Senior Lecturer, Department of Marketing , The University of Waikato

“Getting beyond the slogan.”

'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'.