAP CENTER

Expanding Our Resources

Just as we challenge Schar School students to aim higher, we are determined to further expand our resources so proactive, independent research continues to advance the GAP Center’s mission. By partnering with alumni and friends like you, we can provide meaningful support to our students.

Gifts to the GAP Center help fund:

• Leadership training for undergraduates
• Student scholarships
• Graduate research assistantships and Post-doctoral fellowships
• Professional Education Development
• Administrative and logistical support for public-facing events

As a GAP Center supporter, your gift reaches well beyond the lives of our students. It extends into the communities of the people they will serve. By expanding the reach of the GAP Center through student support, you help to advance understanding, bring key players into dialogue and engage the wider community in order to achieve better outcomes in policy for all.

The GAP Center has hosted politicians, scholars, journalists,and policymakers including:

• Congresswomen Eleanor Holmes Norton and Jennifer Wexton

• Harvard Professor Theda Skocpol

• Brookings Institution Scholar Thomas E. Mann

• Thomas B. Edsall of The New York Times

• Former Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James

• Former U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Acting Chair Victoria Lipnic

GAP Center research areas include:

• STEM Workforce Development
• Gender Based Violence
• Policy Entrepreneurship
• Emergency Management and First Response
• Policy Rhetoric

Praise for NEW Leadership® Virginia

“I thought this experience was amazing and I learned a lot. I thought all of the speakers were very engaging and I connected with a lot of the messages they spoke about. I was very inspired to incorporate their messages into my own life and leadership. The visit to Capitol Hill was also very inspiring to learn about women in positions of power. I feel empowered to go out in my community, get involved, and make a difference (even if its small). I have learned so much about my own voice and the power that I hold. This was an amazing experience. I met some of the loveliest people who have influenced my life for the better. I am so happy I had this opportunity, and it is definitely going to stick with me. I can not put into words how meaningful this experience has been for me. Thank you!”

-Member of the inaugural NEW Leadership® Virginia cohort, 2025

Cindy Michelson • [email protected]
Senior Director of Development

Donate Online:
advancement.gmu.edu/ipp06

Learn More:
genderandpolicy.gmu.ed