Dr. Nina Shoman-Dajani, assistant dean of Learning Enrichment and College Readiness at Moraine Valley Community College, received the 2025 NCORE Equity & Social Justice Change Agent Award at the 37th annual National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education (NCORE). The recognition honors individuals whose work drives systemic change and exemplifies an unwavering commitment to equity and justice.
Dr. Anthony P. Natale, senior administrative director of the Southwest Center for Human Relations Studies at the University of Oklahoma, shared of Shoman-Dajani, “She embodies the very essence of the award. Her leadership, grounded in both lived experience and scholarly practice, has consistently pushed the field toward more inclusive and justice-centered engagement. She has modeled how institutions can move from statements to action, particularly in community college contexts that serve richly diverse and often underserved student populations.”
Shoman-Dajani attended NCORE for the first time 10 years ago. “I always found NCORE to be a very welcoming space for everyone, no matter what your background is,” she said. “My work and research on Arab American students were welcomed and well received at the conference, and I started to build a network of colleagues across the country who are doing work in various spaces through an equity and social justice lens.”
Shoman-Dajani serves on the conference’s national advisory committee (NAC) and co-chairs the transnational-international subcommittee.
Four years ago, Shoman-Dajani, along with colleague Zeina Zaatari, launched NCORE’s first MENA/SWANA (Middle Eastern and North African/Southwest Asian and North African) caucus. Zaatari is the executive director of the Arab American Cultural Center at University of Illinois Chicago.
Through her involvement on the NAC and caucus, Shoman-Dajani provides feedback for programming that reflects the needs and interests of her caucus.
Natale explained, “Nina Shoman-Dajani is a powerful force for equity and justice in higher education. Her leadership is deeply principled and rooted in community. Through her partnership with NCORE, she has helped create more inclusive spaces for Arab American students, built bridges between institutions and reminded us that true equity requires both courage and care. We are proud to recognize her transformative work with this year’s Change Award.”
Shoman-Dajani shared her gratitude for the recognition, “There are thousands of people who attend NCORE and hundreds who help organize sessions and who have been actively involved for some decades. So, to receive this award and be recognized by NCORE was a great honor and it came as a nice surprise.”
For news media inquiries, contact Madisson Younglove, Moraine Valley assistant director of Communications, at (708) 974-5281 or younglovem2@morainevalley.edu.
