CMU faculty member named 2026 MASU Distinguished Professor of the Year

The 400-meter Individual Medley in swimming is a grueling race. It is often called the toughest swimming event, requiring exceptional endurance, versatility and mental toughness. In 1996, Ian Mull was poised to compete in the 400 IM event for Team USA at the Olympic Games in Atlanta. But he never got in the water.

“I was third at the Olympic trials, and the United States only takes the top two swimmers, so I was the alternate,” Mull said. “The top two went on to get the gold and silver at the Olympics. I had the hardest event in the world to qualify for, and I was heartbroken.”

Mull, now a fixed-term faculty member in Fashion, Interior Design and Merchandising at Central Michigan University, continues to use lessons he learned as an elite athlete, even the tough ones, in the classroom.

“As an athlete we learned that there's always room for improvement, constant improvement, constant growth. That's what I'm trying to teach our students,” Mull said. “They know that I care about them as students and individuals, but I'm going to gently enforce the standards and expectations of what is required. And I hope I instill that in them.”

Mull’s dedication to student growth and success has earned him the prestigious Distinguished Professor of the Year Award from the Michigan Association of State Universities. He will receive the honor at a luncheon in Lansing on April 10.

“We learn our lessons from all types of people, so it is such an honor to be even considered by the College of Education and Human Services, by the provost’s office, by the university, and then by all the state universities. It is mind-boggling, really,” Mull said.

Mull said the most satisfying part of his work is serving as the faculty advisor for the annual Threads Fashion Show, the largest student-run event on campus. He’s been the advisor for more than 10 years, watching sometimes timid students grow into leaders.

“One of my favorite things is, by the end of the year, those students, I see their growth in leadership. Their confidence in their abilities. Their ability to work on teams to collaborate.”

Experiential learning is a crucial part of Mull’s teaching philosophy. Understanding that Mt. Pleasant, Michigan is not a hub of the fashion world, Mull brings his students to the fashion hubs.

As part of his role as faculty advisor to the Fashion Association of Merchandising and Design, Mull brings students to New York twice a year to Fashion Week. There, students work behind the scenes, witnessing the highest level of fashion professionals ply their trade. He also takes students to industry events in Detroit, Paris, Las Vegas, and industry retail headquarters in Columbus, Ohio.

Mull has also helped bring big names in fashion to campus. Over the years, people like Tim Gunn of “Project Runway,” luxury brand designer Christian Siriano and iconic fashion illustrator Bill Donovan have exposed students to the bigger picture of the fashion industry.

“I think it's those opportunities that are so good for our students to experience. Taking that opportunity to them,” Mull said.

Another part of his teaching philosophy is admittedly old school, according to Mull.

He employs the Socratic Method, pulling information from students, finding associations, and building knowledge in a sort of thought experiment.

“Really my role as a teacher is relationship building. Getting students to trust me and feel safe so they can open their minds to learning and to grow.”

From Olympic hopeful to distinguished professor, Ian Mull feels he has always been a teacher and a coach. He brings a full pool of lessons to inspire Fashion Merchandising and Design students at CMU, along with an athlete’s dedication to help them succeed.

“You learn from every single coach, every single teacher, every single professor that you come in contact with. You thank them for the lessons that you get. I learned that every opportunity is a lesson.”