Phi Kappa Phi is proud to feature 2024 Sabbatical Award recipient Roger Lee Mendoza. Mendoza is a professor in the College of Business and Economics at California State University, Los Angeles, where he serves as vice president of the university’s Phi Kappa Phi chapter.

An economist by training, Mendoza will use the $50,000 award to conduct research on universal health care systems in Australia, the Philippines and Taiwan. His work will explore how different levels of socioeconomic development influence income distribution, health care financing, and outcomes related to health literacy, behavior change and social equity.

Mendoza was initiated into Phi Kappa Phi at the University of the Philippines, where he earned his B.A., summa cum laude, and a master’s degree in public administration. He later completed a Ph.D. in political economy from McGill University and earned a diploma in leadership and management from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a lifetime member of the Society and has remained actively involved for more than 30 years.

A highly accomplished and nationally recognized scholar, Mendoza has earned numerous awards for teaching innovation and excellence, including the McGraw Hill Pathfinder Award for Teaching Excellence, the Pearson Prize for Excellence in Higher Education, and the Phi Kappa Phi Love of Learning Award. In addition, he serves as faculty adviser to several student organizations on campus, further contributing to the academic and personal growth of his students.

Mendoza has been actively involved with Phi Kappa Phi for more than 30 years through the Society’s chapters at the University of the Philippines and California State University, Los Angeles. At the UP chapter, he helped organize recognition ceremonies for prospective members and served on the alumni awards committee. At Cal State LA, he currently serves as vice president and leads chapter development, student council coordination and bylaw compliance. He also helps plan the annual induction ceremony and serves on the faculty committee that selects the James M. Rosser Fellowship recipient.

In 2023, Mendoza was among the Phi Kappa Phi alumni honorees of the University of the Philippines chapter during its 90th anniversary celebration. He also chaired the planning for the 2025 Diamond Jubilee of the Cal State LA chapter, for which he authored the chapter’s history and redesigned the website.

Mendoza expects his sabbatical research to have significant academic and policy impact. He plans to integrate the findings into a newly designed insurance course he will be teaching at the College of Business and Economics, as well as other health care business courses.

“I am extremely grateful for receiving the Mary Todd Award, which will support travel, residency and field work for my forthcoming sabbatical project on universalized health care in Australia, the Philippines and Taiwan,” Mendoza said. “The Mary Todd Award underscores the international reach and impact of Phi Kappa Phi in recognizing and promoting academic excellence in higher education and supporting comparative country studies of this kind, especially considering that it is the first time that this award has been offered in the field of business and management.”

Phi Kappa Phi is currently accepting applications for its Sabbatical Awards. One $50,000 award is presented annually. Will you be the next recipient?

For more information about the Sabbatical Award program, including eligibility and selection criteria, visit http://www.phikappaphi.org/sabbatical or contact Kelli Partin at kpartin@phikappaphi.org.