Dr. Shelly Zaldivar currently serves as the Vice President for Marketing at 麻豆传媒. She also teaches both business and marketing courses and enjoys speaking opportunities both within and outside the University. Additionally, Dr. Zaldivar serves as the Faculty Sponsor for Nelson鈥檚 American Marketing Association chapter. When available, she consults with businesses, as well as, and church/ministry/non-profits related to their marketing and leadership growth.

Her professional experience encompassed senior leadership roles culminating as the Senior Vice President for Digital Online Servicing at Bank of America. During her tenure at the Bank, she also worked in the Small Business division where she managed the strategy and development of the small business deposits application and online experience, and as a Product Manager for the newly formed chat sales team. Prior to working at the Bank, Dr. Zaldivar was honored to work with several other well-known companies including Macy鈥檚 and Walt Disney World.

Dr. Zaldivar earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Nelson in 2007. She then continued on to earn an MBA specializing in Marketing Management from the University of Dallas in 2010 and completed her Ph.D. in Management specializing in Leadership and Organizational Change from Walden University in the summer of 2018. Dr. Zaldivar’s research interests include virtual team leadership, marketing strategy and management, retention/attrition in virtual teams, change management, and servant leadership. 聽Additionally, Dr. Zaldivar is Six Sigma Greenbelt Certified.

Dr. Zaldivar currently serves as a mentor both within and outside of Nelson. She enjoys working with leaders at all levels to help them achieve their full potential. She has taught at Nelson since 2011 and feels blessed to be able to help students see the connection between business and ministry. Outside of work, she leads a support forum for foster care/adoptive families of older children (school age and above) and enjoys serving her church where needed.

Dr. Jesse Godding currently serves 麻豆传媒 (formerly SAGU) in the roles of Assistant Professor and Director of Athletics. Academically, he teaches courses in Physical Education and Business Sports Management. Professor Godding is a member of the Admissions Committee, Athletic Committee, Spiritual Life Committee, and Faculty Council. As Director of Athletics, Dr. Godding oversees an athletic program consisting of fifteen sports competing in the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) and nationally affiliated with the National Athletic Intercollegiate Association (NAIA) and National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA). During his tenure as Director of Athletics at 麻豆传媒 (formerly SAGU), the institution has added eight sports, seen a 100% growth in the number of athletes on the campus, and demonstrated continued improvement in athletic and academic excellence. Dr. Godding serves as a member of the Sooner Athletic Conference Executive Committee and the Athletic Director liaison for football. At the NAIA level, Dr. Godding functions as a member of the National Administrative Council, Athletic Director liaison for NAIA, the NAIA Return on Athletics Advisory Board, and currently serves as 3rd VP of the NAIA Athletic Directors Association. In 2022-23 Dr. Godding was named as a recipient of the Cushman & Wakefield NACDA Athletic Director of the Year Award. “Coach鈥� Godding was the head football coach for Nelson (formerly SAGU) from 2002 to 2014 and built a program from scratch, winning a conference championship and conference Coach of the Year honors in 2013. From 2012 to 2014 he served as a National Rater for football and was President of the Central States Football League from 2010-2017. Educationally, Professor Godding holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in Biblical Studies and Social Sciences / Secondary Education from Crown College, St. Bonifacius, MN, a Master of Arts in Teaching with an emphasis in Health, Physical Education & Recreation from Northern State University, Aberdeen, SD, and an Ed.D. in Sports Management from United States Sports Academy, Daphne, AL.

Education

• DBA, Finance, Walden University 鈥� ABD – expected graduation Spring 2020
• MBA, Finance, University of North Texas, Denton, TX (2012)
• CKA庐, Certified Kingdom AdvisorTM, Kingdom Advisors (2012)
• SSG (Ret.), US Army Leadership Resident Courses 鈥� Primary Leadership and Development Course (1998), Advanced Leader Course, Phase 1 (2010), Advanced Leader Course, Phase 2 (2010)
• CFP庐 Certificant, University of North Texas, Professional Development Institute, Denton, TX (2003)
• BS, Business Administration- Double Major – Management and Marketing; Economics and Finance, Arkansas Tech University, Russellville, AR (1998)

Background and Expertise

Melody Gray Block is a Certified Financial Planner Professional and has been involved in the financial services industry for over 20 years. She assists individuals and businesses with comprehensive financial planning, investment management, insurance risk management, retirement planning, estate planning, and charitable giving strategies.

Professor Gray Block is a retired Army veteran having served over 20 years with the Army National Guard. In her community, she serves on the Board of Deacons and the Finance Committee for Bethesda Community Church in Fort Worth, TX. Additionally, she serves as Past President for Team Networking a non-profit 501(c)6 educational business organization with over 140 business leaders and owners in the DFW area. Under her Presidency in 2018, the organization closed over $42 million in referred closed business. Furthermore, she has been active in various professional and community groups including Financial Planning Association, Kingdom Advisors, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Toastmasters International, and community-based finance educational classes. She has been a featured speaker at Gateway Church- Southlake / Dallas per Getting Debt-Free After the Holidays and Making Your Money Last in Retirement. Currently, the last presentation is being finalized for nationwide distribution by a well-known biblical-based finance educational organization.

Starting the Fall of 2017, Professor Gray Block was asked to join the SAGU Business Faculty to teach courses in the areas of economics and finance. Starting in 2020, she is excited to teach new elective course offerings available for all disciplines across the campus and online – Entrepreneurial Finance and Personal Finance. Professor Melody (as her students kindly address her) started teaching at SAGU because she believes that God will be impacting the world for His Glory through Christian-based businesses and she wants to assist in equipping the next generation for such a time as this!

Course Curriculum Instructed while at SAGU

Undergraduate Courses Principles of Management, Principles of Finance, Survey of Economics, Christian View of Business, Business Technology, Nonprofit Management, Global Team Leadership, and Business Finance

Graduate Courses Global Business Finance and Economics

New Course Offerings in 2020 Entrepreneurial Finance (Spring 2020) and Personal Finance (Fall 2020)

Education

• Master of Science in Sport Management Texas A&M University (2017)
• Bachelor of Science in Business Sport Management SAGU (2012)
• Associate of Arts in Biblical Studies (2012)

James Southerland has been involved in sports and education for 12 years. He has served in a variety of roles including Athletic Director, head coach, assistant coach, PE teacher, business administration online department coordinator, and assistant professor of sport management. He has served at private and public schools and at the college level for a number of years. Professor Southerland also serves as assistant Men鈥檚 Basketball Coach for our SAGU Lions. He loves using sports as a ministry tool and collaborating sports and faith in education. Professor Southerland grew up as a missionary kid in the Netherlands and speaks Dutch. He is a SAGU alum and former basketball player. His wife was also a former SAGU athlete. They have three daughters.