Mentzer Award for Inspirational Teaching

The Mentzer Award for Inspirational Teaching was created by alumna Susan Mentzer-Blair and her husband, William “Bill” Blair to honor a full-time professor recognized by Shepherd students for being particularly inspiring and having a profound effect on his or her students. According to Mentzer-Blair, her brother, Dr. John Thomas “Tom” Mentzer, served as inspiration for the award because he received a similar accolade from his Ph.D. candidate students at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where he held the Bruce Chair of Excellence in the business department.

MAIT honors Mentzer-Blair’s brother, who passed away in 2010, as well as her mother, who followed in 2014. A portion of each of their estates was used to create this recognition through the Shepherd University Foundation. Mentzer-Blair is a retired school counselor with Frederick County Public Schools in Maryland and her husband is also a retired educator, having taught history and worked as a school counselor with Jefferson County Public Schools.

2025 Mentzer Award for Inspirational Teaching:  Dr. Aart Holtslag

Dr. Aart Holtslag, Associate Professor of Political Science, was selected as the recipient of the 2025 Mentzer Award for Inspirational Teaching (MAIT). All Shepherd students are invited to nominate a professor for this award and briefly describe how this professor has made a difference in their life or the life of a classmate.

Student Nominations:

“I was fortunate enough to have Dr. Holtslag my first semester at Shepherd, which I did not know would shape the trajectory of my academic career for the better. I was immediately gripped by Dr. Holtslag’s ability to engage with student questions in a civil and thoughtful manner, and his eagerness to push students to think critically.”

Previous Winners