The 2024 recipient of the Fr. Pedro Arrupe, S.J. Faculty Colleague Award is Dr. Lee Za Ong, Associate Professor in the Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology. Dr. Ong’s nominators noted the following in their nominations: Lee Za is the living embodiment of generosity; she radiates generosity and never hesitates to give where she can. I cannot think of anyone who is more deserving of this award; Dr. Ong has always been an example to me for the many ways she works for and with people, especially people from marginalized groups; and finally, Lee Za cares about others much more than she cares about herself. She is a natural connector and goes above and beyond to work creatively across colleges to help students, faculty and staff. Lee Za is a ROCK STAR professor and colleague.

 

In 1973, Jesuit Superior General Fr. Pedro Arrupe coined the term “Men and Women for Others” in an address to the Tenth International Congress of Jesuit Alumni of Europe. This has become the foundational element of Jesuit education worldwide.

We don’t often think about being men and women for others in the context of those we work with day in and day out on our own campus. To be sure, each of us can easily identify faculty colleagues who live each day in the service of others. And yet we rarely take time to thank, let alone recognize these individuals who serve colleagues so selflessly.

The Fr. Arrupe, S.J. Faculty Colleague Award is designed to recognize and celebrate a faculty colleague at the beginning of each academic year, whose extraordinary generosity towards others will stand out as an example for all in the coming year. All faculty and staff are eligible to nominate a faculty member for this award.

Online nominations for the Fr. Pedro Arrupe, S.J. Faculty Colleague Award are now closed.¹ To be eligible, the nominee must currently be a full-time faculty member who has served in that capacity for at least the past three years. Previous winners are not eligible to receive the award again.²

A selection committee will determine the recipient each year based on the supporting evidence provided demonstrating the ways in which the individual has generously serves colleagues.³

As you think about nominating one or more deserving faculty colleagues for this award, consider St. Ignatius of Loyola’s Prayer for Generosity: 

Lord, teach me to be generous.

Teach me to serve you as you deserve;

to give and not to count the cost,

to fight and not to heed the wounds,

to toil and not to seek for rest,

to labor and not to ask for reward,

save that of knowing that I do your will.

________________

¹ Nominations will be held for a period of two years; self-nominations will not be accepted.

²Previous winners include: Deirdre Dempsey (2019), Christopher Simenz (2020), Leigh van den Kieboom (2021) and Wendy Volz Daniels (2022).

³While a single nomination is sufficient for consideration, multiple nominations from different people are helpful to the extent they provide unique examples of the nominee's generosity.