Kathleen Maas Weigert, executive director of the Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching and Service, and research professor in the department of sociology will leave the university to take a position at Loyola University in Chicago at the end of this academic year.
Weigert was appointed a research professor of sociology and justice and peace studies at Loyola and will help to develop a social justice research center focused on public service.
“[Weigert] is an institution here at CSJ,” Raymond Shiu, program director of student leadership and special programs at CSJ, said. “Loyola Chicago is getting a tremendous asset.”
“I’ve been here nine years, and it has been a dream come true,” Weigert said.
Weigert founded CSJ when she first arrived at Georgetown and has since been working to develop the center.
Since the center was started, the number of students in the First-Year Orientation to Community Involvement has grown from about 35 to about 50, and the number of students participating in alternative spring break programs has increased from about 80 to about 200.
“She will truly be missed by students, faculty and staff for her continued guidance, hard work and bold vision, which has opened up opportunities to practice justice through many avenues on campus, in D.C. and internationally,” said Anish Savani (SFS ’10), secretary of the CSJ Advisory Board for Student Organizations.
Weigert said she is particularly proud of the creation of a community-based learning course, for which students receive credit for community service in the area and related class time.
“My dream is that we have one of those kinds of courses in every major,” Weigert said.
Weigert’s passion for social justice extends beyond her work at CSJ, said Donna Harati (SFS ’10), chair of ABSO.
“[Weigert] lives out social justice in an exemplary way not only in her impressive professional endeavors but also in the way she treats everyone around her, always with great empathy, care and kindness,” Harati said. “She has an infectious love of life and passion for justice that will really be missed.”
