Now accepting nominations for the 2026 Percy Hughes Award
for Scholarship, Humanity, and Social Change.
Nominations must be submitted by May 1, 2026, at 5 p.m.
About Percy Hughes
Percy Hughes was a philosopher, teacher, and professor who directed the Philosophy, Education, and Psychology Department at Lehigh University beginning in 1907 until 1942. Over the course of his 35-year tenure at Lehigh, Hughes used the responsibility of scholarship to pursue social change and transform the Lehigh culture. By committing himself to interdisciplinary work and humanistic principles, he furthered Lehigh’s tradition of scientific and classical education. From encouraging curriculum reform for engineers to campaigning against compulsory chapel attendance, Hughes worked tirelessly to transform Lehigh on an educational level. From women’s rights to environmentalism, Hughes devoted his life to historically progressive ideas. Hughes personified and advanced Lehigh’s motto – Homo minister et interpres naturae (man, servant and interpreter of nature) – throughout his career at Lehigh.
About the Percy Hughes Award
The Percy Hughes Award recognizes those who advance Lehigh University's culture of addressing the world's most pressing challenges with sleeves rolled up and an orientation towards real-world issues. Award recipients are leaders who not only foster Lehigh's historic educational mission, values, and core beliefs but also push Lehigh in new directions and heights of excellence. The recipient shall be a Lehigh University faculty member, staff member, or student (either graduate or undergraduate in good standing) who works towards implementing large, transformative ideas in the local, national, and world communities with grace, tenacity, and devotion.
The award covers the calendar year prior to its being awarded. For example, the 2026 award will recognize accomplishments in January-December of 2025.
Nominations may be submitted by current students, faculty, or staff across all of the departments in the five colleges. Self-nominations will not be considered. Nominators should clearly describe how the nominee demonstrates the following four characteristics and behaviors:
Nomination Criteria
- The recipient shall be a Lehigh University faculty member, staff member, or student (either graduate or undergraduate in good standing) who works towards implementing large, transformative ideas in the local, national, and world communities. While this work could be part of the individual’s responsibilities within their role (e.g., club president, committee member, unit director), consideration should be given to how the individual goes above and beyond the requirements of their role.
- In general, the recipient should demonstrate the following four characteristics and behaviors:
- Committed to improving Lehigh and/or the broader communities (whether at the local, national, or global level).
- Has a measurable effect on Lehigh and/or the broader communities.
Whether within Lehigh or in broader communities, contributes to enhancing current processes or helping to formulate new approaches and processes, or to helping others come to understand and support a transformative vision of how to move from where we are now to a state more in keeping with the spirit of Lehigh University. - Demonstrates respect for all with whom he/she deals, demonstrates persistence when/if facing a setback, and honors both similarities and differences within and across communities.
Nomination Process
- Nominations must be submitted by May 1, 2026, at 5 p.m. via email sent to Robin Hojnoski, Acting Dean of the College of Education, at roh206@lehigh.edu.
- All individuals will be notified of their nomination for the award.
- The selection committee shall select a single recipient, although co-recipients may be selected when the committee finds it impossible to identify a single, most-deserving recipient.
- The recipient will receive $5,000, of which half will be donated to a charity of their choice, and their names will be engraved on the Percy Hughes Award plaque.
- The name of each year’s recipient(s) will be engraved on a publicly posted institutional plaque listing all previous recipients, and the accomplishments of the recipient(s) will be described and posted on the College of Education’s social media and news site.
Recent Recipients
Cheré Hunter ‘21G was named the 2025 recipient of the Percy Hughes Award.
Hunter, a professor of practice in the Counseling Psychology program within the Lehigh College of Education, serves as the director of the Community Voices Clinic, a school-based mental health clinic operating within the family centers at Donegan Elementary and Broughal Middle schools. The CVC embraces core principles of evidence-based practice, multicultural competence and social justice in all of its activities. As a counseling psychologist leading the CVC, Hunter specializes in trauma-informed care practices, crisis and risk management, and supporting students and families from diverse backgrounds.
An alumna of the COE’s Counseling Psychology program, Hunter has served as the director of CVC since 2022. Her nominators noted Hunter’s dedication to public service and giving back to the community through her work at the clinic. She has gone above and beyond her responsibilities as clinic director to strengthen “critical mental health supports for low-income children and youth who either have no insurance or are underinsured and who would otherwise not be able to obtain needed mental health services.”
Hunter’s persistence and dedication have increased the accessibility and quality of mental health services provided to the CVC’s high-risk population. Her efforts to offer services in Spanish reflect the award’s criteria that the recipient’s work extends to various communities beyond Lehigh.
A quote by Coretta Scott King is among Hunter’s favorites and reflects her philosophy: “The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” For Hunter, South Bethlehem is a great community because of the people who live there.
“The children and families I work with show how strong, resilient and compassionate the residents of South Bethlehem are and it’s an honor to be able to serve them,” she added.
The COE presents the Percy Hughes Award for Scholarship, Humanity and Social Change to honor a Lehigh community member who works toward implementing transformative ideas in the local, national and world communities. Since the award's inception in 2010, 10 individuals have been recognized for their work addressing the world's most pressing challenges.
“Hunter clearly has made a difference in the community, and her efforts reflect Lehigh’s strategy to strengthen and grow community engagement,” COE Acting Dean Robin Hojnoski said.
The 2024 recipient of the Percy Hughes Award received multiple nominations from faculty and students across the Lehigh community. Kallie (Ziltz) Pearl '16 '17 '18G '24 Ph.D. is a four-time Lehigh alumna, most recently graduating from the College of Education’s Teaching, Learning and Technology (TLT) program with her doctoral degree.
Pearl joined the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science faculty in 2020, where she has developed innovative ways to engage students—especially women and other underrepresented populations—in computer science.
“Teaching is something that I was born to do,” she says. “But I have been so blessed to cultivate an interdisciplinary niche for myself between computer science and education.”
LILAC (Looping Interactive Learning and Authentic Contexts) is the acronym Pearl uses to describe the innovative approach she developed with colleagues to improve student engagement and learning. In her nomination of Pearl, TLT professor and program director Brook Sawyer explains, “Kallie’s mission of improving Lehigh’s computer science courses has been unwavering since she has been an undergraduate student herself, struggling to feel like she fit in computer science as a woman.”
Former student Alexia Drey noted Pearl’s generosity of spirit and support for her students in her award nomination.
“Dr. Pearl wants each and every one of her students to know that they can and will succeed in her course if they put in the effort, despite being from a traditionally underrepresented group,” Drey says. “She inspires her students every day, and her passion and love for computer science shines through every time you interact with her.”
A tireless advocate for women in computing, Pearl led a group of students attending the Grace Hopper Celebration this past fall. Nominator and program director Sharon Kalafut says Pearl came to her years ago with the idea to start a Women in Computing Club within the COE. Today, Pearl serves as the faculty advisor for the club. During the summer and weekends, she has worked with middle school students as part of the Women in Science & Engineering (WISE) days and Charting Horizons and Opportunities in Careers in Engineering and Science (CHOICES) program at Lehigh, as well as the DaVinci Center in Allentown.
In his nomination, TLT faculty advisor Tom Hammond notes, “The most visible impact of Kallie’s work is her publications, which span both academic journals, such as the International Journal of Computer Auditing, popular outlets such as the Huffington Post, and presentations including keynote and panelist roles for the WISE initiative.”
“I see myself in the work Hughes accomplished, and know that my path would not be as clear without folks like him paving the way,” says Pearl. “I don't see my work in the classroom and as an educational researcher as big or bold, but I know that it is important to push Lehigh to emerge as a strategic leader in high-quality education.”
Over the course of his 35-year tenure at Lehigh, Percy Hughes used the responsibility of scholarship to pursue social change and transform the Lehigh culture. By committing himself to interdisciplinary work and humanistic principles, he furthered Lehigh’s tradition of scientific and classical education. From women’s rights to environmentalism, Hughes devoted his life to historically progressive ideas.
Learn More About Percy Hughes:
- About Percy Hughes
- Percy Hughes Special Collections Flyer No. 19 (2001)
- Percy Hughes Publications and Papers (1872-1952)