Outstanding TA: Rothaermel proves his dedication

Frank Rothaermel

It's no accident that the University of Washington has recognized Frank Rothaermel as an excellent teacher. He works hard at it, takes it very seriously and sometimes goes above and beyond the call of duty.

Rothaermel is a 32-year-old teaching assistant in the business school who teaches courses in strategic management to MBA students, many with successful careers and returning to school as part of the UW's Executive MBA program.

A native of Germany, Rothaermel earned his master's degree in international economics and public policy at Gerhard-Mercator University in Duisberg, spent a year at Sheffield Hallam University in England, then got his MBA at Brigham Young University.

He originally thought he would enter the “ real world” as a highly paid consultant, but that was before 1990, when he met Dieter Cassel, a professor at Gerhard-Mercator, who “ opened my eyes to see how wonderful a career as an academic could be.”

Rothaermel got his introduction to teaching at BYU when, as luck would have it, a couple of teaching slots opened up in the Marriott School of Management where he was a student.

“ The first thing I did was think about who were the best professors I knew and why they were great instructors,” Rothaermel said. “ I realized that these outstanding educators personified the following characteristics: caring, competent, passionate and patient.”

The more Rothaermel taught the more he wanted to give his students.

“ I believe that one person can have a positive impact on the lives of others. My goal is not only to deliver the class content in a professional manner but also to inspire my students,” he said. “ I am not only teaching them management theory but I make sure that these future leaders will know how to apply different theories in real world settings. I want to help them become more effective business people, but I also want them to be better citizens and leaders in their communities, families and volunteer organizations.”

His students praise not only his teaching skills, but his dedication to them as well. They recall a particular incident last October when he showed up a little late to his Executive MBA class on competitive analysis.

Rothaermel was tardy because he had collided with a car while biking to class from his home near Greenlake. The collision sent him flying and he was unconscious for a couple of minutes. As he was being taken to the hospital in an ambulance, he managed to talk the attendant into letting him go and a police office gave him a ride to class.

After conducting the review session, he went straight to the emergency room where he stayed until the wee hours of the morning while doctors worked on his injured hip, dislocated shoulder and concussion.

“ He knew how important the review was to us and given everyone's busy schedule, he didn't want to let us down,” said Gregory Buckhardt, one of the students in the class.

It took Rothaermel more than a month to fully recover from the accident and despite his dedication to duty, he plays it down. “ I'd rather be known as an excellent instructor than a 'die hard' TA,” he said.

And that's how his students and faculty mentor, Charles Hill, the Hughes M. Blake Professor of Management and Organization, think of him.

“ I think Frank Rothaermel exemplifies the best standards of excellence and dedication to teaching, to students' well-being, and to the scholarly life,” Hill wrote in his letter supporting the award. “ Frank is truly dedicated to creating high value for his students.”

Rothaermel plans to complete his doctorate by next year, then begin the search for a faculty position. In the meantime, he's happy he decided to come to the UW for his doctoral work. “ It was the right choice for me,” he said. “ It's a wonderful school in a beautiful area.”

Rothaermel was married last August, won the award, which he calls “ the greatest honor I have ever received,” and will have his family in the audience all the way from Germany when UW President Richard McCormick hands him the certificate during the awards ceremony.

So, despite the accident, Frank Rothaermel has had a pretty good year. ¶

Paul Lowenberg, News and Information