Teaching Award Recipient, 2022-23
Dr. Saaid Mendoza
Psychology
Saaid Mendoza, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology, has been named the 2022-23 Joseph R. Accinno Faculty Teaching Award recipient. The honor is presented annually to the Providence College faculty member “who best exhibits excellence in teaching, passion and enthusiasm for learning, and genuine concern for students’ academic and personal growth.”
Dr. Mendoza became a member of the college’s faculty in 2014. He earned his Ph.D. from New York University in 2010 and served as a visiting assistant professor of psychology at Amherst College from 2010-2014. During his time at PC, Dr. Mendoza has taught a wide range of survey courses, including Introduction to Psychology, Industrial-Organizational Psychology, and Psychology of Gender, as well as advanced seminars on Social Psychology and Stereotypes & Prejudice.
In addition to his teaching, Dr. Mendoza has mentored numerous students in his Social Perception and Attitudes (SPA) Lab, which investigates psychological questions related to issues of group-based stereotyping and discrimination. Research from the lab — often co-written by students — has been published in peer-reviewed journals and is frequently presented at conferences.
These experiences inside and outside the classroom led to student nominations that cited Dr. Mendoza as the best professor they have had. “He is transformative and inspiring … to all of the students he teaches, which stems from a true passion for the wellbeing and success of all whom he encounters,” a student said. “I do not think that I can adequately convey the effect that Dr. Mendoza has had on my academic career and my life as a whole. He has pushed me to perform beyond what I knew I was capable of, supported me through my most stressful points, and helped me to uncover my true passions for my professional and personal future. I owe so much of my success at Providence College to Dr. Mendoza.”
More about Dr. Saaid Mendoza:
- Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Faculty-in-Residence
- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Vision Award recipient
- Democracy, Inclusion, & Dialogue Faculty Fellow
- Riccobono Academic Resilience Faculty Fellow
- Member of several professional organizations, including the Association for Psychological Science, the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, and the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues
