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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 ���ϳԹ���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 ���ϳԹ���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 ���ϳԹ���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