Around the State: HPU sends education supplies to Liberia

Howard Payne University students, faculty, and staff recently gathered to pack a shipping container full of supplies to be sent to William V.S. Tubman University in Harper, Liberia. The activity coincided with a visit from Tubman’s president, Olu Menjay, who spent several days on campus and spoke during chapel. “We are very, very grateful for this container of hope,” Menjay said, expressing gratitude to Cory Hines, HPU president; Chris Liebrum, HPU vice president for external affairs; and the HPU employees and student volunteers who helped make the donation possible. Menjay explained limited resources make it difficult for Tubman University to provide the facilities and furnishings needed to support its academic community. The donation will help the university create more conducive spaces for learning and give students and faculty greater access to functional educational environments. “It’s been so great to watch God bring this opportunity together,” Hines said. “What started as a small conversation a little over a year ago has grown into a friendship between two universities on different sides of the world. Our prayer is that these items are a blessing to the students and staff at Tubman University and that our friendship continues to grow,” he continued. After more than a year of coordination, Menjay visited campus, met with university leaders, and helped select items for the shipment. The donated materials included furniture and equipment, such as computers, desks, chairs, and tables. The shipment is intended to help Tubman University improve its learning spaces and support its students and faculty. “We are very excited,” said Menjay. “This will be a gamechanger for us. The space that we are going to enjoy now is because of Howard Payne University. I think it will give us a good culture of learning at our university.” Menjay described the connection between the two universities as providential and emphasized the role of their shared faith in bringing the partnership to fruition. “This wouldn’t have been possible without the glue that put us together, which is Jesus Christ,” he said.

Buckner International’s Shoes for Orphan Souls program provided over 1,000 pairs of new shoes to children and families during Fielder Church in Arlington’s annual “Serve the City” initiative, Nov. 1. Buckner joined about 1,200 Fielder Church members from all four campuses as they stepped outside the traditional Sunday service model and mobilized across the community to meet tangible needs of nearly 500 local families. “This was our first year collaborating with Fielder Church in this way, and it was genuinely powerful to see the entire congregation come together to express the love of Christ in such a meaningful way,” said Shawn Spurrier, director of Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls. “It reminds us that God loves his world most often through normal people and ordinary means—like ensuring families are fed and have shoes on their feet.” Buckner provided the shoes for church members to sort, pair with handwritten notes of encouragement, and distribute to families also receiving nonperishable food during the event. Since 2015, Serve the City has connected church members with local ministry collaborators and community needs through hands-on service projects designed to support families and strengthen neighborhoods.

The 2026 Baptist University of the Américas Golf Classic at Canyon Springs Golf Club in San Antonio, Oct. 26, raised $73,000 for BUA students. Every dollar raised helps keep a biblical, cross-cultural education within reach for students from across Texas and around the world, many of whom are the first in their families to go to college. Winning teams include: First Place (−16): Insurance One T. Ryan Hutchinson Team—T. Ryan Hutchinson, Luke Hutchinson, Billy Smith, and Cason Smith; Second Place (−15): Everyday Fellowship Team A—John Minton, Brett Westbrook, Billy Raymer, and Charlie Groth; Third Place (−12): FirstDay Foundation Team A—JoAnn Miller, Mike Miller,Tommy Thompson, and Doc Savage; and Most Honest Team (+3): Buckner International—John Hunt, Joe Rangel, Andrew Trausch, and Drew Worsham. Sponsors included: FirstDay Foundation; Gene and Mary Duane Dawson; Texas Baptists; Baptist Credit Union; Buckner; Insurance One; Oakwood; Compass Bible Church Hill Country; Lane & Countryman Attorneys at Law; HighGround Advisors; W.H. “Bill” and Carol Brian Jr.; Impact Fire; Anne Marie’s Catering & Event Center; TEAM Foundation; Frost (10K Team Putting Challenge); Hill Country Honda (Hole in One); Texas Baptists Missions Foundation (Polos); and Dallas Baptist University (Logo Balls). Guided by its commitment to being affordable, biblical, and cross‑cultural, BUA prepares students for impactful service in churches, communities, and ministries in Texas and worldwide.

Miss Student Foundation, Landry Gerhart, was named Miss Mary Hardin-Baylor 2027 in the annual Miss MHB Pageant, Oct. 31, at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. Gerhart is a sophomore history major from Rockwall. She is the daughter of Adam and Angie Gerhart. For her talent, she performed an original monologue portraying Martha Moore Clancy, a UMHB student in the 1920s, and sang the “Doxology.” The reigning Miss MHB, Jessie Norvell, crowned Gerhart. Also recognized were fourth runner-up: Evie Bullock—Miss Worship Workshop; third runner-up: Ella Kate Hanks—Miss Nursing Student Association; second runner-up: Mikyla Bachert—Miss ROTC; and first runner-up: Jadyn Wilson—Miss Lord Hall. The Miss MHB Pageant recognizes young women who demonstrate self-confidence, personality, and inner beauty. Each of the 19 contestants represented a campus organization or residence hall. All contestants participated in individual interviews, a group dance number, talent presentations, and an evening gown stroll. Additionally, the women were asked to discuss their individual platforms, highlighting issues they are passionate about.

In the university’s first mission trip to Seattle, Wash., 12 students from Dallas Baptist University’s Baptist Student Ministry served alongside Northwest Collegiate Ministries, sharing the hope of Jesus with students across 11 college campuses. DBU students arrived in Seattle as students there were returning to campus for the fall semester, an ideal time to begin conversations with students at schools with limited Christian ministry presence. The DBU team invited Seattle students to join Northside Collegiate Ministries located on their own campuses. “God is moving in Seattle, and we are so grateful that we got to be co-laborers with him in what he is doing,” DBU student Kailyn King observed. DBU BSM Director Ryan Hodges said he hopes “one or more of our BSM students will feel called to serve in collegiate ministry in this area,” that others will continue to pray for the students they encountered during the trip, and that as the DBU team returns to campus, they will be as bold in sharing the gospel within their own friend groups and community as they were with strangers in Seattle.