Dr Mary Fitzpatrick – Citation for Tertiary Teaching Excellence Awards 2011

Last updated by: ako_admin (Ako Administrator) on 18 January 2012 - 2:21pm

Teaching excellence citation for Dr Mary Fitzpatrick, recipient of a 2011 Award for Sustained Excellence in Tertiary Teaching.

Dr Mary Fitzpatrick

Senior Lecturer
Department of Marketing
The University of Waikato

Getting beyond the slogan

Linking theory with real world experience - Mary’s infectious enthusiasm helps learners to understand what motivates consumers.

'Fabulous sense of humour, fantastic stories, infectious dedication, inspirational, engaging, knowledgeable and passionate' are words used to describe this enthusiastic and committed teacher of marketing. Mary’s portfolio opens with a photo of her sitting at a table in deep discussion with three learners. The caption reads 'My "HAPPY PLACE"'. This encapsulates Mary’s teaching philosophy of 'making connections' and 'building relationships', with her learners, her colleagues and her subject.

Mary isn’t happy just 'doing' teaching, she challenges and excites her learners, engages their curiosity, sparks their desires and engages them in the subject she is passionate about. Mary thrives on the challenge of planning learning that connects what her learners are doing in the classroom to what they are living outside of it.

She says : 'Teaching fascinates me – it challenges me – it inspires me'. Her learners are in turn challenged and inspired. One wrote: 'she really opened me up and got my imagination tingling'. Another made a wish: 'Long may she continue to impact others’ lives'.

Comments from Mary’s learners:

  • Thank you so much for being an absolutely fantastic teacher. I learnt so much in every class I went to of yours and you always made it fun and a great atmosphere to be in” You’re great.
  • Mary’s fabulous sense of humour and fantastic stories helped learners to relate theory with reality with ease. Mary is by far the best lecturer I’ve ever had.
  • I don’t see myself as a creative thinker but she [Mary] really got my imagination tingling.

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Read more about Dr Mary Fitzpatrick's teaching.

Read about other recipients of Tertiary Teaching Excellence Awards in 2011.

Find out more about the Awards.