Adjunct Professor and Lund Gill Chair Dr. Ada Cheng Receives 2024 Public Humanities Award

Dr. Ada Cheng, adjunct professor of sociology and criminology at Dominican University and 2023-24 Lund Gill Chair, was recognized with a 2024 Public Humanities Award from the Illinois Humanities organization.

The award was presented to Cheng on Wednesday, May 22 in downtown Chicago.  Dr. Chad Rohman, dean of Rosary College of Arts and Sciences, and Dr. Cecilia Salvatore, interim associate dean of the College of Applied Social Sciences, were on hand as Cheng accepted the award. 

“A lot of people are doing great work in Chicago, so I feel very honored to receive this,” said Cheng, who delivered a speech with a panel of her mother's Chinese calligraphy displayed next to her. 

Illinois Humanities connects residents with free public programs, grants and events that make the humanities accessible for all. The Public Humanities Awards celebrate Illinois trailblazers in the arts, advocacy and community building, according to the organization’s website.

This year’s five award recipients demonstrated impactful work and support of the humanities, while “highlighting the power of storytelling and inclusion in strengthening the civic fabric of the state,” the organization said.

Cheng is a facilitator of storytelling workshops that create spaces to help others—often from marginalized communities—share their experiences and truths. In particular, she works to raise awareness of the experiences of BIPOC and LGBTQIA communities.

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