Clay Daughtrey Named Outstanding Travel Advisor

Clay Daughtrey, Professor of Marketing, was selected by the C2 Hub as the Outstanding Travel Advisor Award winner for Summer/Fall 2025 Travel, recognizing his exceptional commitment to student success through the Student Travel Program.

For more than 25 years, the Student Travel Program has helped students expand their academic and professional experiences by supporting travel to conferences, competitions, and other high-impact learning opportunities. The Outstanding Travel Advisor Award honors faculty and staff who go above and beyond in mentoring and guiding students through these experiences. What makes this recognition especially meaningful is that it is driven directly by student nominations, reflecting the lasting impact advisors have on student growth and success.

Students shared that Clay “did more than help us get flights and transportation” for the Pi Sigma Epsilon 2025 Fall Conference. One student noted that he “made sure we were prepared for the trip and helped create a smooth trip with 12 students,” highlighting his care, organization, and support well beyond logistics.

In the month leading up to the competition, Clay also volunteered to conduct weekly sales training sessions, helping students build confidence and sharpen their skills. These sessions ensured students were not only travel-ready, but fully prepared to compete at a high level.

At the conference, Clay went a step further by serving as a judge for two competitions in order to better understand the scoring process and give students deeper insight into what makes a successful competitor. As students shared, “Clay decided to step up and become a judge so we could understand what makes a great competitor.” That initiative provided valuable perspective that will continue to benefit future teams and competitions.

Clay’s impact reflects the heart of experiential learning in the College of Business. It is about more than providing opportunities. It is about preparing students to step into those opportunities with confidence, skill, and meaningful support at every stage.

We are proud to recognize Clay for this well-deserved honor and for the lasting difference he continues to make in student experiences beyond the classroom.