“This Old House at 415: Letters from the Family” will be the topic April 10 when Wayland Baptist University hosts Karen O’Dell Bullock for the 2024 William M. Pinson Jr. Baptist History Lecture Series. Bullock’s topic stems from historians tracing the earliest Baptist church to 1609—415 years ago—in Amsterdam, where English Separatist pastor John Smyth rejected infant baptism and insisted only believing adults should be immersed. Bullock, who served as distinguished professor of Christian heritage and director of the Ph.D. program at B.H. Carroll Theological Seminary from 2007 until her retirement in 2023, will speak during Wayland’s weekly chapel service at 11 a.m. in Harral Memorial Auditorium, and a question-and-answer lunch session will follow. The Baptist General Convention of Texas established the lecture series and its supporting endowment as an expression of gratitude for Pinson’s service as a pastor, seminary professor and president, and Baptist denominational leader. The lectures are designed to highlight Baptist heritage and distinctives and are held annually on the campus of one of the nine BGCT-affiliated universities.

Julio Guarneri, executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, will address Wayland Baptist University students, faculty and staff during chapel at 11a.m. on March 27 in Harral Memorial Auditorium in Plainview. Chapel services are livestreamed for students at Wayland’s extension campuses. Immediately following the chapel service, Guarneri will participate in a question-and-answer brown bag luncheon.

The general public can join pastors, teachers and seminary students at a two-day seminar on 1 Corinthians led by theology professor Kimlyn Bender. The seminar is scheduled April 5-6 at the Houston extension of Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary at the Lanier Theological Library. The $150 registration includes three catered meals, fellowship and study that will help participants grow in their understanding of Scripture, sketch out preaching/teaching plans, and stimulate their faith. Seminars are scheduled from noon to 7:30 p.m. on Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. To register, click here.

Barbara Grooms of Brownwood, a 1959 Howard Payne University graduate, has been selected by the HPU Women’s Club to receive the 2024 Yellow Rose Award. Grooms will be recognized at the club’s annual Yellow Rose Scholarship Luncheon, scheduled April 25 in HPU’s Mabee University Center. To purchase tickets, contact the Office of Advancement at (325) 649-8007. Grooms grew up just two blocks from HPU and recalls walking across campus on the way to church. While she attended classes at HPU, she served as campus telephone operator. Barbara and Dwayne Grooms married in 1964. For the next 16 years, she stayed home to care for their two children and assist with the family business. She then served 25 years as secretary for First Baptist Church in Brownwood. In her role there, she had many opportunities to get to know HPU students, some of whom were interns at the church, and enjoyed hosting college dinners at their home. She and her husband “adopted” a multitude of HPU students through the church’s Student Adoption Ministry program, designed to integrate HPU students into the church and provide them with a family while away from home. She also made many lifelong friendships with ministers and their spouses and enjoyed teaching third-grade Sunday school.  

Four former Baptist General Convention of Texas executive directors and their spouses—Bill and Bobbie Pinson (1983–1999), Charles and Rosemary Wade (1999–2008), Randel and Sheila Everett (2008–2011), and David and Kathleen Hardage (2011–2022)—joined the newest BGCT executive director and spouse Julio and Monica Guarneri at Dallas Baptist University for a dinner hosted by the university. “I invited them to campus to honor their leadership and welcome Dr. Guarneri as the new executive director. I wanted them to be able to learn from one another, and consequently, I wanted to learn from them as well. It was a very special time,” DBU President Adam Wright said. The dinner in the Hillcrest Great Hall on the DBU campus was to commemorate Guarneri’s appointment as the new executive director, while also celebrating the past, present and future of Texas Baptists as the Lord continues to guide the work of the BGCT. The dinner also was hosted to thank Texas Baptists for how much they continue to do for DBU and for God’s kingdom partnership between the two organizations.

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor celebrated the dedication of the Marek-Smith Center for Teacher Preparation with a special ceremony and ribbon cutting March 1. “This amazing and beautiful building is another game changer for UMHB. It raises the bar for teacher education and reflects our commitment to offer exceptional academic programs,”said UMHB President Randy O’Rear. During his remarks, O’Rear explained the facility’s name honors the special relationship between Evan Smith and Logan Marek. “Logan is … a remarkable young man. He is generous. You will notice his name on the donor wall inside. He used his own hard-earned money to support this project because he wanted to make a gift to honor his friendship with Evan,” O’Rear said.

Nine Houston Christian University students in a cross-cultural counseling course are providing counseling to 20 individuals in Nepal and Egypt. Students are working with clients, many of whom are refugees or victims of human trafficking, in one-on-one or group meetings through video calls and instant-messaging apps with the help of a translator. “Students are learning how to work with clients with diverse backgrounds and are researching the countries their clients are from to better understand and help them,” said Andrea Johnson, assistant professor of counseling at HCU. In this counseling internship, HCU students are gaining diverse experiences in a multicultural setting and witnessing the impact their profession has on the growth and healing of the clients they serve. “This course gives students the opportunity to be living disciples for Christ in their profession, which is their mission work,” said Johnson.

Dallas Baptist University hosted the 32nd Annual Patriot Baseball Banquet on February 9. Current Texas Ranger and World Series Champion Nathaniel Lowe headlined the event. He was joined on stage and interviewed by DBU’s Associate Director of Athletics for Media Relations Reagan Ratcliff. “This is bigger than what you guys do on the mound; it’s bigger than what you do in the field or the batter’s box. It’s about who you are as people. Your identity is not found in what you do, but your identity is in Christ,” Lowe said. Ratcliff asked him about how it felt to be a part of the Texas Ranger’s incredible 2023 season and their World Series Championship victory. Lowe explained their victory is not an end point, but rather a brief highlight during their careers, and they will continue to work hard. “We are bigger than our jobs. It’s cool to win, but there is a whole lot more to life than winning and losing,” Lowe said. He closed by imparting some advice to the Patriots, “Make the most of your time here because it doesn’t last forever. You are going to be a former player a lot longer than you are a current player. So, go out there and enjoy it, make the most of it, and leave everything on the field.”

East Texas Baptist University recognized the Thomas Whitfield Davidson Foundation as the 2024 ETBU Good Samaritan Award recipient on Feb. 27. Inspired by the parable in Luke 10:25-37, the Good Samaritan Award and ETBU Scholarship Banquet celebrates individuals and organizations who exemplify the spirit of “loving your neighbor as yourself.” The T. Whitfield Davidson Foundation was established through the legacy of former Chief Judge of the Northern District of Texas Thomas Whitfield Davidson. Hailing from Marshall, Judge Davidson’s foundation consistently demonstrates remarkable generosity, providing vital support to nonprofit organizations in Marshall and Harrison County. The T. Whitfield Davidson Foundation has been instrumental in supporting countless ETBU students through scholarships, ensuring access to transformative educational opportunities.

The Baylor Board of Regents concluded its regular quarterly meeting, February 23, with a ceremonial groundbreaking of the Memorial to Enslaved Persons that will recognize the enslaved men, women and children who were instrumental in building Baylor’s original campus in Independence. Designed by Suzuki architectural firm, with input from campus teams and student representatives, key features of the memorial will be a cascading water feature made of the same limestone used to build the original Independence campus and foundational scriptures meant to remind visitors of the freedom all men and women have in Christ now and should have experienced when Baylor was founded in 1845. Additional historical context will also be placed around the existing Judge R.E.B. Baylor statue. “When Baylor was founded in 1845, chattel slavery was deeply woven into the cultural and economic fabric of the state of Texas. Our three primary founders—including our namesake, Judge Baylor—were both religious leaders and slaveholders,” Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone said. “We believe the incompatibility of Baylor’s Christian mission and its roots in chattel slavery requires a collective reckoning with this legacy, and the additional context around Judge Baylor’s statue will connect his story to the enslaved persons being recognized through the memorial.”

East Texas Baptist University recognized Ana Paula Mumy, director and associate professor of speech-language pathology, who has been honored with the Burtis-Vogel-Elkins Community Service Award, bestowed by the Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation in acknowledgment of Mumy’s exceptional leadership and service contributions through Spero Stuttering, a nonprofit organization. The Burtis-Vogel-Elkins Community Service Award recognizes individuals whose dedication and service activities have significantly advanced the field of speech-language pathology and positively impacted the stuttering community. “This award is so meaningful to me because it not only allows me to continue this important work that directly advances the field of speech-language pathology, but it also brings awareness to the needs in the stuttering community and elevates the voices of people who stutter,” Mumy said.

Houston Christian University’s Black Student Union organized a recent outdoor praise and worship service for students, faculty and families in celebration of Black History Month. Led by BSU’s Outbreak of the Gospel Choir, the event provided students of all cultural backgrounds an opportunity to participate in praise and worship from the Black church tradition. The goal and purpose of the choir is “to provide a unique gospel feel and enhance the worship experience,” said BSU President Chloe Spiller. The service also included a message on the theme “Restore and Replenish,” which allowed students to respond to a call for spiritual renewal.

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor will celebrate the opening of the highly anticipated Marek-Smith Center for Teacher Preparation with a special dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting on Fri., March 1. The event begins at 1 p.m. and is open to the public. Visitors can tour the new state-of-the-art special education training and instructional facility following the ribbon cutting. UMHB is the only known university in the country with a special needs lab where undergraduate education majors work directly with children with disabilities. The Marek-Smith Center will lead the way for training and educating special education instructors. With cutting-edge technology, resources, equipment and tools, the 11,000-square-foot facility will offer spaces such as an immersion room, a multisensory room, a high-impact zone, a STEM lab and an outdoor exploration zone. The facility’s name honors the meaningful relationship between Logan Marek, a 2017 Belton High School graduate with autism, and Evan Smith, a 2013 Belton High School graduate and 2017 graduate of Texas A&M University. Before Evan’s death in 2018, he had a passion for young people with disabilities. He dedicated his time to volunteering with Young Life Capernaum, a ministry organization where teens and young adults with disabilities can meet Jesus and grow in their faith. Evan enjoyed working with teenagers with disabilities in Belton and College Station and serving as a personal care provider for Logan.

Howard Payne University’s Student Speaker Bureau speech and debate team clinched the debate sweepstakes at the Texas Intercollegiate Forensics Association Spring Championship held at Texas State University. Senior Landon Chenault, Guy D. Newman Honors Academy and jurisprudence major from Denton, won the International Public Debate Association championship, was one of four seniors statewide named to the prestigious Texas All-State Forensics Squad, and was the top debate speaker at the tournament. Sophomore Katelyn Sims, Guy D. Newman Honors Academy and global studies major from Cleburne, was an advancing quarterfinalist and third place IPDA speaker. Both Chenault and Sims had perfect prelims records, and Chenault finished the tournament undefeated. Julie Welker, professor of communication and chair of the Department of Communication, coaches the team. “Landon is our team captain and the only senior on the team, so this was a gratifying win for him,” said Welker. “He dominated at the tournament, and I am so proud of this accomplishment for him. Landon puts a lot of effort into coaching the team as well, and the team’s overall performance reflects his leadership.” HPU had four of the top nine IPDA debate speakers. In addition to Chenault and Sims, sophomore Cora Raub, Guy D. Newman Honors Academy and nursing major from Celina, was named fourth-place speaker, and sophomore Adrielle Sloan, Guy D. Newman Honors Academy and strategic communication major from Blue Oak, was the ninth-place speaker. The team will compete in a large online tournament the first weekend of March, followed by a trip to the IPDA national tournament, held at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Miss.

Don Ashley has been named Wayland Baptist University’s first executive director of global initiatives. Ashley will work with various aspects of the university in successfully implementing Wayland’s new programs around the globe. He also will look continually for new opportunities for the university to pursue in an international context. Since 2023, Ashley has served as executive director of Wayland’s Anchorage and Fairbanks campuses in Alaska. For the past three years, he also has worked closely with the Wayland President Bobby Hall to explore potential international partnerships, including two new graduate programs that will enroll their first students from India at Wayland’s San Antonio campus in March. “Dr. Ashley has served effectively for several years in a part-time capacity as director of global projects in addition to his leadership role in Alaska, and it is now time to establish this office as a standalone entity,” Hall said. From 1995 to 1997, Ashley served as an academic adviser at Wayland’s Anchorage campus, where he returned in 2001 as a professor. He served as the Kenya program director from 2018 to 2021, before taking the helm of the Anchorage and Fairbanks campuses in 2023.

First Philippine Baptist Church in Missouri City is hosting “Defend Home,” a human trafficking awareness seminar on Sat., March 9, from 10 a.m. to noon. The event is free and open to the public for those who R.S.V.P. here. Guest speakers are Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission Agent Kevin Wilkinson Jr. and Joe Madison, CEO and founder of Demand Disruption, a nonprofit that “fights the demand for sex trafficking by eliminating buyer motivation and reducing access to the exploited.”

The building campaign to raise the initial $3 million toward a new Baptist Student Ministry center on the Baylor University campus has passed the halfway mark, Texas Baptist Missions Foundation President Jerry Carlisle reported to the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board. So far, more than $1.7 million has been given or pledged toward the project. Once the foundation has received gifts and pledges totaling $3 million, Baylor University will legally convey property at the corner of 4th Street and Daughtrey Avenue in Waco to Texas Baptists. After the initial goal is met, the foundation will continue to raise the additional $4 million needed to complete construction of the facility. For more information, click here.

Dallas Baptist University appointed Jeremiah J. Johnston as senior fellow for Christian origins in its Institute for Global Engagement. Johnston is president of the international Christian Thinkers Society, the author of 15 books and host of a podcast. He completed his doctoral residency in Oxford in collaboration with Oxford Centre for Missions Studies and received his Ph.D. from Middlesex University in the United Kingdom. He also earned advanced degrees in theology from Acadia University and Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. His role at DBU will include editing an upcoming academic journal housed within the Institute for Global Engagement, expanding the reach of the university and engaging with students through speaking at chapel, lecturing and teaching courses.

Houston Christian University announced plans to launch a Master of Science in Leadership program in fall 2024, pending approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Offered through HCU’s online division, the new advanced degree is designed to teach leadership skills in alignment with Christian values and prepare individuals for effective leadership in a diverse range of industries and organizations. The 30-credit hour program helps students develop strategic thinking, influential communication, organizational behavior, ethical judgment and a global mindset. “The challenges that the students will face are many, but we hope that by being principled and taught strong Christian leadership values, their leadership will shine in the marketplace,” said Mike Rome, dean of the Archie W. Dunham College of Business at HCU.

Baptist University of the Américas will host a Congreso Experience on March 2 in partnership with Texas Baptists. Other recent Congreso Experiences at Wayland Baptist University and East Texas Baptist University offered opportunities for local Hispanic youth to meet current university students, tour the campus and engage with each other through discussions, worship and community service. During the event at ETBU, for example, students assembled hygiene kits Texas Baptists’ River Ministry will distribute along the Texas-Mexico border.

The Howard Payne University Alumni Association Virtual 5K is scheduled March 23. Individuals can participate by running or walking from anywhere. Last year, more than 100 individuals participated from 25 cities and four states. Brownwood-area residents are invited to the HPU campus to participate in person. Registration for the 5K is $40 per adult and $10 per student. A portion of the registration will be used to support HPU student-focused events and scholarships. Registration is open until March 6. Each participant will receive a race packet, which includes a t-shirt and race bib. Participants are encouraged to submit their race times to the alumni relations office March 23, and the top three finishing times will receive prizes. To register for the Virtual 5K or sign up as a sponsor, visit hputx.edu/alumni/hpu-virtual-5k/ or contact the HPU alumni relations office at alumni@hputx.edu or (325) 649-8007.

Baylor University will host the 2024 Collegiate Day of Prayer at 7 p.m. on Feb. 29. The Collegiate Day of Prayer is an evening worship and prayer service focused on college-aged students. The event—promoted internationally—will originate from Waco Hall on the Baylor campus. The livestream will be available on the Baylor Facebook page, its YouTube channel and the Collegiate Day of Prayer website.

First Baptist Church in China Spring will host a First Blessing event from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on March 23. First Blessingis a ministry that enables churches to provide shoes for schoolchildren. Church volunteers interact with families seeking shoes, escorting the parents through the process as their children are properly fitted for shoes and allowed to select a pair of their choosing.

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs recognized Baylor University as one of the colleges and universities with the highest number of students selected for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Baylor earned the Fulbright Top Producing Institutions honor for the second consecutive year, which recognizes the university for valuing global connection and supporting members of the Baylor community to pursue international opportunities. Twelve Baylor students were selected for Fulbright awards for the academic year 2023-2024, recognizing Baylor as one of only 56 doctoral institutions with having 10 or more graduates or students selected as Fulbright U.S. recipients. “Baylor University’s commitment to a truly transformational education includes rich opportunities for students across the disciplines to maximize their education through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program and other major fellowships, awards and internships,” President Linda A. Livingstone said. “We are so proud of our Fulbright recipients, each of whom are studying, conducting research or teaching in nations around the world while enhancing mutual understanding as cultural ambassadors.” The university will celebrate Baylor Fulbright Day at 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 27 in the Cashion Academic Center. The event, sponsored by the Baylor Office of Engaged Learning, the Center for Global Engagement and the provost’s office will feature information about the Fulbright program, including how to apply.

East Texas Baptist University President J. Blair Blackburn met Feb. 6 with school superintendents from across Harrison County to announce a new initiative aimed at empowering local students. Blackburn introduced the Harrison County Promise Scholarship, an endeavor designed for Harrison County’s top students to receive a Christ-centered higher education at ETBU. The Harrison County Promise Scholarship is valued at $20,000 per academic year. “By investing in local students through initiatives like the Harrison County Promise Scholarship, we are not just shaping individuals. We are shaping the future of our region’s workforce and economic development,” Blackburn said. “This scholarship encourages our high-performing scholars and servant leaders to pursue their higher education here in our community.” While enrolled full-time at ETBU, recipients of the scholarship must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.2, live in on-campus housing, participate in at least one on-campus student organization, engage in local community service through ETBU’s Great Commission Center, and serve as an ambassador for ETBU.

Robert Blackaby, president of Canadian Baptist Theological Seminary in Cochrane, Alberta, will deliver the annual Willson Lectures March 5-6 at Wayland Baptist University. Following a private dinner lecture for local Baptist pastors and Wayland faculty and staff on March 5, Blackaby will speak in chapel at 11 a.m. March 6 in Harral Memorial Auditorium. “Strength for Today; Hope for Tomorrow,” based on 1 Thessalonians 1:1-18, is the title of the chapel lecture, which is free and open to the public. A question-and-answer session with Blackaby is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. on March 6, in McClung University Student Center. Blackaby also will be speak in select classes during the day. A pastor and church planter for many years, Blackaby was an associational strategy consultant for the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention from 1999 to 2004. He served as president of the Canadian National Baptist Convention from 2003 to 2006. He earned his undergraduate degree in English and history from the University of British Columbia and both a Master of Divinity degree and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Christian ethics from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Texas Baptists’ Counseling Center is offering an in-person Mental Health First Aid course March 19 in Dallas for ministers to children and ministers to students serving in Texas Baptist churches. Mental Health First Aid is a national skills-based training and certification course that teaches participants how to identify, understand and respond to mental health and substance abuse issues. Cost is $15, a discounted rate made possible by Texas Baptists’ Missions Foundation. To register, click here.

Hardin-Simmons University will host the Polar Plunge for Special Olympics at 5:30 on Feb. 29. The event, held at the Brand Swimming Pool on the HSU campus, will benefit Abilene-area Special Olympics athletes. Money raised will provide sports training, competition and inclusion programs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Tish Harrison Warren, author and former Christianity Today columnist, will present a lecture and engage in a public conversation with Jim Denison, founding CEO of the Denison Forum, at 7 p.m. on March 19 at Dallas Baptist University. Warren, an Austin-based Anglican Church in North America priest and senior fellow with the Trinity Forum, will speak as part of the Veritas Lecture Series, sponsored by DBU’s Institute for Global Engagement. She will discuss her book, Liturgy for the Ordinary: Sacred Practices for Everyday Life. Cost for individual tickets is $5. To register, click here.

Lesley Wyse will be the keynote speaker at the Howard Payne University Women’s Club’s Yellow Rose Luncheon on April 25. The event is sponsored by area businesses and friends of HPU and will be held in the Mabee University Center. Wyse retired from Fort Bend Christian Academy as superintendent in 2009. She served on HPU’s board of trustees from 2014 to 2023. She is a member at First Baptist Church in Boerne, where she is an adult growth group teacher, a ladies’ Bible study teacher and facilitator, and a member of the prayer team. Also at the luncheon, the HPU Women’s Club will honor its 2024 Yellow Rose Award winner and the 2024 Yellow Rose Scholarship recipients.

The Baylor University Wind Ensemble under the direction of J. Eric Wilson, professor of conducting and director of bands at Baylor, presented a concert at the Texas Music Educators Convention in San Antonio on Feb. 8. Guest artist and clinician Julian Bliss performed Morton Gould’s “Derivations for Clarinet and Band” with the ensemble. He also joined the wind ensemble for Karl King’s “The Melody Shop,” featuring students Hunter Bellows and Matthew Davis on euphonium.

Wayland Baptist University will sponsor a Pioneer Preview for high school juniors and seniors from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 23 at Wayland’s Plainview campus. The event includes Pioneer Showcase, where Wayland displays all academic options and opportunities. Students who want to learn more about life on campus can participate in dorm tours. Future Pioneer and Flying Queen athletes get an opportunity to meet some coaches and athletes. For more information or to register for Pioneer Preview, click here.

Dallas Baptist University and Baylor University have formed a partnership to enable students in DBU’s Associate of Engineering degree program to transition to the School of Engineering and Computer Science at Baylor. Students will complete foundational coursework in mathematics, physics, chemistry and liberal arts at DBU before they transfer to Baylor for their junior and senior years.

The Texas Historical Commission has recognized Gause Baptist Church in Milam County with a historical marker. A dedication ceremony is scheduled at 2 p.m. on March 10 at the church. Speakers include representatives of the Milam County Historical Commission, along with current and former church members, and historical memorabilia will be displayed. Ryan Karl is pastor.

Buckner Children and Family Services completed the purchase of a $5.2 million property in North Houston. Relocation of the Buckner Family Hope Center at Aldine to the new campus is planned for late summer or fall of 2024. The new location provides spacious, updated facilities for Family Hope Center programs, having outgrown the property where it has resided nearly 30 years. The 6.88-acre site in North Houston includes 37,000 square feet of classroom space, a gymnasium, and undeveloped land providing space for additional facilities and programs. It is situated within the Aldine Independent School District, near the border with the Houston Independent School District.

The Dallas Baptist University faculty council selected Jodi Grimes as the 2023 Piper Outstanding Professor. In addition to teaching undergraduate courses in literature, composition and rhetoric, Grimes serves as chair of the English department and as a co-sponsor for the DBU chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society. “The study of language and literature is significant,” Grimes said. “God speaks the world into existence in Genesis 1, and John 1:14 tells us that God incarnate, Jesus, is the Word. As an orator and storyteller, through his sermons and parables, Jesus himself was involved in linguistic and literary creation.” Grimes holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Arlington and a Master of Arts degree and Ph.D. from the University of North Texas. She and her husband, Phillip, have two sons, Andrew and Wesley.

“All Things New” was the theme of the recent Spiritual Renewal 2024 event at East Texas Baptist University. Lance Shumake, teaching pastor at Crosspoint Community Church in Rockwall, was the featured speaker. David Berryhill, music minister at First Baptist Church in Kilgore, led worship alongside ETBU’s student worship band.

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor is hosting special events on campus this month in celebration of Black History Month. “Deadly Sins,” a play by UMHB professor Kerry-Ann Zamore, will be performed at 7 p.m. on Feb. 9 and at 3 p.m. on Feb. 10. Prior to the matinée performance, UMHB’s Kingdom Diversity Office will host a panel discussion with the actors and playwright beginning at 1 p.m. The Kingdom Diversity Office also will host a musical celebration, “The Evolution of Black Music in America,” on Feb. 29 at 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.

“Traditions Ignite” is the theme for Wayland Baptist University’s 2024 Homecoming celebration. Alumnus Jeremy Bryant, the voice of Angelo State University athletics for 19 years and six-time recipient of the Lone Star Conference Broadcaster of the Year award, will be featured speaker in the homecoming chapel at 11 a.m. Feb. 9 in Harral Auditorium. During the chapel service, honor classes will be recognized, and the homecoming king and queen candidate will be introduced. A ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of the Mabee Laboratory Science Building is scheduled at 1 p.m. on Feb. 9. For more information on other events, including the Legacy League Luncheon, the Blue and Gold Banquet, class reunions and several athletic competitions, click here.

A significant gift from a private donor will enable Houston Christian University to provide full tuition for new qualifying freshmen and transfer students pursuing STEM-related degrees beginning in the fall 2024 semester. The donor will provide funding through the Grace Hopper Scholarship to support students preparing for careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. “We are deeply grateful for the support of this generous donor in supporting the Grace Hopper Scholarships at HCU. These generous awards for qualified engineering students will open up new career opportunities for young people who would otherwise be unable to enter these exciting fields,” HCU President Robert Sloan said. “This financial support will dramatically increase the number of students we are able to enroll in engineering at HCU and will benefit greatly not only the students and their families for years to come, but also the City of Houston and the workforce needs we have in this great city.” For more information about the scholarship and who is qualified to receive it, click here.

East Texas Baptist University hosted the Christian Association of Student Leaders Conference Jan 18-20. The conference is designed to nurture the intersection of leadership and faith, empowering students to lead with purpose and make a meaningful impact on their campuses and communities. The event was supported by the Baptist General Convention of Texas and featured student leaders from institutions including ETBU, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Hardin-Simmons University, Howard Payne University, Houston Christian University, Dallas Baptist University and Oklahoma Baptist University. Featured speakers included Fred “Chip” Luter, senior associate pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans; Kelly King, women’s minister at Quail Springs Baptist Church in Oklahoma City; and Todd Kaunitz, lead pastor at New Beginnings Baptist Church in Longview.

Global Baptist leader David Coffey is the featured speaker at the inaugural Nexus Ministry Leadership Conference at Dallas Baptist University, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 26. Topics include leading change, crisis leadership and mentoring as leadership. Coffey served 15 years as general secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and was president of the Baptist World Alliance from 2005 to 2010. He also served 10 years as global ambassador for BMS World Mission, is a past president of the European Baptist Federation and was moderator of the English Free Churches and a leader of Churches Together in England. Coffey has visited 80 countries on six continents, focusing on human rights and religious liberty and the development of emerging leaders. The Nexus Ministry Leadership Conference is sponsored by DBU Graduate School of Ministry in partnership with the Gary Cook School of leadership and with financial support from the Pinson Lecture Series. To register, click here.

Houston Christian University and the Blinn College District announced a new transfer partnership Jan. 25 that will provide Blinn students pathways to bachelor’s degrees from HCU. Through the transfer and co-enrollment agreement, Blinn electrical engineering and computer science students can apply their credits toward a Bachelor of Science degree in cyber engineering, electrical engineering or computer science from HCU. “We are truly grateful for this partnership with Blinn College,” HCU President Robert Sloan said. “Blinn has a great history and is an outstanding institution with strong and thoughtful leadership. We are honored to enter into this enrollment agreement and are confident it will benefit students and programs in both our institutions.”

Wayland Baptist University will recognize Freda Provence and Libby Cleveland with awards for lifetime service at its Blue and Gold Awards Banquet on Feb. 9. Provence and Cleveland will receive the Joe and Freda Provence Distinguished Lifetime Service Award. Provence served 25 years as administrative assistant to three presidents and an interim president at Wayland, and she and her husband Joe were longtime supporters of the arts and athletics at the university. Cleveland taught more than 30 years in public schools before joining the faculty of Wayland’s Kenneth L. Mattox School of Mathematics and Sciences, where she has served about three decades. Wayland will honor educator Vernon Stokes and counselor Patrick Timothy Aland with its Distinguished Alumni Award. Stokes served as a classroom teacher at the elementary, junior high school, high school and college levels before he became a campus administrator, assistant superintendent and ultimately a superintendent. Aland has worked with combat veterans and their families at the Lubbock Veterans Counseling Center. JR Dunn, Baptist Student Ministries director at Wayland, will receive the Distinguished Young Alumni Award. Ben and Bertha Mieth of Glen Rose will receive the Distinguished Benefactor Award.

Texas State Game Warden Ryan S. Hunter, an alumnus and instructor at Hardin-Simmons University, recently received the 2023 Texans Caring for Texans award for the Panhandle-area Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. He also was named the Texas Game Warden of the Year for the Region 6 Area, which includes Amarillo, Lubbock, Wichita Falls and Abilene. Hunter currently serves in the Randall County/Potter County duty station. Hunter earned his undergraduate degree from Hardin-Simmons in 2009 and was hired as a Texas Game Warden the following year. After completing his Master of Science degree in criminal justice, he began teaching as an adjunct instructor for the HSU criminal justice department in 2015. He worked as a full-time faculty member in the department from 2016 until 2018, then returned to working for the state as a game warden. He has continued to serve as an adjunct instructor at HSU, teaching both undergraduate and graduate students.

Houston Christian University’s psychology and counseling departments sponsored a continuing education and professional development symposium for more than 130 mental health providers. “Together We Rise” was the theme of the Jan. 27 symposium. Patricia Daza, associate professor and director of psychology at the Menninger Clinic in Houston, was the keynote speaker.

The Marshall Greater Chamber of Commerce named Debbie Rogers, director of campus services at East Texas Baptist University, as its Employee of the Year. Rogers represents ETBU on the Greater Marshall Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors, and she is a softball umpire, youth basketball coach and former youth softball and baseball coach. “I have had the privilege of serving alongside Debbie for the past eight years and have been able to personally witness her love, serve and invest in the lives of the ETBU students and staff on a daily basis,” said Ryan Erwin, vice president for student engagement and athletics at ETBU. “Debbie sees her position at ETBU as a calling and an opportunity to show Christ to everyone she interacts with on campus and in the community.” Rogers has served on both the baseball and football booster clubs at Marshall High School, and she teaches Bible study classes for women on Sunday and Wednesday at River Crossing Cowboy Church.

Wayland Baptist University announced what currently is valued as the largest estate gift commitment in the school’s 115-year history. “Wayland is honored to be the beneficiary of the generosity of Jimmy and Donna Dean, long-time friends of the university,” President Bobby Hall said. “Their love for Wayland and heart for helping others shine brightly through this estate gift, which will help shape the future of the university and strengthen its commitment to education, scholarship and leadership.” Jimmy Dean, a country music star and sausage tycoon, and his wife Donna first made a significant gift to Wayland in 2008, which prompted the university to name its newest men’s dormitory in his honor. After her husband’s death in 2010, Donna Dean provided funds for Wayland’s Jimmy Dean Museum. While the details of the estate gift commitment were not disclosed, Hall and Mike Hammack, vice president of institutional advancement, said it will have a lasting impact on the university and has the potential to be the largest gift in Wayland’s history.

Retirement

Tim Randolph as director of Waco Regional Baptist Association, effective March 31, after more than 15 years at the association and 47 years in the gospel ministry.

When a winter storm hit North Texas, Texas Baptist Men volunteers cooked hot meals for some of the area’s most vulnerable residents. TBM volunteers devoted 990 hours to prepare 20,865 meals local ministry partners served to homeless people in shelters. Also, when an apartment complex lost access to water, the Garland Emergency Management Office contacted TBM. Just a little more than an hour later, TBM volunteers delivered 84 cases of bottled water.

As part of its 100th anniversary celebration and in recognition of Black History Month, David Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Austin will host a historical presentation on “African Christian Roots” by Frank Glover, an ordained minister and physician who has participated in medical missions throughout Africa. Glover will explore often-overlooked African connections to Christianity, dating back to the New Testament book of Acts. The event will be held at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 6 in the sanctuary of David Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Austin and will be livestreamed online at https://davidchapel.org/livestream-service-recordings/. Joseph C. Parker Jr. is pastor of David Chapel Missionary Baptist Church.

At the NCAA Convention in Phoenix, Ariz., Howard Payne University was honored by the National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators. HPU received an award in the one-time project category for its William B. Dean, M.D., Community Impact Day. At its second Community Impact Day last year, more than 400 students and university personnel served 21 nonprofit organizations in Brown County. More than half of the participants were student athletes at HPU.

Houston Christian University has renamed its nursing school the Linda Dunham School of Nursing, honoring the memory of longtime university supporter Linda Dunham, who died April 21, 2023. The nursing complex will be named the Dunham Family Nursing Center. “Linda would say that nursing should also be a ministry, because the very best nurses demonstrate patience, kindness, gentleness and love as they care for their patients,” her husband Archie Dunham said. “It will be our family’s prayer that all the nurses that graduate from the Linda Dunham School of Nursing demonstrate those attributes as they care for their patients.”

Wayland Baptist University’s Alumni Association will honor several alumni and supporters at the annual Blue and Gold Banquet, scheduled at 6 p.m. Feb. 9 on the Plainview campus. Tickets for the catered dinner are $15 and can be reserved through Jan. 31 in Wayland’s alumni services office at (806) 291-3600.

Congreso Experience events are scheduled Jan. 27 at First Baptist Church in Weslaco, Feb. 3 at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Feb. 17 at East Texas Baptist University in Marshall and March 2 at Baptist University of the Américas in San Antonio. The events, held in partnership with Texas Baptists, are designed for Hispanic students 6th grade and older. Each all-day free event includes workshops, group activities and an evening worship rally designed to encourage Hispanic students in their education and spiritual walk. To register, click here.

TIME magazine ranked Baylor No. 40 in the nation on its inaugural list of 100 Best Colleges for Future Leaders. TIMEand Statista analyzed the resumes of 2,000 top CEOs, politicians, Nobel winners and other leaders to determine the universities that helped equip them for leadership. Baylor ranked just behind Johns Hopkins University and just ahead of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Only the University of Texas at Austin (No. 14) and Texas A&M University (No. 23) ranked higher than Baylor among Texas schools. “Baylor University produces outstanding leaders who commit themselves to a life of service in their professional fields, and we are honored by this recognition, especially as Baylor’s level of leadership and service is integrally connected to our Christian mission,” President Linda Livingstone said. “We are proud of and grateful for our Baylor alumni, who were transformed by opportunities at the university to cultivate habits and virtues that orient their leadership toward human flourishing and a vision to change the world.”

Howard Payne University recognized eight students who completed the Spanish for Healthcare Professionals program. The course gives students real-world language instruction for effective communication with limited English-speaking or non-English speaking Hispanic patients in healthcare settings. The students are Yesenia Brunette, a sophomore from Early; Krysta Bunch, a senior from Haskell; Isabel Clevenger, a senior from Brownwood; Axel Kehrein, a senior from Walla Walla, Wash.; Amada Menchaca, a senior from Blanket; Victoria Ramos, a junior from Brownwood;Skyler Wells, a senior from Brownwood; and Abigail Zamora, a sophomore from Forney. Danny Brunette-López, professor of Spanish and chair of the Department of Spanish and Hispanic Studies at HPU, taught the course.

Brent Leatherwood, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, will deliver the Veritas Lecture at Dallas Baptist University. The lecture, sponsored by DBU’s Institute for Global Engagement, will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 6 in the Great Hall of the Mahler Student Center. Leatherwood will discuss how Christians can engage culture and the public square faithfully while maintaining a winsome witness. Tickets are $5.

East Texas Baptist University will host its Good Samaritan Award and ETBU Scholarship Banquet at 6 p.m. Feb. 27 at the Great Commission Center. The Thomas Whitfield Davidson Foundation will be recognized as the Good Samaritan Award recipient, and Rodney Gilstrap, chair of the foundation, will deliver the keynote address.

Wayland Baptist University reported planned giving is up 47 percent for the current fiscal year. “We are thrilled to witness such a remarkable increase in planned giving,” President Bobby Hall said. “This surge is a testament to the deep connection established with our alumni and friends, as well as the communities we serve. These legacy commitments will have a transformative impact on future generations of students.”

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor held commencement services last month for more than 400 summer and fall graduates. Last summer, UMHB confirmed 82 graduates, and 319 more were added to the number for the fall semester.

Pablo Arnoldo Juarez of Kaufman has been appointed director of the Hispanic Leadership Network at the Hispanic Access Foundation. In this role, he will lead the network to provide support to Latino pastors serving high-need rural and urban congregations across the United States and in Puerto Rico. He will continue to serve as pastor of First Baptist Church Kaufman en Español.

Anniversary

20th for Pastor Fred Hobbs at Mount Nebo Baptist Church in Victoria.

Gen. David Petraeus, U.S. Army (Ret.), offered leadership insights from his 37-year military career and his time as director of the Central Intelligence Agency when he spoke at Dallas Baptist University in December. DBU’s Institute for Global Engagement and the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth jointly sponsored the event. Global economist Meredith M. Walker moderated the discussion, in which Petraeus offered his first-hand perspectives on commanding the U.S. campaign in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as his thoughts about the ongoing war in Ukraine and the conflict in Israel. He is co-author, with historian Andrew Roberts, of Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine.

Baylor University named Kathryn A. Osteen as associate dean for the pre-licensure program and clinical associate professor in the Louise Herrington School of Nursing. She will serve alongside Lisa Jones, also an associate dean for the pre-licensure program, over all three bachelor’s degree tracks—Traditional, Distance Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing and FastBacc, a 12-month accelerated program for students who hold an undergraduate degree in a non-nursing discipline. Osteen worked 28 years in an adult cardiac intensive care unit. She joined the School of Nursing in 2002. After earning both her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing degrees from Baylor University, she received her Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Students and teachers from Cross Classical Academy in Brownwood joined in a belated observance of Texas Arbor Day in December at Howard Payne University. Third, fourth, fifth and sixth grade students participated in the planting of a Shumard red oak tree near the Thompson Academic Complex and the English building on the HPU campus. Aaron Diaz, HPU’s grounds supervisor, organized and led the event.

Faith Howard, age 16, of Retama Park Baptist Church in Kingsville has been named to the 2024 National Acteens Panel. She will serve along with Sarah Elizabeth Shelton from First Baptist Church in Columbiana, Ala., and Gracie Stamey of Mount Zion Baptist Church in Hudson, N.C. They will participate in the Woman’s Missionary Union Missions Celebration and annual meeting in Indianapolis in June, prior to the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting. The panelists also will blog for wmu.com/students and be given leadership and speaking opportunities throughout the year. Faith has served with a rodeo ministry in Wyoming, with church planters in Ohio and with a migrant ministry in Brownsville. She also volunteers at a local pregnancy resource center. Her sister, Hannah, who was named a National Acteens Panelist in 2020, helped lead her to faith in Christ as a child.

Retirement

Elton Musick from Grace Baptist Church in Lufkin after 21 years as pastor there and four decades in the gospel ministry. A retirement celebration is scheduled Jan. 14.

The annual Christmas Store at Mission Arlington benefited 7,551 families—more than 30,000 individuals—last month, allowing parents and other caregivers to “shop” for free gifts for their children. It marked about a 15 percent increase over the number served in 2022. More than 7,800 volunteers from throughout North Texas—including some from as far away as Denton and Anna—helped adult family members who visited the store select one large gift and two small stocking-stuffers for each child in their household. More than 1,000 people made spiritual decisions, including 354 adults who professed faith in Christ—a 32 percent increase over the previous year—and 678 who either rededicated their lives to God or asked for someone to visit their home to tell them more about what it means to follow Jesus. Tillie Burgin is founding executive director of Mission Arlington.

A Houston Christian University cyber engineering student team won first place at the 2023 Capture the Flag competition in the annual Alamo Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association chapter event in San Antonio. The victory by students Ethan Thomas, Ashley Huynh, Olachi Ajawara, Leonardo Yerena, Krzysztof Turski and Alicia Martinez marked the second time a team from HCU won the top award at the annual conference. The competition featured both undergraduate and graduate students solving challenges related to cybersecurity such as reverse engineering, cryptography, web vulnerabilities, memory forensics, network vulnerabilities and data analytics. In addition to garnering a first-place win at the NCL, two HCU teams finished within the top 10 percent during this nationwide event involving more than 10,000 students.

Howard Payne University’s Model United Nations team competed at a conference at the University of Santa Barbara, Calif. Model United Nations is a simulation in which students from various schools participate as delegates of assigned countries who advocate for their country’s perspective on an issue. The goal is for students to experience how countries with different viewpoints would attempt to reach peaceful solutions to international issues. David Claborn is team coach and professor of government at HPU. Team members are freshman Joshua Daugeault of Monahans; junior Michael Eckert of Temple; junior Alec Hughes of Brownwood; junior Hannah Parnell of Idalou; senior Madison Tuck of Edgewood, N.M., and junior Sadie Willie of Florence. The team’s next competition is scheduled April 19-21 in Amsterdam, Holland.