Cal State East Bay names Tom Bagwell 2021 Outstanding Lecturer of the Year.

It is not by accident that Tom Bagwell is this year’s Outstanding Lecturer of the Year - a recognition deserving for a professor who is passionate about bringing the best out of every single student he meets.

This Spring, he is teaching Managerial Communications at the College of Business and Economics and every year, he facilitates Jumpstart Weekend which is an executive level workshop where students learn how to leverage their strengths and develop grit to tackle challenges and achieve their goals.

Tom’s positivity is constant and infectious.

“Look for possibilities”

“Notice the good”

“Use your strengths”

“Adjust your goals”

“Cherish others”

These are just a few inspirational statements you’d likely hear from Tom in the first five minutes of Jumpstart Weekend. This year, the workshop has gone virtual like almost all events. Students zoomed in for two weekends of Positive Psychology which Psychology Today defines as a branch of psychology focused on the character strengths and behaviors that allow individuals to build a life of meaning and purpose—to move beyond surviving to flourishing. 

Jumpstart Weekend is intimate, introspective, inspirational and life changing. At the last session, students identified their character strengths and learned how to capitalize on their superpowers. They practiced mindfulness and meditation as a reminder that self-care is a subtracter of time but a multiplier of your day. A student wanted to work on her communications skills and Tom asked her to email him and schedule a mock interview. Another student described herself as an Eeyore and Tom said he can be her Tigger. Tom finds the time to connect with each participant and personalize the workshop to what each participant wants to achieve.

Tom has been a lecturer for the College of Business and Economics for over 13 years and with “Love of Learning'' as one of his superpowers, we are fortunate to have him do what he loves at Cal State East Bay.

About Tom Bagwell

Tom has been with Peterson Trucks for almost 20 years and is currently the Executive Vice President responsible for the operations of nine Peterson Trucks’ International Dealerships. A life-long learner, Tom graduated from UC Berkeley (BA, Economics & History), the University of Chicago (MBA, Finance & Marketing), and from the University of Pennsylvania (Master of Applied Positive Psychology). Tom is also a recognized Executive Scholar Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management in Sales and Marketing, a Certified Executive Coach at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley.  In 2020, Tom received his certificate in Appreciative Inquiry from the Weatherhead School of Business at Case Western Reserve University. In his spare time, Tom enthusiastically takes acting classes!