The ACU College of Business faculty is working with the Jinkerson family to create the Darryl and Cindy Jinkerson Study Abroad Endowment.
Dr. Phil Vardiman, associate professor of management in the College of Business, approached the Jinkerson family with the idea to start a study abroad scholarship in Dr. Darryl Jinkerson’s honor. Jinkerson died on October 12, 2012 of a heart attack. Vardiman traveled with Jinkerson on COBA study abroad trips to England, Honduras, and China.
“We’ve been good friends for 10 years, so when he passed away, I just knew he had a passion for study abroad,” Vardiman said. “I thought, what a great way to recognize his contributions and help students.”
Vardiman has teamed up with COBA recruiter and marketing manager M.C. Jennings, professor of finance Dr. Terry Pope, assistant professor of marketing Jennifer Golden as well as the interim director of the Center for International Education Stephen Shewmaker. Vardiman has also teamed up with Jinkerson’s daughters Rachel Goodman (11) and Amanda Carpenter, a senior elementary education major from Abilene.
“My hope is that it will continue his legacy and help students do something they might not have experienced,” Vardiman said. “He believed in doing things good. He wanted things to be done really well: he would call it ‘top shelf.'”
By Dec. 2013, the goal is to have $30,000 in the endowment fund. Right now, $15,000 has been raised. This year’s Sing Song winners donated a portion of their winning money to the Jinkerson Study Abroad Endowment.
“We really want to turn around and help students in the future,” Goodman said. “Our goal is to have enough money raised to give out a scholarship next year.”
To meet this goal, the inaugural Jinkerson Scholarship Scramble, an 18-hole golf tournament will take place April 19 at the Abilene Country Club. Tee-off is at 8:30 a.m. Students and non-students can register online and pay the registration fee the morning of the tournament. This fee includes breakfast, lunch, the green fee, range balls, and a golf cart.
“Golf was dad’s favorite,” Carpenter said. “I think he would be excited about it.”
There are opportunities for students to volunteer by keeping score or handing out water at the tournament.
“It’s supposed to be a fun day,” Goodman said. “We just want everyone to come out and hang out. You don’t have to play golf to come.”
Jinkerson made a lasting impression on the ACU community.
“I think what makes me really happy is when I see the response that people have to this,” Goodman said. “We miss our dad every day, but when we see that other people miss him and want to honor his memory and loved him so much, that just brings me joy.”
For more information about the Jinkerson Scholarship Scramble or to donate money to the Cindy and Darryl Jinkerson Study Abroad Endowment, go to www.acu.edu/coba/scramble.
