Around the State: ETBU recognizes servant leaders

East Texas Baptist University celebrated the dedication and service of two students during a special chapel service, Oct. 9. Senior Skylar Bussing and junior Levi Endris were awarded the Dr. Bob and Gayle Riley Servant Leadership Award for outstanding commitment to Christ-centered servant leadership. Each recipient received a replica of the “Divine Servant” statue by Max Greiner, which depicts Christ washing his disciples’ feet. The Bob and Gayle Riley Servant Leadership Award is an annual recognition bestowed upon two upperclassmen who exemplify the principles of servant leadership modeled by Jesus Christ. Award recipients are nominated by their peers, faculty and staff for their commitment to living out their faith in service to others. Bussing, a senior majoring in Christian ministry and mental health, serves as a resident assistant, participates in the Honors Program, mentors fellow students through the Thrive program and has been a Tiger Camp leader. Over the summer, she volunteered at Camp Fuego and currently serves as a youth intern at Mobberly Baptist Church. Endris, a mass communication major, has been a Thrive Mentor for two years, guiding and encouraging fellow students. He co-leads a Bible study through the Baptist Student Ministry and serves on the worship team and participates in summer camp ministries at Mobberly Baptist Church. Additionally, Levi has been an ETBU Chapel Band vocalist for two years and works as a Tiger Ambassador and admissions student worker.

Howard Payne University celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with several events on campus. HPU hosted the Congreso Experience on campus, Oct. 5, for area high school and college Hispanic students. The university partnered with Texas Baptists Evangelism to provide a full-day event which included workshops, a campus tour, lunch in the dining hall, worship and an HPU football game. Student organizations Amigos Unidos and Student Activities Council joined together Oct. 7 to host a Hispanic Heritage Festival. The evening included live music, authentic Mexican food, crafts, games, live poetry readings and information about influential Hispanic leaders. Danny Brunette-López, HPU professor of Spanish and department chair, helped coordinate the event, which featured several students. Alek Mendoza, a 2022 graduate of HPU and Brownwood High School Spanish teacher, brought students from his classes to participate in the festival. The HPU Hispanic Alumni Fellowship also hosted a scholarship breakfast on Sept. 28 to recognize 28 Hispanic students who received scholarships this academic year. The first Hispanic scholarship was created at HPU in 1974. Additionally, Oct. 18-20, the HPU Theatre department will present “Hispanic Tales,” a bilingual performance which features a collection of folktales that celebrate Hispanic culture with humor, music, dance and colorful spectacle. Performances will be held in the HPU Theatre on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and a matinee on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at www.hputx.edu/homecoming.

Two Baylor alumni were honored with Dove awards this year. Forrest Frank was named ‘New Artist of the Year.’ Frank earned a hit No. 1 worldwide on iTunes charts—for all genres—and had five of iTunes’ top 100 Christian songs for 2024. Additionally, his song was chosen as the soundtrack for Baylor’s 2024-25 commercial. Frank also won “Best Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year” for “Good Day,” his biggest hit to date. He performed it and “No Longer Bound” during the Dove Awards ceremony. Additionally, former Baylor Bear David Crowder closed out the night with a performance of his chart-topping hit “Grave Robber,” which was named “Best Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year.”

Houston Christian University announced a new collaboration with the National Cybersecurity Training and Education Center, aimed at enhancing cybersecurity education and preparing students to address the challenges of today’s dynamic digital environment. HCU currently offers several related programs, including bachelor’s degrees in computer science, cyber engineering, cybersecurity, electrical engineering and information systems and various Master of Science programs such as data science and cybersecurity. Soon, other programs in artificial intelligence and computer and information sciences will be available in online and hybrid formats.

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor named Jacob Carter its inaugural recipient of a new ministry award named in honor of longtime ministry professor Leroy Kemp. Kemp taught at UMHB for 30 years and served as pastor of First Baptist Church in Belton for 20 years. The award is given to the student who has shown exceptional commitment to Christian ministry leadership. Carter graduated in May with a Bachelor of Transformational Development degree. His professors described him as an exceptional student who was active in campus organizations and his local church, First Baptist Belton, where he completed a youth internship. Carter, who graduated with a 3.9 GPA, participated in study tours to Israel and to New Testament sites in Greece and Turkey. He also presented research at UMHB’s Scholars Day and served as assistant director of the 2024 UMHB Easter Pageant.

Tom Copeland, director of the Julius Olsen Honors Program at Hardin-Simmons University, concludes his tenure in that role in May 2025 after 30 years of service. Robert L. Tucker, current Dean of the Kelley College of Business and Professional Studies, will take on the role of director of the Honors Program. As part of this transition, HSU has initiated the search for a new dean to lead the Kelley College of Business and Professional Studies. During his tenure, Copeland cultivated an environment that encourages students to engage deeply in interdisciplinary learning, integrate faith with intellect and wrestle with complex questions about life and belief. Under his leadership, honors students have excelled academically, made significant contributions to community service and participated in global travel experiences. Before leading the Kelley College of Business and Professional Studies, Tucker was dean of the College of Fine Arts, now the College of Arts and Media.

Hardin-Simmons University received a $1 million donation toward the university’s newest residence hall, Prichard Hall. Dedicated on July 30, Prichard Hall welcomed its first residents this fall. The facility accommodates 164 students in suite-style rooms. Each suite includes four private bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and a shared living room. Every bedroom is fully equipped with a twin bed, study desk, dresser and walk-in closet. The first floor includes a lounge area and full kitchen, accessible to all residents. With the hall nearly at full capacity, it reflects the growing demand for on-campus living at HSU, which has seen a 6 percent increase in residential students this year.

Josiah Queen’s Oct. 9 concert at Wayland Baptist University sold out, marking the 14th sell-out of the 16-city “The Prodigal Tour.” “Harral Auditorium was absolutely packed with people coming from as far as Dallas, Kansas and parts unknown,” Wayland Communications Manager Phillip Hamilton noted. Queen’s hit single, The Prodigal, has garnered more than 46 million global streams. His success began with his single I Am Barabbas, which went viral on TikTok, with more than 2 million views and placing him among Billboard’s “Top 50 Hottest Christian Songs.” As an independent artist, Queen has reached more than 125 million streams.

During the annual board meeting of the T.B. Maston Foundation on Oct. 4, six new members were elected to join the foundation’s board. They are David Beck, layman at Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas and owner of Lone Star Cleaning and Restoration; Ken Gore, professor of biblical studies in the College of Christian Faith at Dallas Baptist University and member of First Baptist Church of Duncanville; Jeremy Hall, senior pastor of North Hills Community Baptist Church in Pittsburgh, Penn., and past recipient of the T. B. Maston Foundation Scholarship; Alfa Orellana, registrar at Baptist University of the Americas and a Young Maston Scholar in 2023; Larry Parsley, professor of Christian ministry and new director of the mentoring program at Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary; and Randy Rogers, professor at Hardin-Simmons University and current interim pastor at First Baptist Church in Plainview. Additionally, the T.B. Maston Foundation is receiving applications for its scholarship to cover the 2025-2026 academic year, Executive Director David Morgan announced. The Maston Foundation provides a $5,000 scholarship annually to a graduate student whose study focuses on Christian ethics. Eligible candidates are Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Theology degree students writing dissertations that deal with ethical implications and Doctor of Ministry degree students whose projects include an ethical focus.  To read the full announcement or to find the scholarship application, click here.