UPR-Utuado professor receives international award for article on social entrepreneurship

Dr. Javier E. Pérez Lafont, an assistant professor at the University of Puerto Rico at Utuado, received the award in Bangkok during a ceremony highlighting global collaboration around academic innovation, social entrepreneurship, and sustainable development. (X via NoticiasdePonce)

By THE STAR STAFF

Dr. Javier E. Pérez Lafont, an assistant professor at the University of Puerto Rico at Utuado (UPRU) and director of the Agribusiness Genesis Project, has received the international award in the Best Student Paper Development category, granted by the Enactus World Resource Network (EWRN).

The distinction was presented during the official EWRN celebration at Srinakharinwirot University (SWU) in Bangkok, Thailand, in a ceremony highlighting global collaboration around academic innovation, social entrepreneurship, and sustainable development. The recognition takes on particular significance as it was personally presented by SWU President Dr. Wiroon Tungcharoen, thus validating the prestige and international significance of the award.

The award-winning article, titled “Cultivating Graduate Attributes for Social Entrepreneurship and Sustainability: The Case of El Malangazo at the University of Puerto Rico at Utuado,” presents an innovative study on how UPRU students develop leadership, critical thinking, innovation, teamwork, and social responsibility through social entrepreneurship. The research uses the framework of competency development and Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior, integrating theory and practice to explain how attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived control influence the intention to engage in social entrepreneurship.

“The international recognition of Dr. Javier E. Pérez Lafont is a testament to the commitment, creativity, and excellence found at our university. Projects like the one he leads in Utuado demonstrate that transformation is possible when we connect teaching, research, and service with the true needs of the country,” UPR President Dr. Zayira Jordán Conde said. “At the University of Puerto Rico, we continue to develop talent that creates, innovates, and builds a better future for our communities.”