Smith Honors Faculty & Staff with Excellence Awards

The Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland is recognized as one of the top research institutions in the world, but it is also a place where students can learn from some of the best teachers in a highly supportive community. At the end of each academic year, the school honors its outstanding faculty and staff members with awards of excellence. The awards were presented at the School Assembly on May 6, 2016.

“It’s a pleasure to work in an environment where there is so much talent and positive energy," said Alex Triantis, dean of the Smith School. “I’d like to extend my heartfelt congratulations and thanks to all of the faculty and staff members at Smith who received awards this year for teaching and service excellence.”

Teaching Excellence Awards

The Allen J. Krowe Award for Teaching Excellence is given to the Smith School’s very best instructors in May of each year. The recipients are chosen based on nominations and teaching evaluations by the school’s Teaching Enhancement Committee. Krowe, a distinguished alumnus of both the business school and the university, established the awards in 1986 to recognize and promote excellence in teaching.

“Over the past 30 years, the Krowe Teaching Award has become one of the most valued and respected awards at Smith,” said Triantis. “We thank Allen for the support he has given over the years to honor teaching excellence and are pleased that he was able to join us for this special 30th anniversary celebration.”

During the award presentation, Krowe commended the recipients and recalled the profound effect his teachers had on him during his time at Maryland. “They changed my life. You are changing lives,” he said.

Congratulations to the 2015-16 recipients of the Krowe Award for Teaching Excellence:

• Gary Bulmash, Accounting and Information Assurance
• Phil Evers, Logistics, Business and Public Policy
• Michael Faulkender, Finance
• Michael Kimbrough, Accounting and Information Assurance
• Vijaya Venkataramani, Management and Organization
• Bobby Zhou, Marketing

Legg Mason Teaching Innovation Award Recipients:

• Rajshree Agarwal, Management and Organization
• Protiti Dastidar, Management and Organization

CIBER Award for Teaching Innovation in Global Learning Recipient:

• Mark Wellman, Management and Organization

Teaching Innovation Grant Proposals:

• Mary Harms, Marketing
• Karen Hallows, Finance

Distinguished Teaching Awards:

Staff Excellence Awards

The Staff Excellence Awards were established to recognize the critical role that non-academic staff members play in the Smith School’s success. The Smith School strives to single out and personally recognize staff members for their superior performance and significant contributions each year. The recipients are selected based on nominations.

Congratulations to the 2015-16 recipients of the Smith Staff Excellence Award:

Staff Excellence Awards:

• Miloyka Wilson, Smith Operations
• Brittany Van Ness, Office of Smith Programs and Events

Smith Student Champion:

• Ashlee Kerkhoff, Office of Career Services
• Brian Bartholomay, Masters Programs Office

Smith Ambassador:

• Samantha James, Office of Executive Programs, Non-Degree Programs

Smith Rookie of the Year:

• Christina Elson, Ed Snider Center for Enterprise & Markets
• Ignacio Landaverde Mrochek, Office of Executive Programs, Online MBA

Smith Innovations Award:

• Allison Nederveld, Office of Transformational Learning

Smith Values Award:

• LeAnne Dagnall, Office of Graduate Admissions

Want to nominate a Smith professor or staff member for an award for excellence in teaching or service? Check the Smith website in early 2017 for the nomination forms.

- Alissa Arford, Office of Marketing Communications