New Accounting Faculty Spotlights

Before the school year began, we had the opportunity to ask our new faculty members a series of questions, learning about their expectations, experiences and goals. Now, after their first year, we’ve followed up with more questions to see how their perspectives have evolved and what insights they’ve gained. Here’s a glimpse into the journey of our first-year faculty, Rachel Scott and Kassie Stanfield, as they reflect on their experiences and growth. Also, hear new faculty member Derek Winkler's initial thoughts as we welcome him to our department. 

Faculty Spotlight: Rachel Scott

What are you most looking forward to at Baylor?

I am honored and humbled to join the team here in the Department of Accounting and Business Law at Baylor! I am excited about continuing my research and I hope that as I teach and convey my passion for accounting, students will come to enjoy it and appreciate it as well. I am very excited to root for the Bears in the classroom and in all of the sports!

Where did you get your degrees?

PhD in Accounting, University of Georgia 2024; BA in Accounting, Louisiana State University 2009

What areas of accounting are your favorite (research, teaching, topic, etc)?

I enjoy doing research that can inform standard setters (the FASB) as they work to create/modify accounting standards. They often seek research assistance in understanding how potential standards could affect companies. In the classroom, I love teaching the debits and credits of accounting! Everything gets to balance 🙂

Favorite Bible verse or quote:

"For from him and through him and for him are all things.
 To him be the glory forever! Amen." Romans 11:36 

Tell us about your family/pets

It's just me and my pup, Baxter, here in Waco. He's 8 years old and a cavalier king charles spaniel mix!

Coffee or Tea:

Coffee! With a lot of sugar.

Have you ever had a Dr Pepper float?

Not that I can recall! 

Reflections on Year One

What’s something you taught this year that you learned more about while teaching it?

I got to become more familiar with several new accounting standards that have become effective since I last took a financial accounting class in college! For example, I taught the updated standard on accounting for leases and accounting for revenue.

How many times did you hear the word “Sic ’Em” this year, and did you join in?

I loved supporting the Baylor sports teams this year and attended several events! I'm working on perfecting my "Sic 'Em" but had a lot of opportunities to practice and am looking forward to many more.

Have you decided: Dr Pepper Hour – national treasure or overhyped?

I attended a few Dr Pepper Hours during the year! It was a great sweet treat to look forward to in the afternoons.

What Baylor tradition surprised you the most?

Baylor Homecoming and Sing are quite impressive!

What’s your go-to Bear pun now that you’re officially part of the family?

I loved our accounting department t-shirt slogan for the year - "Every bear counts!"

Which Excel shortcut became your best friend this year?

I love a good VLOOKUP command.

If your first year were a journal entry, what would the debit and credit be?

Debit gratitude and credit pride. I'm beyond grateful for my first classes of students at Baylor and they taught me (and humbled me 🙂) quite a bit this year.

What’s the funniest or most unexpected thing that happened during a class or office hour?

Some students offered up several accounting puns during our classes. For example, we were excited to "retire" the chapter on accounting for pensions and move on to other material.

What’s the weirdest analogy you used to explain an accounting concept?

"You cannot just throw your widgets (inventory) to the wolves and then turn around and book revenue or sales. They have to take ownership of the property."

How would you survive if stuck in Hankamer after hours with only vending machines and a whiteboard?

I would get by with a lot of sweet tea, Twix bars and t-accounts 🙂

If your first year were a TV show, what would it be called?

Jeopardy Champions: Intermediate Accounting

We played Jeopardy to review our material from each chapter before our exams this semester. We now have a bunch of Jeopardy champions in the building!

Faculty Spotlight: Kassie Fehr

Favorite Bible Verse:

Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians in Chapter 3: 14-21

Education: 

Bachelor’s degree in accounting from Harding University, MBA from the University of Texas at Austin

Family:

My husband and I live here in the Waco area. My side of the family is all in Southern Illinois, including our most adorable family members (don’t tell the others), our nephews: Kolt, Brooks, + baby niece/nephew on the way.

Have you ever had a Dr Pepper float? 

Yes – and looking forward to many more

What excites you about the Baylor experience?

Being surrounded by colleagues and students who have shared a passion for service, excellence and the Lord.

Reflections on Year One

What’s something you taught this year that you learned more about while teaching it?
Dollar Value LIFO – I had to do a deep dive for the first time in a while and really think about how to simplify such a nuanced topic for students.

How many times did you hear the word “Sic ’Em” this year, and did you join in?
Approximately a million – haha! I’m still not sure I do the hand signal correctly.

Have you decided: Dr Pepper Hour – national treasure or overhyped?
Big fan! Love Dr Pepper Hour!

What Baylor tradition surprised you the most?
I didn’t anticipate the Homecoming parade having so many giant balloons – it felt like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!

What’s your go-to Bear pun now that you’re officially part of the family?
What do you call a bear with no teeth? A gummy bear!
(Not sure if it’s a pun or just a joke, but I love gummy bears, so it works.)

Which Excel shortcut became your best friend this year?
XLOOKUP was in heavy rotation!

If your first year were a journal entry, what would the debit and credit be?
Debit: Chaos
Credit: Sanity

What’s the funniest or most unexpected thing that happened during a class or office hour?
My students asked me to put my engagement ring under the doc cam after I got engaged.

What’s the weirdest analogy you used to explain an accounting concept?
I’m not sure, but I used a lot of Blue Bell ice cream references in Managerial Accounting – because I love ice cream that much!

How would you survive if stuck in Hankamer after hours with only vending machines and a whiteboard?
I’d eat all the sugary snacks and draw a mural on the study room whiteboard for students to find the next day.

If your first year was a TV show, what would it be called?
Breaking Accountants: A Story of Struggle and Survival in Intermediate Accounting

Faculty Spotlight: Derek Winkler

What are you most looking forward to at Baylor?

Helping students prepare for their careers, exploring the future of work together – and maybe perfecting my Sic ’Em.

Where did you get your degrees?
Texas Tech University

What areas of accounting are your favorite (research, teaching, topic, etc.)?
Tax, the future of work, and how new tech like blockchain and AI are transforming our profession.

Favorite Bible verse or quote:
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.” – Matthew 7:7

Tell us about your family/pets:
My wife, Lynette, is a proud Baylor alum, and our twins, Blake and Delaney, are Baylor accounting grads. We’re big sports fans and attend most Baylor sporting events. Our doodles, Sookie and Buggs, run the house – Buggs may or may not be named after a Baylor athlete.

Coffee or Tea?
Coffee – always coffee!

Have you ever had a Dr Pepper float?
Absolutely!