Professor of Practice in Management Raj Singh worked for years as an engineer, manager, and consultant in aerospace, technology, defense, manufacturing, and crime analysis. During his career in the private sector, he also taught night courses — and that’s where he learned something about himself.
“I realized that when I leave the classroom, I have more energy compared to when I went in,” he said. “So, I decided to go and get his Ph.D. and start teaching full-time.”
That decision has benefitted students for decades. At UCR, Singh has taught, supported, and encouraged students in the classroom and beyond since 1998 — and his students have responded to his dedication by repeatedly voting to honor him with awards. These include the Shulman Endowed Excellence in Teaching Award and four Golden Apple awards.
He received his latest Golden Apple in 2025, for Excellence in Teaching the Undergraduate Prerequisite & Core Courses. As one student voter said: “His teaching made a profound impression, and his passion radiates through his lectures.”
Deep connection with students
Hearing that he made an impression is gratifying for someone whose main motivation is to see his students succeed.
“I enjoy supporting students, whether it's helping them to go to graduate school or writing recommendations to get a job,” said Singh, who stays in touch with students long after they graduate.
“When a student writes to tell me that they've been promoted to be a vice president of a company, that makes me really happy. It gives me a sense of contribution — supporting students, nurturing them, helping them, and teaching at the same time,” he said.
“Teaching business is about relationships, ethics, and making an impact on the students. This is what I try to do every day.”
Most of Singh’s students are the first in their families to go to college. He is familiar with the challenges they face — because he also began his academic career as a first-generation college student.
“So I can understand where they come from, the issues that they face, whether it's a finance issue or not being familiar with a big institution like Riverside — what to do, what not to do,” he said. “That really connects me with them at a deeper level.”
For example, Singh said, one of the lessons he learned early in his own college experience in India was the importance of being able to work with a diverse group of people.
“I came from a small town, so for me it was really eye-opening how students from a variety of backgrounds come together,” he said. “I had to learn how to relate to them, how to work with them, how to be part of a team, work on team projects, how to deal with faculty, how to approach faculty.”
“That experience was really helpful, because when I assign my students team projects, I am able to support them, encourage them to work together, cooperate, and learn about each other as well.”
Applications for real life
The advantages of learning those skills extend for years and far beyond the classroom, Singh said. He speaks from experience, having managed diverse teams in private industry.
“My experience of working with and making friends from different backgrounds helped me a lot with employees, whether it was in the defense industry or the police,” he said. “So I encourage students to get to know their classmates on a personal level, whatever background they come from. This will help them manage their workforces when they go to companies.”
Another way Singh uses his experience in the private sector is to inform the content he presents to students. That advantage was noted by one of the students who voted for his Golden Apple recognition: “His use of real-life examples helps students better understand how things translate to the real world.”
Making that translation to the real world is a priority for Singh, and he stays connected to the constantly changing business landscape by being a lifelong learner. In addition to the multiple degrees he has earned, he continues to take courses, study books, and attend conferences and webinars.
“I really enjoy learning, and there's no end to learning,” he said. “Our system in the United States is constantly changing, and these changes are coming from so many directions. So that's just my internal motivation to keep on advancing, keep on learning, because once you stop learning, I think that's the end. So I feel learning will be a constant process as long as I'm going to live.”
‘A great opportunity’
For students just beginning their own lifelong learning journey, Singh hopes they take advantage of the strong foundation provided by UCR.
“I would say to them, ‘This is a great opportunity for you, first of all, to get admitted to UC Riverside, which has so many resources and opens doors for you,’” he said.
“They can learn a lot, meet a lot of people from different backgrounds, professors from different backgrounds, and they can really walk out of this campus with a tremendous advantage of learning about many things.”
But taking full advantage of that opportunity, Singh said, requires hard work and a willingness to find support.
“If you are having difficulty, go to your professors, go to the resources that we have for you — but do not leave without completing a degree, because this is an entrance point,” he said.
“Our approach here at UC Riverside is to really support the students to succeed. So if you persist, work hard, and look for help if you need help, you will succeed. And you will do well and make something of yourself.”