Dr. Carmella Lennon-Hill, Assistant Professor of Management, Honored with National Emerging Scholar Award

Savannah State University (SSU) is proud to announce that Dr. Carmella Lennon-Hill, assistant professor of management, has been awarded the prestigious Emerging Scholar Award by the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE). The distinction was presented during the organization’s 2026 annual conference, recently held in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The USASBE is a premier professional organization dedicated to advancing entrepreneurship education through innovative teaching, cutting-edge research, and practical application. The Emerging Scholar Award recognizes early-career faculty who demonstrate exceptional promise in the field of entrepreneurship research and pedagogy.

“Receiving the Emerging Scholar Award from the USASBE, Women & Minority Entrepreneurship, is both an honor and a meaningful milestone in my academic journey,” Hill said. “As an alumna and educator at Savannah State University, this recognition holds special significance because it reflects my commitment to giving back to the institution and community that helped shape my path.”

Hill joined SSU in 2024 as a tenure-track faculty member and teaches core courses in the College of Business Administration, including Introduction to Business Research, Operations Management, and Entrepreneurship & Small Business. Her work focuses on bridging the gap between academic theory and the practical needs of students and local business owners.

“This prestigious honor from USASBE confirms what we have already seen in the classroom: Dr. Lennon-Hill is a rising star in the field of entrepreneurship, said Dr. Michael Fronmueller, dean of the College of Business Administration. “Her commitment to providing students with meaningful, research-driven career paths is exactly the kind of faculty leadership that drives our college forward. We congratulate her on this well-deserved national spotlight.”

This national recognition underscores Savannah State University’s commitment to academic excellence and its role as a hub for entrepreneurial development in the region. By fostering a faculty of distinguished scholars like Dr. Lennon-Hill, SSU continues to propel students toward successful careers in the global marketplace.