DYNAMIC, INNOVATIVE, inspiring ... It’s not often that one can use the same three words to describe both the professor and the subject she teaches, but that’s the case with UM Professor Jakki Mohr, who specializes in the marketing of high-technology products. She brings her expertise into the classroom and imbues it with her special blend of vitality, creativity and high expectations, both for her students and herself.

“I think rigor is one of the things that makes a really good teacher — to have high expectations of your students,” she says. “But you can’t do it in a way that makes success seem unattainable, so I try to provide a really respectful and empathetic environment, and I always try to have fun in my classes.”

And her philosophy seems to serve her well. During her tenure at UM, she has been named Most Inspirational Teacher and Distinguished Scholar of the Year. In addition, Mohr was a

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Provost’s Distinguished Faculty Lecturer in 2003 and was recognized by MBA students for outstanding teaching in May 2004.

For her part, Mohr credits her students and colleagues with helping her to keep her edge, both in and out of the classroom.

“I feel like I’m in the prime of my career both in the high-tech arena and as an academic scholar,” she says. “To be on campus, in this energizing, intellectual community, you have to constantly be up-to-date. I thrive on it.”