Short Time, Big Impact Lessons, Legacies, and Future Directions Based on the Work of Stephen D. Ousley

Abstract

Academic impact is often measured in the amount of publications, number of students mentored, and what seminal research is contributed to a field. However, beyond this physical component of a person’s legacy is the influence they have on the field’s current and future practitioners and their perceptions of the field. Stephen Ousley’s contributions to both academic impact and lasting influence on its members are innumerable. This article seeks to provide a retrospective look into his teaching and mentorship style, highlight some of his contributions to the field, and then provide a prospective of new research Steve envisioned based on his last project, which was presented at the 2023 AABA conference.