The College of Business and Economics announced the recipients of their 2025-26 annual faculty awards. The following faculty members were selected from a strong pool of nominees. Read on for a few of their many accomplishments and contributions.

COBE Advisory Council Research Award

Ahmed Baig, an associate professor in the Department of Finance received the COBEAC Research Award which recognizes a faculty member's research accomplishments.

Baig continues to demonstrate an extraordinary record of scholarly productivity and impact that places him among the most accomplished researchers in the College of Business and Economics. Since joining the Department of Finance in Fall 2021, Baig has built an exemplary research portfolio characterized by both volume and quality. He continues to publish at a remarkable pace, bringing his total to over 35 peer-reviewed journal articles-each ranked "B" or higher on the ABDC Journal Quality List, with the majority rated "A" or "A*." His consistency in publishing high-quality research across leading finance journals, including the Journal of Banking and Finance, Journal of Financial Services Research, Journal of Financial Research, Financial Review, and Finance Research Letters, underscores his sustained excellence.

Baig's work has been cited more than 1,150 times, and his H-index has risen to 11, clear evidence that his contributions are being widely recognized and integrated into ongoing conversations in finance research. Baig's studies address timely and significant issues in banking, financial services, and emerging market finance - topics that resonate both within academia and in applied financial practice.

COBE Advisory Council Service Award

Gundy Kaupins, a professor in the Department of Management, received the COBEAC Service Award which recognizes a faculty member's dedication to service outside of the classroom.

Kaupins' philosophy is to directly serve HR professionals and academics at national, regional and local levels. Kaupins' service for HR professionals in the Treasure Valley includes providing them with custom and complete employee handbooks. His students create the first draft of the handbooks, and he makes additions and corrections, so that these local businesses have a maximum benefit. Kaupins has also continuously updated his service assignments to reflect other technological changes, such as major changes that have resulted in this process due to the use of AI.

Kaupins has also invested greatly, serving on boards and HR-related committees for nonprofits that support autistic individuals in business (Kaupins' main topic of interest). Kaupins' service to the Idaho Nonprofit Center has helped raise over $5 million each year for various nonprofits and coordinates efforts for serving this population. Kaupins also spent three years as board President for AquAbility, an organization that helps teach autistic and other neurodivergent individuals how to swim.

Nationally, Kaupins has reviewed countless journal articles, textbooks, book chapters, conference papers, and videos for various professional and academic organizations.

John Elorriaga Endowed Fellowship

Janet Stephens, a lecturer in the Department of Management, received this fellowship. Funded by the late John Elorriaga, a business graduate of Boise Junior College and CEO of U.S. Bank, recognizes a faculty member for accomplishments in teaching.

Over the past decade, Stephens has consistently demonstrated creative and evidence-based excellence in teaching and student support. Her record of high-impact instruction, purposeful course design and measurable student success makes her an outstanding candidate for this recognition. Her attention to her students is highly commendable: Stephens frequently meets with students one-on-one and in small groups to support their learning, whether addressing course challenges or extending beyond them.

Stephens' classroom methods are intentionally designed to foster a sense of belonging, promote accountability and encourage higher-order learning. She opens Canvas sites early, uses two pre-semester extra-credit tasks (including an "orienteer" discussion leader) and assigns groups based on diverse strengths to foster productive collaboration. She requires each student to lead discussions, rotates leadership roles weekly and uses group charters, as well as midterm and end-of-term peer assessments, so that students take ownership of group outcomes. To promote critical thinking, she frames case analysis with a backward problem-solving process and explicitly teaches Bloom's Taxonomy so students understand the expectation to move beyond recall to application and analysis.

Ada Burke Endowed Fellowship

Kyle Allen, an associate professor in the Department of Finance received this award which recognizes overall accomplishments in teaching, research and service. John Elorriaga funded this award in honor of Ada Burke, a valued and dedicated teacher of his at Boise Junior College.

Allen's research portfolio is marked by rigor, relevance and impact. His work explores the intersection of banking, financial regulation and market stability, advancing understanding of how policy and regulation shape financial behavior. He has published sixteen peer-reviewed articles in respected journals, with seven additional manuscripts currently under review or revise-and-resubmit.

In the classroom, Allen integrates real-world financial data, Federal Reserve reports and Bloomberg applications to develop students' analytical and professional skills. He developed the Financial Statement Analysis course at Boise State, in which students produce professional-grade equity recommendations using Bloomberg terminals, which prepares graduates for success in the workplace. Allen also maintains a strong mentoring record, serving as faculty advisor for the Financial Management Association (FMA) and guiding students through research, internships and career development.

Allen approaches service as a vital complement to teaching and research. Within COBE, he has made substantial contributions through roles on the Curriculum Improvement and Assessment Committee, Steering Committee, the Scholarship Committee and the Finance Department PAR Committee, among others. At the university level, Allen serves on the Faculty Advisory Council on Graduate Mentoring and Advising and was appointed Faculty Fellow for Research Faculty in the Division of Research and Economic Development. His professional service includes reviewing for leading journals and organizing conference sessions for the Financial Management Association. He also serves his community as a board director at Falcon Ridge Public Charter School.

Distinguished Teaching Professorship

Rafael Ribas, an associate professor in the Department of Economics, received this professorship which rewards outstanding teaching effectiveness and developments that advance the quality of the educational delivery. Recipients exemplify the mission, values and culture of the College of Business and Economics.

Over three academic years, Ribas has transformed the Department of Economics through student-centered innovation and a dedication to creating meaningful learning experiences and improving student outcomes. His work has built connections between students and faculty, provided research and learning opportunities rarely available in a traditional curriculum and cultivated a culture of inclusivity, collaboration and intellectual curiosity that has energized the department. Ribas' impact is most evident through three initiatives he has successfully launched: the Teaching/Research Assistant Academic Incubator Program, the Federal Reserve Bank College Fed Challenge Team, and the Vertically Integrated Project (VIP) Program in Economics. Each reflects his ability to design learning experiences that are simultaneously rigorous, supportive and transformative.

Ribas has articulated a clear vision for the growth of these initiatives, leveraging all three activities to create a comprehensive and innovative experience for students and faculty. This vision includes creating a mentorship pathway, where third year, fourth year and graduate students mentor and train first and second year students. Plans for continued growth include student-led communication efforts such as social media engagement, student presentations and engagement with faculty and programs across campus.

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