Dr. Pietro Sasso receives two national education awards
Dr. Pietro Sasso, Associate Professor of Higher Education at Delaware State University, has been recognized with two prestigious honors that underscore his national impact on higher education research, practice, and leadership. Dr. Sasso recently received the Professional Contribution to the Field Award from NASPA’s Transracial Adoptee and Multiracial Knowledge Community (TAMKC) and was also named a 2026 Darden Fellow by Old Dominion University’s Darden College of Education and Professional Studies.
The NASPA (National Association of Student Personnel Administrators) TAMKC Professional Contribution to the Field Award recognizes professionals who have made a positive and significant impact on multiracial and transracial adoptee students, faculty, and staff through research, programming, and inclusive practices. Dr. Sasso’s scholarship and leadership exemplify this impact, particularly through his work advancing identity development, belonging, and equitable student experiences in higher education.
The Transracial Adoptee and Multiracial Knowledge Community (TAMKC), a division within NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education), plays a critical role in advancing scholarship and practice related to multiracial and transracial adoptee identities. The community is dedicated to stimulating education, developing knowledge, and promoting resources and networking opportunities focused on these populations in higher education. Through advocacy, research, and professional development, TAMKC supports practitioners and scholars committed to fostering inclusive campus environments and addressing the unique needs of multiracial and transracial adoptee communities. Dr. Sasso’s contributions as both a scholar and a leader within this knowledge community include his role as Research and Scholarship Co-Coordinator in advancing research and supporting professional engagement, which have positioned him as a key figure in this national network.
In addition to this national recognition, Dr. Sasso was named a 2026 Darden Fellow, one of the highest honors bestowed upon alumni of Old Dominion University’s Darden College. Selected from a global alumni network of approximately 47,000 graduates, Darden Fellows are recognized for their professional excellence, leadership, and sustained contributions to their fields and communities. This distinction reflects Dr. Sasso’s continued influence as a scholar whose work bridges theory, research, and practice in higher education.
Dr. Sasso earned his Ph.D. in Higher Education from Old Dominion University in 2012 and has since built a distinguished career centered on student development, co-curricular engagement, and identity-based research. His extensive body of scholarship includes numerous peer-reviewed publications, edited book volumes, and national presentations, all of which contribute to shaping contemporary conversations in student affairs and higher education leadership. These recognitions directly inform his teaching of EdD Educational Leadership in Higher Education students, as he integrates current, practice-based scholarship and national leadership experiences into the classroom to model scholar-practitioner approaches. His students benefit from exposure to real-time field advancements and are mentored to translate research into actionable leadership within their own professional contexts through their dissertation-in-practice research.
These awards highlight both peer recognition within the higher education professional community and institutional acknowledgment from his alma mater. Dr. Sasso’s work continues to advance critical conversations around equity, identity, and student success, reinforcing his role as a leading voice in higher education scholarship and practice.