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The Bulldog - For the SWOSU Family

Bernhardt Scholars

Dr. Bill and Theta Juan Bernhardt have established a fund that will make possible special recognition of faculty who have exhibited exceptional achievement in teaching, scholarship and service. All full-time faculty, who have completed a minimum of one academic year at Southwestern, may be nominated. All nominations should be submitted to the Office of Institutional Advancement.

Nomination Form

Dr. Geo Kelly is the recipient for the 2024 Bernhardt Academic Excellence Award.

Dr. Geo Kelly is the recipient for the 2024 Bernhardt Academic Excellence Award.

Dr. Geo Kelly, associate professor of marketing in the Everett Dobson College of Business and Technology, has been named the recipient of the 2024 Bernhardt Academic Excellence Award at Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU). The award ceremony took place on March 14 in the Memorial Student Center Ballroom. Alongside the award, Kelly received a $5,000 prize, clock, pen, and medallion.

The Bernhardt Award was established by SWOSU alumni Theta Juan Bernhardt and the late Dr. William Bernhardt of Midwest City to recognize faculty who have exhibited exceptional achievement in teaching, scholarship and service.

Kelly has been previously recognized for his outstanding contributions, having been the recipient of the Brandy Award for Faculty Member of the Year in 2022–23. His dedication to community service is evident through his involvement with various organizations, including the Weatherford Rotary International Chapter and the Small Business Society division of the Weatherford Chamber of Commerce. He recently concluded a three-year term as President of the Board of Connections Food and Resource Center.

His involvement also extends to student organizations, as he is the faculty sponsor for three different groups: SWOSU International Students Association, Phi Beta Lambda Chapter, and Delta Mu Delta Chapter. Additionally, Kelly serves as a Faculty Senator for the College of Business.

Dr. Diana Lovell (left), Dr. Geo Kelly (center), and Dr. Joel Kendall at the 2024 Bernhardt Academic Excellence Award Reception.

Dr. Diana Lovell (left), Dr. Geo Kelly (center), and Dr. Joel Kendall at the 2024 Bernhardt Academic Excellence Award Reception.

Kelly has 16 years of college classroom experiences and teaches both undergraduate and MBA graduate courses in marketing and management. His practical experience includes wholesale and retail sales of medical equipment, retail sales management, and territory sales management through the Rocky Mountain and west coast regions. Student reviews attest to his energetic and dynamic teaching style. His personalized mentoring program, Rock the Doc, has generated campus-wide attention for its success in improving retention and facilitating student transition into the professional world.

Kelly is a regular presenter at National and Regional Conventions for the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, and his mentoring program was recently featured in the Transnational Journal of Business.

Previous winners of the Bernhardt Award

  • Dr. Vilas Prabhu
  • Dr. Stuart Burchett
  • Dr. Gary Wolgamott
  • Dr. Terry Segress
  • Dr. James Hunsicker
  • Dr. Jill Jones
  • Dr. James Breckenridge
  • Dr. John Ludrick
  • Dr. W. Steven Pray
  • Dr. Les Crall
  • Dr. Peter Grant
  • Dr. John Hayden
  • Dr. Virgil Van Dusen
  • Steve Strickler
  • Dr. Mary Aspedon
  • Dr. John Woods
  • Dr. Scott Long
  • Dr. Charles Rogers
  • Dr. Tim Hubin
  • Dr. Brian Campbell
  • Dr. Patsy Parker
  • Dr. Tom Davis
  • Dr. Kevin Collins
  • Dr. Trisha Wald
  • Landry Brewer 
  • Dr. Amanda Evert
  • Dr. Hardeep Singh Saluja
  • Dr. Howard Kurtz
  • Dr. Brooke Gildon
  • Dr. Amy Barnett