Collat accounting professor Jennifer Hamrick, Ph.D. opens a new website , has been selected to receive the UAB President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching for her exceptional accomplishments in the classroom. She will be honored at a UAB ceremony this fall.
After receiving her doctorate from Kennesaw State University in 2019, Hamrick joined UAB’s business school faculty to teach advanced accounting, external audit and advanced audit courses. She quickly earned a reputation as a hands-on professor.
“Dr. Hamrick is known for her engaging lectures, innovative teaching practices, passion for teaching, and concern for her students,” Collat accounting alumnus Alex Clark wrote when nominating Hamrick for the award. “She fosters an inclusive learning environment that allows students to feel welcomed and valued. Moreover, students from all backgrounds and experiences leave her class with practical knowledge to help them develop as accounting professionals.”
Hamrick's professional experience as an accountant before becoming a professor ensures that her instruction is relevant, students say. She shares her experiences in the classroom to demonstrate the practical application of lessons, and gives students hands-on learning assignments like preparing financial statements or auditing cash.
-Collat MAc alumnus,
Charles D. Evers, Jr.
“Dr. Hamrick's enthusiasm for accounting is contagious,” Collat alumnus Charles D. Evers, Jr., wrote in support of Hamrick’s nomination. “She makes complex topics engaging and fosters a love of learning in her students.”
Evers took advanced accounting with Hamrick when pursing his master of accounting degree at UAB. He emphasized Hamrick's use of innovative teaching methods in the classroom.
“The assignment where we wrote a paper and then compared it to a Chat GPT-generated version was not only interesting, but also sparked valuable discussions about technology's impact on the accounting field,” he wrote.
MAc alumnae Carissa Ann Peters also praised Hamrick’s approach to teaching.
“Excellence in teaching goes beyond the ability to teach ... it takes someone truly extraordinary to inspire others. Dr. Hamrick is one of those teachers and so much more.”
Hamrick earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Birmingham-Southern College and her master’s degree in accounting from Auburn University. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA). Prior to earning her doctorate, she worked as a corporate accountant and business analyst at Southern Nuclear and as a senior accountant at a public accounting firm in Birmingham.
In addition to her innovative teaching, Hamrick is an accomplished researcher. A teaching case co-authored with a former student was recently accepted for publication in Research on Professional Responsibility and Ethics in Accounting. She also received the Being the Difference Award in 2021 from the NASBA Center for the Public Trust and the Outstanding Faculty Award from UAB Disability Support Services in 2019.