Economics professor Mary Ellen Benedict was recognized as this year’s Distinguished Teaching Professor for her 19 years of outstanding teaching methods, all-too-rare dedication to her work and changing the lives of her students and colleagues.

When Benedict arrived at the University in 1991, she said, she thought she was a good teacher but quickly found she had a long way to go. She’s been working on her teaching technique every day since.

“It’s interesting for me. I feel very honored, first of all, but … you find wonderful teachers everywhere, so I think I’m overwhelmed by the recognition,” Benedict said. “I’m not really sure what in my [application] packet made the difference.”

Her continuous improvement through the years and developing active learning in her classes may have given her an edge over other nominees, Benedict said.

“I’m very open to changing what I do, and so for me, I think I’m a lifelong learner and that comes out and people are open to me and appreciate that I’m willing to take what they have to say,” she said.

Each year, a committee of former Distinguished Teaching Professor recipients review nominations and recommend one professor for the coveted honor. The Provost approves it, and the Board of Trustees has the final say. Benedict is only the 13th professor to receive the award.

Distinguished Teaching Professor of 2007 Sue Mota, associate dean for executive and MBA programs of business, is a longtime colleague of Benedict and said she was the perfect candidate for this honor.

“I’m just thrilled we have another distinguished teaching professor in the college [of business] … I’m thrilled to have Mary Ellen in particular because she’s an excellent teacher … she’s everything you want in a distinguished teaching professor.”

Mota said the running was extremely close this year, and the decision came down to recommendation letters from Benedict’s former and current students.

“That really stood out — how she just made a difference in their lives,” Mota said. “It sounds like a cliché, but she truly does care.”

Economics department chair John Hoag nominated Benedict after 19 years of working together because he felt she deserved it.

“You make the nomination and you hold your breath,” he said. “I’m very glad she won. She’s extraordinary with the students.”

He said within Benedict’s first few semesters at the University he saw her potential. It wasn’t long before students were requesting to take her classes, and her evaluation numbers were strong.

“It doesn’t take very long before you see here’s somebody who really does make a difference,” he said. “[Students] will ask, ‘which one’s Dr. Benedict teaching?'” he said. “I know that when I ask her to teach a class it will be taught carefully and thoroughly, and at the same time it will be challenging, and at the same time students will like it.”

Benedict focuses not just on terms and equations of economics but works on improving skills she thinks students will need in the real world, like writing and applying concepts to their surroundings. Many of her classes revolve around a key discussion component, Benedict said.

“One thing I’m good at is learning people’s names. So I learn people’s names, and I ask them what they think,” she said. “I think students appreciate being asked about their opinions.”

Junior Skyler Rogers said Benedict’s method of relating economics to what’s going on in the world helps students understand the sometimes difficult material.

“Economics wasn’t really the easiest subject that I had at all — it was kind of difficult. So that dedication and that willingness to do whatever it takes for the students [helped],” Rogers said.

Junior Andrew Umbel has been working with Benedict since his freshman year, and said her microeconomics class was anything but boring.

“I honestly wasn’t really that interested in [economics],” he said. “But working with Mary Ellen, it was really a different experience because she herself has a really high energy about her … it was always really fun and exciting to be in her class; not what I was expecting in an economics class.”

Umbel’s favorite element of Benedict’s class was the engaging discussions.

“We applied economics principals to studying the marijuana market. That sounds kind of risqué, but she presented the information fairly and accurately and gave us a lot of insight to things we didn’t really know were really going on,” Umbel said.

Umbel said Benedict’s guidance throughout his college career has changed his expectation for professors and his outlook on life in and outside the classroom. Benedict’s exuberance and motivation sets her apart from other professors.

“As cliché as it might sound … she just embraces life and she loves to get to know students on a personal level in and outside the classroom, and she’s always there to help with school related problems and other things beyond school, so she’s really a great role model and a professor,” Umbel said.

Benedict also changes lives outside the classroom. She’s found guidance and success in her mentors through the years and now returns the favor by working with other faculty members in the department, she said.

“We have this open door policy in our department that the junior faculty and instructors know about,” she said. “It’s really this department that keeps me going; it’s just a great group of people.”

Teaching is her passion, Benedict said, and she still finds happiness in her classes and students after almost 20 years.

“I don’t care what anybody says … I get a real joy sometimes in teaching so if I get to that high that’s really great for me,” she said. “I wouldn’t have stayed in academia if it wasn’t [a passion] … that passion has to be there or you won’t survive because teaching … is not an easy thing to do.”

Benedict also plays a role in University research and involvement. Her research has been published in numerous professional journals. She is the adviser of the economics club, serves as interim economics department chair and has served on the Faculty Council in the college of business.

Rogers said Benedict’s knowledge and dedication to her subject make her an exceptionally great teacher.

“She is by far one of the best teachers I ever had here on campus,” he said. “She’s very knowledgeable — she knows all the material through and through. She lives this.”

A recognition dinner will be held next Monday to honor the newly-inducted Benedict.