DR. RUTH LUGO OF METROPOLITAN COLLEGE OF NEW YORK NAMED TO HISPANIC BUSINESS MAGAZINE’S “100 INFLUENTIALS” LIST AS AN ACADEMIC THOUGHT LEADER
NEW YORK, NY- November 9, 2010 – Dr. Ruth Lugo, Dean of the Audrey Cohen School for Human Services and Education (ACSHSE) at Metropolitan College of New York (MCNY) has received the distinct honor of being named to Hispanic Business Magazine’s 2010 “The 100 Influentials: Spotlight on Thought Leaders” list. This ranking includes thought leaders in the arenas of academics, corporate professionals, arts and entertainment, sports and government. Lauded both in the U.S. and abroad for her achievements in education, Dr. Lugo is cited in this prominent listing for her stellar academic career at MCNY. Other notables on this list include Georgetown University’s Pablo Molina, Illinois State Senator Antonio Munoz, actress Zoe Saldana, professional baseball player Alex Rodriguez, NBC’s Natalie Morales and MTV’s Juan Herrera.
“During her tenure at MCNY, Dr. Lugo developed curriculum and implemented new programs, including the college’s first undergraduate liberal arts program in American Urban Studies. In fall of 2010, the college began offering a Master of Science in Education in Mathematics, another program developed under her leadership,” cites Hispanic Business magazine.
With a career spanning over two decades, Dr. Lugo has received numerous accolades and awards.
Earlier this year, she was also recognized by the Board of Directors of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade in association with the parade’s 2010 Educational / Leadership Project Banquet for her leadership and numerous achievements in the academic arena for more than 20 years of dedicated service.
In 2010, Dr. Lugo also successfully led an accreditation and candidacy process with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) for the Universidad Mayor (UM) in Santiago, Chile, the first institution in Latin America to seek international accreditation. On June 24, 2010, the institutional accreditation took place after UM completed all eligibility requirements meeting accreditation standards. Dr. Lugo has volunteered for the MSCHE for almost 20 years in the Northeast Region and Puerto Rico as a consultant, evaluator and team chair in the accreditation process. She has served as an evaluator for the Puerto Rico Council on Higher Education since 1996 and was appointed to be the Institutional Accreditation Liaison for Middle States representing UM.
About Dr. Ruth Lugo:
Born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, and raised in San Juan, Dr. Ruth Lugo earned her B.A. at the University of Puerto Rico; M.A./Ph.D. from the State University of New York, Stony Brook; and A.M. from Middlebury College, Madrid Program.
At MCNY, she has helped the college secure more than a million dollars through Title V and Title V Coop grants. These and other funds have resulted in positive institutional changes such as the establishment of the Learning Enhancement Center and several mathematics laboratories and tech-enabled classrooms as well as the provision of training and preparation for teachers in math and science.
Dr. Lugo currently serves on the board of FOCUS – Hispanic Community Center for Development and is a Trustee of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. She is the past president and founder of the Hispanic Women’s Leadership Institute Alumni Association at Rutgers University and former board member of ASPIRA of New Jersey. Dr. Lugo has taught courses in Latin American Literature and Hispanic Languages and Literature at La Guardia Community College, William Paterson University, and Montclair State University. Other honors and affiliations include: American Council on Education National Forum for Women in Higher Education; American Council on Education Fellow; Leadership America; National Hispana Leadership Institute; the Executive Leadership Fellow from the League for Innovation in the Community College and a Ford Foundation Fellow.
Dr. Lugo is the daughter of Dr. Herminio Lugo and Ramonita Alvarez and has one brother, the prominent and internationally known scientist, Dr. Ariel E. Lugo.
Dr. Lugo is currently available for interviews and speaking engagements. To schedule an interview, please contact Tyrha Lindsey or Tamara Young of the UniWorld Group at (212) 219-1600.
