Corredor named one of Poets&Quants' 50 Best Undergraduate Professors for 2024

Sandra Corredor, teaching assistant professor and associate head of business administration at Gies College of Business, has been named one of Poets&Quants' 50 Best Undergraduate Professors for 2024. The award highlights educators who excel in teaching and research and recognizes Corredor for her exceptional contributions to business education, including transformative teaching and innovative course design.

“Winning this award is an incredible honor and a meaningful milestone in my journey as a business educator," Corredor said. "It reflects the inspiration I’ve drawn from my students, colleagues, and family. It also highlights the powerful mission we embrace at Gies—democratizing (business) education—and how our courses and efforts aligned with that mission are making an impact.”

A highlight of Corredor’s career so far is her redesign of BUS 401: Crafting Your Purpose in Business, a senior-level capstone course at Gies. Partnering with teaching assistant professor Heather Swenddal, she transformed the course into an experiential learning platform that integrates self-reflection, community engagement, and practical business applications. Students collectively contribute over 4,500 hours annually to projects benefiting organizations ranging from local nonprofits to global enterprises. 

“My colleague Heather Swenddal often says we have a "luxurious experience’ teaching here—and I couldn’t agree more. That’s all thanks to the amazing support we receive from the College, the Department of Business Administration, the Magelli Office of Experiential Learning, the Office of Career & Professional Development, Alumni & Advancement, and the Teaching and Learning teams.” Corredor said. “This community continually inspires us to design transformative courses and take on meaningful projects.”

Corredor’s influence extends beyond the classroom. Her research on corporate divestiture examines factors influencing the success of spin-offs, offering valuable insights into strategic decision-making. Her commitment to real-world applications complements her teaching philosophy of preparing students to make informed, impactful choices.

Having returned to Gies after earning her PhD at Illinois and teaching at the University of Connecticut, Corredor is dedicated to building on the College’s innovative approach to education.

“We’re not just teaching business concepts; we’re preparing the next generation of leaders to drive positive change,” she said.

Her recognition underscores her ability to inspire and mentor students. Through her innovative teaching, impactful research, and commitment to fostering purpose-driven leaders, she continues to shape the future of business education while empowering her students to make a difference.

Corredor becomes the 11th Gies professor in the last five years to be named to Poets&Quants’ Top 50. Unnati Narang and Min Jung Kim were recognized in 2023. Joseph Mahoney and Dawn Kink earned the nod in 2022.  Aimee Barbeau, Kevin Jackson, and Eric Larson were named to the list for 2021. Mark Wolters, Aravinda Garimella, and Michael Bednar earned the award in 2020.