More Than a Number: Baylor's Culture of Mentorship
At Baylor University, undergraduate mentorship plays a role in shaping students’ academic and professional journeys. It extends beyond the classroom, providing unique opportunities for students to apply learned knowledge in real-world situations while also strengthening confidence in their abilities.
For Jay Yoo, PhD, Associate Professor of Apparel Merchandising, this work is an important part of his role as an educator.
In Spring 2026, Yoo was honored as a recipient of the Elizabeth Vardaman Faculty Award for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduates. The annual award, presented by Baylor’s Office of Engaged Learning, recognizes faculty who “go beyond the call of duty in their mentorship of undergraduates.” Faculty who receive this award demonstrate excellence in, and sustained commitment to helping their students excel.
“Mentoring is deeply important to me. It provides a strong sense of purpose and connection, and I learn a great deal from my students in return. Their perspectives, questions, and ideas often challenge me to think in new ways and continue growing as both an educator and a researcher.”
For Yoo, some of the most meaningful mentorship moments come when his students share their work publicly for the first time. For Don Carpenter, BBA ’81, another well-respected professor in the Hankamer School of Business, mentorship plays an important role in student development.
Carpenter, former vice president and chief accounting officer for Waste Management, Inc. and a Baylor accounting professor, was honored with the 2025 Collins Outstanding Professor Award, an accolade voted on by the senior class that recognizes his exceptional commitment to teaching and mentorship built on a philosophy of relationship and trust.
“When you’re speaking to students, you have to earn the right to be listened to,” Carpenter said. “No one owes you their attention.”
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.”
His commitment has made a lasting impression on many students, including Jake Payne, BBA ’25, MAcc' 25.
“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.”
Yoo and Carpenter are just two of many examples of Baylor mentorship in action. Whether professor-student or student-student, mentorship at Baylor is about collaboration, relationship and an exchange of knowledge no matter the passion.