Distinguished Faculty Award
Joan L. Lee, PhD, P’19
Joan L. Lee, PhD, P’19, (formerly Joan L. Van Hise) has dedicated nearly 30 years to Fairfield University, with a steadfast commitment to educating the whole person at the core of her work. Throughout her career, Dr. Lee has consistently worked to expand her understanding of the principles and possibilities within Jesuit education. This unwavering effort has earned her national recognition as an educator, made her an influential part of Fairfield’s growth, and endeared her as a beloved professor to many.
Dr. Lee earned her BS in accounting and MBA in finance from Fordham University before completing her PhD in accounting from New York University. She began her career working in public accounting and earned her CPA, but an offer to teach accounting full-time at Fordham inspired her to transition into academia. She spent six years at Fordham before joining Fairfield University as a visiting professor. She quickly immersed herself in the campus community, taking on roles representing Fairfield at Collegium and as advisor to the men’s hockey team. Through her involvement, Dr. Lee was deeply impressed by the University’s strong sense of community and unwavering commitment to Jesuit values. She recalled, “My work at Fairfield wasn’t something that I went out and looked for, it fell into place and the more I went out and got involved in things, I knew this was the right place for me.” This led her to join Fairfield full-time as a professor of accounting in the Charles F. Dolan School of Business.
Dr. Lee is a leader at Fairfield, contributing to the research and implementation of innovative approaches to integrate Ignatian pedagogy into the University’s curriculum. An almost 500-year-old method of individualized teaching and immersive learning, the Ignatian pedagogical approach is designed to guide students in their development as “men and women for others.”
In line with this, Dr. Lee has been involved from the beginning with Fairfield’s Ignatian Leadership Residential College, which educates students through an emphasis on community leadership and personal growth, all grounded in Jesuit values. She has also served as a spiritual director at the Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality since 2014, offering support to students, faculty, and staff on their individual journeys to deepen their relationships with God.
Dr. Lee has an impressive body of published work with key themes that include accounting education, Ignatian pedagogy, and ethics. In collaboration with Fairfield Professor Dawn W. Massey, she explores the intersection of these areas, examining how the pedagogy can inform the framework for an accounting course that integrates modern principles and ethical considerations. Additionally, Dr. Lee serves as an editor for the Journal of Jesuit Business Education and has contributed to the editorial boards of other academic journals. She has been an active board member of Colleagues in Jesuit Business Education (CJBE) since 1999, including multiple terms as board president.
Dr. Lee’s dedication, success, and impact have been recognized both at Fairfield and globally, as reflected in the many awards she has received throughout her career. In 2008, she was honored with Fairfield’s Alpha Sigma Nu Teacher of the Year Award for her commitment to the mission of Jesuit higher education. In 2014, she received the Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., Award from CJBE in recognition of her leadership as board president. Dr. Lee was also named the recipient of the Outstanding Accounting Educator Award by the American Accounting Association in 2019, followed by the Outstanding Service Award of the Public Interest Section of the American Accounting Association in 2020. Most recently, in 2024, she was named as one of the 50 Best Undergraduate Professors by Poets and Quants. Her exceptional contributions have earned her numerous other prestigious distinctions.
Dr. Lee’s contributions to Fairfield University and the broader Jesuit network have played a pivotal role in enhancing Fairfield’s national prominence and shaping its identity as a modern, Jesuit Catholic University committed to forming men and women for others.
