Celebrating Service

Faculty and Staff Excellence Award Winners Showcase Commitment to Students Through Innovative Support, Teaching and Research

Each year, the University of Louisville College of Business recognizes faculty and staff whose work reflects the college’s commitment to excellence in teaching, research, service and student success. This year’s Faculty and Staff Excellence Award recipients represent the dedication, care and leadership that help shape the student experience and strengthen the college community. Through their scholarship, mentorship, classroom engagement and daily service, these honorees continue to make a meaningful impact across the College of Business and beyond. 

Faculty Award Recipients

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Xi Ai 

Research Excellence Award

“Receiving the Research Excellence Award is humbling and energizing in equal measure. The publication process in accounting research is long, often uncertain, and filled with far more setbacks than successes – and this recognition feels like an acknowledgment that those quiet, persistent efforts add up. I'm proud of the work I've contributed to the field, and deeply grateful to be part of a school that recognizes and values that kind of sustained commitment. More than anything, it deepens my drive to keep going – to ask more meaningful questions, pursue more impactful projects and continue contributing work that advances the field and reflects well on the School of Accountancy and the college.” 

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Carolyn Callahan

Faculty Award for Service and Collegiality

“I am deeply honored to accept this College of Business Faculty Excellence Award for Service and Collegiality. I am grateful to my colleagues, students and the broader university community for making our shared work meaningful and rewarding. Service in academia extends beyond committees and responsibilities – it also reflects our commitment to supporting one another, fostering collaboration and contributing to a culture of respect and collegiality. I am [also] grateful to Dean Henley and Dereck Barr-Pulliam, Director of the School of Accountancy who are strong advocates for all the faculty. As Muhammad Ali, an outstanding Louisvillian wisely said, ‘Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.’ I strive to live by that principle in all aspects of my life, and I am truly humbled by this recognition.” 

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Raymond Chastain 

Graduate Teaching Award 

“I am proud to have won the award this year, given the high level of teaching that our faculty bring to the graduate programs within the college.  It’s rewarding to know that the students that have come through my MBA and MSBA classes feel that they are getting the tools they need to make a difference in their other classes.” 

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Christina Davidson 

Gustafson Adjunct Award 

"While receiving this award was certainly an honor, the real reward came from working alongside the incredible faculty and staff within the University of Louisville College of Business. I was fortunate to serve with individuals from many departments who provided generous mentorship to inform my teaching and research practices. I'm excited to continue working with ISAO and to serve our students." 

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Jacky Eshelby 

Gustafson Adjunct Award

“I was truly surprised and honored to receive the Gustafson Adjunct Teaching Award.  I have discovered that our equine students not only bring incredible energy to the classroom, but a curiosity that extends beyond a learning environment. Taking a page from my ‘Learn by Doing’ academic background allows me to blend traditional marketing techniques with real world problems to be solved. These experiences create a learning environment that has limitless opportunities for our students." 

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Kathy Gosser 

Undergraduate Teaching Award | Overall Faculty Excellence 

“I’m truly grateful for this recognition. It reflects the students who show up ready to learn and grow, and the colleagues who challenge and support me every day.

I’m fortunate to be part of a community that is committed to creating meaningful opportunities for students and helping them see what’s possible and take the next step toward it. Our future is in good hands with the future leaders graduating from the College of Business.” 

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Vitaliy Skorodziyevskiy  

Research Excellence Award 

“I am genuinely grateful to receive this Faculty Excellence Award. Last year would not have been as productive or meaningful without the support of so many people around me. I am thankful for my colleagues, coauthors, students, friends and family, whose encouragement and contributions helped make this recognition possible.” 

Staff Award Recipient

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Renecia Davis 

Staff Excellence Award 

“I am truly grateful to receive the Staff Excellence Award. This recognition reflects how I strive to show up every day – with intentionality, care and a deep commitment to excellence. It’s why I focus on small, meaningful actions that I hope create a lasting impact for students. 

None of this work is done alone. I am grateful to work alongside an incredible team of colleagues and mentors who challenge, support and inspire me to grow every day, and I am especially grateful for my family, whose love and support ground me and inspire me to continue striving for excellence. 

And at the center of it all is student success. I am honored to be part of this mission and remain committed to continuing this work with excellence.” 

About the UofL College of Business:  

Founded in 1953, the UofL College of Business fosters intellectual and economic vitality in our city, region and the global business landscape. Our academic programs, research, community outreach initiatives and commitment to student success inspire lives and businesses to flourish through entrepreneurship, innovation, critical thinking, diversity and the power of people.  

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