BOLIVAR, Mo. — Sharla Bailey was installed as an academic chair during Southwest Baptist University’s academic chair installation ceremony Wednesday, Nov. 6 in Rohrs Auditorium on the Bolivar campus.
Bailey, a 1981 SBU graduate and assistant professor of accounting, was installed as the Lenore Miller Accounting Chair.
“In higher education, it is indeed an honor to hold an endowed academic chair,” SBU Provost Dr. Lee Skinkle said. “An academic chair is supported by an endowed fund that is permanently invested for a faculty member in a specific academic discipline. Earnings from the endowment help to off-set the faculty member’s salary and support the faculty member's budget for professional development.”
Lenore Miller Accounting Chair
Sharla Bailey
Bailey earned bachelor degrees in accounting and business administration from Southwest Baptist College in 1981 and completed her master of business administration from Oklahoma State University in 1986. She worked as a staff accountant for Phillips Petroleum Company in Bartlesville, Okla., prior to joining the accounting faculty at SBU in 1994.
She has been part of SBU’s accounting program for 28 of its 44 years, and is credentialed as a Certified Public Accountant, a Certified Management Accountant, a Certified Government Financial Manager and a Chartered Global Management Accountant.
Bailey attends First Baptist Church in Bolivar. She and her husband, Kevin, have been married for 36 years.
The Lenore Miller Accounting Chair was made possible by Dr. Barbara Clemmons, her husband Dr. Charlie Clemmons and the Lenore Miller estate. Miller’s daughter Dr. Barbara Clemmons wanted to honor her mother and her lifelong support and service to her husband, Herbert, and the accounting profession.
Lenore graduated from the University of Iowa, where she met her husband, and became
one of the first females to earn a degree in accounting. She supported Herbert, who
became a college professor, by working the sample problems and proofing the preliminary
pages of the accounting books he had published.
Lenore’s desire was for students to be trained in accounting at an institution or university where Christian values are taught, which now is being fulfilled.
Dr. Barbara Clemmons, who said the Clemmons family has enjoyed its relationship with SBU, described her mother as a “strong woman.”
“She was an accountant, a parent, and she had a very difficult beginning,” Clemmons said. “She was the youngest of seven children and didn't have shoes to go to school, but she went. Her father later sent her to the University of Iowa – I don't know how he paid for it.”
Dr. Charlie Clemmons encouraged students to persevere, which is one of the character traits of the Psalm 15 Walkway at SBU.
“Life won't always be great for you; you won't always win,” Dr. Charlie Clemmons said. “But, when you don't win, that just means you'll win later. Persevere – stay after it. Stay with your dream; get your education. Each time, you'll learn something from that situation, and you'll have the opportunity to carry it forward. Learn all that you can while you're here because life will give you some challenges.”
The accounting program at SBU was started by Dr. Ed Clark during the 1975-76 academic year. He taught accounting at SBU for 21 years and built the foundation of the program before becoming vice president for financial affairs in 1987. Dr. Clark retired from that role in 1992.
The first accounting program graduating class included five students in 1978. Since the inception of the program, 383 accounting students have graduated, including 183 certifications earned by accounting graduates (CPA, CMA, CIA, CFM, JD, PhD, and foreign country certifications).
“Southwest Baptist University’s accounting program has such a rich history, and our accounting graduates are some of the most ‘sought-after’ in the region,” said Dr. Brad Johnson, vice president for university relations at SBU. “The Lenore Miller Accounting Chair adds additional prestige and strength to an exceptional program and we are thankful to Drs. Barbara and Charlie Clemmons for their vision and generosity to make this endowed chair a reality.
“This new endowed chair is a fitting tribute to Barbara’s mother, Lenore Miller, who was a pioneer in the development and facilitation of post-secondary accounting education programs across the nation.”
SBU now has nine endowed academic chairs, with one chair currently vacant. The others are:
• Dr. Troy Bethards – Dean, Robert W. Plaster College of Business and Computer Science / Ruby Letsch-Roderique
Chair of Economics/Finance
• Dr. Angela Brown-Peterson – Assistant Professor of Business Administration / Elaine Simpson Chair of Business
Administration
• Dr. Julie Bryant – Associate Professor of Education / Lewis E. Schollian Chair of Education
• Dr. Michael Fuhrman – Chair, Department of Christian Ministries / Robert and Ruth Powell Chair of Preaching
• Dr. Kelly Malone – Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies / Jack Stanton Chair of Evangelism
• Jenell Wagner – Chair, Assistant Professor of Accounting / Ed and Theo Clark Endowed Chair of Accounting
Excellence
• Dr. Timothy L. Wood – Chair, Department of History and Political Science / Roy Blunt Chair of History
Psalm 15 Walkway
The SBU Robert W. Plaster College of Business and Computer Science has identified eight character traits that should be the hallmark of the College’s students and graduates, and are emphasized in coursework and in its lecture series. The highlighted traits are – Integrity, Service, Respect, Charity, Faithfulness, Truthfulness, Humility and Perseverance – and are represented structurally along the Psalm 15 Walkway, which was made possible by Drs. Charles and Barbara Clemmons.
PHOTO 1: (From left) SBU Provost Dr. Lee Skinkle and SBU President Dr. Eric A. Turner present Sharla Bailey (right) with the Lenore Miller Accounting Chair.
PHOTO 2: (From left) SBU Provost Dr. Lee Skinkle, Dr. Brad Johnson, vice president for university relations and SBU President Dr. Eric A. Turner (far right) recognize Drs. Barbara and Charlie Clemmons for establishing the Lenore Miller Accounting Chair, in memory of Barbara Clemmons’ mother.
*Published: 11-11-19