Yavapai College instructor honored for devotion to student success

Prescott, Arizona — Yavapai College School of Business Department Chair and Business Faculty Program Director Dr. Megan E. Hanna received a high honor from her peers last month, when she was selected as a 2026 recipient of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Dale P. Parnell Distinguished Faculty Recognition Award.

Named in honor of former association President and CEO Dale P. Parnell, the AACC Faculty Recognition award was established to honor individuals who demonstrate outstanding dedication to student success.

“Receiving [the award] was incredibly meaningful to me because student success has always been at the center of my work.” Hanna says. “We have the opportunity to connect with people from so many different walks of life. Getting to know people’s stories and helping them move closer to their goals is one of the most rewarding parts of this work.”  

A Prescott Valley resident since 1985, Megan’s first experience of Yavapai College was attending classes – coloring book in hand – with her mother as she sought her degree. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business accounting from the University of Phoenix in 2005, Megan completed an MBA, with an emphasis in Finance, at Grand Canyon University in 2007. Her career has blended business scholarship with real-world experience, with work as an accountant, a credit analyst, a commercial banker, and a financial writer to fortify her classroom credentials. In 2021, she earned her doctorate in Business Administration, with an emphasis on Data Analytics, at GCU. A full-time faculty member at Yavapai College since 2023, she enjoys teaching business statistics and “the stories the numbers tell.”

“What I love about business is that it's not about the individual part we play,” she said in a recent interview. “It's about seeing how every single part of a business fits into the whole, and how the business fits into the larger economy."

The American Association of Community Colleges has been called the “voice of America’s community colleges.” Since 1920, the organization has represented and advocated for more than 1,100 associate-degree granting institutions, with over 12 million students.

Megan Hanna attended the AACC conference last month and received the award during the recognition reception at the Hyatt Regency in Seattle on April 12. She credits her colleagues and students for her success and enthusiasm.

“I love our students, and I love giving back to the community. I think about the challenges that I had as a young mom who was juggling work and life,” she said. “You need to get to know the students and understand where they’re coming from.”