KINGSTON, R.I. – April 7, 2026 – Assistant Professor Lazaro Camacho Jr., of the University of Rhode Island’s Feinstein College of Education, was recently honored with the 2026 Latinx/a/o Knowledge Community Outstanding Faculty Award from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). Camacho, who also serves as the program coordinator for URI’s College Student Personnel Program, was nominated for the award by his peers.

Founded in 1918, NASPA represents over 15,000 members and 2,600 institutions globally and offers members empowerment through education, research, knowledge exchange and mentoring initiatives.

A two-time URI graduate ‘02 ‘06 and Rhode Island native, Camacho believes that positive student success is driven by a coordinated and student-focused approach in learning, teaching and support services. Camacho was recognized by his peers for outstanding contributions and noted his devotion to the Latinx community and their success in NASPA and higher education more broadly.

“This is a reflection of who I am personally as well as who I am professionally,” said Camacho, who took time to appreciate colleagues, students and past educators in the field who have pushed him to succeed. “The recognition was a nice overall nod to who I am as a higher education professional.”

Camacho’s scholarship centers the intersection of identity socialization and educational pathways through a focus on the lived experiences of undergraduate and graduate men of color, Latine undergraduate students navigating academic recovery, discourse related to Latine masculinities and the professional development of Higher Education and Student Affairs graduate students. His research helps with understanding student experiences through a holistic and intersectional lens.

He sees his research as an extension of his work. Camacho began his career working closely day-to-day with students, groups and colleagues in an academic capacity. He has highlighted the importance of creating positive change; by identifying challenges and developing recommendations to address them. He believes that to successfully address policy needs at an institutional level, it is also important to acknowledge what fellow higher professionals have gotten wrong and learn from their efforts.

“Receiving this award has helped me recognize that I have established a strong foundation on which I can continue to build,” said Camacho. “This motivates me to take this work, build on it, expand on it and keep moving forward.”

This story was written by Kiera Wrage, a senior majoring in public relations at the University of Rhode Island. Kiera is interning in URI’s Department of Communications and Marketing.