This month, the university honored four USC Marshall School of Business faculty members for their excellence in teaching and mentoring. Smrity P. Randhawa, Marion Philadelphia, Michael Paranal, and Kristin Diehl were recognized for their dedication to the USC community, from undergraduates and graduates to fellow faculty members. The Academic Honors Convocation spanned two events on April 16 and April 21, celebrating 29 groundbreaking USC faculty members and the exceptional accomplishments of 49 students, respectively.
Smrity P. Randhawa, the Patrick Grismer Teaching Chair in Accounting, received the USC Associates Award for Excellence in Teaching, the highest distinction the university confers upon faculty for exceptional intellectual and artistic achievements and for outstanding teaching, both in and out of the classroom.
“To be rewarded for our passion is just amazing,” Randhawa said to USC Today during the faculty dinner. “It feels very emotional because it’s what we love to do. It’s where we get to teach the next generation and inspire them to be the best version of themselves.”
Randhawa has been recognized multiple times for her exemplary teaching and dedication to her students. Her accolades include the Evan C. Thompson Teaching and Innovation Award, Community Achievement Award, and the Golden Apple Teaching Award which she received four times from her students. In 2024, Poets&Quants recognized her as one of the 50 Best Undergraduate Professors in the country. Randhawa is also a member of USC’s University Committee on Curriculum (UCOC), advising on the development of curriculum, majors, minors, and certificates.
“Smrity Randhawa prepares our Leventhal students for lifelong personal and professional growth,” said Sandeep Gupta, vice provost for academic and faculty affairs, in his presentation of the USC Associates Award. “An expert in financial and managerial accounting, she teaches students to tackle real-life situations and fosters a spirit of service.”
Marion Philadelphia received the Provost’s Mentoring Award which recognizes an individual faculty member whose dedication and generosity have supported the academic and professional growth of USC faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and undergraduate and graduate students — exemplifying the highest standards of mentorship.
Andrew Guzman, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, presented the award to Philadelphia at the convocation dinner on April 16 at Town and Gown.
“Marion Philadelphia has changed the lives of her Marshall School students and colleagues for more than two decades,” Guzman said. “By nurturing talent throughout the Trojan family, she helps others be the best that they can be.”
Philadelphia serves as a professor of clinical business communication, academic director of John H. Mitchell Business of Cinematic Arts Program, and Robert M. Malcolm Director of the World Bachelor in Business Program.
