Awards 2025

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. Chengi (John) Guo, Professor, Computer Information Systems and Business Analytics

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. Gizem Atav, Associate Professor, Marketing

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.

• David Parker, Senior Lecturer, Business Law, International Business & MBA Program

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. Robert Richardson, Associate Professor, Accounting; Calibre Faculty Scholar

MBA Graduate Teaching Award

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

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

Professional Staff Service Award

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

• Ali Berg, Hart School

Administrative and Professional Faculty Service Award

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

•  Michelle Duncan, Director and Academic Advisor, Advising and Support Center

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. Xu Niu, Assistant Professor, Finance
• 2nd Place: Dr. David R. Peterson, Academic Unit Head and Assoc. Professor, Management and MBA Program and Dr. Marshall W. Pattie, Professor, Management
• 3rd Place: Dr. Puzant Balozian, Assistant Professor, Computer Information Systems and Business Analytics
• 3rd Place: Dr. Sara Joy Krivacek, Assistant Professor, Management

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. Marshall W. Pattie, Professor, Management
• 2nd Place: Dr. David R. Peterson, Academic Unit Head and Assoc. Professor, Management and MBA Program
• 3rd Place: Dr. Chengqi (John) Guo, Professor, Computer Information Systems and Business Analytics

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. Janna M. Parker, Associate Professor, Marketing
• 2nd Place: Dr. Robert C. Richardson, Associate Professor, Accounting; Calibre Faculty Scholar and Dr. William J. Ritchie, Professor and CSX Professor, Management