University News
Marketing Faculty Member Named Distiguished Teacher
December 1, 2002
MACOMB, IL -- A Western Illinois University associate professor of marketing has been named the 2002 Distinguished Teacher by the Society for Marketing Advances (SMA).
Mandeep Singh was selected for the honor during the SMA conference held recently in
St. Petersburg, FL. The distinguished teacher competition is open to all members of SMA. Four finalists were selected by a peer review group based on their teaching credentials and personal essays on their teaching philosophy. The winner was then chosen based on his or her presentation to a panel of judges at the annual conference. Along with Singh, other finalists included faculty from Baylor, Northeastern University in Boston and Virginia Commonwealth.
"Dr. Singh's selection as a finalist for the award was from a wide field of candidates. When a faculty member is recognized as the best teacher in the country, it is significant," said Fred Ebeid, Western marketing and finance department chair. "Being named Distinguished Teacher of the Year by the national organization is a marvelous accomplishment and one that is well-deserved by Dr. Singh."
Singh is the third Western Illinois marketing faculty member to be considered for the award and the second Western teacher to win. John Drea was named distinguished teacher in 1998, the first year the award was given, and Carolyn Tripp received second place honors in the 2001 competition.
Singh's original application for the competition highlighted his teaching philosophies, and he also centered his 15-minute presentation to the judges around his methods, one of which is his strong belief in providing his students with real-world applications.
"Students are most enthusiastic about learning when they deem the subject matter to be relevant and applicable to their situation and their careers," he explained. "I believe that good teaching extends beyond the textbook to include hands-on experiences that bridge the gap between theory and practice.
"It impresses me enormously to know that students trust me with their time, attention, interest and part of their future," Singh added. "For me good instruction is a journey of continuous learning and improvement. I am privileged to be in an environment where there is an abundance of exceptional teachers."
Posted By: Darcie Shinberger (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing
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