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‘I Would Take His Class Again in a Heartbeat’

clin246 — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 22:30:01 +0000

‘I Would Take His Class Again in a Heartbeat’ clin246 Fri, 11/18/2022 - 14:30 More Blog Posts Laurie McLaughlin February 27, 2023

“Experiential learning” is a term bandied about in academia, but how does it work in practice? Associate Professor of Management Ye Li at UCR’s School of Business lays out exactly what it looks like within his graduate courses.

“Experiential learning includes online surveys, in-class polls, simulated decisions, games, and group projects,” says Li. “My lectures provide relatable, recent examples to help clarify and cement concepts that will be remembered past finals week.”

Ye Li, associate professor of management

Li also spends a great deal of time guaranteeing each student completes the quarter with a full understanding of the material: “To ensure that students can learn and improve, I provide substantial feedback, usually five to 10 sentences in length,” he says. “To encourage class discussion, which is sometimes hard for those who are anxious or do not speak English fluently, I try to foster a friendly, inclusive environment.

“I emphasize that getting things wrong in a safe environment is important for learning, and failure leads to success even more than does initial success.”

His graduate students appreciate his approach: They presented Li with the 2021-2022 Golden Apple Award for Teaching Excellence for graduate elective courses, an honor for which he tied in the student voting with Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and Professor of Marketing Rami Zwick.

“Dr. Li has one of the most engaging, exciting, informational, and relevant classes I have ever had the pleasure of taking,” wrote one student voter. “He genuinely cares about his students and goes above and beyond to help students stay on track.

“He even takes the time to analyze the data we provide him, and he tells us what the data means. I would take his class again in a heartbeat.”

Selected by Poets & Quants for their 2020 Best 40 Under 40 Business Professors listing, Li’s research is on decision-making and behavioral economics, and he examines the psychology of how and why people make suboptimal decisions. He is particularly interested in the role of time in decision-making.

In the classroom, he says, “How people make decisions is an important set of skills for students to have. So, it is satisfying to see students start to understand the concepts in my class.

“Even better, is when they get in contact years later and tell me how useful the class concepts were for their careers and life decisions.”

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Ye Li

The Relevant Coursework

clin246 — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 22:11:17 +0000

The Relevant Coursework clin246 Fri, 11/18/2022 - 14:11 More Blog Posts Laurie McLaughlin January 17, 2023

A student in a course taught by Management Lecturer Alexandru Roman wrote a review of the class: “Professor Roman encourages us to start thinking like CEOs. His class requires discussion and the ability to speak publicly, which really helps us.”

UCR School of Business Management Lecturer Alexandru Roman

This student and many others voted for Alexandru Roman to receive the 2021-2022 Golden Apple Award for Teaching Excellence for graduate core courses. Roman was among five professors honored in various categories this year with the Golden Apple Award and a $2,500 prize.

“I absolutely love my Brand Management course with Dr. Roman,” wrote another student. “He does a great job making the material relevant to what is currently going on in the world of business.”

Tailoring coursework for optimal relevancy is by design, Roman says, and he starts with four questions when preparing to teach a course:

1. What skills and abilities are necessary for students to succeed as professionals?
2. What body of knowledge will help students on their personal developmental path toward becoming engaged and responsible contributors to the social and economic fabric of society?
3. What experiences can lead to increased levels of motivation, confidence, and resilience?
4. How can these goals be achieved in the most inclusive, interesting, and engaging way possible?

“Considering these questions typically leads to courses that effectively combine theory, practice, and hands-on learning, which generates high levels of student engagement and academic and personal growth,” says Roman.

“If I had to pick just one thing that is satisfying about teaching college students, it is seeing them succeed as a direct result of a specific skill, ability, knowledge, habit or mindset developed during class,” he says of internships, job offers, or promotions his students have acquired.

“It is just as satisfying to learn that following a course, students have grown in confidence and motivation, and they have become more optimistic about their personal and professional futures.”

Roman’s teaching philosophy is strongly rooted in making business concepts both practical and applicable to real-world contexts. Students consistently highlight that his classes push them to go beyond memorization and instead develop critical thinking skills that they can apply immediately in their careers. By fostering discussion and encouraging students to speak publicly, Roman creates an environment where confidence can grow alongside academic learning. These experiences help prepare students not only for exams and projects, but also for the challenges of leadership and decision-making in the professional world.

The recognition through the Golden Apple Award underscores the impact of Roman’s dedication to teaching. Student-nominated awards carry particular weight because they reflect the direct experiences of those in the classroom. For Roman, being acknowledged in this way demonstrates that his approach to combining theory, practice, and engagement resonates with learners at a high level. The award also reflects the broader mission of the UCR School of Business to provide excellent, inclusive education that prepares graduates for success in diverse industries.

Through his courses, Roman models the very leadership mindset he encourages students to adopt. By challenging them to think like CEOs, he helps them understand the responsibilities of leadership, the importance of strategic decision-making, and the value of connecting knowledge with action. For many students, this mindset becomes a lasting influence that shapes the way they approach both their professional goals and their contributions to society.

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Argue Like Grownups

clin246 — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 22:06:43 +0000

Argue Like Grownups clin246 Fri, 11/18/2022 - 14:06 More Blog Posts Laurie McLaughlin January 03, 2023

UCR Business School Lecturer John Acker encourages his students “to argue like grownups,” he says. “To see their classes as an opportunity to mature, not just as a place to learn.” His philosophy of teaching extends beyond the classroom walls, emphasizing that education is not only about mastering technical skills but also about developing the ability to think critically, communicate persuasively, and grow as responsible professionals.

“In the Business Writing course, my team and I focus on identifying, creating, and communicating professional value through writing, whether it’s a complex business proposal or a simple email to a colleague,” Acker explains. He stresses that effective communication is at the core of business success, and that learning how to tailor messages to audiences is one of the most valuable skills a student can carry into their career.

John Acker, lecturer UCR School of Business

Acker was recently recognized by students, who voted for him to receive the 2021-2022 Golden Apple Award for Teaching Excellence for business administration prerequisite and core courses. This award is given annually to professors who make a profound impact on student learning, both through the clarity of their teaching and the care they show for their students’ success. He was among five professors chosen for the honor in varying categories, and he received a $2,500 prize in recognition of his dedication.

Students’ testimonials highlight why Acker’s approach resonates so strongly. “Professor Acker makes management writing, which is a very practical course, interesting and engaging,” wrote a voting student. “Rather than just a presentation, he built projects into the curriculum as a way to test our knowledge and apply it to the real world.” For many, his teaching has helped transform what might otherwise feel like routine assignments into meaningful opportunities to grow professional confidence.

Another student described the impact of his mentorship more directly: “Professor Acker has taught me a lot of transferable skills. I was able to touch up my cover letter and résumé, and I received offers when I applied for jobs.” This kind of feedback illustrates how Acker’s lessons extend far beyond a single course. Students leave his classes not only with improved writing but also with a stronger sense of how to present themselves to future employers.

In addition to his teaching at UCR, Acker runs a professional editing business, which keeps him closely connected to the expectations and needs of real-world clients. His academic background is rooted in 19th-century American literature, an area that informs his deep interest in language, rhetoric, and the ways that ideas are communicated. His scholarly interests include religion and literature, academic editing, and professional writing, all of which intersect to enrich his instruction. He also contributes to the University Writing Program, helping students across disciplines build stronger foundations in communication.

Clearly, Acker’s teaching philosophy has made an impression on those he instructs. His blend of rigor, humor, and practical application encourages students to see writing as a tool for shaping their futures. “College students want to change the world, usually in five pages or less,” he says with a laugh. “I love tapping into that passion to help develop mature goal-driven professionals.” This passion for nurturing students’ ambitions continues to define his teaching career and serves as a reminder of the lasting impact a dedicated educator can have on generations of business leaders.

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Business Faculty Lauded for Classroom Instruction

ilseu — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 21:38:10 +0000

Business Faculty Lauded for Classroom Instruction ilseu Wed, 06/15/2022 - 14:38 More News Laurie McLaughlin June 15, 2022

UCR School of Business faculty recently received recognition with student-voted accolades for their effectiveness and expertise in the classroom:

Assistant Professor of Teaching in Information Systems Rich Yueh was honored with the 2021-2022 James Merino Innovation Award, which was created and endowed by alumnus James Merino ’98 to recognize faculty bringing new ideas, methods, tools, and technology to the classroom; the award includes a $5,000 prize. In evaluating potential honorees, students judge the effectiveness of innovative teaching, originality, use of interactive teaching tools, communication strategies, and overall teaching practice and how well it improves student learning.

Assistant Professor of Teaching in Management Kyle Ingram was the recipient of the 2021-2022 Shulman Endowed Excellence in Teaching Award, which was established by an alumnus and his wife to honor David Shulman, a former associate professor of management and economics. The designation recognizes an exemplary business professor who embodies the fulfillment of learning through excellence and achievements in teaching, just as Professor Shulman did. In selecting an awardee, students examine the “professor’s capacity to awaken in students an awareness of the subject and its relationship to other fields of knowledge,” in addition to spurring curiosity and creativity, encouraging high standards, and providing an academic environment open and encouraging to all students. The award includes a $5,000 prize for the professor. Ingram was also selected by UCR’s faculty Academy of Distinguished Teaching for the 2022 Innovative Teaching Award, which acknowledges his original, inventive, and impactful approach to instruction.

For the Golden Apple Award for Teaching Excellence, students choose the professors providing the best overall classroom experience for learning, engagement, teaching style, and innovative teaching methods. Each honoree receives $2,500, and the 2021-2022 Golden Apple recipients in their respective categories are:

Lecturer John Acker for Business Administration Pre-requisite and Core Courses
Associate Professor of Management Michael Haselhuhn for Business Administrative Elective Courses
Assistant Professor of Management Ye Li for Graduate Elective Courses (tie)
Lecturer Alexandru Roman for Graduate Core Courses
Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and Professor of Marketing Rami Zwick for Graduate Elective Courses (tie)

Congratulations to each of these exemplary professors.

View more photos from the Award banquet on Flickr:

Flickr album

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Header image (from left to right): UCR Business faculty awards recipients Ye Li, Rich Yueh, Kyle Ingram, Michael Haselhuhn, and Rami Zwick

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Golden Apple Teaching Award

kmcnally — Thu, 02 May 2019 21:37:11 +0000

Golden Apple Teaching Award kmcnally Thu, 05/02/2019 - 14:37 More Blog Posts May 02, 2019 Riverside, Ca

2018-2019 Golden Apple Teaching Awards

The Golden Apple Awards is an annual student-voted teaching award recognizing outstanding faculty.

This year's teaching awards go to Dr. Raj Singh for Preparation for Business Administration major and Upperdivision major requirements, Dr. Kyle E. Ingram for Elective Courses, Dr. Elodie Goodman for Graduate Core Courses, and Dr. Boris Maciejovsky for Graduate Elective Courses.

In judging the effectiveness of teaching, students were asked to consider a professor's ability to teach their material with force and logic, while simultaneously making it understandable for students. Students also weighed the professor's attitude, mentorship ability and their inspirational qualities.

Raj Singh won in the category for Preparation for Business Administration major (BUS 10 and 20) and Upperdivision major requirements. Dr. Singh has taught at the graduate and undergraduate level for over 25 years and has been a faculty member in the School of Business at the University of California, Riverside for over fifteen years. In addition, Dr. Singh has taught Ph.D. level courses in strategy, statistical research, operations management, organizational behavior and human resource management for other major universities in United States.

Kyle Ingram is the winner for Elective Courses. He teaches Organizational Behavior, Leadership Development, Communication, Leadership, Teams and Ethics courses.

Elodie Goodman won in the Core Courses category of the graduate program. She taught Quantitative Analysis. Her research interests are health care management and payment systems, public policy, supply chain management, competition and coordination, pricing and inventory management.

Boris Maciejovsky won the Elective Courses category of the graduate program. He taught MGT 212 Application of Behavioral Economics to Management, Decision-Making, and Policy. Boris Maciejovsky’s research interests are in the area of decision-making in economic, social, and organizational contexts. He is particularly interested in developing novel laboratory paradigms that help to isolate important aspects of real-world phenomena in order to study how such features influence decisions, processes, and outcomes.

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