Article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights expects governments to recognize the right of everyone to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications; conserve, develop and diffuse science; respect the freedom indispensable for scientific research; and recognize the benefits of international contacts and co-operation in the scientific field. The "right to science" was a deeply held value of Dr. Frezzo.

Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states "Everyone has the right to education" and "higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit." Your support for this scholarship helps make advanced studies in sociology more accessible.

2020 has been so hectic that a significant milestone in the journey of human rights may have been overlooked: 100 years of women's suffrage in the United States. Women gained the right to vote via the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which was ratified in 1920.

In his class Sociology of Peace and Justice, SOC 332, Mark Frezzo taught students about peace movements, non-violent conflict resolution and methods to supplement the United Nations. Your gift can honor his commitment to peace and his students.

Mark Frezzo's professional accomplishments and work in the sociology of human rights are why we honor him with this scholarship. But Dr. Frezzo was a real person: a caring friend, an avid bicyclist, a rock music drummer and a huge baseball fan. His all-time favorite player was Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson, known as "Mr. October" for his clutch postseason hitting in 21 years in the major leagues. Jackson famously hit 563 career home runs.

The Magna Carta, signed in 1215 by King John of England, serves as a foundational document in the journey toward human rights. Although imperfect, exclusionary and sometimes ignored, the Magna Carta established many of the ideas upon which modern democracy and constitutional law are based: due process, equality under the law, the right to own property and the right of religion free of government interference, among others.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948, outlined the rights and freedoms everyone in the world is entitled to. The first international agreement on the basic principles of human rights, the Declaration was part of a worldwide effort to heal the world in the wake of the atrocities and abuses of World War II.

After Dr. Frezzo's passing in May, the American Sociological Association posted an obituary consisting of messages from colleagues around the world, praising his kindness, compassion, generosity, scholarship, dedication and hard work. Many of the 6,000 members of the ASA knew Dr. Frezzo personally from his work, especially founding the ASA's Section of Human Rights.