Anne Velliquette, WCOB, Recognized With Service Learning Teaching Award

Every year since 2015, the Service Learning Initiative has presented the Outstanding Contributions to Service Learning Teaching Award to a course instructor (or co-instructors) who has demonstrated the ability to enrich both course content and the community through the application of Service Learning pedagogy. On Oct. 13, the 2025-26 award was presented to Anne Velliquette of the Walton College of Business.  

For more than a decade, Velliquette has taught Service Learning-designated courses every semester. In her Integrated Marketing Communications (MKTG 42303) course, she has partnered with more than 30 organizations since 2013, including Hershey's, Hallmark, Chobani and Kyya Chocolate.   

During the ceremony, held in the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Enterprise Development, Service Learning Director Lisa Bowers provided remarks highlighting the asset Velliquette has been to the U of A through Service Learning. Bowers shared words from a past student who stated about Velliquette's Integrated Marketing class, that it was "without a doubt the best class I've taken during my time at the University of Arkansas." Bowers additionally shared that that participation in the project led to a trip to Hormel Foods' headquarters for the student, a summer internship and opportunities they may never have discovered otherwise. Most importantly, the student noted that Velliquette "clearly cares about her students and wants everyone who comes into her classroom to succeed and learn."   

Chair of the Marketing Department, Jeff Murray, provided a presentation about the professional history Velliquette titled "The Story of Anne."  In this presentation he shared that in 1991, Velliquette began her Ph.D. program at U of A. Murray served as the director of the program at the time and became her dissertation adviser. Through her journey, she found belonging in the department. He praised her teaching achievements, noting she has been a recipient of multiple teaching, service, research and mentorship awards, among other honors. 

Through Service Learning courses like Velliquette's, students apply classroom knowledge to real-world situations while building professional connections. Velliquette explains: "Students are working on a real client challenge/ask and tasked with coming up with solutions to address the ask. Students form connections with the companies, and some of the students over the years have obtained internships and even jobs after they graduate with the clients they have worked with." 

Recipients of the Outstanding Contributions to Service Learning Faculty Award are nominated by members of the Service Learning Initiative Committee and celebrated annually. To learn more about previous recipients of the award, visit the Service Learning Initiative website.