St. John’s University Tobin College of Business Honors Faculty and Staff Excellence

QUEENS, NY — May 4, 2026 — The Peter J. Tobin College of Business at St. John’s University celebrated excellence in teaching, research, innovation, and service during its annual end-of-year gathering, presented by Dean Maciek Nowak, Ph.D.

The ceremony recognized four faculty and one administrative leader whose work has strengthened the student experience, advanced innovative business education, elevated scholarly research, and expanded strategic initiatives across the College.

“Each of this year’s honorees represents the very best of the Tobin College of Business,” said Dean Nowak, Dean and Joseph H. and Maria C. Schwartz Distinguished Chair at The Peter J. Tobin College of Business. “Their commitment to our students, their colleagues, and the future of business education continues to shape the culture and reputation of Tobin in meaningful and lasting ways.” 

Administrator of the Year: Dr. Sheila Russell
Dr. Sheila Russell was presented with the Administrator of the Year Award in recognition of her leadership and commitment to enhancing student support and academic services.
Nominators praised Dr. Russell and her team for creating measurable improvements in the student experience.

“Over the past year, we have seen a remarkable shift in the student experience, fewer complaints, stronger engagement, and a clear sense that students feel supported,” one nomination stated.
Another noted, “A new advising process was implemented seamlessly, and student service has measurably improved.”

Colleagues also commended Dr. Russell’s collaborative leadership style and her ability to foster a culture of responsiveness, professionalism, and care across student-facing operations. 

Outstanding Service Award: Christopher P. Long, Ph.D.
Dr. Chris P. Long, Professor of Management at St. John’s University, Paul Naughton Professor of

 Management, Director of the Executive-in-Residence Program, and Professor in the Department of Management, was recognized with the Outstanding Service Award.

Colleagues commended Dr. Long for his leadership, dedication, and strategic contributions to the College. One nominator wrote that he “led the Strategic Implementation Team in ways well above the call of duty.”

Another noted that Dr. Long “continues to expand Experiential Learning via Tobin Strategic Consulting and beyond.” His efforts have helped strengthen experiential learning opportunities for students while fostering deeper engagement between the College and industry partners.

Researcher of the Year: Rachel M. Atkins, Ph.D.
Dr. Rachel M. Atkins, newly tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Economics and Finance, was honored with the Researcher of the Year Award. Dr. Atkins was recognized for an exceptional record of scholarship, grant activity, and national academic engagement.

Award nominations highlighted that she “published a paper in Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice, an FT 50 journal, and in the Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, an ABDC A-ranked journal.”
Colleagues further praised her scholarly visibility, noting that she “has presented work at high-profile refereed conferences, including the Academy of Management conference.”

Since 2024, Dr. Atkins “has been awarded over $200,000 in grants to support research projects.”
Nominators also recognized her growing national reputation as a scholar whose work examines economic inequality and access to opportunity.

“She has earned a reputation as a leading scholar in the closely connected areas of economic inequality, racial and gender disparities in access to economic resources, and the impact of social policy on wellbeing outcomes across demographic groups,” one nomination stated. 

Undergraduate Teacher of the Year: Yun Zhu, Ph.D.
Dr. Yun Zhu, Assistant Professor of Finance at St. John’s University, received the Undergraduate Teacher of the Year Award for his forward-thinking and student-centered teaching approach. Faculty colleagues praised Dr. Zhu for redesigning coursework to address emerging technologies and ethical leadership in business education.

One nomination noted that “Dr. Zhu shifted course from a conceptual overview of FinTech to an interactive, ethically grounded exploration of AI’s role in learning and career preparation.” Another commended his teaching innovation, sharing that he “innovatively applied iterative AI prompts to fuel student learning and expand the effective usage of AI.”

Dr. Zhu’s classroom approach has helped students engage more deeply with financial technology, artificial intelligence, and responsible innovation in the evolving business landscape.

Graduate Teacher of the Year: Alexander J. Buoye, Ph.D.
Dr. Alexander J. Buoye, Associate Professor of Marketing at St. John’s University, Associate Professor in the Department of Marketing at The Peter J. Tobin College of Business, received the Graduate Teacher of the Year Award for his innovative and industry-connected approach to graduate business education.
Nominators highlighted his ability to bridge academic theory with practical business application, noting his success in “connecting coursework to real market execution.”

Faculty colleagues also praised Dr. Buoye’s curriculum innovation, including his work incorporating advanced analytics, generative artificial intelligence, and machine learning into marketing education.
One nomination recognized that he “incorporated methodology that addresses a long-standing pedagogical limitation in marketing research instruction: the inability to replicate industry-standard data collection practices due to cost.”

Another added that he “developed a more rigorous, integrated use of generative AI and machine learning tools throughout the curriculum.” Dr. Buoye’s work continues to position Tobin students at the forefront of emerging trends in marketing analytics and applied business intelligence.