News 2017: MANNING PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING 2017

The winner of the Manning Prize for Excellence in Teaching for 2017 is Nora Ganim Barnesof the Department of Management and Marketing. Nora Barnes joined the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in 1985. She earned a Ph.D. in Consumer Behavior from the University of Connecticut and is a Chancellor Professor of Marketing and Director of the Center for Marketing Research.

 

Her teaching portfolio shows a sustained program of reflective and innovative teaching practice.  At the heart of her teaching philosophy is a commitment to experiential learning, which prompts students to master concepts through real-life scenarios.  Exemplary of this approach is her "Marketing Research" course which she aptly describes in terms of "transforming an undergraduate class into a marketing research agency."  While placing students in contact with companies, these projects also directly benefit the campus and surrounding community.  For example, a recent initiative focused on the campus food bank.  Identifying the population most in need, potential frequency of use, and the members in the community that are most likely to volunteer or donate items, this project laid the groundwork for what is now Jeanne's Cupboard (formerly Arnie's Cupboard).  

 

In her "Social Media Marketing" and "E-commerce" classes, students conduct Twitter conferences with social media pioneers like Shel Isreal (author of Naked Conversations, the first book on business blogging), Paul Gillin (nationally known social media consultant), Gina Hernandez (Executive Director of the Society for New Communications Research) and others. To date, approximately 1,600 students have been involved in conducting research studies.  These students have performed market research studies for over 400 organizations, including campus groups, national and international companies and nonprofits.  Additionally, Dr. Barnes' classes have been cited in Business Week, Fortune Magazine, Time Magazine, Huffington Post, Wall St. Journal, Financial Times, NY Times, Washington Post, CNN, Reuters, MIT Sloan Management Review, Journal of Marketing Communications, the Journal of Marketing Management and other business and academic publications. This student-centered research has also provided the basis for Dr. Barnes impressive record of scholarship which features over 180 publications.

 

The Manning Prize for Excellence in Teaching honors outstanding faculty members from each of the five campuses of the University of Massachusetts. This competitive prize is presented to faculty members who demonstrate excellence in teaching along with exemplary dedication to students and the campus community. Manning Prize winners have an established record of implementing unique, innovative or alternative pedagogies, or teaching methods that have deepened student learning. The Manning Prize carries a $10,000 award.

 

The Manning Prize for Excellence in Teaching was established in 2015 by UMass Lowell alumni Robert and Donna Manning. Mr. Manning is Chairman and Co-CEO of MFS Investment Management and chairs the Board of Trustees for the University of Massachusetts. The Manning's have generously provided support to offer a Prize on each of the five UMass campuses for the next three years.