Each Spring the Engler College of Business honors faculty and staff for being outstanding in various aspects of academic life. The annual Faculty/Staff Awards is where these accolades are passed out, and due recognition given. This year’s event was held on April 11th in the Alumni Banquet Hall on campus.
This year the Teaching Excellence Award was given to Dr. Oscar Solis, Associate Professor of Finance and Edwards Professor of Financial Planning. Solis is known for his highly engaging teaching style, and is well liked among his students. Managing one’s finances is no small task, and Solis makes the methods and numbers come to life. Students leave with life skills, not just fading memories of late-night cram sessions.
Dr. Bin Shao, Professor of Decision Management and Terry Professor of Business, won the Research Excellence Award. Known for her Supply Chain Management course, Shao toils in the trenches of AI and operations management, demonstrating real-world applications of her findings. Supply chains have become increasingly critical in recent years, and her research is leading the way toward business efficiencies and survival.
The Professional Service Award was given to Andrew Li, Professor of Management and Williams Professor of Management. Li has previously been given the Teaching Excellence Award and Research Excellence Award, giving him the rare trifecta in faculty awards. This time around he was honored for having played a significant role in the development of the new MS-SHRM degree.
Staff members were also lauded for their contributions to the College. Kat Kane, the Senior Director of the office of Career and Professional Development, was given the External Staff Award. Kane manages the Quinncia resumé service that our College’s students can utilize to improve their odds when applying for employment. Misty Hobbs won the Excellence in Staff Service Award. Her work with prospective and existing graduate students puts her in contact with many people from across the country. She makes sure that everyone can navigate through paperwork and other processes so that they can enter and complete their programs of study.
Three faculty members were honored for their recent promotions to Full Professor, including Dr. Kelly McCauley (Professor of Management), Dr. Neil Meredith (Professor of Economics), and Dr. Oscar Solis (Professor of Finance). This is the highest rank achievable by those on the faculty.
We also recognized two new staff members in the Engler College of Business. Christie Cochran is our new Academic Document Coordinator, while Kimberly Herbert is our Business Administrative Assistant. Cochran works with students and their degree plans and graduation applications, while Herbert keeps the front office running smoothly.
The Engler COB also like to honor a young up-and-comer among the faculty, someone who has quickly established themself as a go-getter. Mingrui “Nate” Xu, Assistant Professor of Management, has made significant strides in teaching and research in his two short years here, with impressive research and high student ratings. He wins the Horizon Award.
Since so many of our courses and programs are offered online, it is fitting that we honor a leader in this area as well. Dr. Abraham Sen, Assistant Professor of Computer Information Systems, has set himself apart with his innovative use of his iPad as a video production studio. The quality of his videos is stunning, no doubt appreciated by his students.
Finally, the Engler COB recognized two faculty members who are hanging up their academic cleats. David Clark, Instructor of Accounting and Healthcare Management, plans to relax and split his time between Amarillo and Dallas. Part-time Instructor Stephen Hayward, who teaches both the Macro and Micro Economics courses, will be tapping into the wellspring of retirement so he can enjoy non-academic pursuits.