2024 Sabbatical Award Recipient 

Roger Lee Mendoza, a professor in the College of Business and Economics at California State University, Los Angeles, is the recipient of the 2024 Mary Todd Sabbatical Award of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.

Named for former Society Executive Director Mary Todd, the $50,000 award supports a sabbatical year or similar reassignment of duties for research or other scholarly projects.

Mendoza, an economist by training, will use the funds from the award to conduct research on universal healthcare in Australia, the Philippines and Taiwan.

Examining healthcare in three Asia-Pacific countries with different levels of socio-economic development will allow him to assess factors like income distribution, healthcare financing, and universalization outcomes based on health literacy, behavior change, and social equity.

Mendoza, who was initiated into Phi Kappa Phi at the University of Philippines, is a Lifetime Member and currently serves as the vice-president of the Cal State LA chapter. He has played an integral role in both the UP and Cal State LA communities. Mendoza earned his B.A., summa cum laude, and his master’s in public administration from UP. He earned a Ph.D. in political economy from McGill University and a diploma in leadership and management from the University of Pennsylvania.

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 expects his sabbatical research to have significant academic and policy impact. Upon returning, he also plans to integrate the findings into a newly designed insurance course he will be teaching at the College of Business and Economics next year, as well as other healthcare business courses.