Category: McEniry Awards

2026 William Hugh McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching

Post author By Dayspring Idahosa
Post date May 29, 2026

Congratulations to the recipient of the 2022 William Hugh McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching

The Office of Faculty Engagement is proud to congratulate Dr. Randall Croom, Associate Professor of Management and Assistant Director of the Honors Program, on receiving the 2026 William Hugh McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching, Stetson University’s most prestigious recognition for teaching excellence.

Established in 1974, the McEniry Award honors faculty members who exemplify exceptional classroom teaching, intellectual growth, professional achievement, and meaningful service to students and the university community. (Stetson University)

Dr. Croom is widely recognized for his commitment to student mentorship, experiential learning, and helping students connect theory to practice. Through his work in the School of Business Administration and the Honors Program, he has made a lasting impact on countless students across the Stetson community.

Please join us in celebrating Dr. Croom on this well-deserved honor and thanking him for his continued dedication to teaching, scholarship, and student success.

Dr. Randall Croom

Associate Professor of Management and Assistant Director of the Honors Program

Announcements Faculty Accomplishments Faculty Awards McEniry Awards

2025 William Hugh McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching

Post author By Dayspring Idahosa
Post date May 27, 2026

Congratulations to the recipient of the 2025 William Hugh McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching

The Office of Faculty Engagement is proud to congratulate Dr. John Riggs, Professor of Practice in Marketing and Director of the Centurion Sales Excellence Program, on receiving the 2025 William Hugh McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Established in 1974, the McEniry Award honors faculty members who exemplify the highest standards of teaching excellence, intellectual growth, professional accomplishment, and service to students and the university community. (Stetson University)

Dr. Riggs is widely respected for his dynamic teaching style, mentorship of students pursuing careers in business and professional sales, and commitment to experiential learning. Through his leadership of the Centurion Sales Excellence Program, he has helped prepare students for success through hands-on learning, industry engagement, and professional development opportunities.

His dedication to student achievement and innovative business education has made a lasting impact within the School of Business Administration and across the broader Stetson community. (Stetson University)

Please join us in celebrating Dr. Riggs on this well-deserved honor and thanking him for his continued dedication to teaching, mentorship, and student success.

Dr. John Riggs
Professor of Practice in Marketing and Director of the Centurion Sales Excellence Program

Announcements Faculty Accomplishments Faculty Awards McEniry Awards

2023 William Hugh McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching

Post author By Dayspring Idahosa
Post date May 22, 2026

Congratulations to the recipient of the 2023 William Hugh McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching

The Office of Faculty Engagement is proud to congratulate Dr. Cynthia Bennington, Professor of Biology, on receiving the 2023 William Hugh McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching, Stetson University’s highest honor for teaching excellence.

Established in 1974, the McEniry Award recognizes faculty members who embody exceptional classroom teaching, intellectual growth, professional achievement, and meaningful service to students and the university community. (Stetson University)

Dr. Bennington is widely admired for her dedication to student mentorship, innovative teaching, and commitment to scientific inquiry. Through her work in the Department of Biology, she has inspired generations of students to pursue research, critical thinking, and academic excellence.

Her impact extends far beyond the classroom through collaborative scholarship, undergraduate research mentorship, and a deep commitment to fostering student success across the Stetson community. (Stetson University)

Please join us in celebrating Dr. Bennington on this well-deserved recognition and thanking her for her continued dedication to teaching, scholarship, and the Stetson community.

Dr. Cynthia Bennington
Professor of Biology

Announcements Faculty Accomplishments Faculty Awards McEniry Awards

2024 William Hugh McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching

Post author By Dayspring Idahosa
Post date May 21, 2026

Congratulations to the recipient of the 2024 William Hugh McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching

The Office of Faculty Engagement is proud to congratulate Dr. Katya Kudryavtseva, Associate Professor of Art History and Curator of the Vera Bluemner Kouba Collection, on receiving the 2024 William Hugh McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching.

As Stetson University’s most prestigious teaching honor, the McEniry Award recognizes faculty members who demonstrate exceptional classroom instruction, intellectual leadership, professional achievement, and meaningful service to students and the university community. (Stetson University)

Dr. Kudryavtseva is recognized for her engaging and interdisciplinary approach to teaching, her dedication to mentoring students, and her ability to connect art history with broader cultural and historical conversations. Through her work in the Department of Art, Art History, and Design, she has helped cultivate curiosity, creativity, and global understanding among her students.

Her contributions to scholarship, curation, and experiential learning continue to enrich the Stetson academic experience and reflect the university’s teacher-scholar tradition. (Stetson University)

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Kudryavtseva on this outstanding achievement and thanking her for her continued commitment to excellence in teaching and mentorship.

Dr. Katya Kudryavtseva
Associate Professor of Art History

Faculty Accomplishments Faculty Accomplishments Faculty Awards McEniry Awards

2022 William Hugh McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching

Post author By Shadia Munoz-Najar
Post date January 25, 2023

Congratulations to the recipient of the 2022 William Hugh McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching

Established in 1974, the McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching is considered to be Stetson University’s most prestigious award based on the highest attainment of teaching excellence as personified by the former Dean of the University, William Hugh McEniry. Exceptional teaching in the classroom is at the heartbeat of this award, along with intellectual growth, professional competency, academic activities outside of the classroom, and meaningful service to students and the University as a whole.

This year’s McEniry selection committee had an incredibly challenging job. Stetson is a community full of highly deserving teacher-scholars. This year’s awardee stood out as an exceptionally impactful educator at Stetson and within their field. There is a clear record demonstrating that this faculty member is a phenomenal teacher. Thoughtfully written nominations demonstrated a deep commitment to high-quality teaching.

A nomination by a fellow faculty member notes: “This professor is a star at everything he does. He is electric in the classroom. A superb intellect. A fine writer. His scholarship is set to do groundbreaking work in broad cultural fields”.

A student nomination states: “This professor really pushed all his students to achieve academic excellence. He maintained a very high standard in class and promoted a higher level of thinking. This professor was always very accessible and open to help students outside of class hours.”

A second student nomination states: “This professor effortlessly explains all of the information. I personally look up to him as an ACADEMIC GIANT.”

Yet, a third student nomination states: “This professor has found a way to make his students enjoy taking his classes while also keeping us on our toes.”

I am delighted and honored to announce this year’s award winner! For the first time in the history of Stetson University, the McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching will be presented to the winner of the Hand Award for Research, Creative, and Professional Activity. Please join me in wishing heartfelt congratulations to the recipient of the 2022 William Hugh McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Professor of Music.

Dr. Daniil Zavlunov!

Presented by Dr. Hala El Arag, Professor of Computer Science, on May 6, 2022 at the 2022Academic Awards and Recognition Ceremony

Faculty Awards McEniry Awards

2021 William Hugh McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching

Post author By Shadia Munoz-Najar
Post date June 22, 2021

Congratulations to the recipient of the 2021 William Hugh McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching

Established in 1974, the McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching is considered to be Stetson University’s most prestigious award based on the highest attainment of teaching excellence as personified by the former Dean of the University, William Hugh McEniry. Exceptional teaching in the classroom is at the heartbeat of this award, along with intellectual growth, professional competency, academic activities outside of the classroom, and impactful service to students and the University as a whole.
Needless to say, this year’s McEniry selection committee had an incredibly challenging job with Stetson being a community full of highly deserving teacher-scholars. That said, this year’s awardee stood out as an exceptionally impactful educator at Stetson and also within her field. There is a clear record demonstrating that she is phenomenal teacher and a dedicated leader in her field. And she had thoughtfully written nominations demonstrating her deep commitment to high-quality teaching at Stetson and beyond.
A nomination by a fellow faculty member notes: “[This professor] is in her nineteenth year as a member of the Stetson faculty…and clearly, [she] is one of Stetson finest scholar-teachers. While her stature as a publishing scholar is highly meritorious, her skills and accomplishments as a teacher are no less remarkable. She is highly organized, mature, innovative, engaged, and passionate.”
This professor is described as a master teacher who cares most about student learning, and she considers part of her teaching role preparation of students for professional success.
A student nomination states: “[This professor] goes the extra mile in every aspect, teaching and beyond. She teaches some of the most challenging courses at Stetson and in the computer science field. While the coursework is rigorous and intellectually demanding, she provides ways to grasp the difficult concepts in ways that suit all learning styles. As an advisor, she’s not only concerned about short-term academic success, but also long-term professional development and your best interests. Additionally, she never fails to encourage and inspire. I switched my major to computer science after a semester and felt very out of place at first. Having [this professor] as a mentor was a really important part of staying encouraged; she connected me with other women in the field and introduced me to conferences and other opportunities.”
This year’s recipient is a professor of computer science who recently received the Florida Council Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ Outstanding Engineering Educator Award, a testament to her commitment to teaching excellence and the quality of education that she provides students, as well as her outstanding contribution to the electro-technology profession. I am delighted and honored to announce this year’s award winner! Please join me in wishing a heartfelt congratulations to the recipient of the 2021 William Hugh McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching… Dr. Hala ElAarag!!
Rajni Shankar-Brown