Dr. Zach Musselman Selected for 2026 Mentzer Award for Inspirational Teaching

Associate Professor of Geology and Environmental Science Dr. Zach Musselman was selected as the recipient of the 2026 Mentzer Award for Inspirational Teaching (MAIT). The award was presented at a reception and awards ceremony for outstanding faculty held on May 4.

Each spring, all Shepherd students are invited to nominate a professor for this award who made a difference in their life or the life of a classmate. Dr. Musselman received two student nominations.

“I would recommend any of his classes to any other student attending Shepherd. You are guaranteed to learn the material all while actually enjoying a college level course,” explained one nomination. “That’s truly what makes him deserving of this award. Tons of teachers can present their material to a class, but not every teacher is beloved and can make learning the material fun. Musselman can and he did, and I strive to teach in the same way that he does when I have my own classroom one day.”

“I was actually excited when we had class because he made it fun,” stated another nomination. “As a future educator myself, he has inspired me to be enthusiastic and caring so my future students can see how much fun learning can be.”

The MAIT was created by Shepherd alumna Susan Mentzer-Blair ’72 and her husband, William “Bill” Blair, to honor a full-time professor recognized by Shepherd students for being particularly inspiring and having a profound effect on their students. Sue’s brother, Dr. John Thomas “Tom” Mentzer, served as inspiration for the award. Tom 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. The MAIT honors Sue’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 unique recognition.

Sue Mentzer-Blair is a retired school counselor with Frederick County Public Schools in Maryland, and also serves as a director emerita on the Foundation’s board of directors and as a member of the Shepherd University Board of Governors. Bill Blair is also a retired educator, having taught history and worked as a school counselor with Jefferson County Public Schools in West Virginia.

This year’s presentation marks the tenth award of the MAIT. Previous recipients include Dr. Timothy Nixon, associate professor of English (2017); Dr. Stephanie Slocum-Schaffer, associate professor of political science (2018); Dr. Geraldine Crawley-Woods, professor of social work (2019); Dr. Benjamin Bankhurst, assistant professor of history (2020); Dr. Samuel Greene, assistant professor of political science and global studies (2021); Dr. Chiquita Howard Bostic, associate professor of sociology (2022); Dr. Matthew Kushin, professor of communication (2023); Dr. Sylvia Bailey Shurbutt, professor of English (2024); and Dr. Aart Holtslag, associate professor political science (2025).