The ASSIST Humanitarian Foundation presented the 2026 Excellence in Education Award to Professor Daniela Dungeanu
The Excellence in Education Award represents, for the ASSIST Humanitarian Foundation, a form of public recognition toward those who choose, year after year, to invest in future generations. It is an award that comes from the foundation, but equally reflects the gratitude of the entire Suceava community toward the teachers who shape its children and prepare them for the future.
At the 13th edition of the "Autumn Symphonies" event, the ASSIST Humanitarian Foundation presented the 2026 Excellence in Education Award to Daniela Dungeanu, physics teacher and principal of "Petru Rareș" National College in Suceava. The distinction was accompanied by a prize of 10,000 lei.
Daniela Dungeanu: A career built on high standards
Daniela Dungeanu has been teaching physics at "Petru Rareș" National College for over 40 years and has held the position of principal since 2001. These are 25 years in which she has led one of the most prestigious educational institutions in Suceava County, with consistency, rigor, and an educational vision that has been constantly reflected in student results and in the school's reputation.
Under her leadership, "Petru Rareș" National College was awarded the Order of "Merit for Education" at the rank of Officer in October 2024, presented by the President of Romania at a ceremony at Cotroceni Palace.
In 2021, Professor Dungeanu achieved the only perfect score of 10 in the entire country at the written examination of the national competition for school principals — a performance that reflects the same standard of preparation and seriousness she conveys to her students.
As a physics teacher, she has prepared over 35 students who have reached the national stages of the Physics Olympiad. At the National Physics Olympiad held in Craiova in April 2026, students coached by Professor Dungeanu won bronze medals.
The 2026 Excellence in Education Award, presented at the Autumn Symphonies event in Suceava
Taking to the stage were Mihaela Chistol, Member of the Board of Directors of the ASSIST Humanitarian Foundation, and Prof. Dan Popescu, principal of "Ștefan cel Mare" National College Suceava and laureate of the 2025 Excellence in Education Award.
Excellence in education is difficult to measure, but easy to recognize when you encounter it. For us, the ASSIST Humanitarian Foundation, the most important investment remains in the people who know how to turn resources into opportunities for others.
Receiving the distinction in front of the thousands of Suceava residents present, Professor Dungeanu dedicated the award to her fellow teachers, to the students who had confirmed over the years that the choice to become an educator was worth making, and to the community that understood that investing in education means investing in the future.
Although this recognition bears my name, excellence in education is built through teamwork.
The Excellence in Education Award: five years of recognizing values in Suceava's education
Awarded annually since 2022, the ASSIST Humanitarian Foundation's Excellence in Education Award honors educators from the Suceava community who have demonstrated, throughout their entire career, that the teaching profession is, above all, a calling. Past laureates:
- Prof. Costică Costan (2022)
- Prof. Dr. Petru Crăciun (2023)
- Prof. Daniela Lungoci (2024)
- Prof. Dan Popescu (2025)
Through this award, the ASSIST Humanitarian Foundation reaffirms its conviction that a prosperous community is built, first and foremost, through education and the people who make it possible.
