Bio

Rachel Spooner is a Professor of the Practice in the Department of Management,
Innovation and Entrepreneurship at NC State’s Poole College of Management, where
she also directs Future Ready, Poole’s undergraduate initiative focused on career
readiness and durable skill development. She previously held teaching appointments at
Boston College’s Carroll School of Management, Boston University’s Questrom School of
Business, Boston University School of Law, and Northeastern University School of Law.
Rachel’s teaching centers on business law and the first-year college experience. She has
taught courses ranging from Introduction to Business Law to Securities Regulation to
Portico, a required first-year seminar integrating business ethics, philosophical
reflection, and professional identity formation. Her pedagogy emphasizes building the
academic habits, faculty relationships, and self-advocacy skills that underlie long-term
student success. Her teaching and dedication to students have been recognized by
teaching and leadership awards at several universities, chosen both by the
administration and student vote.

In addition to her academic scholarship focused on business law and pedagogy, Rachel’s
written work examines the "hidden curriculum" of higher education: the unwritten
expectations, habits, and relationships that shape whether students thrive in college.

She is the author of “Tales from a Professor’s Office: Insider’s Guide to Thriving in
College” (2024). Rachel is a sought-after speaker for universities, student leadership
programs, conferences, and organizations, presenting on topics including college
success, career readiness, and the durable skills that prepare students to thrive in a
rapidly changing world.

Before entering academia, Spooner clerked for the Honorable William C. Conner of the
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and practiced commercial,
securities, and bankruptcy litigation at Goodwin Procter LLP, including extensive pro
bono work on behalf of indigent criminal defendants and prisoners’ civil rights claims.