by Neely Borger | Sep 15, 2014 | Academics



This summer, COBA was represented throughout the world as students had the opportunity to study abroad with COBA. Dr. Don Pope and Dr. Orneita Burton along with a group of 18 students headed to Oxford for the month of June.
The classes offered included Operations Management, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, and International Business. The focus for the trip was specifically on operations and the UK auto industry. In Oxford, students had the opportunity to visit a mini Cooper factory as well as the Morgan Auto Company factory in Malvern, learning firsthand how production and supply chain management work behind the scenes. Students were also able to meet and have dinner with the ACU Board of Directors, discussing real estate options in Oxford related to ACU’s ongoing study abroad programs in the UK.


Dr. Pope says he enjoyed getting to know and spend time with his students, punting down the Cherwell River and attending evening worship at Christ Church in Oxford. He hopes that after the trip, students came to see, appreciate, and understand God’s love for every diverse culture.
Logan Stevens, a junior Accounting major from Allen, TX, really enjoyed exploring Oxford and traveling during the day. He also loved getting to know the professors on a deeper and more personal level outside of the classroom.

“This summer in Oxford, I learned how God is present and amazing in all parts of the world. There are no boundaries for God’s love.”
COBA encourages students to broaden their horizons and expand their worldview by experiencing business and faith in different cultures. By offering COBA study abroad programs across the globe, students continue to excel in their growth and development in higher education.



by M. C. Jennings | Jul 29, 2014 | Academics, Current Students
COBA offers students multiple opportunities in the summer to get class credit while studying abroad and learning about our global economy. This summer, our business students have already traveled on two separate trips to Oxford and Europe. Currently, we have a group of students in Honduras, working specifically with Mission Lazarus and learning about social entrepreneurship. You can read about their trip in a daily blog on the Griggs Center website. We hope you’ll follow along!

by Neely Borger | May 29, 2014 | Academics, COBA Faculty, Current Students
COBA will be undergoing a transition in leadership at the end of May. Dr. Don Pope, Management Sciences Department Chair, Bill Fowler, Accounting and Finance Department Chair, and Dr. Monty Lynn, Associate Dean for the College of Business, will move from their current positions to full-time faculty roles beginning June 1, 2014. These three individuals have blessed countless students with academic and spiritual leadership. They have contributed to COBA’s culture and success throughout the years and are much appreciated at COBA and ACU for their diligence and dedication in education.
After more than 20 years of service as the Department Chair for Accounting and Finance, Bill Fowler will return to full-time teaching and assume a new role for the department, seeking to better engage alumni and friends in the mission and work of the department. As the Department Chair, Bill launched the highly successful Master of Accountancy program which has attracted two decades of exceptional students and started scores of students in accounting and finance careers. In addition to teaching auditing and taxation, two challenging courses which require constant learning, he also developed an exceptional accounting and finance faculty. Bill was responsible for hiring every faculty member currently serving, all with terminal degrees, capably teaching and mentoring students. He formerly served as Assistant Vice President for finance at ACU (1984-1991) and previous to that, as Vice President for finance at Rochester College (1978-1983). Dr. John Neill will be assuming the Department Chair position in Accounting and Finance.
Dr. Don Pope has served COBA for fourteen years. For six of those years, he has been the Department Chair for Management Sciences and the architect of COBA’s Assurance of Learning System. While Chair, Don performed multiple tasks, including course scheduling, budget management, planning/recruitment/selection of new full time faculty and adjunct faculty to meet course demands, personnel reviews for faculty, assessment and assurance of learning processes required by our accreditation agencies, and proposing new degree plan revisions. Don is the backbone of many COBA processes that will continue to serve the department well into the future. He praises the entire department, impressed by “the manner in which the department pulled together during some very difficult moments as well as the arrival of several new young faculty that have really strengthened our department.” Dr. Pope passes the baton of leadership to Dr. Mark Phillips.
Associate Dean Dr. Monty Lynn is also transitioning back to full-time instruction to pursue his passions in research and teaching. Dr. Lynn has been with COBA since 1985 and has served as Associate Dean for the past five years. As Associate Dean, Monty contributed in various roles, supporting academics and maintaining the building and technology of the College. Dr. Lynn has served as director of COBA’s MBA program, Chair of the Management Sciences Department, and in additional roles including the W.W. Caruth Chair of Owner and Managed Business in the College of Business Administration. He has exemplified honor, character, and diligence to his students and colleagues, leading the College through its third consecutive successful accreditation review with AACSB International. Monty’s exceptional expertise in teaching, research, and service show his influential role in COBA, on the ACU campus and around the world. Dr. Lynn also teaches classes in Management Sciences, including Introduction to Business. Dr. Lynn commends COBA’s faculty and staff for their dedication to students, contributing to students’ maturity in intellect, community, and spirit as they are pursuing their career opportunities. Dr. Lynn feels blessed to be part of such a positive community in COBA and at ACU. Dr. Andy Little will now be serving as Associate Dean for the College of Business. COBA is grateful for Dr. Monty Lynn’s 29 years of exceptional service.
Professor Fowler, Dr. Pope, and Dr. Lynn are all individuals who have greatly contributed to COBA’s excellence in service and education at ACU and throughout the world. These three great men demonstrate integrity in all areas of their life, genuinely making a difference in students’ lives, equipping them to pursue excellence throughout the world. COBA thanks you for your years of excellent service, hard work and dedication!
by Neely Borger | May 27, 2014 | Academics, Careers In..., Current Students, Faith Infusion, Placement stories
Nick Rector, a management major from Abilene, accepted a job offer from Bishop Lifting Products. BLP was founded in 1984 and is a leading manufacturer and distributor of services, products, and solutions for North American rigging and crane applications as well as applications worldwide. BLP offers offshore and land based inspection, testing, maintenance, repair, modernization, and lift specialist consulting for their clients. Nick admires the company for “truly seeing their work as a team effort. No job is more essential than another, but in order to achieve perfection, every person is needed to show up and do their best.” When asked how COBA has impacted Nick’s experience, Nick replied by describing how much he has grown over the past four years, spiritually and academically, because of COBA. The COBA culture and professors have empowered Nick to enter the marketplace with humility and confidence, eager to impact the world in a positive and Christ-like way. Nick says, “It’s incredibly awesome to reflect and see how much progression has happened over the past four years here at ACU and COBA.”

Congratulations, Nick, on joining Bishop Lifting Products!
by Neely Borger | May 23, 2014 | Academics, Accounting, College Decisions, Current Students, Placement stories
This last spring semester senior accounting major, Kyndal Coleman, had the opportunity to intern with Ernst & Young in her hometown of San Antonio. Kyndal worked in four different audit departments, including telecommunications, construction, energy, and consumer products. She also spent two weeks working in the Tulsa office of EY, gaining experience on a project with an energy company there. While interning, Kyndal learned how to work with a smaller team, challenging herself to learn quickly and perform well under pressure. She highly values the education she received at COBA, believing that COBA helped her to pay attention to details and apply the skills she was learning in the classroom. After interning with the company, Ernst & Young gave Kyndal a job offer. Kyndal plans to finish her Master’s Degree in Accounting and become CPA certified in the summer of 2015. Kyndal is one of many accounting students who represent COBA so well in the marketplace. Way to go Kyndal!
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“The keys to success when interning: humility, patience, and a positive attitude when you are in a new environment,” says Kyndal Coleman, a senior accounting major from San Antonio.
by Neely Borger | Apr 30, 2014 | Academics, Careers In..., College Decisions, Current Students
On March 27th and 28th, five COBA students along with Dr. Terry Pope attended the RISE Investment Conference at the University of Dayton. The conference was a two day event and included students, faculty, and practitioners from all over the world interested in the various areas of investment. On the first day of the conference, participants attended panels that featured leading investment speakers from around the world, including President Sandra Pianalto from the Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank, anchor Kelly Evans from CNBC, and Chairman Chief Investment Officer Bill Miller from Legg Mason. On the second day of the conference, participants attended breakout sessions, learning about equity evaluation, wealth management, foreign exchange trading, and technical analysis. Dr. Pope was excited to expose students to influential people with powerful roles on Wall Street. The students were able to hear from the experts about their day-to-day lives working in the investment world. COBA highly supports and encourages students attending business conferences like RISE to learn from experienced professionals practicing in the marketplace.

Dr. Terry Pope with COBA students Grant Wilson, Collin Graves, Bibb Frasier, Luke Luttrell, and Chloe Meung at the RISE Conference at the University of Dayton.