1. BYU MBAA
Spiritual Affairs
“The mission of Brigham Young
University … is to assist individuals in
their quest for perfection and eternal life.”
– BYU Mission Statement

2. Welcome to
BYU
• We each chose
BYU, in part, for the
environment
• A “Balanced
Education”
• Designed to foster
“The Total Person”

3. BYU’s Mission Statement:
“The mission of Brigham Young University--founded, supported, and
guided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints--is to assist
individuals in their quest for perfection and eternal life. That assistance
should provide a period of intensive learning in a stimulating setting
where a commitment to excellence is expected and the full realization of
human potential is pursued.
“All instruction, programs, and services at BYU, including a wide variety
of extracurricular experiences, should make their own contribution
toward the balanced development of the total person. Such a broadly
prepared individual will not only be capable of meeting personal
challenge and change but will also bring strength to others in the tasks of
home and family life, social relationships, civic duty, and service to
mankind.”

4. We Have a Competitive Advantage
#32 Full-Time MBA (Business Week)
Disproportionately High among Recruiters:
– #17 Job Placement (Business Week)
• #2 Job Placement in West
– #2 Ethical Graduates (Wall Street Journal)
– #1 Human Resources (Financial Times)
“Making a Difference”

5. IF WE’RE NOT DILIGENT, WE
SEGMENT SECULAR AND
SPIRITUAL

6. Are You Focused on the Right
Questions?
What do I want to study?
What job role do I want?
Where should I live?
What company should I
work for?

7. Are You Focused on the Right
Questions?
What do I want to study?
What job role do I want?
Where should I live?
What company should I
work for?
Who do I want to be when
I graduate?

8. This is a Prime Opportunity to Develop
Yourself
• Two years focused on:
– Discovering your strengths/weaknesses
– Learning from top-notch professors/mentors
– Improving your talents
– Mapping out your life
IF you have the right perspective!
“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his
own soul?” (Matthew 16:26)

9. THREE POTENTIAL MODELS
FOR “SPIRITUAL AFFAIRS”

10. Model 1 of 3: The Cynical
MBA
Spiritual
Affairs
• The Spiritual Affairs
committee is officially
part of MBAA, but
barely
• Enough layover as
required
• It’s the religious “chess
club”

11. Model 2 of 3: The Ambitious
Spiritual Affairs
MBA
• The MBA program is a
significant facet of the
overall Spiritual Affairs
committee
• “Spiritual Affairs” is
synonymous with
“Spirituality”

12. Model 3 of 3: The Reality
MBA
Spiritual
Affairs
• Spiritual Affairs is one of
many committees/clubs
in the overall program
• People came for an
MBA, with a spiritual
ingredient
• The committee should
take a relatively small
amount of work

13. Model 3 of 3… When Done Right
MBA
Spiritual
Affairs
• Spiritual Affairs
illuminates the rest of
your MBA experience
• It provides context
• It helps you make
decisions with clarity
• It develops “The Total
Person”

14. THE ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURE

15. The Organizational Structure
Andon
Carling
(Director)
Brady Frandsen
(Events)
MBA Firesides
BYU Devotionals
Discussion Groups
Robert Tonks
(Communications)
Sunday Notes
Student Experiences
Publicity

16. OPPORTUNITIES TO GET
INVOLVED

17. MBA Firesides
• Biggest events we do
• Once per semester
• Professional, religious professionals
• Available to all students and spouses
• Responsibilities:
– Securing speakers
– Planning the event
– Making it available to all (and not difficult for those
with children to attend)

18. BYU Devotionals
• Most weeks of the year
• Easy way to get a spiritual refresher
• Little effort on our part
• Responsibilities:
– Ensuring the room is available and broadcast is on
– Encouraging others to attend

19. Discussion Groups
• Best way to have intelligent discussion about
business/spiritual issues
• Typically once a week
• Informal
• Responsibilities:
– Plan the time and location of meetings
– Moderate discussions
– Keep interested persons in-the-loop

20. Sunday Notes
• Our most frequent contribution to the program
• Short, written thoughts relevant to MBA issues
• Weekly
• Responsibilities:
– Plan, brainstorm, and author weekly messages
– Determine the best form of distribution (if not the
MBAA Digest)
– Determine a better name?

21. Student Experiences
• A collection of spiritual experiences/lessons by
students throughout the MBA program
• Intended to help strengthen each other
• Responsibilities:
– Solicit experiences/lessons learned by others
– Keep records
– Determine the best form of distribution

22. Publicity
• Posters, announcements, and more
• The creative marketing juices of Spiritual
Affairs
• Responsibilities:
– Work with organizers of different activities to
determine publicity needs
– Design and distribute effective announcements
– Oversee Spiritual Affairs calendar

23. WHAT DO I DO NOW?

24. Next Steps
• If you received an email with this presentation, you are
on the Spiritual Affairs mailing list
• If not, shoot an email to the address below to be added
• Wait for a survey this week asking for your interests
• Get involved!
Questions, or to be added, contact Andon Carling
acarling@byu.net | (801) 805-6755