James F. Eason, associate professor of business administration at Coastal Carolina University, will give a public lecture, “Achieving the Dream: Values, Change and Service to the Community,” on Thursday, Oct. 27 at 7:30 p.m. in Wall Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.

Eason is the 10th recipient of the Distinguished Teacher Scholar Lecturer Award, presented each year by Horry Telephone Cooperative (HTC), to a Coastal faculty member who has outstanding abilities as a teacher, scholar and communicator. The recipient of the honor delivers a lecture during the fall semester on an original topic drawn from his or her area of expertise.

A native of Murrells Inlet, Eason became interested in being a teacher at a young age. He graduated from Winyah High School in Georgetown and in 1968 entered USC-Coastal Carolina College, where he earned an associate’s degree before transferring to the Baptist College at Charleston (now Charleston Southern University). After completing his bachelor’s degree he taught at Horry-Georgetown Technical College for two years. He earned a master’s degree in accounting and management from Appalachian State University in 1975.

Eason joined the Coastal faculty in 1977. In addition to teaching full time, he has served as assistant and associate dean of the E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration, published many scholarly articles, and conducted many workshops and seminars for area business and civic organizations. He has also served on several local boards, including a three-year term on the board of directors of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce.

Eason has received Coastal’s Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award and has been listed in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. He has also held a variety of positions in the South Carolina Association of Accounting Educators. He plans to retire in August 2006.