Eloise Coupey, associate professor of marketing in the Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech, received the university's 2010 William E. Wine Award.

The William E. Wine Achievement Awards were established in 1957 by the Alumni Association in memory of William E. Wine of the Class of 1904, a former rector of the board of visitors and Alumni Association president. Following a college-level selection process of candidates nominated by students, faculty, and alumni, each college may put forth one nominee. Three faculty members are selected to receive this teaching award by a committee representing all eight colleges at the university. Each Wine Award winner receives $2,000 and automatic induction into the Academy of Teaching Excellence.

Coupey received the award in recognition of her many contributions in program development across the college's postdoctoral, graduate, and undergraduate levels. In particular, Coupey co-developed the proposal for the Pamplin College's post-doctoral "bridge-to-business" program and developed key components of the curriculum. The certificate program, which prepares individuals with doctorates in non-business, but related, disciplines for new careers as business faculty members, is aimed at alleviating the critical national shortage of business Ph.D. faculty. The college is among four U.S. business schools that were the first to launch bridge-to-business programs approved by AACSB International (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), the accrediting organization for business schools worldwide.

Coupey was one of three faculty members who led the 2008 launch of Pamplin's program. She has been active in working with post-graduates teaching in the program, mentoring participants, and coauthoring three joint research projects. So far, all participants, with one exception, have received fulltime, tenure track positions in business schools.

Coupey has also worked on the curriculum revision of the marketing department's four-course module to create synergies among the marketing courses in the full-time and Executive MBA programs. She has worked to develop a comprehensive honors program that would provide students with opportunities to develop "sophisticated, actionable knowledge and skills" for the design and implementation of marketing services, said Kent Nakamoto, professor and head, Department of Marketing, and associate dean for research in the Pamplin College.

"Coupey is a truly talented teacher, whose performance in the classroom reflects her deep caring and respect for her students," Nakamoto said. "She has also developed a number of innovative projects designed to enhance her students' experiences in her classes ¡ª to bring the material to life."

Coupey passionately shares her knowledge, expertise, and personal judgment to aid the ultimate success of her students, Nakamoto noted. "Dr. Coupey's pioneering instructional methods inspired me to care more about the project at hand, develop a passion for my quality©\based efforts, take pride in the outcomes I produce, and essentially, gain the basic skills that have contributed to my success as a student," said Stefanie Feilinger, a senior majoring in marketing management and hospitality and tourism management.

Coupey received her bachelor's degree from Harvard University and a Ph.D. from Duke University.

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