The Department of Student Affairs in Higher Education is pleased to announce Julene (Jules) Pinto-Dyczewski as the 2023 recipient of the Ronald Lunardini Distinguished Alumni Award.
Pinto-Dyczewski is a 1989 graduate of the SAHE (then Student Personnel Services) program and currently serves as the associate director of Residence Life and the Training and Leadership Development specialist at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She has worked at IUP for 33 years in residence life since graduating.
Through numerous letters of support for her nomination, it was clear that Pinto-Dyczewski has had an extraordinary impact on the students and staff that she works with. One alumnus noted, “Jules is a fierce advocate for students, always looking for ways to best support students in their development and create inclusive communities. Jules is passionate and committed to creating programs and environments that impact the retention and success of students.”
A current IUP faculty member in another department wrote, “Jules is not simply a staff member to these students, but a supportive, welcoming, and trustworthy figure who by example, demonstrates the importance of compassion, care, and kindness in our daily interactions with others. In short, she is a true role model for students, and leading by example.”
A former graduate assistant noted, “Not only is she an excellent mentor and role model, but she is also a fierce and passionate professional who has made her mark on the student affairs field. She is hardworking, dedicated, compassionate, driven, student-centered, and innovative, and I can never thank her enough for being an integral part in shaping me into the professional I am today.”
The award selection committee (comprised of SAHE faculty, students, and alumni) found that she meets and exceeds the award criteria. The award will be presented to Pinto-Dyczewski at a future SAHE departmental event.
The Ronald Lunardini Distinguished Alumni Award, begun in 2006, was created to acknowledge an alumna/alumnus of the Student Affairs in Higher Education Department whose experiences and accomplishments as a student affairs professional significantly reflect the standards and values of the SPS program/SAHE Department. In 2008, in recognition of Dr. Lunardini’s 37 years of service at IUP (18 as an SAHE faculty member), the award title was changed to honor him. Here is more information on the Ronald Lunardini Distinguished Alumni Award and a complete list of previous award recipients.