Each year, Goizueta Business School honors faculty members for their dedication to and leadership in academic excellence in teaching, content development, experiential learning, scholarly inquisition, and commitment. We are proud to present this year’s recipients.
Several Goizueta faculty were recently recognized by Emory University for their accomplishments over the past year, including Assistant Professor in the Practice of Accounting Allison Kays and Associate Professor in the Practice of Marketing Omar Rodríguez-Vilá.
The Emory Williams Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award
Presented annually to faculty with a record of excellence in undergraduate teaching, this year’s award was presented to Allison Kays. The Emory Williams Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award recognizes faculty who foster participation, exemplify the highest quality of teaching scholarship, serve as a mentor to students, retain an ongoing commitment to teaching, and make significant contributions to advance the university through teaching.
Kays joined the Goizueta faculty in 2018 and teaches a core accounting course to students. She recently developed and taught a new course in data analytics that helps prepare students in the usage of Python and Excel.
“The pandemic brought unique teaching challenges to all Emory faculty and Allison rose to the occasion in so many ways,” John H. Harland Interim Dean Karen Sedatole wrote in her nomination form. “In the spring of 2020, Professor Kays went above and beyond to make sure that students would maintain their academic experience during the switch to online course delivery.”
Outside of teaching, Kays has served on several committees, including the Accounting Area NTT Faculty Selection Committee, as well as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council and the Experimentation Zone Committee.
“I am so honored to receive this award and so lucky to get to do the work that I do,” Kays said. “Goizueta has brilliant undergraduate students who keep me on my toes. Their passion, curiosity, and desire to learn fuels my own desire to constantly improve my content and teaching methods.”
Provost’s Distinguished Teaching Award for Excellence in Graduate and Professional Education Teaching Award
For his dedication to teaching within formal and informal educational settings, Omar Rodríguez-Vilá was honored with the Provost’s Distinguished Teaching Award for Excellence in Graduate and Professional Education Teaching Award. The award honors faculty who foster participation and engage students, dedicate their time to advancing the art and science of teaching and learning, make significant contributions that impact the university through teaching, serve as a mentor to students and form advising relationships with graduate and professional students.
Rodríguez-Vilá currently serves as the academic director of education at the academic research center, The Roberto C. Goizueta Business & Society Institute. His current research focuses on two areas: how the environmental and social sustainability considerations are changing the nature of marketing activities; and how brands communicate societal benefits in social media and into the marketplace practices of antiracists brands. His work has been published in Harvard Business Review, and includes one of his most recent works, “Is Your Marketing Organization Ready for What’s Next?”
“I think of my job as helping students ‘see more’ and ‘do more,’” Rodríguez-Vilá said. “However, keeping that promise to our students given the disruptions of the past year was one of the hardest challenges of my career. That is why this award meant so much to me. It has fueled my passion and courage to continue the work of innovating and improving our student’s experience at Goizueta.”
Twelve Additional Teaching Awards Bestowed on Goizueta Faculty
Kevin Crowley, senior lecturer of Finance, was awarded Weekend Executive MBA Distinguished Educator Award (Electives).
Renée Dye, associate professor in the Practice of Organization & Management, received the MBA Teaching Excellence Award (Junior Faculty). The award is sponsored by the MBA class of 1999.
George Easton, associate professor of Information Systems & Operations Management and Rajiv Garg, associate professor of Information Systems & Operations Management, were awarded MSBA Distinguished Core Educators.
Ray Hill, senior lecturer in Finance, received the MBA Teaching Excellence Award (Classic Faculty). The award is sponsored by the MBA class of 1999.
JB Kurish, professor in the Practice of Finance, was awarded MBA Capstone Lecturer.
Alvin Lim and David Sackin were awarded MSBA Distinguished Elective Educators.
Daniel McCarthy, assistant professor of Marketing, was awarded Evening MBA Distinguished Elective Educator.
Shehzad Mian, associate professor of Finance, received the Modular Executive MBA Distinguished Educator Award.
Usha Rackliffe, associate professor in the Practice of Accounting, was awarded BBA Distinguished Educator Award.
Omar Rodríguez-Vilá, associate professor in the Practice of Marketing, received the Evening MBA Distinguished Core Faculty and Weekend Executive MBA Distinguished Educator Award (Core).
Goizueta Business School is proud to present the accomplishments of these and other faculty members within our institution. To learn more about the teaching, specialized research, and core interests of each faculty member, visit here to review our faculty profiles and their related publications.
