FIRENZE-NUOVA ROMA 07 April 2022 (NRom)
H.H. Papa Rutherford I, Gallo-Russo-Byzantine Catholicos recently received the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) Teaching Excellence Award for baccalaureate and graduate degree-granting business institutions, Region 4. Built on the significance of the classroom teacher to the mission of degree-granting institutions, the award is an annual award that recognizes individuals each year who exemplify teaching excellence in the classroom. One recipient is chosen from among associate degree institution applicants, and one from among all baccalaureate/graduate degree institution applicants within each of the eleven ACBSP regions around the world. The selection process evaluates nominees based on a series of criteria, teaching philosophy, and recommendation from university administration. In the summer, one recipient will be selected for the international award. ACBSP is the only specialized accrediting body for business schools that presents an award recognizing excellence in teaching that is open to the entire membership. The award recognized the Archfather's innovations in remote/virtual teaching experiences to benefit on-campus students; innovations in learning experience for online students; real-world, guided discovery experiential learning approaches; creative approaches to availability to students; success in ensuring accessibility to students with disabilities; contributions in diversity, both in and out of the classroom; effective incorporation of cultural and international components in the classroom; outside service to the community, nation, and world; and scholarly contributions to the field of pedagogy.
The Archfather teaches economics, finance, and international business at the University of Minnesota's Crookston campus, with a focus on empowering students to take control of their own future and succeed in an ever-challenging world. He is a graduate of the Harvard University Extension School, Georgia Institute of Technology, and the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture.