Senior Class Votes Accounting & Business Law Professor as Collins Outstanding Professor
Collins Professor Don Carpenter will give a special lecture April 14 on “Tulip Bulbs & Squirrel Pelts: What Creates Value”
Don Carpenter, clinical associate professor of accounting and business law in the Hankamer School of Business. (Bo Mello/Baylor University)
Contact: Lori Fogleman, 254-709-5959
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Baylor University’s 2025 senior class has selected Don Carpenter, B.B.A. '81, M.S., CPA, as recipient of the 2025 Collins Outstanding Professor Award, which recognizes and honors outstanding teachers at Baylor. Carpenter serves as clinical associate professor of accounting and business law in the Hankamer School of Business.
The senior class votes each year to select a Baylor faculty member as the Collins Outstanding Professor, an honor generously provided by the Carr P. Collins Foundation.
“I was very surprised to learn of the award. Coming from the students makes it particularly meaningful,” Carpenter said. “The students at Baylor are what make teaching so rewarding, and to be selected from such a dedicated group of professors across campus is truly an honor.”
The Collins Outstanding Professor receives an award of $10,000 and recognition in University publications. Carpenter also has been invited to give a special lecture at 4 p.m. Monday, April 14, in the Schumacher Flex Space on the first floor of Moody Memorial Library. His topic focuses on “Tulip Bulbs and Squirrel Pelts: What Creates Value,” where he will use examples from the world of fine art, history and financial engineering to explore the backstory of “value.” A reception will follow the lecture.
Completing his ninth year on the faculty, Carpenter teaches financial accounting classes at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. He has been awarded the Early Career Teaching Excellence Award and was voted Most Popular Professor in the business school. He earned his B.B.A. in accounting at Baylor and his M.S. of accountancy at the University of Houston. In 2024, he was named a McBride Fellow for “promoting and advancing the welfare of business global engagement” and study abroad through the Center for Global Engagement.
Carpenter is a certified public accountant and member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He also is a member of the Texas Society of CPA’s and serves as a contributing editor for its journal, Today’s CPA. Prior to joining Baylor, Carpenter served as an officer of two Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Houston: Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer for Waste Management Inc. and Vice President of Taxation for Tenneco Inc.
“Don is truly a gifted teacher. More importantly, though, he cares deeply for each one of his students and takes the time to get to know them," said Rebecca Files, Ph.D., professor, department chair and holder of the inaugural William E. Crenshaw Endowed Chair in Accounting and Business Law. "If he’s not teaching, you’ll likely find him eating breakfast or lunch with students, coaching them at our tax site in the evenings or leading them on mission trips.”
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Learn more about Baylor University at www.baylor.edu.
ABOUT THE HANKAMER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business strives to further God’s kingdom through the realm of business, using God-given gifts and academic talents to do so. Faculty and students conduct purposeful research and participate in experiential learning opportunities, all while operating in a Christ-centered mission. Undergraduate students can choose from 13 major areas of study. Graduate students can earn their MBA on their terms, either through the full-time, online or a Dallas-based executive program. The Business School also offers three Ph.D. programs in Information Systems, Entrepreneurship or Health Services Research. The School’s top-ranked programs make up approximately 25% of the University’s total enrollment. Visit the Hankamer School of Business website for more information.