by Allison Phillips | Oct 1, 2012 | Careers In..., Current Students
At COBA, we are deeply passionate about the fact that faith and business should intersect, which is why we invite speakers like Mike Wolverton, Executive Vice President of First Financial Banks, to speak to our students. We love hearing what these successful businesspeople have to say about business and the challenges and opportunities that are presented when you are a person of faith.
Mike Wolverton, First Financial Bank
Mike, who began his banking career by taking an entry-level job in consumer finance, is a textbook example of climbing the corporate ladder one step at a time. After his stint as a trainee at Wells Fargo, Mike was promoted to store manager, where he supervised a few employees. Next, he made the jump to regional manager, where he was responsible for forty stores, before being promoted once again. This time, he became a division manager, an incredibly powerful position that allowed him to manage a quarter of the country for Wells Fargo in the consumer lending division.
Mike made sacrifices for his career. One of the challenges for his family was moving nine times in 26 years. In spite of the challenges, it appeared that Mike’s sacrifices were paying off. After all, he was a division manager. However, in 2008, everything changed. Wells Fargo closed Mike’s division, a segment of the company that had been in business for over one hundred years. After twenty-six years of faithful service, Mike found himself out of a job.
During this difficult time, Mike clung to Jeremiah 29:11:
“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”
Wolverton speaks at COBA
After losing his job at Wells Fargo, Mike began working at First Financial, a bank that was ranked #2 in the nation in 2012 and that is headquartered right here in Abilene, TX. First Financial brought Mike in to grow their consumer lending business. Mike really enjoys his new position, and believes that First Financial is an incredible company. “They’ve been doing it right for a long time,” said Mike.
One thing Mike enjoys about his work at First Financial is that because the company has a culture of faith, he is able to pray with his team, something that wasn’t possible at Wells Fargo. Faith as a part of business is crucial to Mike, something that he advised students to incorporate into their lives.
“The work force today is really looking for hard-working, dedicated Christian individuals. Integrity today is more important than ever in business.”
Mike also believes that living out faith in the workplace eventually leads to corporate success. This success may take time, but eventually, being a person of faith will get you places. In his opinion, integrity will always win out in the end.
Stay tuned for more inspiring COBA speakers!
by M. C. Jennings | Aug 27, 2012 | Current Students
The College of Business and the Griggs Center are excited to introduce Wildcat, Inc. This new program is giving COBA students the opportunity to 
launch and manage an on-campus business as part of their studies. The Wildcat, Inc. program provides a great opportunity for students from all of COBA’s majors to work together in an entrepreneurial context. In the next few weeks the Connections Cafe in the Mabee Business Building will transition to a 100% student-run operation. A team of student leaders has been selected and are already hard at work on the transformation. We are grateful to ACU’s Business Services department and to Aramark for their partnership in making this opportunity a reality. We invite current students to watch for our grand opening in just a few weeks and for future Wildcat, Inc. projects currently in development.
by M. C. Jennings | Aug 15, 2012 | Current Students
This weekend, ACU will be welcoming the class of 2016 to our campus. It’s a transformative period for parents and students. We’d like to offer new students a few tips on how to successfully navigate the freshman year.
1. Start with a clean slate. College is a brand new start academically and personally. You have a shiny new GPA and an opportunity to make new friends. It’s a fresh start – make the most of it!
2. Get to know the ACU campus. Meet your academic advisors, professors, and campus staff. Find out where services on campus for things such as counseling, medical attention, tutoring, the library, post office, etc. are located and take advantage of those services when needed. You’ll be surprised at how much assistance is available to you if you just ask.
3. Get to know Abilene. Abilene offers diverse cultural activities and events and is home to some of the friendliest people you will meet. Go downtown to places like the Paramount, the Grace, or drive out to Buffalo Gap for some great steak. Find a church home and get connected with the college ministry or members in that church. Churches LOVE college students and you will find that many members enjoy having college students as part of their small groups, over for dinner, or involved in various church or community ministries. Most of all, belonging to a church body gives you a home away from home and a group of people who will love and care for you while you are in Abilene.
4. Get involved on campus. Many new students feel a combination of homesickness and of not quite belonging to this new community yet. Make the most of the opportunities you have to meet new friends through activities such as Freshman Follies, Intramurals, and student organizations and clubs. You’ll make new friends, learn new skills, and feel more connected to the ACU community.
5. Call, email, or text your parents. At some point in the first year, you may be homesick. That feeling may come out of the blue and hit you like a ton of bricks. No matter how busy you get with school, activities, or new friends, make time to talk to your parents and siblings. They miss you just as much as you miss them and want to know how you are adjusting to your new life.
6. Get organized and budget your time. Use whatever method works best for you to keep you organized, whether you use a large wall calendar, a day planner, your iPhone, iPad, laptop, etc. Write down assignment due dates and give yourself deadlines. Block off time to study and resist the urge to go out with your friends during that time. Learn to prioritize. Procrastination and cramming for a test or assignment are not a winning habit.
7. Manage your money. Create a budget and find ways to stretch your money. Don’t take advantage of the “free” gifts and offers that credit card companies send to you. Do everything in your power to stay away from debt for living or social expenses.
8. Eat healthy and work out. Your parents were right – you need to eat right and get your sleep! Go to bed at a decent hour, take your vitamins, eat a healthy diet, work out to fight stress, and feed your brain. Your grades will be glad you did.
9. Be prepared to feel overwhelmed. Freshman year may bring some change and you may have some moments when you feel overwhelmed and stressed. Be ready to feel unprepared for some of the rigors of college life but recognize that you’re not the only student who feels that way. This is a normal part of the growing process and the feeling won’t last forever. Before you know it, you’ll blink and be a sophomore.
by M. C. Jennings | Jul 23, 2012 | Current Students
Five weeks, two countries, six cities, and one mission: to spread God’s love across Korea and China by meeting the needs of the people met along the way.
Dr. Kilnam Cha, professor in the College of Biblical Studies led his mission team, which was comprised of two COBA students— Kyndal Coleman, junior accounting major from San Antonio and Tóng Yíng An, senior accounting major from Taiyuan, China— along with Cannon Spears, sophomore missions major from Blue Ridge, TX.
Below is a blog entry from Kyndal Coleman, one of the students on the trip, as she explains how God moved throughout her team’s journey across Asia.
The journey began in Seoul, South Korea where we worked with local schools to bring support to English students of all ages. While 
visiting many different learning environments, we quickly discovered how powerful the English language truly is- it’s being taught regularly alongside Korean and Chinese classes to students as young as 3 years old. All across Asia, the English language is seen as the gateway to better job opportunities, more personal connections, and ultimately the possibility of making a name of oneself. Our job was simple: use the skills God has blessed us with as native English speakers to help each person move closer to their chance at a better life once they’ve mastered the language. Even more, we had the chance to share God’s love through encouragement; reminding each of our students how precious they are in God’s sight even without perfect English because God’s love transcends all language boundaries!
As we moved on to China, we were blessed to have Tóng Yíng available as our guide and translator, as we found the environment to be much different than that of Korea. Throughout all four cities we visited while in China, I sensed this deep longing for excellence in the people we encountered. This desire made it very easy to find students who were open and willing to work extremely hard with us to study the English language. I found that I was actually the one being encouraged by the Chinese student’s inquisitive and hard-working spirits, an unexpected shift from what I was prepared for. Isn’t it funny how God sometimes uses unexpected people and situations to teach us such valuable lessons?
Before we left for our trip, I had a hard time believing that I was prepared to travel across the world to teach a foreign language. But the truth is, I was more than prepared, for the skills I needed to spread God’s love across Asia were not complicated at all. In fact, these “skills” were things I would sometimes take for granted in the past- things like growing up in a home that speaks English fluently, my daily Bible classes at ACU, perseverance brought forth by the COBA professors who have pushed me to excel, and even just the ability to sit down and have a conversation with someone. Teaching English in Korea in China wasn’t about being the most “skilled” English teacher around; it was about using the skills and experiences God had already blessed me with to make a difference in the lives of others. God had equipped me and the rest of my team LONG before He called us to this mission field, and we were overly prepared for the work He had for us to do.
As our five-week journey came to a close, we had the chance to spend one of our final days in Beijing with the COBA Study Abroad group who had arrived in the area just days before. Again, I was unexpectedly encouraged by the sight of familiar faces all the way across the world! After working so hard for the duration of our trip, it was nice to wrap up our voyage with fellowship and an exciting adventure. We traveled together to a unique part of the Great Wall of China: an area complete with a gondola ride to the top and a 
toboggan slide down the mountain. Our group spent over two hours marveling at the breathtaking sights of the ancient structure. Set high in the mountainous landscapes of China, the Great wall spans further than our eyes could ever see. We were in awe of the beauty that surrounded us, and for me it was the perfect ending to a life-changing trip.
Thank you to the COBA Study Abroad group for making our last day in China so enjoyable. I will never forget those glimpses of the Great Wall, and can’t wait to proudly hang the gorgeous photos all around my apartment for all to see!
by M. C. Jennings | Jun 19, 2012 | Current Students
Congratulations to Dr. Andy Little, Assistant Professor in the Management Sciences Department of the College of Business, who was named ACU’s 2011-2012 Teacher of the Year. Dr. Little joined the College of Business in 2010 and teaches business law.
ACU’s Teacher of the Year is nominated by the student body. One student commented, “Dr. Little has been an incredible mentor, friend and teacher to me. His classes are engaging, but more importantly, he has offered support beyond the classroom. He has been a life plan adviser – academically, personally and spiritually. He is a great asset to the business department, and I have no doubt he will continue to positively impact lives of students for years to come.”
You can read more about Dr. Little and his award by clicking on this link: http://www.acu.edu/news/2012/120614-andy-little-teacher-of-the-year.html.
by M. C. Jennings | May 29, 2012 | Current Students |
COBA bid farewell to Dr. David Wright and Assistant Professor Mike Winegeart at a luncheon held in their honor this month. Faculty, staff and friends shared stories about David and Mike and presented them with tokens of appreciation from the college.
Dr. David Wright is retiring after eleven years of service as an associate professor of marketing. With broad academic and industry experience, David joined ACU in 2001 to teach management. When the College of Business needed extra help in teaching marketing courses, David employed his past experience in the field and graciously added these classes to his routine. David served for several years as the sponsor of the American Marketing chapter and mentored countless student teams while providing consulting services to over thirty clients in the area as part of the marketing research class. David has helped train a generation of ACU management and marketing students. His kindness and Christian example have blessed many.
Mike Winegeart has served as Assistant Professor of Marketing and Director of Global Initiatives for COBA since 1997. Mike brought extensive European business and cultural experiences to his ACU classes along with a passionate faith. His fingerprints are evident on ACU’s summer Global Apprentice program in Oxford, England and in COBA’s winter Leadership Summit in Colorado. Because of Mike, a decade and a half of students have left ACU with inspiring words in their ears and hearts and a well-formatted portfolio under their arm.
Each of these men have left an indelible mark on the College of Business faculty, staff, alumni and students. COBA and ACU will greatly miss Mike and Nancy Winegeart and David and Gayle Wright. We wish them God’s blessings in their future endeavors. 
