Around the State: Student art exhibit displayed at Wayland

Artwork created by seven Wayland Baptist University seniors will be on display April 19 to May 17 at Abraham Art Gallery. The exhibitions are part of a capstone class for art majors and required for graduation. “For most students it will be the first solo show in their professional exhibition record,” said Candace Keller, art professor and university curator and art director for the gallery. “The students are responsible for all aspects of development, design and installation of their professional visual art exhibition.” Students with artwork in the senior exhibition are Paten Denton, graphite, acrylic paint, oil pastels and charcoal; Alli Ferguson, digital and mixed media; Blanca Murillo, traditional and digital art; Daniel Hartman, primarily street photography with some acrylic paint and pencil; Selma Sutaj, painting and drawing; Ashlyn Holmes, drawing, painting and animation; and Zeah Clark, acrylic, block printing and ceramics. Some of the works on display will be on sale, either as originals or prints. Abraham Art Gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday; and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday. For more information or to schedule a group tour, call the gallery at 806-291-3710.

For more than a decade, Wayland Baptist University has celebrated Creation Care Week. The emphasis acknowledges God as creator, sustainer and redeemer of all things, and it recognizes many still believe God’s creation is an exploitable commodity. Creation Care Week reminds the university family one cannot honestly declare love for God while destroying his creation. “Creation care is about caring for God’s creation in the same ways that he does,” said Matthew Allen, professor of biological sciences in the Kenneth L. Mattox School of Mathematics and Sciences. Allen will be the featured chapel speaker at 11 a.m. on April 17, as he presents “Tree Tales.” He will discuss tree species found on the Plainview campus, detailing both their ecology and the ways humans interact with them. As part of Creation Care Week, the university offers a special screening of Deep in the Heart: A Texas Wildlife Story, a film narrated by Matthew McConaughey. The critically acclaimed documentary will be shown at 7 p.m. on April 17. On Thursday, Wayland will gather to put creation care into action at “Come Plant with Us,” where students, faculty and staff are scheduled to help beautify outdoor planter boxes.

Renovations recently were completed for a microbiology lab in Howard Payne University’s Winebrenner Memorial Hall of Science, thanks to funding from HPU supporters. “It is now a state-of-the-art space that will better support the student experience in our classes each day,” said Kristen Hutchins, dean of the School of Science and Mathematics. Winebrenner Hall was built in 1962 and named in memory of longtime faculty member O.E. Winebrenner. The updates to the microbiology lab are the most recent in a series of lab and classroom renovations made within the facility in the last several years. Dale Meinecke, HPU’s vice president for Advancement, expressed the university’s gratitude to supporters of the renovation project. “We extend our appreciation to Waldrop Construction, the Central Texas J.R. Beadel Foundation and several other alumni supporters and friends who gave generously to make this renovation possible,” Meinecke said. “In total, nearly $170,000 was given in support of this project.”

Houston Christian University held a groundbreaking ceremony for Founders Hall 2, the final building in the Morris Family Center for Law & Liberty complex, on April 2. HCU President Robert Sloan joined the Morris family, past and former members of HCU’s board of trustees, members of the Executive Council, faculty and staff, and Brookstone Construction contractors to mark the beginning of construction on the final phase of the five-building complex. The $7 million 18,438-sq.-ft. building will mirror the size and dimensions of the adjacent Founders Hall 1 building. The new academic building will house nine classrooms, seven faculty offices and a conference room. Slated for completion in January 2025, the building will provide additional space to support HCU’s Institutional Strategic Plan, “Husky 2030,” and help the university continue its mission—instilling in students a passion for academic, spiritual and professional excellence as a result of their central confession, “Jesus Christ is Lord.”

Faculty in the College of Science & Engineering at Houston Christian University will be able to enhance student performance in traditionally challenging freshman-level math and science courses thanks to a $500,000 project grant funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation.  Established by the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, the foundation’s top priorities are to promote discovery in science and engineering, accelerate technology and innovation and advance diversity in science and engineering.  Submission of the federally funded grant was spearheaded by faculty members Illya Medina Velo, assistant professor of chemistry and director of science sesearch, David Meng, associate professor of mathematics and engineering, and Kamela Gallardo, assistant professor of biology. Katie Evans, dean of HCU’s College of Science & Engineering expressed her appreciation for the team’s efforts.  “I am especially thankful for their leadership and effort in support of student learning, and I am eager to provide whatever administrative support is needed to ensure success of this important work,” Evans said.

Attachment 2 – Photo Caption: HCU student in a lab in the College of Science and Engineering | Photo credit: Carnegie | Houston Christian University

Hundreds of students gathered inside a large white tent in the middle of campus for the 25th annual spring revival at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor April 8-10. This year’s theme was “Called by Name.” Shane Pruitt, the National Next Gen director for the Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board, was the featured speaker. Jimmy McNeal and Austin Stone Worship led worship for the three-day event. “Revival 2024 has seen more than 100 students respond to calls to salvation, rededication and repentance. In addition, 29 students accepted a call to serve in ministry leadership roles,” said UMHB’s dean of spiritual life and university chaplain Jason Palmer. A thunderstorm on the second night of the revival required a move from the tent to Walton Chapel, where participants worshipped acapella and responded to a call to repentance delivered without a microphone. “The simplicity of the gospel was on display, and it was beautiful,” said a post on the UMHB Spiritual Life Instagram page.

Anniversary

30th for Allen Frans as youth and family pastor at Central Baptist Church in Round Rock. He also has served more than two decades as chaplain for the baseball and football teams at Round Rock High School and for the Round Rock Express minor league baseball team.