Teaching Is a Natural Fit

After earning her undergraduate degree, Cord spent 10 years as a corporate accountant at various industries in diverse locations. During this time, she found that she gravitated toward roles that included teaching others. “I did some one-on-one mentoring and organized training seminars,” she says. When the opportunity to teach presented itself, she decided to pursue it.

It turns out that her previous experience in the business sector benefits students. “I’m able to regularly draw from all those experiences when I’m teaching in the classroom and advising students on career choices,” she says.

Creating Real-World Experiences

Cord’s current research focuses on writing case studies that can be used in accounting courses. “I’m very interested in this type of scholarship because it directly informs my teaching,” she says. “I can see areas of accounting curriculum that need reinforcement, and cases are a great way to do that. They also help make real-world connections for the students.”

The Social Impact Research Fellowship

In addition to teaching, Cord has served on multiple committees and is currently one of the faculty mentors of the Social Impact Research Fellowship. “The fellowship pairs social work students and management/accounting students with faculty and a community nonprofit organization to help the organization fill a need,” she says. “The nonprofit organization identifies a problem or a need they have, and the students do research and  collaborate with each other, the organization, and faculty mentors to help find a solution or satisfy that need. It provides a great real-world learning opportunity.”

Setting the Foundation for Student Success

Cord believes that being at a small residential college like Luther helps professors connect with students and form relationships. “The bonds last beyond the student’s time at Luther,” she says. “Seeing students grow and achieve success after Luther is very rewarding.”