Wheaton alumna Dr. Andrea Scott (‘93) will speak in Homecoming chapel on Friday, Oct. 5. As an experienced professor and member of the Wheaton Board of Trustees, Scott returns for her 25th reunion year to share her wisdom with Wheaton students, focusing on “God’s faithfulness and presence in life before, during and after Wheaton.”
The Homecoming chapel will also feature Claire Holley (’93) for special music. Scott, who grew up in Malibu, Calif., was first drawn to Wheaton because of some high school teachers who were Wheaton alumni. Scott explained that interacting with people who were “highly capable but still had profound faith” was influential and impressive because “that’s not what the world tells you is possible.”
While at Wheaton, Scott was involved in “just about everything.” Her activities ranged from gospel choir to orientation committee to wind ensemble to intramural soccer. “Our team was called Amazon Women from the Moon and we were champions all four years … we were fierce,” she said.
Even with her packed schedule, Scott graduated a semester early. The liberal arts format of Wheaton “cultivated a commitment to curiosity” in Scott.
“I remain a curious person,” she said.
Curiosity shaped Scott’s trajectory, namely as she pursued further degrees within her field of interest. Scott graduated from Wheaton with a B.A. in interdisciplinary-visual communication. Her interdisciplinary major combined art and communications, setting her up for a career in advertising. Scott also went on to get an MBA in Business Administration from Emory University, then a Ph.D in marketing from the University of South Florida.
Currently, Scott is the dean of the Robert K. Jabs School of Business at California Baptist University and an associate professor of marketing. “It’s an exciting place to be,” Scott said. Because the school is “unapologetically Christian” but does not require students to a sign a covenant agreement, Scott has the opportunity to share the gospel with students from a variety of faith traditions.
Working from a Christian faith-based standpoint has shaped the way she presents marketing to her students, teaching them from a “perspective of service.” “We want students to succeed within their companies,” Scott said, “but also to be proud of the way they’ve served the customer.” Despite some of the negative connotations and feelings surrounding marketing, Scott believes that “marketing and faith are compatible.”
Just as faith influences marketing, Scott believes faith influences the learning experience as a whole: “Getting grounded in how faith informs what we know and how we know is extremely powerful.” Scott also emphasized the importance of “learning with motivation beyond self advancement.”
Amidst all of her work at California Baptist University, Scott remains plugged-in to the Wheaton community. As a member of the Board of Trustees, Scott works on student development and academic affairs.
“I am impressed with the hearts of the people I serve with. They care deeply and have deep passion for the kingdom work Wheaton gets to be a part of,” Scott said. “I’ve learned a lot about what it looks like to serve a community.”
Since Wheaton has been so influential in her life, Scott looks forward to the opportunity to leave a meaningful mark through her chapel appearance. “Coming back to speak at my alma mater is humbling … I can still remember some chapel speakers from my time,” she said.
More than leaving a personal stamp at Wheaton, however, Scott hopes “that however God uses me, God is glorified and folks get a better glimpse of Jesus in their own lives. I want to be as usable a vessel as possible.”