But those same students found the easy answer to who should receive the 2002 Marshall Award for Innovative Teaching. It was a no brainer: Dave Koranda.

Koranda began working at the School in 1997 when he taught a media planning class as an adjunct professor. Two terms later, Koranda was hired as a visiting associate professor in advertising. It was then, in addition to his teaching duties, Koranda took on the Ad Team. The team, made up of seniors in advertising, designs a campaign for a national client and takes that campaign to a regional competition and if successful onto a national competition. For the five years that Koranda has led the team, it has gone on to nationals the past three. (See the story on this year's Ad Team's second place finish.)

For the longtime media director, the choice to bring his 18 years of experience to the classroom did not come without his own set of questions. He wasn't convinced that he could translate his professional experience in an effective way in the classroom. It was his wife, Cathy, who reminded him that in effect he had been teaching for years, training people in the field.

"She reminded me of the people I have worked with over the years, training them to understand what the business is and how it works," Koranda remembers. "I realized that I could teach students what I know."

SOJC Dean Tim Gleason says that it is Koranda's personal style in combination with his experience that makes him such a talented teacher. "In the years that Dave has been here, he has been as committed to learning and growing as a teacher as he has in sharing his professional expertise. It is a powerful combination in the classroom."

Ben Jenkins, a member of this year's Ad Team says, "What makes Dave such a great professor is that he lets his students learn for themselves. He makes himself available for guidance and support, but he isn't overbearing. He isn't afraid to let his students fail a few times because he understands that learning from your mistakes is often more valuable than getting things right on the first try all the time."

It is his ability to engage students in their own learning and his willingness to serve in a mentor role that impresses his students. Kelly Schrader '02, an account manager with Ad Team, has taken classes with Koranda for three years and says he relates to all of his students this way, not just the Ad Team.

"He helps everyone who comes his way," she says. "He's such a good teacher because his heart is in it. You Schrader says that Koranda strikes a good balance in his teaching style. ÒHe gives you enough information that you can ask the right questions, but he doesn't give you the answers." According to Schrader, he was less like a professor and more like another member of the Ad Team. "If we were in the computer lab working at one a.m., he was right there with us." Koranda sacrificed his spring break this year to help the team put the finishing touches on their campaign.

Among the students who nominated Koranda were members of this year's Ad Team who submitted their nominations independently without telling each other they were doing it. Several of the students were sitting together at graduation when Dean Tim Gleason announced the award. It was then that they learned they'd all had the same idea.

"Receiving the award is rewarding because it is students who make the nominations," Koranda says. "This year's Ad Team campaign was rigorous and it's wonderful to know we can work so hard together and that students appreciate that."

Jenkins says the Ad Team benefited from the professional experience Koranda shared with them. "Having Dave's knowledge of advertising and knowledge of the world in general was invaluable," he says.

Professor Charles Frazer says he was delighted that students chose his colleague for the award.

"Students value and respect Dave's work in all classes, but Ad Team is an especially demanding project that requires not only encouragement and mentoring, but patience and guidance to help the students find their own way."

Among Koranda's many awards are the McDonald's Media Award of Excellence in 1994; the 7-UP "Best in the West" in 1996; and the Mid-Oregon Ad Club Award of Excellence. He is currently Media Director at Baden & Co., an advertising agency in Eugene, and is proprietor of Koranda Communications, a media buying service.

Koranda was selected for the award by a committee of emeritus professors. All teaching faculty in the SOJC are eligible, including tenure-track professors, instructors, visiting professors and adjunct faculty. Nominations are based on specific ways in which the nominee has helped students gain new insight, see connections between theory and practice and strengthen professional skills. The award carries a $2000 cash prize.

The Marshall Award was established by Jonathan Marshall '62, and his wife, Maxine. The Marshalls were the owners and publishers of the Scottsdale (Ariz.) Progress for 25 years before establishing a charitable foundation in support of nonprofit organizations.

Previous faculty members to win the Marshall award include Kim Sheehan, Kellee Weinhold, John Russial, Deb Merskin, Tom Bivins, Tim Gleason, Bill Ryan, Ann Maxwell, Tom Wheeler, Carl Bybee, Al Stavitsky and Roger Lavery.