Around the State: HPU student serves in Italy

Over the summer, Howard Payne University student Hannah Hinshaw served in Bobbio Pellice, Italy, with Go Now Missions. Hinshaw is a junior from Weatherford, pursuing a major in Christian education with a minor in worship ministry. She spent two weeks working with students attending sports camp, many of whom never had heard the gospel or regularly attended church. Camp consisted of more than 150 students, 60 adult volunteers and 40 junior coaches. Each group was made up of two Italian speakers, two junior coaches and a handful of English speakers. One of Hinshaw’s roles throughout the week was to help lead music, which involved translating the songs from English to Italian. Go Now Missions is a ministry of Texas Baptists that mobilizes Texas university students to share the love of Christ across the world. Bryan Pate, director of HPU’s Baptist Student Ministry expressed his excitement for Hinshaw’s opportunity to serve overseas with Go Now. “Go Now has been an essential part of Texas BSM’s mission strategy for the past 25 years. It’s such a great opportunity for students to be involved in the work that God is doing, whether that be through statewide, national or international mission trips,” Pate said.

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor announced Colin Wilborn has been promoted to associate provost, in addition to his current role as executive dean for the Mayborn College of Health Sciences. In his new role, Wilborn will oversee regional accreditation and various operational activities within the office of academic affairs, including faculty contracting and student appeals. Wilborn, an alumnus of UMHB, first joined the university in 2006 as an assistant professor in exercise and sports science. During his tenure as dean of the graduate school, he was instrumental in launching UMHB’s first online degree in sports administration and expanded graduate program offerings to include physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant, public health and nursing. Wilborn’s leadership led to the Mayborn College of Health Sciences creation in 2018.

The African American Fellowship Conference recently recognized Roy Cotton and his wife Inez for his more than 46 years of denominational service. Cotton served 21 years with the Baptist General Convention of Texas before retiring. In his last full-time role with Texas Baptists, he was director of African American Ministries. Following his retirement in 2020, Cotton led the Texas Baptists Ambassador Program, enlisting about 130 volunteers to serve as ambassadors on behalf of Texas Baptists. Prior to his time with Texas Baptists, he served 25 years with the Baptist General Association of Virginia. He also served in various ministry roles with churches in Virginia and was the founding pastor of CenterPointe Baptist Church for the Communities in Red Oak, where he was named “pastor emeritus.” In honor of Cotton’s decades of faithful service, Oza Jones, the current director of Texas Baptists’ African American Ministries, announced the creation of the Dr. Roy and Inez Cotton Music and Arts Scholarship. Carlyn Knight, a 20-year-old sophomore at Paul Quinn College, was named as the inaugural scholarship recipient.

Hardin-Simmons University announced the addition of cycling as a sport and hired Brenda Andress as its inaugural coach. Cycling is not an NCAA-sanctioned sport but has varsity and club levels and falls under the auspices of USA Cycling, which features four disciplines—track, mountain bike, cyclocross and road. HSU will compete in mountain bike in the fall season and road in the spring season. HSU will compete at the varsity level in the South Central Collegiate Cycling Conference—a collection of cycling teams representing colleges and universities from Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. Andress holds a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Abilene Christian University and a master’s degree in leadership from the University of Texas at Arlington.

A new cohort of Dallas Baptist University’s Gary Cook School of Leadership began doctoral studies this semester. Pursuing a Ph.D. in Leadership with concentrations in ministry, higher education, business or general leadership, their studies will include qualitative and quantitative research alongside a deep dive into leadership scholarship. The three-year program includes three institutes, taking place in three summers during the duration of the program. Each institute sets the stage for the next year of research and study. In the final stage of their doctoral work, students must compose and successfully defend a dissertation on a topic in their respective fields of study. The first summer, students stay in Dallas to connect and learn DBU’s values. Next summer, the group will travel to Washington, D.C., to study under DBU President Adam C. Wright. In the summer of 2026, they will travel to Oxford University for the final institute, where they will learn from Blake Killingsworth, dean of the Cook School of Leadership, before beginning research for their dissertation in the summer of 2027. 

Students returning to Wayland Baptist University Aug. 21 will find 33 new programs across various disciplines. In the newly renamed School of Humanities and Leadership, a Doctor of Strategic Leadership program has been launched. Additionally, Wayland now offers six new master’s degree programs, four new accelerated bachelor’s-to-master’s degree tracks, four new graduate certificate programs, nine new bachelor’s degree programs, three new undergraduate certificate programs, one new associate’s degree program and five new minors. A list of the new programs can be found here.

The grand opening of the new Buckner Children and Family Services of Houston campus was commemorated Aug. 3, with a ribbon cutting, reception and back-to-school distribution. The campus is a 6.88-acre property in north Houston near the Houston ISD and Aldine ISD border. The campus is situated strategically in the Northside neighborhood, to provide vital programs and services to some of Houston’s most vulnerable communities. According to the City of Houston, Northside’s residential population is 74 percent Hispanic. Nearly half of the families living in Northside have an average income under $25,000 per year, and 58 percent of residents are without a high school diploma. The surrounding area of Aldine is experiencing a rising population, but inadequate wages and limited housing and social services. In Aldine, 91.6 percent of children are economically disadvantaged. The campus includes 37,000 square feet of classroom space and a gymnasium. The first phase of renovations recently was completed to update the facilities and create space for programming that supports children and families. Several key programs will be housed on the campus, including Buckner Family Hope Center at Northside—where families will have access to free classes. Future growth for the Buckner Children and Family Services of Houston campus includes the potential to house all core programs in one location—including new residences for single-parent families participating in the Buckner Family Pathways single-parent residential program.

Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities will host the second annual Community Field Day on Oct. 5, from 10 a.m. to noon at McLane Stadium. Registration is now open. Youth and adults with developmental disabilities ages 12 and older and their families are invited to enjoy field games and learn about taking care of their health. This event is co-sponsored by the National Down Syndrome Society, with Congressman Pete Sessions as the Honorary Chair.

Anniversary

First Baptist Church in Rockdale will celebrate 150 years of faithful Christian service and ministry on Sept. 22, with morning and afternoon services beginning at 10:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Matt Higginbotham is pastor. The congregation invites you to join them in celebration, with former pastors, staff and members who will participate in the services. For more information, contact the church at 512-446-5375.