2018 DEAN’S REPORT College of Business Administration
From the Dean From the founding of the College of Business Administration (COBA) more than three decades ago, to the achievement of AACSB accreditation early in this century, ACU has demonstrated its commitment to academic excellence in business while remaining rooted in its faith mission. Over the last decade, our mission and impact have expanded through the successful launches of the School of Information Technology and Computing with ABET-accredited programs, the Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy, the Lytle Center for Faith and Leadership, and fully online graduate business programs for adult learners. As we implement our strategic plan over the next four years, we will live into our vision to inspire, equip, and connect Christian business and technology professionals to honor God and bless the world through distinctive programs and lifelong relationships.
Thank you for your partnership in providing an educational experience that sets the foundation for a life lived in service to our God through our work, in the home, the church and the community. It is our amazing students, alumni, parents, friends, faculty and staff who make this college strong. Please take a few minutes to learn about our recent accomplishments and how we are seeking to fulfill our vision. With much appreciation, Dr. Brad Crisp Dean, College of Business Administration Our mission is to educate business and technology professionals for Christian service and leadership throughout the world. This mission is accomplished through holistic student learning and development, research and innovation, and service and leadership.
ON THE COVER: Students, faculty, staff and guest speakers at 20th annual COBA Leadership Summit in January 2018.
VALUES As a Christian college of business and technology, we call our members to faith and vocation, learning and innovation, students and relationships, and excellence and impact.
(From left) COBA senior Madeline Dayton, Morgan Jennings (’18) and Kayli Denson (’18)
INSPIRE Leadership Summit celebrated its 20th anniversary in January 2018 Leadership Summit was born in 1998 of a desire to create an “above and beyond the ordinary” experience to develop the next generation of leaders from among ACU students. The January short course takes place during winter break in the mountains of Colorado, offering a blend of dynamic speakers, practical application and spiritual insight, each designed to inspire students for leadership in the family, community and marketplace. Now, 20 years later, more than 2,000 students and 250 business leaders have taken part in a mountaintop experience.
LYTLE CENTER FOR FAITH AND LEADERSHIP
Chelsea Oguagha, senior missions major from Houston, believes Leadership Summit is for students in all walks of life. “It is an amazing opportunity to gain fresh and meaningful insight into yourself and the world while considering and actively pursuing your purpose in God’s kingdom,” she said.
Established in 2015, the Lytle Center for Faith and Leadership seeks to advance the understanding, practice and development of Christian service and leadership to the glory of God and for the benefit of our society, preparing a new generation of leaders who show the love of God and lead with competence in their chosen fields and communities across the world.
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McMullin interns in Tanzania, studies abroad in China Casey McMullin, a senior financial management major from Colorado Springs, Colorado, spent the summer of 2017 interning and studying abroad, returning to Abilene with a changed perspective, new skills and many stories. His internship was based at Neema Village in Arusha, Tanzania, a baby home and mothering center housing 40 infants and at-risk or abandoned children. McMullin and the team created a microfinance program so local mothers could start businesses for additional income. Neema Village is a ministry of ACU alumni Michael (’65) and Dorris (’66) Fortson, missionaries to Tanzania from 1965-71 who felt compelled to begin it after seeing large numbers of orphaned and abandoned children when they visited there with their children in 2008. ACU students intern regularly at Neema Village. “The nature of business is very different in Tanzania. I had to go back to the basics and teach the locals so they could understand what we were doing,” he said. “At the same time, I had to maintain the financial complexities I had learned to ensure the microfinance program would function properly, long past our departure.” He also had the opportunity to travel with COBA to China, where the group was based in Shanghai, allowing classmates to travel to Beijing and Hong Kong on weekends. The students examined various business start-ups and talked with a number of entrepreneurs, both natives and expatriates.
Hegi gains practical experience in Colorado marketing internship Kate Hegi (’18), a marketing major from Fort Worth, Texas, devoted last summer to interning with Denver Arts and Venues (A&V). An agency of the city and county of Denver, Colorado, A&V is responsible for operating some of the region’s most renowned facilities, including Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, and the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Hegi’s work focused on Red Rocks Amphitheatre, assisting sponsors such as Coca-Cola, Chipotle, Clif Bar & Company and others with the concerts or events held each night at the popular venue 10 miles west of Denver. She also worked on ticketing, sponsorship contracts, social media strategies and contests, and overall marketing plans for the summer. “Learning to be independent can be intimidating and at times, hard,” Hegi said. “But, overall it was a good way to find myself and learn how to work in the real world.”
STUDY ABROAD In Summer 2018, COBA students gained insight and inspiration on Study Abroad trips to Oxford, England; Leipzig, Germany; Central America; New Zealand; and Australia. At left, Dr. Laura (Cleek ’88) Phillips, associate professor of management sciences, served as an on-site director and faculty member for students in Oxford. 2
COBA STUDENT ENROLLMENT 1,035
Total
841 877
Undergraduate
Graduate
813 Fall 2017 Fall 2012
158 28
OUTCOMES (MAY 2013-17)
Percent of COBA undergraduates who were employed or enrolled in graduate or professional school within three months of graduation.
Average starting salary for COBA graduates Business Undergraduates
91
$43,671 Technology Undergraduates
95
$52,156 Master of Accountancy
$53,403
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Rugamba returns to Rwanda with dreams of starting an equity firm Jonathan Rugamba, who double-majored in accounting and finance, returned to his hometown of Kigali, Rwanda, following graduation in May 2018. His goal is to build an equity firm within the next 10 years through which he can channel as many job opportunities as possible for people in his homeland. “I have gained a lot of knowledge, and that is the best preparation, in my view. Knowledge never expires but grows,” Rugamba said. His best advice for incoming freshmen is “Have an end in mind, work towards it, love people, and try to find the best in them.” Rugamba said one of his favorite COBA experiences was working on the STAR (Student Trading and Research) Fund because it most clearly simulated business world realities.
EQUIP Dr. Sarah Easter (’06), assistant professor of management sciences
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Successful STAR Fund course finds a new home COBA’s Student Trading and Research (STAR) course provides students an opportunity to conduct equity research and make trading decisions they deem worthy. You can’t argue with their success. STAR has achieved an average annual return of nearly 50 basis points above its benchmark: the S&P 500 Total Return Index. Its market value has increased from an initial $110,000 in June 2000 to $1.12 million in May 2018. One factor distinguishing STAR from similar funds at other universities is the degree of autonomy afforded COBA students. They research investments, consult their faculty mentor and then decide how to best proceed.
Simone aims for career with NASA
Thanks to generous donors, STAR was provided a place to call home during Summer 2017 when a room in the Mabee Business Building was equipped with a scrolling stock ticker display and a large monitor. This financial data wall provides a continuous feed of a cross-section of market information. The room also is equipped with several high-end desktop computers and the software needed for analytics and training.
Few career-minded COBA students have taken advantage of internships and other experiential learning opportunities more than Nevan Simone, a computer science major with a concentration in game development and a minor in physics. Simone chose Abilene Christian, in part, because of an opportunity to serve as a research assistant for Dr. John Homer, associate professor of computer science and director of the School of Information Technology and Computing (SITC).
$1.12 MILLION Current STAR Fund market value in 2018
The summer before his senior year at ACU, Simone interned with NASA at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, working as a software engineer assigned to create databases for the information the team was collecting as well as building a user interface for easier access to that data. His experiences provided Simone with new challenges and another lens with which to view the world.
$110,000 STAR Fund’s Initial market value in 2000
At ACU, he participated in the SITC programming contest and studied abroad in Leipzig, Germany. A May 2018 gradaute, he is pursuing a master’s degree in aerospace engineering at The University of Texas at Austin and will return to NASA after finishing his graduate education.
Dr. Terry Pope (’64), professor of finance
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Army colonel finds online MBA a great fit A fourth college degree might make most people an overachiever, but for U.S. Army Col. Mark W. Thompson (’18 MBA), M.D., it’s just the next step in fulfilling his personal and professional goals. Thompson is principal medical advisor to the commanding general at the Training and Doctrine Command center at Fort Eustis, Virginia. He has a bachelor’s degree from West Point, a medical degree from the University of Michigan and a master’s in strategic studies from the Army War College.
Digital Experience Lab provides valuable equipment needed by DET majors Digital Entertainment Technology (DET) majors begin their studies by learning to program, mastering the fundamentals of art and design, and discovering how to create objects for inclusion in a digital world. One of the hallmarks of the DET major at ACU is the requirement to publish. Every semester students publish projects to App stores, YouTube, Vimeo and Steam. Thanks to the Digital Experience Lab on the third floor of the Mabee Business Building, we now have computers powerful enough to run Virtual Reality equipment such as the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Windows Mixed Reality, and PlayStation VR. Keeping up with the constant advancement of technology can be a challenge. But thanks to the Digital Experience Lab, our students are gaining access to equipment they need to create next-generation applications and experiences.
As a physician, Mark’s specialty is in pediatrics and neonatology. But his Army career took him into administrative executive medicine. The juxtaposition of his medical education with his administrative experience had him considering what kind of job opportunities would be available in his post-military life. He considered a fourth degree, the MBA. As he searched for the right educational fit, the answer came in the mail, addressed to the parents of then-ACU undergraduate Gabby Thompson (’18), one of his three daughters. News about the university’s new online MBA program clicked with her dad. “One, I had been very impressed with ACU and with my daughter’s interaction with the university,” he said. “And second, their degree had a Christian-based focus. I found that both intriguing and attractive in terms of an MBA program.” Thompson considered the program’s reputation and affordability as great value-adds. But he also truly appreciated the possibility of living out his Christian ideals in a business setting, something that became immediately evident in the interactions he had with professors and fellow students through discussion boards. He also found the online learning timely and valuable. “Even in the midst of the course of study,” he said, “in my job – at that time I was running an Army hospital in Texas – it was very relevant on an almost day-to-day basis. We’d be studying something in one particular class and a direct application would present itself the very next week or day in my job.”
201
Number of MBA and Master of Science in Management students enrolled in ACU Online graduate business programs in Fall 2018
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Entrepreneurship students win national CEO chapter honor again ACU’s chapter of The Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization was named 2017 Global Chapter of the Year for the third consecutive time at the CEO Global Conference and Pitch Competition in Tampa, Florida. Abilene Christian was recognized as having the best CEO chapter among 250 colleges and universities. During the same competition in November 2017, Wildcat Ventures placed second in the category of Best Revenue-Generating Initiative. With eight on-campus, student-run businesses overseen by ACU’s Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy, Wildcat Ventures finished runnerup after winning first place in 2015 and 2016. “What an incredible feeling,” said 2018 graduate Jack Oduro. “Winning overall for three straight years is a real testament to the growth and continued innovation of ACU CEO.”
(From left) Taylor Spencer (’18), senior Courtney Eubank, Jack Oduro (’18), Megan Haverkorn (’18) and junior Aaron Bunting
Griggs Center renovation complete The Griggs Center for Entreneurship and Philanthropy received a much-needed renovation in 2017, allowing its staff to work more effectively and serve a greater number of students. Now home to four offices, a conference room and a large communal workspace, the center is now a more functional and inviting venue where students enjoy gathering. The conference room features updated technology for presentations as well as whiteboards on wall and table surfaces in the room. “This change of location and renovation of the space has been a great blessing and a wonderful resource in our work,” said assistant director Whitney Herrington (’14). “The renovation has allowed our staff and students to collaborate better, encouraging student involvement, and providing an energetic atmosphere,” said senior Meredith Orr, president of ACU’s Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization chapter. The center is located on the first floor of the Mabee Business Building, north of The Quiet Place.
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Brister, Fowler and Jessup honored with endowed professorships
Faculty members hone their skills outside of the classroom through conferences, presentations and research. Endowed professorships help the College of Business Administration recruit and retain talented and high-quality faculty members, and provide funds to drive and pay for new research.
Jozell Brister
Bill Fowler
During Fowler’s 25-year tenure as chair of the Department of Accounting and Finance, ACU added a bachelor’s degree in financial management and the Master of Accountancy degree. The department’s number of students has grown from 135 in 1991 to 327 today.
In August 2015, ACU’s COBA announced the creation of two professorships established by Mark (’86) and April (Bullock ’89) Anthony to honor two COBA faculty of significant influence: Jozell Brister and Bill Fowler.
“I am proud to have led the hiring of seven of our current faculty members, and the role I was able to play in enhancing our relationship with many accounting firms to increase employment and internship opportunities for our students. We have more than tripled the number of firms that come to campus to recruit.”
A professorship continues into perpetuity at the university as the highest academic award a teacher can receive. It honors the named holder, the appointed faculty member and the donor who established it. Brister has taught in COBA since 1979. “Jozell has been a constant friend and capable economics teacher for thousands of students passing through ACU, shepherding them through what is a challenging subject for many,” said Dr. Monty Lynn professor of management sciences. “She often meets with students in her office as a guide and friend. She served as an administrator during the college’s formative years and many of her accomplishments – including coordinating accreditation efforts – continue as COBA distinctives today.”
Fowler says that having a professorship named after him is humbling and rewarding. “We have so many great professors at ACU,” he said. “I feel honored to represent them and I’m grateful for the generosity of the Anthonys in making this gift.” Dr. Ryan Jessup (’97) associate professor of management sciences, is the recipient of the Trammell Crow Endowed Professorship. Jessup is beginning the second year of a three-year appointment in the professorship, which provides a supplemental stipend and additional professional development funds for the holder. The majority of his research is dedicated to decision-making, with a goal to learn more about the neural mechanisms of choice and their related processes.
Dr. Ryan Jessup
“Without gifts like this endowed professorship,” Jessup said, “We would not have the opportunity to produce high-quality research that leads to us becoming a university of even greater distinction.”
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2017-18 MABEE BUSINESS BUILDING RENOVATIONS Last summer, COBA undertook the most significant renovation since Mabee Business Building opened in 1986. Six lab, office and classroom spaces were reconfigured and upgraded to enhance learning and collaboration opportunities.
Renovations Campaign
$600,000
Gifts came from donors who live in eight states and 30 Texas cities
Wildcat Software Wildcat Software is an on-campus, student-run company within Wildcat Ventures. It specializes in creating customized software and began its fourth year of operation in Fall 2018. It changed venues in Fall 2017, moving from the second floor of the Mabee Business Building to a new space on the first floor, near the Griggs Center for Entreneurship and Philanthropy. “It is important that we have room to collaborate with team members on projects, and to have a relatively quiet space,” said Gideon Luck (’18), a project manager for Wildcat Software.
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Average gift
$4,063
CONNECT Garcia’s career success began in ACU’s supportive educational environment
at ACU with a relationship with Jesus Christ, but I was very quickly influenced by the Christian friends and professors who took time to get to know me. Many of my professors showed me what humility and authenticity look like by the way they worked with me and lived their lives on and off campus.”
It’s been a long journey from first-generation college student to successful business executive for Phil Garcia (’99).
Garcia said students need to realize that business is about relationships. “They should make all the friends and connections they can,” he said. “Meet board members, trustees, guest speakers on campus, and so on. People with whom you have a relationship are more likely to make introductions for you in the business world.”
Today, Garcia is senior vice president and financial advisor for Branch Banking and Trust’s Scott and Stringfellow, a boutique investment banking firm with an office in Fort Worth, Texas.
One of the most significant memories he has was having a private Bible study with former COBA dean Dr. Rick Lytle. “His simple invite and desire to take an interest in me has impacted my life forever,” said Garcia, for whom Lytle still serves as a mentor.
He remembers the apprehension he felt as a freshman in Fall 1995, dropped off at his residence hall to make new friends and start a new life with no expectations of what to do next. Garcia was the first in his family to attend college, and he earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing.
“By the grace of God – and some great family friends – I landed at ACU,” Garcia said. “Looking back, I can see God’s hand in all of this, and I know he had a plan for my life. I am forever grateful for my time at ACU and the path it paved for me.”
“The most fundamental thing I took away from ACU is my Christian faith,” Garcia said. “I did not arrive
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Experiential learning in COBA made a difference for Phillips The transition Allison Phillips (’15) experienced from college student to working professional was made easier by the experiential learning gained in ACU’s College of Business Administration.
Wendy Davidson, president of Kellogg’s U.S. Specialty Channels, was COBA’s Distinguished Speaker Series presenter on Oct. 12, 2017.
Now a data scientist in Deloitte’s Consulting practice for clients in Denver, Colorado, she works with various companies and federal agencies to solve business challenges. While earning a B.B.A. degree in marketing, she led student organizations, conducted research alongside faculty, and launched a market research service through Wildcat Ventures. She also credits COBA for giving her a lengthy list of mentors who guided and supported her as she tried to figure out the career path she wanted to pursue. “Having adults in my life who listened and gave me honest opinions about the decisions I was making has had a huge impact on the way I make decisions in my personal and professional life,” Phillips said.
CURRENT TOTAL COBA DEGREED ALUMNI: 7,916
West – 8%
Central – 6%
East – 8%
Texas – 76%
DFW – 44% Southeast Texas – 27% West Texas – 21% Other – 8%
International – 2% 11
Recent COBA speakers
• Chad Hutchins (’08), co-founder of Fanatical Labs • Matthew Sullivan (’09), owner of Sylvan Learning Centers of Abilene, Lubbock and Fort Worth • Jarrod Brown (’00), co-founder and president of Mission Lazarus • David Arrington, founder and president of Arrington Oil and Gas Operating • Sterling Hilliard (’10), The Hilliard Companies • Leslie (Waddell ’05) Thompson, founder and CEO of Dusty Rocker Boots • Donny Edwards (’90), president and CEO of Sagora Senior Living • David Shewmaker (’92), consultant at EML Payments • Blake Buchanan, founder and CEO of Bahama Bucks • Tom Cuthbert, chair of Vistage International • Dub Stocker (’74), chair of Lonestar Resources, Inc. • Brenda Heffernan, owner of Heff’s Burgers • Jerry Browder (’76), founder and president of Signet Health Corporation • Trey Grigsby, president and CEO of Christian Brothers Automotive in Midland • A.C. Lockyer, owner of SoftWash Systems • Luke Hejl (’01) and Chris Clark (’01), co-founders of TimelyMD • Tye Lamberth (’95), GST Manufacturing • Ryan Stephen (’09), senior vice president at Trinity Environmental Services • Ryan Dunagan (’08), principal of Ryan Dunagan Consulting
Among speakers Jan. 6-12, 2018, during COBA’s 20th annual Leadership Summit at Frontier Ranch in Buena Vista, Colorado: • April (Bullock ’89) Anthony, CEO of Homecare Homebase and Encompass Home Health & Hospice, and new chair of ACU’s Board of Trustees • Wendy Davidson, president of U.S. Specialty Channels at Kellogg Company • Elise (Smith ’83) Mitchell, founder of Mitchell and CEO of Dentsu Aegis PR Network • Carlos Sepulveda, chair of Triumph Bancorp, Inc., and former president and CEO of Interstate Batteries • Rick Atchley (’78), preaching minister for The Hills Church in North Richland Hills, Texas • Kent Brantly, M.D. (’03), Time Magazine Person of the Year in 2014, and his wife, Amber (Carroll ’06)
Among speakers during Startup Week, sponsored Nov. 14-18, 2017, by ACU’s Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy: • ACU trustee Elise (Smith ’83) Mitchell, founder of Mitchell and CEO of Dentsu Aegis Public Relations Network • David Flow (’82), founder of Flow Construction • Denise (Allen ’02) Hamilton, founder of Watch Her Work • Bryan McCaleb (’94), co-founder of Covenant Homes • Jordan Swim (’07), CEO of Vestals Catering • Garrett Winder (’09), founder of Good Work
Scholarship luncheon honors generosity of COBA donors COBA held its annual Ruth Allen Griggs Honor Luncheon on March 22, 2018, an event whose namesake was a woman known for her hospitality and generosity. Her children, Dr. Jack Griggs (’64) and Ann (Griggs) Berger, along with their respective spouses, Ann (Faubus ’64) Griggs and the late Robert Berger, established an endowment in 2015 to honor Ruth’s spirit and encourage others to seek philanthropic opportunities.
Ann (Faubus) Griggs, Ann (Griggs) Berger and Dr. Jack Griggs
“Giving back creates a thread that binds us all together,” said Darius Bell (‘18), computer science major from Frisco, Texas. “Receiving a scholarship showed me that ACU’s mission and vision lives within the hearts and lives of donors.”
percent of all college students receive some sort of financial aid and that scholarships are one way Christians model what Jesus taught about helping others. COBA dean Dr. Brad Crisp (’93) said the event allows students to express their gratitude for donor generosity. “The Griggs Luncheon is a favorite event of mine because of the way it reflects and underscores our values,” Crisp said.
“We’ve all likely received some sort of scholarship,” said Gary Skidmore (’76), CEO of Aberdeen Group, a member of the COBA Dean’s Council and a former trustee of ACU. He cited statistics showing that 75
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CONTRIBUTIONS FROM COBA ALUMNI AND FRIENDS 2015
$832,213
2016
$562,164
2017
$2,059,219
2018
$886,348
2017-18 COBA FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS University support (74%) Endowment and gift support (20%) Direct revenue (6%)
Faculty, teaching and research (72%)
SOURCES
USES
$6,512,000
$34,556,000 An increase of $17,516,000 over the last five years in COBA endowment corpus
$6,512,000
Student programs and services (15%) Outreach, infrastructure and administrative support (13%)
COBA ENDOWMENT (AS OF MAY 31, 2018) Student scholarships (29%)
Griggs Center (11%)
Faculty development (25%)
Lytle Center (10%)
Operations (20%)
Student programs (5%)
ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIPS COBA awarded more than $265,000 in endowed scholarships to business and technology students 13
ACU Box 29300, Abilene, Texas 79699-9300
325-674-2245 • coba@acu.edu • acu.edu/coba 180362-1018