Vidya Awasthi

Posted by Joseph Phillips on Tuesday, April 19, 2016 at 9:10 AM PDT

Vidya Awathi, Associate Professor of Accounting in the Albers School, will be retiring from Seattle University at the end of this academic year.  Vidya has been on our faculty since 1996, and prior to that served on the faculty of Santa Clara University.  The university is honoring his many years of excellent service by naming him an emeritus professor.

At a dinner last night, we recognized Vidya for his many contributions to the Albers School, especially those to our students and alumni!  Above all, Vidya was an excellent teacher.  Students found him to be clear, patient, and approachable.  They appreciated his strong concern for their success.  Vidya taught primarily managerial and cost accounting, and was the department champion for the CMA designation – Certified Management Accountant!

Vidya was not only a teacher, but also a scholar, embracing and modelling the “teacher-scholar” role that characterizes SU faculty.  His research appeared in some of the top journals in his fields – The Accounting Review, the Journal of Business Ethics, and the Academy of Management Journal, and for a number of years was the most productive scholar in the Department of Accounting.

Most important, Vidya was a supportive and affirming colleague.  He was the leader in the department when it came to assessment, a thankless task, and at the university level was very active in inter-religious dialogue, something he hopes to continue with in retirement, continuing to bring his Hindu perspective to those conversations.

The comments by those in attendance last night were instructive.  Above all, people remarked on his humility and how they enjoyed conversations with him because he put them at ease with his unassuming demeanor and subtle sense of humor.  Several faculty members also commented that Vidya served as a mentor and role model for them.  They picked the right person for that!

Thank you, Vidya Awasthi, for twenty years of outstanding service to Seattle University and for being such a great colleague!