“It motivates me every day.”
That’s how Heather Lawrence-Benedict describes the Robert H. Freeman Professorship she holds in OHIO’s College of Business.
Frances G. Shoolroy established the professorship in 2004 in honor of her late husband, a 1935 alumnus who attended OHIO in the midst of the Great Depression, worked many jobs to fund his education and credited the College of Business with laying the foundation for his success.
The OHIO education Freeman received lives on thanks to a professorship that attracts faculty who bring real-world knowledge and leading-edge research to the classroom.
Lawrence-Benedict joined OHIO’s Department of Sports Administration in 2005, bringing years of professional experience in intercollegiate athletics and personal experience as an award-winning athlete. As director of the Professional Master in Sports Administration, Lawrence-Benedict oversaw a program ranked No. 1 in the world by SportsBusiness International for five consecutive years—three under her leadership. Lawrence-Benedict has taught and presented nationally and internationally, been published extensively and has lent her expertise to student consulting projects.
The success Freeman found as a result of his college education continues in OHIO’s Freeman Professors and the hundreds of students who learn from and collaborate with these faculty members each year, researching everything from the business of CrossFit to sustainability in marketing, and fostering a program that is second to none.