Accounting and Business Law Professor Honored by Senior Class as Collins Outstanding Professor

Contact: Shelby Cefaratti-Bertin, Baylor University Media & Public Relations, 254-327-8012 
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WACO, Texas (March 21, 2024) – Baylor University’s 2024 senior class has selected Lotte Bostick, J.D., CPA, assistant clinical professor in the Department of Accounting and Business Law at Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business and adjunct professor at Baylor Law School, as the 2024 Collins Outstanding Professor. 

The senior class votes each year to select the recipient of the Collins Outstanding Professor Award, which recognizes and honors outstanding teachers at Baylor. The award is generously provided by the Carr P. Collins Foundation.

"The students here at Baylor are the reason I love my teaching position so much,” Bostick said. “It is such an honor and encouragement to know that they have this confidence in me. I’m speechless, and my students will tell you – that rarely happens.”

The Collins Professor receives an award of $10,000, recognition in University publications and citation on a plaque. As Collins Professor, Bostick also will give a special lecture at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, in the Schumacher Flex Space on the first floor of Moody Memorial Library. She plans to present a legal analysis of “Pepsi, Where’s My Jet?”, a Netflix documentary series that focuses on Leonard v. PepsiCo, Inc., a legal battle over a promotional program. 

"My husband and I watched this documentary together and while we were watching, I kept wanting to pause the documentary so I could tell him about what legal issues were in play,” Bostick said. “This is my chance to watch the documentary again and dissect it.” 

Before joining Baylor, Bostick served as general counsel at FirstCity Financial Corp., a publicly traded financial company doing business internationally and in all 50 states. She received her B.S. in accounting and biochemistry from Virginia Tech. In 1988, Bostick earned her law degree from Baylor Law.

Serving on the faculty of the Hankamer School of Business and Baylor Law, Bostick teaches classes that focus on the legal environment of business and legal aspects of financial and commercial transactions and serves with the Law School’s In-House Externship Program.

“I love my students,” Bostick said. “I want to make their experiences in my class and through personal interactions outside of class, ones that encourage them to be curious and think critically, along with teaching them practical skills to spot and deal with legal issues in their careers and in life.”

Gia M. Chevis, Ph.D., interim chair of accounting and business law, PwC Professor of Teaching Excellence and clinical professor, described Bostick as an outstanding instructor and invaluable asset to the department. Students, she said, respect Bostick’s deep understanding of the law and appreciate her creativity and engagement in class.

“Her ability to connect with students demonstrates that holding them to high standards in a technical subject does not preclude student appreciation and affection,” Chevis said. “Lotte stands out as both a teacher and role model. Her support for student learning and development is evident in the heartfelt appreciation and high ratings she consistently receives from her students and her commitment to excellence and continuous improvement. She embodies the qualities we hope to instill in our students, and it is a privilege to have Lotte as a colleague. She is a remarkable educator."

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.

ABOUT THE HANKAMER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business strives to further God’s kingdom through the realm of business, using God-given gifts and academic talents to do so. Faculty and students conduct purposeful research and participate in experiential learning opportunities, all while operating in a Christ-centered mission. Undergraduate students can choose from 13 major areas of study. Graduate students can earn their MBA on their terms, either through the full-time, online or a Dallas-based executive program. The Business School also offers three Ph.D. programs in Information Systems, Entrepreneurship or Health Services Research. The School’s top-ranked programs make up approximately 25% of the University’s total enrollment. Visit the Hankamer School of Business website for more information.

ABOUT BAYLOR LAW

Established in 1857, Baylor Law was one of the first law schools in Texas and one of the first west of the Mississippi River. Today, the school has more than 7,600 living alumni. It is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. Baylor Law has a record of producing outstanding lawyers, many of whom decide upon a career in public service. Baylor Law boasts two governors, members or former members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, two former directors of the FBI, U.S. ambassadors, federal judges, justices of the Texas Supreme Court and members of the Texas Legislature among its notable alumni. In its law specialties rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked Baylor Law’s trial advocacy program at No. 2 in the magazine’s 2023 edition of "America’s Best Graduate Schools." The National Jurist ranks Baylor Law as one of the "Best School for Practical Training" and one of the "Best Law School Facilities" in the country. The Business Insider places Baylor Law among the top 50 law schools in the nation. Baylor Law received the 2015 American Bar Association Pro Bono Publico Award, making it only the third law school in the nation to be honored with the award since the award's inception in 1984. Learn more at the Law School website.