President's award, Suzanne Konzelmann

"Sue’s classroom style is energetic and engaging. I never missed a class because the discussions that she encouraged kept everyone involved. Sue fostered a rich culture of learning."

—Jeremy Koselak, a former student

Associate Professor of Economics
School of Business and Economics
IU South Bend

Labor market discrimination, income elasticity, exchange rate determination and labor turnover—if you don’t think those topics are inspiring, check Suzanne Konzelmann’s economics class. From economic experiments that infuse the discipline with energy and relevancy to lively discussions about economic forces and the outcomes they shape, she engages students in critical and creative thinking—and makes economics fun.

“I believe that it is important to set up an environment in which my students—who have been economic agents for almost their entire lives—become involved in making the connection between economic principles and theories covered in class and their own personal experiences with economics,” said Konzelmann.

Her concern for students has earned Konzelmann numerous awards and recognitions—five Teaching Excellence Recognition Awards, a Scholarship Excellence Recognition Award and membership to the Faculty Colloquium on Excellence in Teaching (FACET). And Konzelmann’s nontraditional teaching style—a combination of pedagogical innovation, theoretical knowledge and an unabashed enthusiasm for the discipline—is admired by both colleagues and students.

Katherine L. Jackson, associate professor of finance, wrote "[Those] of us who have experienced her classroom come away with a feeling of awe for the incredible job we just witnessed. My aspirations are to achieve the level of excellence demonstrated by this wonderful teacher. My students and I will be happy if I get even halfway there."