McCoy College awards four endowed professorships and two faculty fellowships

SAN MARCOS, Texas — The McCoy College of Business at Texas State University has announced four new endowed professorships awarded to its faculty members, as well as two new faculty fellowships.

Each endowed professorship carries a three-year term. Faculty fellowships carry a one-year term. The respective terms are by calendar year from 2026-2028 (professorships) and 2026 (fellowships).

Dr. John Zhang

Assistant Professor, Management 
Dean Lelund Wilson Excellence Professorship in Business Administration

Dr. John Zhang was selected for the Wilson Professorship in recognition of his exceptional and sustained record of scholarly productivity in top-tier journals and the clear relevance of his research to contemporary business challenges. His research addresses critical issues facing organizations today—including global work, leadership in hybrid environments, employee well-being, and ethical decision-making—providing rigorous, evidence-based insights that directly inform managerial practice and organizational strategy.

Dr. Li Feng

Professor, Finance and Economics 
Steven R. "Steve" Gregg, Sr. Excellence Professorship 

Dr. Li Feng was selected for the Gregg Professorship in recognition of her exceptional record of sustained external funding, high-quality scholarly publications, and meaningful student research mentorship. Over the past five years, she has secured more than $10 million in competitive federal research funding, showing the national significance and rigor of her research agenda. Together, her grant success, scholarly impact, and commitment to student development strongly reflect the intent and distinction of the Gregg Professorship.

Dr. Mikhail Sterin 

Associate Professor, Accounting
Lou Montondon, Ph.D. Professorship in Accounting  

Dr. Mikhail Sterin was selected for the Montondon Professorship in recognition of his strong and consistent record of high-quality scholarly publication and his demonstrated commitment to student success. His research has influenced both academic and regulatory audiences, including citation by the SEC Chief Accountant. In addition, Dr. Sterin is deeply engaged in student success through sustained involvement in student professional development and career-focused initiatives within the McCoy College of Business.  

Dr. Rick Wilson 

Professor, Marketing
Brandon Dee Roberts Excellence Professorship  

Dr. Rick Wilson was selected for the Roberts Professorship in recognition of his distinguished and sustained record of publication in top-tier marketing and advertising journals and the strong practical relevance of his research to contemporary business challenges. Dr. Wilson is widely recognized as a leading authority in out-of-home advertising, with research that directly informs how firms navigate social media integration, digital signage, and emerging technologies such as AI in advertising.

New Faculty Fellowships

The McCoy College of Business is happy to announce additional awards stemming from the professorship selection process. Based on funding availability, the college will try to offer professorship and research fellowship awards to further support more faculty in their pursuit of research eminence.

• Dr. Kyle Mao, assistant professor of accounting, Dean Paul R. Gowens Excellence Professorship in Business Administration Fellow
• Dr. Emily Zhu, associate professor of information systems and analytics, McCoy College of Business Dean's Excellence Research Fellow.