Student Affairs Leaders Honored at NASPA Conference - University of Houston
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DSAES News
July 21, 2022

Earlier this month, two leaders in Student Affairs and Enrollment Services received national attention for their outstanding work at the University of Houston. Patrick Lukingbeal and Hope Pacheco both were honored at the NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education National Conference in Los Angeles.

Lukingbeal, director of UH Wellness, earned the Gender and Sexuality Knowledge Community Service to NASPA Award which recognizes individuals, programs and research that have made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of sexual and gender minorities inclusivity and education at the highest and broadest level. The award honors innovations that have added to the profession of student affairs and higher education, and enhance the lives of their communities.

“My long history of working with this particular Knowledge Community has helped me get access to several different types of involvement opportunities within the larger organization,” Lukingbeal said. “I am proud to be a part of the University of Houston Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services that prioritizes and emphasizes professional development. I feel I have been rewarded many times over.”

Pacheco, assistant dean of students, was awarded the Outstanding New Professional Award, which is presented to an individual who has worked one to four years in student affairs and has contributed in various ways to the student culture on campus. Specifically, it is awarded to an up-and-coming member of the Latinx/a/o Knowledge Community.

“Being recognized by the Latinx/o/a Knowledge Community as an Outstanding New Professional means so much to me and validates the work I am doing on behalf of Latinx students at UH through the Las Comadres College Mentoring Program,” said Pacheco. “Although I have been a practicing social worker for over twenty years, higher education and student affairs has been a new adventure for me.” The division has created a welcoming environment over the last five years and has set an expectation and culture of professional growth and development that has helped me integrate these two professions to serve our campus community.”

“Having two of our student affairs leaders recognized by their peers at a national level speaks directly to the high standards that are integral to our success as a division, and ultimately, the success of our students, which is our goal every day,” said University of Houston Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Services Richard Walker. “Patrick and Hope are exceptional in their roles, and are great assets to our division and the University of Houston.”