Awards 2024

Madison Scholar Award

One individual from each college is nominated by colleagues. Award winners exemplify excellence in scholarly achievement in their respective disciplines. Winners present a lecture on their area of expertise during the academic year.

• Dr. Angela Smith, Professor, Economics

Distinguished Teacher Award

Award established to honor faculty members annually for exemplary teaching. Each year, the university presents the award to one faculty member in each college.

• Dr. Baback Vaziri, Associate Professor, Computer Information Systems and Business Analytics; MBA Program

Distinguished Service Award

Individual is recognized for outstanding “local” service.  This might involve service to the College of Business, JMU and/or the Harrisonburg/Rockingham area.

• Dr. Theresa Lind, Senior Lecturer, Hart School

Dr. Otto C. Brenner Memorial Award

Individual is chosen for outstanding teaching by juniors and seniors in the College of Business at the end of each academic year.  Award is in honor of Dr. Otto C. Brenner, who won the award for Outstanding Undergraduate Professor more times than any other professor in the history of the College of Business.

• Dr. Carl Larsson, Associate Professor, Finance; Blue Ridge Bank Faculty Fellow

Accenture Professional Service Award

Individual is recognized for service to the profession or discipline. This can include service associated with professional associations, journals or similar activities. 

• Robert McMillen, Senior Lecturer, Marketing

MBA Graduate Teaching Award

Individual is recognized for outstanding teaching and/or service to the MBA Program. 

• Dr. Sergiy Dmytriyev, Assistant Professor, Business Management and MBA Program

Professional Staff Service Award

Individual is recognized for outstanding work in support of the JMU College of Business.

• Tanya Monger, Office Coordinator and Advisor, Advising and Support Center

Administrative and Professional Faculty Service Award

Individual is recognized for outstanding work in support of the JMU College of Business.

•  Erica Kann, Assistant Director, Office of Professional Development and Engagement 

Basic or Discovery Publication Award

This award celebrates the generation and communication of new knowledge and understanding and/or development of new methods, often referred to as discipline-based scholarship. Intellectual contributions in this category are normally intended to impact the theory, knowledge, and/or practice of business and management.

• 1st Place: Dr. Rhonda Syler, Academic Unit Head and R. Jarl Bliss Faculty Fellow, Computer Information Systems and Business Analytics
• 2nd Place: Dr. Xu Niu, Assistant Professor, Finance
• 3rd Place: Dr. Jaideep Chowdhury, Professor, Finance and Business Law, and Dr. Weiwei Zhang, Associate Professor, Finance and Business Law
• 3rd Place: Dr. Hoda Atef Yekta, Assistant Professor, Computer Information Systems and Business Analytics

Applied or Integration/Application Publication Award

This award recognizes scholarship that synthesizes new understandings or interpretations of knowledge or technology; develops new technologies, processes, tools or uses; and/or refines, develops or advances new methods based on existing knowledge. Intellectual contributions in this category are normally intended to contribute to and impact the practice of business and management.

• 1st Place: Dr. Tim Ozcan, Associate Professor, Marketing, MBA Program
• 2nd Place: Dr. Raktim Pal, Professor, Computer Information Systems and Business Analytics; Kirby L. Cramer Chair of Business Administration; MBA Program
• 3rd Place: Dr. Matthew Reidenbach, Assistant Professor, Accounting; Hantzmon Wiebel, LLP Faculty Scholar

Teaching and Learning Publication Award

This individual develops and advances new understandings, insights and teaching content and methods that impact learning behavior. Intellectual contributions in this category are normally intended to impact the teaching and/or pedagogy of business and management.

• 1st Place: Dr. William Ritchie, Professor and CSX Professor, Business Management; Dr. Luis Novoa, Associate Professor, Computer Information Systems and Business Analytics; MBA Program; Dr. Mert Tokman, Professor, Marketing and MBA Program; Global Supply Chain Management Minor, Program Co-coordinator; Kenneth R. Bartee Endowed Professor
• 2nd Place: Dr. Matthew Reidenbach, Assistant Professor, Accounting; Hantzmon Wiebel, LLP Faculty Scholar