by Maddy Crockett | Oct 8, 2019 | Accounting, COBA Faculty, COBA Staff, Faculty Testimonials, Faith Infusion
Dr. David Perkins
A common theme among our faculty members is how many of them did not plan to become a professor after graduating college. This, too, was the case for Dr. David Perkins. In fact, teaching wasn’t even a thought for him until a position opened up at Harding University, his alma mater. When the dean called and asked him to teach principles of accounting, Perkins was almost through his MBA program, so he accepted the temporary position for a year. “That phone call was a life-changing event for me. I look at it as God giving me a nudge to consider teaching as a career”.
Perkins taught at Harding for 15 years after that, then joined the COBA family during its initial work to become AACSB accredited. His friend and college classmate, Dr. Monty Lynn, was a good contact for him at ACU while Perkins was making the arrangements to join the COBA faculty. Dr. Perkins was ready for a change, and has never regretted getting on board with COBA’s vision for excellence. He currently teaches Financial Accounting to undergraduates as well as graduate classes in the Master of Accountancy (MAcc) program and has led students on numerous study abroad programs with COBA.
When Perkins began to think about the impact of faith in his journey, he shared that it was humbling experience. “God opens doors of opportunity and sometimes he shuts others. That certainly helps with the decision-making process.” It is difficult for him to imagine what life would be like without faith, as it has played such a core part of his journey. He stressed that his faith doesn’t guarantee that he won’t ever doubt; still, in the midst of doubt, growth can be found. “God is my anchor” Perkins said. “Even when I stumble or stray, I know where to find Him… right there where He’s always been.”
Dr. Perkins explained that he enjoys teaching accounting not only to help students prepare for their future careers, but also in giving them more tools to make a better life. While initially Perkins wasn’t sure how different his teaching method was from other accounting classes at public schools, he’s been able to be more intentional about planting seeds in students’ minds that can grow into faith. He explained that in class, he will “Try to apply the topics we cover to real life decisions so they will be positioned to make good choices.” Students who have had Perkins in class fondly recalled the ‘sermonettes’ he shared with them from time to time and were grateful for the weekly Bible study he offers outside of class for anyone willing to attend.
Dr. Perkins with students this summer during Study Abroad to Oxford and Leipzig.
Dr. Perkins explained that his desire for students is for them to see college as an opportunity to develop their God-given skills – even if they don’t know what they want to do yet. He remembered being in a similar position at their age, of being unsure about what life would look like after college. His best advice was this, “Develop your talents, develop your character, develop friendships, develop your faith… then see what opportunities God brings your way”.
ACU is fortunate and thankful to have Dr. Perkins – not only for his knowledge and wisdom, but for his character and heart for his students.
by Katherine Norris | Sep 24, 2019 | Academics, COBA Faculty, Faculty Testimonials, Faith Infusion
Some of the most incredible people in this world are influential because of how they have chosen to react to what life has given them. We all go through life’s highs and lows and do our best to learn from each experience. Often times, we look at certain figures in our life and think of them as more than human in terms of being incapable of making mistakes. This is an interesting misconception, since it is because of their life experiences that they have become the incredible people that they are. We were able to talk to Dr. Andy Little, Associate Dean of the College of Business Administration and Management Sciences professor, about how some of those experiences brought him to where he is now.
“My father was a biology professor here at ACU, so I always had in the back of my mind that I might teach at a university someday, but I didn’t have a defined plan. I left ACU and went straight to law school, and my goal after law school was to practice law. Teaching at a university bounced around in my mind from time to time, but I was too busy trying to establish myself as a lawyer to give much thought to a career change. The career change and entry into academics happened almost accidentally in 2010, when I wasn’t really looking for a job at ACU. The old business law professor at ACU left for another university that spring, and the Management Sciences department chair sent out inquiries to several practicing attorneys asking if we had any interest in applying for the open position. Given my interest, I jumped at the opportunity, went through a couple of rounds of interviews, got offered the job in spite of all my failings, and the rest is history. But there was never really a plan. It kind of just happened.”
An assumption could be made that for most of us, nothing ever goes along with what “our” plan was supposed to be. Life throws all of us a curve ball from time to time. Seeing others go through the same struggles and victories as our own is encouraging as we look at who we want to be and how that power is in our hands.
“My faith has changed quite a bit over the years. I am less certain of things now that I am in middle age than I used to be when I was younger, when I was pretty sure of most things. I am also more open to different people having different faith experiences. I am in the process of learning to appreciate a less dualistic (the separation of spirit and body, mind and matter, eternal and temporal), cognitively-driven faith. This has significant ramifications for me, but it’s not an easy journey. I am definitely wandering through the wilderness, but I’ve come to enjoy being here, reliant on the presence and provision of God.”
Dr. Little’s incredible character is evident to students as he seeks support in God and his community to help him grow and find assurance in his identity in Christ. In the classroom, this testimony is lived out in the way that he encourages others to take new things into account and have their ideology challenged. 
“I am hopeful that my lived experience, which includes teaching law courses in COBA, is part of my overall experience of faith. I think this would probably look fairly similar whether I am at ACU or an institution that claims no religious affiliation. While an ACU professor should self-identify comfortably as a Christian, an identification that could be a challenge elsewhere, the teaching methods of a Christian professor can occur anywhere. By this I mean, in our law classes in COBA, I attempt to speak truth to power, lay bare the logic of economic and legal structures and institutions, and provide alternative understandings. I usually try to befuddle students by convincing the humble that they know more than they think, and showing the proud that they have fewer answers than they would wish. I think these methods are some of the ways one might teach in a Christ-like manner, even if one never mentions Christ. I also try to be funny. I presume Jesus liked humor. At least I really hope so. Plus, if one doesn’t laugh at the tragedy of the law then one would likely cry.”
Little lives into the philosophy “let your actions speak louder than your words” with the juxtaposition that your words are your actions. Ask most COBA students, and they would agree that they have learned a lot from Dr. Little as he strives to stretch them in their learning while stretching himself in the process.
In reference to COBA, he says “This is a good place, with outstanding people. It’s an honor to teach our students, and work alongside our staff and faculty. One thing I’ve learned in my nine years at ACU is that faculty are harder to manage than lawyers.“
A final word: “We need to learn to live in harmony with God’s creation, rather than assuming mastery and domination over it. Our relationships with God and with each other, our work, our cultures, our institutions, our techniques and technologies, and our futures would all benefit from a more humble approach to our place in creation. I am still learning this every day. “
by Katherine Norris | Sep 17, 2019 | COBA Faculty, COBA Staff, Faculty Testimonials, Faith Infusion
Faculty member, Dr. Don Pope, has been showing God’s love through his actions for as long as COBA has known him. We were fortunate enough to get to ask him a little bit about how his faith has shaped his journey and who he is now. As a part of the COBA Management Sciences department, Pope teaches quantitative classes including business statistics.
At some point in everyone’s educational career, they wonder how their teacher or professor decided they wanted to teach. It is a puzzle that differs from person to person, but it reveals a lot about each individual. This is no different in the case of Don Pope. After graduating from Texas A&M, Pope was offered a position teaching Industrial Engineering at a reputable university. The timing just wasn’t right. “I decided at that time, however, to accept a position in the aircraft industry closer to my aging parents and I felt that the industry experience would make me a better teacher someday if that opportunity ever came.”
Faith played a large role in Pope’s journey and continues to do so today. It taught him to be humble and aware of the value of others. Pope says, “Faith shaped how I did my job at the aircraft plant – it shaped how I treated people, it shaped my level of effort and attention to detail, it shaped my honesty in things like travel expense reports, it shaped my language used in conversation, it shaped my choices to leave work on time and go home and be with my family. I tried to treat all people the same, from the janitor to the Vice President, and not wear my PhD on my sleeve for status. I tried to avoid being called Dr. Pope.”
Pope did fulfill that goal of becoming a professor and now teaches in ACU’s College of Business saying,
Don and his wife, Beth
“Eventually, faith was a factor in leaving a good job and choosing to come teach at a Christian university.” Pope is loved by the students and faculty. His integrity is apparent through his intentional Christ-like actions. “I try to treat everyone – students, staff, everybody with respect. I am no more important than the hard-working people who clean our building every night, out of sight. I try hard to get to know all my students, even in large classes. I ask them individually for what I can pray for. Although I teach quantitative courses, I still try to consider Christian perspectives in arriving at best decisions in business. Working with amazing faculty and staff colleagues has been very special.”
Each phase of life brings new lessons and opportunities. When asked what he has learned from teaching at ACU, Pope said, “I have learned from seeing students mature over the 4 years here and beyond that the Christian journey is a slow transformation into His (God’s) image and not to be too frustrated when students are not there yet. Neither am I. Like Forrest Gump, that is all I have to say about that.”
