Centre for Continuing Education Distinguished Teaching Award

Sheldon Dietcher

Career and Management Studies

As a student at McGill, there were two professors I found especially impressive and inspirational in guiding the direction my future career path would follow. Roger Bennett, who not only taught me two marketing courses, but also instilled in me the Winston Churchill belief to never give up, and Maurice Borts, who demonstrated that laughter and expertise, carefully mixed, were critical components for success in the classroom.

Both Roger and Maurice always brought a sense of enthusiasm in the delivery of their lectures which you couldn't help but get caught up in as they carried you away to intriguing worlds of commerce and beyond. While both men became good friends, it was Maurice who encouraged me to try my hand at the ancient art of teaching and storytelling.

Today, as I teach my own classes in the "Principles and Applications of Marketing," I try to instill in them the primary objective of all marketers -- which is to delight the target market. Once the semester is completed, I hope they have been as impressed with the extraordinary realm of marketing as I am. Perhaps, as was the case for my nominator, some may decide to change their previous career path plans and try their own hands at the wonderful world of marketing.