The Broad College emphasizes developing its students into transformational business leaders and has built a foundation to make this happen. From intentional curriculum redesign to the construction of the new Edward J. Minskoff Pavilion as a collaborative space on campus, the college’s efforts are focused on preparing students for the future of business. A key element of this foundation is undeniably the faculty at Broad, who are passionate about student success and dedicated to improving the community through scholarship, service and teaching.

Pictured from left to right: Senior Associate Dean Bob Wiseman, John H. McConnell Chair in Business Administration Vedat Verter, Frederick S. Addy Endowed Distinguished Professor Brent Scott, A.J. Pasant Endowed Professor of Insurance Mark Schroder, and Eli and Edythe L. Broad Dean Sanjay Gutpta (Not pictured: Philip J. May Endowed Professor of Finance Andrei Simonov)

Each year, the Broad College hosts a Faculty Recognition Dinner and Investiture Ceremony to showcase and celebrate the academic achievements of faculty. On Aug. 22, four faculty members were honored with endowed positions at this ceremony, held at the James B. Henry Center for Executive Development in Lansing. They now join the nearly 40 endowed professors, chairs and fellows spanning all of Broad’s departments.

In his address, Eli and Edythe L. Broad Dean Sanjay Gupta said that endowed faculty positions are “an aspiration of most academics.” Faculty who receive an endowed position are being recognized within the academic community, by their colleagues, for their success as a scholar and mentor. These endowments are made possible by generous alumni who value the important work happening at the Broad College.

“It is this group of alumni that we want to sincerely thank for believing in the Broad College and Michigan State University and making a financial commitment that allows this [work] to continue to go on forever,” Dean Gupta said. “We are offering our sincere gratitude to our alumni who are making this day possible and this journey for the future possible.”

The 2019 endowed faculty are as follows:

  • Mark Schroder received the A.J. Pasant Endowed Professorship in Insurance. Schroder is a professor in the Department of Finance and an adjunct professor in the Department of Statistics and Probability. The endowed faculty position was established by A.J. Pasant to encourage an interest in the insurance industry by faculty and students. Pasant was a graduate from MSU in 1949 with a degree in economics, and he went on to found Jackson National Life Insurance.
  • Brent Scott received the Frederick S. Addy Endowed Distinguished Professorship. Scott is a professor in the Department of Management. This endowed position was created by Frederick S. Addy because he believes that the best professors help to attract the best students and that creating a community of talented teachers and students helps to create a strong college. Addy received his master’s degree in marketing from the Broad College in 1957.
  • Andrei Simonov received the Philip J. May Endowed Professorship in Finance. Simonov is the chairperson of the Department of Finance. The endowed faculty position was formed by Philip J. May as part of his estate; he was MSU’s vice president of finance for 20 years.
  • Vedat Verter received the John H. McConnell Chair in Business Administration. Verter is the chairperson of the Department of Supply Chain Management. This endowed chair position was established by John H. McConnell to simply give back to MSU, as the university was instrumental to his success. McConnell graduated from MSU in 1949 with a bachelor’s degree in general business and went on to found Worthington Industries, a steel processing company.

Isabel Wang receives the 2019 John D. and Dortha J. Withrow Teacher-Scholar Award from Dean Gupta

Also at the ceremony, the John D. and Dortha J. Withrow Teacher-Scholar Award was presented to Isabel Wang, professor in the Department of Accounting and Information Systems. This award is given annually and has been made possible through substantial contributions from the Withrow Foundation since 1992. Withrow awardees are faculty who have achieved the highest level of distinction for service to MSU through excellence in teaching and scholarship.

Although Wang is early in her career, she has already made significant contributions to her field and has received tremendous recognition. In 2006, her dissertation won the American Accounting Association’s Competitive Manuscript Award and Financial Accounting and Reporting Section’s Best Dissertation Award. Notably, in 2017, one of Wang’s published papers won the Distinguished Contribution to Accounting Literature Award from the American Accounting Association.

“This is an honor that folks with 30, 40 or 50 years of work in the accounting field have received toward the end of their careers,” said Dean Gupta. “We are so fortunate that one of our colleagues, Isabel, has been recognized with this award.”

Other announcements at the ceremony included introductions of new deans and department chairs; faculty promotions and new hires; faculty teaching awards for undergraduate required and elective courses, MBA courses, and Executive MBA courses; and a farewell to retiring faculty.