Princeton resident, VU professor receives Teaching Excellence Award | Schools

Mary Hollars, Princeton, a professor of accounting and management at Vincennes University, is the recipient of a regional 2012 Teaching Excellence Award from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.  ACBSP recognizes individuals each year who exemplify teaching excellence in the classroom.  ACBSP currently has more than 1,051 member campuses in 50 countries and ten regions.

"I am honored and humbled by this prestigious award, and I am grateful to Mary Bowen who took her valuable time to write the nomination, and to Nicolas Spina, dean of the Business/Public Service Division, for writing a supporting letter," Hollars said.

Hollars will be honored with other regional recipients at the 2012 ACBSP Annual Conference, June 15-18, in Baltimore.  She will receive a medallion and a $100 check.

Two International Teaching Excellence Award recipients will be announced at a special Salute to Regions luncheon, one from a baccalaureate/graduate degree-granting institution and one from an associate degree-granting institution.  As a regional recipient, Hollars is now a candidate for the international award.

“Mary is one of the most motivated, determined, and dedicated colleagues I have encountered in my 16-plus years in higher education.  She is conscientious, displays mature teaching skills, and possesses excellent communication skills.  She is a good team player who never hesitates to take the initiative to get the job done.  Mary is highly respected by her superiors, colleagues, and students as she is patient, thorough, humble, considerate, and helpful as she works with others.  Her commitment to classroom teaching and learning, professional development, curriculum enhancement, and to our community, both internally and externally, is remarkable.  Mary has the ability to listen, lead, and teach in a composed, pragmatic, and unruffled manner.  Ultimately, she is dedicated to her role as a master teacher,” said Nicolas Spina, dean of VU’s Business and Public Service Division.

Hollars joined the VU faculty in 1992.  She is a past recipient of the Outstanding Teacher Award from the Indiana Business Education Association, a VU Peer Recognition Award, and two NISOD Teaching Excellence Awards.  She was also a nominee for VU’s Big Apple Award based on her positive impact on students.  She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Southern Indiana.

This semester Hollars is working to keep her Financial Accounting students better engaged by utilizing two peer tutors who previously completed the course.  She and the tutors meet with her students for 75 minutes after each class to get students started on their homework.  Assessment of this project is already showing the benefits to students.  She also routinely provides additional study sessions before exams for all of her accounting students.

Beyond teaching, Hollars also serves on numerous campus and community committees, including service as co-chair of VU’s Assessment Committee since 2010.  She also serves on VU's Continuous Quality Improvement committee and co-chairs the "Helping Students Learn" writing team for the AQIP project.

As a resident of Princeton, she has served as vice president of the Philanthropic Education Organization for the past two years and has been co-chair of Dollars for Scholars - an organization that has awarded $50,000 annually in scholarships to North Gibson High School Students.

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