Lee Manzer to receive national teaching award

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Longtime Oklahoma State University professor Lee Manzer will receive the 2018 University Professional and Continuing Education Association Excellence in Teaching Award, presented annually to individuals who have provided outstanding teaching, course development, mentoring of students and services to continuing education.

Manzer, professor of marketing in the OSU Spears School of Business, is the sole recipient of this year’s award and he will be presented the award at the UPCEA national conference on March 15 in Baltimore.

“During his 42-year tenure at Oklahoma State University, Dr. Manzer’s work exemplifies OSU’s outreach mission through the numerous corporate and public service programs he offers every year,” Spears School of Business Dean Ken Eastman said. “When visiting with alumni, he is the professor I get asked about the most, and the one they tell me who has had the biggest effect on their lives.”

The number of people Manzer has reached through his words and wisdom is overwhelming. Since he began working in outreach at OSU in 1975, Manzer has presented more than 1,350 programs to more than 150,000 people and has received more than 25 academic honors and awards. In working with hundreds of companies and talking to participants, Manzer provides valid and reliable material to business professionals in Oklahoma and across the nation. He believes that by better understanding the organization’s situation, he is able to provide effective and impactful information.

Even with his long list of academic accomplishments and awards, the 77-year-old Manzer continues to show the same work ethic he has displayed since his first day on the job.

“I’m the oldest person in this building and I could retire, but I haven’t because I enjoy doing what I do,” he said. “I like being around the students. I like to come to work. It’s a lucky person who looks in the mirror and says, ‘I like to go to work.’ That’s been me.”

Manzer’s programs are informative and thought-provoking, say those who have attended.

“His presentation skills, laced with the warmth and depth of his storytelling examples, made a deep and lasting impression on me and my colleagues,” said Marty Piel, Ditch Witch Regional Parts Manager – Training. “I consider Dr. Manzer a master educator, master storyteller and master friend.  His compassion for those around him transcends his teaching and storytelling to the people he encounters daily.”

He was invited to participate in the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Executive Education Leadership Program as an instructor and it was critical “that we have the highest quality programming with engaging and effective presentations,” said Michael Owens, assistant dean for graduate programs and executive education in the College of Business. “We were very fortunate to have Dr. Manzer as a founding presenter in this program. His session was rated as one of the highlights of the program.”

While Manzer could very easily view this as just another award to add to his already extensive list, he is honored to be the recipient. “It’s very surprising. I’m very appreciative of those who determined that I should be the one to receive it,” Manzer said.

By Hannah Barron