Roger Lee Mendoza Receives Phi Kappa Phi Mary Todd Sabbatical Award

Roger Lee Mendoza, professor in the College of Business and Economics at California State University, Los Angeles, has been selected by The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi—the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines—as the recipient of the Phi Kappa Phi Mary Todd Sabbatical Award, according to a recent press release.

The $50,000 Sabbatical Award, named for former Society Executive Director, Dr. Mary Todd, honors one faculty member to support a sabbatical year or similar reassignments of duties. Mendoza will use the funds from the award to conduct research on universalized healthcare in Australia, the Philippines and Taiwan.

Mendoza’s objective is to discover how universalization might promote or constrain healthcare access, cost, and quality, and what insights these countries can offer healthcare reform in the United States under the Affordable Care Act.

The selection process for the Mary Todd Sabbatical Award is based on an applicant letter addressing the significance of the proposed research or other scholarly project and the relevance of the proposed activity in contributing to Phi Kappa Phi’s mission to cultivate a community that celebrates and advances the love of learning. The awardee is selected by a juried competition.

“We are thrilled to honor Roger with this year’s Sabbatical Award. His dedication to excellence and passion for discovery are truly inspiring. This award reflects not only his hard work but also the impact he is making in his field and beyond,” said Society Executive Director and CEO Dr. Bradley R. Newcomer. “We wish him an enriching sabbatical filled with growth, insight, and success!”

The Sabbatical Award is one of the newest additions to the Society’s robust portfolio of award and grant programs, which gives more than $1 million each year to outstanding students and members through graduate and dissertation fellowships, funding for undergraduate and post-baccalaureate development, and grants for local, national and international literacy initiatives.

To learn more about the Society’s award programs, visit www.phikappaphi.org/awards. The application process for the 2025 Sabbatical Award will open in August 2025.