Marketing professor honored by University for excellence in teaching

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Dr. Ann Veeck will be presented with Western Michigan University’s Distinguished Teaching Award during the Fall Convocation ceremony.

Initiated in 2006, the Distinguished Teaching Award recognizes faculty members for their teaching work. Veeck, professor of marketing in the Haworth College of Business, joins 35 other faculty members who have been honored since the start of the award program. A similar honors program, the WMU Alumni Association Teaching Excellence program, ran at the University between 1966 and 2001 and honored 131 faculty members during that time.

She will be recognized during the event on Friday, Sept. 16, at 11:30 a.m. in the North Ballroom on the second floor of the Bernhard Center. Also receiving awards at Fall Convocation are recipients of four other prestigious campuswide honors: Distinguished Faculty Scholar, Distinguished Service, Emerging Scholar and annual Make a Difference awards.

"Exceptional teaching is oftentimes difficult to define, but we all know what it’s like when we experience it firsthand. It is engaging, challenging, even fun. And, at an institution of higher education, there are few talents that rival the importance of outstanding teaching," says Dr. Christopher Cheatham, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs. "Identifying ways to connect with, inspire and spark genuine interest in learning in our students has always been an impressive feat, but the ability to excel during such unprecedented times as the ones we faced the last few years is especially worthy of recognition and praise."

Veeck has studied the food marketing systems of China for more than 25 years, conducting field projects in numerous cities. She has taught in China, the Dominican Republic, Singapore and Italy. She is co-author of the widely used text "Marketing Research." Her colleagues and current and former students who nominated her say her expertise as well as a passion for student success are utilized in every class and for every student.

"Dr. Veeck not only wanted her students to succeed but did everything that she could to make that happen. Having her as a professor multiple times, you could see the amount of effort that she gave in EVERY single class, striving to give her students the best opportunity to learn," says former student Zachary Roberts. "She was incredibly passionate about the subjects she taught as well as the students she taught. She took pride in her work and as a student, that stands out to me more than anything."

Colleague Robert Samples, food and consumer package goods marketing faculty specialist, also notes Veeck is not only a champion for her students but a valuable contributor in the department, "working collaboratively with peers and students on important published research. Helping to bring in new ideas and unique perspectives comes naturally for Dr. Veeck. … She constantly does the extra work to help her peers, like me, and to include student input where possible to broaden the outlook of the work."

For more WMU news, arts and events, visit WMU News.