ACU COBA Dean's Report 2021

Jozell Brister’s teaching, influence have inspired two generations of COBA students

2021 DEAN’S REPORT College of Business Administration

From the Dean We recently asked our alumni to give feedback on how our faculty, staff, students and alumni are keeping our vision: inspiring, equipping and connecting Christian business and technology professionals to honor God and bless the world.

This quote caught my attention: “Each one of my professors at COBA didn’t just care about how well I did in their class, but who I was going to be as a business professional. They reminded me that it isn’t about getting all A’s, although that would be great, it’s really about being a light in a broken world.”

Your comments inspired us to feature some of our Vision Keepers. On the cover of this report, you will recognize Jozell Brister, associate professor emerita of management sciences. Our recently retired colleague has left a legacy both inside and outside the classroom as she has shaped countless lives and earned high praise from her former students.

We’re also proud to feature ACU alumna April Anthony, who was one of 25 former business graduates honored

by AACSB International in its 2021 class of Influential Leaders. The prestigious award recognizes alumni from AACSB-accredited schools whose life’s work is an inspiration to the next generation of leaders.

In this report that reviews our work in 2021, we’re also excited to share updates on our academic programs, students and resources. None of the work we do could happen without the ongoing participation and support of alumni and friends like you.

Thank you for your partnership.

Dr. Brad Crisp Dean, College of Business Administration

IN THIS REPORT • Vision Keepers: Scholarship honors Nicholson • Academic Programs: Online programs expand reach • Students: New grad begins downtown business • Resources: Building renovations reach midpoint

MISSION Our mission is to educate business and technology professionals for Christian service and leadership throughout the world.

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.

VISION KEEPERS In addition to teaching, she served as associate dean and as director of the first advising center for business students. She was instrumental in planning the design of the Mabee Business Building and devoted considerable time to fundraising with COBA’s then-dean, Dr. Bill Petty (’64).

“Jozell helped keep things running during a time of growth and with a college that was bursting at the seams,” said Dr. Monty Lynn.

She’s educated generations of ACU students, seeing the children of parents she once taught occupy the same spot in her classroom. She’s been a mentor and role model for faculty as well. Lynn was grateful for the way Brister not only welcomed him to COBA but showed him how to be a teacher, too. The pair developed a strong friendship and collaborated on numerous research projects.

When asked to share names of those who inspired her, she listed them by group rather than by name, “because I would be sure to leave out someone very dear to me,” she said, reflecting the humility that personifies her to so many.

Master teacher, mentor Brister to be namesake of academic wing’s second floor

“My colleagues are such genuinely good, talented and wonderful individuals. My former student teaching assistants have been so diligent, loyal, honest and skilled with technology. Each COBA dean has had the vision and skills to lead us into the future,” Brister said. “Our staff made the college work properly each day – our internal combustion engine, working behind the scenes to guide students, help faculty and set a standard for excellence. And our wonderful donors have been so unselfish with gifts to help fund special programs for students, research and travel for the faculty, and the latest technology for classrooms and offices.”

t a time when the world can change as frequently and quickly as the Texas weather, Jozell Brister (’61) has been a stalwart presence in the College of Business Administration for the past four decades.

As she reflects back on her career at ACU, her greatest hope was that students would see a spark of Christianity in the way she treated them and the things she said.

A new fundraising campaign will name the second floor of the Mabee Business Building’s academic wing in honor of this beloved alumna and associate professor emerita of management sciences whose eye for details, knowledge of the subject matter and compassion for students have established her among alumni and peers as a COBA vision keeper.

Brister came to ACU in 1980 to teach economics and became a trailblazer for women to become faculty members, leading a number of firsts for the college.

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“My discipline was economics and with respect to my teaching in that area, my goal was for students to have a strong idea of how to make the economy work for everyone and especially for the poor and disadvantaged,” Brister said.

While Brister sees herself as a vision keeper, she has also left a legacy for the college.

“I would hope others would say that I was a Christian teacher, a helpful colleague and a happy, loyal Wildcat,” she said. “I would be so pleased if others said that I was a good friend, someone without deceit or pretention.”

We’d say that Jozell Brister has earned an A+ on that front.

VISION KEEPERS

Student scholarship honors Nicholson’s life, legacy

supervisors at Boles. Nicholson developed an early interest in accounting while working as a high school student with Claude Covey, who did the accounting for the children’s home.

Nicholson chose not to accept the free tuition offered to Abilene Christian students who grew up in an orphanage.

He felt he had been given much during his time at Boles and that it was time for him to start paying his own way. He worked full time at an Abilene Safeway and still managed to graduate in four years with a degree in accounting.

While enrolled at ACU, caring mentors and friends continued to shape Nicholson’s faith and character. His friendship with Hal McGlothlin (’58) led to multiple work experiences and partnerships with McGlothlin family businesses such as Radio London, United Network, Bank of Commerce, Locus Homes International, LaJet and even an attempt at forming a new television network. Nicholson became a veteran of the self-serve gasoline business as founder, president, COO and board member of E-Z Serve, and he also helped pioneer pay-at-the-pump equipment as chair and CEO of AutoGas Systems Inc. He remained engaged with his alma mater until his death in December 2020 because he felt strongly that a quality education should be affordable and accessible to all students who want to learn in a Christ-centered environment. He was an influential member of ACU’s Board of Trustees for 29 years and was founding chair of its investment committee for more than two decades. When the university established Abilene Christian Investment Management Company (ACIMCO) in 2009 to handle its endowment, Nicholson chaired its first board.

f you didn’t know his story, you might never suspect that the late Randy Nicholson (’59), an entrepreneur and former longtime ACU trustee, faced extreme adversity and obstacles from a young age. Yet the circumstances beyond his control shaped the man he became – someone who used his wealth to bless others in innumerable ways.

Future Christian business professionals will be attracted to ACU through COBA’s new Nicholson-Upp Family Endowed Scholarship, designed to help continue the legacy of this generous benefactor who loved his alma mater and its students.

Nicholson’s greatest partnership was with classmate Barbara Hart (’59). The couple was married 59 years until her death in 2017. Those who knew Randy knew how much his wife, daughter Randa (Nicholson ’88) Upp, son-in-law Jeff Upp (’86) and grandson Braden (’17) meant to him.

At 18 months old, Nicholson and his siblings were placed in Boles Children’s Home (now called Arms of Hope - Boles Campus) in Quinlan, Texas, after their parents could no longer care for them. There, he began learning about Christ, generosity, gratitude and the value of working hard. Regular chores at Boles taught responsibility and included working in the fields, tending to animals and milking cows. Nicholson was also active in Future Farmers of America and worked for Safeway supermarkets as a stocker, sacker and checker.

His presence continues to be felt, as he generously invested in ACU and other causes dear to his heart.

“Dad felt compelled to help others, especially those who started from a disadvantaged place in life,” Randa Upp said.

“He knew the importance of having someone believe in you and being given a chance.”

Nicholson’s college decision was heavily influenced by Robert Harold “Tex” Williams (’50), one of his dormitory

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Clark’s company grows to meet health needs of universities, students

customized solutions for universities such as Duke and Johns Hopkins.

Although TimelyMD was founded initially to fill a gap in the higher education healthcare system, Clark says his fulfillment and inspiration comes in seeing how the lives of students are transformed.

“People are so passionate about what we are doing,” he said. “I realize we truly may be saving a life, intervening in crises or changing the world in a positive way. We’re working with some institutions with a very high percentage of first-generation college students who aren’t accustomed to the level of care we’re providing, especially in regard to emotional health. It’s definitely what makes me wake up in the morning, knowing we are truly improving the health of students.”

As TimelyMD continues to grow, Clark sees an opportunity to reach marginalized communities in a way virtual health has not been able to do before. “When I was in school, behavioral health was swept under the rug; today we are dealing with it in a different way,” he said. “It’s been especially fulfilling to see the emotional health services embraced by students and institutions alike.”

The lessons Clark learned in ACU’s COBA have helped him merge his academic knowledge with his faith as he has grown his business.

ee a need, fill a need – a phrase often used when talking about servant leadership – is one Chris Clark (’01) has put into practice since graduating from ACU as a management and marketing major.

“Learning from Christian leaders is probably what equipped me best to lead my company,” Clark said.

“The presentations we had to give, the debates, the position papers, learning to stand behind our position – they were all really helpful.”

As the co-owner of TimelyMD, an online telehealth provider focusing on colleges and universities, Clark has searched for ways to serve others while offering help and healing to marginalized communities. Along the way, he’s continued to show his gratitude to his alma mater.

“ACU helped us, and now we want to give back,” he said of the company founded with partners Luke Hejl (’01) and Dr. Alan Dennington (’01).

He especially appreciates the lessons he learned at Leadership Summit.

“That event is all about servant leadership,” he said.

“Faith was important to the business leaders who spoke to us. They talked about how they incorporated their faith into their daily lives in leading an organization, and it was really powerful for me. I don’t do a perfect job of that, but I try to lead in that way, too.”

TimelyMD serves almost 100 institutions and half a million students. Its growth has been exponential, and what started as a medical-only company five years ago has pivoted to serve students in a broader way, adding mental and behavioral health services.

Stressors brought on by the pandemic served to accelerate TimelyMD’s growth, and it was ready for the challenge. The company had already been working on a national infrastructure plan for expansion, with a blueprint in place that allowed it to rapidly deliver short-term, 3

VISION KEEPERS ACU relationships shaped Kusuma’s outlook on life, work, faith

challenge, while for others, the ‘intelligent’ part should be emphasized. But regardless, college is arguably the best time to iterate and try new things. Taking it one step further, college is also a great time to get better at learning and iterating, and specifically learning how to be self-critical in a healthy way, being self-aware and getting less uncomfortable with failure. For me, a big part of this process was finding mentors and asking for advice, mostly from folks at church, my mentors at my internships, and professors.”

hen Asa Kusuma (’12) graduated from ACU with a degree in computer science, he had no idea the platform he used for his job search would become the company he now works for as a staff software engineer at LinkedIn. In the past decade, he’s seen his vocation intermingle with his faith and personal growth.

Kusuma is a big fan of ACU and finding people who will help you reach your goals.

“It’s difficult to overstate the importance of surrounding yourself with good people who care about you,” he said. “ACU is highly optimized to do this while also providing a formal education. Both your network and your education can be critical for accomplishing goals.

Wherever you end up, be proactive about the people you surround yourself with.”

Kusuma has found a compatibility between COBA’s vision to honor God and bless the world, and LinkedIn’s vision to create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce.

His faith impacts all aspects of his life.

“I’m not a naturally empathetic person, but empathy is so important for doing anything as a team,” he said. “The example of Jesus demands empathy, and that is such a healthy demand for everything from work relationships, to sports teams, to marriage. I still am often surprised at what can be accomplished by simply focusing on the needs of others rather than my own immediate needs or goals.”

International experiential learning paved the way for Barajas’ career growth

College is a time when many students start to develop their own faith and value system. Kusuma’s time at ACU was formative in large part because of the different perspectives impressed upon him by professors, church family and peers.

“There can be a tendency for college to accidentally reinforce the notion that your self worth is derived from success in your field of study/work or your social strata or finding a significant other,” he said. “No institution, ACU included, is immune to these tendencies, but I’m very grateful for a community that provided an education while also invoking a broader purpose in life.”

Much of what Kusuma has learned at ACU and at LinkedIn is advice he enjoys sharing with current students.

“One LinkedIn value is taking intelligent risks,” he said. “For some, learning to take any risk might be a 4

hen Dustin Marshall (’07) graduated from ACU with an undergraduate degree in accounting and a Master in Accountancy in 2008, he wasn’t sure how the work he was going to do would allow him to put his faith into practice in the workplace.

Thirteen years later, the answer is clear.

Marshall, now a CPA and assurance partner at Ernst & Young LLP, can see now that the size of the firm, along with the flexibility he has at the company, allows him to do Kingdom work inside and outside of the office.

Marshall inspired by opportunities to put faith into practice

“One of the things I really struggled with after graduation was feeling as if what I was doing for a living did not have a direct or significant impact on the world or even my community, so it was hard to feel like I was honoring God or blessing the world,” Marshall said.

“After much prayer and self-reflection, I discovered that God gave me the gifts he did for a reason and that there are numerous ways to honor him and bless others each day at work.

“COBA gave me the solid business foundation to confidently carry out those interactions. It also helped develop me as a person to act with compassion, kindness and caring for those I interact with in a business setting,” he said. “It is impossible to build without having a firm foundation, and ACU provided that for me.”

s a marketing major with a minor in international business, Judith Barajas (’16) knew working and living abroad was something she wanted to do after she traveled to Oxford with COBA as a student in Spring 2014. She just didn’t expect to be back in England so soon.

of 2020. With the uncertainty of world markets during the pandemic, it became almost impossible to find work abroad. However, her experience with PFSweb had gone so well that the company reached out to her after graduation and offered her a job in its new office in the UK. Barajas moved to London in October 2020 and is contracted to work there for three years.

Barajas traveled abroad again in 2016 when she led a team of 10 students on a mission trip to Honduras with Mission Lazarus as an officer for the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization.

While the last few years have been a roller coaster, Barajas is grateful for opportunities and looks forward to more adventures, noting that “God’s timing is simply the best. It was definitely a challenge, but I had faith it was the best time of my life to make such a decision. I am extremely happy to have had a great experience and learned so much about business in other countries.”

After graduation, Barajas moved to Dallas, Texas, and accepted a job as an account manager at PFSweb, an eCommerce fulfillment provider that is one of the largest employers of COBA graduates. PFSweb is led by COBA alumnus, Mike Willoughby (‘86), who serves as the company’s chief executive officer. During her three years there, she worked with multiple accounts that helped her learn about different business models. As she grew professionally, she knew she wanted to expand that knowledge. So, in 2019, she took a leap of faith, quit her job and moved to Barcelona, Spain.

It is not lost on Barajas that she is living in a place where she once studied as an ACU student.

“After I studied abroad in Oxford, I promised myself to move back one way or another,” she said. “Oxford will always be in my heart. Little did I know it would happen this soon.”

Barajas continues to stay in touch with her professors to offer ways she can help mentor other COBA students who hope to live out their own adventures.

Barajas continued her education there, earning a master’s degree in international business in the summer

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VISION KEEPERS AACSB includes Anthony among prestigious class of Influential Leaders

Adebesin honored with top award in South Africa

pril (Bullock ’89) Anthony was one of 25 business alumni honored by AACSB International – the premier business education alliance – in its 2021 class of Influential Leaders. The initiative recognizes notable alumni from AACSB-accredited business schools whose work inspires the next generation of leaders.

he values COBA instills in students include upholding high moral and professional standards of excellence, calling each to a life of service and leadership that glorifies God and transforms communities and society.

Anthony is the former CEO of Encompass Health – Home Health and Hospice of Dallas, Texas.

She graduated from ACU with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, became a Texas CPA, and started her career with PricewaterhouseCoopers.

In 1992, after transitioning to a controller job, she bought a failing home health agency in Fort Worth, Texas. Within a year she turned the company around, paid off the $150,000 loan she inherited, and squeezed out a $10,000 salary for herself. In time, Encompass Home Health and Hospice was born.

Gbemi Adebesin (’17), who came to ACU at age 15 from her native Nigeria, is a shining example.

After earning a degree in accounting, she became a CPA in 2018 and earned her Certified Fraud Examiner credential in 2020, receiving the notable Top Achiever Africa Award from the South Africa chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners for having the highest overall score on the continent.

“It feels amazing and that’s partly because I had never expected to receive such an award,” she said.

“The exam is designed such that you never really know your scores. You only know if you pass or not, so I didn’t think such an award existed. Taking the exam was out of my deep interest and passion for the field, so to have that reflected by the award is truly special.”

Early on, she began putting employees and patients first, going on patient visits to homes and learning what employees needed to do their work well.

As she implemented changes to meet the demands, the company thrived. Not only has Anthony used her business education to grow her company, but the ethical lessons she learned propelled her to excel in areas not emphasized by competitors – the creation of a corporate culture that cares deeply for employees and patients.

Adebesin is an external auditor with PricewaterhouseCoopers Nigeria.

Seeing a need for a better way to manage records in the highly regulated healthcare industry, she formed Homecare Homebase and created a full-service electronic medical records system. The software’s efficiency and effectiveness have set the industry standard, and the system is used to power more than 35% of all home care and hospice services across the nation.

“My faith plays a huge role in my work and is what keeps me going,” she said. “Apart from cultivating a greater sense of meaning in my job, it has shaped and improved my values, work ethic, and relationships with people like my colleagues, clients, etc. It drives me to continually strive to be better in everything I do and contribute as much as I can to a better world and environment. Since I spend most of my time at work, it is one major way I’m able to express and fulfill my faith through leading by example and letting what I do and who I am tell the story of my faith and trust in God.”

Anthony’s philosophy of putting employees first means patients are cared for well. Encompass has been named to Best Workplace lists for several years in a row by Great Places to Work, Fortune magazine and Modern Healthcare. The company leads the home

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health care industry in clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction and boasts industry-leading employee turnover rates. Encompass has more than 325 locations in 31 states and territories.

She also has been generous with her time and money at Abilene Christian. In 2018, she became the first woman to serve as board chair, and she has donated tens of millions of dollars to her alma mater, from major buildings altering the campus landscape to the university’s ability to create new programs and opportunities for students.

“April embodies our mission,” said ACU president Dr. Phil Schubert (’91). “She lives a life of service and leadership that inspires others to do the same.

Our university would not be where it is today without her faithful commitment and generosity.”

Her service and philanthropy have been particularly valuable for business students.

She has made investments in College of Business Administration faculty through endowed professorships honoring outstanding business faculty. She also established an operational endowment providing students the opportunity to gain global economic and cultural insights through study abroad. In addition, the endowment for the Lytle Center for Faith and Leadership secures her commitment to prepare the next generation of business leaders.

“We are inspired by the efforts of business school graduates like April Anthony,” said Caryn L. Beck-Dudley, AACSB president and CEO. “ACU is developing leaders prepared to change the world, and AACSB is honored to recognize April for her positive impact on society.”

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O U R V I S I O N : We inspire, equip and connect Christian business

and technology professionals to honor God and bless the world with: Distinctive programs – We offer academic programs that excel among our regional competitors in Texas and nationally in Christian higher education.

Lifelong relationships – We cultivate a vibrant, lifelong network of Christian business and technology professionals that blesses Abilene, Texas and the world.

Testimonial comments from former students who participated in a recent COBA alumni survey

Dr. James Prather embodies this vision. His approach to teaching emphasizes practical ways to enrich the lives of others through what we learn from a Christ-centered perspective.

Dr. Mark (’88) and Laura (Cleek ’88) Phillips are bright lights in this world. The way they teach, their immense sense of humor, the testament of raising and losing their son, and the way they live their life as servants of Christ are inspiring to me. I’m proud to have been taught by them.”

“COBA professors have maintained relationships with their alumni outside of the classroom and regularly invite them to speak to current students about the modern enterprise and specific topics in the classroom. I don’t know of any other collegiate business programs with the same depth of relationships built into the academic experience.

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Dr. Jennifer (Baker ’01) Golden always reaches out to connect me with her students. Having a teacher like her, who puts so much extra work into her students’ future, is something every student wishes they have when looking for jobs/ internships after college.

Bill Fowler demonstrated what it means to be a Christian leader in the world. His patience and desire to guide his students toward God and knowledge has had a lasting impact on me.”

“Dr. Phil Vardiman (’76) helped deliver a sense of vision for me.

I still view him today as a model of how to proceed in life daily.”

Dr. Jonathan Stewart was my finance professor more than 20 years ago. He taught me with humility and wisdom and helped me see a great example of a Christian leader and teacher. He (and others) helped me see business as much more than making money. My friendship with him and his family continues to this day.

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ACADEMIC PROGRAMS The Digital Entertainment Technology program continues to earn accolades. For the sixth consecutive year, Abilene Christian has earned a top spot on The Princeton Review’s list of best game design programs in the U.S. ACU is ranked No. 29 in the “Top 50 Undergraduate Schools for Game Design for 2021” list released in March 2021. An expanded Digital Experience classroom/lab has now been completed as part of the Mabee Business Building’s second phase of renovations, giving students more space to create, film and collaborate.

Griggs Center offers certificate and minor in entrepreneurship A new minor in entrepreneurship was approved this year, providing an opportunity to reach additional students across campus through our nationally recognized Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy. All ACU students are now eligible to earn a certificate in or minor in entrepreneurship.

Business is the #1 minor at ACU

Many majors can benefit from developing an entrepreneurial mindset, and any student can experience and practice entrepreneurship while at ACU through the center’s co-curricular programming.

Students complete 9 hours for the certificate or 18 hours for the minor, and participate in co-curricular experiences.

ACU currently offers 48 minors to residential undergraduates 22% of residential undergraduates have declared at least one minor

STAR fund grows to $2 million COBA students are managing a now-multi-milliondollar investment fund that is part of the university’s endowment. The Student Trading and Research (STAR) Fund gives students first-hand experience with investing and financial management, and their success led to the fund reaching a new high of $2 million at the start of the 2021-22 academic year. The fund began more than 30 years ago with an ACU trustee contributing $25,000 for students to manage. Business faculty members also contributed along the way, and by 1999 the fund totaled $100,000, and became part of the university’s endowment.

128 students have declared a business minor (17.6% of all students with a minor)

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New online programs continue to expand our reach and advance our mission In Summer 2020, ACU launched online Bachelor of Science degree programs in marketing and management, allowing us to reach an audience previously unavailable to us. Working professionals who have not earned an undergraduate degree represent one of the fastestgrowing student populations in higher education.

and connecting business professionals who honor God and bless the world, visit acu.edu/hr to see how you can contribute.

ACU’s online programs enable lifelong learning, which is helpful for those whose industry is rapidly changing and requires more education to address new business trends.

The programs focus on strong academic standards and are AACSB accredited like the residential business programs. Courses are taught by COBA faculty and credentialed adjuncts who support our mission and provide excellent teaching experiences.

Larry Autrey (’18 MBA) recognized the need to have a grasp on data analytics as he understood the impact it would have on his own experience as a partner with Whitley Penn. He decided to complete an online MBA with ACU with an emphasis in data analytics.

While Larry was enrolled, his son, Landon (’21), enrolled as a residential undergraduate. Larry saw first-hand the quality programming available at ACU. He and Landon were engaged in very different learning modalities, but they were both experiencing a challenging academic environment with the Christian emphasis for which ACU is known.

COBA alumni from across the nation help design and teach some of our courses. By offering a degree that is entirely online, the pool of quality faculty who want to develop and teach business courses with Christian principles has helped us quickly build a strong program. If you’re an ACU graduate with an advanced degree and an interest in inspiring, equipping

The online programs are also creating valuable learning possibilities for our residential students with specialty courses that ACU only offers online. For example, residential graduates completing the Master of Accountancy program began taking online analytics courses and other business electives not offered on campus to enhance their preparation

Dr. Mark Phillips, online undergraduate business program director, is excited about the opportunity to help these nontraditional students complete their undergraduate programs entirely online with ACU. “For most of our online students, college would simply be impossible without a good online option,” Phillips said.

for the workplace.The online programs are also creating valuable learning possibilities for our residential students with specialty courses that ACU only offers online. For example, residential graduates completing the Master of Accountancy program began taking online analytics courses and other business electives not offered on campus to enhance their preparation for the workplace.

Dr. Phil Vardiman, director of our online graduate programs, is excited about the future of the online graduate programs. “I can see more academic concentrations, specialized certificates and even professional development programs offered through our online resources,” he said. “This will require us to continue developing strong faculty commitment and technology to deliver high-quality offerings.”

Online MBA student Cesar Manzano is combining his background in education with his entrepreneurial aspirations as he forms a startup company called Rio Grande Valley Learning Solutions (RGV-LS), a fully online and affordable personalized tutoring business for third- through 12th-graders who are English-language learners. Connecting his faith and vocation is important to him. Once Manzano made the decision to enroll in an MBA program, he searched for one that aligned with his values.

ACU rose to the top of his list.

Fall Online Business Enrollment 184

120

2021 Enrollment

200

201

160

574

162

178

191 157

184 136

140 120 60

0

20%

Online Enrollment Age Distribution

32%

73

40

Residential business Residential technology Online business

10%

34 2016

2017

2018

11

2019

2020

48

2021

38% 20-29 years 30-39 years

40-49 years 50+ years

STUDENTS

New grad begins downtown business Karson Tutt (’21) is using her own entrepreneurial experience as a platform to help other aspiring business owners. Tutt opened Karson’s, her namesake store in The Commons in downtown Abilene, this year before she had even walked the stage for Commencement.

She quickly experienced success in her new venture and saw an opportunity to start a new project that not only helped her own business but also helped other entrepreneurs.

The Commons is a space connected to Karson’s that allows small businesses to set up a retail shop and have an opportunity to grow without the long-term contract and overhead fees normally associated with owning one’s own business or renting a space. The Commons features nine small businesses, two of which are run by current ACU students.

Tutt received funding through ACU’s Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy when she won the Springboard Student Venture Competition in 2020. She credits COBA and the Griggs Center in helping her throughout her entrepreneurial journey. Aspiring entrepreneurs such as Karson can receive a head start with the Founder’s Club, a Griggs Center student organization providing a network, resources and mentoring opportunities to help students launch or run their own business.

“They have given me an amazing community of like-minded business people,” she said. “I love leaning into that community, and I know even after graduation my friends and professors will be people I can reach out to if I ever need it.”

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Internships are difference-makers Internships give students a head start and a leg up when it comes to finding a successful job outcome after graduation. COBA alumni are vital in helping us connect students to internship and employment opportunities.

If you have internship or employment opportunities for our students, please email coba@acu.edu.

Kennedy Barnett and April Anthony

Tres Cox

Miranda Cospin

Alumni April (Bullock ’89) Anthony and Matt Boisvert (’97) hosted COBA students Kennedy Barnett (’21) and Tres Cox (’20) at their respective companies in the past year and gave their interns insightful knowledge about life after graduation.

Miranda Ramirez Cospin, a senior computer science major from Guatemala, interned with iHeartMedia in Summer 2021. She utilized the professional development program to prepare for her internship search, which led to a job offer.

Internship for Credit program is growing!

More than 60 students completed an Internship for Credit in Summer 2021, up 16% from the prior year. Steph Brown, professional development manager and instructor for the course, helped students reflect on the work they undertook each week and how it helped them develop qualities desired by employers.

Compensation, work experience, academic course credit, skills endorsements and professional development coaching combine to provide a valuable experience that is growing in popularity with COBA students.

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STUDENTS Pandemic requires pivots COVID-19 made it a difficult year for our faculty, staff and students to teach, interact and start their careers. Here are a few examples of the ways we worked to pivot to solve some of the complications brought on by the pandemic.

• While some universities shifted to fully online classes beginning Fall 2020, 88% of ACU business and technology residential courses were taught in person, with safety accommodations. For instance, classrooms designed to seat 36 students could only accommodate 12, which created space challenges and meant that classes were spread across campus. Classes returned to more normal configurations in 2021, adjusting safety accommodations throughout the year as needed.

• Like other faculty, Dr. Jennifer (Baker ’01) Golden worked hard to bring her marketing students a normal classroom experience by taking them on field trips to businesses such as Tige Boats and Chike Nutrition, and virtually hosting COBA alumna Carlee (Finkelstein ’14) Pruden to work on real-life projects from the corporate world.

• Leadership Summit was canceled for the first time in its history because of the pandemic. In its place, an online course was taught, and the Lytle Center for Faith and Leadership hosted a Chapel experience called RENEW every other Tuesday night at the Front Porch Coffee Shop. Attendance averaged 27 students a week, reaching approximately 60 students overall. As they sought to renew and deepen their faith in Christ through scripture and group discussion, the overall focus of the gatherings was to capture a vision of what God wants to do with a heart fully surrendered to him.

If you’d like to learn more about the Lytle Center for Faith and Leadership, visit lytlecenter.org.

• Inspiring and equipping students is not a catchphrase for the School of Information Technology and Computing. It’s something associate professor Dr. Brian Burton was able to put into practice when he invited two DET majors to join him in a pandemic research project. Jael Morel, a junior from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and Camila Rodrigues, senior from Santa Tecla, El Salvador, worked as assistants with a team of researchers, including Burton, to study how the pandemic has affected students with the shift to online learning. The goal of the project was to produce a guest issue of The Journal of Literacy & Technology entitled “Special Edition: The eLearning Literacy for Suddenly Online - Considerations of Theory, Research and Practice.”

• Delayed start dates and working from home were common hurdles for 2020 and 2021 graduates launching their careers during the pandemic.

Technology skills for our SITC and business students continue to strengthen their starting salaries.

BUSINESS UNDERGRADUATE

2020 2021

TECHNOLOGY UNDERGRADUATE

MASTER OF ACCOUNTANCY

Outcomes percentage at 6 months 88% / 97%

Outcomes percentage at 6 months 88% / 92%

Outcomes percentage at 3 months 100% / 100%

Average salary $48,833 / $44,892

Average salary $69,189 / $62,000

Average salary $55,600 / $57,833

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RESOURCES CONTRIBUTIONS FROM COBA ALUMNI AND FRIENDS 2017

$2,059,219

2018

$886,348

2019

$1,715,726

2020

$1,012,897

2021

$1,364,636

2020-21 COBA FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

University support (77%) Endowment and gift support (19%) Direct revenue (4%)

SOURCES $6,129,000

USES

$6,129,000

Faculty teaching and research (71%) Student programs and services (16%) Outreach, infrastructure and administrative support (13%)

COBA ENDOWMENT (AS OF MAY 31, 2021) $53,631,000*

Student scholarships (43%)

Griggs Center (10%)

Faculty development (19%)

Lytle Center (8%)

Operations (16%)

Student programs and services (4%)

*An increase of more than $27 million over the last five years in the COBA endowment corpus

COBA awarded more than $331,000 in endowed scholarships to business and technology students in FY21

RESOURCES Building renovations reach midpoint

• An expanded Digital Experience Lab, with a 25-seat classroom, larger green screen, and more workstations for game and virtual reality development As we look forward to the remainder of the project, we are engaged in planning and fundraising to finish the classroom wing and atrium. Specific initiatives include:

“How much longer?” Ask a parent on a family road trip or anyone who has lived through a home renovation project, and they will tell you that the desire to reach the destination grows with each passing moment.

• A fundraising campaign to name the second floor of the academic wing in honor of Jozell Brister (’61), associate professor emerita of management sciences

Thankfully, despite supply chain disruptions and other challenges created by the pandemic, we are now halfway toward the goal of renovating the Mabee Business Building, which opened in 1986 as a state-of-the-art facility to serve residential business students.

• A new computer lab on the first floor featuring our finance program, providing a new home for the Student Trading and Research (STAR) investment class • Refreshing The Quiet Place, which will continue to be a contemplative space individuals and small groups use for prayer, reflection and study

Now 35 years later, the need to replace the HVAC system has provided an opportunity to update the entire building to better engage and support today’s business and technology students, faculty and staff. ACU’s deferred maintenance plan is funding a complete replacement of heating and air conditioning, lighting, ceilings, flooring, and atrium windows.

• Targeted enhancements to specific classrooms, including our largest lecture hall • New paint and furniture in other classrooms and commons spaces

Generous donors have funded these additional changes in the first two phases:

• Enhanced atrium aesthetics, branding and functionality to better welcome students and visitors

• New office wing entrances on the first and second floors

Ultimately, the renovation of these learning spaces is about something bigger: helping our students develop as Christian business and technology professionals. We are inviting and relying upon the generosity of COBA alumni and friends to help make this vision a reality. You can give online at acu.edu/coba-renovations. There, you can participate in the campaign to honor Jozell Brister or inquire about naming opportunities, which you may pay over two to three years.

• Four conference rooms, including an updated Dean’s Conference Room • New and updated offices, with new furniture arriving over the 2021 winter break • Expanded meeting space for the Lytle Center for Faith and Leadership • Updated third-floor classrooms and collaboration areas, including new furniture

16

$1,548,019 Total dollars donated

194

Number of donors

13

Number of U.S. states represented in gifts

88

Number of cities represented in gifts

17

ACU Box 29300, Abilene, Texas 79699-9300

210150-0122

325-674-2245 • coba@acu.edu • acu.edu/coba