Three New Faculty Excellence Awards Presented

The College of Business and the Board of Advocates are pleased to announce the winners of the three new Faculty Excellence Awards established in 2014. The Excellence in Teaching Award was presented to Dr. Mary Ellen Benedict, chair and Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Department of Economics. Dr. Jan Hartley, professor in the Department of Management and director of the Supply Chain Management Institute, received the award for Engagement with Industry to Foster Experiential Learning.  The Board presented Dr. Earl McKinney, MIS Professor with the award for Using Technology to Improve Learning Outcomes.

Each award winner was presented a trophy and a check for $5,000 at the joint dinner of the Board of Advocates and the Young Alumni Board. The Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board selected the winners. The criteria they used for selection included the following:

Excellence in Teaching

• Establishing and managing student expectations to achieve high levels of academic success;
• High intellectual standards in terms of content, rigor, and integration of the best scholarship;
• Depth of concern for the subject; integration of the faculty member’s research into the classroom;
• Effective teaching strategies encouraging student participation in the  teaching learning process;
• Methods of assessment of student learning and achievement;
• Contributions to the improvement of the quality of teaching throughout the College or profession;
• Unusual efforts to ensure a rich learning experience; and
• Other extraordinary, unique, or pioneering contributions to excellence in teaching.

Engagement with Industry

• Development of case studies in collaboration with companies for use in the classroom;
• Student consulting projects with industry;
• Research in collaboration with companies or industry;
• Presentation at company and industry events;
• Leadership within industry associations;
• Integration of field trips into the curriculum;
• Faculty consulting projects with companies or industry; and
• Working with companies on internships and co-ops.

Using Technology to Improve Learning Outcomes

• Using technology to master content;
• Using technology to refresh previously learned content;
• Using technology to simulate real world situations and decision making;
• Using technology to track intellectual development;
• Measurements of the impact of technology on learning outcomes; and
• Using technology to assess learning outcomes

Congratulations go to these outstanding faculty.  Their names will be added to a permanent plaque in the Business Administration Building.