2022-23 Educational Excellence in the Community Award Recipients

The Center for Educational Excellence, the Mulvaney Center, and the Faculty Council on Community Engagement are pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s university-wide Educational Excellence in the Community Award, Dr. Truc T. Ngo, Industrial & Systems Engineering and Dr. Alberto López Pulido, Ethnic Studies! 

This year, two applicants were selected for their ongoing commitment to creating innovative and original approaches to community engagement that positively impact the community and public good, and demonstrate democratic, mutually-beneficial, and sustainable community partnerships that foster meaningful student civic learning.

Dr. Truc T. Ngo has established a sincerely meaningful connection to the international community of Parroquia San Pedro Apostle in El Cercado, Dominican Republic. Since 2014, Dr. Ngo has been collaborating with Parroquia San Pedro Apostle to help improve the health and living conditions for the local community, providing people the initial tools, knowledge and skills, and training to become self-efficient in operating and maintaining the newly developed products/processes/systems. When asked what this award means to her, Dr. Ngo responded:

"I am truly honored to be selected for the 2022 USD Educational Excellence in the Community Award. This means so much to me, my former and current students, and my community partner, Parroquia San Pedro Apóstol in El Cercado, Dominican Republic, as it formally recognizes our collaborative and impactful partnership since 2014. This award will help El Cercado continue and expand their plastics recycling/upcycling programs that we implemented in summer 2022. Thank you!" 

Dr. Alberto López Pulido has, for the past 20 years, been a deeply-rooted partner with the communities in and near Logan Heights, San Diego, CA. Most notably, Dr. Pulido has collaborated with the Logan Heights community to create the Turning Wheel Mobile Classroom Project, which provides a mobile space for supporting the urgent needs and challenges, such as supporting and highlighting youth-centered art and crafting activities, lunch distribution, art and history exhibits, free WIFI, back to school giveaways and student scholarship programs. Most recently, Dr. Pulido cofounded the new Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center. When asked what this award means to him, Dr. Pulido responded:

"It is truly an honor to be recognized for my community work. It affirms and supports my intellectual and pedagogical vision of "emotive scholarship" where we respect and value community experiences, feelings, adjustments, imaginings, hopes, uncertainties, dreams, fears, regrets, tragedies, and triumphs and incorporate them into our academic and intellectual training that is simultaneously personal and transformative."  

Dr. Ngo's and Dr. Pulido's efforts have truly strengthened and enhanced USD’s presence in and connection to the community. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Ngo and Dr. Pulido and the important work that they, their students and their community partners are dedicated to for the San Diego and international community!

Brought to you by the Mulvaney Center and the Center for Educational Excellence