by M. C. Jennings | Dec 17, 2015 | Academics, Careers In..., COBA Faculty, College Decisions, Current Students, Faith Infusion, Uncategorized
What is your educational background?
B.A. – Mathematics – Abilene Christian University
M.A. – Mathematics – University of Texas at Austin
Ph.D. – Statistics – Southern Methodist University
Dr. Terry Pope
What is your work background?
Cities Service Oil and Gas – 10 years
Conoco – 8.5 years
ACU – 24 years
What do you teach at ACU?
Currently teach Finance courses: Financial Theory and Practice, Portfolio Management, and STAR, our student-managed fund. While at ACU, I have taught 16 different courses.
What committees/other duties do you have at ACU aside from teaching?
In the past, I served as Chair of the Management Sciences for 5 years and as Associate Dean for 10 years. Currently, I am on the Academic Committee in COBA and the Disciplinary Review Committee for the university.
What drew you to teaching? Why did you want to work with students?
I left a really interesting job in industry to come to ACU. I would not have left that job for a teaching position at any other university. I thought that I could contribute to students by teaching them what they need to know to be successful in industry.
What’s the best part of working with students?
I have developed so many great friendships with students over my time at ACU. I enjoy trying to make difficult concepts understandable for all students. I enjoy helping students build self-confidence.
Have you ever given up any big opportunities to keep working with students?
As I said earlier, I gave up a really interesting job to come be a professor. Financially, that job was much more rewarding, but I would not trade that for all of the great friends that I have made with students.
Outside of teaching, what passions and hobbies do you have?
I really like to go outside and play: golf, tennis, running, biking. I also enjoy woodworking. We really enjoy travel, having visited over 25 foreign countries.
One of COBA’s own golf pros
What is a good, early story about your teaching?
My first semester at ACU had me scheduled to teach Financial Management and Statistics – courses that I was well-prepared to teach. On the second day of class, I was asked to take a class in Macro Economics, as Professor Brister was asked to serve on a university committee and needed to be released from the teaching assignment. So, I played catch up all semester in that class.
Tell me about a project or accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant in your career.
While in industry, I provided the financial analysis to support investments totaling billions of dollars all over the world. While doing so, I tried to always have Christ as the center of my life and to conduct my business in a manner worthy of a child of God.
Do you do any charity or non-profit work?
In the past, I have served for long period on the boards of Herald of Truth and Faithworks of Abilene. For most of the past 35 years, I have been an elder in the church.
Who is your role model, and why?
My dad. He was the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He never met a stranger and treated all people with great respect.
Who was your most inspirational professor and why?
Sam McReynolds in the Mathematics Department at ACU. He was always very well prepared and expected excellence from his students.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?
Bring peace to the world. To replace hatred with love.
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Terry and Gayla Pope celebrating 50 years of marriage in 2014
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Terry and Gayla Pope – the newlyweds
What is something that students might be surprised to find out about you?
My hair is actually blond.
What would you really want students and alums to know about you?
That I really love them and want them to make good choices in life.
by M. C. Jennings | Dec 11, 2015 | Academics, COBA Events, COBA Faculty, COBA Staff, College Decisions, Current Students, Faith Infusion, Uncategorized
What is your educational background?
I graduated from ACU with a BA in Political Science in 1997, then received a JD from Texas Tech University School of Law in 2000. I also earned an MA in History from West Texas A&M in 2014.
Dr. Andy Little
What is your work background?
I practiced law from 2000 to 2010, primarily at a regional law firm in Amarillo. My legal practice encompassed employment law and business litigation.
What do you teach at ACU?
I teach the business law classes, and occasionally teach a class related to ethics and corporate social responsibility. I also teach Honors College colloquia from time to time.
What committees/other duties do you have at ACU aside from teaching?
In addition to teaching, I also serve as Associate Dean of the College of Business Administration.
What drew you to teaching? Why did you want to work with students?
I grew up the son of an ACU professor, and I had a wonderful experience at ACU as an undergrad, so I think I always knew in the back of my mind that I wanted to be back in the university setting at some point.
What’s the best part of working with students?
Students have a spirited vitality and sense of hope within them that keeps me young. I really enjoy walking alongside them at this transitional phase of their lives. In my better moments, perhaps there is an opportunity for me to share my faith journey with them, and for us to learn from one another.
Have you ever given up any big opportunities to keep working with students?
This is a hard question to answer. At a very superficial level, yes, I gave up considerable income and positional power as a partner at a regional law firm to work here at ACU. But during the time period in which I made the transition to teaching (around 2010), I was in the process of discovering that money and power weren’t my priorities anyway, so I’m not sure I was giving up something I really wanted in the first place. I guess I would say I gave up something I thought I wanted.
Outside of teaching, what passions and hobbies do you have?
I like the wilderness—hiking, backpacking, skiing, camping with family and friends, etc. I like music. I read a lot of books about history and religion. I try to be involved with my church family.
What is a good, early story about your teaching?
I had a student named Brody Smith who insisted that we listen to part of the Top Gun soundtrack one morning in BLAW 461. I liked Brody. And I liked Top Gun. So I accommodated his request. It was a great class period. I’m sure everyone learned a lot that day.
Tell me about a project or accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant in your career.
I was honored to be ACU’s Teacher of the Year in 2012.
Do you do any charity or non-profit work?
I’ve been on the boards of directors for several non-profits over the last 15 years, most recently the Christian Village of Abilene.
Who is your role model, and why?
He will likely be embarrassed by this mention, but I’ve tried to watch Monty Lynn closely to see how I can better emulate him as he emulates Christ.
Who was your most inspirational professor and why?
Mel Hailey in the Political Science Department consistently made me think deeper than any other professor. In a series of three courses dealing with political theory, he led us through an extended collection of readings that addressed the central question, “What is justice?,” which has animated much of my professional and intellectual career ever since.
Jennifer and Andy Little
If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?
Who’s to say I don’t already have superpowers?
What is something that students might be surprised to find out about you?
I’m a big fan of the punk band Social Distortion.
What would you really want students and alums to know about you?
As before, this is a hard question to answer. The easy, church-y way to answer it would be to say, “I want others to know Jesus when they know me.” And this would be a true statement, so far as it goes. But I’m also realistic enough to know that I am not Jesus, and that the Jesus people get to know when they know me probably looks and feels different than the Jesus they might get to know if they know someone else.
It’s also a hard question to answer because I’m a private person, and I’m not comfortable being known through social media at all. This is not a space in which I want to live, so I choose not to disclose much in these kinds of formats. I prefer unmediated relationships in which to know others and be known by them.
by M. C. Jennings | Nov 26, 2015 | COBA Events, Faith Infusion
Thanksgiving Proclamation
Issued by President George Washington, at the request of Congress, on October 3, 1789
By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation.
Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and—Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”
Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favor, able interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other trangressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally, to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
Go. Washington
May God bless you and yours abundantly today. Happy Thanksgiving from your friends at COBA.
by M. C. Jennings | Oct 20, 2015 | Academics, Careers In..., COBA Faculty, College Decisions, Current Students, Faith Infusion, Uncategorized
What is your educational background?
I received my:
- Bachelor’s degree from ACU in 1976 (first graduating class of ACU, formerly ACC).
- MBA from Mary-Hardin Baylor in 1992
- Ph.D. from Texas A&M University in 2001
Dr. Phil Vardiman
What is your work background?
My work background includes Management and Leadership experiences in “Manufacturing Operations” and “Human Resources”. Companies I worked for include; General Tire & Rubber Co., Avery Dennison, and Cardinal Health. I taught one year in Lubbock ISD – way back in the 70’s. Prior to coming to ACU, I also taught at Texas State University in their graduate HR program.
What do you teach at ACU?
I teach management class (primarily MGMT 330) and I also teach HR classes (MGMT 447 & MGMT 337). Occasionally I teach in the graduate OD program.
What committees/other duties do you have at ACU aside from teaching?
This year I am the Faculty Senate Chair which means I get the opportunity to participate on many committees. Some of these include; the Provost’s Cabinet, Faculty Senate, Benefits Committee, Pricing Team, and Debt Reduction Team.
Being the Faculty Senate Chair is a great opportunity to provide service for the university and also work closely with many people across campus.
Phil with colleagues Orneita Burton and Ian Shepherd
What drew you to teaching? Why did you want to work with students?
I was blessed to have excellent teachers in my past that inspired me to love learning and helping others succeed. I have always wanted to teach and being in the business field provided me an excellent opportunity to expand my learning and also the foundation for advancing my education to reach my goal of teaching.
What’s the best part of working with students?
My biggest enjoyment in my job is mentoring and getting to know my students. I love to see them succeed and do great things. I strongly believe that every student can (and should) succeed. I’m amazed at the many things our students accomplish.
Have you ever given up any big opportunities to keep working with students?
I did change careers and with that there was a financial impact, but I believe that the most important part of a person’s career is not how much money they make – it is much more about the positive difference they can make in the relationships and lives of those around them. I also feel that I have gained much more as a college professor than I ever gave up.
Outside of teaching, what passions and hobbies do you have?
I have been blessed to experience the “Grandparenting” stage of life and it is wonderful. I have 5 grandchildren and they are so much fun.
Phil with two of his five grandchildren
I also have to mention Golf – I do enjoy the outdoors and a good round of golf. I also started taking piano lessons at the good age of 55. It has been fun and very challenging. (Playing the Piano: http://www.reporternews.com/news/abilene-music-teachers-hold-recital)
What is a good, early story about your teaching?
Besides the many moments when your students encourage and touch your life in a significant way I would say there have been several funny/interesting moments.
One that I remember well was the time I gave a test and offered the students the opportunity to take the exam in a very different way. I told them they had the option to take the exam and purposefully try and miss every answer and I would give them a “100” on the exam – of course they had to miss every answer – if they even got one right – then they would only get the score of those they got right. You must know there were several True/False and Multiple Choice questions on the exam. There was also some short answer. The outcome of this crazy moment turned out to be a funny memory (at least now it is funny). I was also able to get two published articles from this event.
Tell me about a project or accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant in your career.
It has to be my Ph.D. later in life and the challenge of completing this goal while still working and raising a family. My wife deserves most of the credit!
Do you do any charity or non-profit work?
In 2014 I became an Elder at the Hillcrest church of Christ. I have learned the importance of “service” and “encouragement” at a whole different level. I also currently serve on the Big Country Society for Human Resources executive board (BCSHRM).
Who is your role model, and why?
This is a difficult question and there are several who come to mind.
- Billie Gill (a Christian lady who encouraged me to stay true to the Word of God and be a strong family man – in many ways she was a mother to me)
- Claude Burns (an Elder and Christian man who gave me such good advice and the opportunity to grow as a young family man)
- Bill O’banion (my father-in-law, who gave me a very positive and strong Christian example. Bill is also a father example to me in so many ways)
- Jerry Drennan (a college professor who inspired me to teach by his example)
- And the most important role model is my wife, Jackie. She is such a good Christian example in so many ways and it has been wonderful to see her influence in our children and the encouragement she continually gives me.
Phil and Jackie Vardiman
Who was your most inspirational professor and why?
As noted above, Jerry Drennan. He was always encouraging and also pushed me to do my best. I enjoyed his classes and teaching style. I remember wanting to teach just like he did.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?
This is always an interesting question and my first thought would be to “fly”. Hard to beat this one. If I had a second choice, it would be to speak and read every language (this would be amazing and provide an outstanding learning opportunity).
What is something that students might be surprised to find out about you?
I found my twin sister when I was 50 years old.
What would you really want students and alums to know about you?
I love what I do! It is such a wonderful career and the blessings never cease. My first career enjoyment is mentoring students and my second is teaching.
Phil with some of his students
by M. C. Jennings | Sep 24, 2015 | Academics, Careers In..., COBA Events, College Decisions, Current Students, Distinguished Speakers Series, Faith Infusion, Poverty and Development, Social Entrepreneurship, Special Speakers, Uncategorized
COBA seeks to provide opportunities for the students and community to hear from Christian leaders in the business world through our COBA Distinguished Speaker Series. In the past few years, we’ve featured Bob McDonald, Mike Duke, and Matt Rose. This October, we’re excited to host Lisa Rose, founder and president of the 501(c)(3) projectHandUp, as COBA’s fall 2015 Distinguished Speaker.
Lisa Rose
Lisa’s mission is to provide venues where people can find their purpose and learn to fulfill it. After growing up in Ft. Worth, Texas, and receiving a degree in Marketing from Texas Tech University, her time in corporate life was in fast-food marketing. She has spent the last 20 years in church women’s ministry leading and equipping women through classes, studies and events. She has served on GRACE’s Advisory Council and at the Dallas County Jail. Lisa currently serves as board member for the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, Performing Arts Fort Worth, United Way Homelessness Allocations Committee and was the 2015 Golden Deeds Outstanding Citizen of the Year. She founded First Friday, an event for women, in 2008, and is now committed to the lifelong project of establishing The Gatehouse as a community where women and children in crisis participate in a place and program for permanent change.
Ribbon cutting ceremony for The Gatehouse
Lisa Rose is also the founder and Board President of The Gatehouse at Grapevine. The Gatehouse is a $28 million, 61-acre supportive living community designed for women in crisis and their children. The Gatehouse website explains that the community will house up to 96 families and includes a community/conference center, in-neighborhood counseling centers, Keeps Boutique, Hope Chapel, general store, walking trails and commercial space.
Keeps Boutique
This community, which allows members to stay up to 2½ years depending on their individually tailored program, provides safe refuge and creates the environment for women and children in crisis to walk the path toward permanent change.
The Gatehouse community
The idea for The Gatehouse sprung up in part from the First Friday initiative which began in 2008, when Lisa and a group of women began a free, once-a-month experience to give women a practical hand up for life’s challenges. The First Friday experience transformed into the nonprofit projectHandUp, through which the founding leaders could create a way to offer women a hand up that would lead to permanent, positive change: a place where women could be healed and restored as they end needless cycles of poverty, abuse and repetitive prison terms.
General Store
At that same time, Deborah Lyons, Executive Director at The Gatehouse in Grapevine, had envisioned a fully integrated, non-government funded supportive community for women in crisis. God brought the two women together, and Deborah joined the journey with projectHandUp. Deborah also is the author of the faith-based Independent Life Program used at The Gatehouse.
Community Center
In August 2012, projectHandUp purchased 61 acres outside DFW Airport with unanimous Grapevine City Council approval, and the stepping stones were laid for The Gatehouse, a supportive living community where women and their children in crisis can discover a new path for permanent change. The Gatehouse opened in March of 2015.
Join us on October 29th for the Distinguished Speaker Series luncheon beginning at 11:45 am in the Hunter Welcome Center. COBA is providing the opportunity for 100 ACU students to attend the event for free by registering here. General Admission tickets are $20 and may be purchased at this link. If you have questions about the event, please email M.C. Jennings at marycolleen.jennings@acu.edu.
Read more about The Gatehouse at this link from the Fort Worth Star Telegram.
View the grand opening of The Gatehouse by clicking here.
*Information about The Gatehouse provided in this blog comes directly from The Gatehouse website. Visit their website by clicking this link.
Purchase tickets to the event by clicking on this link.
by M. C. Jennings | Sep 22, 2015 | Academics, COBA Faculty, Current Students, Faith Infusion, School of Information Technology and Computing, Uncategorized
What is your educational background?
BSChe (Chemical Engineering) – University of Arkansas, MS Management Science – University of Central Texas (now part of Texas A&M system), PhD Arizona State University in Information Systems.
Dr. Orneita Burton
What is your work background?
Petrochemicals and oil and gas industry – Phillips Petroleum, Dow Chemical, Union Carbide, Mobil Oil/Chemical Division.
What do you teach at ACU?
Operations Management, courses in Information Systems (ERP, E-Commerce, Business Intelligence/Data Analysis), and Microeconomics online.
What committees/other duties do you have at ACU aside from teaching?
Faculty Senate; United by Faith and Racial Unity community efforts with Jerry Taylor and Doug Foster, SAP University Alliances faculty coordinator, recent Gen Ed Committee, support AIS (Association of Information Systems) students.
What drew you to teaching? Why did you want to work with students?
I tutored peers in math while in college and they would say I should be a teacher. I was an intervention tutor for students in elementary school when they struggled in math and reading during their early years. I would work with them to bring them up to grade level. All of my life, people would ask me why I was not a teacher. One day, I told someone that if I was given the opportunity to teach at a Christian university, I would change career paths. Dr. Jack Griggs, who was then Dean of the College of Business called a few months later. I could not turn down an answer from God.
What’s the best part of working with students?
In every student, there is a desire to learn. Many students have not tapped into this energy because of grade competition and standardized tests. I love the opportunity to reignite the desire to learn that God has placed in each of us. This is important, as why would we seek salvation without this motivation to learn about the God who created us? It compares to taking a multiple choice exam to pass the Salvation test. What do we learn about God?
Have you ever given up any big opportunities to keep working with students?
Definitely. Money is always a temptation in the oil and gas industry, even during market downturns. At times, I have been concerned about my children and their futures based on my choice. However, I believe I was called to be at ACU. I therefore allow God to unfold His daily purpose for our being here, both at ACU and in Abilene. I compare my walk to when Satan tempted Jesus with hunger (worry associated with need), seeking safety in peril and being offered the world and its riches. These are the same temptations each of us face – if we are willing to let God take the lead. It has been an adventure being here, and I have humbly found the answer to each of these choices: Jesus – plain and simple.
Outside of teaching, what passions and hobbies do you have?
I love to read, which, as I get older, motivates me to write. I believe I will one day write the story within that shapes the external and eternal “me.” I also have developed the worthwhile hobby of truly enjoying my marriage relationship. Marriage is a challenging experience in many ways. It takes an untraditional view of life to value relationships, particularly the marriage relationship. I enjoy the love of my life and have made loving others a daily “hobby.”
What is a good, early story about your teaching?
My mother always wanted to be a teacher. Contrarily, none of her children wanted to become teachers. Out of her 12 children, four are engineers, two are accountants, three are scientists of some type – invariably none became teachers by profession. Not until I was called to do so in the spring of 2000. Because of financial and family reasons, both my mother and father only finished the 9th grade. However, my mother always valued the teaching profession. When she was young, her best friend was a teacher. She decided to name me after her best friend. Therefore, I often think I was somehow “spirited” into the profession because God honored my mother’s dream.
Tell me about a project or accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant in your career.
Hard to say. We have been in Abilene almost 9 years. I think being here has created multiple project opportunities in community service. Abilene is a good place because the presence of God flows through so many people. Yet, for my family, being here has been the most difficult time in my life. Despite efforts by others for us to move on and move away, God has been our shepherd throughout the years; He has provided green pastures and laid a table before us time and time again.
Do you do any charity or non-profit work?
We created an ACU endowment in honor of my mother and father to fund scholarships for students; we provide two housing environments that promote human flourishing for people who may be homeless because of life’s circumstances. We also support the International Justice Mission (IJM) and a global academic community that works to integrate management, spirituality and religion as a way of doing business.
Who is your role model, and why?
My mother. She walked with God through the challenges of life, and was faithful until the end; then she went home to live in the mansion she never had while on earth – one built especially for her by Jesus. My mother loved geese. I think she is on a farm surrounded by geese and probably some generic form of duck.
Who was your most inspirational professor and why?
Dr. Charles Thatcher. He wrote the book I used at the University of Arkansas for foundations in Chemical Engineering as an undergrad. Through Dr. Thatcher, I was able to see what it looked like for someone to live and breathe what they taught. Inspirational, no doubt, and note-worthy. However, not yet sure if this is always a good thing.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?
The power to reveal truth, create justice and show mercy all in the same breath, and ensure that everyone acted with pure and unselfish motives for the common good.
Dr. Burton and Dr. Pope teaching COBA students in Oxford.
What is something that students might be surprised to find out about you?
That I was raised by a practicing atheist. My father lived between agnostic beliefs and an atheistic walk – i.e., a defacto atheist. Was this all bad? Consider the following: a practicing atheist has no reason to lie or hide behind falsehood. Because of this, I was raised in a home where neither my mother nor father smoked, drank or engaged in anything traditionally regarded as wrong. My father in fact was very deliberate about what we as girls wore and how we presented ourselves as young women. He had a keen eye for falsehood and insisted that we avoid both the “vices” and “hypocrisies” of life. For me as a young person, this resulted in no real foundation and a true void that I ultimately had to choose how to fill. Despite our backgrounds, we all choose. Consider I Corinthians 3:10-15: “By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames. My advice to any student is to choose a solid foundation. Then, build a lifestyle that can sustain the trials of life, because the trials will surely come. When they do, don’t give up. You’ll be a better person on the other side.
What would you really want students and alums to know about you?
I believe that truth and right-living are found by searching with all your heart. Because of my family structure, I had to search for truth and learned the art of “research” and knowledge discovery early in life. Without a university experience, I would have missed experiencing the generic value of learning as a higher calling. Therefore, when I teach, I do so without political, personal or social agenda, and I work to show the natural design of God in all things. There are foundational truths that exist. Learning in any discipline should be all about coming to know truth. That is why I think teaching comes with great responsibility, and that is also why I think college is an important investment we should all make to provide this opportunity for everyone.
