Professor Don Carpenter: A Legacy of Mentorship and Teaching Excellence
Professor Don Carpenter, BBA ’81, a respected accounting professor at Baylor University, was recently honored with the Collins Outstanding Professor Award, an accolade voted on by the senior class that recognizes his exceptional commitment to teaching and mentorship. But for Carpenter, the journey to this recognition wasn’t defined by a singular passion for accounting – it was shaped by a wide range of interests and a lifelong dedication to helping others.
Carpenter grew up in a small East Texas town, where close-knit community values and a love for tennis shaped his early years. He began playing competitive tennis at a young age and found meaningful mentorship through the sport.
“Those early mentors were remarkable,” Carpenter said. “They helped me grow, not just in tennis, but in life.”
His academic interests were broad, extending into literature and music. Though he considered the humanities, it was the practicality of accounting and its potential to serve others that ultimately directed his path.
“I saw how it could be a tool to help people, and that’s what drew me in,” he said.
A first-generation college student, Carpenter hadn’t originally planned on attending Baylor. But during a visit to Waco, something clicked.
“I just had the sense that this was where I should go,” he said. “It wasn’t about prestige. It was about a calling.”
After earning his undergraduate degree, Carpenter spent several years in the corporate world before returning for a master’s degree, balancing coursework, a career and family life. He began teaching Sunday school and later served as an adjunct professor at the University of Houston, where he discovered a deeper passion for teaching.
“My class kept growing, and I thought, ‘I might be good at this,’” Carpenter said. That realization eventually led him back to Baylor – this time, as a professor.
At Baylor, Carpenter is known for his energetic, engaging style and his signature classroom greeting: “It’s accounting time.” His lessons, grounded in personal experience, aim to make complex material accessible and relatable.
“Accounting isn’t the most exciting subject for everyone,” he said. “But I make it interesting because I care. I want my students to see its value, even if they don’t think they need to.”
Carpenter’s teaching philosophy is built on relationships and trust.
“When you’re speaking to students, you have to earn the right to be listened to,” he said. “No one owes you their attention.”
His commitment has made a lasting impression on many students, including Jake Payne, a senior Accounting and Management Information Systems major.
“Professor Carpenter isn’t just a great professor, he’s the greatest man I know,” Payne said. “His humility, his heart for students and his Christ-like character are what set him apart. He’s the reason I chose my majors, and his mentorship has shaped me academically, professionally and spiritually.
“He is certainly the most beloved professor in the business school, which explains why he is getting this award,” he said. “But he does not strive to be the most beloved person, he strives to make a lasting impact on each of his students.”
For Carpenter, receiving the Collins Award holds significance.
“It means something because it’s from the students,” he said. “Baylor students are thoughtful and engaged, and that makes this award truly meaningful.”
Professor Don Carpenter’s story is one of service, humility and lifelong learning. From small-town roots to the halls of Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business, he continues to inspire students not just through his teaching, but through the way he lives out his values every day.
