Carie Ford Advises MBA Students "Never Stop Growing"

As a lifelong Baylor Bear, Ford knows the power of this community of learners.

Carie Ford serves as a clinical professor of Accounting at the Hankamer School of Business (HSB) at Baylor University. She teaches courses in Baylor’s Online MBA (OMBA) program, along with her regular undergraduate courseload. In addition, she is the undergraduate program director for Accounting and is currently serving as the interim graduate program director. Wearing many hats and interacting with students at different points in their careers gives Ford a wide view of the business school community at Baylor, and she is encouraged daily by what she finds. 

“There are so many things I love about the Business School, but at the top of the list is our Christian commitment,” she said. “It has not waivered, even as we have added our R-1 classification.”

Ford received her BBA in Accounting from Baylor as well as her MBA, so she has been a part of this campus for almost three decades. She’s been in the unique position to watch Baylor expand, grow and become a university of international note, with faculty that are among the top 2 percent cited in the world. Ford believes the faculty at Baylor are one of a kind.

“Their commitment, work ethic and depth of knowledge are inspirational. But again, it’s their commitment to doing it all under the umbrella of spreading the gospel and showing our students how business looks from the perspective of someone committed to the Bible.”

In tandem with renowned faculty, Baylor’s dedication to its Christian commitment has remained strong as programs have become permanent fixtures in listings of the nation’s best. Among the U.S. News and World Report Best Business Schools, the OMBA program in the Business School moved up to No. 66 overall, highlighted by the graduate program in Entrepreneurship.

Ford believes the school’s inclusion of faith in their mission is its strength. Her life is an example of how the values taught in business school classrooms, as well as in the OMBA program, plays into the whole picture of people’s lives. When she isn’t working with students or offering advice on their journeys toward MBAs, Ford uses her Accounting skills to help clergy maneuver the unique tax situations that arise for people in that vocation. With tricky factors like housing allowances, Ford advises and helps with preparation, doing the exact same thing she advises for others: letting her abilities be a ministry in the “real world.”

“We help develop our students into the people they were created to be,” Ford said. “Daily pursuit of your relationship with God will help you know which way to go, when it’s time to change jobs, and how to keep perspective about what is most important in your life.” 

This kind of development doesn’t come about overnight. Ford is an integral part of a faculty that knows this and is committed to community building. They are dedicated to the long-term goal of helping students strengthen their strategic and leadership skills while simultaneously growing into the people they want to be. A Baylor OMBA has never just been about a degree, it’s a much more holistic picture. Dedicated work goes into cultivating a respectful environment of people who push themselves toward the next level. 

Ford can often be heard advising students who are pursuing an MBA to lean into the community around them. 

“The community here is invaluable,” Ford said. “Learning from other students – oftentimes students you might not ever meet other than having the same major – is awesome. Seeing those relationships form is wonderful. Our faculty are also a part of that community. We want to talk to students about their lives, not just debits and credits of Accounting. We genuinely care about much more than the knowledge they gain.”

For anyone seeking a business school for an MBA, Ford directs prospective students to consider important questions: 

• Who will you go to for school-related and non-school-related advice and what type of advice will that person give? 
• Does it align with your values? 
• Who is teaching your courses? 
• How would an OMBA enhance my career? 
• What are common characteristics among the graduates? 

Instead of being overwhelming, these types of questions can help direct, reflect and move forward. Baylor offers a community where questions are welcome, and curiosity is encouraged. Ford believes students should shift into this approach and keep it part of their toolbox for life. Since she has seen the fruit in her own life, she urges others to never stop growing.

“Our students have encouraged me to continue learning and strengthening my knowledge of various Accounting topics,” Ford said. “Oftentimes, their observations are so outstanding and provide perspectives I have never considered myself. These students are so smart!”

Come grow with us at Baylor. You can begin by learning more about the MBA program at Hankamer School of Business and the Online MBA program. 

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What does it mean to be a servant leader? Learn more here

Find out from OMBA student Tori Clark why it’s important to lead with your values