2026 McGlothlin Teaching Award given to exceptional business and law professors

The 2026 McGlothlin Award for Exceptional Teaching has been granted to Professor Dawn Edmiston, Clinical Professor of Marketing from the Raymond A. Mason School of Business, and Professor Aaron-Andrew P. Bruhl from William & Mary Law School.

Since its establishment in 2016, the annual McGlothlin Award has been bestowed upon exceptional educators at William & Mary. This distinguished accolade recognizes the unwavering dedication to teaching exhibited by two outstanding professors—one from the Raymond A. Mason School of Business and the other from the William & Mary Law School. Not only does this recognition celebrate their sustained commitments to education, but it also includes a prize for each recipient, generously provided by James W. McGlothlin '62, J.D. '64, LL.D. '00, and Frances Gibson McGlothlin '66, L.H.D. '18.

Dawn Edmiston

Several years ago, Phillip Wagner was preparing to make one of the biggest decisions of his professional life.

At the time, Wagner was living in Florida and considering a return to full-time teaching after an administrative career in higher education. With multiple offers on the table, he was uncertain whether William & Mary was the right fit.

So, he started researching.

As he explored the school's digital footprint, Wagner came across a series of student-created personal branding videos from a marketing course taught by Clinical Professor of Marketing Dawn Edmiston. The videos were creative, polished, and deeply personal, showcasing students who were not only learning course concepts but also learning to present themselves confidently and authentically to the world.

"They were fun, creative, sometimes deeply serious, occasionally cheesy in the best way, but all were excellent," Wagner recalled in his nomination letter. "They reflected consistency and imagination at the same time. And they reflected a school that allowed clinical faculty to flourish."

That moment helped convince Wagner to join the Mason School faculty. Years later, he says the experience still reflects what makes Edmiston such an exceptional educator.

Now, Edmiston's decades-long commitment to innovation, mentorship, and student-centered teaching has earned her one of William & Mary's highest teaching honors: the 2026 McGlothlin Award for Exceptional Teaching.

Since joining William & Mary in 2014, Edmiston has become known not only for dynamic classroom teaching but also for helping shape the broader culture of teaching and learning across the Mason School.

Her courses emphasize experiential learning, creativity, and real-world application. One of her best-known innovations, the "Perfect Pitch" assignment, challenges students to create 60-second videos communicating their personal brands and professional aspirations. The project has become the largest single source of student-created video content for the Mason School, generating more than 100,000 YouTube views and helping students secure internships, jobs, and networking opportunities.

"Edmiston's classes are not merely lectures; they are hands-on opportunities for individual growth, application, and collaboration," wrote former student Erin Liebe '23. "While most courses prepare students to make an impact when they leave the classroom, she equips and encourages students to make an impact here and now."

Edmiston's teaching philosophy is rooted in personal connection and relevance. At the beginning of each semester, she commits to learning each student's name, goals, and aspirations, which helps her tailor course content to students' professional interests and lived experiences.

"As the first woman in my family to attend college, I recognize the importance of engaging and supporting students inside and outside the classroom," Edmiston said in her personal statement. "I believe higher education should extend beyond traditional textbooks and classrooms."

That philosophy has shaped her work across undergraduate, graduate, and online programs, where she has taught courses in digital marketing, global marketing, and marketing strategy.

Her impact extends well beyond the classroom.

Over the past several years, Edmiston has emerged as one of the Mason School's leading voices in the thoughtful integration of artificial intelligence into business education. As chairperson of the School of Business AI Executive/Steering Committee, she has helped coordinate more than $200,000 in AI-focused investments to support faculty innovation, student learning initiatives, and curriculum development.

Her leadership has helped launch faculty workshops, an AI Fellows program, grant initiatives, and interdisciplinary collaborations designed to prepare students and faculty for a rapidly evolving technological landscape. Colleagues say Edmiston's influence has transformed not only her own teaching, but also the way faculty across the Mason School think about innovation.

"Perhaps her most critical role in reforming how we teach has been as the lead of the AI Steering Committee, which has educated, challenged, and encouraged many faculty, myself included, to experiment with curricular innovation," wrote Jim Olver in his nomination letter.

Olver described the impact surrounding Edmiston's AI initiatives as unlike anything he had seen during his 36 years at William & Mary.

"She is actively building a culture of innovation in teaching and learning," he wrote.

That spirit of innovation also extends globally.

Edmiston served as the founding faculty director of the university's Global Business Minor, developed in partnership with the Reves Center and University College Dublin. The hybrid study abroad program quickly became one of William & Mary's largest international programs and provides students with opportunities to combine classroom learning with global business experiences.

A 2021 Fulbright Scholar and 2024 Fulbright Specialist in Estonia, Edmiston has continued to champion international learning opportunities for both students and faculty.

Her colleagues say one of her defining characteristics is her commitment to lifting others.

"She builds platforms and invites others onto them," Wagner wrote. "She sees potential before people see it in themselves."

That mentorship has shaped generations of students and faculty alike.

Edmiston has played a major role in supporting clinical faculty advancement and governance within the Mason School. She was among the founding members of the school's Clinical Faculty Steering Committee and helped define pathways for promotion and representation.

In 2019, she became the first clinical faculty member in the Mason School promoted to full professor.

"She consistently identifies talent in clinical faculty and refuses to let it remain invisible," Wagner wrote.

Her mentorship often continues long after students graduate.

One example is Amy Teller, a former Online MBA student whom Edmiston encouraged to pursue a doctorate at William & Mary. Edmiston later served on Teller's dissertation committee and mentored her development into a lead faculty role within the Mason School.

Edmiston's dedication to students has been recognized through numerous teaching and advising honors, including the BBA Class of 2024 Faculty Excellence Award, the Online MBA Outstanding Faculty Award, and the Online M.S. in Marketing Teaching Excellence Award. She has also received the Plumeri Award for Faculty Excellence, served as the inaugural Strategic Cultural Partnerships faculty fellow, and was the first business school faculty member to receive the Monica Potkay Advisor of the Year Award.

Students consistently describe her as approachable, encouraging, and deeply invested in their growth. Beyond the classroom, Edmiston seeks opportunities to engage students through her leadership and volunteer roles at William & Mary, including her work on the Muscarelle Museum Board of Trustees and as a charter member of the Society of 1918.

Julie Agnew, Richard C. Kraemer Term Professor of Business, said Edmiston embodies the collaborative and student-centered spirit of William & Mary.

"Dawn Edmiston exemplifies what it means to be a William & Mary professor," Agnew wrote. "Her creativity, engagement, and dedication to both students and faculty make her the ideal recipient of the McGlothlin Award."

Dean Todd Mooradian said Edmiston's influence can be seen across nearly every corner of the Mason School. “Professor Edmiston’s work reflects the best of William & Mary's teaching mission, which challenges students to think creatively, prepares them for meaningful careers, and creates opportunities for others to succeed alongside her," Mooradian said. “Most importantly, and most remarkably, everything Dawn does professionally, including mentoring and engaging our students, leading a culture of teaching and pedagogical innovation, and contributing to all we do as a preeminent educational enterprise, pales in comparison to what she does for us personally. She lifts us all with her passion and compassion, her kindness and generosity, and her quick smile and contagious laugh. Dawn embodies the best of who we can be and makes us all better.”

Even with an extensive list of accomplishments, colleagues say Edmiston rarely seeks recognition for herself.

Instead, they describe an educator focused on opening doors, sharing ideas, and helping others grow.

"I am the teacher I am at the Mason School because of Dawn," Wagner wrote. "Many of us are better because of her."

With the McGlothlin Award, William & Mary recognizes not only Edmiston's excellence in the classroom but also her lasting influence on students, colleagues, and the future of teaching and learning at the university.

For Edmiston, that work remains deeply personal.

Aaron-Andrew P. Bruhl

When Aaron‑Andrew P. Bruhl was honored with the John Marshall Award in 2022 for character, leadership and a spirit of selfless service, William & Mary Law School Dean A. Benjamin Spencer referred to him as “a touchstone for our success as a law school.”

That success involves teaching—lots of it. Four years later, Bruhl, the Rita Anne Rollins Professor of Law and Kelly Professor for Excellence in Teaching, is being recognized with one of William & Mary’s highest teaching honors, the McGlothlin Award.

Since joining William & Mary in 2015, Bruhl has earned numerous accolades, including the Plumeri Award for Faculty Excellence and the Walter L. Williams, Jr., Teaching Award, voted on by the graduating class of 2020. He is widely known for his engaging courses on legislation, civil procedure, administrative law, and federal courts, where he challenges students to think critically about legal doctrine while developing strategic approaches to achieving client goals.

“Professor Bruhl exemplifies the very best of our academic mission,” said Dean Spencer. “His extraordinary ability to connect with students, challenge them intellectually and support their growth as scholars and professionals has set a standard for excellence in teaching. We are immensely proud to count him among our most distinguished educators.”

Students have regularly lauded Bruhl for his devotion to student learning. When he won the Walter Williams Award in 2020, he was praised for going “above and beyond to make sure classes are engaging and worthwhile to students,” for how he “work[ed] hard to make difficult subjects approachable and understandable," and for how he is “an absolute joy to learn from. Students also noted his accessibility, humor and wit, and willingness to engage with students about their future career plans.

Beyond the classroom, Bruhl contributes extensive informal service, including leading mentor teams, judging moot court tournaments, helping clinic students prepare for oral arguments, and delivering presentations on course selection and academic planning. He also regularly participates on panels and as moderator for events held at the Law School.

Former students are quick with praise for the many roles Bruhl plays. Dodi Allocca ’21 calls Bruhl a “dedicated, kind, and extremely intelligent (but humble) professor” who “exemplifies the kind of faculty member that makes William & Mary Law School so special.”

Allocca remembers how Bruhl “created a sense of community in his classes that extended well beyond the lecture room.” She also described him as “the most prepared professor I had in law school,” adding, “Because of Professor Bruhl’s excellent teaching, I fell in love with civil procedure, which ultimately led to a federal clerkship and my current federal litigation practice.”

Andrew Huang ’20, similarly, highlights Bruhl’s hands-on and engaging teaching style, particularly when navigating complex or frustrating legal topics. “He takes the time to memorize every student’s name—with remarkable accuracy in pronunciation—before the first week of class,” Huang said. “Whether it’s drafting real legal briefs, discussing current legal developments in the headlines, or introducing his famous SCOTUS bobbleheads, Professor Bruhl goes far beyond textbook instruction and ensures students are prepared for real-world legal practice, not just final exams.”

Bruhl is also a leading scholar in statutory interpretation, federal courts, and the legislative process. His work bridges rigorous academic research, award‑winning teaching and influential public commentary. His scholarship has appeared in many of the nation’s top law journals, including recent articles such as “Understanding the Mechanisms of Interpretive Change” (North Carolina Law Review), “Law and Equity on Appeal” (Columbia Law Review), and “Supreme Court Litigators in the Age of Textualism” (Florida Law Review). His articles “The General Law and the Local Law of Interpretation” (Chicago Law Review) and “Statutory Backups for Endangered Constitutional Rights” (Iowa Law Review) are forthcoming.

Bruhl’s scholarship has been cited by state and federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. He was elected to the American Law Institute in 2014 and is among the 10 most highly cited scholars nationwide in the field of legislation and statutory interpretation. He has provided expert commentary for television, radio, magazines, and national wire services.

More recently, Bruhl was quoted in Politico discussing the political ramifications of the Supreme Court’s decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, and he authored an opinion piece for Bloomberg Law examining how Congress might respond to shifting judicial doctrines.

At William & Mary Law School, Bruhl has served as Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development and as Special Advisor to the Dean.

Former students speak movingly about his mentorship. Damian Gallagher ’20 reflected, “Among all my inter‑ and extracurricular experiences at W&M Law, the time I spent with Professor Bruhl is what I cherish most. When I entered law school in Fall 2017, I hoped to leave with a mentor who would challenge me in and beyond the classroom. That hope was fulfilled—and surpassed—by Professor Bruhl. I grew significantly because of him, a debt I will never be able to repay.”

Bruhl earned his B.A., summa cum laude, in philosophy, politics and economics from Pomona College, and a master’s degree in political theory from the University of Cambridge. He received his J.D. from Yale Law School, where he served as book reviews editor of the Yale Law Journal and worked on the Yale Law & Policy Review and the Yale Journal of Law & the Humanities. As a student, he received the Emerson Prize for Distinguished Paper on Legislation.

After law school, Bruhl clerked for the Hon. Carolyn Dineen King of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and then practiced as a litigation associate in the Washington, D.C., office of Jenner & Block LLP. His work focused on federal appellate litigation and included cases involving election law, the First Amendment, federal Indian law and copyright law.

Bruhl exemplifies William & Mary Law School’s tradition of combining scholarly rigor with civic engagement. His teaching, scholarship and mentorship continue to shape legal thought and inspire future generations of lawyers and scholars.