LATROBE, PA – Dr. Caitlin Michael, C’17, an assistant professor of marketing within the Alex G. McKenna School of Business, Economics and Government at Saint Vincent College, was recently recognized as a distinguished recipient of the 2026 Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) Teaching Excellence Award.
“It is a tremendous honor, and I am thrilled to be recognized,” Michael said. “I am grateful for the continuous support of all my colleagues who encourage me, as well as my students, who welcome my sometimes-unconventional methods to help their learning.”
Affectionately known by students and colleagues as Dr. Cait, Michael earned a PhD in marketing from West Virginia University and holds master’s degrees related to educational leadership and marketing from Saint Francis University. She earned undergraduate degrees from the College in marketing and management.
“What drew me back to Saint Vincent College was that it always felt like home to me,” Michael said. “As a student, I was inspired by the faculty here and appreciated the individualized attention and relationships that were formed with my mentors. I knew that I wanted to contribute to other students’ growth and development in the same way that my mentors had done for me.”
Among those mentors is Dr. Michael Urick, C’04, the McKenna School dean who served as Michael’s advisor while she was a student and encouraged her to apply for the prestigious ACBSP honor.
“Dr. Cait brings such an amazing energy to the classroom,” Urick said. “She is such an amazing teacher and works really hard to connect with each student.”
As a Saint Vincent College alumna, Michael initially enrolled in two of Urick’s classes during her undergraduate studies.
“From those experiences, I could tell she was extremely smart, and her skills have just continued to grow,” he said, noting Michael’s high motivation, dedication and passion about providing students with an exceptional education. “Saint Vincent College and its students are blessed that Dr. Cait is part of the faculty, and we are lucky that she wanted to come back here. This award is truly an exceptional honor—to be recognized by our business programs’ accreditation group is quite exceptional. As our accreditation emphasizes teaching over research, this award is given to the highest caliber teachers. We are thrilled that Dr. Cait is receiving it this year.”
Michael started teaching at the College during the 2023-24 academic year as an instructor while she was still working on a doctorate degree. She graduated a semester early and was promoted to assistant professor prior to the spring 2024 semester at Saint Vincent College.
She will be celebrated alongside other regional awardees at the ACBSP Conference 2026 from June 11-13 in Phoenix, Arizona. Michael, as a regional recipient, is now in contention for the esteemed International Teaching Excellence Award.
“There is something special about Saint Vincent College, where every person in the community cares for and uplifts one another,” Michael said. “Whether you are a student, faculty or staff member, you are recognized and appreciated. I’m thrilled to win this award, but I think my students are the real winners. I look forward to continuously improving my teaching practices to help them succeed.”
About ACBSP
ACBSP is a leading specialized accreditation body for business education. ACBSP’s global mission is to pursue a better tomorrow by advancing and recognizing excellence in business education through continuous improvement. ACBSP’s global vision is to see every business program of quality accredited and pursuing continuous improvement. ACBSP accredits business, accounting and business-related programs at the associate, baccalaureate, master and doctorate degree levels. Recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation in 2001, 2011 and again in 2021, ACBSP was the first to offer specialized business accreditation at all degree levels and the first to offer certificate accreditation. ACBSP currently accredits business programs at more than 1,000 campuses in 60 countries.
