BOONE, N.C. — Seven faculty and staff members in Appalachian State University’s Walker College of Business have earned Sywassink Awards for Excellence, which honor teaching, research and service, as well as the spirit of the college. The awardees were recognized during the college’s Day of Excellence dinner and program, held May 1 in the Grandview Ballroom on App State’s Boone campus.

The Sywassink Awards are made possible by a contribution from G.A. Sywassink — an honorary App State alumnus, a past chair of the university’s Board of Trustees and the college’s Business Advisory Council, and a previous member of the University of North Carolina System Board of Governors.

The 2025 Sywassink Awards recipients:

• Dr. Bao Duong received the Sywassink Award for Excellence in Teaching.
• Dr. Justin Cox received the Sywassink Award for Excellence in Research.
• Dr. Ash Morgan received the Sywassink Award for Excellence in Service.
• Bond Jones received the Sywassink Special Faculty Award.
• Lauren Stansberry received the Sywassink Outstanding Staff Award.
• Dr. Scott Hunsinger received the Spirit of Walker Award for faculty.
• Samantha Williams received the Spirit of Walker Award for staff.

“This year’s Sywassink Award honorees represent the heart of the Walker College of Business — passionate educators, innovative researchers and dedicated professionals,” said Walker College Dean Sandra Vannoy, who presented the Sywassink Awards with the assistance of last year’s awards winners. “Their work inspires excellence and community every day.”

Winners received a monetary prize, a glass trophy and a bronze medallion featuring the university’s seal.

Read on to learn more about this year’s winners.

Teaching Award — Dr. Bao Duong

Dr. Bao Duong, assistant professor in the Department of Computer Information Systems (CIS), teaches courses on business analytics and cybersecurity. He has helped his students achieve high pass rates and even perfect scores on the Microsoft Office Specialist Excel Associate certification exam.

According to a nominator, “Every student across four sections of his course passed the exam, which is a phenomenal feat, given that the average pass rate at other universities is between 60% and 65%.”

As a member of the CIS Curriculum Committee, Duong has been active in course design. He helped redesign a database management course using Microsoft SQL Server, and thanks to his work, students now learn real-world SQL (structured query language) skills, analytical problem-solving and data security, including protecting databases against cyber threats and vulnerabilities such as SQL injection.

Duong earned his bachelor’s degree from Troy University, his Master of Business Administration from Missouri State University and his Doctor of Business Administration from Louisiana Tech University.

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Research Award — Dr. Justin Cox

Dr. Justin Cox is an associate professor in the Department of Finance, Banking and Insurance.

According to a nominator, Cox’s level of activity and quality of outcomes in the field of finance and banking are outstanding.

“Over the past six years, he has demonstrated scholarly excellence with 22 publications in high-quality journals, impactful conference presentations and a well-defined research stream that advances the field,” the nominator shared.

Cox has published research in market structure, trading behavior and financial policy, and his work has important implications for financial markets knowledge — including topics such as the pandemic’s impacts on market structure, motivations around initial public offerings (IPOs) of corporate stock, linkages between real business innovations and IPOs, and bank operations. His publications in the Journal of Banking and Finance, Financial Management and the Journal of Financial Markets, among others, demonstrate the breadth and rigor of his scholarship.

In addition to his research and classroom teaching, Cox serves as a faculty co-advisor to the Finance Student Association and as a faculty member in the North Carolina School of Banking, a continuing education program for banking professionals that is headquartered at App State.

Cox earned a bachelor’s degree from Coastal Carolina University, a Master of Arts from the University of Central Florida, an MBA from Louisiana Tech University and a doctorate from the University of Mississippi.

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Service Award — Dr. Ash Morgan

Dr. Ash Morgan, professor in the Department of Economics, provides extensive service through research collaborations, community economic impact studies and mentorship of App State students.

A leading researcher in environmental and regional economics, Morgan directs App State’s Center for Economic Research and Policy Analysis (CERPA). Through CERPA, he helps improve policy and decision-making by local businesses, governments and institutions as they estimate their economic impacts.

Examples of his CERPA community connections include App State Athletics, the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country, the Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show, Blood Sweat and Gears and the High Country Beer Fest, among others.

“Almost all of the projects he is involved in include students, which provides unique opportunities for students to acquire hands-on experience with applied research and community engagement,” said a nominator.

In addition to mentoring students through research projects, Morgan also serves as faculty advisor to App State’s chapter of NABE, the National Association of Business Economists. He is also a member of Walker College’s strategic planning committee.

Morgan received the college’s 2016 Sywassink Award for Excellence in Research and holds a Dean’s Club professorship. He earned his Ph.D. in economics from the University of Delaware.

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Special Faculty Award — Bond Jones

Bond Jones, executive-in-residence in the Department of Management, joined the App State faculty in 2021, bringing decades of corporate leadership experience to the classroom, including having served as vice president of global consumer marketing operations at Dell Technologies.

Jones teaches leadership and strategic management, with students consistently describing him as knowledgeable, passionate, honest, experienced and communicative. Regarding Jones’ willingness to engage with students, a colleague noted that “the lines of students outside his office seeking his advice and counsel are the longest I have seen in my years in the Department of Management.”

Jones serves as internship coordinator for App State management students, and he is faculty advisor for App State’s chapter of Pi Sigma Epsilon, a professional business fraternity dedicated to the fields of sales, marketing and management.

Making a positive impact on colleagues as well as students, Bond’s “enthusiasm, positive attitude and genuine love for App State and our students have been contagious in the best possible way,” according to a nominator.

Jones earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting from Texas State University and his MBA in organizational leadership management from Texas A&M University-Texarkana.

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Outstanding Staff Award — Lauren Stansberry

Lauren Stansberry, administrative support specialist in the Department of Management, is “the backbone of the department, ensuring that everything runs smoothly while going above and beyond her official responsibilities to support faculty, students and staff,” said a nominator.

Her nominators praised her for a student-centered approach and commitment to service, describing her as a key member of the department, which is the largest by number of majors in the Walker College of Business.

Stansberry’s nominators noted her varied scope of work, including travel administration (including international trips), grant management and faculty search coordination.

“She is approachable, patient and always willing to help — qualities that strengthen collaboration and enhance the department’s culture,” said another nominator.

Stansberry joined the Walker College of Business staff in 2021, having previously served as an administrative assistant in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Dean’s Office. Stansberry holds a bachelor’s degree in management and marketing from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

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Spirit of Walker Award for faculty — Dr. Scott Hunsinger

Dr. Scott Hunsinger, professor in and chair of the Department of Computer Information Systems, has been instrumental in developing and expanding Walker College’s cybersecurity programs, including the Bachelor of Science in cybersecurity — the first in the UNC System to be housed in a college of business.

Under his leadership, enrollment in all cybersecurity programs has grown dramatically, and cybersecurity labs at App State’s Boone and Hickory campuses provide students with hands-on learning opportunities.

App State’s cybersecurity programs are forward-thinking and integrate ethics, global perspectives, artificial intelligence, forensics and other emerging topics, reflecting the college’s mission and vision and positioning Hunsinger’s work as evidence of the Spirit of Walker, a nominator shared.

Hunsinger’s honors include the Sywassink Award for Excellence in Teaching, the UNC Board of Governors Teaching Award, the Sywassink Award for Excellence in Service and App State’s W. H. Plemmons Leadership Medallion. His leadership of the student organization Appalachian Information Technology Professionals, formerly known as AITP, earned him the National Faculty Advisor of the Year Award for his demonstrated dedication, availability and energy in student involvement.

Hunsinger is also a productive researcher, having contributed over 80 refereed publications and conference presentations since 2005, earning four research paper awards. He has held the position of senior editor for the Journal of Information Systems Applied Research and Analytics since 2010.

Hunsinger earned his MBA and Ph.D. in information technology from UNC Charlotte.

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Spirit of Walker Award for staff — Samantha Williams

Samantha Williams, administrative support specialist in the Department of Computer Information Systems (CIS), creates opportunities for student success, including organizing major events such as the university’s Cyber Summit. This annual event raises thousands of dollars in scholarship funds for CIS students and attracts hundreds of industry professionals to the Boone campus to network with and hire Walker College students.

Williams’ commitment to students is extraordinary, according to her nominators.

“Whenever they face difficulties, she is the first to step in, offering practical solutions with compassion and patience,” said a nominator. “Her depth of knowledge and extensive experience enable her to address every question and concern with clarity and understanding, fostering a supportive environment for everyone.”

Williams also coordinates the Microsoft Office Specialist Excel certification exams for Walker College students, with students achieving a pass rate of over 95% — making App State the highest-performing institution in North Carolina on this exam. The exam is part of CIS1060, an introductory course on business analytics using spreadsheet technology, which ensures business students meet the college’s computer proficiency requirement.

Her leadership extends beyond her college and department. Williams serves as a transfer student mentor for the university and also as co-chair of the university’s Staff Senate. Her dedication to service, innovation and morale has earned her recognition, including the 2020 Sywassink Outstanding Staff Award and a 2024 App State Student Success Award.

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About the Walker College of Business

The Walker College of Business at Appalachian State University delivers transformational educational experiences that prepare and inspire students to be ethical, innovative and engaged business leaders who positively impact their communities, both locally and globally. The college places emphasis on international experiences, sustainable business practices, entrepreneurial programs and real-world applications with industry. Enrolling nearly 5,000 students, including more than 4,500 undergraduates across 11 majors, the Walker College of Business has the highest full-time undergraduate enrollment in the University of North Carolina System. App State’s Walker College is accredited by AACSB International — the premier global accrediting body for business schools. Learn more at https://business.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.