Business Professor Margarita Lenk Receives Board of Governors Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award

Note to Editors: A photo of Professor Margarita Maria Lenk is available with the news release at http://www.newsinfo.colostate.edu/.

Margarita Maria Lenk, a longtime business professor known for her commitment to students, has been honored by the Board of Governors of the Colorado State University System with the annual Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award.

Lenk, an associate professor in the departments of Accounting and Computer Information Systems within the College of Business, has been a role model in innovation in learning as well as in recruiting and fostering success of students of color.

"The Board of Governors is honored to present this award to Professor Lenk for her dedicated efforts to challenge students at the undergraduate level," said Douglas L. Jones, board chairman. "Excellence in teaching helps motivate students and allows them to develop critical thinking skills that prepare them for the working world."

"Dr. Lenk effectively combines an approach to teaching that manifests deep caring and support for student learning with carefully researched and enthusiastic presentations that successfully connect highly technical information with broad historical, social, economic, and political perspectives," said Ajay Menon, dean of the College of Business. "She openly challenges students to expand what they envision to be their best work and continually refines her courses to improve students’ decision-making and problem-solving skills."

Over the last 17 years, 81 percent of the 1,077 students Lenk has taught expressed that she was an excellent professor whom they would recommend.

One student said, "Dr. Lenk is exceptional because she teaches how a subject applies to life, business and family. She gives, not to be recognized, but rather to pass the torch of knowledge to those who seek it. She continues to mentor long after your degree is obtained."

For the last two years, Lenk has developed and delivered a diversity initiative funded by the international accounting firm KPMG. Her success in recruiting minority students has led to an Outstanding Service Award for Enhancing Minorities in the Accounting Profession from the American Accounting Association. She has also recruited and coached students for the KPMG/ALPFA (Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting) national case competitions.

Lenk has been recognized as the Outstanding Accounting Professor in Colorado by the Colorado Society of CPAs, Outstanding Educator by the Artificial Intelligence Section of the American Accounting Association, National Engaged Scholar by Campus Compact and the KPMG National Faculty Fellow.

At the university, she has received the Jack E. Cermak Outstanding Advising Award, the Excellence in Service-Learning Instruction Award and, from the CSU Alumni Association, the Distinguished Faculty Award. From the College of Business, she has received the Excellence in Service Award, Professor of the Year and the Excellence in Teaching Award.

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