Mount Adjunct Professor Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
11/10/2025
Congratulations to Professor Noel Pangilinan!
The University of Mount Saint Vincent is proud to congratulate Adjunct Professor Noel Pangilinan on his receipt of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) Metro New York Chapter.
This prestigious honor recognizes Professor Pangilinan’s decades-long contributions as a teacher, writer, editor, and community advocate dedicated to preserving and promoting Filipino language, history, and culture in both the Philippines and the United States.
“I am humbled,” Professor Pangilinan said in his acceptance speech at the FANHS-MNY Community Awards Ceremony that took place on October 11. “This award is not just about me. It is a recognition of the urgent need for us to act as cultural bridges linking our Filipino legacy to the present and future for Filipinos and Filipino Americans.”
At the Mount, Professor Pangilinan—who is a native of the Philippines and is lovingly called ‘Tito Noel’ (Uncle Noel) by his students—has taught in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures for over a decade, where he played a key role in launching and developing the Philippine Studies minor—the only one of its kind in the Northeast. He teaches courses in Filipino language, literature, and history, advising students as they explore the rich heritage and contemporary experiences of the Filipino people.
“I started teaching at UMSV in 2013,” Professor Pangilinan shared. “The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures was already developing a framework for a Philippine Studies minor program. It was when I came on board that the program was first offered.”
Professor Pangilinan attributes the program’s success to both the University’s longstanding connection to the Philippines—former Philippine President Corazon C. Aquino was a graduate of the Class of 1953—and the significant number of Filipino American students who call the Mount home.
He is also currently developing a 6-credit program in that will bring UMSV students to study and live in the Philippines for four weeks. The program will include classroom discussions, on-site lectures, visits to historical and cultural sites, and immersion into Filipino culture.
“What I love about working at UMSV is the very warm, collegial, and supportive environment provided by my fellow teachers, and the eagerness and sincerity of my students to learn more about the history and culture of their parents’ native homeland,” Professor Pangilinan reflected. “I always emphasize in my classes that we learn from each other: the students learn from the teacher; I learn from them; and they learn from each other. It is not possible, even for someone who grew up in the Philippines, to know everything about the Philippines—a country of more than 7,000 islands and more than 170 languages. Every year, the research that my students present in their classes adds something new to my knowledge. That’s what I love about working with my students.”
And in addition to his courses at the Mount, Professor Pangilinan has also taught at several institutions in the Philippines, Rutgers University, CUNY-Hunter College, and Seton Hall University—where he developed a Filipino language course for healthcare students. Professor Pangilinan also serves as a senior lecturer at the Filipino School of New York and New Jersey.
Beyond the classroom, Professor Pangilinan serves as a senior editor at the Asian American Writers’ Workshop (AAWW), where he mentors emerging Asian American and Muslim American writers. He also co-founded PinoyLife Media, a platform dedicated to exploring Filipino and Filipino American history and issues through bilingual programming.
A former journalist in the Philippines, Professor Pangilinan holds a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University—where he was a Jack R. Howard Fellow, the most prestigious scholarship for international students—and a bachelor’s degree in Philippine Studies from the University of the Philippines. Throughout his career, he has organized numerous conferences, commemorations, and educational initiatives that spotlight Filipino and Filipino American history and leadership.
Receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the FANHS means so much not just to Professor Pangilinan, but to his family, students, and all Filipino Americans.
“I have always admired FANHS and its commitment to making our community—and the larger American society—aware of the history, trials, and triumphs of our people,” Professor Pangilinan continued in his acceptance speech. “I am deeply grateful to FANHS Metro New York for recognizing the work that I do as a teacher of Philippine language, history, and culture, as an editor for Asian American writers, and as an advocate for Filipino heritage and Filipino rights and welfare.”
For Professor Pangilinan, the recognition is both an honor and a call to action.
“It gives me great joy to see young Filipino Americans who are enthusiastic about learning, teaching, and promoting Philippine history and culture,” Professor Pangilinan concluded. “To them I say, the future of Philippine Studies is in your hands. Be resolute in learning, teaching, and promoting our Filipino roots, rights, and responsibilities.”
Congratulations again, Professor Pangilinan! We can’t wait to see how else you’ll move all ways forward both in your work at UMSV and beyond!
About the University of Mount Saint Vincent
Founded in 1847 by the Sisters of Charity, the University of Mount Saint Vincent offers a nationally recognized liberal arts education and a select array of professional fields of study on a landmark campus overlooking the Hudson River. Committed to the education of the whole person, and enriched by the unparalleled cultural, educational, and career opportunities of New York City, the University equips students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary for lives of achievement, professional accomplishment, and leadership in the 21st century.