by M. C. Jennings | Apr 27, 2017 | Academics, Current Students, Faith Infusion, Uncategorized
Chris Kirklin, senior financial management major from Richardson, TX, has been very active on campus during his time at ACU. Among some of his accomplishments, he has served as the 2016-17 president of men’s social club, Trojans, has been part of A Cappella, and has worked in the COBA Dean’s Suite. Chris is not only an exceptional student – he is an exceptional human being. He was matched through a drive on the ACU campus to add new bone marrow donors to the national bone marrow registry. We hope when you read his story below, you’ll consider registering or giving to this organization to help save a life.
Chris Kirklin
Let’s start from the beginning – how did you find out about Delete Blood Cancer and what motivated you to sign up? How did you sign up?
I have known Earl Young for several years, since he goes to my church in Dallas. Earl came to ACU to speak in Chapel about registering to be a donor in April of 2015. I remember sitting in that chapel and not paying much attention because 1) I already knew everything about his organization and 2) I was very burned out as the semester came to an end. I left chapel in a hurry and cut through the campus center to make it to class. One of my nursing friends was running the table to swab and sign up to be a donor. Selfishly, I tried to walk as fast as I could so I would not have to stop and register. But she screamed my name across the campus center and summoned me over to register. Looking back on this experience, I have realized how close minded I was. I was almost too selfish to take literally 2 minutes out of my day to register to save someone’s life. This totally changed my perspective on how I focus on “giving” to others.
How long after signing up were you contacted by Delete Blood Cancer asking you donate?
I swabbed in April of 2015, and was called in January of 2017 by the organization DKMS, which runs the Delete Blood Cancer campaign.
What was the donation procedure like? Did anything about it surprise you?
When DKMS calls you for the first time, you are listed as a preliminary match. After a lot of paper work and more detailed blood tests, about a month later I was notified that I was a perfect match for the patient. I did some more paperwork, and made a trip to the donation center to get a physical exam done, before my donation. The week of my donation, I received an injection called filgrastim, which serves to boost stem cell production so there is plenty to extract at the day of the donation. About two and a half months after I had first been contacted, I donated my stem cells. It took about 5 and a half hours to extract all that they needed for the donation.
Can you describe the pain or sensation for the couple of days after the injections and donating itself?
Leading up to the donation, I was in a lot of pain. I had the worst headaches I had ever had in my life, which prevented me from doing daily activities. I felt fatigued and achy (all from the injections). I began to get frustrated with how I was feeling, and remember having the feeling of “I just want this all to be over”. But that was not the point. None of this was about me. This was about God making it possible for someone to give life to someone suffering. None of the pain I was going through that week was near as great as my match.
Chris and his nurse pose for a pic during the donation process
How much inconvenience did the whole process cause you?
As I touched on in the previous question, there were definitely some days where I was having a bad attitude about the whole process. But in the grand scheme of things, this was such a simple and easy process. I was able to keep on track with my schoolwork and job, all while going through the process.
How were you treated by DKMS?
DKMS does an exceptional job of treating the donors well. Every time I spoke with them on the phone or had some sort of communication with them, they were extremely helpful and thankful for my time. They provided lodging and meals for my travel expenses, and made me feel extremely prepared for the donation.
Have you met the person who received your stem cells? Would you like to meet them?
I have not met my match yet. I will not be able to for several years, and I definitely want to meet them! I hope they will want to meet me as well. I also will not be able to know if the donation was successful until about halfway through the summer.
How did your friends and family react when you were asked to donate?
They were amazed and very supportive of me. I also had a few other friends that were matched as donors who reached out to me.
Was there anything about this experience that surprised you? Anything it made you realize or look at in a different light?
The most important thing I learned throughout this process is that we are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus to everyone. I still am almost “haunted” that at a time I almost didn’t register to be a donor, because none of this would have happened. This donation process made me realize that I can be extremely selfish at times, and that is not how Jesus was to others. I need to give, in any way that I can, to help further the Kingdom and glorify God. This process has changed my life in such an amazing way. I feel like I see God working in so many more ways now than I did before.
What would you say to anyone considering registering for the Bone Marrow Registry?
There is no reason that we can’t at least try to help someone in need. Less than 1% of registered donors ever get contacted, but just the fact that you are willing to be there for someone in need is so powerful. I can’t think of any easier way to save someone’s life than being a part of the Bone Marrow Registry. There are so many sick people out there who have very little hope at life, and they would cherish forever the opportunity for someone to give them a second chance at life.
Anything else that you would like to add about your experience?
I hope others read this story and are able to see that I am a normal person, who had reservations about registering, and am in no way perfect. I never would have thought that I, out of the millions in the registry, would be the ONLY match for someone with blood cancer. There is nothing to lose by registering, and you never know how God could be calling you to give, even in an unexpected way.
by M. C. Jennings | Apr 5, 2017 | Academics, Current Students, Faith Infusion, Uncategorized
Ann Berger chats with Clint Buck
On Tuesday, March 28th, generous donors, COBA scholarship recipients, COBA sophomores, members of COBA’s Dean’s Council, and COBA faculty and staff gathered at a luncheon inspired by the memory of Ruth Allen Griggs. Ruth’s children, Jack Griggs and Ann Griggs Berger, along with their respective spouses, Ann Griggs and the late Bob Berger, established an endowment in 2015 to honor their mother and her spirit of generosity by
Dr. Jack Griggs and Ann Berger get to know COBA students Sheena Thompson and Tony Maldonado
having a yearly luncheon bringing together COBA donors and students. The purpose of the luncheon is to honor and thank donors for the scholarships given to the College of Business that allow so many students to attend ACU and to participate in many of the experiential learning opportunities that COBA offers. This year, sophomore students were added to the invitation list so that they could learn what COBA values the most, particularly those ideals related to gratitude and generosity.
COBA students Georgi Hannah, senior accounting major from Kearney, MO, and Casey McMullin, junior financial management major from Colorado Springs, CO, spoke to the audience about what receiving COBA scholarships has meant to them and the impact that it has had on their education and experiences at ACU. In her speech to the audience, Georgi spoke about the many opportunities she has been able to participate in because of generous donors and said, “”Someday I hope that I can sit where you are now. I pray that I will be as generous and kind as you have been to me and the rest of ACU.” Casey stated, “ACU is a place where I have learned how to live up to my God given potential… and I already feel as though I am making a true difference in the world.”
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Georgi Hannah
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Casey McMullin
Bill Minick, finance alumnus (class of 1982) from Dallas, spoke to the crowd about founding PartnerSource, an employee benefits and risk management consulting firm which became a leader in the worker’s compensation insurance industry and helped create a competitive market system in Texas. After being acquired by Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., Minick was able to use money from the sale of the company to support causes close to his heart, including giving money to the College of Business at ACU. He stressed to the audience the importance of not only giving of your money but also of your time in order to make the world around you a better place.
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Dr. Brad Crisp
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Bill Minick
Dr. Brad Crisp, Dean for the College of Business, thanked everyone for sharing their stories and said, “In this room are generous people and the students they’ve touched. Those who give to COBA with their time and money make so many things possible, and we want to honor you for that. We’re also here because we hope that in giving our students an opportunity to meet COBA donors that you too might be inspired to bless those who come behind you after you leave ACU.” Dr. Crisp also stated, “COBA’s donors make so many things possible. Their generosity eases the burden of tuition on our students and enables us to constantly innovate in our goal to consistently provide high quality educational experiences. We’re so thankful for their support and giving spirit.”
KeeAnna Ward, marketing major talks with Jennifer Crisp
Students and Donors get to know each other
by M. C. Jennings | Mar 7, 2017 | Academics, Accounting, COBA Events, College Decisions, Current Students, Faith Infusion, Uncategorized
In 2015, Tolleson Wealth Management, Inc. created the Tolleson Scholars COBA Endowment Fund to give scholarship awards in the amount of $5,000 each year to two deserving COBA students. To be considered, students must have completed 75 credit hours toward their degree, but also have at least 30 credit hours remaining to complete their degree. The award also is meant to be awarded to students recognized as top academic performers as well as excellent role models in terms of their Christian commitment and moral behavior. To be considered for the award, students submitted an essay reflecting on a time when they were a role model and exhibited commitment to their Christian faith. The recipients of this year’s awards are Brandon Gonzales, senior accounting major from Rowlett, TX and Megan Young, senior accounting major from Burleson, TX.
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Brandon Gonzales
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Megan Young
Brandon wrote about his experience volunteering with Operation Blessing, an international relief and development non-profit, after tornadoes destroyed much of the Rockwall, Rowlett, and Garland areas on December 26th of 2015. Brandon and his friends went door to door with the relief operation, asking residents what help they needed as well as consoling and praying with them. He said that, “It was eye opening to see everyone come together to help people they had never met and would likely never see again when they could have been spending their holiday break with family. I was only with my group for a couple of days and although we may not have been able to fix all the problems we came across, I learned how powerful even the smallest actions can be”. When asked about receiving the Tolleson Scholar Award, Brandon said, “Winning this scholarship was truly an unexpected blessing for my family and I. Being the first in my family to attend a university and with my graduation date on the horizon, this award is another reminder that I couldn’t have gotten this far without the help of the ACU community and the friends that I have made along the way.”
Brandon with team members from Operation Blessing
Megan wrote about serving with her church on an unexpected mission trip to Rio Bravo, Mexico during the spring break of her senior year. She told of how her church had been raising money for a kidney and liver transplant for the Rio Bravo congregation’s church liaison to the Burleson church, Jorge. Jorge and his family moved to Burleson temporarily while he received medical care. Megan said that they became “mi familia” as they grew very close to one another. During this time, the church raised half of the money needed but Jorge died two days after Christmas while waiting for a transplant. Megan said that the trip to Rio Bravo was the first time she would see Jorge’s family since his death and she was uncertain about the meeting. However, she and the Burleson mission team were greeted warmly by the family and the church and much healing happened as they worked side by side building an addition to the church building that Jorge once led. She said, “At the end of the week, the church threw a big party for our mission team. The church members and Jorge’s family were so grateful for all we had done. That’s when I realized the full scope of what God had planned for me that week. I wasn’t there just to do hard work; I was there to be part of the healing process. I was there to help this small church move forward after the death of Jorge. I was there to let his family know that we were still “familia”. Most of all, I was there to show God’s love and grace to our dear friends across the border”. When asked what receiving the Tolleson Award meant to her, Megan said, “I am so honored to be receiving the Tolleson Scholarship. This award will assist me in completing my BBA in accounting and start on my goal of attaining my Masters of Accountancy. Thank you to the donors for their generosity and support!”
Megan with the Rio Bravo Mission Team
Megan and Brandon represent well the student body that makes up the College of Business Administration (COBA). Our students serve in various volunteer capacities throughout the year, using the skills and lessons they’ve learned in the classroom to help organizations like non-profits and churches. Using business to do good – it’s a value COBA strives to integrate in and out of the classroom. Generous donors make college tuition scholarships and experiences like Leadership Summit or service trips to destinations like Mission Lazarus possible. COBA has approximately 50 scholarship and endowment funds that, this year alone, provided financial help to over 120 COBA students. We are so thankful for the generosity of our friends and donors who help us continue our mission of educating business and technology professionals for Christian service and leadership throughout the world. If you would like to learn more about giving to COBA scholarship funds, please email coba@acu.edu.
by M. C. Jennings | Feb 1, 2017 | Academics, Current Students, Faith Infusion, Social Entrepreneurship, Uncategorized
written by guest blogger Rachael Kroeger and with permission from WorldWide Witness
This summer I served in a WorldWide Witness internship in Chiang Mai, Thailand, at Business as Mission (BAM). BAM is a network of global partners seeking to share resources to advance Christianity in the business world. The group wants to make business be an integral part of the church by creating companies built upon Christian principles that work to better the communities around them. It is a striving toward a “holistic gospel,” meaning that us as Christians should work to bring the kingdom of God not only spiritually, but also socially, mentally, and physically. My internship mainly consisted of working on the development and execution of their international conference that took place in LA September 15-18. I networked, networked, networked! During my time in Thailand, I sent out around 4,000 LinkedIn invites and conference invites combined, not to mention the research I did on different organizations that BAM plans to reach out to.
Rachael Kroeger, Senior Business Management major with a minor in Sociology was a BAM Intern and LA 2016 Conference Speaker.
Because I worked so much on the conference, the lead man of the project, Mark Plummer, asked that I would come facilitate the student sector of the event, as well as lead worship on Sunday morning and speak at one of the breakout sessions. My session was titled “Training, Consulting, and On Ramp Opportunities,” and it was a session I shared among three other speakers. I specifically spoke on my experiences in Thailand, what the program looks like, and what led me to take part in such an awesome project in the first place. It was incredible being a part of the conference (and BAM itself) because I was able to work with several diverse business men and women with hearts for God, and I was able to connect with different businesses and entrepreneurs from all around the world.
There were many contributing factors that prepared me to constructively participate in BAM. WorldWide Witness prepared me through my missions course with Larry Henderson and Gary Green. In it, I studied what it looked like to go abroad with one worldview and work with those from a completely different background and environment. COBA also prepared me by equipping me with adequate business knowledge and skills that was then put to use while working for BAM in Thailand. Through this internship experience, it was solidified in my mind and heart that we as Christians much approach business with a mission-minded viewpoint. I believe that mission in itself should encompass everything; in all that we do, we should be portraying Christ and His love. That being said, I believe as a society, we need to work to come out of our negative take on business. We see business as a necessary evil, where the Bible says that clearly isn’t the case. As business men and women, we must rid the world of the mindset that business is set apart outside of the church and reinstate what it means to be a Godly steward through business. I hope to be an example of this in the future through my own career path.
by M. C. Jennings | Nov 18, 2016 | Academics, COBA Events, COBA Faculty, COBA Staff, College Decisions, Current Students, Distinguished Speakers Series, Faith Infusion, MAcc, MBA, School of Information Technology and Computing, Uncategorized
Dr. Brad Crisp officially began his tenure as the Dean of the College of Business Administration in June and has been building an agenda since for his new role. One of the items on that agenda has been to reach out to and connect with alumni from the College of Business and the School of Information Technology and Computing, giving alumni and friends an opportunity to meet or reacquaint themselves with Dr. Crisp as well as learning more about the state of our college and what our plans are for the future. Thus, the idea for the “Meet the Dean Tour” was born and implemented in partnership with the Alumni Relations Office.
Dr. Brad Crisp, Dean of the College of Business Administration
The tour began in Abilene with 56 alumni and friends and at each stop, Dr. Crisp illustrated ACU’s long standing success in business education and our recent path of progress with our School of IT and Computing. Along with our first event in Abilene, alumni and friends gathered in Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and Silicon Valley at networking breakfasts and lunches. Alumni who graduated within the past 10 years were invited to join Dr. Crisp for a “Beat the Dean” event at Top Golf in several of these cities, as they attempted to best the new Dean. It was a fun time of networking and Dr. Crisp was able to withstand the challenge brought by our young alums.
Young Alums in Dallas
Dr. Crisp aims to win
COBA Beat the Dean at Top Golf in Dallas
Not only were we able to reconnect with alumni, but we also met with parents of current students as well as prospective students and their families as they sought to learn more about the College and our programs and opportunities. Recent graduates were hard at work at these events, helping us connect students to internships and job opportunities in their organization. Alumni who have risen to leadership roles in their companies expressed their desire to create and sustain pipelines of ACU talent to their organizations. Many of our alums shared stories of the encouragement and strengthening they received both professionally and personally while attending ACU. They were encouraged by Dr. Crisp’s consistent reference to our heritage of business excellence, rooted in our personal commitment to living out the mission of Christ and bringing this mission to the workplace.
Meet the Dean lunch stop in Austin
Today, Dr. Crisp leads a College offering 5 business degrees and 4 technology degrees at our Abilene campus, the Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy which is leading the nation in student engagement for entrepreneurship programs, and the new Lytle Center for Leadership and Faith Development which is continuing our Distinguished Speaker Series and Leadership Summit course. The reach of ACU’s mission to educate Christian servants and leaders has expanded with the on-line MBA program, offered through the ACU Dallas campus in addition to our residential Master of Accountancy program and additional on-line graduate programs are in the discussion phase. The College of Business enjoyed an enrollment of exactly 1,000 total students this fall and is positioned for additional growth. Our Master of Accountancy and Computer Science programs supply a steady stream of employers coming to campus to interview for talent as the changing landscape of business is driven by technology and entrepreneurship, demanding ethical leaders in this rapidly transforming environment.
Young alums at Beat the Dean in San Antonio
The opportunity to begin Dr. Crisp’s tenure by connecting with alumni was emphasized by an intentional effort to listen to and involve alumni and friends in our efforts to develop the next generation of business and technology servant leaders. All in attendance were encouraged to give us feedback via an on-line survey. If you were unable to attend one of the stops but would like to give feedback as we continue to shape the direction and future of ACU’s College of Business and School of Information Technology and Computing, please fill out the survey by clicking on this link.
Your support of our work to educate business and technology professionals for Christian service and leadership throughout the world is a great encouragement to us and we cannot achieve our goals without support from alumni and friends. Thank you!
by M. C. Jennings | Nov 17, 2016 | Academics, Accounting, Careers In..., COBA Events, COBA Faculty, COBA Staff, College Decisions, Current Students, Faith Infusion, Special Speakers, Uncategorized
The Lytle Center for Faith and Leadership Development hosted Brett Biggs, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on October 25th, as the speaker at COBA’s annual Distinguished Speaker Series luncheon.
Brett Biggs, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
Biggs is responsible for accounting and control, corporate strategy and development, business planning and analysis, internal auditing, treasury, tax, global shared services and several other key areas of the company. Before being appointed to his current role, Biggs was executive vice president and chief financial officer for Walmart International, where he was responsible for all global finance activities, including accounting and controls, business planning and analysis, financial services, and support for real estate, M&A and Strategy. Prior to that, Brett served as executive vice president and chief financial officer for Walmart U.S., where he was responsible for U.S. finance functions including strategy, merchandising, logistics, financial services, real estate, operations, and financial planning and analysis.
Biggs began his visit to ACU with a Q&A meeting with approximately 30 COBA students. The students had unfettered access to ask Biggs questions about his career path, how Walmart works and his best advice on how to jump start their own careers. After the private gathering with students, he then addressed the luncheon crowd of about 200 guests, talking to them about Walmart’s corporate philosophy as well as his own beliefs on what it means to be a Christian leader in the workplace.
Mr. Biggs meeting with COBA students
Biggs stated that the “Joy of working at Walmart is that it is a company that stands for things: take care of your people, do your best, and take care of the people that come through your door.” Biggs also said that he believes, “The world needs places that stand for something. I love ACU’s mission. If you can combine your passion and your vocation with your mission, that’s where it’s at. Sometimes being a person of faith is tough. You have to stand your ground when others around you aren’t. Rosa Parks said it well when she said, ‘Stand for something or you will fall for anything. Today’s mighty oak is yesterday’s nut that held its ground.’ Matt 5:14 says, ‘You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.’ I know that’s what this university is about and I appreciate that.”
Biggs also gave a personal anecdote when he told a story about meeting Sam Walton, who he described as a once in a lifetime kind of man and the greatest entrepreneur of all time. Biggs said that he met Walton on a field trip in college. Biggs happened to be carrying around a very big notebook while studying for the CPA exam. Sam Walton asked what the book was for and Biggs explained to him that he was intensely studying for the exam. Walton then told him that, “If you study hard and work hard you never know what you’ll be able to achieve.” Biggs said that today, his office is next door to Sam Walton’s former office.
Biggs encouraged students to find a company that fits your values, to be intentional about your faith and to stay grounded and focused on your faith. He also exhorted the audience to know who you are before you are faced with big decisions. He stated, “You have to know what you would do and make a choice ahead of time. You have to really know who you are. Students, take advantage of your time here and form that person now. Take advantage of all the spiritual opportunities you have here.”
Mr. Biggs meeting with COBA Faculty
Biggs wrapped his trip to ACU up with a private meeting with some of COBA’s faculty, where they discussed current markets and opportunities for students. COBA would like to thank Brett Biggs for so graciously giving of his time and energy to our students, faculty, staff and community.
For pictures from the event, please click on this link for COBA’s FaceBook page.
