Mark A. Chesler, Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the University of Michigan, passed away on the morning of June 5, 2025, surrounded by his family. His academic and activist work has left an invaluable impact on U-M Sociology, the wider university community, and the field of sociology at large.
Mark Chesler was born on October 18, 1936 in Queens, New York, and he obtained an undergraduate degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University before serving as an army troop commander of a MASH unit in Korea for 13 months. After his brief stint in the military, Mark earned an MA in Psychology (Hofstra University, 1963) and a PhD in Social Psychology (University of Michigan, 1966). Mark joined the U-M Sociology faculty immediately after earning his PhD and ultimately served there for over 50 years.
Mark Chesler was a founding member of the U-M Program on Intergroup Relations (IGR), a program focusing on intergroup dialogue, and he dedicated his career to social justice, race, and gender equity. Mark also founded The Educational Change nonprofit early in his career. He participated in FAIRteach and was an early supporter of U-M’s STRIDE and ADVANCE programs. Mark co-founded the Program on Conflict Management Alternatives (PCMA), a cross-campus interdisciplinary group which led to numerous university initiatives. The Mark Chesler Library Collection at IGR was established to honor his contributions to education and social change. The collection offers over 1,200 books, films, and journals on topics surrounding dialogue, social identity, multiculturalism, intergroup relations, and social justice.
In addition to his founding role in IGR, Chesler was the first Director of Project Community, overseeing its transition from a student-activist organization (including Students for a Democratic Society) to one of the oldest continuously-running service-learning courses in the nation. Project Community enables students to participate in community-engaged learning experiences through a sociological lens. Since its inception in the early 1970s, thousands of students, including the current Chair of the U-M Sociology Department, have taken a Project Community course. Mark Chesler championed community-engaged learning and, in doing so, inspired countless students to push for social change in their own communities.
Mark also co-led ASA's Minority Opportunity Summer Training (MOST) Program at U-M alongside Silvia Pedraza, Bill Frey, and Duane Alwin. This program was a joint initiative with ASA and UC Berkeley aimed at supporting marginalized students. The U-M Department of Sociology also honors Professor Chesler through the Mark Chesler Student Research Award, which supports undergraduates whose scholarship contributes to the “sociological understanding of diversity, social justice, participatory action research, intergroup relations, or service learning.”
Throughout his career, Chesler authored seven books and hundreds of articles, including trailblazing work on the psychosocial impact of childhood cancer. His work in has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Amoco Foundation Good Teaching Award, an Arthur Thurnau Professorship for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education, a Community Service Learning Award for Outstanding Public Service, an Excellence in Education Award from the College of LS&A, the Harold Johnson Multicultural Service Award, and the Ernest Lynton Award for Faculty Professional Service and Outreach.
In his personal life, Mark was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He loved tennis, nature photography, and literature, and he will be deeply missed by his family and friends. At U-M Sociology, he will be remembered for his kindness, generosity, and unwavering commitment to uplifting students. May Mark Chesler's legacy in sociology, community engagement, and social justice advocacy continue to inspire us to create a more equitable world.
We invite you to the Mark Chesler Endowment Fund or Project Community fund in honor of Mark Chesler.
