Dr. Laura Lackey loves being a part of the transformational journey of Mercer University students. Since joining the School of Engineering faculty in 1998, she has taught and mentored hundreds of Bears, showing them through research, design and global experiences that they can turn their knowledge into real-world solutions.
Dr. Lackey, School of Engineering dean and professor of environmental engineering, was honored with the Mike MacCarthy Mentoring Award during the Student Achievement Honors Banquet on the Macon campus in April. She is stepping down as dean this summer, with plans to take a sabbatical during the 2026-27 academic year to pursue some of her research interests.
“There are so many outstanding faculty who exemplify mentorship. It’s truly an honor to be selected for this award,” Dr. Lackey said.
The Mike MacCarthy Mentorship Award is named for the late Dr. Michael MacCarthy, associate professor of environmental and civil engineering and director of the engineering for development program. He died in 2021.
Dr. Lackey said it means a great deal to her to receive this award honoring the memory of her colleague and friend, who joined Mercer’s faculty in 2014. She first became acquainted with Dr. MacCarthy through a mentee connection. Dr. Lackey was on the thesis committee for a Mercer graduate pursuing his master’s degree at the University of South Florida, and that alumnus introduced her to Dr. MacCarthy, his USF mentor, during his thesis defense. Mercer School of Engineering was looking for an environmental engineering professor at the time.
“It didn’t take long before I was telling him about Mercer — who we are, what we do, and the impact of Mercer On Mission,” Dr. Lackey said. “I had the privilege of recruiting Mike, working alongside him, and seeing firsthand the extraordinary impact he had on our students. He was an exceptional mentor and a dear friend. This award is especially meaningful to me because of him.”
Dr. Lackey is passionate about providing students with impactful and practical research opportunities, inside the classroom and beyond. She said her involvement in Mercer On Mission has been a highlight of her career, and the work for these programs has often guided her research plans. She has traveled to countries such as Kenya, Uganda and Ecuador to design water and filtration technology systems alongside Mercer students.
“Dr. Lackey has built a career defined by sustained, intentional investment in students across every stage of their development,” said Johna Wright, assistant director of fellowships and scholarships, during her introduction of Dr. Lackey at the awards presentation. “She has taught across the curriculum, from first-year design to advanced graduate courses, creating not just a sequence of classes, but a continuous mentoring arc. Students don’t just pass through her courses they are shaped by them.”
Dr. Lackey said she especially loves witnessing how much the students change.
“One of the things I value most is meeting students as first-years and watching who they become. The transformation is remarkable, and it’s a privilege to be part of that journey,” she said. “They gain strong technical skills and meaningful mentorship through both foundational and community-based research and projects. It’s truly inspiring to see how much our students grow — driven by the dedication of our faculty and the experiences they provide.”
A lesson Dr. Lackey learned as a mentor over the years was that she sometimes had to let her students make mistakes so that they could better grasp concepts and move forward in their academic journeys.
“Our role is to help students plan, experiment and reflect — especially when things don’t go as expected — so they can improve and grow,” she said. “It took me time to learn to step back and allow students to struggle. But those moments are where the deepest learning happens — when they reflect on their mistakes and build from them.”
As dean for the past nine years, she has supported the engineering faculty in their work and mentorship, ensuring that they have the resources they need to help their mentees thrive.
“In the School of Engineering, we measure success by our students’ success. My role is to support our faculty so they can, in turn, support and mentor our students,” Dr. Lackey said.
Dr. Lackey keeps in touch with many of her former students, providing support as they move on to new chapters in their careers and lives. For instance, this summer she is attending the wedding of a former student.
“I have former students all over the world,” Dr. Lackey said. “When they graduate, I let them go — but many choose to stay connected. They call, they email, and over time those connections become lasting friendships.”
