Excellence Retires –MA Business Prof Frank Ferrara to Retire

‘We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit” (Aristotle).”

Those words describe Professor Frank Ferrara, assistant professor of business at the Manassas Campus. How he approaches every task, event or situation is his newest habit.

Frank Ferrara started at NVCC in fall 2008 as a career professional teaching marketing classes at the Annandale Campus. For three years, he taught each semester, including summers. And in fall 2011, he joined the ranks of full-time teaching faculty as assistant professor of business management on the Woodbridge Campus. He taught over 16 semesters (including summers always) and then transitioned to the Manassas Campus to help meet a growing demand for business coursework. Since 2008, he has taught more than 400 credit hours, supporting 137 courses.

His academic career encompassed teaching business management and administration courses in the classroom as well as online. In fact, he was one of the original online course designers for some of the business discipline’s earliest offerings. His students raved about his challenging assignments as “real world,” “important” and “engaging.” His industry experience informed his teaching, and he even brought the world to the classroom with invitations to ambassadors from Serbia in 2015 and both The Republic of Georgia and Hungary in 2017. These ambassadors enjoyed meeting NVCC students while bringing the real-world challenges of trade and economic growth of their countries to our campuses.

Not just an industry professional and faculty member, but also an active colleague, Frank served on Campus Forum and College Senate and will be missed by students, faculty and staff. In fact, Maryellen Ryan, assistant professor of economics said, “One of the hallmarks of Frank’s success in the classroom was the positive impression left with students that propelled them to continue to connect long after his class was over.”

His colleagues speak of his unwavering dedication to learning and how his own real-world business experiences help students understand. “I continue to use his stories about the challenges of opening a Circuit City in China to help students understand the practical challenges of doing business internationally,” added Prof. Aldous McCrory, associate professor of business management at Manassas.

Frank constantly sought ways to bring his industry successes into the classroom and onto the Manassas campus. As an academic, he understood the importance of challenging our students to see beyond the boundaries of their personal experiences and into a vast world of opportunities that extend beyond our borders. As an industry professional, he brought numerous speakers to campus including several sitting ambassadors. Frank leveraged his professional experience to remain connected to various D.C. think tanks and research institutes that he used to connect students with internship opportunities and campus visits. “Without Frank’s inspiration, NOVA students would not have enjoyed access to a truly world class, educational experience,” McCrory added.

Whether he was eagerly sharing his practical experiences in marketing and business classes or giving invaluable guidance to his advisees, Prof. Frank Ferrara’s impact will remain a part of NOVA’s tradition of excellence. And as Frank retires, he was notified that his colleagues nominated him, and the college granted him, the distinction of Professor Emeritus.