Baylor’s CLB Students Visit Triumph Financial
Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business (HSB) Christian Leadership in Business (CLB) Scholarship Program visited Triumph Financial in Dallas for a networking workshop on Friday, April 11.
“The networking workshops help students connect, engage and learn from Christian leaders who work in the marketplace,” said Matt Quade, PhD, the director of the Christian Leadership and Ethics Office. “This feeds into our goal to equip our students to be ethical and servant business leaders in the future.”
The networking workshop began with a visit from Aaron Graft, BA ’00, JD ’03, the founder and CEO of Triumph. Graft shared his story of growing up in a small western Oklahoma town before going to Baylor and becoming an entrepreneur. He discussed what it looks like to lead an organization as a Christian and how there is just as much of a calling to worship through work in the corporate world.
“There is no secular-spiritual divide,” Graft said. “You are on mission in every workplace you go.”
The students then had the opportunity to visit with business leaders from a variety of organizations and industries, including:
- David Dzina from Watermark Community Church
- Matt and Lindsay McMahan from JM Cox Family Management, LLC
- Keith Shepelwich, Ray Sperring and James Skinner from Triumph
- Michelle Jones from JP Morgan
- Lisa Gallagher from Gallagher Construction Company
- Christopher Cervantes from Valorous Advisors
- Mark Rountree from EY
“Triumph – being an organization that highlights excellence and humility as its core commitments – is a great place for our students to see that, even working in secular companies, they have not just the ability to be Christian leaders, but the calling to be,” Quade said.
Averie Mellon, a senior Management major from Waco, enjoyed meeting people in different areas of business and seeing their love for Christ shine in their work.
“It is exciting to see leaders be humble and love people well,” Mellon said. “That stuck out to me because it proves you can be successful at any stage of life by connecting with others and living like Christ.”
In her visit with Matt McMahan, Mellon was inspired by his advice to discern the spiritual gifts of God and operate within those abilities in the workforce.
“You don’t have to jump in on things that aren’t your calling,” Mellon said. “But you can find out what specific area God has gifted you in and grow in that to find your life’s calling.”
Preston Jones, a senior Finance and Professional Selling major from Colleyville, Texas, wasn’t sure what to expect from the networking workshop at first but was immediately drawn in by Graft’s talk.
“I was impressed with how well Mr. Graft knew the Word,” Jones said. “There are a lot of people who profess Christ and talk about faith integration in the workplace, but he integrates so much Scripture, and it is encouraging.”
Jones appreciates the activities and opportunities CLB has offered him. He feels he has grown from the connections made with fellow students, program leaders and industry professionals.
“The entire program is purposed behind the integration of faith and business,” he said. “To meet people tangibly who have done that – and done it well – is inspiring.”
Mellon agrees that CLB has offered incredible opportunities to learn how to incorporate her faith and work.
“Whether we are in ministry or the business world, we have the same calling,” she said. “It is great to learn what God has to say about working in any field.”
