James David Bell named 2004 Piper Professor

SAN MARCOS - Texas State University-San Marcos faculty member James David Bell, professor of management in the College of Business and director of Professional Development and Education, has been named Piper Professor for 2004 by the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation.

Bell and 15 other professors from around the state were named Piper Professors on May 3 in honor of their dedication and service to teaching at the collegiate level. Piper Foundation honorees are chosen by committee members who look for well-rounded, outgoing teachers, devoted to their profession and have made a special impact on their students and the community.

“I've taught for 32 years and have tried to deliver my best each day," said Bell. "I've worked with and for thousands of women and men, and to me, every contact with a student, parent, client or customer is a privilege and a challenge."

He received his bachelor of science degree in comprehensive business education from Kent State University and followed that with a Master's of Education, also from Kent State. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Akron. A faculty member of Texas State since 1985, Bell served as assistant and associate dean of the College of Business from 1988-200 and currently serves as the coordinator of the Mitte Enterprise Speakers series.

"I teach because I care about knowledge, quality, improvement; and I especially care about people and their marvelous capacity and capabilities," Bell said. "While teaching, I tell my students that they are God's toolbox, and that each has arrived in class with demonstrated and recognized knowledge, talents, character, qualities, skills and abilities. I tell them that because the world is more complex than ever before, and because so much is demanded of the educated person that the challenge for each of them is to learn to improve--to add new and to refine previously used talents, qualities, skills and abilities."

Bell is the 13th Texas State professor to be named a Piper Professor. Other Texas State Piper Professors have been Emmie Craddock, 1962, history; Robert Galvan, 1968, modern languages; Thomas Brasher, 1970, English; Dan Farlow, 1975, political science; Clarence Schultz, 1976, sociology; Henrietta Avent, 1979, health and physical education; Robert Walts, 1982, English; Beverly Chiodo, 1988, computer information systems and administrative sciences; Barbara Hatcher, 1993, curriculum and instruction; Michael John Hennessy, 2001, English; Nancy Fehl Chavkin, 2002, social work; and Paul Nathan Cohen, 2003, English.