PROVIDENCE — Dr. John E. Deasy ’83, a native of Riverside, R.I. and superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, was recently presented the Service to Education Award during Providence College’s Annual Reunion Weekend held on campus.

The College’s National Alumni Association presented the award to Dr. Deasy for his dedication and extraordinary career achievements in the field of education, at a ceremony recognizing seven alumni for their outstanding contributions to the PC community and beyond.

In leading the nation’s second-largest school system, Dr. Deasy brings nearly three decades of extensive experience in education, including his nationally recognized success in narrowing the achievement gap between low-income and minority students and their peers in Prince George’s County, Maryland. He also has served as Deputy Director of Education for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He is the son of the late Dr. Richard Deasy ’51, former member of PC’s history department, and is the oldest of four siblings, all of whom graduated from PC.

PC’s National Alumni Association was instituted in 1924, one year after the first graduating class at the College. The Association consists of 36 clubs and chapters across the country, with membership spanning more than seven decades of graduates. They come from diverse backgrounds and hold a wide array of positions within various industries.

The Association plans a variety of programs and opportunities for alumni to network, based on Six Pillars of Engagement: Celebration of our Catholic and Dominican Identity, Community Service, Career Networking, Cultural and Educational, Camaraderie, and Young Alumni and Current Students.