SCHOOL OF
BUSINESS
ANNUAL REPORT 2021
OC.EDU
DEAR ALUMNI & FRIENDS, As we all know, 2020 was an interesting year, to say the least. We all know the sadness and frustrations that were caused by a global pandemic. Rather than focus on the challenges we faced, I’d like to focus on the blessings and accomplishments that God brought about for the School of Business during, and in some cases, because of the pandemic. First, let me brag on my faculty. In March of 2020, they left their classrooms in Harvey Business Hall for Spring Break and did not return to the classroom for the rest of the Spring semester. In one week, they converted all their classes to be taught online. This past fall, we were blessed to be able to get our students back on campus and in the classroom. Few people expected us to be able to be on campus the entire semester, but the students did a great job adhering to the COVID protocol and quarantining when necessary. In the School of Business, we were blessed to have funds given to us by alumni and friends to purchase equipment and technology to help us deliver an education to our students whether
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they were physically in the classroom or having to connect online while in quarantine. One of the biggest blessings to come out of this is the experience our faculty gained with innovative and effective education delivery. There are several practices that will most likely continue well after our society has moved beyond the pandemic, all of which should enhance the education students receive from the School of Business. Join me in praising God for being near OC and our students during a difficult year, and also for redeeming the situation to help us better provide an excellent business education based on Christian values. Grace & Peace,
JEFF SIMMONS Chairman, School of Business
CONTENTS
04 EVENTS & ACTIVITIES 10 STUDENT GROUPS 14 O U T STA N D I N G STUDENTS 16 PERSONNEL CHANGES 20 FA C U LT Y/ S TA F F U P DAT ES 22 S oB I Z STAT S 24 SUPPORT THE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS OC.EDU
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EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
C O L L A B O R AT E - I N G THROUGH COVID
During the summer of 2020, there were several things that needed to be done to prepare OC to host in-person classes in the midst of a pandemic. Campus COVID protocol called for extensive testing, contact tracing and social distancing. To maximize social distancing in the classroom, the seating capacities of each classroom needed to be significantly reduced to allow more space between seats. Thus, we took out about half of the chairs from every classroom. In addition, as long as there was at least ten feet of space between the professor and the nearest students, the professor could teach without a mask and/or face shield. Tape was placed on the floor to indicate where it was safe for professors to remove their masks.
The answer was technology.
The most difficult aspect of educating during a pandemic was to figure out how to deliver a high-quality experience whether the student was in the classroom or in quarantine. In the classroom, students benefit from natural and fluid class discussions and the ability to see any notes professors share or problems they work on the whiteboards. We had to determine how we could continue to provide this for our students in the classroom, while also replicating this experience for those in quarantine.
cameras so students in quarantine can see the professor and the lecture slide deck.
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To allow for participation in freeflowing discussions, professors would log into Blackboard Collaborate, which is a Zoom-like product incorporated in our learning management systems. Through Collaborate, professors can share their screens and/or use their web
THE ANSWER WAS TECHNOLOGY
The more difficult task was to find a way for professors to share what they typically write on the whiteboard with students in quarantine. To accomplish this, document cameras were installed in every classroom and professors wrote on paper which was projected through the document camera onto the wall in the classroom and the students’ screens
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in quarantine through Blackboard Collaborate. Having set up classes this way, some professors went so far as to make physical attendance optional. In other words, students could choose to “attend” class in person, virtually or watch a recording of the lecture at their leisure. This is known as a highflex model, since it gives the student the freedom to choose how he or she wishes to engage the course. Professor Jillian Poyzer-Johnson was one of the professors that offered a high-flex model in her accounting classes. She kept data related to student outcomes and the delivery model. Though the sample size was relatively small, her findings suggest that younger students (e.g., freshman or sophomores) who attended more than 70 percent of class meetings online did not perform as well as those who attended class in-person a majority of the time. Going forward, the faculty will reflect on what they have learned from this experience and determine the best practices to maintain going forward in order to best educate our students and prepare them for business in a post-pandemic world.
SoBIZ ADDS AN
EXECUTIVEIN-RESIDENCE Fresh off of a successful career in business, Tim Bevins has joined the School of Business at OC as the Executive-in-Residence. In this role, Tim will help mentor students as they prepare for a life in business. Based on the journey God has taken him on, he will have much to share with the students. Bevins is an OC alum who has walked the path students are currently walking. He came to OC, Oklahoma Christian College at the time, in 1986 from York College where he earned his associates degree and was a member of their soccer team. He continued playing soccer at OC and graduated in 1988 with his Bachelor of Science in Business with a major in Marketing. He continued his studies pursuing an MBA in International Business from the University of South Carolina, one of the top international business schools in the world. His love for soccer drove him to focus his studies on Europe and the German language. The USC master’s program required students to complete a ten-month internship in a foreign country, which he completed with General Electric in Germany. At the end of his internship, he was offered a permanent position with GE and was selected for GE’s
finance training program. During his career, Bevins would live in three European countries, rise to the level of Divisional CFO for EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) and then for North America and managed hundreds of millions of dollars for corporations including GE, Ingersoll Rand, Honeywell and Rexel. He finished his career in Fort Worth,
IT WILL BE A BLESSING TO HAVE [TIM] BEVINS MENTORING THE STUDENTS ... Texas at a smaller private equity held firm which was growing through acquisitions and contemplating an IPO. While he had much success in his professional life, he struggled with his faith and his personal life. Since then, he has realized the importance of finding balance among what he
refers to as “the three P’s of life – professional, personal and pspiritual (with a silent p).” Now, he wants to use the life experiences, both good and bad, which God blessed him with to help students. Naturally, much of his work will focus on helping students with their professional development. In doing so, he will work closely with OC’s Day Six Calling and Career office. He will also help students understand more personal aspects of a professional career, such as understanding fringe benefits offered by employers, providing insights into career development, the importance of planning for their future after a successful career and the gift of generosity. Most importantly, he will also encourage students to not lose sight of their walk with God while pursuing their career aspirations. Bevins only stepped into the role of Executive-in-Residence during the Spring 2021 semester. Even with a late start and in the midst of a pandemic, he had a lot of impact by meeting with several students individually, and guest speaking in some classes. The 2021-2022 academic year will be his first full year and it will be a blessing to have Bevins mentoring the students of the School of Business.
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HBH GETS A FACELIFT & ESTA B L I S H ES THE LEFTWICH INSTITUTE OF ACCOUNTING
On February 24th, the School of Business celebrated the fruition of an initiative to honor its first Chairman, Dr. Howard Leftwich. The day marked the establishment of the Leftwich Institute of Accounting, the opening of the newly remodeled Leftwich Auditorium and the addition of funds to the Leftwich Endowment Fund. The Harvey Business building now also boasts the Leftwich Institute of Accounting on its exterior walls. The OC School of Business has long been known for producing some of the best prepared accountants in Oklahoma, and the additional lettering on the
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building is recognition of the fact that those students are educated within its walls. In addition to the coursework students go through to prepare them for the CPA exam and work in the accounting field, the Leftwich Institute of Accounting also hosts the annual Accounting Night, during which students can learn more about careers in accounting and the various firms in the OKC area. It also serves the community by helping international students complete their tax forms and hosts periodic lunch-and-learn sessions with local accounting firms.
The largest auditorium classroom in Harvey Business Hall received a complete makeover. All of the existing tables, chairs, carpeting, lighting and technology were removed and replaced, thus transforming what was a dim, dingy classroom into a modern teaching facility with topnotch equipment. Instead of one near obsolete projector, professors now have two eight-foot banks of LED monitors upon which they can simultaneously show different content. For example, a professor can show company data from the FactSet database on one bank of monitors while building an excel spreadsheet
on the other bank of monitors. The classroom is also outfitted with webcasting technology, which makes it easier to stream classes to the Internet for remote learning. The Leftwich Initiative will continue to provide for students well into the future. Thanks to some generous alumni, in addition to the funds used for the remodel of what will now be known as the Leftwich Auditorium, over $350,000 will be added to the Leftwich Endowment Fund. These funds will be used to help provide a Christian-based business education to some of the best and brightest
students by providing scholarships, as well as allow us to have funds to continue to update our technology in the future.
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GOING BEYOND A CLASSROOM STUDENTS WORK WITH R E A L- W O R L D C L I E N T S A main tenet of the teaching philosophy of the School of Business is to strike a balance between the theoretical concepts of business and their practical application. One of the ways we do this is to engage our students in experiential learning, which takes learning beyond the classroom and has students apply what they have learned in a realworld environment. Here are a few examples from this past academic year: Social Entrepreneurship taught by Dr. Don Drew introduces students to business as mission and addresses enterprises across the spectrum from charity missions to corporate social responsibility. In the past, we have worked with client organizations like Water4, REMERGE and Predisan to address their business challenges. This year we were unable to do this, so we changed the format to include service learning for each student. Eighteen students served about a dozen different organizations like Second Chances Thrift Store that serves the underpriviledged in Bethany, Oklahoma. Each student committed time and effort to
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experience organizations whose mission is to make money while doing good in their community. In our Sports Management program, our professors work hard to connect students with industry professionals and provide other experiential learning opportunities. In the first four years of the degree program, almost 100 people who work in sports have engaged with our students in classrelated experiences both on and off campus. In the Sports Marketing and Promotion course, we’ve partnered with the Oklahoma City Thunder/ Blue and the Oklahoma City Dodgers on sales and marketing projects. Students work in conjunction with team representatives to perform industry research and develop strategies, then present those strategies to team leaders for realworld evaluation and feedback. In our Sports in Society course, students research the racial representation among OC’s athletic programs, compare those figures to conference and national benchmarks,
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and reflect on potential reasons for the statistical realities. Perhaps the most impactful experience in our Sports Management program is an exercise in our Sports Facilities and Events course. Students sit in wheelchairs, wear blindfolds, etc., to do tasks many take for granted so they understand the importance of intentional ADA planning to serve people with disabilities. Written reflections after the exercise speak to its eye-opening, life-changing nature. Students who want to gain realworld marketing experience while completing their college education can do so in three key Marketing classes: Digital Marketing, Marketing Research and Promotional Strategies. In each of these classes, students complete semester projects for professional clients outside of the university. This gives students unique first-hand experiences carrying out what they are learning in the classroom, while interacting with business owners and leaders to help further their goals. Clients range from small local retail outlets like Betty Lou’s Flower Shop, to large purely online service providers like Walt Disney World Magazine. By Don Drew, Wes McKinzie, Kerianne Roper
BENCHMARK SOCIETY SPEAKERS 2021/2022 Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions to off-campus visitors, the Benchmark Society had to go on hiatus for one year. However, check out the exciting lineup of speakers that we’ve organized for the upcoming year. The Benchmark Society was created to provide a prosperous future for OC students by growing the “Student Investment Fund” and enhancing student placement into business and finance careers. It works to enrich the Oklahoma City business community by promoting professional development and connection between the business and academic communities. The Benchmark Society hosts luncheons that give members a forum to network, share ideas, meet students and hear prominent executive speakers that provide insight, education and new knowledge to our business community in the Oklahoma City area. MEMBER SPONSORSHIP If you would like to support the Benchmark Society, member sponsorship options include: $2,500 Eight seats at each luncheon $525 Two seats at each luncheon $250 One seat at each luncheon DONOR LEVELS If you would like to donate directly to the student investment fund, donor levels include: Donor $1-$99 Friend $100-$499 Associate $500-$999 Patron $1,000-$1,499 Benefactor $1,500-$4,999 Partner $5,000-$9,999 Founder $10,000-$24,999 Supporter $25,000-$99,999 Visionary $100,000+
09.15.2021 PRESTON ACKERMAN Special Agent / Cyber Security FBI
10.13.2021 KEVIN SABIN President / CEO Arvest Bank
11.10.2021 GOV. FRANK KEATING Former Governor Oklahoma
01.19.2022 SCOTT KLOSOSKY AI Futurist Future Point of View
02.16.2022 MARCEY HOOVER Director of Energy & Homeland Security Sandia National Laboratories
03.09.2022 JESS CONNOLLY Author & Entrereneur
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STUDENT GROUPS
OC AMA WINS AGAIN BY EXPECTING THE UNEXPECTED By Kerianne Roper
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The OC American Marketing Association (AMA) thrived in 2020-21 despite the uncertainties brought about by the pandemic and civil unrest. How did this organization of eight volunteer student officers and two volunteer faculty advisors survive and thrive? The chapter theme for the year, “Expect the Unexpected,” says it all. AMA officers and faculty advisors met at the start of the semester for the annual AMA Planning Retreat, to make plans for what proved to be a year of adjustment. While it would have been easy for them to take a year off due to the challenges of the pandemic, they refused to take it easy and found ways to innovatively move forward.
G E N E R AT I N G ST U D E N T I N VO LV E M E N T One of the major focus areas of the AMA is encouraging students to join the chapter and participate in the professional activities offered. The AMA encouraged student participation with contests, giveaways and prizes ranging from M&M’s to a personal coffee maker. The chapter started small with 12 members, growing membership to almost 30 throughout the year. But membership is only half of the story. AMA Chapter Meetings, hosted every
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ANNUAL REPORT
other Wednesday on campus, boasted total aggregate participation of 321 for the year. Some of the participants were members, but many were not, and they kept coming back week after week. One of the OC AMA’s newest members, Justin Davis, noticed the value the AMA was offering, stating, “the OC AMA provided key networking opportunities throughout the semester, in a time where meeting with others has been limited.” Davis was so impacted by the AMA that he ran for office and is the VP of Membership for the 2021-2022 school year. In his new role, Davis hopes to
continue to support growth of the chapter by creating new programs to manage and encourage membership and participation. CONNECTING WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY What do American Fidelity, Evolve Research and Sonic Drive-In have in common? They represent the diverse group of business professionals who spoke at AMA chapter meetings in 2020-21. Thanks to OC’s excellent protocols for groups gathering
CONTINUING THE WINNING TRADITION One of the biggest sources of celebration for the OC AMA is its history of winning awards at AMA Collegiate Conference each spring. This past spring, the OC AMA participated in the AMA Collegiate Conference and, for the 11th year, received another award. Congrats to the OC AMA student officers for receiving recognition for Outstanding Membership at the 2021 AMA Collegiate Conference. C R E AT I N G I N N OVAT I V E FUNDRAISING METHODS
during the pandemic, which included limited occupancy in classrooms, distance markers between seats and for speakers, mask requirements, and health screening for all visitors, the OC AMA was able to invite professionals to come to campus if they were able. Of the 10 business professionals invited to come to campus, most made the drive, completed the health screening upon arriving to campus, wore masks, distanced and loved it. Stewart Law, OC Alum and Research Manager at Evolve Research said, “While I always enjoy being back on campus, I am especially happy to see people in person. It is great to be able to come to a venue that has all the appropriate protocols in place.” Law was the kickoff professional speaker for the year, and his presentation to the chapter included not only the typical discussion of professionalism in the marketing research industry, but also detailed of the innovative methods Evolve Research used to adapt their services to serve clients during the pandemic.
The OC AMA started a new fundraiser with the introduction of the first ever OC School of Business sweatshirt. Preorders were placed in the fall and again in the spring, with over 30 shirts sold. AMA VP of Fundraising, Monique McKeever, initiated this fundraising effort, looking for out of the box ways to raise funds for
the chapter despite limitations of the pandemic. McKeever said, “I was inspired to do the sweatshirt fundraiser because I wanted to raise money by meeting a need that would appeal to the business school as a whole. There had not been a lot of OC business merchandise in the past, so I was hoping that people would be interested in our product.” McKeever provided excellent oversight to the whole process from the initial proposal, to design, marketing and sales. “It was such a great learning experience to be able to take what I had learned in the classroom and practice it in real life,” said McKeever.
$25
ORDER A SWEATSHIRT TODAY!
All net proceeds from OC School of Business Sweatshirts go to support the OC AMA Chapter.
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OC STUDENT-MANAGED INVESTMENT FUND
REALIZES A 55% ANNUAL RETURN OCSIF S&P500 May 2018 thru May 2021
May Jul
Students participating in the Student Investment Fund (SIF) now manage investments exceeding $160,000. For the reporting year ending March 30, 2021, the students reported an annual return exceeding 55 percent! While this return percentage is significantly influenced by the COVID-related dip in the markets 12 months prior, this return still exceeded the S&P 500 benchmark by two percent for the same period. This is the second time in the last three years that the studentmanaged fund has out-performed the S&P benchmark.
the SIF Investment Policy Statement approved by a 12-member advisory board of industry professionals. Students also gain experience by reporting their decisions and results to this advisory board.
This hands-on activity managing an equity portfolio of more than 35 stock investments provides unique learning experiences in the practical aspects of investing for both Finance majors and other Business students. Led by the SIF President, the students make all the investment decisions for the fund within the parameters provided by
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21/22 SIF OFFICERS: Vinicius Alves, President Jackson High, Investment Officer Hagen Petre, Treasurer Miranda Davis, VP of Marketing Noah Carter, Chaplain Elizabeth Alexander, Secretary In addition to the work with the SIF, the OC team of Vini Alves, Jackson High and Hagen Petre also competed for the first time in the highlyregarded inter-collegiate Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Research Challenge. Competing against other Oklahoma universities, the OC team performed well completing an in-depth equity analysis and
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recommendation for the target company – BOK Financial Corp (BOKF). The OC Student Investment Fund has operated as an extra-curricular activity since it began, but beginning in the fall of 2021, OC will start offering Student Investment Fund Team classes so students may gain academic credit for the time and effort they invest in these activities. The Student Investment Fund became a viable reality with $50,000 in gifts in December 2017. Outstanding investment performance along with some additional gifts have helped grow the fund over the last 3½ years resulting in today’s balance. Additional donations to the fund are welcomed to increase the learning opportunities for more students. By Bill Goad
OC WOMEN WHO LEAD ESTA B L I S H ES A TRADITION
The OC School of Business is investing in the development of leadership qualities in female students of all majors. This effort was initiated four years ago when the OC Lean In group was formed. This year, under the leadership and direction of female students in the School of Business, the organization was renamed OC Women Who Lead (OCWWL). The student leaders recognized that OC did not celebrate International Women’s Day in any significant way and were inspired to initiate an annual event that would bring women together to share ideas, gain skills, seek advice and help women become their best selves. Students identified Jess Connolly, author of the book You are the Girl for the Job, as the perfect speaker to headline the inaugural event. Throughout the fall and spring,
OCWWL met to plan a student dinner and workshop, small group meeting and women’s chapel to mark the first annual OC International Women’s Day Celebration. Sponsorships were recruited, donated items for door prizes were collected, and marketing was handled by the group leaders. Seventy-five students attended the workshop. The annual event for 2022 is currently under preparation by the newly elected officers for OCWWL 2021/2022.
Julia Branum, Communications Chair Roxy Franks, Creative Director Bethany Locke, Chapel Chair Jasmine Byrd, Events Chair Micah Burk, Community Outreach If you are interested in sponsoring this group or International Women’s Day 2022, please contact Kimberly Merritt (kimberly.merritt@oc.edu) or Conner Mendoza (conner.mendoza@oc.edu).
21/22 OCWWL OFFICERS: Payton Duesing, Executive Chair Rielyn Glavan, Asst. Chair, Chair Elect Hannah Hartman, Sec./Treasurer
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O U T S TA N D I N G S T U D E N T S
ANNUAL SoBIZ O U T STA N D I N G STUDENT AWARDS ECONOMIC CLUB OF OKLAHOMA & MICKEY COWAN ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE Miranda Davis
ACCOUNTING/FINANCE Cami McDonald
MARKETING Miranda Davis
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Monique McKeever
MANAGEMENT Bethany Locke
ACCOUNTING Kaytlin Raney
FINANCE J.D. Martin
SPORTS MANAGEMENT Carter Shelton
D E LTA M U D E LTA H O N O R S O C I E T Y Delta Mu Delta is the national honor society for schools accredited by the ACBSP. Since being accredited, the undergraduate and graduate programs at Oklahoma Christian have inducted hundreds of students into this fraternity. The requirements state the student shall be in the top 20 percent of the junior, senior and graduate class, maintain a 4.0 for the graduate program and a 3.7 and above for the undergraduates. The Oklahoma Christian chapter is named the Eta Iota chapter.
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This year’s inductees were: UNDERGRADUATE Micah Abrams Maren Binnion Brooklyn Buxton Payton Duesing Logan Engle Tessa Fewin Jillian Jones Joshua Knox McClain Mueller Claire Richardson Brynn Walker
GRADUATE Yulia Brey Griffin Grant Hamlin David Kubwayo Ethan Loyd Xin Lu Amon Munyaneza Muriella Nkurunziza Sarah Rukundo Jordan Stover Adam Tchelezo Mireile Umutoni Megan VanDeMark Margaret Ann Withee
2021
O U T STA N D I N G BUSINESS STUDENT OF THE YEAR
The Outstanding Business Student of the Year award was presented to Cami McDonald, an Accounting/ Finance double major originally from Belton, Texas. This award goes to the student who the faculty and staff feel best represents the mission of the School of Business. A student who is successful in and out of the classroom. A student who cultivates and nurtures relationships among his or her fellow students and businesses. A student who conducts him or herself with ethics and integrity consistent with the Word of God. After transferring to OC from Texas A&M, Cami quickly established herself as a leader on campus.
She first served on the Student Government Association as a Dormitory Representative and was later elected to the Executive Treasurer position. She has been a member of Iota Kappa Phi, the American Marketing Association and Delta Mu Delta. Cami has gained work experience at various organizations including: Kasberg Cabinets, All County Surveying, Inc. and as a student worker in OC’s Admissions and Registrar’s Office. She has distinguished herself in the classroom by earning a 3.975 GPA. Upon graduating from OC this spring, she will go to work for Hogan Taylor, LLC and sit for the CPA exam.
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PERSONNEL CHANGES
KEN JOHNSON RETIRES AFTER 19 YEARS After nineteen years as the Chair of the OC Graduate School of Business (GSB), Dr. Ken Johnson retired on May 31, 2021. During his tenure, the GSB saw much growth and change. The MBA program was still in its infancy when Dr. Johnson took over. Then dean of the College of Business, Phil Lewis, met with Ken and said he wanted him to come direct the OC MBA program. Lewis made it clear that he was not asking Ken to interview, but that it was his job if he wanted it. Between 2002 and 2015, under Dr. Johnson’s leadership, the MBA program grew from just over 100 students to over 350 students, making it the second largest program in Oklahoma. In 2008, the MBA program received approval from the Higher Learning Commission to offer online courses and, by 2010, the entire program was offered online. With the ability to offer the MBA program wholly online, it allowed the program to expand internationally. In 2012, OC opened an office in Kigali, Rwanda. Today, about 60-70 Rwandan students per semester pursue their OC MBA degree and are supported by the office in Kigali. Dr. Johnson has a special place in his heart for Rwanda and her students, often traveling to Kigali for MBA commencement ceremonies. When he did, students appreciated the chance to get to see “Dr. Ken” in person and shake his hand. He often personally carried totes of textbooks over with him so that the Rwandan students
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could have a hardcopy to study from. Back in Oklahoma, Dr. Johnson demonstrated his love for his graduate students. Each evening when classes were held in Harvey Business Hall, Ken would make sure snacks and drinks were available for the students to have during class breaks. Periodically, those snacks would include Ken’s famous Coffee Punch, which he personally made. During Dr. Johnson’s tenure, in addition to the MBA program, OC began offering a Master of Accountancy degree, a dual bachelor/master degree in accounting and a dual bachelor/MBA degree in marketing. Prior to OC, Dr. Johnson served as a Financial Administrator at OU Health Sciences Center and the Chief Financial Officer at the Medical Technology and Research Authority of Oklahoma. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Oklahoma State University, an MBA from University of Central Oklahoma and a Doctorate of Business Administration from Argosy University. He became a Certified Public Accountant in 1983. Dr. Johnson will keep himself busy during retirement by spending time with his family and grandkids, serving as an elder at the New Hope Church of Christ, adjunct teaching in the MBA program and most likely serving up more of his Coffee Punch to the students of the Graduate School of Business that will always bear his mark.
STEPHANIE BAIRD NAMED CHAIR OF THE G R A D UAT E S C H O O L O F BUSINESS Dr. Stephanie Baird has taken over the reins of the Graduate School of Business upon the retirement of Dr. Ken Johnson. Baird came to Oklahoma Christian University in 2010 to serve as the Graduate Programs Development Manager before becoming the Graduate Engineering Program Director in 2011, leading all business aspects of OC’s Graduate School of Engineering. She previously held leadership roles at Pepperdine University and Oklahoma City Community College and taught at the University of Central Oklahoma. In 2014, Baird assumed the role of Registrar at OC. In this role, she has enhanced enrollment management and academic planning, specifically through maximizing course offerings, making term schedules visible to students a semester or more in advance and working with faculty
to strategically offer expanded summer session, winter session and self-paced online courses. Baird is also an Assistant Professor, teaching in areas of business, communication, leadership, student success and theater. In 2020, thinking that she wanted to do something different, Baird left OC for a position at Francis Tuttle Technology Center. Through this experience, she gained clarity on her career and calling, and fortunately found herself returning to OC with a renewed perspective on her God-given drive and purpose. When she has free time, she enjoys running, spending time with her daughter and son, and binge-watching TV shows with her husband.
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JILLIAN POYZER-JOHNSON JOINS ACCOUNTING FA C U LT Y
Jeff Simmons, chairman of the School of Business, knows how difficult it can be to find talented, qualified faculty members with a heart for Christ and teaching. Therefore, he tries to take a strategic approach to finding faculty. Several years ago, he asked Mrs. Elaine Kelly, long-time successful OC accounting professor, if she knew of someone who might be the next “Elaine Kelly.” She responded, “Jillian Poyzer.” Poyzer is an OC alum (Mader-2004) and prior accounting student of Mrs. Kelly. At the time, Poyzer was living in Nebraska and on the School of Accounting faculty at the University of NebraskaOmaha (UNO). A year or two after that, Poyzer made a trip to Oklahoma to visit family and friends. During this visit, she met Kelly and Simmons for lunch just to talk about her career and gauge if she would ever have interest in joining the OC faculty, should the timing ever work out. At the time, though, her husband had recently passed away with colon cancer. The thought of leaving her family and community in Nebraska with two young boys was hard to envision. However, just three years later, circumstances were very different. During those years, a series of events occurred where, in 2019, Poyzer was engaged to a man who lived in Oklahoma City and was planning to move to OKC in 2020 to begin a new phase of life with her new husband and her boys. Additionally, it just so happened that, in early 2020, OC had an open accounting position. Clearly, God had 18
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worked out the timing! It is rare for the School of Business to have an open faculty position, but it corresponded perfectly with the time Poyzer was looking to move. Now, Mrs. Jillian Poyzer-Johnson, has joined the faculty at OC. Prior to teaching at UNO, Poyzer-Johnson gained corporate experience as a tax supervisor with BKD, LLP. She has over nine years’ experience teaching at the collegiate level and won several awards for her teaching, including The Nebraska Society of CPAs Outstanding Educator Award. She earned a B.A. in Accounting from Oklahoma Christian and a Master of Accounting from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. She is also a Certified Public Accountant. Poyzer-Johnson will be teaching courses such as Accounting Principles 1, Intermediate Accounting 1, Cost Accounting and Financial Statement Analysis. She will also help integrate more data analytics into the accounting curriculum. Outside the classroom, Poyzer-Johnson is organizing OC’s Business Pathways Expo, which is a halfday conference for students (high school and college) to learn about the various careers in business. She had successfully organized a similar program at UNO that saw over 150 students, on average, attend. She is also a member of the Liaison with Educational Institutions Committee of the Oklahoma Society of CPAs.
CONNER MENDOZA JOINS THE TEAM
Through the years, the School of Business has been blessed to have the support of reliable administrative assistants who are vital to the school. They help the faculty provide high-quality Christian business education, as well as attend to the needs of the students. For students, the administrative assistant is a consistent presence as they stroll past the offices in Harvey Business Hall on their way to class. Depending upon the era during which a student was at OC, the person behind the desk was either Wanda Neel, Cynthia Helmuth or Janell Huntsman. During the summer of 2020, Janell retired. Now it is Conner Mendoza who serves as the stable presence in the School of Business for the students. Conner had been serving as the administrative assistant for the Art & Design Department at OC. In addition to being responsible for the administrative aspects of the school, she manages the student worker and the social media intern. This draws on her background in communication, since she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts with a Mass Communications concentration from Southwestern Oklahoma State
University. Prior to attending SWOSU, she attended Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkawa, OK where she also played softball. It did not take long for Conner to get involved in the School of Business. She partnered with Dr. Kimberly Merritt to organize and develop OC Women Who Lead, which is a new organization on campus that provides a highly supportive community to provide a platform for leadership development, challenging dialog and mutual edification, to help prepare and propel women to be confident leaders and role models. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in Student Affairs Administration from Arkansas Tech University. Conner’s husband of almost 3 years, Matt, is a trauma unit nurse. When they are not working, they enjoy traveling, hiking and any sports. Although, they are a house divided, since Conner is an OU fan and Matt is a Texas Longhorns fan.
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F A C U LT Y/ S TA F F U P D AT E S
DON DREW This year began with a crash course in how to develop and teach high-flex courses. All of my students were able to attend from one-third to one half of their classes in person and/or totally online as I broadcast each session simultaneously. Given the significant number of students having to quarantine, this worked reasonably well. Despite the challenges, I was able to launch a gamified Organizational Behavior course that most students seemed to enjoy, and a Social Entrepreneurship course with service-learning elements. Following a tough year, Christy and I have been able to enjoy trips to South Dakota and Colorado. This past May, I completed 21 years at OC and am grateful for my students and all the friends I’ve made over the years. BILL GOAD Transition is the key word for the Goad Gang. Rita and I became grandparents for the first time! But on the other end, both my dad and step-dad passed away. The youngest of our four children graduated and got off our “payroll.” Another son moved to Japan to teach. After 20+ years in administration, I returned to teaching. That transition was not what I expected…because of March 2020! Online or in class, I still enjoy teaching/learning alongside students as we tackle new classes and manage the Student Investment Fund. Our house church group has been studying HOPE. In personal transitions and world-wide changes, we claim Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” E L A I N E K E L LY We have had a busy year with the pandemic, zoom, vaccines, grandchildren and limited travel. My husband, Dennis, and I celebrated our 40th anniversary in December of 2020. Originally, we had planned to take our entire family of twelve to Disneyworld in March of 2020, but our trip was cancelled due to the pandemic. We rescheduled it for Thanksgiving in November of 2020 and had an amazing time. Our five grandchildren loved the trip and sights, and God blessed us with great health and wonderful family time. This upcoming academic year will be my 30th year teaching our wonderful accounting students who continue to challenge and amaze me! WES MCKINZIE It was bittersweet to see our biggest class of Sports Management students graduate in May. They did a lot of great work in and out of the classroom. This year also saw us expand the Sports Management program with four tracks (administration, analytics, coaching and esports) to diversify students’ education and opportunities. I’m excited to see how that pays dividends moving forward. By the time you read this, I’ll have data collection completed for my doctoral dissertation. If all goes pretty smoothly, I’ll finish the dissertation and officially earn my doctorate in early 2022. I became an elder at The Springs Church of Christ this year; I’m humbled and honored to serve with a body involved in so much impactful ministry. I feel the same way about OC as I enter my 20th year working here. I’m blessed to call this place home. K I M B E R LY M E R R I T T We moved our son and daughter-in-law to their first house in Searcy, AR in June where he is pursuing a Physician Associate degree at Harding University and she is teaching pre-K. Our daughter and son-in-law both finished degrees and have moved to Duncan, OK, where they bought their first home. I had a journal article published on women in finance, made multiple conference presentations, although all virtual, and developed and taught a new MBA course in Business Intelligence, designed to give students experience with data visualization and analysis tools. And, finally, I worked with a group of outstanding female leaders to plan and host OC’s inaugural International Women’s Day Celebration and look forward to building on our success for years to come.
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SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ANNUAL REPORT
JILLIAN POYZER-JOHNSON My first year teaching at OC was packed with fun, excitement, encouragement as well as challenges, obstacles and many learning experiences. While I’m not new to academics or to OC, moving and transitioning jobs in the middle of COVID really stretched me. But I have felt so comfortable being back on OC’s campus and am excited to use my talents to contribute to OC’s accounting program and the School of Business. I’m incredibly grateful for my husband, Pete, and my two boys (Micah, 10 and Jonah, 7) for their patience and love through all the changes and challenges this past year. God’s plan is perfect and I’m looking forward to seeing what He’s going to do this next academic year at OC. KERIANNE ROPER From virtual classes to virtual advising, the past year has been unlike any other. Thanks to OC’s excellent safety protocols during the pandemic, I am extremely grateful that we were able to hold in-person classes. I heard from many students who were “So glad to be back!” after the campus previously switched to virtual learning the year before. We added new Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator projects to marketing classes to increase student marketability, and this coming year we are adding Tableau as well. Students continued to conduct real world projects in classes, despite the challenges of working with their clients virtually. The OC AMA completed another awardwinning year by adjusting and pushing forward. Randy and I hosted students in our home for the OC American Marketing Association, Ladies Bible Study, Freshman Hub Groups and social service club events. Well, we actually hosted most of them in our backyard. But our biggest and most exciting change was Riley’s wedding and the wonderful addition of daughter (in-law) Emma to our family. God’s blessings continue to overflow. Always grateful to be part of a faith-based institution with Christ at its center. JEFF SIMMONS Pattie and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary this year by spending a week in Kauai, Hawaii. Our son, Jordan, graduated from OC this past spring and is now working for the OKC Thunder as a Ticket Sales Representative. He also has a part-time job working for the United Soccer League as their liaison and match observer at the Energy FC games. Our daughter, Martha, is still working for Niagara Bottling, but, because of COVID, has not been travelling all over the U.S. like she normally does. I’m still working with the OC Ethics Debate Team, which had a strange year since all the competitions were held virtually. It meant that we missed out on our annual train ride to San Antonio. The team did well, qualifying for the national tournament for the 9th year in a row. Speaking of virtual presentations, because of COVID restrictions, the Strategic Management presentations for fall 2020 semester had to be done virtually. The teams did a great job managing that situation. BURT SMITH The pandemic couldn’t keep me from what I most enjoy, which is helping my students succeed in marketing. I worked with many this year, inside and outside the classroom, helping them find internships, jobs and develop ideas for new businesses. I was also blessed to help some alums explore new business venture ideas or develop strategies to grow their existing business. I continued proudly serving as advisor of our OC AMA chapter, virtually attended the AMA’s International Collegiate Conference and also remotely judged a competition. Terri and I are thankful everyone in our family is healthy and are proud of our son, Dalton, who starts high school this year and is one move closer to being an OC Eagle.
OC.EDU
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SCHOOL OF BUSINESS S TAT I S T I C S
2021 SoBIZ STAT S U N D E R G R A D UAT E STUDENTS BY MAJOR
G R A D UAT E L E A R N I N G ASSESSMENT
G R A D UAT E ST U D E N T S BY DEGREE/TRACK
Major
Learning Area
Degree - Track
# of Students
All Students Percentile Score
Accounting 52 Finance 38 General Business 54 Management 27 Marketing Management 41 Sports Management 49
Marketing 30th Management 29th Finance 88th Accounting 74th Strategic Integration 32nd
TOTAL
AGGREGATE SCORE
22
248
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ANNUAL REPORT
47TH
# of Students
Master of Accountancy 19 MBA 146 Accounting 5 Finance 25 General Business 13 Health Services Management 15 Human Resources 8 International Business 15 Leadership 20 Marketing 11 Project Management 34 TOTAL GRAD STUDENTS 165
37% OF SENIORS
HAD A JOB LINED UP BEFORE G R A D UAT I N G
MAJORITY
U N D E R G R A D UAT E
LEARNING ASSESSMENT TEST R E S U LT S TARGET TOTAL
51.45%
Accounting
47.58%
HAD A
Business Communications
61.67%
FORMAL
Business Finance
50.00%
Business Integration & Strategic Management
55.61%
Business Leadership
48.33%
Economics
52.42%
Economics: Macroeconomics
48.48%
Economics: Microeconomics
56.36%
Global Dimensions of Business
47.58%
Legal Environment of Business
49.85%
Marketing
56.52%
Quantitative Research Techniques & Statistics
45.00%
OF STUDENTS
INTERNSHIP
79%
O F G R A D UAT I N G S E N I O R S
THINK THE QUALITY OF TEACHING THEY RECEIVED WAS EXCELLENT
% Score
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
SUPPORT THE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
NEW C O R P O R AT E PARTNER PROGRAM Many companies view OC as a resource for excellent new talent and look for ways to better engage our students for recruiting purposes. At the same time, the School of Business offers several extra-curricular events that require resources and funds to produce. Thus, a new program has been developed to simultaneously address those issues. It is called the Business Corporate Partner Program. Corporate Partners help the students of OC’s School of Business by providing financial resources that help us produce programs to enhance student learning and professional engagement opportunities. Instead of sponsoring individual events, Corporate Partners provide a one-time gift to the School of Business. In return, the firm receives several benefits, including: • Special recognition at major events • Special recognition in major event print materials • Reserved table for eight at all six Benchmark Society luncheons • Corporate Partner flag for use at luncheons, Business Pathways Expo and career fair • Four seats at the Women’s Day public lecture • Brand building among OC business students and OKC community • Numerous networking opportunities with OC students as well as the business community • Tax deductible donations • The knowledge that they are blessing students with an opportunity to enhance their Christian-based business education Companies can register to be a Corporate Partner for either one year for $3,500 or for three years for $10,000. Of course, individual sponsorships or other direct gifts to the School of Business are still welcome. We would not be able to offer the high-quality Christianbased business education if it were not for our generous benefactors.
B E CO M E A CO R P O R ATE PA R TN E R TO DAY ! schoolofbusiness@oc.edu
24
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ANNUAL REPORT
HOW GIVING MAKES A DIFFERENCE KEY AREAS OF IMPACT
1 2 3
AT T R AC T I N G A N D R E TA I N I N G TOP-NOTCH STUDENTS Students and parents are attracted to programs that go well beyond the traditional classroom experience. Having top-notch facilities and programs play well in the recruiting arena.
2020-2021 GIFTS & PLEDGES Scholarship gifts Operational gifts New Pledges
$19,230 $163,113 $124,000
T O T A L $ 3 0 6 , 3 4 3
INCREASING OUR IMPACT Many of the activities you have read about in this annual report were made possible by the gifts we received from donors. Things such as the Business Boot Camp; adding technology to the building that informs our students; and subsidizing student travel to conferences, work to enhance the educational experience – all of which are made possible because of gifts to the CBA. ALLOWING THE SCHOOL TO BE NIMBLE Donations earmarked for the School of Business gives us the flexibility to implement new ideas and programs that impact our students without having to fight and wait for funding from the general operational budget of the university.
G I VE TO DAY ! We encourage you to join us by investing in our mission, our progress and our future impact. If you choose to give online, be sure to designate “School of Business” in the menu.
OC . E DU/GIVE NOW
OC.EDU
25
BECOME A MASTER OF BUSINESS
YOU’RE OUT THERE IN THE MARKETPLACE. YOU KNOW AN ADVANCED DEGREE WILL OPEN DOORS FOR PROMOTION. YOUR NEXT STEP IS TO DECIDE ON THE DEGREE TO GET YOU THERE...
GRADUATE CERTIFICATES • Digital Marketing • Financial Management • Human Resources Management • Leadership • Project Management
MASTER OF ACCOUNTANCY MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION WITH AN EMPHASIS IN • Accounting • Finance • Human Resources • Health Services Management • International Business • Leadership & Organizational Development • Marketing • Project Management
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF
BUSINESS OC.EDU/GRAD 405.425.5562 800.877.5010 MBA@oc.edu
VAL(YOU)BLE
THE FACTS
When you choose OC’s School of Business for your advanced degree, you will learn from professors who know your name. OC is a teaching university that puts students first. Our Christian faculty guide you into navigating the complexities of culture in a way that results in ethical decision-making. And, your degree will open doors to a whole new business world, ready for you to make your mark.
AFFORDABILITY • MBA $21,230 • Master of Accountancy $17,675 • Graduate Certificate $3,000 • More than 35% of employers help pay for higher education More on oc.edu/graduate-tuition-cost
$
17 K
33% 43%
THOSE WITH A MASTER’S DEGREE EARN AN AVERAGE OF $17K MORE THAN THOSE WITH B A C H E L O R ’ S O N LY
OF EMPLOYERS ARE SELECTING THOSE WITH A MASTER’S FOR POSITIONS P R E V I O U S LY H E L D B Y B A C H E L O R ’ S O N LY D E G R E E S
OF THOSE EARNING $100K+ HAVE AN ADVANCED DEGREE Sources: College Board, Good Call, Census Bureau
FLEXIBILITY • Classes offered one night a week or online • Finish in as little as one year CREDIBILITY • OC is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs • Local employers tell us they need more OC graduates to join their workplace
NEXT STEPS • Choose your degree • Email mba@oc.edu with questions • Apply online at oc.edu/apply • Email your official transcripts and test scores to admissions. records@oc.edu (Master’s degrees only) • Celebrate taking the next step in your career! Learn more and get started at oc.edu/gsb
School of Business Box 11000 Oklahoma City, OK 73136-1100 Change Service Requested
B E A PA RT O F A C O L L A B O R AT I V E FO R U M E L E VAT I N G T H E O K L A H O M A B U S I N E S S C O M M U N I T Y. You are invited to become a partner of Oklahoma Christian University’s Benchmark Society. Inspired by the longevity and success of the University of Tulsa’s Friends of Finance, the College of Business Administration at OC launched The Benchmark Society to develop deeper connections with the Oklahoma City business community. The Benchmark Society is an organization for business executives and professionals, Oklahoma Christian University alumni and friends and supporters of the School of Business. Members and their guests will enjoy luncheons
SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE OC.EDU/BENCHMARK
featuring nationally prominent business executives. The collaborative forums provide an opportunity to share perspectives, network with current and future leaders, and shape the future of Central Oklahoma’s business and academic communities. Proceeds from partner dues and other contributions grow the “Student Investment Fund” managed by current OC students and enhance student placement in business and finance careers. Become a partner or contribute directly to the Student Investment Fund today!