Raquel Alexander, Kansas University School of Business professor, recently won the 2008 Deloitte Foundation and American Taxation Association Teaching Award at a conference in Anaheim, Calif., last week.

The $5,000 annual award encourages tax professors to develop new teaching methods that stimulate students’ critical thinking skills and enhance the learning experience.

Alexander developed the award-winning teaching method with Andi Witczak, director for the Kansas University Center for Service Learning. The method formally incorporates service learning class projects as part of a tax curriculum.

“Providing our students with the opportunity to learn while helping their community has been an incredible honor,” Alexander said. “Being recognized for this with a national award is icing on the cake.”

Alexander’s first project to combine community service with tax course work created a student-made Web site that simplified new tax laws for victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.