D R . P H I L L E W I S

E A G L E S

T H R I V E

E N D O F A N E R A

O N WA L L S T R E E T

C A M PA I G N B E G I N S

Dr. Lewis at the 2014 CBA Awards Banquet.

A N N U A LR E P O R T

2 0 1 4 C O L L E G E O F B U S I N E S S A D M I N I S T R A T I O N

Dean’s Message ........................................................................................................3

End of an Era .........................................................................................................4-5

A Whole Lot of Learning ....................................................................................... 6

Accreditation Reaffirmed.......................................................................................7

CBA Students and Faculty Serve the World Through Missions .........8-9

CBA Diversity ........................................................................................................... 10

Doctor, Doctor ...........................................................................................................11

Marketing Alum and Marketing Professor - Super Bowl Panel .......12-13

OC AMA Students Shine ................................................................................ 14-15

OC Ethics Debate Team Has Another Successful Year ...................... 16-17

Eagles on Wall Street....................................................................................18-19

By The Numbers .....................................................................................................20

Thrive Campaign ..................................................................................................... 21

Faculty Presentations, Publications, and Consulting Activites ............ 22

College of Business Administration Faculty & Staff ................................23

A N N U A LR E P O R T

2 0 1 4 C O L L E G E O F B U S I N E S S A D M I N I S T R A T I O N

2 S O B A

T H E D E A NA L E T T E R F R O M

The continuity and change paradox

Dear Graduates and Friends,

There is an interesting aspect of continuity that presents a paradox: in order for something to

continue, it often must change. There are numerous examples of this in our society.

Though our government continues to be grounded in the principles laid out in the Constitution, it

has changed quite a bit since 1776. Since it humble beginnings in Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak’s

garage, Apple has transformed into a global tech company, but its success stil l l ies in its abil ity

to innovate. Even our Lord’s church had undergone much change, yet is sti l l the body and bride of

Christ.

This same paradox is prevalent in the College of Business Administration at Oklahoma Christian.

Since OC began offering students the abil ity to study business in 1957, it has provided students

with a top-notch education, delivered by Christian professors, who mentor their students beyond

the classroom. Yet it has and continues to undergo change.

In this issue of our annual report, you will read about many modifications that have occurred in

the past year. In addition, you also wil l see much evidence of OC continuing to be a place where

students and faculty excel and make a positive impact on the world.

Like many great institutions, OC will experience change, but it’s good to know it wil l sti l l be a place

where students receive an excellent, God-centered business education.

Grace & Peace,

Jeff Simmons

Interim Dean of the College of Business Administration

The continuity and change paradox

3S O B A

After 14 years at the helm of the College of

Professional Studies, Dr. Phil Lewis stepped away

from the role of dean to return to the classroom. Dr.

Lewis accomplished much during his tenure as dean

(see sidebar), successfully building on the strong

foundation laid by Drs. Jack Skaggs and Howard

Leftwich.

“Dr. Lewis is a good man and led the College of

Professional Studies during an important time

in the life of this institution,” OC president John

deSteiguer said. “The initiation, and the subsequent

dramatic growth, of OC’s MBA program under

Phil ’s watch is a great example of leadership and

achievement. Dr. Lewis is respected and admired by

his faculty colleagues and students alike. That is a

great testament to him.”

When Dr. Lewis came to Oklahoma Christian, he

was put in charge of the College of Professional

Studies, which included the business, education,

engineering, and math and computer science

programs. In May 2014, Dr. Scott LaMascus, OC’s

vice president for academic affairs, announced

that the university would be reorganized into five

colleges from three. One of these colleges will be

the College of Business Administration (CBA). The

CBA will be comprised of our seven undergraduate

programs, and the Graduate School of Business

which offers the MBA and the new Master of

Accountancy degree.

Given the experience, knowledge, and leadership

that Dr. Lewis brought to the CBA, he leaves

diff icult shoes to fi l l . Dr. Jeff Simmons has agreed

to serve as interim dean.

During the annual awards banquet for the

undergraduate program, members of the

CBA honored Dr. Lewis. You can go online

to our Facebook page (www.facebook/

OklahomaChristianSOBA) to view a video of faculty

reflections on Dr. Lewis.

Highlights of Dr. Lewis’ Tenure

• Doubled the size of the full-time

faculty and increased the percentage of

professors who hold doctorate degrees.

• Implemented the MBA and MAcc graduate programs.

• Served as president of the ACBSP Southwest Region.

• Published two leadership books.

• Achieved reaffirmation of OC’s ACBSP accreditation.

• Implemented the J.J. Mil l ican Ethics Symposium.

• Assisted in generating $2.6 mill ion of gift support.

END OF AN ERA

4 S O B A

Dr. Lewis receives a standing ovation at the 2014 CBA Awards Banquet.

5S O B A

Evidence from annual assessment of student learning shows a drastic improvement in students’

understanding of business from the time students enter OC’s business program to their graduation.

As part of the annual assessment process for the CBA’s undergraduate program, students are

administered the Major Field Test (MFT) in Business, which measures students’ knowledge and

understanding of the primary business disciplines.

They first take the test at the beginning of their studies in the CBA during the Introduction to Business

class. They take the same test again at the end of their studies during the Strategic Management

course. The accompanying figure shows the results.

When students first take the test they score, at best, in the third percentile, which means they score

better than only 3 percent of all test takers. In other words, 97 percent of test takers understand

business better than our entering students.

But by the time our students complete their business studies at OC, they outscore a majority of all

test takers and score in the 65th percentile. In some learning areas, they score as high as the 86th,

85th, or 75th percentile.

The MFT test is a standardized test designed by ETS, the same organization that produces the SAT

and GRE exams.

L E A R N I N GA W H O L E L O T O F

L E A R N I N G A R E A

A c c o u n t i n g

E c o n o m i c s M a n a g e m e n t

Q u a n t i t i v e A n a l y s i s

F i n a n c e

M a r k e t i n g

L e g a l & S o c i a l E n v i r o n m e n t

I n f o r m a t i o n S y s t e m s

I n t e r n a t i o n a l I s s u e s

To t a l A g g r e g a t e S c o r e

M F T %P R E -T E S T

3 r d

1 s t 1 s t

3 r d

2 n d

1 s t

1 s t

1 s t

1 s t

1 s t

M F T %P O S T-T E S T

6 9 t h

7 1 s t 8 6 t h

7 5 t h

5 9 t h

4 2 n d

5 2 n d

4 3 r d

8 5 t h

6 5 t h

6 S O B A

In October 2013, a team of site evaluators from

the Accreditation Council for Business Schools

and Programs (ACBSP) descended on the OC

campus.

This was the final step of a long accreditation

reaffirmation process. Preparations for the site

visit began long before the visitors arrived. The

faculty worked to ensure that each learning

objective was well articulated, addressed in the

curriculum and effectively addressed, so that

we had longitudinal data available for analysis.

This analysis and other evidences of quality

program management were ultimately compiled

by Dr. Phil Lewis, who wrote an 84-page review

document.

According to ACBSP documents, “The ACBSP

accreditation philosophy is based on a mission-

driven systematic approach to continuously

advance academic quality.” There are six

different criteria by which ACBSP evaluates a

business program, they include:

1 . Leadership

2. Strategic Planning

3. Student and Stakeholder Focus

4. Measurement and Analysis of Student

Learning and Performance

5. Faculty and Staff Focus

6. Educational and Business Process

Management

The CBA passed with flying colors and

was again fully accredited for 10 years, the

maximum time the ACBSP allows between

reaffirmation evaluations.

This outcome further validates OC’s business

programs and should give prospective and

current students confidence in the educational

product produced by our faculty and staff. In

addition, since ACBSP accreditation standards

are modeled on the Baldridge National Quality

Program, employers value students who

graduate from ACBSP-accredited schools.

R E A F F I R M E DA C C R E D I TAT I O N

Elaine Kelly, Department of Accounting and Finance chair, lectures her students.

7S O B A

S E R V E T H E WO R L D

T H R O U G H M I S S I O N S

C B A S T U D E N T S A N D FA C U LT Y

Paige Criswell with kids at a Vacation Bible School in Tanzania.

8 S O B A

they had to teach most children how to color,

because the kids had never had crayons before.

“As much as I l ike to tell myself I was a small

dose of blessing to them, Tanzania was a much

larger blessing to me,” Katie said. “I think about

it everyday and the friends I have made there.

Africa wil l always be in my heart and I wish to

return again very soon.”

Dr. Jeff Simmons, Interim Dean of the College

of Business Administration, along with his wife

Pattie (’91) led three OC students on a Let’s

Start Talking (LST) campaign to Xi’an, China,

over the summer.

The LST program is designed to introduce

people to the story of Jesus by using text from

the Simple English version of the Bible to help

people develop their English language skil ls.

The team of six people worked with more than

60 students. Many of the readers were students

at Xi’an Polytechnic University (XPU), which OC

has a cooperative agreement with. Many of our

CBA international students come from XPU.

“It’s inspiring to witness the power of God’s

word when you see the excited reaction when

one is reading about Jesus,” Dr. Simmons said.

“Our students would read his name, look up,

smile, and say, ‘Oh! This is about Jesus! My

grandmother once read a story to me about

him.’ They couldn’t wait to read the next story.”

While in Xi’an, Dr. Simmons also taught in two

management classes at XPU and delivered a

lecture about international trade theories to XPU

students and professors.

One of the learning objectives of OC’s College

of Business Administration is to have students

understand the importance of ethics, values,

morals, and social responsibility, and relate them

to the Christian worldview.

While we measure this in an objective manner, it

is best evidenced by the fact that our students

have chosen to devote part of their summer and

even delay their careers in order to serve God

through missions.

This summer, several members of the CBA

traveled to Africa and China for multi-week

mission campaigns. Paige Criswell (Marketing

Management major), Katie Pfeil (Marketing

Management major), and Breanna Marcotte

(2014 Accounting grad) traveled with the Chimala

Mission Team to Tanzania, Africa. Our students

served in many ways.

Breanna saw her OC business education come in

handy on the mission trip.

“I am not great at speaking in front of an

audience, but my business courses at OC gave

me so much practice,” she said. “Traveling

halfway across the world from everything I am

used to means I needed to be able cope with

being out of my comfort zone.”

In addition to hosting a Vacation Bible School

program at a local school, they handed out rice

to hospital patients and their families in the

children’s ward and painted classrooms in the

primary school.

They even procured a real soccer ball for the

headmaster of the Masai school. Kids usually

make their own ball out of nets and trash. During

the VBS,

Jeff Simmons conducting a Bible study with an XPU student.

Breanna Marcotte in Tanzania.

9S O B A

As part of the annual assessment process each year, the CBA gathers demographic data on its students. People are

often surprised to hear just how diverse the CBA student is.

Only 71 percent of the students in the undergraduate program claim to be Caucasian, Non-Hispanic. This is down from

82 percent in 2008. Twelve percent of our undergraduates are of Asian decent and 8 percent are African-American.

The 264 undergraduates come from 15 different nations, of which 9 percent come from China alone. In total, 19 percent

of our undergraduates are citizens of a nation other than the United States.

The CBA graduate student body is also very diverse. Of the 299 people that reported their ethnicity, only 53 percent

claimed to be Caucasian, Non-Hispanic. Students from Africa make up 19 percent of the student body while African-

American students account for 16 percent.

OC continues to attract more students with varied backgrounds. Such diversity significantly enhances the education one

receives from the CBA. Classroom discussions of various business topics become very robust as students share their

unique points of view.

D I V E R S I T YC B A

10 S O B A

OC’s College of Business Administration has two new doctors in its midst. Drs. Jody Jones and Dan Sorensen both

successfully defended their dissertations.

Dr. Sorensen completed his Doctor of Business Administration degree at Anderson University on July 29. His dissertation

is titled “An Examination of the Effects on Accounting Students of an Accounting Ethics Education Intervention that is

Based on the Moral Philosophy of Adam Smith.” His research sample included students from multiple universities of

various ages and stages in their careers.

Dr. Jones successfully defended his dissertation on May 6, receiving a Doctor of Higher Education degree from Oklahoma

State University. His dissertation, titled “Oral Histories of First-Generation Oklahoma College Graduates Who Earned

Doctoral Degrees,” compared and contrasted the value of education for each student. Dr. Jones said a particular

interesting aspect of his study was that three brothers – all from the same background – had significantly different

educational experiences.

Perhaps, what is most impressive about the work of Drs. Jones and Sorensen is that they did it while continuing to

maintain a full teaching load in the College of Business Administration. There were a lot of late nights, missed dinners,

and travel to and from their respective campuses. Yet, through it all , they continued to provide the CBA students with

the same great quality education they have always provided.

D O C T O RD O C T O R ,

Dr. Jones with his family at his dissertation defense.

Dr. Sorensen and his wife Karen at Anderson University.

11S O B A

The American Marketing Association of Oklahoma City

held its annual Super Bowl Showdown in February. A

panel of marketing experts from the area provided

their insight into the motivation behind, and outcomes

sought from, a selection of commercials from this

year’s Super Bowl.

Panel members included Steve Sturges (VI Marketing

and Branding), Susan Harkness (OG&E), Matt Stratton

(Tinker Federal Credit Union), and Randy Bradley

(Jordan Advertising).

OC Professor of Marketing, Dr. Burt Smith, returned

for his fifth year as panel moderator. A key difference

in 2014 was that Smith found himself working for one

of his former students, Stewart Law. Law served in

the chapter’s pivotal role, Vice President of Programs,

in 2013-14 and is the Research Manager for Evolve

Market Research, an Oklahoma City-based market

research firm.

“The Super Bowl Showdown is historically one of

our highest attended and most anticipated meetings

of the year,” Law said. “It’s a fun and interactive

meeting where our audience gets to relive the most

talked-about ads from the big game and hear expert

commentary on the strategy and effectiveness from

some of the best marketers in the state. All of our

panelists were executive level marketers at their

respective organizations, so it was only fitting that we

have an equally qualif ied moderator for the panel. Dr.

Burt is a seasoned, well-respected marketer and a

gifted public speaker, so asking him to moderate the

discussion was a no-brainer.”

Smith served two terms as president of the AMA’s

Oklahoma City Chapter and was the first president to

lead a team to a National Chapter Excellence Award.

In 2010, the chapter created the Dr. Burt Lifetime

Achievement Award in his honor. He credits Law for the

quality of this year’s event.

“Stewart has always impressed me with how he can

be counted on to deliver and not overlook a single

detail , but what impressed me most this time was how

he brought together all the ‘moving parts’ of the event

and managed to execute so flawlessly,” Smith said.

“Even as it was occurring, I was thinking, ‘Wow! Well

done, Stewart!’”

Law earned his baccalaureate degree in marketing

in 2008 and his MBA in 2009, both from Oklahoma

Christian. He was recently elected to the office of

President-Elect for the Oklahoma City chapter’s 2014-

15 term and will serve as chapter president in 2015-16.

“I ’m extremely proud of the leader Stewart is. He

represents the profession of marketing and OC very

well,” Smith said. “I am very excited to think about

what a great chapter president he’s going to be!”

S U P E R B O W L PA N E L

M A R K E T I N G A L U M A N D M A R K E T I N G P R O F E S S O R C O L L A B O R AT E O N

12 S O B A

Dr. Burt Smith and Stewart Law

13S O B A

C O N F E R E N C E A N D O N C A M P U S

O C A M A S T U D E N T S S H I N E AT

OC AMA gets insight from Simpli .f i executive Paul Harrison.

For only the second time in the six-year history of the OC

American Marketing Association (AMA), chapter members

were invited to present at the AMA Collegiate Conference in

New Orleans.

AMA President David Sellers and AMA Vice President of

Analytics Dylan White presented Tips for Success for Small

Chapters. (See Photo AMA Presents at National Conference)

The OC chapter of the American Marketing Association

has been recognized at the AMA Collegiate Conference for

success in many areas, with the most recent award being for

Outstanding Communication. AMA Officers received a plaque at

the awards banquet on the final night of the conference.

AMA officers hosted a resume workshop for the OC campus

community at the start of the Spring 2014 semester. Jim Farris,

President of James Farris and Associates, brought a keynote

address (see photo Jim Farris Provides Resume Tips to OC

Students). Students then moved to a “speed round” of resume

review, getting the opportunity to spend two minutes with five

professionals from different business and academic areas.

AMA Faculty Advisor Dr. Kerianne Roper said the event,

which is designed to strengthen student interviewing

skills and resume writing, was a huge success.

14 S O B A

“I was thrilled with the tremendous value Mr. Farris

graciously provided to our students, and feel confident

that everyone who attended is much better prepared for

the interview process,” she said.

Students involved in the AMA not only improved their

interviewing and resume writing skills, but also had the

opportunity to visit and tour a leading digital advertising

firm. Officers and members traveled to Fort Worth, Texas,

to tour the digital advertising firm Simpli.fi .

Key leaders in the organization spent most of Friday with

the students, discussing topics ranging from the future

of digital advertising to Christianity in the workplace. CTO

Paul Harrison organized the schedule and hosted the

students.

Another highlight of the trip included a visit to OC’s

Texas Office in Arlington. The chapter is grateful to Vice

President for Texas Operations Alan Phillips and Executive

Assistant Jill Denton for helping the AMA students set up

the trip.

The OC AMA chapter also hosted Brian Byrnes, Executive

Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Oklahoma

City Thunder. With this being his sixth visit to campus,

Byrnes was again a riveting speaker. His presentation

included a Thunder promotional video, along with personal

experience and advice for students as they prepare to

work in professional careers.

The OC AMA was officially chartered in 2008 and has

become a very successful organization in a short time.

In the first years as a competitive chapter, the OC AMA

received national recognition at the AMA Collegiate

Conference in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2014 – being

selected from 140+ schools for demonstrating excellence

in membership, community service, communication,

fundraising and chapter planning. AMA International, the

parent organization for collegiate chapters, hosts the

conference.

Membership in the AMA brings many benefits to

students, such as the chance to network with marketing

professionals who speak on campus at chapter meetings,

the opportunity to develop leadership skills through officer

positions or committee leadership, and membership in the

Oklahoma City Professional AMA Chapter.

OC AMA in Texas with Alan Phil l ips and Jil l Denton.

OC students with Brian Byrnes, EVP of Sales and Marketing for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

OC AMA officers with Drs. Kerianne Roper and Burt Smith.

AMA students present at the national conference.

15S O B A

A N O T H E RS U C C E S S F U L Y E A R

O C E T H I C S D E B AT E T E A M H A S

BY T O R I J O N E S

W I T H C O N T R I B U T I O N

F R O M J E F F S I M M O N S

After winning the Oklahoma state ethics tournament

and placing third in the Texas Regional competition,

the OC ethics team took fifth place out of 32 teams

from across the nation in the Intercollegiate Ethics

Bowl Competition Feb. 27 in Jacksonvil le, Fla.

The ethics team is led by CBA professor Jeff

Simmons. Its members included three students from

the CBA, Ryan Fuller (Finance major), Hunter Farhat

(Marketing Management major), and Chas Carter

(Finance minor). The other team members included

Jasper Bawcom (ESL Major), Hannah Ketring

(English/Writing major), and Gabriel Gasorowski

(Engineering major).

The team debated on topics such as in-vitro

ferti l ization, outsourcing surrogate mothers, the

morality of FBI involvement in potential cases

of terrorist coercion, and the use of off-label

prescriptions with anti-psychotic drugs.

Sophomore Gabriel Gasiorowski is a first-time ethics

team member. He said the team put in the hours

poring over cases in preparation for the competition.

“We discuss questions based off a series of cases

that we receive before the case,” Gasiorowski said.

“We don’t know the questions or which case until

we get to each match, so we must be well prepared

for the dimensions of each case.”

Jeff Simmons, the team’s faculty sponsor, said the

team practiced every Tuesday and Thursday for

about two hours.

“Unfortunately, the only time we could find to meet

on Thursday was at 6:00 a.m.,” Simmons said. “At

first, we discuss the moral issues involved with each

case and the possible viewpoints one could take

towards the ethical dilemma presented in the case.

In subsequent meetings, we practice by actually

presenting and debating our arguments amongst

ourselves.”

Additionally, the team works on other debate skil ls,

such as being able to present arguments in one

minute, 30-second and 10-second intervals.

Personal bias made going on the offensive

challenging, according to junior Jasper Bawcom.

16 S O B A

“One of the things the judges look at in the

competition is your abil ity to poke holes in the other

team’s arguments, and this was sometimes diff icult

to do, especially in situations where you agreed with

the other team,” Bawcom said.

Gasiorowski admitted that biases made even

establishing the team’s position on a case more of

a process.

“We must be cohesive as a team of three people –

all with different ideas,” Gasiorowski said. “There is

a lot of real debate and discussion on these cases

in each of our practices when we are searching for

our team’s position.”

Simmons said the team had tough competitors,

including the University of Montana, the University of

Nebraska, and the University of Oklahoma.

“We are developing quite the rivalry with OU,”

Simmons said. “In the past two years, we have beat

their team four times and lost three.”

The top eight teams from the round-robin matches

advanced to the quarterfinals, where it is win or go

home.

The Eagles squared off against the University of

Montana in the quarterfinal. In the end, Montana,

who went on to win the national championship,

defeated OC’s team by a two-point margin.

The most challenging opponents, in Gasiorowski’s

opinion, were St. Petersburg College and the

University of Nebraska.

“Both matches were extremely close,” Gasiorowski

said. “While we won against St. Petersburg and

unfortunately lost against Nebraska, both were very

well fought on both sides.”

According to Simmons, there are usually 15

cases that a team has to prepare for the national

championship. Most

other teams have five members that assign and

divide the cases amongst the team members so

that they have case experts.

“Instead, I have every member involved in every

case by making each one responsible for addressing

the dilemma through the perspective of a specific

moral philosophy, such as deontology, uti l itarianism

or Aristotelian ethics,” Simmons said. “This way,

we are assured of not having some of our stronger

presenters idle during the match simply because

their case wasn’t discussed.”

Bawcom didn’t know what to expect going into the

competition, but he is content with the squad’s

performance.

“I think we did well, especially considering that it

was the first time on the team for each of us,”

Bawcom said. “Hopefully, we can do even better

next year.”

OC Ethics Debate Team at the State Tournament.

17S O B A

WA L L S T R E E TE A G L E S O N

Accounting and Finance Club students with Dr. Jones on Wall Street.

18 S O B A

As part of the Eagles on Wall Street program,

OC students attended a student investment

conference during the spring semester for

the eighth consecutive year. But 2014 saw a

dramatic change: conference attendance was

part of a course.

While past conferences afforded OC students

the opportunity to interact firsthand with Wall

Street professionals, the expansion of the trip

helped to create a unique learning environment

not available in a classroom.

During spring break, 15 OC students traveled to

New York City, where they participated in the

GAME Forum, one of the largest student-focused

investment conferences in the world. During

the conference, students got to interact with

professionals from a variety of accounting and

finance professions and institutions.

Popular sessions included derivative pricing

and forensic accounting. OC students also

participated in a portfolio management

competition. Melanie Scifers, a senior accounting

and finance double major, also participated in

the NASDAQ closing bell ceremony.

The portfolio competition at the GAME Forum

and the CFA Research Challenge allowed OC

students to show their mettle against students

from other, often much larger, universities …

and often against graduate students.

“Being able to participate in the

forums and hearing from very

experienced people in the

business field, was a great

opportunity,” student Henoc

Mugishakivuye said.

OC’s students also explored other sites related

to the finance industry. They toured the New

York Federal Reserve, the Museum of Finance,

and several other Wall Street landmarks.

Bloomberg, the industry leader in financial

research and information dissemination, also

gave students a tour of its headquarters in New

York. The tour concluded with a private meeting

with Richard Yaramore, a highly respected

economist who offered students advice on

career development and economic analysis.

“Eagles on Wall Street was an

eye-opening and inspiring

experience,” student Ryan

Fuller said. “Before the trip, I

had thought of Wall Street as

a distant place fi l led with

greed and corruption.

However, after having experienced it firsthand, I

now see Wall Street as much more accessible

to the common man and know that there are

good people there. This was without a doubt

one of my favorite college experiences.”

In 2015, Eagles on Wall Street wil l continue to

evolve. Instead of studying a survey of topics,

students wil l study international finance. As part

of their curriculum, students wil l travel to both

Washington, D.C., and New York City, where they

will visit sites such as the Rwandan Embassy,

World Bank, and the United Nations.

Students also wil l visit sovereign Native

American nations within Oklahoma. This broad

exposure wil l help students understand the

importance of international finance housed

within both our state and nation.

Due to the increased travel component with the

expanded itinerary, the cost of the spring 2015

trip is expected to increase. To minimize the

cost to students and to help ensure students

are able to participate, we are raising funds

to help offset the travel component. For more

information about Eagles on Wall Street, or if

you would like to sponsor students, contact

Jones at jody.jones@oc.edu.

19S O B A

BY T H E N U M B E R SO C M B A . . .

BY K E N J O H N S O N

331

55

165

115

62

54

25

53

47

84

total MBA students enrolled for the Spring 2014 semester.

percent of our students take an online course during the semester. We went over the 50%

mark in 2013 and demand for our online courses continue to grow.

students completed all their courses online.

students took all of their classes on campus.

students took a combination of online classes and on-campus classes.

percent of our grad students are in their 20s. 32% are in their 30s.

countries are represented in the MBA student body. There are 209 (63%) United States

citizens in the program. We have 61 Rwandans in the MBA. 57 of them are in Kigali ; four of

them are in the USA.

percent of men in the MBA program.

percent of women in the MBA program.

students who will complete their MBA degree this summer.

First Rwanda Graduation, Spring 2014

Willy Niyonteze graduates with 4.0 GPA and Delta Mu Delta honor.

20 S O B A

On June 1, Oklahoma Christian announced the beginning of the Thrive! fundraising campaign. The goal is to raise

$30 million in three years for the university to achieve 30 high-impact, near-term, strategically relevant projects.

Thrive! is very different from traditional university fundraising campaigns. First, instead of raising the $30 million

for the university as a whole, Thrive! has divided the money so specific amounts are allocated to specific

programs or projects.

Thus, the College of Business Administration has been allocated $1 million. No matter what. No fighting for it in

budget meetings. No watching other departments enjoy the fruits of the Advancement Office’s labor. If we raise

the money, we get the money. Period.

This should be important to you as a supporter of the CBA because you can be assured that when you give

towards the Thrive! campaign you can designate it for the College of Business Administration and know that it

will be used for programs in the CBA.

Another difference in the Thrive! campaign is the level of transparency. Typically, there is a period of silent

fundraising when the university attempts to garner a significant portion of the campaign goal before going

public. But Thrive! is a transparent campaign. From the beginning, supporters can see how much has been

raised for each of the specific projects at oc.edu/thrive.

Currently, the CBA plans to use the funds generated through the Thrive! campaign for several new initiatives

designed to attract and retain exceptional students, and to position the OC CBA as the premier place to study

business in the Oklahoma City area. These initiatives include:

• Remodeling the Harvey Business Center to provide an atmosphere where students engage the world of

business through media, collaboration, and specialized research terminals.

• Developing innovative curricular programs that address the needs and demands of today’s business

environment.

• Establishing a center of leadership through which high-profile leaders of industry are brought to OC’s

campus to share their insights with the OC community and greater Oklahoma City area professionals.

Anyone interested in joining us can go to oc.edu/thrive, where you can contribute toward the CBA’s specific

fundraising target. We hope that all our alumni, supporters, and students will contribute and help us not just

continue with business as usual, but to truly Thrive!

B E G I N ST H R I V E C A M PA I G N

21S O B A

Dr. Dan Sorensen presented a paper with Kevin Cabe from Indiana Wesleyan University at the Christian Scholars

Conference on June 7. Their paper was entitled “An Accounting Ethics Intervention Based on the Moral Philosophy of

Adam Smith.” The same duo also presented at the Midwest Scholars Conference on March 14, 2014.

Dr. Kerianne Roper volunteered as the webmaster for Shepherd’s Hill International. Her responsibilities included

creation of a new website that merged several organizations and facilitated online donations.

Dr. Kimberly Merritt has always been active collaborating with professors at other institutions and performing research

in several areas. This year was no different. Dr. Merritt had four papers presented at three different conferences. Her

presentations included:

“Analyzing a Decade of Assessment Data: Mining for Trends in Student Learning,” with K. David Smith,

presented at the 41st Annual Meeting of the Federation of Business Disciplines, Association of Business

Information Systems, March 2014.

“Preparing Business Students for their Futures: The Role of Sustainability in the Curriculum and Programs

of Universities,” Professional Development Workshop with J. Camey and M. Suzanne Clinton, presented at

the 41st Annual Meeting of the Federation of Business Disciplines, Southwest Academy of Management,

March 2014.

“Tips and Strategies for Overcoming Gender Differences in Email Communication,” Professional

Development Workshop with M. Suzanne Clinton, presented at the 41st Annual Meeting of the Federation of

Business Disciplines, Southwest Academy of Management, March 2014.

“Examining the Role of Gender in Asynchronous Communication,” with M. Suzanne Clinton,

presented at the OWHE Conference, November 2013.

Aside from the presentation he made in China (see “CBA Students and Faculty Serve the World Through Missions”

article), Dr. Jeff Simmons also presented at the ACBSP Region 6 Conference. His paper, titled “Do students ‘walk the

talk’ when it comes to corporate social responsibility?” looked at students’ decisions regarding spending on corporate

social responsibility initiatives in the context of a simulated business environment. His presentation was named as the

Best of the Region for Region 6 and Dr. Simmons was invited to represent Region 6 at the second-annual Best of

Regions Excellence Award competition during the 2013 ACBSP National Conference in Salt Lake City.

FA C U LT Y P R E S E N TAT I O N S , P U B L I C AT I O N S , A N D C O N S U LT I N G A C T I V I T I E S

22 S O B A

FA C U LT Y & S TA F F

Jeffery Simmons, DBA.Interim Dean, College of Business Administration Professor of Businessjeff.simmons@oc.edu425-5566

Mickey Cowan, MBA, CPAAssociate Professor of Accountingmickey.cowan@oc.edu425-5552

Don Drew, EdDAssociate Vice President, Academic AffairsDean, Graduate ProgramsProfessor, Managementdon.drew@oc.edu425-5577

Janell HuntsmanAdministrative Assistant to Deanjanell.huntsman@oc.edu425-5560

Elaine D. Kelly, MBA, CPAJJ Millican Chair in AccountingChair, Department of Accounting and FinanceAssociate Professor, Accountingelaine.kelly@oc.edu425-5564

Jody L. Jones, EdDAssistant Professor, Businessjody.jones@oc.edu425-5590

Kenneth D. Johnson, DBA, CPAChair, Graduate School of BusinessDirector of Graduate School of Businessken.johnson@oc.edu425-5567

Angela KopyAssistant to MBA Directorangela.kopy@oc.edu425-5568

Kimberly Merritt, DBAAssociate Professor, Information Serviceskimberly.merritt@oc.edu425-5570

Kathy MilliganChair, Graduate School of Businesskathy.milligan@oc.edu425-5565

Kenneth A. Miller, PhDProfessor, Economicsken.miller@oc.edu425-5569

Kerianne Roper, DBAChair, Department of Management and MarketingAssociate Professor, Marketingkerianne.roper@oc.edu425-5583

Dan Sorensen, DBA, CPAAssociate Professor, Accountingdaniel.soresen@oc.edu425-5582

Burt Smith, EdD, CME, CQM, PCMProfessor, Marketing and Managementburt.smith@oc.edu425-5581

Charlie Walker, BAMBA Admissions Counselorcharlie.walker@oc.edu425-5587

C O L L E G E O F B U S I N E S S A D M I N I S T R AT I O N

www.oc.eduwww.oc.edu/business

www.oc.edu/mbawww.oc.edu/macc

23S O B A

BOX 11000 OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73136-1100 SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED