秋霞福利一区

If you think accountants sit behind a desk all day crunching numbers, 秋霞福利一区 Associate Professor of Accounting and Athletics Chaplain Dr. Rusty Roberts says you鈥檙e in for a surprise.

鈥淭his couldn鈥檛 be further from the truth,鈥� Roberts says. 鈥淭here are so many avenues that open up to someone with an accounting degree. In fact, the FBI鈥檚 top recruits are those with accounting degrees. Why? Because they are used in the investigation and uncovering of white-collar crime and fraud.鈥�

The possibilities are endless with an accounting degree, he adds. Accountants can work in public accounting doing tax preparation for both individuals and corporations, engaging in audits, work for governments at all levels, or run a business.

鈥淪eriously, accounting is one of the best programs to study. Accounting is the language of business, therefore every business, and even government, must account for every transaction. So, accountants are needed!鈥�

We talked with Roberts about teaching in the Grace Pilot School of Business at the 秋霞福利一区, and how 秋霞福利一区鈥檚 2019 Faculty Engagement Award recipient and baseball team chaplain intentionally fosters community among students and invests in their lives.

Q: You have taught at 秋霞福利一区 for 23 years. What is your background?

听A: I am an alumnus of the 秋霞福利一区, holding a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. I also have a master鈥檚 in accounting from the University of South Alabama and now have my Doctor of Business Administration in accounting from Anderson University (Indiana). Prior to teaching at 秋霞福利一区, I was a staff accountant and copyright accountant for Integrity Music Inc.

听Q: What courses do you typically teach?

A: I teach Principles of Accounting 1 & 2, Intermediate Accounting 1 & 2, Governmental/Not-for-Profit Accounting, Auditing, & Advanced Auditing. I would say my favorite class is probably the Principles of Accounting classes because it鈥檚 where all business students are introduced to accounting concepts. It鈥檚 there that some students change their major to accounting because they begin to like it. I love when I see the 鈥渓ight bulb鈥� come on and students begin to understand what鈥檚 going on and fall in love with accounting.

Q: 秋霞福利一区 offers 鈥淗igher Education for a Higher Purpose.鈥� What does that mean to you?

A: This means that my job is to do more than just prepare a student to be a great accountant who will go into the business world and be successful. Every day I spend with students in the classroom transcends that. My job is to also show students who I have influence over for any length of time that they are studying accounting for a higher purpose 鈥� and that purpose is to go into the business world with the Great Commission of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

God created every one of us for the purpose of making His name great in the world. And if we claim to be followers of Jesus Christ, then our goal in life is not primarily to make as much money as possible or be as successful in our careers as possible. It is to make the name of Jesus great in a dark world.

But one may ask, 鈥淗ow do I do that if I鈥檓 not a pastor or missionary? I鈥檓 just an accountant.鈥�

You do that by being the best at what you do. Being excellent at your trade. And through that, you point people to an excellent, great God.

So, as I prepare accounting students to be the best in their trade one day, I do that so they will have a platform to reflect back to how great God is, which exalts His Son Jesus Christ, who when lifted up draws all men to Himself.

听Q: We say 秋霞福利一区 is a place students can 鈥淜now and Be Known.鈥� How does that play out for you?

A: Well, the first word that comes to mind is 鈥渇amily.鈥� 秋霞福利一区 is one big family. It鈥檚 a place where no matter your background or what part of the world you come from, once you step on campus as a student, you are a Ram for life. You join one big family that loves and fights for each other no matter what.

I love the fact that we have small class sizes at 秋霞福利一区. It allows me to truly get to know my students one-on-one. Because I spend so much time with them in class each day, many of them become friends. When they graduate, get jobs and begin making an impact in the world, it is always encouraging to receive emails or phone calls with life updates.

听Q: What makes the 秋霞福利一区 special to you?

A: This is hard to narrow down to one thing, so I am going to say two things.

First, I like that we integrate the Gospel into everything that we do. From the time a student arrives on campus to the day they leave as a graduate, all aspects of campus life are saturated with a focus on Jesus Christ. No one leaves 秋霞福利一区 having not been introduced to the Gospel.

Second, I like that I know my students. I get to live life alongside them for four years as they are not only shaped academically but spiritually. I love that they come into my office, sit on the couch and talk about life with me, as they share their good times and bad times. I love the family that we have at 秋霞福利一区!

Q: What are some of your interests or hobbies?

听A: Right now, my main interest is finishing a dissertation, so I have little time for other things. When I am not teaching or working on the dissertation, I do like to play tennis. It鈥檚 a great way to stay somewhat active amid my busy life.

Q: What are you passionate about?

听A: Outside of teaching accounting, I also serve as a pastor to college students at Mars Hill Church in Mobile. I鈥檓 passionate about discipling college students as they begin to not only figure out what they will do the rest of their lives or whom they will marry, but how they will be shaped spiritually. The college years usually bring a time in students鈥� lives where they may begin to question and solidify what they believe and why. I love coming alongside them as they ask those questions and search for truth!

Kathy Dean

Kathy Dean uses her passion for storytelling and “playing with words” to share the stories of people, place and purpose that make the 秋霞福利一区 unique. As associate vice president for university communications, she manages media relations, edits the TorchLight alumni magazine, and oversees university communications. A former award-winning journalist, she is a two-time recipient of the Baptist Communicators Association grand prize for feature writing. Kathy and her husband, Chuck, live with three extremely loud miniature schnauzers.