Galloway, N.J. — Stockton University Professor Naz Onel had just returned to her office after being honored for 10 years of service at the annual Employee Recognition Day on May 7 when she received even more exciting news.

She had been selected as the inaugural winner of Stockton’s Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award.

“Reading the congratulations letter from Provost Michael Palladino was a moment of pure joy. It was deeply moving to read that my commitment to inclusive teaching practices and my ability to inspire students from various backgrounds truly embody Stockton's mission of student-focused education,” said the professor of Business Administration. “Receiving this honor is a wonderful milestone that celebrates both my journey at Stockton since 2015 and the incredible growth of the diverse learners I have been privileged to teach every day.”

Onel will receive a $4,000 stipend, a commemorative plaque and will be recognized at an event in the fall semester. The award is funded by the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation. Since 1961, the foundation has recognized outstanding faculty members at colleges and universities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. This year, Stockton joined 51 other institutions as part of the program.

Palladino called the award the university’s highest honor for teaching excellence. He said it recognizes a faculty member who demonstrates teaching effectiveness, innovation, inclusivity and sustained impact on student learning.

“I congratulate Dr. Onel on the Lindback Foundation Distinguished Teaching Award, a recognition of her commitment to teaching and learning and to enhancing the learning environment for her students and colleagues,” Palladino said. “She exemplifies the engagement and commitment of Stockton’s faculty and its mission to foster intellectual and growth through student-centered education.”

Palladino added that Stockton had an “exceptionally strong pool” of nominations that “represented the strength and dedication of our faculty.”

The nominees were selected by a committee of peers based on five criteria — teaching effectiveness and student learning; pedagogical innovation and course design; mentoring and inclusive engagement; contributions to the teaching community; and sustained impact and reflective practice.

“Beyond the classroom, learning that the committee highlighted my leadership in curriculum development and my ongoing impact on both the campus community and the wider field of higher education was immensely reassuring,” Onel said. “Knowing that this award celebrates faculty who promote excellence among learners of all identities makes this recognition an exceptionally proud milestone in my academic career.”

Onel is co-author of the third edition of “Sustainability Marketing: A Global Perspective” textbook and serves as a co-lead for the “Sustain Tomorrow: Stewardship and Innovation” priority of Stockton’s Strategic Plan. She’s also the president of the Northeast Business & Economics Association and editor in chief of SAM Advanced Management Journal.

She said she hopes to use some of the stipend to give back to her students, possibly by establishing a fund to help cover costs that limit students, such as required class simulations, software subscriptions, conference registrations or graduate school application fees. She also may invest in a teaching innovation library where faculty could gather and share pedagogical resources.

Onel also will use some of the award funds for her own professional development to stay on the cutting edge of her field and bring fresh insights back into her classrooms.

“My core philosophy has always been that to inspire my students to become lifelong learners, I must model that exact behavior myself,” she said. “Reinvesting this award into both tangible student resources and my professional growth ensures that this honor continues to enrich the learning experience for everyone.”

But the reason she teaches always goes back to her students, Onel said.

“For me, the most meaningful aspect of teaching is witnessing my students transform in confidence, curiosity and capability in ways that extend far beyond what they once thought possible,” she said. “My ultimate goal has always been to help them succeed academically while inspiring them to think critically, embrace creative perspectives, act ethically and engage meaningfully with the challenges they will encounter beyond the classroom.”

— Story by Mark Melhorn