Integrated Teaching and Diversity Statement
At the core of my teaching philosophy is the conviction that education is most transformative when it connects knowledge to lived experience and equips students to think with confidence, integrity, and purpose. Teaching, to me, is not the transfer of information but the cultivation of curiosity, communication, and resilience. In finance, where decisions carry real consequences, students must leave the classroom not only with technical skill but with the judgment to apply it ethically and the ability to communicate with clarity and trust.
Active Learning and the Language of Finance
I view learning as an active process shaped by interaction and discovery. Drawing from my background in coaching, I design each class to maximize participation. Rather than relying on long lectures, I pose questions, give students time to discuss with peers, and then call on someone at random. This creates an environment where every student “touches the ball,” engaging in reasoning, explanation, and problem-solving rather than passive observation.
My approach is informed by Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development, Roediger and Karpicke’s Testing Effect, and Bruner’s scaffolding. Frequent assessments, open discussions, and real-world examples help students build confidence through repetition and feedback. Quizzes and problem sets are cumulative, reinforcing long-term retention and allowing students to track their own progress. The result is a learning process that rewards curiosity and persistence rather than perfection.
Finance, at its core, is a language of trust. Investors place confidence in people, not spreadsheets. I encourage students to practice this language by explaining complex ideas in plain terms and by listening to perspectives different from their own. The ability to “speak finance” clearly is not only a professional skill but also a tool for building integrity and leadership.
Building Connection and Community
Learning deepens when students feel seen, supported, and connected. I design my courses to foster collaboration and professional growth. Each semester, I distribute large nameplate tents to promote familiarity, maintain online collaboration sheets that encourage teamwork, and rotate seating after exams to expand networks. Assignments often include LinkedIn profile creation, peer feedback, and projects that mirror real-world professional dynamics.
Students describe my courses as engaging, challenging, and community-driven. Many highlight that my emphasis on networking helped them form friendships, professional contacts, and confidence that extend beyond the classroom. These relationships are not accidental; they reflect a deliberate structure where students learn that collaboration is a key form of intelligence.
Teaching Across Diverse Learning Environments
My teaching experience spans more than three decades and a wide range of settings including churches, community centers, K–12 schools, athletic fields, and universities. I have taught dance, coached youth sports, led Sunday school, tutored math and English, and served as Instructor of Record for multiple finance courses at UNC Charlotte. These experiences taught me to meet students where they are and to design multiple pathways to success.
At UNC Charlotte, I have taught Investments, Real Estate Finance, Financial Management, Real Estate Principles, and Asset Management. My teaching has been consistently recognized through awards, student media features, and surveys naming me the “most significant positive contribution” to graduating seniors’ education. These acknowledgments reflect not only strong pedagogy but also the inclusive, relationship-centered culture I strive to build in every class.
I believe inclusion is not passive; it requires intentional design. Whether mentoring struggling readers, coaching athletes, or preparing finance majors for their careers, I approach each student with dignity, compassion, and high expectations. When students feel respected and supported, they rise to challenges with creativity and resilience.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as Pedagogical Practice
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are integral to how I teach, research, and serve. My goal is to prepare students to succeed in a profession that is increasingly global and to see finance as both a technical and a human discipline. I bring guest speakers from underrepresented groups into class, design case studies that highlight diverse communities, and encourage cross-cultural collaboration. Domestic students learn to value the global perspectives of international classmates, while international students gain confidence and trust in their communication through practice and support.
Accessibility is another core value. I provide multiple forms of assessment, balancing quantitative rigor with reflective assignments that capture persistence and growth. This ensures that barriers unrelated to ability do not prevent success. I emphasize that diversity of thought and experience strengthens both the classroom and the financial industry as a whole.
My research reinforces these commitments. I examine how political alignment, identity, and community composition shape economic behavior. My job market paper, Political Alignment and Housing Transactions, shows that partisanship affects investment timing and neighborhood dynamics. Other projects explore how political bias influences analyst forecasts, institutional investment in green energy, and capital allocation. Together, these studies reveal how identity and social context interact with financial decision-making, producing both opportunities and inequalities.
Stewardship and Lifelong Growth
Teaching, to me, is an act of stewardship. Students entrust me with their time, energy, and aspirations, and I have a responsibility to guide them toward personal and professional maturity. I hold them to high standards while modeling empathy and reflection. I actively seek feedback each semester, revise my materials, and continue professional development to refine my methods.
Education, at its best, transforms both teacher and student. I believe that learning should engage the whole person, that inclusivity is essential to genuine understanding, and that finance must be taught as a discipline grounded in trust, communication, and ethical decision-making. My commitment is to help students develop not only the skills to succeed in their careers but also the discernment and integrity to lead in an increasingly diverse and interconnected world.