Baruch College Celebrates Excellence at 2025 Faculty Convocation

September 26, 2025

Baruch ushered in the new academic year with its annual Faculty Convocation, a celebration of career milestones, innovative research, and distinguished teaching—hallmarks of the College’s renowned academic leadership.

In his remarks, President S. David Wu emphasized that Baruch’s “secret sauce” lies in the faculty’s dedication and expertise across high-impact, interdisciplinary areas that directly shape students’ outcomes.

“Our institutional success comes back to what you do with students both inside and outside the classroom,” Wu said. “We are proud of all the accomplishments Baruch faculty are achieving.”

Presidential Excellence Award Recipients

A highlight of Convocation is presenting the Presidential Excellence Awards to faculty members for their exceptional contributions in scholarship, teaching, and service. The honorees were chosen by three selection committees.

• Presidential Excellence Award for Scholarship: Robert Smith, professor, Marxe School of Public and International Affairs.

• Presidential Excellence Award for Service: Stephan Dilchert, associate professor, Narendra Paul Loomba Department of Management, Zicklin School of Business.
• Presidential Excellence Award for Teaching (full-time): Erica Richardson, assistant professor, Department of English, Weissman School of Arts and Sciences.

• Presidential Excellence Award for Teaching (part-time): Curtis Izen, adjunct lecturer, Paul H. Chook Department of Information Systems and Statistics, Zicklin School of Business.

Awardees receive an honorarium and a certificate, and their plaques will be on display on the 14th floor of the Newman Vertical Campus.

Historic Number of Faculty Members

Linda Essig, PhD, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, welcomed 12 new faculty members to the Baruch campus community. With their arrival, the number of full-time faculty at Baruch College has reached a historic high of approximately 550—underscoring the College’s continued growth and academic strength.

Creative Thinking in Academia

The keynote speaker, Dr. Scott Newbert, chair and professor in the Lawrence N. Field Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, delivered a thought-provoking address on the evolving role of entrepreneurship in higher education.

Newbert’s speech titled, “Look on the Bright (and Dark) Side! A Holistic View of Entrepreneurship,” stressed the importance of creative thinking and entrepreneurial spirit in academia.

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