Graduate School of Management and Technology
Stanley J. Drazek
Teaching Excellence Award Recipient

Steve Knode

Steve Knode began teaching at UMUC in 1997 and has been actively involved in the evolution of all the Executive Programs. Since 2000, he has helped shape the curriculum in the Executive Programs for the Master of Science in information technology, the Master of Business Administration, and the Chief Information Officer certificate.

He has incorporated his research into intelligent agents and decision-support software into teaching each of these programs. One student wrote, “Dr. Knode did an excellent job of articulating complicated subject matter in a clear and concise fashion. While studying the course material, I found myself inspired to learn more about the topics and to determine how I can leverage the various technologies in my place of employment.”

According to Dr. Knode, his teaching approach is based on the five “Es”—engage, explain, exemplify, empathize, and empower. Not only does he begin his courses by providing provocative articles and predictions to get students involved and excited about the technologies, but he also engages his colleagues in similar discussions at professional conferences and university meetings. His efforts to explain and use real-world examples make his courses relevant to the students in his class. Another student expressed it this way: “In an eight-hour class that usually students can’t wait to escape, Steve Knode’s style of teaching and the content he taught had us all sitting on the edge of our seats throughout the entire class and hungry for more at the end of the day.”

Dr. Knode received his PhD in operations management from Syracuse University.