CLARKSVILLE, TN – The Austin Peay State University College of Business announced the recipients of the prestigious 2025 A.J. Taylor Distinguished Professorship Awards on Aug. 19, recognizing two business faculty members for their leadership in teaching and research.
Honorees received an award and academic stipend to support their future initiatives in research and teaching. The 2025 recipients are:
- Excellence in Teaching, Dr. Stephanie Bilderback
- Excellence in Research: Dr. Eren Cifci
Dr. Mickey Hepner, dean of the College of Business, presented the awards during a college-wide meeting. Bilderback was recognized for her efforts to support students inside and outside the classroom.
“Dr. Bilderback has continually demonstrated her commitment to our mission of pushing students beyond the textbook,” Hepner said. “Whether she is supervising student research, traveling with students to attend professional events, or advising the Govs Fund team, she has become a leader in engaging students within our college.”
Cifci made waves with his research contributions in 2024, attracting attention from national media outlets.
“Dr. Cifci’s real estate research garnered national media attention from outlets like Yahoo! Finance, Fox Business, Fortune, and Realtor.com, demonstrating his ability to produce high-quality academic work that is also timely and relevant to public issues,” Hepner said.
The A.J. Taylor Distinguished Professorship Award is the most prestigious annual recognition for Austin Peay’s business faculty. It was established by alumnus Larry Carroll (‘76) and named after former marketing professor Dr. A.J. Taylor. The award continues to honor Taylor’s legacy while inspiring academic excellence.
“We celebrate the achievements of these two faculty members and their contributions to enhancing educational experiences for our APSU College of Business students,” said Kris Phillips, APSU vice president for Alumni, Engagement and Philanthropy. “The endowment for this award was established to honor Dr. A.J. Taylor’s transformational impact on the College of Business, and we are delighted to see Dr. Taylor’s legacy carried forward through Dr. Bilderback and Dr. Cifci.”
For more information about the 2025 A.J. Taylor Distinguished Professorship Award winners, contact Elaina Russell at russelle@apsu.edu.