Dr. Matthew Lanham, Assistant Professor of Business Technology and Analytics for Butler University’s Lacy School of Business, has been named one of Poets&Quants’ 50 Best Undergraduate Professors for 2025.

This recognition honors faculty who demonstrate outstanding teaching excellence and a profound impact on their students’ lives. Dr. Lanham’s teaching philosophy emphasizes experiential learning, student growth, and real-world application, preparing students to think like leaders and problem-solvers.

“Nobody deserves this award more than Professor Lanham,” Max Sanders, senior accounting major, said. “He is kind and caring, fun, and enthusiastic. You can tell when he teaches that he just wants to make us all better individuals, inside and outside of the classroom. Butler University is insanely blessed to have a professor as good as Professor Lanham.”

Dr. Lanham joined Butler University in 2025 and teaches Predictive Analytics and Prescriptive Analytics. His research focuses on predictive-prescriptive integration and Data-for-Good initiatives, which he brings directly into his courses through team competitions and applied projects. He also founded the National Data4Good Analytics Competition, giving students worldwide the chance to work on social-impact cases while completing professional certifications.

In addition to this national recognition, Dr. Lanham has received numerous teaching and leadership awards, including:

• INFORMS Data Mining Society Teach Award (2025)
• INFORMS Senior Member (2025)
• Salgo-Noren Outstanding Master’s Teaching Award at Purdue University (2024)
• Co-Chair of the Meeting of Analytics Program Directors
• Two-time recipient of Purdue’s Transformative Impact Award

Dr. Lanham’s dedication to his students goes beyond the classroom. He describes what he enjoys most about teaching business students:

“They’re hands-on doers, eager to test ideas and take risks, and I find myself learning from them as much as they learn from me. Someday, one of them might even convince me to leave the classroom and help run a business together.”

When asked what makes him stand out as a professor, Dr. Lanham reflects:

“A zeal for outcomes. I care deeply that every student leaves my course with tangible evidence of growth – certifications earned, projects delivered, and confidence gained. Grades matter less to me than transformation. My approach is to coach, not just to teach, and to measure success by the lives my students change afterward.”

Read more about Dr. Lanham and the complete list of honorees on Poets&Quants.