BYU-Idaho faculty member wins national

teaching award

Mark Nygren, an instructor in the Brigham Young University-Idaho Department of Business Management, will be honored Friday, February 1 as a winner of the Acton Foundation's national award for Excellence in Entrepreneurship Education.  Nygren was nominated by one of his students for the award.

Nygren was one of 27 teachers from across the country to win this year's Excellence in Entrepreneurship Education Awards. Each winner is invited to attend a two-day seminar in Austin, Texas on entrepreneurship teaching and receives a $1,000 award and trophy.

In addition, winners are invited to bring with them one of their top entrepreneurship students. Students each receive $1,000 toward their education costs and participate in case discussions lead by teachers from the Acton School of Business that puts them in the shoes of a real entrepreneur. The BYU-Idaho student joining Nygren in Austin is Benjamin Beck, a junior majoring in Business Management.

All winners were initially nominated by students and then judged by a panel of master entrepreneurship teachers at Acton. In nominating Nygren, one student said: "As a teacher he receives some of the highest student reviews, is innovative in his teaching style and brings a lot of practical application from his years of running some of his own businesses. Mark has also mentored and worked closely with several students on their own entrepreneur ventures.  He truly exemplifies the passion and energy of a true entrepreneur."

Nygren and Beck will attend the two-day teaching awards event in Austin on February 1-2. Other awards will also be bestowed during the event, including three Master Teacher Awards (a $5,000 prize each) and Entrepreneurship Teacher of the Year (a $10,000 prize).

 "Great teachers change lives by inspiring students to recognize their gifts and to learn how to use them to pursue a worthy dream. Mark Nygren is one such great teacher," said Acton Foundation President Rick O'Donnell. "We want to recognize outstanding teachers who inspire students to become principled entrepreneurs. Principled entrepreneurs are the ones who build great and lasting companies and non-profits that create jobs, increase wealth and improve our society."

The Acton Foundation for Entrepreneurial Excellence is a nonprofit organization established in 1997 to serve both teachers and aspiring entrepreneurs. The Foundation trains and inspires master teachers, equipping them with the courses and learning tools they need to help aspiring entrepreneurs.