Mendez Receives UMO Alumni Hall of Fame Award
November 18, 2024
Contact: Rhonda Jessup, Director of Public Relations
PITTSBURGH, PA — Dr. Jason Mendez of Pittsburgh, PA, was named the 2024 University of Mount Olive Alumni Hall of Fame Award recipient. The award was presented during the Annual Alumni Awards Ceremony as a highlight of UMO’s Homecoming Weekend. The event celebrated alumni who have made significant contributions to their fields and communities.
A storyteller and scholar, Mendez has more than 20 years of experience in arts-based inquiry and praxis. His work spans various fields, including digital media literacy, arts as wellness, critical pedagogy, and counternarratives, focusing on promoting equity and justice in education and the arts. Mendez holds a Ph.D. in education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MFA in creative writing from Randolph College, where his writing delves into themes such as memory, mindfulness, identity, and the concept of home. He graduated from UMO in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems.
As the Co-founder and CEO of Block Chronicles, a digital literacy, arts, and research hub, Mendez has been instrumental in fostering community engagement through transformative partnerships. He is also the developer of the Pittsburgh-Latinx Artist Residency (P-LAR), which supports emerging Latinx artists in Pittsburgh.
Recently, Mendez served as writer-in-residence at the New Hazlett Theater in Pittsburgh, where he presented a staged reading of his new play, Sons of the Boogie, a narrative exploring dreams, self-discovery, and his roots in the South Bronx. His dedication to the arts and education has earned him multiple accolades, including the prestigious “Boriquén Award” from the National Puerto Rican Agenda, in recognition of his contributions to uplifting the Puerto Rican community.
Mendez lives in Pittsburgh with his partner, Dr. Dara Méndez, their three children, Cairen, Adrah, and Leilani.
The University of Mount Olive is a private institution rooted in the liberal arts tradition and grounded in Christian values. It was founded by the Convention of Original Free Will Baptists. For more information, visit www.umo.edu.
