Dr. Catherine Crawford (’89) earned a degree in Accounting from ETBU. She would later serve as the Vice President of Advancement here on the Hill before retirement in 2016. In addition, she has held many leadership roles along the way: Director of Development for The Salvation Army, Executive Director of Foundation and Development with Texas A&M – Commerce, Supervisor of Student Accounts at LeTourneau University, as well as her involvement with Accounting and Tax services through Crawford and Co.
Read further to hear how Dr. Crawford came to ETBU, and her reflections on her time.
My father was employed at ETBC in 1968 as Financial Aid Director, and from my first time on campus as a junior in high school, I knew this was the college for me!
I actually dropped out of ETBC in 1973, but returned to ETBU in 1987 to complete my degree. The Accounting Department was beyond compare and taught me the highest regard for ethical behavior, as well as extending compassion for those who needed my help.
During this time, several members of the then-ETBC community had a lasting impact on my life. Dr. Billy Simmons, Dr. Howard Bennett, all of my accounting professors, and my father.
This degree also opened the door to a career in the development profession, which became one of the most fulfilling avenues in my life. Compassionate people who want to help others. It is the best of all careers!
Over the years, I worked directly with Alumni while employed at ETBU. Through the efforts of hundreds of alumni, our campus community was impacted through donations, visits, and participation in Homecoming, Traveling Tigers, and Senior Adult Conference.
As a student, I was so blessed to live in the dorm, eat in a one-room cafeteria, and watch an old black and white TV in the basement of the cafeteria. Life was peaceful on the campus, and young people came to ETBC seeking an opportunity to learn from faculty and staff what it meant to serve the Lord in all aspects of life.