Barbara Cassidy, CPA/PFS, professor and director of Accounting programs in the School of Business Administration at St. Edward's University, has been selected as a Piper Professor for 2004 by the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation. As a recipient of the award, Cassidy will receive an honorarium of $5,000 as well as a certificate and gold pin.



Each year, the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation recognizes 15 faculty members from accredited two- and four-year institutions in Texas for superior teaching at the college level. Participation in the Piper Professor program is by invitation only, and to be eligible, candidates must be nominated through their college or university president's office.



"I enjoy creating exciting experiential learning applications and promoting learning for personal enjoyment and enrichment," said Cassidy, who created a personal teaching mission statement to explain her commitment to and expectations from students. "I can't expect students to be enthusiastic about learning if I'm not enthusiastic about teaching."



In addition to being named a Piper Professor, Cassidy has received numerous accolades for her teaching including the 2001 St. Edward's University Distinguished Teaching Award for exceptional teaching and dedicated service to students and the 2001 Outstanding Accounting Educator from the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants for both excellence in teaching and service to the profession.



Cassidy is an honors graduate from Marshall University and the University of Arizona. As a former tax manager and an ongoing practitioner, she brings real-world experience to the classroom. On campus, she was the founder and 14-year sponsor of the St. Edward's Accounting Club, and is the current sponsor of Delta Mu Delta business honor society. As an advocate for students, she spearheaded efforts to develop and implement a formal university policy to ban credit card company solicitations on campus.



Cassidy, who has taught at St. Edward's since 1985, is the sixth faculty member from the university to receive the prestigious teaching award since its inception in 1958. Previous winners include: Brother Simon Scribner, CSC (1968), Edward Mangum (1982), Brother William H. Dunn, CSC (1986), Catherine MacDermott (1997) and Eamonn F. Healy (2001).