Dallas Baptist University presented a $1,750 donation to Mission Arlington. It represented two and half years of fund-raising by the DBU Coffeehouse through its mug wall. For a modest fee, students are allowed to hang a personal mug on a hook on the coffeehouse mug wall, along with a photo. From the beginning, the DBU Coffeehouse wanted to use the proceeds to benefit a charitable organization. “We know that Mission Arlington will use every dime to the glory of God. It’s just an honor to be a part of it in a small way,” said Cassie Ivey, DBU Coffeehouse manager.

Within a few weeks of its launch, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor’s COVID-19 Student Relief Fund has raised $37,000. Now, two local companies are offering matching grants to help support students affected by the pandemic. Baird/Williams Construction and Beronio Wealth Planning Solutions committed to match donations to the fund, dollar for dollar, up to $20,000. “The need is great right now, so we have a unique opportunity to help our students,” said Tucker Glaske, senior director of Development at UMHB. “These matching gifts from Peter Beronio and Britt Williams infuse energy into this important cause by empowering donors, knowing their donations will go further and help more students.” For more information about the COVID-19 Student Relief Fund, click here.

Elyn Palmer has been named executive director and dean of Wayland Baptist University Lubbock, effective July 1. Palmer comes to Wayland from the University of the Southwest in Hobbs, N.M., where most recently she was dean of the College of Education. Her previous roles at the University of the Southwest include dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, faculty member, assistant registrar/academic advisor and director of public affairs. She holds a Ph.D. in higher education from Texas Tech University, along with a Master of Science in Education and a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of the Southwest. Palmer succeeds David Bishop, who is moving to Wayland’s Plainview campus to serve as vice president of external campuses.

East Texas Baptist University held its spring commencement ceremonies on June 13, and graduates were allowed to choose whether to participate in-person or virtually. During the socially distanced ceremonies, 173 students received undergraduate degrees and 20 earned graduate degrees. Texas Sen. Bryan Hughes, who represents District 1, gave the charge to graduates. Hanna Perry, graduating summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a minor in biology, received the President’s Award, presented each semester to a graduate who represents a Christian leader, scholar, and servant on campus and in the local community. She was a mentor and president both of the Alpha Chi National College Honor Society and Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society. Off campus, she has been involved in various ministries at Immanuel Baptist Church in Marshall, and she volunteered at Sam Houston Elementary School and Dayspring Therapeutic Equine Center. Warren Johnson, a professor of Christian ministry since 2005, also was recognized as a Professor with Distinction for his excellence in service, scholarship, teaching and integration of faith and learning.

Howard Payne University recognized Lester Towell, chair of the Department of Computer Information Systems, with its Outstanding Faculty Member Award and Katrina Lynn, business and human resources coordinator, with the Outstanding Staff Member Award. The HPU Facilities Department received the newly created Outstanding Department Award, recognizing all members of the department for their service. Laci Sutton, assistant professor of nursing, and Nicholas Ewen, associate professor of theatre, received certificates for excellence in teaching. Custodian Renee McClung and Head Baseball Coach Stephen Lynn received certificates for excellence in service.

Wayland Baptist University will begin fall classes at its Plainview campus on Aug. 12, one week earlier than originally scheduled. “Our COVID-19 Response Team was charged with planning the fall semester,” President Bobby Hall said. “Evidence indicates that instances of the flu typically increase in the late fall and that COVID-19 could spread in a similar pattern during that same timeframe. It also appears that travel increases the potential for exposure to the virus. Based on this research and planning, a revised academic calendar has been adopted for the Plainview campus.” Classes will meet on Labor Day, Sept. 7, and there will not be a fall break. In-person classes will conclude prior to Thanksgiving, Nov. 20, and finals will be given online the week following Thanksgiving, Nov. 30-Dec. 7. All changes apply only to the Plainview campus. External campuses and online class schedules remain unchanged. Graduation ceremonies are scheduled Dec. 12, with appropriate protocols taken to ensure the health and well-bearing of participants. The spring semester classes begin Jan. 11.

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor announced it is adjusting the starting and ending dates of its fall semester, when the university plans to resume in-person on-campus classes. Move-in Day and Welcome Week begin Aug. 8, and the first day of classes is scheduled Aug. 13—both 11 days earlier than originally scheduled. The last day of final exams will be Nov. 24. Commencement remains scheduled for Dec. 11. University leaders recognize a surge in local COVID-19 cases could recur at some point in the semester, making it necessary for UMHB to move all classes to an online format for the rest of the term, as it did in the spring semester. If so, starting the semester earlier will give students additional days in a face-to-face format. Completing final exams and classes prior to Thanksgiving reduces the risk of students contracting the coronavirus while at home, then returning to campus and inadvertently spreading the virus to others. Currently, the spring semester is scheduled to begin Jan. 11, 2021.

Dallas Baptist University plans to resume in-classroom instruction on July 6 in conjunction with the beginning of the second summer term for a selected group of classes, which will be implemented with social distancing guidelines. DBU administration announced plans to proceed with fall semester activities and classes as scheduled, including in-classroom teaching, as well as on-campus activities and other events. During the COVID-19 lockdown, DBU was considered an essential business, and about 500 students remained on campus. All instruction was moved to an online delivery system. While DBU never closed or required students to leave campus, it initiated plans for altered student services in order to maintain campus health and safety. Recently, the California non-profit Educate to Career, which ranks schools according to their ability to successfully transition students from college into well-paying jobs, ranked DBU as a top-tier institution for its response to the COVID-19 crisis. According to their report, DBU provided students with a robust online education, led by experienced faculty, all while being prepared to welcome students back in the fall.

Wayland Baptist University in San Antonio is offering an unusual graduation ceremony for its summer commencement in light of COVID-19 health protocols. Eight “walk through” mini-sessions are scheduled June 19 at 8300 Pat Booker Rd. in Live Oak to allow time and space for all participants to practice social distancing and reduce the total number of people in the building at one time.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The column was revised a few hours after originally posted to include one item received after the deadline.  

Dallas Baptist University’s Zeta Chi sorority raised $9,000 at a coffeehouse featuring recording artist Chris Renzema prior to the COVID-19 lockdown. The young women divided proceeds from the event among five nonprofit organizations, donating $1,800 each to GloryB, an organization that seeks to help individuals 17 and older who suffer from the acute trauma caused by sex trafficking and ritual abuse; Trafficking 911, which seeks to free youth from sex trafficking through trust-based relationships; Refuge City, a program that provides places of restoration and safety for domestic victims of human trafficking and/or sexual exploitation; Children’s Relief International, an organization whose mission is to take the light of Christ to the poor in Mozambique, Nigeria, Haiti, South Asia, Myanmar, Malawi, Uganda and Mexico; and Unbound Fort Worth, which works with schools, youth organizations and shelters to empower youth to stay safe from trafficking and exploitation. “We always say that more than anything else, we would love to be alongside different organizations rescuing girls as they are helping them physically, but that is unsafe and impossible for us to do right now. However, the best means that we can go about helping and serving our partner organizations is by educating and creating awareness alongside them and by raising funds for them,” said Sydney Carter, president of Zeta Chi.

Wayland Baptist University named Joe Rangel associate dean of its School of Christian Studies. Rangel has been with Wayland since 2016, serving as associate professor of Christian ministry and director of assessment for the School of Christian Studies. Rangel will move offices to Wayland’s San Antonio campus, which has operated since 1984. With extensive experience working with both education and ministry across Texas and Southern California, his focus is on developing relationships among Baptists in San Antonio and South Texas. Rangel will direct new graduate programs in Hispanic Church Leadership and African-American Church Leadership beginning in the fall 2020. “Dr. Rangel’s academic and ministry roots in South Texas run deep,” said Stephen Stookey, dean of the School of Christian Studies. “His expertise in cross-cultural ministry will allow Wayland to strengthen existing programs and develop new, innovative ministry collaborations across San Antonio and South Texas.” Rangel also will focus on promoting a new Bachelor of Applied Science in Business as Mission degree, a collaboration between the School of Christian Studies and the School of Business. The new degree focuses on giving students the education they need to make a successful business, then teaching them how to incorporate their faith and mission into what they do. In addition to a bachelor’s degree in Christian ministry, Wayland in San Antonio also offers several graduate-level Christian ministry degrees—the Master of Arts in Christian Ministry, the Master of Arts in Theological Studies, the Master of Divinity and the joint Master of Divinity/Master of Business Administration.

The Texas Higher Education Foundation awarded Howard Payne University a $10,000 Texas Emergency Aid Grant. The grant is initiated by the foundation in partnership with the Greater Texas Foundation and the Trellis Foundation to aid institutions during the COVID-19 crisis. HPU is one of the 57 initial grant recipients, comprised of public and private institutions of higher education from across the state of Texas. At HPU, the funding will be used to directly provide food and other household goods to stock the Food & Essentials Pantry, a service available to students and their dependents. “This grant will help us to continue to assist our students,” HPU President Cory Hines said. “I have confidence that the Lord will keep using HPU to positively impact the lives of students as we navigate through unique and trying times.”

Houston Baptist University received a $100,000 grant from The Cullen Trust for Higher Education in partnership with the Houston Food Bank to address food insecurity. The Cullen Trust, with The Spirit Golf Association’s Spirit Food Fund, will provide an opportunity for the HBU community to benefit from Houston Food Bank resources, including providing students and their families access to healthy food. “The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic shutdown has devastated families financially, and there are many hungry people who need help. We at HBU, in the footsteps of Jesus, are privileged to be a partner in the process of feeding multitudes,” said HBU President Robert Sloan.

Howard Payne University recently received a gift of $25,000 in scholarship funds from the James and Dorothy Doss Foundation, administered through TexasBank. The contribution was made to a fund the Doss Foundation and TexasBank established in 2017 to help deserving students from the Heart of Texas area attend HPU.

Wayland Baptist University no longer will require the ACT, SAT or CLT college entrance exam for admission to the university. The new policy, which went into effect May 19, applies to concurrent and first-time freshmen at the Plainview campus. It also is retroactive to all students who applied for admission for the fall 2020 academic term prior to May 19. The university made the move as part of its response to COVID-19, but Daniel Brown, vice president for enrollment management, said it was considered prior to the pandemic’s effect on college applications. “It just makes sense,” Brown said. “It is well known that standardized tests are not always the best indicator of collegiate success for students. Students are people, and people are much more complicated than any single test can really measure. College success, as with success in life in general, largely comes down to effort. If you’re willing to do the work and stay after it, you have a very good chance of succeeding.” Under the new model, admission will be based on a review of a student’s high school transcript. Students with a 2.0 or higher grade point average at the time of review will be granted admission to Wayland. Students with a 1.50 to 1.99 GPA may be admitted if their cumulative average of all high school English courses is a 75 or better. Students seeking merit or academic scholarships still need to take an entrance exam to qualify.

Texas Baptist Men disaster relief volunteers finished their work in Bowie after completing 118 chainsaw jobs, removing downed trees and broken limbs from homes following a tornado that hit Montague County on May 22. TBM workers donated more than 3,900 volunteer hours. They logged 264 heavy equipment hours, prepared 1,455 meals, made more than 429 personal contacts, provided access to more than 400 showers, washed 184 loads of laundry and distributed 77 Bibles. While some TBM crews worked in Montague County, other local TBM volunteers responded to a tornado that hit a neighborhood on San Antonio’s northwest side and cleared debris caused by high winds in Kerrville.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture designated the Buckner Family Hope Center at Peñitas in the Rio Grande Valley as a Community of Faith and Opportunity. The designation offers custom-tailored technical assistance that will further the Buckner mission of strengthening families and recognizes the Rio Grande Valley as a strategic area in the United States for growth and opportunity. Fulfilling the requirements for this designation required leaders to look long-term and work closely together to create a fellowship council that focuses on skill building, strategic planning and specific recommendations for improvement. Diego Silva is director of the Family Hope Center at Peñitas.

A virtual commissioning service for 111 students serving with Go Now Missions, Texas Baptists’ student missions program, will be held at 2 p.m. on June 7.  Participate by clicking here.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor staff called all UMHB students to see how they were coping. Callers repeatedly heard that students had been affected economically by the pandemic and were not sure they could afford to return in the fall. In response, the university launched the COVID-19 Student Relief Fund to assist UMHB students by providing financial support to those who have suffered losses due to COVID-19. The fund’s website allows visitors to make donations of any size and share the campaign via their own social media platforms. As of June 1, friends of the university already had given more than $30,000 to help students.

A groundbreaking ceremony for Howard Payne University’s Newbury Family Welcome Center will be held at 1:30 p.m. on June 25 at Old Main Park, located near the intersection of Austin Avenue and Center Avenue on the HPU campus. The welcome center is named for the family of Don Newbury, a 1961 graduate of HPU, president of the university from 1985 to 1997 and current chancellor. The event originally had been scheduled for March 31 but was postponed as part of the university’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The previously scheduled Refuge Run and Doggie Dash to benefit Refuge of Light, a ministry that provides safe haven to female victims of child sex trafficking, will be a virtual run this year. Since Palestine has cancelled its annual Dogwood Festival due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Refuge of Light is asking volunteers to register to run or walk anytime between now and June 17. On June 20, participants are invited to drive through Davey Dogwood Park in Palestine to pick up a T-shirt and participation bag. The event fee is $25 for teenagers and adults or $10 for children younger than age 13. To register, click here.

The B.H. Carroll Theological Institute named Derek Stephens as director of development. Stephens most recently was associate director of alumni relations at the University of Texas at Arlington. He earned an undergraduate degree and a Master of Business Administration degree from Baylor University. From 2007 to 2019, Stephens worked in various roles for Baylor University, including service as director of regional alumni engagement and senior director of strategic initiatives. He also worked in communications for the Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District. Stephens and his wife, Lauren, have been married 15 years and have two children.

Dallas Baptist University named Todd von Helms as Presidential Scholar of Christianity and Culture. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Liberal Arts degree from Dallas Baptist University before continuing his education at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Duke University and Southern Methodist University. He is a senior fellow at The King’s College in New York City and is the author of Before You Leave for College, Career, and Eternity. “We are so thrilled to have alumnus and former religion professor Dr. Todd Von Helms serving his alma mater in this role,” DBU President Adam C. Wright said. “He has a passion for Scripture and for college students, especially to see young believers love God with their minds so they can serve as witnesses of the truth before our skeptical world.”

Hardin-Simmons University named Robert Tucker as dean of the Kelley College of Business and Professional Studies. Tucker served for 10 months as the interim dean of Kelley College while continuing to serve as dean of the College of Fine Arts. Tucker earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Hardin-Simmons University, a Master of Music degree from University of Cincinnati, a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Texas Tech University, and a Master of Business Administration degree from Howard Payne University. “We had a strong field of candidates, and Dr. Tucker’s experience and leadership in both business and education made him an ideal candidate to lead the newly expanded Kelley College of Business and Professional Studies,” HSU Provost Chris McNair said.

East Texas Baptist University faculty, staff and community members covered the unfinished walls of the new Chapel on the Hill in blessings of Scripture and prayers. Upon completion, the chapel and adjacent Kenny Ponder Park will serve as a dedicated house of worship on the university campus. “We have reflected on the moments of joy, sorrow, celebration and reunion that will happen within the walls of the Chapel on the Hill and throughout Kenny Ponder Park. Our written and spoken Scriptures and prayers will herald and honor what God will do through this icon and insulate the walls of this symbol for Christ-centered education and the Lord’s providence on ETBU’s campus,” President Blair Blackburn said.

The Hardin-Simmons University board of trustees approved a $51.7 million budget for 2020-21 and several undergraduate degree programs during its May meeting. The budget is a $4.6 million increase over the most recent budget but $2.5 million less than the initial budget prepared for the board to consider. “In a commitment to not spend any rainy day funds, and after careful and thoughtful deliberation, the board of trustees approved a balanced budget,” university spokesman Jacob Brandt said. The board approved the Bachelor of Arts in Christian Studies degree program and a minor in Christian Studies, along with seven other bachelor’s degree programs, a minor in communication sciences and disorders, and a certificate program in clinical anatomy.

The H-E-B Tournament of Champions Charitable Trust awarded a $75,000 gift to Baylor University to support its efforts in coordinating, administrating and leading accessibility efforts for children experiencing food insecurity in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The gift will provide staffing support for the Baylor University Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty, helping to fund the Emergency Meals-to-You effort over the next six months. Specifically, the Baylor Collaborative’s Texas Hunger Initiative staff will support about 40 school districts across Texas, serving 175,000 students, resulting in approximately 10 million meals served in the coming months. Emergency Meals-to-You is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Baylor Collaborative, McLane Global and PepsiCo to deliver meals to children in rural areas affected by COVID-19-related school closures. Emergency Meals-to-You has 38 states and Puerto Rico in its system and already has shipped meals to the homes of children in 30 states. “The support of our corporate partners is crucial as we work to meet the needs of Texas children who have been left with food insecurity in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Jeremy Everett, Baylor Collaborative founder and executive director. “We are grateful for H-E-B’s continued support of our work and their commitment to Texas families. This gift will provide vital resources to ensure that we are efficient and effective in administrating the Emergency Meals-to-You food program.”

More than 600 vehicles participated in a May 15 commencement parade honoring Dallas Baptist University graduates. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of a traditional commencement exercise, DBU planned the outdoor event, streamed on Facebook Live. DBU President Adam C. Wright addressed the graduates, along with their families and friends, saying: “We did not choose our place in history, but we do have a choice in how we respond to our place in it. We will not be paralyzed by fear, but courageously, gripped by grace, face our trials with the resolve that God is with us. And if God is with us, who can be against us?” The entire event can be viewed here.

Howard Payne University announced a 50 percent discount for undergraduate tuition and housing for the summer 2020 academic sessions. “We’re always working on ways to assist students and their families in managing the expense of private higher education, and this plan to discount our undergraduate summer programs and housing is our latest initiative to do so,” HPU President Cory Hines said. Classes will be offered online and in person, with the on-campus classes hosted in classrooms that can accommodate social distancing while still providing quality face-to-face instruction. Any related lab fees remain at regular pricing. HPU’s summer sessions begin June 1.

East Texas Baptist is reducing its graduate tuition rate 50 percent and expanding degree programs for the fall semester. “It is our desire to make the Christ-centered education offered here on the Hill more accessible to those seeking a graduate degree, and we are hopeful that the reduced graduate tuition rate, in addition to the new master’s degree plans, will allow more professionals and bachelor’s degree graduates to earn a graduate degree for career advancement and to pursue God’s purposes for their lives,” ETBU President Blair Blackburn said. New programs offered in the fall include the Master of Arts in Strategic Communication degree and the integrated Master of Arts in Christian Ministry and Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree. ETBU offers seven graduate degree programs available entirely online: Master of Arts in Theological Studies, Master of Arts in Christian Ministry, integrated Master of Arts in Christian Ministry and Master of Business Administration, Master of Education, Master of Education in College and University Leadership, Master of Science in Kinesiology and Master of Business Administration.

The National Science Foundation awarded Houston Baptist University’s College of Science and Engineering a $300,000, three-year grant from under the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic Serving Institutions Program. The grant will support a partnership between HBU and research labs at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Ten students per year, for three years, will participate in a focused program at HBU to prepare them for a summer undergraduate research experience at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

To increase awareness of senior living residents and the frontline workers caring for them during the COVID-19 pandemic, Buckner Retirement Services is launching a ribbon campaign titled Going Gold for Senior Living. Buckner is encouraging individuals and families to show support for senior living communities by displaying a gold ribbon outside their homes through the end of June. Buckner senior living communities in Houston, Austin, Dallas, San Angelo, Longview and Beaumont hosted drive-through gold ribbon pick-up events on May 11 for family members of residents and staff. Buckner encourages anyone who would like to support senior living communities to purchase gold ribbon from local craft stores—while following social distancing regulations and practicing personal hygiene when in public—or buy ribbon from online retailers. “By displaying a gold ribbon outside your home, you can recognize the selfless actions and personal sacrifices made by senior living residents and staff,” said Charlie Wilson, senior vice president of Buckner Retirement Services. “Whether you have a family member or friend residing or working in a senior living community, or you just want to show your appreciation and support, we hope you’ll join us and go gold.”

Texas Baptist Men disaster relief volunteers completed work in response to tornadoes in East Texas after giving more than 4,600 volunteer hours. Crews worked primarily in hard-hit Onalaska, but also served at Powderly, a small community north of Paris. TBM volunteers logged more than 300 heavy-equipment hours, completed 73 chainsaw jobs, installed 21 temporary roofs and distributed more than 1,000 boxes for displaced residents to collect and store their belongings. Their work included more than 500 personal contacts, and they distributed more than 40 Bibles. They recorded four professions of faith in Christ as a result of their work.

Prior to the restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Howard Payne University’s Student Speaker Bureau speech and debate team competed at the National Christian College Forensics Association national championship tournament. Two team members—Alek Mendoza and Rishona Raub—earned gold as national champions. Mendoza, a junior from Bangs, was national champion in open dramatic interpretation, and Raub, a sophomore from Celina, was national champion in novice extemporaneous speaking.

Dallas Baptist University has called on its alumni, supporters and other concerned Christians globally to join in a concerted time of prayer on May 14. The virtual prayer meeting will be held from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., May 14, on Facebook Live. The come-and-go format will allow participants to engage in times of directed prayer, as well as hear messages from DBU faculty and staff and from Christian leaders around the world. For more information, click here.

David Moseman, senior lecturer in religion at Baylor University, was selected as the 2020 Collins Outstanding Professor, an honor voted on annually by the senior class. The Collins Outstanding Professor Award is provided by the Carr P. Collins Foundation, which recognizes and honors outstanding teachers at Baylor University. The Collins Professor receives an award of $10,000, recognition in university publications, a citation and recognition in the commencement program. Moseman also will deliver a special lecture, date to be determined, on a subject of his choice. His lecture will be published and made available to the university community. Moseman has been on the Baylor faculty since 2007. He teaches several classes, including “Introduction to Christian Scriptures,” “Christian Heritage,” “Introductory and Intermediate Hebrew,” “Former Prophets” and “Senior Seminar.” In recent years, he has been the faculty leader for Christian Pre-health Fellowship mission trips to Nicaragua and Uganda. He is a member of First Woodway Baptist Church in Waco.

Texas Baptist Men named Alan Huesing, former director of international education and vice president for spiritual development at East Texas Baptist University, as state director for Royal Ambassadors and Challengers, effective May 1. Huesing was an RA as a young boy, rising through the ranks and later serving as a state staffer in the early 1970s. He also worked extensively with the mission education program for boys while also expanding the Challengers program nationally through the Southern Baptist Convention North American Mission Board as youth mission education strategist. At NAMB, Huesing developed and published mission strategies and training programs for high school and collegiate groups. Serving as national director for Challengers Mission Organization, he trained and managed mission education efforts for Baptists nationwide. Huesing earned his Bachelor of Science degree from ETBU and his Master of Science degree from the University of Texas at Tyler. He has worked as a math and ESL teacher and a soccer coach.

Students and faculty from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary collaborated as a “virtual choir” to record the hymn, “Be Thou My Vision.” After a professor suggested inviting students in the seminary’s School of Church Music and Worship to sing in a virtual choir, the school issued a call for volunteers. About 60 students and eight faculty responded. Participants recorded their individual parts from their dorm rooms, apartments and homes, and those recordings were compiled into a single, united choir. Once the recordings were made, participants uploaded their videos into a shared online folder. The audio engineer and video editor—each in a different state—produced the finished product. To view and listen to the video, click here.

After serving 10 seasons as head coach of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor softball team, Larry Hennig is retiring effective May 29. Hennig guided UMHB to a 249-149 overall record (167-67 in conference play) during his tenure. UMHB advanced to the ASC Conference Tournament in all 10 of his seasons. Melissa Mojica, who has been assistant coach the past five seasons at UMHB, will become head coach. Mojica is a graduate of Baylor University and was a two-year letter winner and played in two NCAA Tournaments with the Bears softball program. She and her husband David have three daughters.

Baylor University honored 12 professors with Outstanding Faculty Awards. The awards recognize the best all-around professors based on teaching capabilities, research achievement, time spent with students and church and community service. Each of the honorees will receive an award of $2,500, a citation and recognition by their department. Faculty recognized specifically for teaching are: Sara Alexander, professor of anthropology; Yang Li, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering; Horace Maxile, associate professor of music theory; Edward Polson, assistant professor of social work; Anne Spence, assistant chair and clinical associate professor of mechanical engineering; Scott Spinks, senior lecturer in Spanish; and Edward Taylor, senior lecturer in music theory. Faculty recognized for their scholarship are:

Kenichi Hatakeyama, associate professor of physics; Emily Hunter, associate professor of management;         Danielle Parrish, associate professor of social work; and Howard Lee, assistant professor of physics. Randall Umstead, the Charles W. Evans Chair in Voice, associate professor of voice and associate dean for academic affairs in the School of Music, is recognized for significant contributions to the academic community.

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary plans to resume on-campus instruction on its Fort Worth campus for the fall semester, President Adam W. Greenway announced April 29. The seminary’s common spaces will undergo a “deep cleaning” in the months preceding the beginning of the semester, Greenway said. The seminary will adjust class sizes and the use of classrooms “to ensure all public health recommendations relevant upon re-opening are strictly and faithfully observed, with a heightened cleaning regimen upon resumption of classroom instruction,” he explained. The campus clinic will continue to evaluate student health and provide testing, when appropriate. “As good citizens, our plans will be consistent with any governmental limitations when on-campus classes resume, while also doing everything possible to advance our mission of theological education,” Greenway said.

Following a nationwide search, Baylor University selected Shanna Hagan-Burke, professor of special education and head of the department of educational psychology at Texas A&M University’s College of Education and Human Development, as dean of the Baylor School of Education, effective July 1. Hagan-Burke will succeed Terrill F. Saxon, professor of educational psychology and associate dean for research and graduate education, who has served the past three years as interim dean. Hagan-Burke served on the faculties at the University of Georgia and University of Oregon before joining the Texas A&M faculty in 2005 as associate professor of special education. In 2016, she was named professor and department head of educational psychology. She earned her undergraduate degree in special education and teaching and her master’s in clinical teaching from the University of West Florida, and her Ph.D. in special education from the University of Oregon.

Hendrick Health System wanted an effective system that could deliver some aspects of health care to hospital patients while protect both nurses and patients, reducing the risk of spreading COVID-19. So, Hendrick’s leaders contacted the engineering and robotics programs at two Abilene-area school districts, asking them to design motorized hospital trays. Robotics students and teachers in the Abilene Independent School District and the Wylie Independent School District used standard-issue table trays and spare parts to design a working prototype in a matter of hours. Working in cooperation with a local manufacturing company that created models based on the students’ designs, Hendrick was using the robotic hospital trays within a week. View a video here.

The senior art exhibition of Howard Payne University student Sarah “Abi” Brown launched on the HPU School of Music and Fine Arts Facebook page April 27. The exhibition, which features a video introduction by the artist, is presented exclusively online. Its format is tailored to simulate an in-person gallery experience, with the video featuring Brown’s descriptions of the inspiration for her artwork and photos allowing for detailed viewing of each item in the exhibit. Her artwork includes a broad range of styles and techniques, including paintings, ceramics, weavings, photographs and drawings.

Haley Harmening, a senior worship studies major at East Texas Baptist University, was crowned as the 64th Miss ETBU. Sophomore speech communication major Bailey Snow was selected as first runner up, and junior elementary education major Cayce Billingsley was selected as second runner up. At ETBU, Harmening has participated in Hilltop Singers, Lampsato worship band, chapel band, concert choir, marching band and theater, and she has served as a Tiger Camp leader. She was selected from eight contestants during the annual pageant sponsored by ETBU’s Student Government Association. Due to restrictions and safety precautions regarding the COVID-19 health crisis, each contestant went through an online interview and question-and-answer process, in addition to the usual online vote by students, faculty, and staff. The evening wear and talent portions of the pageant were removed this year, as was the traditional reception that unites all former Miss ETBU winners with the current year’s contestants.

Three students in the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor College of Visual & Performing Arts earned top honors from the 2020 Hal Leonard Vocal Competition. Angel Tolbert, a junior music education major from Temple, won the national musical theatre college division. Christopher McCloskey, a freshman vocal performance student from Katy, came in fourth. Chandler Webb, a freshman music education major from Arlington, was a finalist. The deadline to enter the competition was Feb. 1, and none of the competitors learned the results until April 23. Tolbert and McCloskey also qualified for the national semifinals in the National Association of Teachers of Singing student auditions in its musical theater competition. That competition, usually held at a host institution, moved to an online platform due to the cancellation of summer events as the result of the novel coronavirus. The students submitted their videotaped auditions for the next round of competition.

Prior to the restrictions made necessary to stop the spread of COVID-19, Howard Payne University faculty and students spent four days in Lubbock to meet and work alongside staff members with Buckner International. The HPU group met with and received training from Lubbock-based foster care professionals and other local Buckner staff. Students and faculty also hosted a “Parents’ Night Out” event to provide an evening of child care for area foster families and a “Mom’s Morning Out” event for families in Buckner’s Family Pathway program. Additionally, the group spent an evening working with local mission organization Lubbock Impact. The trip represented the first steps in a wide-ranging collaboration between HPU and Buckner. Rachel Derrington Bourke, chair of the department of social work; Toni Damron, assistant professor of social work and coordinator of field instruction; and Gina Gibbs, chair of the department of criminal justice, led the group from HPU. Student participants were David Manolof, a senior from Midway, Alaska; Alex Mata, a junior from Gatesville; Marisa Miller, a senior from Temecula, Calif.; Benjamin Olin, a sophomore from Howe; Destiny Sharp, a senior from Brownwood; James (Andrew) Taylor, a senior from Brookesmith; and Diana Torres, a junior from Houston.

With medical personnel in West Texas facing a possible shortage of personal protective equipment, Scott Franklin, professor of mathematics and computer science at Wayland Baptist University, came across the idea to print face shields on a 3D printer. The face shield design Franklin is using comes from UCLA, with a few modifications he made to the original plan to make it more adaptable to Wayland’s equipment. The five-hour production process involves using old transparency film the university had in storage as the see-through plastic guard. Franklin is contacting doctors’ offices in the region to determine the level of need. If there is an increasing demand, Franklin said he will need donations of materials such as elastic bands that can be used to hold the shield in place around the head. He also will accept any additional transparency or report cover materials that can serve as a guard. To report a need—or to donate materials or funds for the project—email franklins@wbu.edu.

Although social distancing guidelines and restrictions on gatherings due to COVID-19 demanded adjustments from the typical format, East Texas Baptist University observed its most longstanding tradition April 17. Emily Hicks of Marshall was recognized during ETBU’s 73rd annual Senior Girl Call-Out. Selected by a faculty and staff vote, the individual “called out” each year is distinguished for exemplary Christian character, social consciousness, personal poise, academic achievement and spiritual vision. Hicks, a senior child development major, has been on the President’s List every semester throughout her time at ETBU. She served as a resident assistant, a Baptist Student Ministry Ignite Worship Leader and as a member of Lampsato Singers and Concert Choir. She has been a chapel team member and was an ETBU Rec Team member two summers. At Immanuel Baptist Church in Marshall, she is a member of the youth worship team, serves as an office assistant and previously led a small group for sixth-grade girls. While the Senior Girl Call-Out looked different this year, 21 young women participated in the event. “While I wish we could have come together on our campus for the traditional ceremony, I am grateful for the technology that allowed us to honor these senior girls in a virtual format,” said Heather Hadlock, vice president for student affairs at ETBU.

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor appointed Sean Benson as the Frank W. Mayborn Chair of Arts and Sciences, effective June 1. Benson, a Shakespeare scholar, comes to UMHB from the University of Dubuque, where he chaired the department of language and literature and directed the liberal studies program. He was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Iowa and earned his Ph.D. from Saint Louis University. He and his wife, Jennifer, are the parents of two children.

Julie Welker, chair of Howard Payne University’s department of communication and coach of the HPU speech and debate team, was named the Texas Intercollegiate Forensics Association Educator of the Year. Award nominees are selected by members of the association’s executive council and voted on by the organization’s membership. TIFA is the college-level forensics organization affiliated with the Texas Speech Communication Association.

Marcus “Goodie” Goodloe is joining the Dallas Baptist University’s Institute for Global Engagement as senior fellow for ethics and justice. Goodloe is a DBU alumnus and has served as an adjunct professor in the Gary Cook School of Leadership and frequent speaker at Veritas Lecture Series and DBU chapel services. In his new role as senior fellow, Goodloe will provide written material, lectures and webinars for DBU and its Institute for Global Engagement. He will specialize in matters of leadership through influence, social justice and research regarding the life of Martin Luther King Jr.

Volunteers from New Beginnings Baptist Church in Longview delivered a box of food and necessities to the doorstep of 16 families served by Buckner Family Pathways and Buckner Family Hope Center. In a time of social distancing due to COVID-19, it was encouraging for everyone to see volunteers serving while safely maintaining distance, Lindsay Miller, director of volunteer engagement for Buckner Children and Family Services, noted. “The volunteers were very conscientious to follow all of our guidelines and policies to keep our families safe, and the families wrote notes to thank them and taped them to their windows and doors,” Miller said.

National Woman’s Missionary Union named two Texas Acteens to the National Acteens Panel—Hannah Howard of Retama Park Baptist Church in Kingsville and Myriam Romero of Freeman Heights Baptist Church in Garland. Howard has served through Acteens—the missions group for girls in grades 7-12—four years, and Romero has served seven years. WMU selects National Panelists on the basis of academic excellence, leadership skills, and involvement in church and community. Tiffany Sherwood, Howard’s Acteens leader, described Howard as “a natural leader who leads with humbleness, grace and competency. I am impressed by her servant heart, dedication and willingness to learn and grow as a Christian.” Mary Lou Sinclair, Romero’s Acteens leader, said: “Myriam is very smart and capable. She is a leader in many ministries that she is a part of and eager to be a witness and show the love of Christ. Her faith in Jesus Christ is evident in her lifestyle and ministry.” Howard and Romero will serve alongside two other panelists—Madeleine Davis of Deep Springs Baptist Church in Peachland, N.C., and Jada Hanson of St. Stephen Missionary Baptist Church of La Puente, Calif. They will serve through 2020, and each will receive a $1,000 scholarship from the WMU Foundation. They may also have speaking opportunities in their respective states and will write blogs for Acteens at wmu.com/students.

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor named Stephen Baldridge as dean of its College of Humanities and Sciences, effective June 1. Baldridge holds both a Ph.D. and master’s degree in social work from the University of Texas at Arlington, and he earned his undergraduate degree in social work from Lubbock Christian University. He has been on faculty at Abilene Christian University since 2009. He and his wife Hollie have four children: Hobson, 14; Penn, 12 and twins Izzie and Andie, 6.

Houston Baptist University announced online delivery of all summer 2020 courses, offering a 15 percent discount to students who register for six or more credit hours by April 17. “Our goal is to keep faculty and students safe while still providing convenient, quality education,” said Mike Rosato, HBU provost and vice president for academic affairs. “We realize students still need to progress in their studies, and this is the best way to help them when face-to-face instruction isn’t feasible.” Registration for both the summer 2020 and fall 2020 terms is underway. Residential classes currently are scheduled to resume in the fall semester.

Two Texas Baptist Men disaster relief units in Central Texas recently donated about 300 boxes to the Capital Area Medical Operations Center in Austin to help facilitate the distribution of medical supplies in the face of the COVID-19 crisis. TBM volunteers typically distribute free boxes after disasters, providing a practical tool for people affected by events like tornadoes, hurricanes and floods to use while sorting through their belongings. “We are in extraordinary times,” TBM Unit Leader Charles Baker said. “This disaster is so different than anything we’ve responded to. We have resources. Now we have to be creative to respond in ways we’ve never thought about before. We’re actively looking for ways to do that.”

The B.H. Carroll Theological Institute has postponed its convocation—previously scheduled for May 22 at First Baptist Church in Burleson—due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Graduates who would have participated in commencement exercises as part of the convocation will receive their diplomas by mail in May. The convocation tentatively has been rescheduled for Nov. 13.

Dallas Baptist University will host its 11th annual Good Friday service, even though worshippers will be unable to gather physically on campus. Jim Denison, distinguished adjunct professor at DBU and co-founder/president of the Denison Forum on Truth and Culture, will deliver the sermon for the worship service, which will be presented at 8 p.m., April 10 via Facebook Live. To access the service, click here.

Kim Mulkey, head coach of Baylor University’s Lady Bears women’s basketball team, will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The enshrinement is scheduled Aug. 28 in Springfield, Mass. Mulkey is the only person—male or female—to win a national championship as a player, assistant coach and head coach. Over her past 20 years at Baylor, the Lady Bears have won 604 games and three national championships. “Baylor is proud of Coach Mulkey for how she positively shapes the lives of our women’s basketball student-athletes, preparing them as champions on the court, in the classroom, in the community and ultimately in life,” Baylor President Linda Livingstone said.