Amy Foshee Holmes
Neidorff School of Business
Trinity University
“Dr. Holmes embodies the highest ideals of undergraduate teaching at Trinity University. She creates transformative learning experiences, fosters intellectual growth, and prepares students to become ethical, engaged leaders.
“In each course she teaches, she consistently incorporates experiential learning with social impact to increase student engagement. For example, she designed a process-costing case study in Managerial Accounting that significantly improved student mastery of difficult concepts and provided philanthopric support to a local home for children in the foster system. In her Governmental and Nonprofit Accounting course, she partners with local nonprofits such as Thrive Youth Center and Haven for Hope, enabling students to apply accounting concepts through service-learning projects that simultaneously strengthen civic responsibility. Her Sustainability course includes a collaborative online international learning (COIL) partnership with Tecnológico de Monterrey, where students work across borders on sustainability projects.” – Raquel Alexander, Dean
Amy Foshee Holmes, 64, is Associate Professor of Accounting at Trinity University’s Michael Neidorff School of Business. She has over 28 years of professional accounting experience, which she integrates into the classroom to create meaningful connections between theory and practice.
A first-generation college graduate, she developed an annual initiative to promote financial literacy in the community. The Neidorff School of Business Financial Literacy Day connects Trinity students with local high school first-generation students to encourage college readiness while enhancing the development of leadership and civic engagement.
She is winner of the 2024 Texas Society of CPAs (TXCPA) Outstanding Accounting Educator Award, the IMA Don Russell Chapter Volunteer of the Year Award, and the TXCPA San Antonio Distinguished Service Award. Holmes serves on the TXCPA Leadership Council, sits on the Board of Directors for the TXCPA San Antonio Chapter, and has held leadership roles with the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) San Antonio Chapter.
At the national level, she has served with the American Accounting Association (AAA) in roles such as Membership Committee Chair for the Governmental and Nonprofit Section and Co-Chair of the Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum Section’s “Removing the Fence Conversations” series. She was highlighted in AACSB Insights Magazine for her collaborative online international learning (COIL) projects.
Holmes teaches at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in accounting and was instrumental in creating Trinity’s Minor in Sustainable Business and ESG Strategy.
BACKGROUND
At current institution since what year? 2014
Education: BS Accounting, Lubbock Christian University; MS Accounting, Texas Tech University; PhD Business Administration (Accounting), University of Texas at Arlington
List of Undergraduate courses you teach: Managerial Accounting, Governmental & Nonprofit Accounting, and Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility
TELL US ABOUT LIFE AS A BUSINESS SCHOOL PROFESSOR
I knew I wanted to be a business school professor when … After 20+ years in public accounting, I had the opportunity to teach accounting classes at two area colleges. The energy in the classroom, the excitement of learning, and being a part of helping students create opportunities that transform their futures was life-changing for me. I went back to school and earned a PhD so that I could follow my passion and teach full-time.
What are you currently researching and what is the most significant discovery you’ve made from it? I’m currently working on a project with a Trinity colleague in Healthcare Administration, Dr. Patrick Shay, to explore hospitals’ reporting of their sustainability practices and the different approaches to tracking their sustainability initiatives. Current developments in the area of sustainability reporting include the establishment of the Health Care Climate Council, the introduction of the Health and Human Services’ Climate Pledge, the establishment of The Joint Commission’s Sustainable Healthcare Certification. Data is hand-collected to analyze whether organizations are motivated by a desire to appear legitimate by “doing the right thing”, or simply emulating others’ best practices such as joining the Climate Pledge or gaining certifications, or perhaps implementing observable changes to comply with rules and regulations and actually reduce their carbon footprint.
My scholarly pursuits are focused on communication. I received a Literati Award in 2020 for a Highly Commended Paper from the Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting, & Financial Management for the study titled “Financial information transfer in municipal government: An exploratory examination of government finance officers’ communication,” which was co-authored by Dr. Janet Jones (SFASU), Dr. Mary Fischer (UT Tyler), and Dr. Brooklyn Cole. In this study, we find evidence that a working relationship built on trust and a preference for honesty, the government finance officer is more willing to share positive information with the board, and with greater transparency and trust in the board, there is a reduction in the timing of sharing information.
My favorite projects have been developing case studies to incorporate sustainability in accounting decision-making contexts. Getting students interested in sustainability reporting and analyzing data through a broad stakeholder lens rather than a narrow shareholder profitability lens expands their concept of optimal decision-making and engages curiosity and critical thinking at a deeper level for the development of leadership skills.
If I weren’t a business school professor, I’d be … I would be more involved in non-profit volunteering and serving as a mentor or developing mentorship programs. I served on the board for Mentors Care (formerly Movement Towards a Future, founder Dena Petty, Midlothian, TX). This organization is focused on providing support to at-risk high school students through mentors who encourage them to complete their education and help set them up to lead purposeful lives.
What do you think makes you stand out as a professor? I care about the students and helping them develop confidence in their abilities to not only succeed in my classes, but also find the areas of study that energize them. Educators talk too often about helping students “find their passion”. What is passion? Students have more anxiety if they feel they are missing out on finding that one “passion” in life. We need to shift the narrative from finding your passion to encouraging students to lean into the things that energize them and spark their curiosity. This is the “passion” and where they will find meaning and fulfillment in life. Be energized and be curious.
One word that describes my first time teaching: Inspired. I wanted more of this experience that made me feel alive and helped me to see where I can create a positive impact in the next generation of humans who are trying to find their way in life.
Here’s what I wish someone would’ve told me about being a business school professor: Being a professor can be isolating. Teaching and scholarship are autonomous activities, and faculty have the academic freedom to manage their courses and research. This means lots of time alone, setting your own goals and working toward excellence in your area of expertise. Finding opportunities to collaborate on research and co-teach helped me to find balance. At Trinity University, our first-year experience courses are co-taught by faculty from different disciplines. My ability to be an effective teacher was enhanced through this experience, and I was motivated to seek out more opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration.
Professor I most admire and why: Dr. Norma Cantú, Murchison Distinguished Professor of Humanities at Trinity University, is my mentor and role model as an educator. She is a first-generation college graduate who lives life to the fullest, positively influencing others to find joy and fulfillment in life. When I first met Norma, I was impressed by the ease at which she translated during a meeting at Tecnológico de Monterrey. She has a genuine care for others, is always smiling, and looks for ways to encourage and lift others up in life through sharing her knowledge as an educator and finding peace through the joys of friendship.
TEACHING BUSINESS SCHOOL STUDENTS
What do you enjoy most about teaching business students? Creating opportunities for students to discover the importance of listening as they are learning business concepts. Managerial accounting begins with foundational knowledge, but it is really about developing optimal business decision-making and creating business value. In teaching governmental and nonprofit accounting, there are basic concepts of accounting and reporting for these unique types of organizations, but the true value is in listening to stakeholder groups and providing useful information for users of the financial reports. I also teach corporate social responsibility and sustainability. To be socially responsible means gathering information and working toward maximizing value while minimizing the negative impacts of business.
What is most challenging? The most challenging part of being a professor is keeping up with the changing business environment and making sure that each course is designed to engage students and support their learning.
In one word, describe your favorite type of student: Curious. Students who are curious are going to seek out information and take ownership of their learning.
In one word, describe your least favorite type of student: Disengaged.
When it comes to grading, I think students would describe me as … Fair and transparent. I try to provide detailed feedback so that students understand their grade and what is needed to improve.
LIFE OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
What are your hobbies? I enjoy writing and would like to publish children’s books someday when I retire. I love gardening, painting, hiking, and camping.
How will you spend your summer? I’m planning to take a road trip to the west through New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Idaho. Then I’ll be traveling to spend time with my children and grandchildren. The corporate social responsibility course that I teach includes a collaborative online international learning component (COIL) in which my students partner with students from a university outside of the US to work on team projects. I will spend some time this summer exploring new opportunities to collaborate with faculty in other countries.
Favorite place(s) to vacation: I love spending time in the mountains and on the beach, where there are open spaces, quiet times of reflection, and the wonder of nature.
Favorite book(s): Educated by Tara Westover is one of my favorite books. The family dynamics, the importance of education, and the value of finding your way in life despite disadvantages are features of this book that made it a page turner that was engaging and hard to put down. I just finished reading Peak Mind by Amishi P. Jha, PhD. We spend too much of our lives hurrying through the urgent and neglect to focus on the important. I’m looking forward to reading this book again and incorporating the methods described in the book to develop mindfulness and improve my focus.
What is currently your favorite movie and/or show and what is it about the film or program that you enjoy so much? One of my favorite movies is Overboard (1987) with Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. This is a story about experiencing life in a different socioeconomic station. My favorite quote is from the butler: “Most of us go through life with blinders on . . . [you] had the rare privilege for just a spell to see life from an entirely new perspective. How you choose to use that information is entirely up to you.”
What is your favorite type of music or artist(s) and why? Piano and instrumental music are my favorite for relaxing. I think the Eagles are the greatest band of all time. They have exceptional harmony and instrumental music with wicked guitar riffs.
THOUGHTS AND REFLECTIONS
If I had my way, the business school of the future would have much more of this … Business schools would have more sustainability woven throughout the curriculum, much the way that technology is now embraced. Sustainability and corporate social responsibility should not be separate courses, but rather the expectation for excellence in business development.
In my opinion, companies and organizations today need to do a better job at … Organizations must do a better job of prioritizing human capital and creating value through positive social impacts in the communities in which they operate.
I’m grateful for … I’m grateful to be at Trinity University at this point in history. Trinity University provides an atmosphere that fosters innovation and is home to some of the top scholars in their fields of study, who have provided opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. My successes are not due to my efforts alone, but to the gifts of time and sharing of knowledge that occur in the daily activities and experiences on our campus at Trinity.
I am grateful for relationships that bring meaning to my life. My friend Dr. Bonnie Albritton shares my love of creating case studies, and I’m thankful for the friendship and collaboration that have created opportunities for our students to succeed. My husband, Ron, continues to be my biggest encourager through trials and celebrations. He makes life fun and loves me unconditionally. My children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren are the joys that bring true meaning and hope for the future.
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