The best and brightest of the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business were honored April 14, 2011, in an afternoon awards ceremony that highlighted the achievements of both students and faculty.
The program was attended by more than 100 people, including family of the honored students; donors whose gifts made several scholarships possible; and most of the business school faculty whose input helped determine the 2011 award recipients.
Academic Achievement Awards
Academic Excellence Award in Accounting
Jennifer Kirts
This award is given to a senior accounting major who has demonstrated superior academic achievement and possesses potential for intellectual and professional growth.
Challenge and Expect Award in Accounting
Claire Tamer
This award is presented to a senior majoring in accounting who has demonstrated excellent academic achievement and growth.
John Kappas Economics Award
Micah Boomer
This award goes to the senior economics major who best demonstrates enthusiasm for economics, potential for leadership, and classroom excellence. It is named in honor of the late John Kappas, a 1985 Elon graduate.
NCCPA Exam Award
Luke O’Rourke
This award is provided by the North Carolina State Board of Certified Public Accountant Examiners to provide a deserving graduating accounting major the opportunity to take the Uniform CPA exam free of charge.
Alpha Kappa Psi Scholarship Key And Award Certificate
Nicholas Leonard
This award is presented to the student with the highest GPA among those graduating with a major in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business.
Walter Hattenbach Award
Kelsey O’Leary
The senior marketing major with the highest GPA receives this award, which was established by Dr. and Mrs. James W. Johnston in honor of their friend, Walter Hattenbach.
Benjamin Grover Johnston Award
Christian True
This award honors the sophomore who has the highest GPA in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business. Dr. and Mrs. James W. Johnston established this award in memory of Dr. Johnston’s brother, Benjamin Grover Johnston.
Student Achievement in Economics Award
Kaylyn Swankoski
This award is given to a senior economics major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her courses as well as promise for future achievement.
Student Achievement in Marketing Award
Lauren Fredrickson
This award is given to a senior marketing major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her major as well as promise for future achievement
Student Achievement in Finance Award
Kaitlin Marvin
This award is given to a senior finance major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her major as well as promise for future achievement
Student Achievement in International Business Award
Katherine Branthoover
This award is given to a senior international business major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her major as well as promise for future achievement
Student Achievement in Management Award
Scott Swedberg
This award is given to a senior management major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her major as well as promise for future achievement
Student Achievement in Entrepreneurship Award
Timothy Porter
This award is given to a senior entrepreneurship major who has shown enthusiasm and success in his or her major as well as promise for future achievement
Love School of Business Responsible Leadership Award
Michael Nowak
Jennifer Kirts
This award is given to the students who best exemplify behaviors inside and outside the classroom that support our mission of transforming students and transforming businesses.
The Martha and Spencer Love School of Business Dean’s Awards for Faculty
Excellence in Teaching
Kevin O’Mara
The Martha and Spencer Love School of Business Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching recognizes a faculty member who exemplifies the Elon University teacher-scholar model. This person is outstanding in the classroom, engages students in the learning process, maintains academic rigor, and provides evidence of commitment to the intellectual development of students through mentoring and related activities.
“The 2011 recipient of this award teaches a range of courses at all levels – undergraduate, graduate, and Executive Education – and is well known for introducing pedagogical innovation throughout these courses. This professor mentors undergraduate students involved in a variety of educational activities outside of the classroom, such as assisting with the preparation of students for the Innovation Challenge and guiding students as they prepare for case competitions, such as the CFA Challenge, the John Molson Case Competition or the Eller Ethics Case Competition. Both in class and out, this professor demonstrates a passion for creativity and engaged learning. He has been involved in the design and delivery of a number of creative undergraduate and graduate study abroad courses. According to his department chair, ‘His creativity shows no signs of abating, and we can look forward to more exciting innovations from him in the future. Given this sustained and successful commitment to innovation and transformation, he has earned the reputation worthy of a recipient of the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.’ Whether he is beaming executives into his classroom or bringing together law and business students to understand business in Vietnam or engaging students in demographic research for a major company, this faculty member ensures that his students walk away having been involved in the learning process in the finest Elon tradition.”
Excellence in Scholarship
Michael Rodriguez
The Martha and Spencer Love School of Business Dean’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship recognizes one or more faculty members each year whose scholarly work has a significant intellectual impact in keeping with the Elon scholar-mentor model. Selection factors for this award include publication or presentation of peer-reviewed research in quality outlets and evidence that the faculty member engages in scholarship related activities. These activities might include supporting the scholarly endeavors of colleagues, advancing the school’s reputation, and mentoring students in undergraduate research.
Comments on Rodriguez by Love School of Business Dean Mary Gowan:
“This year’s recipient of the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship has “hit the ground running.” During this academic year he has had three articles accepted for publication in highly regarded journals in his field and has a revise and resubmit and that one may have been accepted by now! Additionally, a summary of one of his research articles was published in the Carolina Business Connection and he has made two conference presentations and had another paper accepted for an upcoming conference. This record is impressive for anyone but especially so for a relatively new scholar who is also outstanding in the classroom and in his service activities. His ability to link his scholarship interests with his teaching interests and then to use the knowledge gained for mentoring students exemplifies the Elon Teacher- SCHOLAR-Mentor model. We can’t wait to see what he will have accomplished at the end of his current teaching sabbatical!
Exemplary Service – External
Linda Lashendock
The Martha and Spencer Love School of Business Dean’s Award for Exemplary Service – External
recognizes a member of the larger Elon University community who has contributed in meaningful ways to the ongoing welfare and betterment of the LSB. This contribution can take the form of assisting LSB with a specific program or project or providing ongoing support for LSB activities.
Comments on Lashendock by Mary Gowan:
“The 2011 recipient of this award was nominated for her outstanding service throughout the year. Her main nominator (there were several people who nominated her), noted that ‘She was nothing short of amazing. The consummate professional—a perfectionist in all ways—without any of the negatives that often go along with perfectionism.’ She put together an amazing product, negotiated hard to get us better pricing, managed a team of technical support staff seamlessly, sat through long meetings, took cell phone calls after hours (and with the flu), and enabled others to sleep better at night knowing she was on the case. She did everything possible to work with the various faculty and staff members to pull off the photo show and she truly went above and beyond at every turn and did it with grace and joy. She was such a delight to work with—it would be impossible to exaggerate what a pleasure it was to have her on our team. To sum it up, the recipient of this year’s service—external award, made sure we pulled off what many people, including the president, has said was Elon’s best event ever!”
Exemplary Service – Faculty
Thomas Tiemann and Sharon Hodge
The Martha and Spencer Love School of Business Dean’s Award for Exemplary Service-Faculty recognizes one or more faculty members each year who has contributed in meaningful ways to the ongoing welfare and betterment of the college, university and profession. This award follows from the Elon servant-leadership model. Selection is based on service in the preceding year plus overall willingness to volunteer one’s time when needed and to carry new ideas to reality.
Comments on Tiemann by Mary Gowan:
“The first recipient has been at Elon for many years and throughout his time here has focused his energy on making sure our students have the best possible learning experiences. His work on major committee in the school and across campus has helped to ensure that Elon and the LSB continue to move forward on an upward trajectory. Whether creating the program for our emerging leaders in the school or leading our efforts to globalize, this professor has spent countless hours focused on how to make the student experience outstanding. During the past year, he led our initiatives to create the dual degree program with the European School of Business at Reutlingen University in Germany and is working on a similar relationship with the Reims Management School in France. His efforts have continued throughout this academic year, even while on sabbatical, to work to identify ways to engage more students and faculty in international activities that will help us fulfill our goal of creating local and global citizens and the university commitment to greater diversity and internationalization.”
Comments on Hodge by Mary Gowan:
“This year marks a major milestone for the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business. We only get to turn 25 once, and we wanted to celebrate in style. It was not hard to know who to ask to take on the major responsibility of making sure that happened and, boy, did it ever. The second 2011 recipient of the Dean’s Award for Exemplary Service – LSB Faculty member, is someone who led the effort to show Elon how to party in style! She put in long hours, always kept a smile on her face and remained calm regardless of what happened along the way. Her team rallied round her and with a relatively small budget gave us the event of a lifetime. I heard rumors that some folks were comparing the gala to their weddings and the gala was better! We won’t go there. Throughout all of these efforts, she maintained her duties as department chair, mentored student research projects, involved her classes in service learning activities, and, I understand, even got some research done.”
2011-12 Endowed Scholarships
The A. Vance Beck, Sr. and Gwendolyn D. Beck Scholarship
Chelsea Meade
Established in honor of Vance and Gwendolyn Beck by his employer (the Belk-Beck group of department stores), the award goes to a rising junior within the business school.
The David O. Bowden Economics Scholarship
Mallory Gershenfeld
Established by David Bowden ’70, the David O. Bowden Economics Scholarship is awarded to a rising senior majoring in economics who has been active in the department and demonstrated potential for future success. At Elon, Mr. Bowden was a double major in business administration and economics. He went on to earn his JD from the University of Miami.
The Janie E. Council Scholarship
Andrea Brooke
This award was established in 1983 in memory of Janie E. Council by former friends, students and Mr. Robert Sandell II. Mrs. Council began her teaching career at Elon University in 1960 as an associate professor of business education and received the outstanding teaching award from the SGA in 1970. This scholarship is for a rising senior majoring in accounting, business administration, entrepreneurship, finance, international business, management or marketing.
The Doherty Scholars Award
Oliver Goddu
Alexandria Ruh
Alex Lake
Alexander Carberry
The Doherty Scholars are the top rising juniors and seniors in the business school’s entrepreneurship major or concentration. They will become the core leaders in the establishment of new entrepreneurial ventures on campus. These scholarships have been established through a generous gift from Edward and Joan Doherty to endow the Doherty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership. Ed and Joan are the parents of three children including Kerry, a 2007 Elon graduate. Ed is a member of Elon’s Board of Trustees and together with Joan serves on Elon’s Parents Council.
The Love Award for Excellence in Business Leadership
Jacqueline Evans
The prestigious Love Awards for Excellence in Business Leadership will honor and provide financial support to students who have demonstrated excellence and unusual promise for further development in intellect, imagination, creativity, character, moral courage and leadership. Founded by Martha and Spencer Love in 1947, the Martha and Spencer Love Foundation has generously supported Elon since the 1950s and made a major gift to Elon in 1985 to name the business school.
The Calvert C. and Margaret H. McGregor Scholarship
Brenton Rose
This scholarship was established by Calvert and Audrey McGregor in honor of his parents C. Calvert and Margaret H. McGregor. McGregor is an associate professor and the former chair of the accounting department here at Elon. This scholarship is for a rising junior or senior accounting student with preference given to students living in Alamance County, the Triad, or North Carolina.
The John and Helene Sparks Scholarship for Business
Jordan Neuhauser
This scholarship was established by John and his wife Helene in 1981. John Sparks graduated from Elon in 1950 with a Bachelor of Arts in business administration. He is a certified public accountant and former faculty member in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business. This scholarship is for business administration, entrepreneurship, finance, international business, management or marketing majors.
The Frederick K. Gilliam, Sr. Scholarship
David Campbell
Brenton Rose
Christian True
This scholarship was established in 1989 in memory of Fred Gilliam, Sr. by the partners in his accounting firm (James Moser, Jr., Maurice Jennings, and John Vernon III). Fred was a 1942 Elon graduate. He participated in orchestra and was part of Kappa Psi Nu. This scholarship is for accounting majors.
The R. Cruse Lewis Master Pools Guild/Love School of Business Endowment Scholarship
Gregory Speake
This scholarship was established in 1998 in honor of Cruse’s retirement from Master Pools Guild. Mr. R. Cruse Lewis is a former employee of Swimout Overflow Components, Inc. and Burlington Industries. He received a Citizen’s Service Award in November 2000 and has served on the Board of Visitors at Elon since 1996. This scholarship is for any business school major.
The Dudley Ray Watson Memorial Scholarship
Jennifer Rossbach
This scholarship was established in memory of Dudley Ray Watson by his parents, J. D. and Eunice Watson. Watson served as a member of the business faculty at Elon College from 1960 to 1963. This scholarship is for a rising senior majoring in business administration, entrepreneurship, finance, international business, management or marketing.
Wachovia Bank, N.A. Scholarship
Gregory Nantz
This scholarship was established in 1987 as the First Union Bank Scholarship and later renamed when First Union and Wachovia banks merged. The scholarship provides assistance to students enrolled in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business.
The Linda Thompson Weavil Endowed Scholarship
Randall Borror
This scholarship was established in 1992 by Dr. Linda Thompson Weavil and her husband Robert B. Weavil. Linda Thompson Weavil retired from the faculty of the Love School of Business in 2001. This scholarship is for an MBA student or an undergraduate majoring in business administration, entrepreneurship, finance, international business, management or marketing, with preference given to those living in Alamance County, the Triad, or North Carolina.
The John L. Sills, Jr. Scholarship
Victoria Dann
This scholarship was established in honor of John L. Sills, Jr. by Riverview Narrow Fabrics in August 1987. Sills was treasurer at Riverview Narrow Fabrics, Inc. He lives in Greensboro with his wife, Martha. They have one son, John L. Sills, III, a 1989 Elon graduate. This scholarship is for rising junior accounting majors.
The David A. Stevens ’81 Internship Scholarship
Grace Foster
Established in 2007 by David and Beth Stevens, this scholarship is awarded to business students to help defray the cost of completing an internship.
The Charles David Smith Endowed Scholarship
Christopher Sainz
Chelsea Helms
This scholarship was established in memory of Charles D. Smith by his parents Randolph Smith and Joyce Miller, and lifelong friend George Logan. Charles died in a plane crash near Roanoke, Virginia. He graduated from Elon with a Bachelor of Science degree in Banking and Finance in 1997. He was part of the men’s tennis team and a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. This scholarship is for business majors and preference is given to students from Virginia.
The Mills Family Endowed Scholarship
Hope Williams
Established in 2006 by Willard “Bill” Mills, Jr., and his mother, Helen Mills Gardner, this scholarship is awarded to a deserving student from North Carolina with preference given to a student majoring in business. Bill graduated from Elon in 1969 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
The Mark A. Horsburgh Study Abroad Scholarship
Christopher Welch
This award, established in 2007 by the Horsburgh family, provides scholarship assistance to a Business Fellow so that he or she can study abroad. The fund was created in honor of Mark A. Horsburgh, a 2007 Elon graduate and Business Fellow who studied abroad in Australia and Peru.
The Andras Family Award
Brittany Garrett
This award was established in 2007 with gifts from the Andras Foundation and David and Anne Andras, parents of Cody Andras ’10. The scholarship is awarded to a rising senior within the business school whose excellent work both inside and outside of the classroom models a pathway to future success in business.
The Samuel L. Burke Endowed Scholarship
Laura Bondi
This fund was established in 2008 by Samuel Burke ’89 to provide assistance for deserving accounting majors who are likely to demonstrate the value of their Elon education in their future careers.
The Rose Family Endowed Fund for Engaged Learning in Business
Brenna Humphries
This fund was established by Harry and Carol Rose in 2008 to help defray the cots of a business-related internship experience for any business major.
The Department of Economics Endowed Scholarship
Justin Wanner
This scholarship was established in 2005 by members of the Department of Economics for an economics major with a record of academic excellence within the major who exhibits a commitment to social responsibility.
The James T. Toney Endowment Fund
Lydia “Katy” Gale
This award was established by members of the Department of Economics in honor of Professor Jim Toney. The scholarship is for economics majors and is to be used for off-campus travel.
The Edward and Rita Galante Endowment for Business Internships
Allison Norell
This fund was established in 2008 in honor of Edward and Rita Galante by their son Donald and his wife Amanda. The award is to help business majors enjoy the unique educational opportunities associated with internships related to their major.
The Peter L. Tourtellot Endowed Scholarship in Business
Alexander Dempsey
This scholarship was established in 2010 by members of the Love School of Business Board of Advisors honoring board member Peter Tourtellot for his seven years of service as board chair. The scholarship is for a deserving undergraduate student within the Love School of Business.
The Troy Family Endowed Scholarship for International Study
Katherine Bloom
Established by Samuel P. Troy ’67, this scholarship is for any student in the Love School of Business studying abroad for a semester.