b'TEACHING EXCELLENCEHaving contact with more than 1,000 students each year, I have the responsibility to bring the promise of a better life to each and every one. This involves not only teaching accounting material in an organized and understandable manner, but also critical thinking skills and other life lessons.One of the countless students Prestigiacomo impacted was William Shafer in the extremely popular Accounting I coursea requirement for all business students.He managed to teach in a lighthearted, jovial manner, making seemingly tedious topics enjoyable to learn, Shafer said in his nomination letter. Dr. Prestigiacomo purposefully dedicates time to weave insightful life lessons into the curriculum, sharing personal stories that enrich the learning journey and contribute to aHaving contact with more than comprehensive educational experience. I left the class not only with a solid understanding of accounting principles but also as a more confident and capable1,000 students each year, I have the individual. responsibility to bring the promise Rajagopalan echoed Shafers sentiment, noting Prestigiacomos passion, rigor,of a better life to each and every fairness, caring nature and dedication to student success. one. This involves not only teaching Chris takes difficult technical content and teaches it in a manner that studentsaccounting material in an organized easily comprehend, enabling them to utilize their newfound financial knowl- and understandable manner, but edge and business acumen in various career pathways, Rajagopalan said in his nomination letter. His teaching approach is multi-faceted and finely calibratedalso critical thinking skills and other to each class. His student and peer evaluations are outstanding, with his medianlife lessons.scores being remarkable for such large lecture classes.Chris PrestigiacomoPrestigiacomo teaches Principles of Accounting I and II, Intermediate Accounting, CHRIS PRESTIGIACOMO AWARDEDFinancial Statement Analysis, and Cost Accounting at the undergraduate level, in addition to teaching multiple classes at the graduate level.2024 KEMPER FELLOWSHIP FORTeaching in mass lectures of between 300 and 400 students, Chris continues to teach these courses with as much enthusiasm and vigor as he did when he started some 19 years ago, said Loren A. Nikolai, an Ernst & Young Professor TEACHING EXCELLENCE Emeritus in the Trulaske College of Business, in his nomination letter.Outside the classroom, Prestigiacomo advises students as they study for their Chartered Financial Analyst exams and reviews accounting textbooks for McGraw-Hill and Prentice Hall. He also serves as a faculty advisor to numerous student organizations, including the National Association of Black Accountants, Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity and the Mizzou Investors Group. ARTICLE COURTESY OF SHOW ME MIZZOU Prestigiacomos numerous accolades include the 2023 Riggs Excellence in MBAKEMPERSMun Choi, president of the University of Missouri, and Steve Sowers, chief exec- Teaching Award, the 2022 MU ROAR Professor of the Year Award, the 2019 utive officer of Commerce Banks Missouri community markets, awarded a 2024execMBA Outstanding Teaching Award and the 2018 School of AccountancyAT TRULASKEWilliam T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence to Chris PrestigiacomoAdvisory Board Teaching Excellence Award.on March 12. Prestigiacomo is an associate teaching professor in the Robert J.But its the impact on his students he cherishes the most.Trulaske, Sr. College of Business, teaching various accountancy classes to bothSince 2017, four Trulaske faculty have been undergraduate and graduate students. I tell my students: months after they complete my course, the goal is not toawardedprestigiousWilliamT.Kemper Balaji Rajagopalan, dean of the Trulaske College of Business, joined other admin- remember what was on page 219 of the text, but to have added a handful ofFellowships for Teaching Excellence:istrators surprising Prestigiacomo with the fellowship, which includes a $15,000new ideas that they find particularly relevant or interesting, Prestigiacomo said. Chris Prestigiacomo2024check. Kemper Fellowships are awarded to five outstanding teachers at theEducation provides the opportunity to be enlightened by new ideas. This has University of Missouri each year. the added benefit of making us more tolerant by broadening our perspectives.Daryl Smith2020The William T. Kemper Fellowships for Teaching Excellence were establishedPrestigiacomo earned a bachelors degree in business administration in 1980, Don Meyer2019in 1991 with a $500,000 gift. Kemper, a 1926 MU graduate, was a well-knowna master of business administration degree in 1981 and a doctoral degree Billie Cunningham2017civic leader in Kansas City until his death in 1989. His 52-year career in bankingin finance in 1995, all from MU. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst and included top positions at banks in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. Commercea Certified Management Accountant. Prestigiacomo has been an associate Bank manages the trust fund. teaching professor in the School of Accountancy since 2008.Teaching with enthusiasm and vigorSince 1984, theres never been a day Chris Prestigiacomo didnt want to come to school.My primary goal is to give my students the opportunity to improve their lives by adding to their human capital, he said in his teaching philosophy statement. 30 | TRULASKE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS TRULASKE MAGAZINE 2024| 31'