Walter Earns SLU’s Top Teaching Honor
Marcea Walter, assistant professor and director of the Master of Health Administration Program, has been named the 2025 recipient of the Nancy McNeir Ring Award for Excellence in Teaching.
The Nancy McNeir Ring Award is SLU’s highest honor for teaching. The award is voted on by SLU’s chapter of Alpha Sigma Nu, the national Jesuit honor society, to acknowledge faculty members who display special dedication to students.
“This recognition is truly meaningful because it highlights the impact of the work I love doing,” Walter said. “It’s a moment to pause and appreciate the relationships and progress I see in students over time. Receiving this award reminds me why I do this work. At the end of the day, it always comes back to the students. It also serves as encouragement to continue finding new ways to engage, challenge, and support students in their learning and growth.”
Walter will be presented with the award at the 2025 Midyear Commencement Ceremony. She will also deliver the commencement address. The ceremony is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 13, at Chaifetz Arena.
“It’s an incredible honor to address the graduating class and celebrate their accomplishments,” she said. “I’m certainly a bit nervous, but I remind my students all the time that growth comes from stepping into discomfort. So I’m doing the same — taking a deep breath, trusting the process, and practicing what I preach.”
Nominators praised Walter as a dedicated educator, mentor, and leader. A student said Walter exemplified cura personalis and embodied SLU’s Jesuit mission.
“Marcea embodies the highest standards of professional excellence, student-centered teaching, and collegial service,” one nominator wrote. “Her leadership, innovation, and mentorship have strengthened every dimension of the (Health Management and Policy) department and the college.”
Walter joined the SLU community in 2018. Prior to becoming a Billiken, she worked at her alma mater, Southern Illinois University Carbondale. It was at SIUC that she developed an interest in healthcare management.
“The professor, Dr. Sandy Collins, had a strong and confident teaching style, but I immediately connected with the material and felt drawn to her,” Walter said. “As it turned out, she wasn’t just a professor; she was the program director. Her leadership and belief in me completely changed my path. I remember sitting in her office and telling her that I wanted to be her one day, a Program Director.”
After earning her undergraduate degree in healthcare management in 2008, Walter earned her master's degree in health services administration from Xavier University in 2011. Along the way, she gathered real-world experience taking on roles that helped her understand both the operational and leadership sides of healthcare organizations,
“When I bring that experience into the classroom, I can connect theory to practice, share real examples, and guide students in thinking critically about situations they might encounter in their own careers,” she said. “I also think it helps me mentor students more effectively because I understand both the opportunities and obstacles they may face once they leave the classroom. Ultimately, it makes my teaching more practical, relevant, and engaging.”
Walter also helps students secure competitive internships, administrative fellowships, and leadership roles across major health systems nationwide.
Walter said she decided to go into teaching after being advised by her mentor, Collins. She joined the faculty at SIUC and made it her mission to be the kind of professor Collins was to her for her own students.
“She saw something in me that I didn’t even see in myself at the time, and her belief pushed me to grow, take risks, and become the best version of myself,” Walter said. “I want to be that for each student, to help them recognize their potential, believe in themselves even when their confidence isn’t fully there yet, and guide them toward becoming the leaders they are capable of being. For me, teaching isn’t just about sharing knowledge; it’s about mentorship, encouragement, and helping students see possibilities they might not see on their own. There’s nothing more rewarding than watching a student realize their potential and knowing I played a small part in that growth.”
Walter currently teaches Health Care Organizations, Health Administration Professional Development, Solution-Oriented Business Plans in Health Care, and the Health Administration Internship course.
At SLU, she has earned a reputation as a mentor for her students. In a nomination for the McNeir Ring award, a student praised Walter for providing a welcoming space for students. The student said Walter’s office was a “watering hole” for students — a place where they could get help and also enjoy each other’s company.
“Teaching isn’t just about delivering content; it’s about supporting students as whole people, not just as learners,” Walter said. “I want them to feel seen, heard, and valued, and to know that they have someone in their corner who genuinely cares about their growth and well-being.”
Walter said her goal as an educator is to do more than just transmit knowledge — she wants confident students who know how to apply what they learn.
“I hope they leave my class not only prepared for their careers, but also with a deeper sense of who they are, how they show up in the world, and the skills to lead with both competence and authenticity,” she said.
Walter said she strives to be a mentor because she got where she is today, because of a long list of people who stepped up and showed her the way — starting in preschool when her teacher helped her feel like she mattered.
“Throughout my education and career, I’ve been guided by incredible mentors who continued to challenge and inspire me,” Walter said. “That includes Dr. Sandy Collins, my SIUC college professor and program director, as well as my Xavier professors, Dr. Eddie Hooker and Dr. Karen Kent. And finally, I wouldn’t be thriving here at SLU without the guidance and support of Dr. Kimberly Enard and Dr. Michael Rozier.”