Northeastern Illinois University Celebrates Recipients of 2026 Alumni Awards
Tuesday, July 14, 2026
Northeastern Illinois University honored four alumni and one future alumna during the 2026 Alumni Awards celebration.
The ceremony was held on Friday, May 29, 2026, in Alumni Hall on the Main Campus.
“The NEIU Alumni Association is proud to recognize our outstanding Golden Eagles for the contributions they’ve made to Northeastern and their communities,” said Interim Director of Alumni Relations Anna Mesa. “While we honor a few of our alumni with these special awards each year, we know there are more than 90,000 Northeastern alumni doing incredible work each and every day to make a difference in Chicago and beyond.”
Alumni Award Recipients 2026
Distinguished Alumna Award
PJ Randhawa (B.A. ’08 Communication, Media and Theatre)
The Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honor the University bestows upon a graduate and recognizes a particular achievement of note, a series of such achievements or a career of outstanding accomplishment.
Since her return to Chicago in 2023 as an Investigative Reporter for NBC 5 Responds, Randhawa’s investigations have helped recover more than $1 million for viewers. Her journalism has earned national and regional honors, including being named a 2023 DuPont Finalist, winning seven Emmy Awards, two Edward R. Murrow Awards and a 2023 National Headliner Award. She also earned a 2022 Crystal Mic for “Best Reporter” from the Illinois News Broadcasters Association, four Society of Professional Journalists awards for News Excellence, a 2023 National Excellence in Journalism Award from the NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists, along with multiple Missouri Broadcast awards and an International Sikh Award for Anchoring. Randhawa was the University’s December 2025 Commencement speaker.
“It was amazing to be on campus and meet people from every different country you could imagine,” said Randhawa, who came to Northeastern from Canada. “Being an international student, there's no alternative. You can't just stop or fail and then go home and regroup.” She continued, “I feel like the more determined you are to see your vision through, to live your dream, to accomplish what it is you think is meaningful, nobody can stop you.”
Alumni Service Award
Rogelio Villa Jr. (B.A. ’16 Interdisciplinary Studies)
The Alumni Service Award recognizes the achievements of individuals working on behalf of Northeastern through service in alumni programs, on advocacy committees and/or through efforts made to ensure the welfare of the University.
Villa began his Northeastern journey through the Proyecto Pa’Lante summer bridge program. As a first-generation college student, Villa noted that Northeastern provided not only academic opportunity, but also a strong sense of community and belonging that helped shape his path forward.
A U.S. Army combat veteran, Villa has dedicated his career to serving others, especially veterans, students and those in underserved communities. Prior to his current role as the Veterans Affairs School Certifying Official and Financial Aid Advisor at Kennedy-King College, Villa served as a Veteran Caseworker and Outreach Coordinator in the office of U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth. In 2022, he was named a Fellow of the Chicago Latino Caucus Foundation Leadership Academy. In 2026, he was appointed to the City of Chicago Advisory Council on Veterans Affairs, where he continues his mission of strengthening support systems and expanding opportunities for those who have served. Villa is also a Volunteer Platoon Leader with The Mission Continues, leading hundreds of service projects across Chicago, mobilizing volunteers to uplift underserved neighborhoods. He is also actively involved with the American Legion Manuel Perez Jr. Post 1017 and continues to advocate for veterans, including efforts supporting Green Card veterans and their families.
“Northeastern pride: What does it mean to me?” Villa questioned. “It means being part of something bigger, something exclusive. It means being part of a community that accepts everyone. It means being part of an institution that represents diversity and that represents resilience. It's beautiful to be able to have that experience of being able to engage and learn from others that are from everywhere in the world.”
Community Leadership Award
Jennifer Franco (B.A. ’12 Political Science)
The Community Leadership Award honors an outstanding alum who serves their community through distinguished leadership and service.
Franco is the Founder and CEO of Fempreneur Poder Hub, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering women of color to build sustainable businesses through accessible education, financial literacy and community-driven support. Based in Chicago, her work centers microbusiness owners often excluded from traditional economic systems, creating pathways for visibility, growth and long-term sustainability. She is currently a doctoral candidate in the Higher Education program at Loyola University Chicago, where her research explores belonging, identity and anti-Blackness. Franco’s work uniquely bridges academia and practice, positioning storytelling as a critical tool for economic development. As a speaker and ecosystem builder, she is advancing a vision for community-rooted capital, including the development of a future CDFI, to better serve historically under-resourced entrepreneurs.
“What actually caught my attention was the campus, the students just being proactive in helping other students,” Franco said. “I felt like that's where I found comunidad [community].”
Outstanding GOLD Award
Aidé Hernández, Ph.D. (BSW and B.A. ’18 Women’s and Gender Studies, now known as Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies)
The Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) Alumni Award recognizes an alum who graduated within the last ten years and has quickly excelled in his or her chosen profession.
Dr. Hernández is currently an Assistant Professor of Sociology at North Park University. She is a former Crossing Latinidades Mellon Fellow. Her research explores the experiences of Latinas in higher education, focusing on how families impact Latina students' educational experience. During her time at Northeastern, Dr. Hernández was a student ambassador, writing-intensive program tutor and a first-year experience peer mentor. Today, she creates content sharing her experience as a first-gen Latina in academia and educational resources to help others pursue advanced degrees. She co-founded Sunday School, a social group that organizes Sunday meetups for women of color in education and academia to have fun, support each other and share their experiences.
After graduating from Northeastern, Dr. Hernández earned an MSW from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She went on to earn her second master’s and Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Illinois Chicago.
“I would not be here if it wasn’t for a whole bunch of people that have backed me up,” Dr. Hernández said. “I’ve been really intentional in making those relationships and sustaining them as well. I still keep in touch with my faculty at NEIU because I have to give them big thanks for encouraging me to pursue graduate school, for teaching me what graduate school is, for helping me in the classes.” She continued, “I think my time at Northeastern was really setting me up for success.”
Future Alumni Leader Award
Cassaundra Garcia (B.S. ’26 Marketing)
The Future Alumni Leader Award was established to give University divisions, academic departments and colleges the opportunity to recognize a current student who demonstrates the potential to be a leader upon graduation based on their involvement and accomplishments as a student.
As a University Honors Program (UHP) scholar, Garcia demonstrated academic excellence while contributing meaningfully to the University community. Beyond academics, she has remained committed to empowering others to overcome challenges and create a lasting impact. Her dedication was reflected in her leadership as the President of the Northeastern chapter of the Association of Latino Professionals for America and serving as the Student Liaison for the NEIU Foundation Board. She was also President of the UHP Student Advisory Board; a Peer Mentor for College Readiness, Achievement and Retention Futuros and the Discover Yourself Living Learning Community; and a Lead Peer Mentor for the First-Year Experience program. Outside of Northeastern, Garcia was previously part of the Chicago Children's Choir and Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement’s University Leadership Program.
This summer, Garcia is continuing her internship with the NEIU Alumni Association, where she assists with communication and alumni engagement initiatives. She has secured a job at Deloitte — a global industry leader for audit, consulting, tax and advisory services — where she was an intern. Her future goals include continuing to develop herself and helping others grow — on both personal and professional levels.
“Regardless of where my career ends up taking me, or the roles that I’ll fill or the time that I’m there, I know that I want to give back to other students,” Garcia said. “Whether it’s mentorship roles, whether it’s bringing more opportunities or opening doors for them, I know that’s for sure what I want to do.”
2027 Alumni Award Nominations
Alumni, employees and students can submit nominations for the annual Alumni Awards to honor alumni and future alumni for significant achievements in their work, service or leadership activities. Questions can be directed to alumni@neiu.edu.
Top photo (from left to right): Cassaundra Garcia, Jennifer Franco, Northeastern President Katrina E. Bell-Jordan, PJ Randhawa and Aidé Hernández, Ph.D.