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A bilene Chr isti a n Uni v er sit y
Formed in Faith and Called to Community ACU’s strategic focus on student formation strives to instill values of community, hospitality, calling and wisdom, all grounded in Christ
Higher Ground Sets New Goals Alumni Awards From Madagascar to ACU Faculty
From the PRESIDENT
ACU Today is published twice a year by the Division of Marketing and Strategic Communications at Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas.
STAFF
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new independence with faculty, staff, alumni and friends who are passionate about supporting the educational experience for those students. As I reflect on 2023, I’m struck by how blessed we are Brooke and Dr. Phil Schubert in each of those aspects, and this issue of ACU Today specifically demonstrates that provision. Our cover story (Page 12) offers a glimpse into ACU’s philosophy for student spiritual formation, and I hope you’re as impressed as I am with the quality of our programming and our students. These 18- to 22-year-olds are hungry to fully engage in the opportunities offered to them – as learners, servants and leaders seeking Christ. We couldn’t offer that holistic experience without you, and your generosity has surpassed expectations – we exceeded our $250 million goal for the Higher Ground campaign a year and half before the campaign ends! An inspiring $25 million gift from Kay Onstead put us over the top and led to the first named college in ACU’s history. You can read about the Onstead legacy of generosity and the new Onstead College of Science and Engineering (Page 6). Learn more about the Higher Ground initiatives that are still in need of funding (Page 5). Faculty and staff are the heart of our academic excellence and Christ-centered environment, so the Great Colleges to Work For honor (Page 28) ACU has again received is significant. And a story about 2008 graduate Dr. Arisoa Randrianasolo (Page 16) highlightsthe student-faculty connection. Arisoa came to ACU – his first time to leave his home country – as one of the Madagascar Presidential Scholars in 2004, and he now teaches at his alma mater, paying forward the opportunities and mentoring he received as a student studying far from home. Other content you don’t want to miss in this issue: • Profiles of our inspiring alumni award winners, including Outstanding Alumnus of the Year Justice Jeff Boyd, J.D. (’83). • A sixth consecutive year of record enrollment. • Images of newly constructed buildings completed as part of the Higher Ground campaign. From the early days of Abilene Christian’s campus to today’s Freshman Village concept and state-of-the-art research facilities, preparing living and learning spaces for our students has always been a high priority. In Second Glance, we reflect on the fundraising and community efforts that made possible Daisy Hall in 1914. Facilities look dramatically different now, but the spirit of collaboration and philanthropy that that makes them possible has been a consistent thread throughout our history. God’s blessings are evident as we live out our mission, and I’m thankful for the part you play in educating students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world.
DR. PHIL SCHUBERT (’91), President The mission of ACU is to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world.
JEREMY ENLOW
university is a unique community, bringing together young adults navigating
Editor: Wendy (Waller ’01) Kilmer Art Director: Todd Mullins Production Manager: Amber (Gilbert ’99) Bunton Editor Emeritus: Ron Hadfield (’79) Assistant Editors: Robin (Ward ’82) Saylor, Jonathan Smith (’06) Contributing Writers This Issue: Craig Fisher (’92), Connor Mullins (’23), Senia Overstreet (’22) Contributing Photographers This Issue: Bill Albrecht, Paul Bryan (’05), Steve Butman, Daniel Curd (’26), Scott Delony (’06), Gerald Ewing, Jeremy Enlow, Riley Fisher (’22), Jeff Fitlow, Addison Franklin, Londyn Gray (’22), Eric Guel, Hardin-Simmons University, Hutton Harris (’08), Lloyd Jones, Kamryn Kelley, Kim Leeson, Tammy Marcelain (’14), Matt Maxwell (’07), Kimberly Rapp, Debbie Riggs, Kari Sherman, Tennessee Titans, Gordon Trice, Paul White (’68), Sarah Wilkerson, Natalie Wright Contributing Graphic Designers/Illustrators This Issue: Rosemary Gutierrez (’07), Holly Harrell, Mackey Mitchell Architects, Jack Maxwell (’78) Editorial Assistants: Vicki (Warner ’83) Britten, Sharon (McDaniel ’79) Fox
ADVISORY COMMITTEE Administration: Will Beasley (’11), Kevin Campbell (’00), Dr. Robert Rhodes, Anthony Williams Advancement: Samantha (Bickett ’01) Adkins, Rendi (Young ’83) Hahn, Dan Macaluso, Jim Orr, J.D. (’86) Alumni Relations: Craig Fisher (’92) Marketing and Strategic Communications: Sharon Ayala, Blair Schroeder Student Life: Tamara (Boyer ’03) Long Ex-officio: Dr. Phil Schubert (’91)
CORRESPONDENCE ACU Today: wendy.kilmer@acu.edu ACU Alumni Association: alumni@acu.edu Record Changes: ACU Box 29132, Abilene, Texas 79699-9132, 325-674-2620
ON THE WEB Abilene Christian University: acu.edu Address changes and EXperiences: acu.edu/alumni ACU Advancement Office (Exceptional Fund, Gift Records): acu.edu/give ACU Alumni Website: acu.edu/alumni Watch Us on YouTube: youtube.com/acu Find Us on Facebook: facebook.com/abilenechristian facebook.com/acusports facebook.com/welcometoACU Follow Us on Twitter: twitter.com/acuedu twitter.com/acusports twitter.com/welcometoACU Follow Us on Instagram: instagram.com/acuedu instagram.com/acualumni instagram.com/welcometoACU Follow Us on LinkedIn: acu.edu/linkedin
ThisISSUE
Abilene Christian’s newest living space, Wessel Hall, lit up in the evening. Wessel opened in Fall 2023 and is the next step in ACU’s Freshman Village project, a comprehensive renovation and construction campaign for residence halls to better meet the living and learning needs of our students. JEREMY ENLOW
4 Aiming Higher: Campaign Update 12 Formed in Faith and Called to Community 16 Full Circle and Full Heart: Dr. Arisoa Randrianasolo 18 Alumni Awards 2 23 24 26
Horizons The Bookcase #ACU Hilltop View
30 32 36 48
Academic News Wildcat Sports EXperiences Second Glance
ON THE COVER
OUR PROMISE
Junior youth and family ministry major Tre Lewis leads college students in worship in the wee hours of Friday morning on August 25, 2023, during Wildcat Week in Moody Coliseum. The weekly gathering, called Midnight Worship, attracts several hundred for an extended period every Friday at midnight.
ACU is a vibrant, innovative, Christ-centered community that engages students in authentic spiritual and intellectual growth, equipping them to make a real difference in the world. ACU TODAY
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Snow blankets the Jacob’s Dream sculpture site Jan. 10, 2021. INSET Jeff Nelson (’79) skated on a frozen GATA Fountain in 1983, when Abilene experienced its second longest streak – seven straight days in December – of below-freezing weather. The original fountain was built in 1970 by donations from sorority members and held about 18 inches of water. Prolonged periods of freezing rain can be more common than snow in Abilene. In 1968, one outbreak made campus sidewalks more suitable for skating than walking.
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SCOTT DELONY
Winter wonderland can be short-lived in Abilene’s hometown Wintertime weather in West Texas can be fickle, as anyone will tell you who has spent time as a student at ACU or living in Abilene, where it has snowed as early as Oct. 27 (2020) and as late as April 5 (1996). Some students who come from warmer climates in Texas or around the world each year are excited to see their first snowfall in Abilene, but most take it in stride, as only about 3 inches of the city’s annual average precipitation of 26 falls in a frozen form. The coldest prolonged winter weather episode in Abilene was in February 2021, an extraordinary period of time known as Snovid by many as a nod to the COVID-19 pandemic that also complicated life at the time. Temperatures stayed below freezing for nearly 11 straight days (Feb. 9-19) and fell to single digits or below zero four nights, creating statewide power grid interruptions and municipal electricity/water service shortages. A large team of ACU officials worked overtime to ensure students on and off campus had safe, heated overnight accommodations, and water. In addition, a record 9.8 inches of snow fell on Feb. 14, making for a Valentine’s Day many West Texans didn’t exactly love, and the closing of campus and cancellation of classes for several days. A week later, in typical West Texas style, temperatures were in the 70s and 80s.
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Aiming Higher With initial $250 million goal met ahead of schedule, university sees opportunities to expand campaign BY JONATHAN SMITH
SCOTT DELONY
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hen Dr. Phil Schubert (’91) announced the public launch of the Higher Ground campaign at the President’s Circle Dinner in April 2022, he knew it was a bold goal. At $250 million over seven years, with a three-year public phase, the
$268 MILLION RAISED
He pointed to ACU’s Exceptional Scholarship Fund, as a great way for people of all giving levels to benefit students through the campaign. Every dollar of each gift, no matter the size, goes toward student scholarships. With an annual goal of $1 million, the Exceptional Scholarship Fund $250 MILLION provides annual support equivalent to that of a $22 million endowment. GOAL Another area of continued emphasis is campaign aimed to raise more than twice as providing transformational experiences for much as any other fundraising campaign in students, including unique opportunities university history. But he had faith in God’s available nowhere else that are known to provision and in the generosity of the enhance student success. This includes ACU’s ACU community. nationally ranked Study Abroad program Just over a year and a half later, it appears and programs through the Halbert Center for there’s room to dream even bigger. Missions and Global Service. Very often, these As of December 2023 – 20 months into the experiences are a foundational element to 36-month public phase of the campaign – the students’ spiritual formation while at ACU. total stands at more than $268 million. But just Macaluso said the university also will because the initial goal has been reached does continue to look for ways to offer world-class, not mean the campaign is winding down. Division I athletics facilities on par with Though ACU has surpassed its overall the transformational renovation of PUBLIC goal, some individual priorities within the Moody Coliseum, which reopened in LAUNCH campaign have not been fully funded. August 2022 as an early highlight of the “We will continue to look for ways to Higher Ground campaign. (April 2022) fulfill the remaining priorities and objectives The 2023 calendar year proved to be a as well as new and emerging opportunities for the big one for the Higher Ground campaign. On top rest of our campaign timeline to enable ACU to make of reaching the overall goal, several new building an even greater difference in the world,” said Dan projects were completed – the Gayle and Max Dillard Macaluso, vice president for advancement. Science and Engineering Research Center and Macaluso said there are opportunities across both Wessel Hall – as well as several renovation projects pillars of the Higher Ground campaign: raising ACU’s – including Boone Family Theatre and the Mabee academic profile and providing more transformational Business Building. The Dukes School of Finance – a experiences for students. product of the $29 million estate gift from Dr. Bill and In order to continue raising ACU’s academic Janie Dukes – launched in the fall. And the university profile, Macaluso said opportunities for support named its first college – the Robert and Kay Onstead include providing funding for new and expanded College of Science and Engineering – following a $25 faculty and undergraduate research. He also said the million gift from Kay Onstead (read more about this university will continue to look for ways to offer more gift on Pages 6 and 7). scholarships to make sure every student who wants a But the work isn’t finished. Christ-centered education can receive that at ACU. In April 2022, Schubert launched Higher Ground “We’re always looking for ways to strengthen our with a call for the ACU community to “climb higher scholarship programs, which allow us to attract and together.” In a campaign that has already lifted ACU to retain the very best students from a wide variety of new heights, the final 15 months offer a chance to see backgrounds and enhance student success across our just how high they can rise. campus,” Macaluso said. (as of Dec. 1, 2023)
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Legacy of Love W BY J O N ATH A N S M ITH
hen Robert and Kay Onstead moved to Houston in the 1950s, the young couple met some fellow members of the Southwest Church of Christ
Onstead generosity establishes ACU’s first named college
we remember that every blessing we enjoy is evidence of God’s provision. who would change the course of their The Onstead family has exemplified family forever. the convergence of faith and excellence “We just thought they were and caused all of us to think more wonderful,” said Kay Onstead, who courageously about how God is calling discovered these newfound friends all us to be world-changers.” had something in common. “We found The Onstead College of Science and out that they had all gone to college Engineering, led by inaugural dean together, and the college was ACU. Kay and Robert R. Onstead Dr. Charla (McCaleb ’88) Miertschin, And we said right then and there – and opened for the 2023-24 school year we were in our 20s then – that was where and brings together the departments of agricultural we wanted our kids to go to school.” and environmental sciences, biology, chemistry Indeed, three of their children would go on to and biochemistry, engineering and physics, and attend ACU, and so far, five grandchildren have mathematics. The college works collaboratively with graduated from here. Quite the family legacy. the Center for Pre-Health Professions, which provides Another legacy was born out of that meeting at a academic and co-curricular programs for students Houston church – a philanthropic one that shaped the preparing to pursue careers in health professions. course of ACU itself and touched countless students Fittingly, the dean’s office suite is housed in the who have passed through its halls. Onstead Science Center, which opened in 2018 as That legacy culminated this summer in a a result of a $10 million investment by Kay. College $25 million gift to ACU from Kay Onstead. Her departments are also in the Engineering and Physics generosity marked the fifth largest single donation in Laboratories at Bennett Gymnasium, Halbert-Walling the university’s history and brought Kay’s and her late Research Center, and Dillard Science and Engineering husband’s lifetime giving to Abilene Christian to more Research Center – all of which are new or recently than $59 million. renovated buildings. To honor the Onstead family’s history of advancing Kay’s latest gift establishes an endowment that will excellence in Christian higher education, ACU named help support the growth and success of the college for one of its newest colleges in their honor – the Robert years to come. Funding priorities include enhancing and Kay Onstead College of Science and Engineering, student success through scholarships; support for the first named college in ACU’s history. the dean of the college; recruiting, retaining and “The Onstead family’s immense generosity has rewarding exemplary faculty; and developing a already reshaped the campus of Abilene Christian next-level research engine. University and enhanced the experiences of thousands of students – myself included,” said Lasting Impact Dr. Phil Schubert (’91), ACU president. “This A well-known and respected Houston monumental new endowment propels us toward businessman, Robert founded Randalls Food a bold vision for ACU’s rise as a national research Markets Inc. and was CEO and chair for more than university. As we continue our pursuit of excellence, 30 years. His civic involvement – including serving 6
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Participants in the August 1987 groundbreaking for the Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building included (from left) Dr. John C. Stevens (’38), chancellor; Dr. H. Lynn Packer (’50), board chair, and his grandson, Collin Packer (‘06); Robert R. Onstead, trustee; Dr. C.L. Kay, vice chancellor; and Dr. William J. Teague (’52), president.
Vision for the Onstead College of Science and Engineering The Onstead College of Science and Engineering will better prepare ACU faculty, students and graduates to make a lasting impact on an array of real-world issues by: • Enhancing the university’s focus on science and engineering by bringing together five existing departments. • Providing excellent undergraduate education in life and physical sciences for students in science, engineering and mathematics programs, and through the general education program, which delivers at least 9 credit hours from the college for all ACU undergraduates. • Growing and capitalizing on the demand for programs related to the disciplines of the college, delivering innovative programs that enrich students’ lives and enable them to explore and prepare for related careers. • Enhancing the NEXT Lab as a center of ACU’s funded research and investment of university resources into new facilities, and establishing its faculty and students as international leaders in partnerships with other scholars and government. • Exploring new opportunities for graduate education among strong disciplines.
JEFF FITLOW
• Preparing undergraduate students for lives of Christian service and leadership, and supporting and preparing them to pursue graduate and professional school elsewhere, while continuing to grow ACU’s graduate programs and, potentially, a medical school.
Jenny (Richards ‘92) Fridge with Kay Onstead at a Wildcats Serving event in Houston, benefitting Impact Church of Christ
as chair of the Houston Economic Development Council, the Greater Houston Partnership, the Better Business Bureau of Houston and the Board of Visitors of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center – is legendary. Robert, who was a science major in college and once considered going to medical school before finding his path in business, served as a trustee of ACU from 1978 until his passing in 2004. He and Kay are the namesakes of the Robert and Kay Onstead Distinguished Chair of Biblical Studies and the Onstead Science Center. Robert was also instrumental in raising funds for the construction of the Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building and the Mabee Business Building. Kay is particularly proud to have established the Kay and Bob Onstead Ministers Progeny Endowed Scholarship, which provides scholarships to children of ministers. She treasures notes she has received from the recipients, and for years, she would come to campus each fall for dinner with that year’s honorees. “That has been my very favorite thing,” Kay once said. “It’s uplifting to me. We sit around in a circle, and they tell me about themselves, and I come home and I’m walking on air for days after that.” In 2018, Kay expanded her support for students, establishing the Onstead Opportunity Endowed Scholarship, which has grown into one of the university’s largest scholarship endowments. “It makes me feel so wonderful to do that because I believe they’re going to go out and make a real difference in the world,” she said. And as the Onsteads’ own story proves, ACU graduates can make quite a difference. Thanks to the Onsteads’ generosity, there are more of them each year.
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JEREMY ENLOW
Higher Ground providing new world-class facilities Two new buildings reached completion within just days and steps of each other this summer on the southeast corner of campus, and the nearby Mabee Business Building also concluded a multi-phase renovation. Wessel Hall, made possible by a cornerstone gift from Rick (’81) and Debbie (Rains ’80) Wessel, is a 96,000-square-foot facility housing 350 first-year students, including an Honors living/learning community. It also has a three-bedroom apartment for faculty-in-residence – this year, Drs. Janine (Paden ’77) and Ron Morgan (’81). Across the street, the 28,000-square-foot Gayle and Max Dillard Science and Engineering Research Center (SERC) ushers in a new era of groundbreaking research at ACU, thanks to the generosity of Gayle (Jenkins ’57) and Max Dillard. The updated Bill and Donna Petty Atrium was the final piece of the Mabee Business Building renovation.
See more new building images in the bonus coverage online by scanning the QR Code or visiting acu.edu/acutoday 8
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JEREMY ENLOW
1) In addition to the large research bay, the SERC includes a training control room, conference room, office spaces, machine shop, and a series of specialized labs, such as this one. 2) The 6,000-square-foot research bay features a 25-foot-deep by 80-foot-long shielded trench and a 40-ton crane. 3) Dillard SERC enables and enhances the work of ACU’s Nuclear Energy Experimental Testing Lab. Sponsored by Natura Resources, NEXT Lab has already caught the attention of private companies, major universities and the U.S. Department of Energy with its research into molten salt reactors. 4) Wessel Hall stands in the footprint of Gardner Hall, which housed women for 60 years. Gardner was the largest building on campus when it opened in 1961, and Wessel is now ACU’s largest residence hall to date. 5) The Wessel Hall lobby includes a TV and game tables, as well as a kitchen and eating area for student use. 6) Both of ACU’s newest first-year residence halls – Wessel and Bullock – feature intentional outdoor living space for students. 7) The College of Business Administration opened renewed spaces in the Mabee Business Building this fall, including the Bill and Donna Petty Atrium, named in honor of former dean Dr. Bill Petty (’64) and his wife, Donna (Guinn ’64). JEREMY ENLOW JEREMY ENLOW
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JEREMY ENLOW
B ON U S C OV E R AGE Dillard Science and Engineering Research Center A cornerstone gift from Gayle (Jenkins ‘57) and Max Dillard during ACU’s Higher Ground campaign made possible the new 28,000-square-foot research facility located on the corner of Judge Ely Boulevard and East North 16th Street. A 25-foot-deep by 80-foot-long trench in the 6,000-square-foot research bay will house a molten salt research reactor as part of the work of ACU’s Nuclear Energy eXperimental Testing Laboratory. NEXT Lab’s research is sponsored by Natura Resources, founded by ACU trustee Douglass Robison. JEREMY ENLOW KAMRYN KELLEY
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Design elements inside the Dillard SERC give a nod to the history of nuclear reactors as well as other scientists and scientific discoveries. A lobby mural features an image captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. The “Einstein On a Bicycle” mural by Jack Maxwell (‘78) appears in transparent form on a second-floor window wall. Read more about that image on Page 27. ACU is the lead university in the Natura Resources Research Alliance, which also includes Georgia Institute of Technology, Texas A&M University and The University of Texas at Austin and is supported by $30.5 million in sponsored research agreements.
Learn more about the Natura Resources Research Alliance.
JEREMY ENLOW
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B ON U S C OV E R AGE Wessel and Bullock Halls In Fall 2021, the four-story, 72,000-square-foot Bullock Hall opened to house first-year students with 128 double rooms, eight single rooms, two apartments, nine study spaces and a lobby on each floor. The name honors JoLynn (Calk ’59) and the late Joe Bullock, parents of ACU Board of Trustees chair April (Bullock ’89) Anthony. Just two years later, Wessel Hall, named for ACU trustee Rick (’81) and his wife, Debbie (Rains ’80) Wessel, was completed in the footprint of the former Gardner Hall. The four-story, 96,000-square-foot facility houses 350 first-year students and includes an Honors living/learning community and a faculty-in-residence apartment. JEREMY ENLOW KAMRYN KELLEY
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Bullock and Wessel halls are part of ACU’s Freshman Village project, a comprehensive renovation and construction campaign for residence halls to better meet the living and learning needs of our students. The project locates all freshman residence halls along East North 16th Street. Read more on Page 10 about how a gift from the Mabee Foundation is helping to renovate Sikes Hall. Lobbies in the new halls include a kitchen and areas for study and recreation. Outdoor spaces are also an intentional part of the design, providing opportunity for students to eat, play, relax and build community both inside and outside.
Learn more about the residence halls available at ACU.
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Renderings provide a glimpse at plans for the renovation of Sikes Hall, which closed in Fall 2023 and will reopen in August 2024. At that time, Mabee Hall will be permanently closed and Sikes will be rechristened with the Mabee name. MACKEY MITCHELL ARCHITECTS
Faithful Partners
With Sikes Hall renovation, Mabee Foundation continues 73-year collaboration that has touched every corner of campus
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BY JONATHAN SMITH
or almost every ACU student or alumnus from the past seven decades, the Mabee name conjures up fond memories of a time and place on campus. Perhaps those memories are of a room in Mabee Hall, which has housed almost
every freshman man since 1953. For others, perhaps they are of a favorite class taught in Mabee Business Building, which has served as part of the face of campus and home to the College of Business Administration since it opened in 1986. But the Mabee name is much more than the namesake of two buildings on campus. It’s part of a 10
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story over 73 years in the making with its fingerprints on 10 buildings across campus and countless students. And that story gets a new chapter – and 11th building – this year. The J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation has pledged $5 million toward the renovation of Sikes Hall, which closed in Fall 2023 and will reopen in August. At that time, Mabee Hall will be permanently closed and Sikes will be rechristened with the Mabee name. The renovation will update the hall, which originally opened in 1977 and received a brick façade in 2007, to include additional common spaces on each floor, similar to Bullock and Wessel halls. The hall will house first-year students as part of the Freshman Village project, a comprehensive renovation and
LLOYD JONES
construction campaign for equipment, but it wasn’t always residence halls along East North that way. 16th Street to better meet the ACU’s first gift from the living and learning needs of foundation came in 1951 – just students. three years after it was founded The renovation is the latest – and went toward a $10,000 project in a partnership that has Mabee Loan Fund. Students could Lottie and John Mabee, with their portraits displayed in the lobby in the spanned five ACU presidents: borrow money to help pay for background, were present for Dr. Don H. Morris (’34), Dr. John their education and then pay it the dedication of Mabee Hall C. Stevens (’38), Dr. William back over several months at a low in October 1953. J. Teague (’52), Dr. Royce Money interest rate. (’64) and Dr. Phil Schubert (’91). Michael Goeke, executive “We are deeply grateful for director of the Mabee Foundation, ACU’s Mabee the tremendous investment the said the foundation now focuses Foundation Grants Mabee Foundation has made on building projects in an effort in Abilene Christian University to help organizations carry out 1951 Mabee Loan Fund $10,000 (another $10,000 over the span of our partnership,” their missions. was added in 1954) Schubert said. “We stand strong “We believe you have to have 1953 Mabee Hall today, poised to expand our reach good spaces to carry out the good $650,000 (an additional as a Christ-centered national work, no matter what sort of $530,700 grant in 1975-76 added air conditioning and university, thanks in part to the organization you are,” Goeke said. other renovations) Mabee Foundation’s foresight Since that very first gift, 1969 Brown Library and generosity.” the Mabee Foundation has $300,000 (a $1 million gift in 1982 helped fund a The Mabee Foundation was contributed more than significant addition, formed in 1948 by John and $20 million to the university including the Mabee Lottie Mabee, Missouri natives to enhance living, learning, Library Auditorium) who lived in Oklahoma. With no service and spiritual formation 1975-76 Don H. Morris Center $250,000 children of their own, the Mabees throughout the ACU community. 1984 Mabee Business Building created the foundation as a way to “We don’t just extend grants to $2 million share their blessings with others organizations because we’ve done 1986-87 Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building through philanthropy. Since then, it in the past. Every time we get $3 million the foundation – which celebrated an application, we assess where 1992 Foster Science Building its 75th anniversary in 2023 – the organization is,” Goeke said, renovation has made gifts totaling more than regarding why the foundation $2.5 million 1997 Teague Center $1.5 billion. continues to award ACU grants. $500,000 The foundation funds “I think it’s been the consistency 2001 Williams Performing projects in a six-state region – of ACU in its commitment Arts Center Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, to its mission. It provides a $1.5 million 2008 Hunter Welcome Center Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas good education, but it has also $1 million – and focuses on four types of remained true to who it is.” 2021 Boone Family Theatre organizations: education; social The same can be said of $1 million and humanitarian services; the Mabee Foundation, which 2023 Sikes Hall renovation $5 million medical and health; and cultural continues to fund important and religious. work at ACU and across the Mabee Foundation gifts six-state region. come in the form of “challenge grants,” meaning that And over the next few months, as the Mabee Hall organizations must raise the remaining funds to finish name moves from one side of campus to the other, it’ll a project within one year of being awarded the grant. be the next chapter in a story that just keeps getting The foundation now limits its grants to better and better. construction or renovation projects and major medical
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aith
Formed in
and Called to
BY W E N DY K I LM E R
ACU’s strategic focus on student formation strives to instill values of community, hospitality, calling and wisdom, all grounded in Christ Candlelight Devo, a beloved time of worship and community, bookends the ACU experience at Wildcat Week and again just before Commencement for the senior class KAMRYN KELLEY
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n the early years of Abilene Christian, assigned seats and, in the 1960s and ’70s, even photography held students accountable for daily Chapel attendance. In recent decades,
students “slid” into the Moody Coliseum arena with the swipe of an ID card. Perhaps not surprisingly, today’s students track their spiritual formation points – earned through campus-wide Chapel in Moody, small-group gatherings, evening speakers and lectures, and more – through an app on their phone. Less formal worship gatherings have also often been intrinsic to the ACU experience, whether on the steps of the Hardin Administration Building, or in the auditorium of University Church of Christ at 9:00 on a Sunday night, or, where many students gather now, at Midnight Worship on Friday nights in the Highland Church of Christ building. Although the forms and methods may differ, ACU’s commitment to providing an environment of spiritual growth and faith formation spans its entire 117-year history, and worship is just one aspect of a much larger scope of what students experience spiritually. During their four years at ACU, students are surrounded with opportunities and encouragement to deepen their faith, form relationships in a Christ-centered community, and begin exploring their calling, both in careers and in life. None of that happens accidentally. Today, an integrated spiritual formation plan guides the efforts across campus. Four theological themes anchor the plan – and thus the student experience – for each year at ACU: community, hospitality, calling and wisdom. The current plan began taking shape in 2016, stemming from a
pillar in the previous strategic plan, as a committee of faculty and staff members convened to examine the current state of and develop future plans related to spiritual formation. “We came out of that assessment convinced that people all across campus cared deeply about student spiritual formation and saw themselves as part of that process,” said Dr. Cliff Barbarick, associate professor and chair of the Department of Bible, Missions and Ministry and a member of the committee. “It was an encouraging finding. We felt a framework that everyone could buy in to would provide a shared focus without taking away a sense of ownership and involvement. We hoped to paint a picture to energize that work and allow faculty and staff to see themselves as contributing to this idealized plan.” Just after the spiritual formation plan was finalized in 2019, Dr. Ryan Richardson joined the administration at ACU, then as associate vice president for student
“
Ultimately, our hope as a university is that students will graduate having been immersed in Christian community, formed to offer Christlike hospitality, equipped with greater awareness of God’s calling on their lives, and prepared to navigate the world with wisdom developed through intentional encounters with Jesus.”
life, now vice president for student life, and was charged by president Dr. Phil Schubert (’91) to lead implementation of the new plan. Although the themes provide a focus tied to each year of college, they are a structure rather than a strict boundary, Richardson said. There’s natural flow and overlap of activities across all four themes and all four years. “Ultimately, our hope as a university is that students will graduate having been immersed in Christian community, formed to offer Christlike hospitality, equipped with greater awareness of God’s calling on their lives, and prepared to navigate the world with wisdom developed through intentional encounters with Jesus,” Richardson said.
Year One: Community The foundational goal for students in their first year is to “create Christ-centered relationships with peers and adults on campus and in Abilene through compelling opportunities to invest in a variety of Christian organizations, discovering and experiencing the distinctive nature of Christian community.” ACU’s current strategic plan includes a specific goal related to church attendance: Increase first-year students’ commitment to local church attendance such that 74.6% of first-year students report weekly off-campus church participation. As of the 2022-23 school year, 62% of first-year students report attending at least one time a week, and 74% attend at least two to three times a month. Introducing students to a rhythm of Chapel experiences is also integral in the first year as a means to participate in and better understand Christian community. “Returning to Moody after its multi-year renovation has brought
– Dr. Ryan Richardson ACU TODAY
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new vibrance and excitement to the weekly rhythm of spiritual formation at ACU,” Richardson said. Moody Chapel takes place every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Monday mornings have been designated as worship for the entire community, and faculty and staff are especially encouraged to attend alongside students. Wednesday focuses on thoughts and experiences around the four themes. And each Friday, students engage in the long-standing tradition of Praise Day Friday. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Immersed Chapel – an entirely student-led worship service – takes place in Boone Family Theatre, inviting students to establish weekly rhythms of contemplative worship while also providing space to develop aspiring worship leaders at ACU. And at various days, times and locations, Small-Group Chapels offer community and devotional time with groups built around shared passions or interests, such as social justice initiatives, residence hall community, student organizations, Greek life, arts and culture, and more. Leaders of Small-Group Chapels complete required training each semester. Tre Lewis is a junior youth and family ministry major from Tulsa, Oklahoma, and although he came to ACU knowing no one, from his first days on campus he made a conscious decision to jump in with both feet. He’s served in Student Government Association, Freshman Follies leadership team, Sing Song leadership team and is now a leader of Midnight Worship, the worship director for Chapel, a member of the Black Students’ Union, and was selected to be a Sing Song host for 2024. “Like most people, I grew up with my faith coming from my family, and when I came to college I had so many questions,” Lewis said. “I’ve learned to enjoy that – having to address
issues for myself, experience Jesus for myself, not just rely on a borrowed faith from my family.” Lewis points to his Bible and youth ministry classes, his experience working in the Chapel office and leading Midnight Worship, and his involvement in BSU as central in his growing faith and realization of his identity in Christ.
“Not necessarily in the classic way, but the radical hospitality of welcoming people into my life, even in passing – wanting to know people and be known, to love and be loved – the concept of just recklessly becoming friends,” she said. “I think I’ve really grown in that area myself, and I’ve started seeing it in other people around me.”
Year Two: Hospitality
Year Three: Calling
With a foundation of belonging and community, the aim for students in their second year is to “engage in encounters with diverse peoples, ideas and cultures through local and global opportunities to extend and receive hospitality and serve others in Christ’s name.” These objectives are lived out and measured through participation in mission trips, community service, ACU Study Abroad, and cultural events and organizations on campus. More than 90% of students report participating in community service during their four years at ACU, and 60% report that they are involved regularly in community service. Current data shows that between 3040% of students participate in either a mission experience or study abroad. Genevieve Graessle, a senior English major from Austin, Texas, personifies full participation in college life. During her time at ACU, she’s worked in the Chapel office, served as a student radio host on KACU-FM, is a member of Ko Jo Kai sorority, studied abroad twice and served as a peer leader coordinator for Cornerstone, a seminar course for first-year students. She also found time for a leadership role in the university ministry at Highland Church of Christ and working at Summer Moon, a coffee shop near campus. Through her varied experiences, she said the concept of hospitality has emerged as a common theme.
As students enter their junior year with a heavier concentration of classes in their fields of study, the foundational goal is “advancing students’ understanding of vocation in a manner that integrates each student’s particular identity, career goals and vision for life with the broad calling for Christians to participate in the ongoing mission of God revealed in the pattern of Christ’s life and death.” Currently, 73% of students report they “agree” or “strongly agree” that “ACU helps me connect my personal
“
ACU is very missionally minded with a lot of international connections and very culturally focused. I really think what I’ve learned about the role of the church and Christianity among the nations is something unique to ACU, and I don’t think I would have learned it anywhere else to the extent I’ve learned it here.” – Londyn Gray (’22)
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LONDYN GRAY
During her time as an undergraduate, Londyn Gray (’22) traveled to Cambodia on a trip organized through ACU’s WorldWide Witness program, and the experience led her to pursue a Master of Theological Studies with plans to live overseas.
story to God’s bigger story and the Spirit’s leading.” Engagement and measurement of this goal centers around students completing career purpose assessments, participating in internships or Wildcat Academics on Mission trips, and serving in leadership roles on or off campus. For Londyn Gray (’22), who transferred to ACU as a sophomore from the University of Georgia, the concept of vocation and calling evolved throughout her college years. “I thought I would be a sports broadcaster or a First Amendment lawyer,” said Gray, who played volleyball for Georgia and ACU. But a year after transferring to ACU, she traveled to Cambodia on a trip organized through the WorldWide Witness program and began to lean into other plans for her life. “That was an opportunity that wouldn’t have existed if I didn’t go to ACU. I realized that’s where I felt fully alive.” The process didn’t end there; Gray began to explore how that missional life might look with the help of her community and a faculty mentor. “I began having conversations with missions expert Larry Henderson (’73) and others in my personal sphere, seeking guidance and counsel,” she said. “ACU is very missionally minded with a lot of
international connections and very culturally focused. I really think what I’ve learned about the role of the church and Christianity among the nations is something unique to ACU, and I don’t think I would have learned it anywhere else to the extent I’ve learned it here.” Gray is continuing at ACU working toward a Master of Theological Studies degree. In the long term she hopes to move overseas and teach English.
Year Four: Wisdom As students prepare to graduate, ACU focuses on mentorship, relying on God’s word and investing in church community. The goal is “launching students into cruciform and purposeful living beyond the university by equipping them with tools for and experiences seeking Christian wisdom as they prepare to transition into a new season of life and career.” Mentoring activities measured in this theme include Lynay, a community-building student group; Emerging Leaders, a voluntary leadership development initiative for incoming students; Elected Leaders, a required leadership development initiative for the presidents of each student organization; and Leadership Summit, a leadership development course hosted in Colorado by the
Lytle Center for Faith and Leadership. Church engagement and Bible reading are assessed through student surveys. Currently 61% of students report reading the Bible when life is difficult, and 33% reported reading the Bible at least two to three times per month outside of class or religious services. In addition, 65% of graduating seniors report having a meaningful relationship to a local congregation, and 65% articulate a desire to find a church after graduation. As she approaches the end of her time at ACU, Graessle sees threads of faith that have woven together over the last four years to create something stronger. “I think it happens to everyone, to realize, ‘I have this faith that my parents or my church have told me about, but what do I believe? And how do I have my own relationship with Christ?’ ” she said. “It’s scary at first, but it can also be growth oriented. I’ve realized that God welcomes questions and wants you to want to know more. I’m a lot stronger now in actually having a relationship because there are so many avenues to ask questions and to grow and be curious.” Wisdom, indeed.
Learn more about ACU’s strategic focus on spiritual formation in a Q&A with Dr. Ryan Richardson in our bonus coverage online by scanning the QR Code or visiting acu.edu/acutoday.
ACU TODAY
Fall-Winter 2024
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With Vice President for Student Life
Ryan Richardson
D
r. Ryan Richardson joined the administration at ACU at a pivotal time in the life of the university. In August of 2020, students, faculty and staff were navigating widespread educational disruptions in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a spiritual formation plan for the university had been finalized but not yet put into
practice. Richardson was charged by president Dr. Phil Schubert (’91) to lead implementation of the new plan, among other responsibilities. He brought with him a family legacy in education and ministry, experience in Christian higher education and a passion for the holistic formation of college students.
BC5
Fall-Winter 2024 ACU TODAY
PAUL WHITE
Where did you grow up and what is your educational background? I grew up mostly in the state of Mississippi on the campus of Mississippi State University. My father has been a lifelong faculty member. During my early years, my mother was in ministry and has continued to be a lay minister to those who are in need. I earned a bachelor’s in business marketing from Mississippi State, a Master of Divinity from Baylor, University, and a Ph.D. in higher education administration from Azusa Pacific University.
What led you to a career in student life and higher education? After seminary at Baylor, I followed a calling into university chaplaincy. During my tenure at Baylor I experienced the holistic realities of student development and the myriad of ways the university can serve students. In 2010, I decided to explore broadening my own pedigree
B ON U S C OV E R AGE with a doctorate through which I explored student development specifically in the context of faith-based higher education.
In your time here, what have you observed that sets ACU apart from other institutions? Our faculty and staff know more than just the names of the students they service. They strive to truly know the students and be known by them, as well. It is common at ACU for students to eat with their professors, spend time with them outside of the classroom, attend church alongside them and become like family to each other. At other institutions, faculty may know the names of their students, but at ACU, faculty really seek to understand their students in a meaningful way that results in relationships, shared vision and deep learning.
What guides your philosophy about student life and, particularly, spiritual formation? My philosophy of student development and spiritual formation is guided by two frameworks. Author Baxter Magolda (2001) published the theory of self-authorship. Self-authorship is “the internal capacity to define one’s beliefs, identity and social relations.” This theory suggests that these three realities form a student’s inner voice. Each semester, I teach this theory to my Cornerstone students; however, I submit a second idea to the theory. My philosophy of student life AND spiritual formation stem from the following: students come to college seeking the answer to the three realities mentioned above. However, rather than suggesting these questions form the inner voice, I teach that these questions guide us to the Holy Spirit… the still small voice of God that dwells within us. So, I believe that everything we do in student life needs to help students answer these questions: 1) Who am I as a beloved creation of God? 2) How might I gather with other believers to worship and discern our purpose as people of God? 3) How might I put on the mind of Christ today and everyday?
How does student life interact with and support the academic aspect of higher education? Everyone in Student Life must consider themselves an educator. Although we are not in the classroom, we are helping students navigate the world beginning with our campus. Sometimes at other institutions people refer to “student life” and “academics” as two sides of the house. I do not believe that to be a helpful metaphor. In fact, I share with my faculty colleagues regularly that the special
events related to their courses ARE student life events! We regularly provide the food for speakers invited by specific academic units. We create panel discussions with faculty on topics that are of interest to students. We utilize the rich resources of our faculty to lead Chapel. I believe we are all a part of the same effort and must continue to work in support of the holistic student experience.
What’s your favorite thing about working with college students? College students are in a formative phase of life. Many of them are experiencing life for the first time without a parent or guardian with them daily. They are creating a new sense of autonomy that benefits greatly from thoughtful, careful guidance. On college campuses, we in leadership have the honor of being those guides. What a gift it is to stand in those holy moments with students as they miss home, do not perform well on an exam, or experience a break-up. It is sacred space to walk alongside a student as they discover that worship is a gift from God or that they are capable of more than they thought they were!
What are your goals or vision for the future of student life at ACU? I have big dreams for Student Life at ACU! I walked into a wonderful staff who are dedicated to the development of our students in the way of Christ. Because of this, I get to spend more time thinking about how ACU will continue to be the No. 1 destination for college students who are seeking a Christian student experience! I envision a student experience that integrates their area of study with their co-curricular experiences. I want students to understand their spiritual lives, intellectual lives, and social lives as crucial and inextricable components of the Imago Dei (the image of Christ).
What are you currently reading? I am revisiting an old classic, Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening. I also enjoy reading liturgies and am doing so with Every Moment Holy, Vol, 2 – Death, Grief, and Hope. Those are both devotional readings. I am also reading Student Affairs Fundraising: Raising Funds to Raise the Bar (wink, wink).
What do you love to do outside of work? I have been a pianist all of my life. I do not get to play as much as I would like but it truly gives me life! My wife and I have three growing boys so we also spend quite a bit of time watching tennis matches, attending band concerts, plays, choir performances and debate competitions. I truly do love it!
– WENDY KILMER ACU TODAY
Fall-Winter 2024
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Former Madagascar Presidential Scholar now serves in professorial role at ACU
BY W E N DY K I LM E R
JEREMY ENLOW
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W
hen an Abilene Christian University student from Sudan met with a faculty member recently, asking for help getting connected in his new community, Dr. Arisoa Randrianasolo (’08), assistant professor
in the School of Information Technology and Computing, had ready advice: “Visit a local church. Join a soccer club. Look for things you have in common with people. Treat everything As an ACU as a learning experience.” student in 2004-08, Randrianasolo can relate. Randrianasolo studied He came to Abilene in 2004 computer science and from the island nation of adjusted to cultural differences from his home Madagascar at age 19, having nation of Madagascar, never before left his home such as large restaurant country. He was one of 24 food portions, air students in a one-of-a-kind conditioning in all program put in place by the buildings and the expectation of Malagasy government of the footwear in time to send their top students to public spaces. ACU for a college education. PAUL BRYAN Fifteen years after graduation, Randrianasolo is now back at his alma mater as a faculty member, teaching computer science and sharing a unique perspective having been an international student far from home himself. “I see things differently than I did as a student,” he said. “As a student, I studied as much as I could with a mindset to go back to Madagascar. I was not so much involved with campus life. Coming back, I’m in a more caring mode, and I can focus on helping students know who they are and helping make the experience that they have here similar to, or better, than what I had. This time, I’m not here to consume but to deliver and guide.” Life as a college professor in America wasn’t what he set out to achieve back in 2004. His parents were high school teachers; he had no interest in following their footsteps, and farming was the primary industry of his hometown. But the unique Madagascar Presidential Scholars program – the brainchild of Marc Ravalomanana, then-president of Madagascar – offered Randrianasolo and 23 other students a fully funded (thanks in part to funding from the World Bank) education at ACU, and it changed the trajectory of each of their lives. The initial terms of the scholarship required students to return to their home country after graduation and use their education in government or other leadership roles
in Madagascar, although some deferments were granted for graduate school. But only a year after the students completed their ACU degrees, a political coup overthrew the Malagasy government, unseating those involved with the scholarship program and leaving no obligation for how those 24 students moved forward in their lives. “Some of us who did well in school had teachers say ‘You have potential to go to grad school,’ and several from that group did,” Randrianasolo said. The majority eventually returned to Madagascar, some taking advanced degrees and doctorates along with them. Five of the 24 now live and work in the U.S. Since the scholarship program only paid for an undergraduate degree, any further academic pursuits had to be self-funded. Randrianasolo used research and teaching assistantship positions to fund a master’s and a doctorate from Texas Tech. He intended to go into software development, but during his graduate work, he discovered an unexpected skill and enjoyment of teaching. After earning his Ph.D., Randrianasolo taught at Lipscomb University for seven years and then at Oklahoma Christian for two years, and in 2020, when a computer science faculty position opened at ACU, he returned to the place where his American journey began. Randrianasolo was married now, with a young son, and he found himself back at a familiar and welcoming place, but in a new role. And he was ready to embrace and give back to the same community that had welcomed and provided for him in his college years. “What I was taught at ACU prepared me to do well in graduate school and in life, so that’s something that motivated me to come back,” he said. “I want other students to have that kind of situation – coming out of college ready to handle grad school or work.” But he’ll also tell you that what he learned and experienced during his student years at Abilene Christian went beyond academics, as he found a warm faith community at Hillcrest Church of Christ and was befriended and guided by several university faculty and staff, and Abilene residents. “I’m trying to pay back that process. ACU has been nice to me, Abilene has been nice to me. Now, let me do amazing things for others in this same community.”
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Alumni Awards 2023 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year
Provides timely recognition of the lifetime achievement of an individual who has brought honor to ACU through personal and professional excellence and service to the university, the church or the community.
2023 Young Alumnus of the Year
Recognizes professional achievement and/or distinguished service to ACU. To be eligible, a recipient must not be over 40 years of age at the time of selection.
2022 Distinguished Alumni Citation
Recognizes distinctive personal or professional achievementthat has merited the honor and praise of peers and colleagues.
Learn more about Jeff Boyd and his work in the Texas Supreme Court by scanning the QR Code or visiting acu.edu/acutoday. JEREMY ENLOW
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202 3 OU TSTA NDING A LUMNUS OF T HE Y E A R
Jeff
BOY D exas Supreme Court justice Jeff Boyd, J.D. (’83) describes himself as an “accidental jurist.” When he graduated
from ACU with a degree in biblical studies, law school was the furthest thing from his mind. He started college as a mass communication major, but a Spring Break trip to work with Sunny Glen Children’s Home in San Benito, Texas, led to a summer job offer, and “I kind of got the bug for working with youth,” he said. That interest was cemented his sophomore year when Boyd took an after-school job as a caseworker for a juvenile justice program and a weekend job as youth minister of a church in Coahoma, a small community west of Abilene. “That was all enough to convince me,” he said. “I felt the calling at that point to go into youth ministry.” After graduation, Boyd worked for several years as youth and family minister at Brentwood Oaks Church of Christ in Austin, Texas. Then a chance conversation with his closest friend from college, Milton Buckelew Jr. (’84), steered his life and career in a completely new direction. “Milton, out of the blue, said one day, ‘Do you remember when we
were freshmen in college, we used to talk about maybe going to law school someday? Well, I’ve decided to take the law school admission test. Why don’t you take it with me?’ ” Boyd recalled. Both signed up for the LSAT. A week before the test, Buckelew changed his mind but Boyd didn’t want to lose his registration fee, “So I went ahead and took it and ended up just really doing very well on it,” he said. In 1991, Boyd graduated summa cum laude and second in his class from the Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law. He worked for the Austin law firm Thompson & Knight for 15 years during two stints, leaving to serve as Texas deputy attorney general for civil litigation in the early 2000s and returning to the firm as senior partner. In January 2011, he joined then-Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s office as general counsel. Perry appointed him as his chief of staff later that year. In December 2012, Boyd was appointed by Perry to fill a vacated seat on the Texas Supreme Court. He has since been elected to two six-year terms in 2014 and 2020 as one of nine justices on the state’s highest court. His current term runs through 2026. Though his career path has been unconventional, each step in his journey has been marked by opportunities to make a positive
difference in the world, a legacy he shares with the late Jack Pope, J.D. (’37), who served on the state Supreme Court from 1965-85, including the last two years as chief justice. Boyd had been on the court for four months when he attended a 100th birthday party for Pope at the state Capitol. “Justice Pope came in, and we all went up to greet him one by one,” Boyd said. “I met him numerous times through the years, and I would always introduce myself. To someone like that, I feel like you always need to shake their hand and tell them your name. But he’d say, ‘I know you. You’re that ACU boy.’ “And sure enough, that day, I shook his hand and said, ‘I’m Jeff Boyd.’ And he said, ‘I know you. You’re that ACU boy, and you’re on the court now.’ And I said, ‘Yes, sir, I am. And I have to say, it’s a lot of pressure being only the second ACU boy to serve on the court, because I can never fill your shoes.’ And without hesitating, he said, ‘Oh, yes, you can. You know how?’ And I said, ‘No, sir. How?’ He said, ‘One case at a time, son. One case at a time.’ “And I’ve always remembered that with every case I’m working on. I hope that in the end, I’m remembered for having approached each case with the same diligence and recognition of its value to somebody.”
– ROBIN SAYLOR ACU TODAY
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JEREMY ENLOW
BC7
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B ON U S C OV E R AGE
Q&A with
Jeff BOYD 202 3 OU TSTA NDING A LUMNUS OF T HE Y E A R
hen Jeff Boyd (’83) graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biblical studies, a future career as a Texas Supreme Court justice was the furthest thing from his mind. But his time at Abilene
Christian poised him in some unexpected ways to excel as one of nine justices on the state’s highest court. Two things in particular had prepared him well for law school and ultimately for practicing law. One was earning a degree in New Testament studies, “because it’s a very textual degree,” Boyd said. “You learn how to look at a text and figure out what it meant when it was written and then figure out how it applies to a current situation. And that’s really what law school is. You look at a statute or you look at a court decision and figure out, what’s the rule of law? And then, how does it apply to this subsequent case, to this case in which I’m representing a client today? So that process of looking at some source of authority, generally a written source of authority, and learning how to construe what it means and then explain how it applies, turns out to have been a great training ground for law school.” The second was working in youth ministry, a passion he discovered while at ACU. “When you teach junior high Bible class every Sunday morning, you learn to think and speak on your feet – taking that text, figuring out what it means, and then communicating it in a way that your
audience can understand how this applies to their life,” he said. “Later, standing in front of the jury or even a judge, I just remembered teaching those junior high students. Little did I know at the time that it was preparing me for a career in law, but it certainly was.” Now as a justice, Boyd uses those lessons to impact the lives of every Texan each day. After graduating from ACU, Boyd worked for several years as youth and family minister at Brentwood Oaks Church of Christ in Austin, Texas, before attending Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law, where he graduated summa cum laude and second in his class in 1991. He worked for the Austin law firm Thompson & Knight for 15 years during two stints, leaving to serve as Texas deputy attorney general for civil litigation in the early 2000s before returning to the firm as senior partner. In January 2011, Boyd joined then-Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s office as general counsel. Perry appointed him as his chief of staff later that year. In December 2012, Boyd was appointed by Perry to fill a vacated seat on the Texas Supreme Court. He has since been elected to two six-year terms in 2014 and 2020 in his career as an “accidental jurist.” He and his wife, Jackie (Tubbs ’85), live in Austin and are active members at the Brentwood Oaks congregation, where Jackie served on staff for 18 years. They have twin daughters, Hanna (’14) and Abbie (’15), and a son, Carter. In this Q&A, he talks about his unconventional path to the Texas Supreme Court and the legacy he hopes to leave.
ACU TODAY
Fall-Winter 2024
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B ON U S C OV E R AGE Why did you choose ACU? I’m an Air Force brat. My family moved all over the place the whole time I was growing up, and we spent three years in Germany when I was in high school. At the end of my junior year, my dad was transferred to Bergstrom Air Force Base in Austin, and that same year my brother started at ACU. We had been members at Churches of Christ my whole life growing up, so we were certainly familiar with ACU, but more from a distance because we had moved so often. Back in my junior high years we had lived in San Antonio, and I had some good friends from there who were going to ACU, and so it just seemed like the natural choice.
You started out as a biblical studies major? I actually started out as a mass communications major. I did the radio and television class and some journalism, and I remember having a stint at KACU where I was a DJ for a few hours once a week. I’d become involved with the college group at Hillcrest Church of Christ, and Dr. Norman Archibald (’76 M.S.) [who later served as mayor of Abilene and is currently vice president for Hendrick Health System] was the university minister at the time. He and I hit it off well. I went with him and his group on a Spring Break trip to his hometown in San Benito, Texas, and we worked with the Sunny Glen Children’s Home there. After we returned, they asked Norman if he would see if I was interested in working as a summer youth director because I had gotten along really well with the kids that week. And so I thought, yeah, I’ll do that. I spent that summer at Sunny Glen and got the bug for youth ministry work. When I returned for my sophomore year, the career office posted a position for a caseworker for a juvenile justice program at the YMCA. So I took a part-time job four hours a day working for them. Then I ended up taking a job on weekends as the youth minister at a small congregation in Coahoma, Texas, near Big Spring. For a year and a half I would travel out to Coahoma on weekends and then would spend the week working at the juvenile justice program. And that was all enough to convince me that I wanted to go into youth ministry of some sort. Dr. Ian Fair (’68) [former dean of ACU’s College of Biblical Studies] was my advisor when I decided to become a Bible major, and I think he was the one who convinced me to pursue a textual degree rather than a ministry degree, and I ended up with a New Testament studies degree. So that’s how I ended up becoming a Bible major.
How did you come to attend law school? The decision to go to law school was even more of a fluke than becoming a Bible major. My closest friend from BC9
Fall-Winter 2024 ACU TODAY
college was a guy named Milton Buckelew Jr. (’84). He had been at that church in San Antonio where I attended as a younger kid. We became fast friends my freshman year of college and are very close friends to this day. Milton, out of the blue, said one day, “Do you remember when we were freshmen in college, we used to talk about maybe going to law school someday? Well, I’ve decided to take the law school admission test. Why don’t you take it with me?” And I’m not sure now if I even remembered that we used to talk about that. I had no lawyers in my family on either side, so it wasn’t something that I would have had any interest in. But I decided, OK, and I paid to sign up for the test. Several weeks went by, and Milton called and said, “You know the LSAT is this Saturday?” And I said, “Yeah.” He said, “I can’t afford to take the LSAT and get a bad score.” But I felt like I couldn’t afford to walk away from the money I paid to take the test. So I went ahead and took it, and ended up doing very well. It opened doors at Baylor and Houston, and Pepperdine is where I ultimately decided to go. And the funny thing is, to this day, we’re still best friends, and he’s still never taken the LSAT. Jackie and I ended up going to Pepperdine for the adventure of it, honestly not knowing if I would do well enough to keep the scholarships that would allow me to finish. We ended up just loving those three years. We both agree, looking back, those were our favorite three years of our married life. I ended up doing really well, and one thing led to another. We wanted to come back to Texas and we ideally wanted to be in Austin, and so we’ve really been blessed to be able to come back here and build a career and a family, and enjoy it.
How did you transition to the Supreme Court? Obviously it’s a journey, and there are different pieces of the puzzle that all kind of fell into place. On the one hand, I think I knew early on that I wanted to be a judge, in part because I felt like I was better at coming to the solution and deciding what the real answer is than I was at figuring out what my client needs the answer to be and trying to convince others that’s the right answer, when maybe I don’t really think it is right. I’d been practicing for five or six years when a trial court judge in Travis County retired. A group of people encouraged me to ask then-Gov. George Bush to appoint me to that position. Well, I was about to become a partner with my law firm and there were just a lot of reasons why I wasn’t sure that was a good idea. I had become acquainted with John Cornyn, who at that time was on the Texas Supreme Court. So I called him and said, “Look, I know as a young man in San Antonio, you decided to run for district judge, and I’ve been
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encouraged to consider applying for an appointment. I wonder what you think.” He said, without a hesitation, “Jeff, if you apply for this position, you won’t get selected, and if you get selected you won’t win the election. But absolutely, you should apply, because simply by applying, you’re letting Gov. Bush and other people in his circles know that there’s this young lawyer at a respected law firm, who has a respected career in the law and a good background and is interested in public service. You just never know where that will lead.” So I applied. And Cornyn was right on all counts. About a year and a half later, Cornyn had become attorney general, and he found himself in a situation where he needed to fill a high-level spot as the deputy over all civil litigation for the state and fill it pretty quickly. He called me and said, “I need you to come do this.” And I did. By then I had made partner, but I dropped everything and became deputy attorney general for Cornyn. I didn’t know it was going to be him who would remember my interest in public service, but he did. I spent two and a half years with Cornyn and about nine months with Gov. Greg Abbott when he came in as the new attorney general replacing Cornyn. Then I went back to my law firm, and I was there for about eight years practicing law, doing mostly government-related litigation because of what I had done at the AG’s office. And then I got a very similar call from Gov. Perry’s chief of staff, who called to say, “Hey, we’ve got a situation. The governor needs a general counsel immediately. The person we have
has not worked out, and the legislature is about to come into session. We’ve got to have someone, and the governor wants you to do it.” Again, you drop everything when the governor wants you to do something, and you go do it. So I became general counsel for Gov. Perry, and about eight months later, he appointed me as his chief of staff. I ran the governor’s office for about a year and a half. And then as that year was coming to an end, one of the Supreme Court justices resigned and called me and said, “You need to let the governor know that I’m resigning. I’ll send my formal letter over, but he’s going to need to appoint someone.” I knew I was in a position that I could ask the governor to consider me, but my wife, Jackie, and I talked about it and prayed about it and decided the timing wasn’t right. We had three kids, all in private colleges. I really needed to get back to my private practice and make more money, and I didn’t want to be a politician, which you have to be if you’re going to run for office. So I didn’t even mention it. Instead, I headed up the process of interviewing everybody and recommending to Gov. Perry who he should pick. I gave him a list of 20-something names of people we had interviewed, and I had put at the top of the list four names I thought he should focus on. A couple of weeks later, he and I were meeting, and everybody else left the room. He said, “Oh, I wanted to mention to you I’ve looked at that list, and that’s a really great list of names. But I’m not going to pick any of them because you’re going to be the next justice on the Supreme Court.” And I said, “Whoa.” I told him I’ve thought about it, and I knew I was in a position to be considered, but the timing doesn’t seem right. I need money [for my children’s education]. And in a typical Rick Perry kind of way, he kicked his boots up on the desk, and he said, “Jeff, I’m going to help you with the politics, and God’s going to take care of the money.” Again, I couldn’t say no to that. And that’s the way I became what I call an “accidental jurist.” So now, 11 years later, here I am.
Are there any ways in which your upbringing, education or early career influenced the type of judge you’ve become? I’m pretty well known for being a conservative judge. By that I don’t mean politically conservative. I mean conservative in terms of what a judge’s job is. I’m very much a textualist who simply applies the law as written. I don’t always like the outcomes, but it’s not my role to make the law; it’s my role to construe it and apply it. Looking back, the combination of growing up in church, learning respect for law and order, and biblical authority, and
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growing up in a military family and appreciating the value of service and public service, and then the combination of the Bible degree and the years of ministry – I think they all led to what I consider to be a conservative role-oriented, rather than results-oriented, approach to being a judge.
What do you find most challenging about being a Texas Supreme Court justice? What’s challenging about our court is, number one, we really only take the hardest cases. We have discretionary jurisdiction, and we get about 1,000 cases a year in which one or more parties are asking us to review the case. We only take about 100 of those. So a big part of the job is deciding which ones to take. We take cases because they’re the hard ones, the important and difficult ones. I’m working today, for example, on an opinion that, honestly, I didn’t think was that hard until I really started digging in. Then I realized how complicated the issue is. People are impacted by our decisions in very significant ways, and usually lots of people. We take cases because they’ll have an impact on other cases throughout the state. Then the second challenge is being on a court in which you’re just one of nine justices, so you really have to work well with other people. You’re not a federal or district judge who just sort of runs his or her kingdom in their district. It’s not easy to get nine people in a room and have them all BC11
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agree, and we often don’t agree. So part of the challenge is that process of learning from your colleagues, and at the same time, hopefully, them learning from you as you try to come to the right conclusion.
Are there any specific cases or decisions of which you’re especially proud? The answer is no. It’s kind of like asking if you’re more proud of one of your kids. Interestingly enough, over the 11 years I’ve been here – in all but one or two – I have been the most dissenting justice on this court. I’ve gone back and looked to see why that is the case. And it’s usually one of three things. One is I feel very strongly that when you have a statute or a contract or some written document that says this, then we need to just apply it as simply and directly as we can. Even if it seems silly that parties would have agreed to this or the legislature would have said that, if that’s what the language says, then it’s not my job to change it or fix it as a judge. So I very directly and simply tend to apply what these statutes and contracts say, whereas some other judges – and I don’t criticize them for this – have a different judicial philosophy and are more inclined to try and figure out what the purpose of this statute was. They construe it in a way that accomplishes what seems to have been its purpose or fits within the broader context. Purpose and
B ON U S C OV E R AGE context matter, but I tend to default more to say, look, if it doesn’t achieve the purpose, then the legislature needs to amend it. Judges don’t get to amend it for them. A second area is I tend to respect the jury role, to respect jury verdicts more. So generally, if a jury reaches a finding that your light was green and his was red, or you pulled the trigger, or you’re guilty, or any finding that a jury reached, they do that by resolving fact issues. They look at evidence and decide what really happened. Appellate courts have the power to throw out jury verdicts if we think the evidence doesn’t sufficiently support what a jury finds. But the standard there is what’s called a “no-evidence standard.” We have to find there’s simply no evidence on which a reasonable juror could have reached this conclusion. And I’m very hesitant to ever do that. If there’s even the littlest bit of evidence, even if I would not have made that finding, I’m going to uphold the jury verdict, because I think the jury is a very important aspect of our judicial system. And the third thing I tend to dissent a lot about is there are a lot of decisions lower court judges make that when a higher court reviews it, the standard they apply is called an “abuse of discretion standard.” In order to reverse a judge’s decision, you have to find that the judge abused their discretion, that there was simply no basis on which to make that decision other than an abuse of their discretion. And I’m very hesitant to find that. So is there any particular case I’m proud of? No, but I think the record I’ve established over 11 years of making decisions that uphold those values in our system, the value of the text, the value of the jury and the value of the trial judge’s discretion – I hope I’ve made some impact in support of those three values. I’ve written many decisions for the court on those, but I’ve also written many dissenting opinions from the court to urge a greater respect for those principles.
Looking back at your experience at ACU, what do you remember most? I worked 20 to 25 hours a week all through school – either my freshman year making burgers or my sophomore and junior year at the juvenile justice program. And then my senior year I was the university ministry intern at Hillcrest Church of Christ. Plus, my sophomore and junior year I was going out to Coahoma on the weekends. So for those reasons, I really didn’t get involved in a lot of activities my first couple years in college. I did participate in Sing Song my freshman year and then, of course, got really involved in the university program at Hillcrest and their outreach ministries. A couple of my classmates were class officers, Scott Souder (’83) and Debbie Beebe (’83), who have since
married. They asked me to help with some big event and luncheon out by the GATA Fountain. I agreed to run logistics and got up real early and recruited a bunch of guys to set up tables and chairs and all of that. At the end, Dewby (Adams ’50) Ray, who was in charge, introduced herself and asked, “Where have you been?” And I replied, “What do you mean?” She said, “Well, you’ve been here for a year and a half, and I’ve never seen you around doing anything. Why aren’t you more involved?” And I said, “Well, I work.” “Well, you did a great job today,” she said. Then she said, “You just need to understand that God has given you gifts, and you need to find ways to use them.” That really stuck with me. Scott and Debbie encouraged me to run for class president at the end of my sophomore year, which I did and won. So I was the junior class president my junior year. But when you ask, what really sticks out as memories, I had a ton of friends. And most memories, of course, have to do with special times with various friends. Our Spring Break trips were extremely memorable. Sing Song is very memorable. Our group at Hillcrest stands out as having had a big impact on me. Ian Fair was just such a wonderful mentor and advisor, and Norman Archibald was, as well. That’s what jumps out in my mind in terms of memories.
How do you spend your time when you’re not working? Well, Jackie and I have emptied the nest coming up on 10 years now. Jackie has just taken a job as the admissions director at an organization in Georgetown that provides vocational and residential opportunities for adults with special needs. Georgetown is another 20 miles north of North Austin and has a great little old town square and courthouse, and we are three blocks from there. We love walking to dinner and coffee. Most of my time outside of work is just enjoying life with Jackie. I did take up golf again about a year and a half ago, and I’m hooked. Makes me want to retire so I can play four or five days a week. We’re still involved at Brentwood Oaks. Jackie was the full-time children’s minister there for 17 years and then moved into a connections ministry role before leaving for her new job. And that’s the same church I had been the youth minister at for five years early on. So it’s a true family for us.
What do you hope to accomplish during your tenure as a justice? How do you want to be remembered? I’m not aiming to leave a legacy of fame and fortune with this. I hope people remember that I approached every case honestly and sincerely and did my very best to figure out what the law requires for the result of that case.
– ROBIN SAYLOR ACU TODAY
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202 3 YOUNG A LUMNUS OF T HE Y E A R
Zach
GARZA
elationships change lives. And no one knows that better than Zach Garza (’04). At age 13, Garza’s life took
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an unexpected turn when his father left him and his mother to fend for themselves. His mother worked hard to provide for the two of them, which meant she had little time for hands-on parenting. Entering adolescence without a father figure, Garza was headed in the wrong direction. He was doing anything to get attention, usually the wrong things. But with the influence of Christian mentors God placed in his life, he began to find his way. “I don’t think I realized the importance of mentoring until my late 20s when I got really serious about my faith,” he said. “It was then I was able to step back and see where I had come from and what that had done to me, and then how I had overcome those challenges.” When Garza entered Abilene Christian he was still searching for his path, but one thing was clear: He possessed a natural talent for working with children. He majored in education and spent several summers working as a counselor at ACU Leadership camps. After graduating, he took on a role in youth ministry at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, then returned to Dallas to become a teacher and coach. One day while coaching junior high football, Garza asked the 65 boys on his team, “How many of you are living in a home with no
father?” Forty-five of them raised their hands. That sparked an idea that grew into Forerunner Mentoring, an organization that works to fulfill the potential of boys without a father figure through mentoring activities, an afterschool program, summer camps and family support. “God changed my life,” he said, “and it was through people stopping to take an interest in me and hearing my story and genuinely trying to guide me toward what God had in store. I knew that if it could work for me, then it could work for other kids.” Garza still serves on the board of Forerunner Mentoring but has launched another nonprofit called You Can Mentor. His podcast, which shares the same name, tackles topics each week ranging from “Why I Mentor” to “Unsung Heroes.” He has authored a book, You Can Mentor: How to Impact Your Community, Fulfill the Great Commission and Break Generational Curses, and has another in the works titled Tell Me About Your Father, an autobiographical journey exploring how to identify, process and heal from growing up in a home without a father figure. “ACU was extremely formative in my becoming who I am today,” Garza said. “While I’m thankful for the top-notch education, it was truly the people of ACU loving me and giving me role models who had the biggest impact. I found a safe environment where I could search for who I wanted to be, as well as heal from the things in my past.”
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Mark and Ali K A I S E R Though they both hoped to work in missions and service, Mark (’04) and Ali (Gonçalves ’04) Kaiser couldn’t have expected how fully they’d be able to live out that vision, all while raising a family internationally. Through their work in Brazil at the Itu Church of Christ, helping with the launch of Camp Roots, a bilingual youth camp, and KA RI ministering at Crescimento Limpo, a nonprofit SH ER MA organization that provides support for those N transitioning from homelessness, the Kaisers and their children are living the dream. It’s perhaps not the typical “American Dream,” but it’s a perfect fit for their family and their missional purpose. “I remember my social work professor, Susan (Vaught ’76) Clark, always said “If you don’t find your dream job, you go out and make your dream job,” said Mark. “I know this is it.” Their journey began 20 years ago in Oxford, England. The Kaisers met while at ACU, Mark majoring in social work and Ali in missions, and in 2003, they both studied
abroad in Oxford as seniors, led by Drs. Ron (’81) and Janine (Paden ’77) Morgan. It was there that they both better understood God’s calling on their lives and work.. “They have been mentors of ours ever since college in helping us try to find what it means to live in ministry,” Mark said of the Morgans. Ali agreed. “They helped prepare us to be the kind of people that we wanted to be and do what we do.” Today, the Kaisers and their two children live and serve in Brazil, where they also run a garden and café that provide jobs to Brazilian residents and help fund Crescimento Limpo, which means “clean growth.” They both credit their experiences at ACU and those who serve alongside them for helping prepare them for the field of mission and service. “We wouldn’t be where we are without them,” Mark said. “It’s awesome to be able to go beyond your limits to help others find their own dreams.”
– SENIA OVERSTREET
Jordan S W I M The culinary interests of Jordan Swim (’07) began at a young age. He hosted dinner parties for friends in high school, and continued through his years at ACU, cooking for classmates and professors. Now he operates restaurants and a catering business where the focus is on genuine hospitality. After graduating from ACU, Swim went on to attend culinary school at El Centro College in Dallas, Texas, and soon after, launched Vestals, KIM LE ES ON a small operation out of his kitchen that grew into a full-service catering business. Swim’s degree in Christian ministry through ACU’s College of Biblical Studies reflects his calling to bless his customers, employees and community. He recalled a time when he assumed ministry was confined to a church, but in his career, he has been empowered by gathering people beyond these physical spaces to share in experiences. “I never imagined the opportunities I would have to be able to serve my employees, my customers, but more predominantly make an impact and show the love of Christ through business,” said Swim. “It’s something that I feel called more and more to do – to be a person of
faith and show the love of Christ in my endeavors.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, Swim saw an opportunity to serve others through the launching of Furlough Kitchen, a food bank with the mission of providing free meals to local residents impacted by the pandemic. Through this service, he and his colleagues served more than 50,000 meals in Dallas and partnered with sites in Houston and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to provide more than 100,000 free meals in three months. “It was a tremendous time of God using what we had – the commercial kitchen, the employees, the ability to make food – and connect it to a need,” Jordan said. “It may be simple, but it was a simple way we saw God’s provision and saw how he wants to use the resources he has blessed us with.” Swim now teams with former ACU trustee Dale Brown and his son, Alan (’92), to helpeducate and empower young people and their families through farm-based learning at Timberview Farmstead, a nonprofit teaching farm in Fort Worth, Texas.
– SENIA OVERSTREET ACU TODAY
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Ryan and Holly M O R R I S You can’t make this stuff up. Ryan (’98) and Holly (Carrell ’98) Morris use that phrase often when reflecting on their journey. The Morrises fight human trafficking and help survivors heal at Pure Hope Foundation, a restorative care program offering survivors professional counseling, community and Christian discipleship. “We take a holistic approach to healing – SA RA HW mind, body and spirit,” Holly said. “Everything ILK ER SO we do is run through the lens of Jesus and scripture N and the hope and healing that he provides.” After graduating from ACU, Ryan with an education degree and Holly with a degree in communications
sciences and disorders, neither imagined the road ahead, but they realized they could not make up the joy they have found. “When you look at the foundation of our two degrees, they’re both about helping people, and I love that we get to do that while pouring the love of Christ on them,” Ryan said. The Morrises plan to expand Pure Hope Foundation and have begun construction on Hope Home, a place for women to live and work. “There are a lot of hard things when you follow God’s call, but when you get to see the harvest, it’s such a blessing,” Ryan said.
– SENIA OVERSTREET
Jackson G R I G G S “If you miss what it means to be human, you will not be successful,” says Jackson Griggs (’99), M.D., chief executive office of Waco Family Medicine. From a young age, Griggs had a heart for humanity and hearing the stories of others. As an English major at ACU, he was interested in the ties between individuals and the broader community. After graduation, Griggs completed medical ER IC GU EL school in Houston and began work at Family Health Center in Waco, Texas. Today, 15 years later, he oversees the center’s 15 clinics, where he prioritizes seeing patients as whole people.
“Health care for whole people takes into consideration their value system, their context, their way of being in the world, and their community, and it appreciates all the things that make them, them,” he said. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Griggs was named Waco Today’s Person of the Year as a result of his leadership and community involvement. The love and compassion of Christ are his driving forces, as he and his team help future physicians step into their calling. “God made us in his own image, and now we must return the favor by stepping back and understanding what it means to be human,” Griggs said.
Jessica G O U D E A U Jessica (Reese ’00) Goudeau has always sought to unveil the complexities in humanity. Goudeau serves refugees in Central Texas and is an advocate for the voiceless, having spent more than a decade working with refugees in Austin, Texas, and co-founding Hill Country Hill Tribers – a nonprofit that provided income for Burmese refugee artisans. KIM Her connections with refugees and their BE RL YR AP stories culminated in the writing of After the Last P Border: Two Families and the Story of Refuge in America, which received universal acclaim, including the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize, a Christopher Award, and high praise
– SENIA OVERSTREET
from The New York Times, World Magazine, Library Journal and the Chicago Public Library. “I have found being in relationship with people and hearing their stories to be extremely sacred,” said Goudeau. “This has been a beautiful part of the process.” Today, Goudeau teaches creative nonfiction at Wilkes University, is working on her second book and continues to focus on truth and the impact of literature. “The world needs you to see critically now more than ever,” she says. “Literature allows us to enter into the hearts and minds of people all around the world and throughout time.”
– SENIA OVERSTREET
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ACU TODAY
Selections of books published by Abilene Christian University or those written, edited, compiled or contributed by ACU alumni, faculty, staff and students.
God Never Gives Up on You
WHAT JACOB’S STORY TEACHES US ABOUT GRACE, MERCY AND GOD’S RELENTLESS LOVE
By Max Lucado (’77) ISBN 978-1404119352 • 240 pages thomasnelson.com God Never Gives Up on You highlights God’s perfect plan to use imperfect people. This is a book for the strugglers among us and the fumbler within us … those of us who are part saint, part scoundrel. We mean well, but we don’t always do well. Jacob’s story invites us to believe in a God who sticks beside the unworthy and underachievers and leads us safely home.
The Essential J. Frank Dobie By Stephen L. Davis, narrated by Dr. W.F. Strong (’77) 9 hours, 56 minutes audible.com The narrator, known by mid-1970s ACU classmates as Bill Strong, takes listeners through an audiobook of the writings of J. Frank Dobie (1888-1964), the renowned Texas folklorist who was a major influence on famous Texas writers such as Larry McMurtry, author of Lonesome Dove. Strong is longtime professor of communications at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and narrator of “Stories From Texas” on National Public Radio stations.
The Other Side
A TALE OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
By Dr. BonnaSue Draper (’67) ISBN 979-8218035600 • 364 pages amazon.com Set in 1770 South Carolina, Draper’s novel explores the conflicts and contradictions of America’s birth amid America’s original sin. Dinah’s skin color ensures her dreams of freedom are just beyond her reach. Her owner, Elizabeth, is powerless in a male-centered world and seeks a sense of control over her slave. Based on the author’s family history, The Other Side explores themes of freedom, justice and power.
Uniting Against the Reich
THE AMERICAN AIR WAR IN EUROPE
By Dr. Luke Truxal (’09) ISBN 978-0813198286 • 278 pages kentuckypress.com Uniting against the Reich: The American Air War in Europe addresses how the U.S. swiftly reversed its air war against the Axis powers by reevaluating both individual agency and the structural elements that impeded the Americans from taking the lead in the European Theater. This comprehensive account offers a compelling new assessment of the development of the American war in Europe.
TheBOOKCASE
My Moment
106 WOMEN ON FIGHTING FOR THEMSELVES
By Kristin Chenoweth, Kathy Najimy, Linda Perry, Chely Wright and Lauren Blitzer ISBN 979-1982160920 • 336 pages • simonandschuster.com This essay collection reveals the interior experience of women after they’ve been underestimated or hurt – and how they’ve used this knowledge to make change. One of the 106 women featured is retired Texas child welfare administrator Judy Mayfield (’66).
He Gets Us
EXPERIENCING THE CONFOUNDING LOVE, FORGIVENESS AND RELEVANCE OF JESUS
By Max Lucado (’77) ISBN 978-1404119352 • 144 pages • thomasnelson.com Whether you’re exploring faith for the first time, seeking answers to life’s difficult questions or looking for a deeper relationship with Jesus, He Gets Us will guide you every step of the way.
Life Through Death
52 MEDITATIONS ON THE LORD’S SUPPER
By Dr. Elton D. Higgs (’61) ISBN 978-1954943988 • 152 pages • higgsbooks.weebly.com Higgs, a retired professor of English literature from the University of Michigan-Dearborn, presents a collection of thought-provoking essays that challenge Evangelical Christians to think more often and more deeply about the meanings of the Lord’s Supper. These meditations manifest a delightful variety, ranging from quick darts of a page or less to more complex essays of a few pages.
God’s Fruit Salad
A DIVINE RECIPE FOR A FILLING LIFE
By Diana (Rolison ’77) Kinser ISBN 978-1664256729 • 142 pages • westbowpress.com Women have a special place in God’s plan and in his heart. Kinser offers a contemporary look at the fruit of the Spirit for women in all areas and walks of life.
BOOKS FOR CHILDREN Our Little Adventure to the Farmers Market By Tabitha (Youngblood ’09) Schmitt ISBN 978-1950968510 • 32 pages • foxhollowstudios.com This book takes parents and young children on a trip to the farmers market using watercolor imagery and a story informed by Schmitt’s years of experience helping children develop their language skills. .
Extra
A TALE OF MAGIC, DESTINY AND EXCEPTIONAL FRIENDSHIP
By Angie Griggs Martin (’92) and Cheryl Etter (’83) and illustrated by Katelyn Mills (’08) ISBN 978-16678514190 • 50 pages • amazon.com Hope and Ethan were born with a little extra – an extra chromosome, that is! Their search for friendship weaves them and their moms together amid the loping longhorns and moseying mustangs of West Texas.
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#ACU
We love our followers on social media. Here are just a few of the posts by and about Wildcats.
Vince Strine
Elise Smith Mitchell
February 7
@ErinAndrews inspired, Mom and Dad encouraged! #SoProud @ACUedu
Kimberley Jones-Williams October 31
We have had a full day of celebrations for my Daddy. He was inducted into the Gordon Wood Hall of Champions! Then he was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame for Abilene Christian University! #todaywasagoodday
September 20
I always enjoy being back on campus at Abilene Christian University. But the highlight for me is time with students and former teachers. Loved being with this year’s Morris+Mitchell agency leaders – future stars, every one. Thank you Kenneth Pybus for making it happen. And spending the evening with my (nearly) lifelong friend and former professor, Cheryl Mann Bacon. Such a treat for me. Cheryl is the one who helped me find my way back home to my beloved alma mater. ACU changed my life, then and now. Forever grateful. Always home.
genevieveg.jpg April 3
hey uuhhhhh idk if you guys heard … did y’all know Sing Song was this weekend?? SO much fun watching my talented friends do their talented thing! the #acudifference is kinda super cool sometimes <3
Erika McLean September 1
Sherri Scott Cook August 24
We left two huge pieces of our hearts behind in Abilene this week as we moved Ashlee & Amber into the freshman dorm rooms in ACU’s new Wessel Hall. And Daniel and I decided to stay in Abilene an extra night so we could attend the girls’ first Candlelight Devo – and it was so special!
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Full circle moment: I recently began a fulltime instructor position at Abilene Christian University teaching medical speech pathology to undergrad and graduate students! I spent 6 years at ACU as a student myself. My years there were some of the most impactful ones of my life. I developed relationships I still have in place today, trained and developed a love for all things medical speech pathology/ swallowing disorders, met my husband, and had a lasting impact in my spiritual formation. Today, I brought my daughter to praise Friday Chapel with me – a place I used to look forward to each week as a student! My heart is so happy to be back in this place and have the opportunity to experience it in a new season of life!
Linsey Thut October 31
Oh wow, looks like Big Tex is a Wildcat! Obsessed with this fact!
Natalie Benavides October 31
I work 100 feet from Big Tex and the State Fair now! This is the crossover with my alma mater that I was not expecting to come across this morning!
FEBRUARY 21 – Baseball vs. Oklahoma State Globe Life Field • Arlington
FEBRUARY 28 – Baseball at Baylor • Waco MARCH 13-16 – WAC Basketball Tournament Orleans Arena • Las Vegas, Nevada
MARCH 5 – Baseball at TCU • Fort Worth
ACU at
MARCH 19 – Baseball at Texas Tech • Lubbock APRIL 2 – Baseball at Texas • Austin APRIL 29 – Baseball at BYU • Provo Utah For complete Wildcat schedules and tickets visit acusports.com For more information on pregame events visit acu.edu/alumni
ACU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION EVENTS • Alumni Day Luncheon, April 7 • Class of 1974 Golden Anniversary Reunion, April 17-19 • ACU Gives, April 23-24 • ACU Night at the Colorado Rockies, June 19 • ACU Night at the Texas Rangers, June 21 • ACU Day at the Houston Astros, June 25 Visit acu.edu/alumni for more information about events, volunteering and sharing ideas with us!
April 5-6
MOODY COLISEUM For more information or to purchase tickets, visit acu.edu/singsong ACU TODAY
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HilltopVIEW
For the latest visit acu.edu/news
BY WENDY KILMER
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U.S. News highlights ACU’s nationally ranked student experience for fifth year in a row Education experts and peer institutions ranked the student experience at Abilene Christian as one of the nation’s best for the fifth consecutive year. The 2024 U.S. News & World Report rankings released in September 2023 placed ACU in the top 10 nationally in the categories of Learning Communities, Service Learning, and First-Year Experience, and in the top 30 nationally for Study Abroad and Senior Capstone. One of the pillars of Abilene Christian’s strategic plan is to “provide a vibrant student experience that strengthens ACU’s commitment to spiritual formation and leverages ACU’s national leadership in student success,” so the honor falls in line with key goals for the university. “The holistic student experience is a priority for us, so it’s gratifying to see others recognize those ACU distinctives,” said president Dr. Phil Schubert (’91). “Our status
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as a national research university is coupled with faith development, impactful co-curricular experiences and the formation of lifelong relationships, and that sets ACU apart from most other universities.” Overall, ACU performed better than any other university in Texas in the “Programs to Look For” benchmarks, ranking in five of eight categories focused on student experience and student success. Abilene Christian has been
recognized as one of the country’s top each year since the benchmark’s debut in the 2020 edition. According to U.S. News, this designation honors universities and colleges that offer “well-regarded study abroad, service learning and other programs that, research shows, are linked to student success and positive learning outcomes while fostering a successful undergraduate student experience.” These rankings span all sizes and classifications of U.S. institutions.
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Number of consecutive years ACU has earned a spot on The Princeton Review’s list of best game design programs. ACU is ranked No. 28 in “Top 50 Undergraduate Schools for Game Design for 2023.”
Number of students who spent their 2023 summer working 40 hours each week in the NEXT Lab alongside faculty collaborating on the nation’s leading advanced nuclear research reactor.
Number of scores gifted to Brown Library in 2014 by ACU’s music department and now available in the Boyd Choral Music Collection, named for Dr. Jack Boyd (’55), professor emeritus of music. To search for titles in this collection, visit link.acu.edu/jackboydcollection
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SERVICE LEARNING: (1) Berea College; (2) Tulane; (3) Duke; (3) Elon; (5) Boston College; (5) Notre Dame; (7) Abilene Christian; (8) Michigan State; (9) Georgetown; (10) Agnes Scott College; (10) Brown. FIRST-YEAR EXPERIENCE: (1) Elon; (2) South Carolina; (3) Agnes Scott College; (4) Georgia State (5) Amherst College; (5) Baylor; (7) Abilene Christian; (8) Berea College; (8) Boston College; (8) Brown. LEARNING COMMUNITIES: (1) Elon; (2) Yale; (3) University of Michigan; (4) Agnes Scott College; (5) Michigan State; (6) Georgia State; (7) Abilene Christian; (8) Princeton; (8) University of Maryland – College Park; (10) Baylor. In the category of Study Abroad, ACU came in at No. 23 in the nation, tied with Yale. ACU also ranked No. 26 nationally in Senior Capstone – the only Texas university named to this category.
JACK MAXWELL
Maxwell’s new depiction of famous 1933 Einstein image returns to science buildings
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r. Albert Einstein rides again, in not one but two locations of the campus where a portrayal of the Nobel Prize-winning physicist-inventor was once a favorite of students studying and professors teaching science at ACU. Thanks to a new illustration by award-winning artist Jack Maxwell (’78), professor emeritus of art and design, Einstein on a Bicycle can be seen in the Dillard Science and Engineering Center and in the Onstead Science Center. In the latter, it lives once again on the same 14-foot-tall stairwell wall where a version
once painted by students resided for decades in the venue when it was known as Foster Science Building. In the Dillard SERC, it is reproduced 9 feet tall on a second-floor window wall outside the Towell Conference Room. Maxwell’s depiction is based on a famous 1933 photo of Einstein riding a bike in California when he was completing a professorial internship at CalTech. Permission to use the small black-and-white image as the basis for printing a new illustration was granted by the Leo Baeck Institute for the study of German-Jewish history.
SCOTT DELONY
1 billion
People of faith from various racial backgrounds who joined the Racial Healing of America Revival and Bus Tour, a nine-day sojourn through key cities that played significant roles in the Civil Rights Movement. Led by ACU’s Carl Spain Center on Race Studies and Spiritual Action, the tour began in Dallas, Texas with stops in Memphis, Tennessee; Birmingham, Alabama; and Charleston, South Carolina, and ended in Washington, D.C. The group sought to promote racial healing, biblical justice and social peace across America.
Number of streams of music for country recording artist Aaron Watson (’00), who also has more than 1 million social followers collectively. Watson is the first independent male country artist ever to debut an album at No. 1 on the Billboard Country chart, a feat recognized in the Country Music Hall of Fame. He headlined an Aug. 25, 2023, concert with Jenna Paulette in Moody Coliseum during Wildcat Week.
Watson
KAMRYN KELLEY
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Chris Seidman (’92) speaks during Holy Sexuality Week on the topic of “A Body You Prepared for Me.”
Speakers teach on sex and relationships during Holy Sexuality Week Visiting speakers brought testimonies and messages to campus about the Bible’s teachings on human sexuality, marriage and relationships in a new series called Holy Sexuality Week that took place Nov. 6-10. 2023. Students, along with some faculty, staff and other visitors, heard teaching during daily Chapel at 11 a.m. in Moody Coliseum and attended evening conversations in Hunter Welcome Center throughout the week. “More than ever before, our culture and our students need a clear understanding of God’s design for our sexuality,” said ACU president Dr. Phil Schubert (’91). “God’s call that Christians live set apart from the cultural norms of society should permeate every aspect of our lives, and we believe we are called to equip our students with a full perspective of God’s design for relationships and sexuality.” Schubert and his wife, Brooke (Owen ’92), opened the series, focusing on the importance of discussing the 28
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ACU, again, ranked as one of the best colleges to work for
“God’s call that Christians live set apart from the cultural norms of society should permeate every aspect of our lives, and we believe we are called to equip our students with a full perspective of God’s design for relationships and sexuality.” – Dr. Phil Schubert
Christian sexual ethic and ACU’s commitment to engage this issue with Christian care and compassion. “ACU recognizes that all people are created in God’s image and invites all students into a community where they can belong, grow and develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ,” Phil said. Other speakers included Chris Seidman (’92), lead minister at The Branch Church in Dallas; Mo (Isom) Aiken, a New York Times best-selling author, speaker and teacher of God’s word; and Dr. Christopher Yuan, speaker and author on the topics of faith and sexuality. The presentations are available at youtube.com/acu.
bilene Christian is one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to the latest survey by the Great Colleges to Work For program. This marks the 14th time ACU has been recognized in the last 15 years and the university’s fourth consecutive year to receive the Honor Roll designation. The 2023 Great Colleges to Work For results, which were published in the Sept. 15 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education, are based on an annual survey of a random selection of administrators, faculty members and professional support staff members at colleges and universities in the U.S. who are asked to evaluate their employer on various qualities and characteristics. Only 72 institutions were recognized as a Great College to Work For. For the fourth year in a row and the fifth time in the last decade, ACU is also among just 42 institutions nationwide named to the Honor Roll for achievements in six out of 10 possible categories: • Job Satisfaction and Support • Professional Development • Mission and Pride • Supervisor/Department Chair Effectiveness • Confidence in Senior Leadership • Faculty and Staff Well-being The Honor Roll highlights the top institutions in each size category cited most often across all categories. ACU is cited in the 3,000-9,999 students category. “The high-quality experience our students enjoy is a direct result of the commitment, excellence and shared purpose of our faculty and staff. Every day, I am fortunate to see that first hand,” said ACU president Dr. Phil Schubert (’91).
C A MP U S VOI C E S PAUL WHITE
Reg Cox (‘84), director of Lakewood Connects in Lakewood, Colorado, spoke Sept. 12, 2023, at the Abiding in Christ Dinner hosted by the College of Business Administration’s Cox Lytle Center for Faith and Leadership. Cox encouraged faculty and staff to invest time in each student by developing intentional and authentic relationships.
RILEY FISHER
A performance by Jordy Searcy and the lighting of the campus Christmas tree were highlights of the Litmas event Nov. 19, 2023, at Peck Plaza. Searcy currently has 1.2 million monthly listeners on Spotify and has toured with artists such as Ben Rector and Stephen Day.
Scott (’81) and Caryl (McGlothlin ’82) Parker of the group Caryl Mack performed Oct. 19, 2023, at the Boone Family Theatre Celebration.
Searcy
Dr. A.J. Swoboda, assistant professor of Bible, theology and world Christianity at Bushnell University, spoke Oct. 23, 2023, to students during Chapel. PAUL WHITE
ACU trustee Hon. Shelton Gibbs IV, J.D. (’02), state district judge for the 422nd District Court of Texas, spoke Aug. 28, 2023, at the university’s 118th Opening Assembly. Gibbs
Dr. Stanley Talbert, associate professor of religion at Pepperdine University, spoke Sept. 7, 2023, at Restoration Day, hosted by the Center for Restoration Studies at ACU. ACU’s 2023 Young Alumnus of the Year, Zach Garza (’04), addressed students Aug. 30, 2023, in Chapel about relationships that change us. He is founder and board member for the Mentoring Alliance and regional vice president of expansion for Forerunner Mentoring. Read more about Garza on Page 20.
Dr. John Delony, bestselling author, mental health expert and host of “The Dr. John Delony Show”, gave the keynote address Aug. 17, 2023, at Faculty Pre-session. Delony is a former ACU faculty member, and his latest book, Building a Non-Anxious Life, was released in October.
Swoboda
Nasrallah
ACU TODAY
The 2023 Carmichael-Walling Lectures featured Dr. Laura Nasrallah, Buckingham Professor of New Testament Criticism and Interpretation at Yale University. The lectures are presented annually by ACU’s Center for the Study of Ancient Religious Texts. Fall-Winter 2024
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AcademicNEWS
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The Dukes Scholars program officially launched this fall with 26 students as part of the inaugural cohort. The program, funded by the Dr. William P. and Janie B. Dukes Excellence in Finance Endowment, is designed to enhance the educational experience of selected finance majors by offering monthly events such as dinners, speakers, training sessions, community service opportunities, mentoring and travel. Students entering as freshmen receive scholarships of up to $38,000 over their four years at ACU. They must continue on a strong academic trajectory, along with excellent personal integrity, to maintain the scholarship. The first cohort represents a diverse group of students from as far away as Johannesburg, South Africa. A special launch celebration Nov. 3 introduced the scholars and celebrated the generosity of the
Dr. Kyle Tippens (’91) is director of the Dukes School of Finance. In addition to scholarships, the cohort of Dukes Scholars will benefit from special opportunities such as dinners, speakers, training sessions, community service opportunities, mentoring and travel.
Freshmen entering into the Dukes Scholars program can recieve up to $38,000 in scholarships
Dukes family and some of their close friends. “We hope to form a community that blesses the Dukes Scholars but, beyond that, also blesses all finance students,” said Dr. Kyle Tippens (’91), director of the Dukes School of Finance in the College of Business Administration. Students were selected for the honor based on qualities important to the Dukes family, including
JEREMY ENLOW
Dukes School of Finance launches new scholars program
Christian faith and commitment to the ACU mission, exemplary lives of service and leadership in the global marketplace, and high standards of character and integrity. “We have already taken some Dukes Scholars to New York City and are planning some global travel,” said Tippens. “We have had dynamic guest speakers and are organizing new mentoring opportunities. It is exciting, but we are just getting started.”
Enrollment continues to climb for sixth consecutive year
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nrollment for Fall 2023 topped 6,000 students, marking the sixth consecutive year of record enrollment. The enrollment of 6,219 reflects an increase of 4.6% over the last year and 19% cumulatively over the past five years. Included are 1,021 new freshmen from
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every region of Texas, the continental U.S. and across the world with 25 valedictorians/salutatorians and five National Merit Finalists. Among the top programs of interest for incoming students are business, nursing, kinesiology, psychology, engineering, communication sciences
and disorders, occupational therapy, and marriage and family therapy. “Such growth is exciting and positions ACU for unprecedented accomplishments moving forward,” said ACU president Dr. Phil Schubert (’91).
Representatives from Zachry Engineering visited the still-in-progress Dillard SERC last year to explore the possibility of partnership.
Zachry Nuclear Engineering selected to design first molten salt reactor for NEXT Lab
KAMRYN KELLEY
A C A DE M I C DIGE S T Three ACU students completed internships for “The Chosen,” an award-winning TV series based on events surrounding the ministry years of Jesus. Holly Reichling, senior multimedia major from San Antonio, Texas, was a production intern; Nouwen Craft, senior musical theatre major from Wylie, Texas, was a background extra; and Gabriella Lopez, senior acting major from Keller, Texas, served as an assistant director intern.
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achry Nuclear Engineering, a San Antonio-based contractor, has been selected by ACU and Abilene-based Natura Resources to design the Natura Resources Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) to be deployed on the ACU campus. Working through its Nuclear Energy eXperimental Test Laboratory, or NEXT Lab, ACU is the lead university in the Natura Resources Research Alliance, which also includes Georgia Institute of Technology, Texas A&M University and The University of Texas at Austin. The consortium’s goal is to design, license and build a university-based molten salt research reactor. On Sept. 1, ACU celebrated the grand opening of The Gayle and Max Dillard Science and Engineering Research Center, which will house NEXT Lab and the research reactor. “Natura Resources is excited to partner with Zachry Nuclear for the detailed design engineering of our first MSR system,” said Douglass Robison, Natura founder and president. “In just over three years, this project has quickly become one of the leading advanced reactor projects in the country.” This initial system at ACU will serve as a catalyst for Natura’s development of first-of-a-kind, safe, scalable nuclear reactors. Natura intends to deploy factory-built, modular reactors that fit on the back of a semi-trailer and can be shipped anywhere in the world. “The addition of Zachry Nuclear to the team is going to accelerate this project and help fulfill NEXT Lab’s goal of providing global solutions to the world’s need for energy, water and medical isotopes by advancing the technology of molten salt reactors,” said Dr. Rusty Towell (’90), director of NEXT Lab and professor of physics.
Students in ACU’s pre-law program have an exclusive opportunity to receive funding for their law school studies through a new partnership with Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law. The new Dean’s Scholarship designated specifically for an ACU student “confirms that our pre-law program produces the kinds of students that some of the nation’s top law schools not only want to admit but attract through scholarships,” said Chris Riley (’00), J.D., assistant professor of political science and criminal justice and university pre-law advisor. Several ACU alumni have attended the Dedman School of Law including Abigail Schults (’20), managing editor “ of the SMU Law Review, and Hon. Shelton Gibbs IV, J.D. (’02), judge for the 422nd District Court in Texas and a current ACU trustee. Two ACU student vocalists – Poppy Teague, sophomore vocal performance major from Sperry, Oklahoma, and Collin Jumes, 2023 vocal performance graduate from Fredericksburg, Texas – placed first and second in their categories in the National Association of Teachers of Singing auditions July 7-8 in San Diego, California, out of 13,000 students nationwide. Dr. Rick Piersall (’90), professor of voice at ACU, was the only university-affiliated teacher who had two students qualify to compete in the finals.
Reichling and Lopez
Craft
Several faculty and staff awards were presented during fall pre-session meetings. Faculty honors went to Dr. Shelly (Weed ’99) Sanders, professor of language and literature, Provost’s Award for the Advancement of Spiritual Formation; Dr. Jonathan Stewart, professor of finance, Provost’s Award for Service; and Dr. Qiang “John” Xu, professor of biology, Provost’s Award for Scholarship. Staff honorees were Karen (Copeland ’90) Gililland, controller in the finance office, Unsung Servant Award; Tina Chisholm, administrative assistant in the College of Biblical Studies, and Lynn Fitzgerald (’75), senior accountant in the finance office, Outstanding Staff Member awards; and Geoff Klafter, facilities warehouse manager, John C. Stevens Award.
New engineering degrees in Fall 2024
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bilene Christian’s ABET-accredited engineering program will now be offering three new discipline-specific bachelor’s degrees beginning in Fall 2024: civil engineering, mechanical engineering and electrical engineering. These programs will incorporate real-world problems from corporate, public and nonprofit organization partners in their junior and senior clinic projects, and students will learn from practicing engineers, acquire real-world design experience for a client, and begin a strong personal network on which to build a career.
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Wildcat SPORTS
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Kirk honored with two postgraduate scholarships
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A ADDISON FRANKLIN
bilene Christian set the bar high in its first women’s golf tournament, winning Central Michigan’s A-Ga-Ming Invitational on Sept. 3-4, 2023. The Wildcats finished first with rounds of 289, 282 and 290 for 3-under-par, 16 strokes ahead of second-place Oakland University in the 13-team field. ACU had three top-five finishers. “To win our first event in school history is special,” said head women’s coach Rob Bennett. “We have a phenomenal group of young women who not only excel on the course, but off as well. Our juniors and seniors are leading well, and the freshmen have proven they belong. They all showed that they were ready to make history, and they did it!” At Texas Tech’s Red Raider Invitational, Abilene Christian finished fourth with rounds of 297, 293 and 296. In early October, the Wildcats struggled at Tulsa’s Dale McNamara Invitational, finishing 12th at 900. But in its final tournament of the fall, the team just missed a second win, falling to Lipscomb on a playoff hole at North Carolina-Asheville’s French Broad Intercollegiate. “Overall I’m very proud of our team for how we finished in our first semester of competition, and I’m looking forward to a successful spring,” Bennett said. The Spring 2024 season opens Feb. 5 at the Texas State Invitational.
a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering with a minor in biology. She was voted Academic All-America three years (2021-23) and named five times to the ACU Dean’s Honor Roll and the Academic All-WAC team. Kirk is the 34th Wildcat to earn a NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship since 1966, and the fourth from women’s track and field. She was a three-time conference champion in the WAC, winning the 2022 indoor and outdoor long jump and the 2023 outdoor in the pole vault. A team captain in 2022 and 2023, Kirk is among the top 10 on the all-time ACU performance list in five events, including third in the indoor and outdoor long jump. Kirk was a four-year member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee at ACU, volunteered as a high school meet official, was a children’s ministry volunteer at her local church, and served as a mentor for high school students.
Sophomore women’s golfer Ryann Honea
NATALIE WRIGHT
Abilene Christian track and field standout Payton Kirk (’22) received two significant postgraduate scholarship awards this year. In July, Kirk was named one of 21 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipients. These scholarships are awarded to student-athletes who excel academically and athletically and who are at least in their final year of intercollegiate athletics competition. The one-time nonrenewable scholarships of $10,000 are awarded three times a year corresponding to each sport season (fall, winter and spring). For each season there are 21 scholarships available for men and 21 scholarships available for women for use in an accredited graduate program. In September, Kirk also received the Western Athletic Conference’s Stan Bates Award. The award honors former WAC commissioner Bates by giving a $10,000 postgraduate scholarship to a male and a female student-athlete who have demonstrated excellence in academic achievement, athletic accomplishment, and exceptional character and community engagement. The student-athletes must have a 3.2 cumulative GPA or better and have exhausted athletics eligibility in all varsity conference-sponsored sports in which they participated. “We are so proud of PK and that she is getting these tremendous awards and recognition for her efforts in the classroom,” said Jerrod Cook, track and field head coach. “She is very deserving, and we have been blessed to have her as a member of our track program.” A native of Coppell, Texas, Kirk graduated magna cum laude with
Women’s golf team takes first in inaugural tournament
S P OR T S ROUNDUP
ACU adds 10 to the Sports Hall of Fame
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he winningest baseball coach in ACU history, along with seven other Wildcat standouts and a pair of Lifetime Achievement Award winners, took their place among the university’s athletics greats in the ACU Sports Hall of Fame and were honored at the hall’s 40th induction ceremony Oct. 13 during Homecoming weekend. The hall now includes 250 men and women. New inductees were Britt Bonneau, baseball head coach; Alex Carpenter (’13), golf; Ashley (Holton ’12) Dabbs, soccer; Edmond “Clyde” Gates (’10), football; Julia Mongin (’14), tennis Andrea (Carpenter ’15) Petty, soccer; Richard Williams (’77), football (posthumously); and Jan Brown (’74), football.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Ed and Barbara Bonneau
The Bonneaus have seen four of their six children graduate from ACU – daughter Rene (Bonneau ’81) Watten, and sons Shannon Bonneau (’84), Todd Bonneau (’89) and Hunt Bonneau, J.D. (’92) – and many of their 15 grandchildren. Their sons Todd (golf) and Hunt (football and baseball) were Wildcat student-athletes, and two grandsons – Trey Watten (’09) and Cameron Watten (’11) – were standout players for their uncle, Britt Bonneau, who was ACU’s head baseball coach from 1997-2018. Ed and Barbara, who received the university’s Christian Service Award in 1995, were major benefactors of the Bonneau Ed and Barbara Bonneau Family Indoor Hitting Facility, which opened in 2007 for use by the Wildcat baseball program. He was a member of the university’s Board of Trustees from 1991-2007.
WAC Academic Excellence Award Abilene Christian earned its first Western Athletic Conference Academic Excellence Award, sharing the honor with Utah Valley. The award is determined by a point system and presented to the universities that perform the best in average GPA for each undergraduate student-athlete, average GPA of each undergraduate student body compared to the average GPA of an institution’s student-athletes, and the most recent two-year average of institutional Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores. ACU posted a cumulative 3.35 GPA among all student-athletes across 16 sports, 0.10 points
Baseball • Head coach Rick McCarty kept several staff roles intact but added Mike McDonough and Zach Smith (’21) to the support staff. Smith is a former Wildcat and will work alongside McDonough and Luke Marbach on the pitching staff. • ACU is coming off its third consecutive 30-win season with an average of 34 each year and a total of nine victories against Power 5 schools. The 2024 team features 24 newcomers following a loss in the semifinals of the Western Athletic Conference Tournament. McCarty enters his sixth year with a 134-108 overall record.
Softball • Miranda Rodriguez joined the staff as assistant coach in 2023. Rodriguez was twice named Academic All-Big 12 Conference while playing for Kansas, and joined the ACU staff after serving a year as a volunteer assistant at Illinois. She was also head coach in the Florida Gulf Coast League in 2022 and a volunteer assistant at Memphis in 2021-22. • The Wildcats head into the spring following a 16-36, 10-14 finish in their fifth year under head coach Abigail Farler. She returns 14 to her roster with 10 newcomers.
Women’s Soccer • The season started under new head coach Stephen Salas with a 1-0 win over Southland Conference preseason favorite and 2022 NCAA Tournament qualifier Lamar. The team was 7-9-2 overall and finished 2-6-1 in the WAC. • The Wildcats received recognition from the United Soccer Coaches, posting a 3.58 GPA, clearing the 3.0 requirement to be included in the USC’s College Team Academic Award list.
Volleyball • In her first year as head coach, Ijeoma “IJ” (Moronu ’12) Alstrup led the Wildcats to an overall season record of 11-17 and 6-10 in conference play and a WAC tournament berth. Alstrup’s team finished 8-5 at home in Moody Coliseum’s Anthony Arena, including a marquee win against Texas Tech, 3-1, on Sept. 5.
Cross Country • Sophomore Kate Hansen was named to the inaugural WAC Student-Athlete Emerging Leaders group for the 2023-24 academic year. • Junior Kevin Castruita was named to second-team all-conference at the WAC Cross Country Championships, held Oct. 27, 2023, in Abilene.
higher than the general undergraduate student body. In addition, ACU posted an average APR score of 991.5.
WAC and C-USA Basketball Alliance The WAC and Conference USA announced head-to-head basketball matchups in the first scheduling alliance between the two conferences this season. WAC members will face C-USA teams in 36 men’s and women’s basketball games. The two conferences are among the fastest rising in mid-major collegiate basketball.
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Men’s Tennis • In the fourth year under head coach Juan Nunez (’09), the Wildcats started with a pair of champions at the Jake Frederick Memorial Islander Open on Sept. 8-10 at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. To wrap up the fall season, ACU hosted the ITA Regional on Oct. 19-22 with a pair of doubles consolation matches and hard-fought singles matches against Power 5 opponents. The Wildcats look to the spring season after a 14-11, 4-1 record in 2023. • The WAC honored junior Daniel Morosov and senior Jose Maria Rastrojo as the Men’s Tennis Doubles Team of the Month for September, 2023.
Women’s Tennis
Football • Prior to the season, three Wildcats were named to the United Athletic Conference’s first preseason football team: Reese Moore, senior offensive lineman; Noah Caldwell, junior tight end; and Dustin Inness, senior long snapper. The Wildcats finished 5-6 overall and 3-3 in UAC play in the second year under head coach Keith Patterson. • Defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity was named to the 40 Under 40 list for Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, the first ACU coach to receive the honor and one of 15 college coaches around the state to be included. In his first year with the Wildcats, his defense allowed a WAC best 20.5 points per game. • Sophomore kicker Kyle Ramsey earned two UAC Special Teams Player of the Week awards this season. Ramsey was perfect on field goal attempts this season and led the Football Conference Subdivision in field goals of 50 or more yards, with three. He kicked a season-long 55-yarder against Prairie View A&M on Sept. 9.
Women’s Golf • The Wildcats added married assistant coaches from Ohio to its two programs this fall. The husband-wife team of Robby Pickett and Ali Green will assist with the men’s and women’s teams, respectively, and each have head coaching experience. Green comes to ACU from the University of Dayton, where she was the head women’s golf coach from 2021-23. Previously, she served as the head girls’ golf coach at Lakota East High School from 2017-21. Pickett comes to ACU after serving as head coach of men’s and women’s golf at Thomas More University in 2022-23. He held the same position the season before at Lake Erie College and previously served as an assistant coach at Denison University and was a graduate assistant at Ohio Dominican.
Men’s Golf • Two Wildcats were named to the Golf Association of America’s All-America Scholars list for 2022-23: senior Charlie Jackson and junior Logan Diomede. • The fall season wrapped up Oct. 17 with a third-place finish in the Herb Wimberly Intercollegiate at New Mexico State. The Wildcats open the spring semester Feb. 5-7 at Texas-Rio Grande Valley’s Los Vaqueros Intercollegiate in Cancun, Mexico.
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Men’s Basketball RILEY FISHER
The Wildcats competed on one of the biggest stages in college football on Nov. 18, taking on Texas A&M University at Kyle Field in front of a crowd of 96,000. ACU opens the 2024 season in Lubbock on Aug. 31 against Texas Tech University.
• Women’s tennis won four singles and three doubles matches to finish off the New Mexico State Aggie Invitational in September and wrapped up the Fall 2023 season with the Wildcat Invitational on Oct. 27-29 at the Eager Tennis Pavilion. The Wildcats begin the spring season at Texas-San Antonio on Jan. 19.
• New assistant coaches Doug Karleskint, Cinco Boone and Cameron Henderson, as well as graduate assistant Jaylen Franklin (’19), joined the staff for the 2023-24 season, and Ted Crass and Jon Trilli returned alongside head coach Brette Tanner. • Senior guard Hunter Jack Madden was named to the inaugural WAC Student-Athlete Emerging Leaders group for the 2023-24 academic year. Madden joins cross country sophomore Kate Hansen and 21 other WAC student-athletes on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. • ACU was voted fifth in the WAC men’s basketball preseason coaches poll. • Nine Wildcats returned this season – Immanuel Allen, Airion Simmons, Hunter Jack Madden, Cameron Steele, Ali Abdou Dibba, Muodubem Muoneke, Leonardo Bettiol, Jai’Vion “JV” Seat and Colby Tanner. New to Tanner’s team are Aidan Igiehon, senior forward from Dublin, Ireland; Kavion McClain, junior guard from Memphis, Tennessee; Nasir DeGruy, sophomore guard from New Orleans; Ma’Shy Hill, freshman forward from Austin, Texas, and Yaniel Rivera, freshman guard from Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
Women’s Basketball • Head coach Julie Goodenough hired Jake Stevens and Kenisha Henry to her staff as assistant coaches and Imani Robinson as director of operations ahead of the 2023-24 season. • The Wildcats ranked 27th and were listed in the Special Mention section in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll. The team achieved a 3.560 GPA for the season – the highest among WAC women’s basketball teams and the second-highest among Texas universities in NCAA Division I. • ACU was voted sixth in the WAC women’s basketball preseason coaches poll. • Last season, the Wildcats finished 15-15 and 9-9 in WAC play. Newly renovated Moody Coliseum was a staple of success for Goodenough as her team went 11-3 in Anthony Arena but fell to 3-10 on the road. • Goodenough returns seven veterans from last year’s team with seven newcomers. Returning for the Wildcats are Tristin Keller, Claire Graham, Addison Martin, Aspen Thornton, Bella Earle, Zoe Jackson and Brooke Jessen. Newcomers are Payton Hull, freshman guard from Peaster, Texas; Meredith Mayes, freshman center from Bixby, Oklahoma; Gracy Wernli, freshman guard from Bixby, Oklahoma; Emma Troxell, freshman forward from Bushland, Texas; Kenadi Rising, junior guard/forward from Rapid City, South Dakota; Yle Exposito Perez, junior guard from Canary Island, Spain; and Clare Traeger, graduate forward from Dallas, Texas. • Junior guard Bella Earle led NCAA Division I in triple-doubles in early season action, thanks to back-to-back games with Navy and Texas-Arlington in which she achieved that rare feat.
Visit ACU!
Join us for an exciting visit event or schedule your personalized visit at acu.edu/visit. The admissions office offers daily personalized tours in the morning and afternoon. Families of high school students are also encouraged to attend a Wildcat Preview Day and get a glimpse of all the action taking place on campus!
SPRING 2024 PREVIEW DAYS Friday, Feb. 9 • Monday, Feb. 19 Monday, March 4 • Friday, April 5
See the world with ACU Rising Scholars!
Don’t wait to experience college – be challenged academically while discovering God’s calling in your life. If you’re a high school freshman, sophomore or junior, join Abilene Christian University for a week of international travel to sites such as England, France and Germany or choose a residential program on ACU’s campus next summer. Students earn college credit, build community and expand their horizons with life-changing memories. Learn more at
acu.edu/risingscholars.
Refer a Wildcat Do you know a student who would thrive at ACU? We want to get to know them! Scan the QR code to Refer a Wildcat to the Office of Admissions.
Finding New Wildcats To help foster relationships with prospective students, Abilene Christian has assigned dedicated professionals to various geographic markets and areas of academic focus. Scan the QR code or call 800-460-6228.
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EXPERIENCES Submit your news online at acu.edu/experiences. Deadlines: ACU Today is published twice a year. Because of printing deadlines, your news could be delayed by one issue. In Memoriam: It’s best for a member of the deceased’s immediate family to submit notification, preferably with a copy of the official published obituary. Contact information: To help ensure the privacy of our alumni, ACU Today no longer shares email and postal addresses of those whose self-reported news appears in EXperiences. If you would like contact information for someone listed here, call 800-373-4220 or email alumni@acu.edu for assistance.
1966
Judy Mayfield, a retired Texas child welfare administrator, has worked the last 17 years as a consultant for child welfare in New Mexico. She was recently featured in a book, My Moment: 106 Women on Fighting for Themselves (see page 23). Her husband, Jack Thompson, owns a property investment company, and they live in Lubbock, Texas.
1969
John McCollum and his wife, Ellen (Blocker ’68) McCollum, live in Richardson, Texas. One of their two sons, Casey McCollum (’03), was recently interviewed by NBC DFW-TV as the program director for Arlington Charities and its programs of food distribution to local food deserts. Casey’s wife, Kasey (Lane ’04), is manager of pastoral care for Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital and serves on the steering committee of the chaplaincy endorsement and fellowship program for ACU’s Siburt Institute for Church Ministry.
1973
A retired pediatric dentist, Barry Currey, D.D.S., is chair of the Texas Dental Association’s Smiles Foundation, a nonprofit that has helped more than 43,000 patients through its Texas Mission of Mercy mobile clinics. The clinics provide free basic dental care to the working poor, disabled, vets, homeless, victims of abuse, recovering addicts and others in need. He and his wife, Tonya (Bingham ’74), live in Lubbock, Texas.
1974
Michael and Crystal (Crow) Steele celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 25, 2023. They are both retired and live in Three Way, Tennessee.
1976
Retired teacher Diana (Rolison) Kinser is an artist, Christian blogger and writer who has
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BY RON HADFIELD
2003 BORN
To Adam and Becky (Lehman ’08) Brown, a boy, Asher Rusty, Aug. 30, 2022. They have another son, Noah, and live in Abilene, Texas.
2004 BORN
To Pete and Kelly (Sunderland) Palmere, a boy, Joseph Alan, May 14, 2023. They live in Abilene, Texas. To Jay and Amy (Coldewey ’06) Packer, a boy, Charlie, June 7, 2023. They live in Abilene, Texas.
2005 published her first book, God’s Fruit Salad: A Divine Recipe for a Filling Life (see Page 23). They live in Aubrey, Texas.
1977
Homebuilder Mark Aldriedge was elected board chair of his local Habitat for Humanity. His wife, Terri, is director of ACU’s Center for Pre-Health Professions. They live in Abilene, Texas.
1978
Carol (Agnew) Holliman is co-founder of PrideRock Wildlife Refuge, a sanctuary and shelter for mistreated or unwanted big cats, bears, wolves and hyenas. She lives in Terrell, Texas.
1986
Col. Don Kotulan was promoted to colonel in the U.S. Air Force on Sept. 1, 2020. He was appointed chief of the Medical Support Division for the Air Force District of Washington, D.C. He and his wife, Lorraine (Odom ’88), have moved to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
Joel and Amber (Hailey) Koepke live in Round Rock, Texas.
BORN
To Andrew and Melody (Willingham) Shaw, a girl, Sloane Lucille, May 31, 2023. They live in North Richland Hills, Texas. To Brad and Amber (Anderson) Rhoads, a girl, Adie, Aug. 26, 2023. They live in Ada, Oklahoma.
2006 BORN
To Randy and Deanna (Cromwell) Sanchez, a boy, Charles, Sept. 15, 2020. They have three other children and live in Carlsbad, New Mexico. To Chad and Bethany (Scroggins) Crouch, a girl, Violet Grace, Sept. 17, 2022. They have another daughter, Lily, and live in Madison, Tennessee.
2007 BORN
Dr. Toby Osburn has been appointed assistant dean of student services at Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Chris (Gandy ’90), live in Hewitt, Texas.
To Dustin and Jessica (McCoy ’08) Marshall, a girl, Sloane Lee, June 23, 2022. They also have a son, Crosby James, and live in Coppell, Texas. To Brandon and Lisa (Hoogerwerf) Gililung, a boy, Kyler Brooks, March 28, 2023. They live in Missouri City, Texas. To Greg and Jamie (Shelburne) Crowley, a girl, Magnolia Genevieve Lee, May 16, 2023. They live in Amarillo, Texas.
1994
2008
To John and Amber (Gilbert ’99) Bunton, a girl, Taylor Grace, June 14, 2023. They also have a son, Luke, and live in Tuscola, Texas.
To Lane and Katherine (Eichelberger) Mandel, a girl, Violet Lee, March 28, 2023. They live in Flower Mound, Texas. To Jason and Emerald (Cardenas) Cassidy, a son, Garrett Wade, Oct. 6, 2023. They have another son, Chase, and live in Abilene, Texas.
1989
BORN
2002
ADOPTED
By Chad and Amanda Petross, a girl, Leighton, on Sept. 20, 2023. She was born Feb. 10, 2021. They live in Aledo, Texas.
BORN
2010
Chris Softley is head football coach and director of athletics for Lubbock (Texas)
ALUMNI CONNECTIONS
Christian School. He and his wife, Autumn (Whitaker ’11), live in Lubbock. BORN
2011
2017 BORN
BORN
To Sam and Ashley (Ohlhausen) Hurley, a boy, Eden Samuel, Aug. 12, 2023. They live in Abilene, Texas.
2012
To Josh and Riley (Thannum ’15) Olson, a girl, Piper Jane, April 18, 2023. They live in Fort Worth, Texas.
2018 BORN
BORN
To Joshua and Jessica (Moore) Betancourt, a boy, Urijah Isaiah, May 29, 2023. They live in McAllen, Texas. To Andrew and Dr. Margaret Hope, a boy, Wyatt James, Aug. 2, 2023. They have two other children, Rhett and Charles, and live in Abilene, Texas.
2014
To Braden and Victoria (Brown) Crow, a girl, Caroline Elizabeth, March 29, 2023. They live in Abilene, Texas. To Nathan and Erica (Seifert) Vela, a boy, Owen Nathaniel, May 16, 2023. Nathan is senior manager for client success at TikTok. They live in Pflugerville, Texas.
2019 BORN
BORN
To Trey III and Chelsea (Emberlinn ’15) Wrapp, a girl, Haven Winnie, Aug. 30, 2022. They live in Schertz, Texas. To Vance and Samantha Cato, a boy, Holden Jones, April 9, 2023. They live in Fort Worth, Texas. To Chris and Kyndal (Coleman) Singleton, a girl, Julia, June 6, 2023. They live in Flower Mound, Texas.
2015
To Spencer and Kendall (Hess ’22) Rod, a boy, Weston, Feb. 16, 2023. They live in Conroe, Texas.
2021
Jenny Gower lives in Cleveland, Tennessee.
MARRIED
Jackson Willoughby and Natalie Benavides, Nov. 11, 2023. They live in Celina, Texas.
BORN
To Michael and Jaime (Gordon) Murata,
IN MEMORIAM 1948
Durwood Eldon Sanders, D.D.S., 95, died April 3, 2023, in Longview, Texas. He was born Dec. 17, 1927, in Quanah, Texas. He graduated from Baylor College of Dentistry in 1948, and after serving in the Army for two years, established a longtime dental practice in Lubbock, Texas, where he also was an elder at the Broadway Church of Christ. He moved in 1979 to Longview. He was preceded in death by his parents, Eldon Sanders (’22) and Eula (Kirtley ‘23) Sanders Among survivors are Jacqueline, his wife of
74 years; a daughter, Vickie Ann Swindle; sons Don Eldon Sanders, D.D.S. (’79) and David Lance Sanders, D.D.S. (’82); six grandchildren; and 12 great grandchildren.
1949
Benjamin Cano Lorck Jr., 99, died Aug. 6, 2023, in Denton, Texas. He was born Sept. 27, 1923. He was preceded in death by Linda, his wife of 24 years. Kathryn Blanche Cawley, 96, died May 24, 2023, in Abilene, Texas. She was born Sept. 12, 1926, and grew up in Post,
W SCOTT DELONY
To Ben and Whitney (Pinson ’13) Gibbs, a boy, Cameron Ray, March 29, 2023. They have two other sons, Cooper and Case, and live in Prosper, Texas. To Bryce and Christina (Perkins ’09) Robinson, a boy, Joel William, June 24, 2021. They have another son, Owen Robert. Bryce is a guidance counselor for a Department Defense Educational Activity school at Camp Lester in Okinawa, Japan. They moved there in August 2023. To Lance and Lauren (Briscoe) Claborn, a boy, Dawson Kelly, March 24, 2023. They have another son and daughter, and live in Denison, Texas.
a girl, Hadley Grace, Jan. 25, 2023. They live in San Antonio, Texas. To Austin and Hannah Beth (Rugett) Collier, a boy, Elliott, Jan. 27, 2023. They live in Olathe, Kansas. To Zayne and Christina (Ponomarenko) Riggins, a girl, Milana Katherine, March 21, 2023. They live in Houston, Texas. To Zachary and Meredith (Sellers ’14) Speer, a boy, William Alvah “Liam,” April 11, 2023. They live in Tyler, Texas. To Bryson and Danika (Gutierrez) Florez, a girl, Aria Jo, May 31, 2023. They live in Abilene, Texas. To Charles and Audrey (Hethershaw) Poplin, a girl, Sutton Brylee, July 19, 2023. They live in Spring, Texas.
orking at a university – especially ACU – is such a blessing. While on our campus, students are taught, loved, mentored and poured into spiritually by loving faculty and staff. And then these amazing and gifted students become engaged alumni and go serve all over the world changing Fisher lives, living for Christ and making a difference in countless ways. Watching and working with them during their undergraduate years is a beautiful and rewarding time. Seeing them grow, develop spiritually and build relationships makes coming to work each day worth it. The way they worship and commune with God inspires and teaches us. I am blessed to witness our student body come together as believers to worship throughout each semester, and one recent weekend brought this into focus. It started on a Friday Praise Day at Chapel. The joy abounded as they sang and ended their week of classes in a packed Moody Coliseum, giving their all to God. That night I attended Midnight Worship and was blessed to hear almost 1,000 students singing to our creator. It was a holy ground moment. And then the following night, hundreds of students came together on campus to worship with a church and spend time surrendering to Jesus. I still experience the blessings that flowed from these three incredible outpourings of worship. We have amazing students, and seeing their hearts for Jesus continually inspires and overwhelms me. As alumni and friends of ACU, let’s keep praying for our students each and every day. – CRAIG FISHER (’92)
Associate Vice President for Advancement and Alumni ACU TODAY
Fall-Winter 2024
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BORN TO BE A WILDCAT The Alumni Association will send a FREE Wildcat BabyWear T-shirt (12-month size) to the alumni parents of each newborn or adopted infant in your family! Complete the info online at acu.edu/experiences. In-focus, high-resolution digital images (minimum file size of 500kb; use your camera’s highest quality setting) of alumni children wearing their Wildcat BabyWear should be emailed to babywear@acu.edu. Call 800-373-4220 for more information.
Addison Johnson, daughter of Brady (’14) and Whitney (White ’14) Johnson of Carrollton, Texas.
INSET: Deacon Boyd, son of Ryan and Abby (Altom ’16) Boyd of Hawley, Texas. Niko Duran, son of Chris and Mary (Swantek ’11) Duran of Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Brooklynn Blake Lackey, daughter of Montie and Sierra (Ware ’17) Lackey of Abilene, Texas.
RJ Ford, son of Russell Ford (’16) and Lauren (Skelton ’17) Ford, M.D., of Wolfforth, Texas.
Texas. She earned a degree in home economics and retired following a 44-year career with Lone Star Gas. She was an avid volunteer who chaired the women’s committee of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce (1973-74) and for six years, the Abilene ISD’s Advisory Council for the home economics cooperative education program. Cawley was preceded in death by her parents, George and Margaret Childress.
1951
Yvonne Cogswell Rosenquist, 90, died May 8, 2023, in Glen Rose, Texas. She was born May 20, 1932, in Lockney, Texas, attended ACU and the University of North Texas, and taught elementary school in Houston. She married
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Fall-Winter 2024 ACU TODAY
Jackson David Ball, son of Travis (’11) and Kristen (McBride ’12) Ball of Fort Worth, Texas.
Anabelle Mae Dunford, daughter of Jeremy (’09) and Amanda (Nagel ’11) Dunford of Little Elm, Texas.
Edward Rosenquist Jr. in 1955 while teaching at the Socony-Mobil School in Caracas, Venezuela, and they lived in California, Colorado and Dallas, where she worked as a Registered Dietician for public schools. They lived and worked in Saudi Arabia from 1984-92. She was preceded in death by her parents, Wilson and Camilla Cogswell; Edward, her husband of 58 years; and siblings Margaret Cogswell, Annette Pearce, Bobbie Harris and Jack Cogswell, M.D. Among survivors are daughters Angie (Rosenquist ’78) Dear and Camille (Rosenquist ’84) Willis; sons Art Rosenquist III, D.D.S. (’79) and Jack Rosenquist (’81); 10 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
1952
Ruth Morene Tuttle, 92, of Abilene, Texas, died Sept. 29, 2023, a little more than two months after her husband, Glenn Ralph Tuttle (’52). She was born Feb. 25, 1931, near Bardwell, Texas; earned a degree in businesssecretarial training; and married classmate Glenn on April 11, 1952. Shortly after graduation, the couple moved to Ulysses, Kansas, to join in with the Tuttle family business, T and M Farms. They retired to Abilene in 1996. Morene was a beloved mentor for several generations of young girls in various church ministries. She was preceded in death by her parents, Clyde Johnson and Sybil Johnson, and Glenn, her
husband of 71 years (See Page 45). Among survivors are sons Monty Tuttle (’75), Les Tuttle (’78), Jim Tuttle (’83); a daughter, Linda (Tuttle ’80) Varner; nine grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. Richard Allen Branum, 93, of Fort Smith, Arkansas, died Jan. 5, 2023. He was born Aug. 17, 1929, in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and married ACU classmate Helen Dale (’53) on March 8, 1953. He worked for Phillips Petroleum, Ryder Truck Rental and ABF, the latter from 1979 until retiring in 1996. He was preceded in death by his parents, Victor and Ruth Branum; and his wife, Helen. Among survivors are his children Richard Dale Branum and Melissa Branum; one granddaughter; and one great-grandson. Gene Howard Linn, 92, of Abilene, Texas, died Sept. 15, 2023. He was born March 3, 1931, in Temple, Texas, and grew up in Rosebud, Texas. He joined the U.S. Air Force as a sophomore, and returned to earn a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and marry classmate Vema Flowers Cole (’56). His career included work as executive manager of the Panhandle South Plains Fair in Lubbock, Texas; owning and operating a farm in Rogers, Texas; working for Texas Tech University’s textile engineering department; and founding Linn Travel Agency. A tragic two-car accident in 1991 claimed the lives of his mother, wife and sister-in-law, but Gene’s strong faith sustained him. Later, he owned a Pro Cuts salon in Austin, Texas, drove an 18-wheeler, and served in missions efforts in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Cambodia. He was preceded in death by his parents, Howard Linn and Gladys Linn; and his wife, Vema. Among survivors are children Cindy Linn (’78), Jenny (Linn ’81) Oglesby and Gary Linn, D.D.S. (’83); five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and a sister, June Linn Estes (’48).
1954
Loyd Wendell Mathis, 90, of Abilene, Texas, died Feb. 5, 2023. He was born May 21, 1932, in Abilene, and wed Shirley Pearl Arnold on April 2, 1954. He began his career with local CPA firm Smith, Mathis and Wolfe, became vice president of Pride Refining Inc. and retired at age 48. He enjoyed restoring classic classic antique cars. A philanthropist, he served on numerous boards supporting the growth and development of Abilene. He was preceded in death by his parents, Loyd Mathis and Cecil Mathis; and his wife, Shirley. Among survivors are his sons, Craig Mathis (’78) and Steve Mathis (’82); a daughter, Kay Mathis-Garcia (’87); four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
1955
Annette Fox, 88, died Dec. 24, 2022, in Durham, North Carolina. Jack Odell Prather, 90, died April 11, 2023, in Lubbock, Texas. He was born Dec. 24, 1932, near Lamesa, Texas. He was employed by Lamesa Meat Company and Northridge Retirement Center, and retired in 2001. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lewis and Effie Prather; sisters Verla Strickland
and Lavelle Bronniman; a brother, Orville Prather; and granddaughter Amanda Prather. Among survivors are his wife, Leslie (Leach ’58); sons Jeff Prather (’83), Mike Prather and Neil Prather; seven grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.
1957
Ted Whedon Colby Jr., 85, died Feb. 1, 2021, in Lewisville, Texas. He was born July 6, 1935, in Owassa, Oklahoma. He majored in chemistry and married classmate Betty Carter (’56) in December 1955. An engineer in the energy, textiles and manufacturing fields, he worked for Phillips Petroleum, Celanese Corporation, Stearns Roger, and Merrick & Company before being hired as a consultant for General Motors Company, where he led construction projects and managed robot manufacturing systems. He was a Ham Radio operator for more than 65 years. He was a church leader in various roles and was active in domestic and international missions for decades before moving in 2001 to Phoenix, Arizona, where he served as a minister for the Northwest Church of Christ and oversaw construction of a new church building. He and Betty moved to the Dallas area in 2008, where he worked for nine years in a Walmart garden center. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ted W. Colby Sr. – a longtime (1947-78) associate professor of agriculture at Abilene Christian and namesake of the T.W. Colby Memorial Scholarship Endowment – and Mable Fuchs Colby (’26); a sister, Betty Ruth Colby (’55); and a brother, Don Allen Colby (’59). Among survivors are Betty, his wife of 65 years; sons Dr. Paul Colby (’83), Mark Colby and Christopher Colby (’97); a daughter, Diana Andrew; six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and a sister, Marilyn Willems (’63). Lacy Allen Koonce, M.D., 88, of Sugar Land, Texas, died March 11, 2023. He was born Feb. 26, 1935, in Corpus Christi, Texas, and graduated in 1960 from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas. He was a Navy flight surgeon for four years and practiced ophthalmology until his retirement at age 87 in 2022. He married Helen Caldcleugh on Aug. 29, 1967, during his second year of residency. Koonce was a member of Benevolent Missions International, a nonprofit providing ophthalmic care to underserved people around the world. He was preceded in death by his parents, Hubert Allen Koonce and Nell Lacy. Among survivors are Helen, his wife of 55 years; daughters D’Anne Wilson, Susan Green, Deborah Yarborough and Karen Koonce-Salyers; a brother, Dr. Terry Koonce; a sister, Kathy Carden (’67); 13 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. Jackie Ray “Jack” Chapman, 88, died April 15, 2023. He was born Sept. 11, 1934, in Wewoka, Oklahoma, and grew up in Yuma, Arizona. He studied agriculture and chemistry, and served in the Army as a medical lab technician before going to work at Arizona Public Service, where he retired
as a plant chemist/environmental supervisor. After retiring he joined Cal Energy Service in Omaha, Nebraska, as the director of safety and environmental for several power plants in the northeastern U.S. He married Dorothy Louise King in 1960 and Teddie June Whitley in 2007. He was preceded in death by his parents, Leonard and Gladys Chapman. Among survivors are children Linda Magness and Alan Chapman; three grandchildren; stepdaughters Connie Richardson, Pamela Hensley and Sandy Staggs; seven step-grandchildren; and six step-great-grandchildren.
1958
Ellie Katherine “Kathy” (Neal) Segrest, 85, of Granbury, Texas, died July 24, 2021. She was born Nov. 18, 1935, in Iowa Park, Texas, and married ACU classmate James Segrest (’59) on Sept. 1, 1956. She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree. She taught more than 30 years in Texas public schools in Monahans and Odessa. They retired to Granbury, Texas, where she helped teach ladies classes, volunteered for childrens’ ministries and served as a tutor and substitute elementary school teacher. She was preceded in death by her parents, Argus Davidson Neal and Ruby Barnett Neal; a daughter, Tammy Segrest; and a sister, Wilma Jean (Neal ’49) Sprague. Among survivors were James, her husband of 64 years; a daughter, Cindi Williams; a grandson; and brothers AD Neal Jr. and Robert Neal. (James died Aug. 5, 2023. See Page 46.) Robert “Bob” Lee Smith died June 11, 2022. He was born Jan. 21, 1934, in Knott, Texas. He wed Gailya Ferguson in 1956 and served two years in the Army before earning a degree in physical chemistry. They lived in the Texas Panhandle, where he retired early from a career in the petrochemical industry. An entrepreneur, he later owned an auto salvage and repair shop, managed oil well leases, was a cattle rancher, and owned a feed store. He and Gay each earned an additional degree in archaeology from West Texas A&M University, and Bob oversaw many archaeological field schools. He was preceded in death by his parents, David and Gladys Smith; Gay, his wife of 65 years; a sister, Betty Lou; and a brother, Wendle Dean. Among survivors are daughters Jennifer Orr and Diedre Hood; a son, Clayton Smith; five grandchildren; two great grandchildren; and brothers David Smith (’58) and Dale Smith (’72).
1959
LaNelle Edwards Hodge, 93, of Abilene, Texas, died May 25, 2023. She was born Jan. 20, 1930, in Trent, Texas, and married Robert Thomas Hodge on March 15, 1951. They raised their family in Sweetwater, Texas. She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Lillian Johnson Edwards; and her husband, Robert. Among survivors are a son, Edward Hodge (’85); daughters Donna Hodge and Karen Bonifay; five grandsons; and a great-granddaughter.
ACU TODAY
Fall-Winter 2024
39
ACU NEWSMAKERS McClure (’48) and Don W. Hood (’55), and former Wildcat world record-holder James Segrest (’59). Kittley-coached teams won 29 NCAA track and field titles at ACU from 1983-99. He is head track and field coach at Texas Tech University and was ACU’s 2020 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year.
PAUL WHITE
Dr. Carmela Levy-David (’22 Ed.D.) was named superintendent of Bridgeport (Connecticut) Public Schools. She was previously assistant superintendent of elementary education for Fort Bend ISD in Sugar Land, Texas.
TENNESSEE TITANS
Lance Barrow (’77), former ACU trustee, longtime CBS Sports producer and 12-time Emmy Award winner, was one of nine inducted in December 2023 to the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame. Other new inductees included Cris Collinsworth, NBC Sunday Night Football analyst; Tom Fletcher, inventor of the super-slo-mo camera and other innovations; and Ernie Johnson, longtime NBA on TNT studio-show host.
Gibbens
Halfway through the 2023 season, linebacker Jack Gibbens (’20) was the second-leading tackler for the NFL’s Tennessee Titans.
A retrospective show of paintings by Cuban-American artist Rolando Diaz (’79) will be exhibited in downtown Abilene, Texas, at the Center for Contemporary Arts from Jan. 12 - Feb. 24, 2024. “The Horses
Diaz of Revelation” continues an equestrian theme Diaz began exploring several years ago with a major painting, “Running Wild and Free,” inside the Enterprise Tower on Chestnut Street. His 10-panel “I See the Ocean” mural is a landmark painted in 2015 on a one-block-long historic storefront on South First Street. Jaren Lewis (’19) became the first former Wildcat basketball star to play for an NBA franchise when he was one of 15 on the 2K24 Summer League roster of the Sacramento Kings. He is averaging 9.3 points and 3.7 rebounds per game for MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg, a pro basketball team in Germany’s highest league.
Former ACU head track and field coach Wes Kittley (’81) was one of six inductees in December 2023 to the Coaches Hall of Fame by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. He joins other former ACU head coaches Oliver Jackson (’42), Bill
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Fall-Winter 2024 ACU TODAY
Stacy Spink (left) and chair Dr. Stephanie Talley
Jordan Echols, Julie Hays and Preston Watkins
Three ACU departments presented major alumni awards at Homecoming 2023: • Recipients of Gutenberg Awards from ACU’s Department of Journalism and Mass Communication were Jordan Echols (’04), assistant vice president for digital marketing operations at HCA Healthcare in Nashville, Tennessee; Julie Hays (’02), anchor of “Midday With Julie,” and longtime broadcast journalist with KWTX-TV in Waco, Texas; and Preston Watkins (’13), sales director for WebMD in New York City. • Stacy Spink (’18), a second-grade teacher at Castleman Creek Elementary School at Midway ISD in Waco, Texas, received the 2023 Morlan Medal award from ACU’s Department of Teacher Education. • The Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences named Rick Hales (’75) its Alumnus of the Year and Wiepie (Rojas ’13) Cross its Young Professional of the Year. Hale is a partner in Hales Angus Farms in Canyon, Texas, with a career in agriculture spanning nearly 50 years. Cross is a nutritional therapy practitioner in Waco, Texas, co-owner of Texas Tallow and a former Fulbright Scholar.
Wiepie Cross
Rick Hales
TAMMY MARCELAIN
Dr. Tim Jackson (’86) was named president of the International Association for Food Protection. He is a senior science advisor for food safety with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
PAUL WHITE
Jenny (Fulkerson ’07) Brockington, D.O., received the Alumni Humanitarian Award from Baylor College of Medicine. She and her husband, Jared Brockington, D.O. (’07), served as family Brockington medicine specialists in Malawi and Kenya from 2015-22. They began working in 2022 with Cahaba Medical Care, a nonprofit working with underserved patients in Birmingham, Alabama.
DANIEL CURD
Veteran journalist Joe Holley (’68), winner of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in editorial writing for the Houston Chronicle, was recently named a finalist in the same category in 2023. He was recognized with three Chronicle teammates “for helping Texas readers to understand the Uvalde tragedy – the shooting as well as the failure of police and other officials to respond – and encouraging them to channel grief into action to protect the public going forward.” Holley was also a Pulitzer finalist with a Chronicle editorial writing team in 2017.
1960
David Weldon Echols Sr., 84, of Cameron, Texas, died Jan. 13, 2023. He was born Feb. 1, 1938, in Duster, Texas. He was a minister for Texas Churches of Christ for almost 50 years in Mullin, Early, Cameron, Hurst, Monahans, Bedford and Groves. He married Gayle Moore on Aug. 28, 1959, and after her death in 2009, he married Sandra Cole, who died in 2012. He was preceded in death by his parents, Weldon Carmon Echols and Sarah Alice King Echols. Among survivors are his wife, Quintilla Howry Echols; a son, David Echols; a daughter, Angela Dunlap; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Richard Neal Funk, 85, died April 13, 2023. He was born Jan. 16, 1938, in Ranger, Texas. He was a minister, social worker and an employee of Bell South before retiring. He was preceded in death by his parents, Pete Funk and Pauline Funk. Among survivors are his wife, Millann (Travis ’64); children Deena Funk Seifert (’85), Missy Pharris and Marnee Moore; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and a sister, Judy Burrow. Gene Edward “Coach” Denman, 84, died June 1, 2023. He was born Dec. 12, 1938, in Grapeland, Texas, and married ACU classmate Jackie Martin (’60) on June 3, 1958. He was a standout basketball player for the Wildcats before coaching basketball and teaching driver education at Abilene Christian Academy for two years. Following a move to the Metroplex, he taught driver education to many Dallas ISD students in addition to a second career as safety coordinator for the Texas Department of Transportation. He retired in 1993, driving a senior citizens’ bus in DeSoto, Texas, until Jackie could retire, then volunteering at the furniture and food ministries of the Central Church of Christ in Cleburne, Texas, where they moved in 1998. Denman was deeply involved in church leadership, including years as an elder. He was preceded in death by his parents, Aubrey Denman and Mada Loye Brown Denman; and brothers Harold Floyd Denman (’61) and Darrell Wayne Denman (’72). Among survivors are Jackie, his wife of 65 years; sons David Denman (’82), Don Denman (’85) and Dan Denman (’90); daughters Jill Crook (’83) and Judy (Denman ’88) Edge; 17 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.
1963
Jodie Earl Wallace, 83, died May 17, 2023. He was born June 29, 1939, in Santa Anna, Texas. He graduated from Lubbock Christian University in 1961 and met Goldye Lewis (’62) while working as a counselor at Blue Haven Youth Camp. They wed July 8, 1963. He earned a B.S.Ed. degree from ACU and an M.S. degree from Western New Mexico University. They moved to Grants, New Mexico, where he was a teacher, coach and director of athletics. Cross country teams he coached won two state high school titles. The Wallaces later moved to Crownpoint, New Mexico, where he was the high school principal for 14 years before retiring
to Lubbock in 2000. He served several years as senior adults minister at Monterey Church of Christ. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dock Wallaceand Ozelle Wallace. Among survivors are his wife, Goldye; a son, Ronnie Wallace (’89); a daughter, Jo (Wallace ’92) Odom; and four grandchildren. Dr. Charles Edward “Eddie” Freeman Jr., 81, died Dec. 14, 2022, in El Paso, Texas. He was born Aug. 19, 1941, in Ironton, Missouri, and was a longtime biology professor of biology at The University of Texas El Paso, a Boy Scout troop leader, softball coach and church elder. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles Edward Freeman Sr. and Martha Colleen Burbank; and a sister, Annette Nellon (Freeman ’67) Bailey. Eddie was married 55 years to Mary Anna (Johnson) Freeman, 75, who died Feb. 15, 2019, at age 75. She was born July 24, 1943, and had a career as public school teacher and librarian. The couple were foster and adoptive parents, and generous supporters of children’s homes in Texas, New Mexico and Mexico. Among the couple’s survivors are sons Charles Edward Freeman III (’88), Mark Adrian Freeman (’02) and Lee Agustin “Augie” Freeman (’02); a daughter, Juliana Elizabeth (Freeman ’89) Ewing; six grandchildren; a great-grandson; and her siblings, Wylene Durrett and Lee Johnson.
1964
Dr. Rosa (Carter) Hughes, 81, died Oct. 31, 2023, in Montgomery, Alabama. She was born May 24, 1942, in Fort Worth, Texas, to Henry Clay and Dorothy Wallace Carter. Beginning at age 6, Rosa grew up at Arms of Hope-Boles Children’s Home, and met her future husband while singing in its traveling chorus. She and Dr. David Hughes (’63) married in 1962, and lived in Abilene, Texas, during his long career (1967-2007) on the mathematics and computer science faculty at ACU. Rosa – who earned B.S. and M.F.T. (1983) degrees from Abilene Christian and a doctorate from Virginia Commonwealth University (1992) – was a licensed therapist who worked for years at Fresenius Kidney Care dialysis center in Abilene. The couple moved to Alabama in 2014. She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry Clay and Dorothy Wallace Carter. Among survivors are David, her husband of 61 years; daughters Julie (Hughes ’88) Berube and Lorie (Hughes ’91) Rodgers; three grandchildren; and one great-grandson.
1965
John Weldon Ferguson Jr., 81, died Oct. 3, 2022, in Garland, Texas. He was born March 10, 1942. For many years, he was a reference librarian and professor at Richland College. Among survivors are his wife, Roseann; sons John Ferguson and Michael Ferguson; and a daughter, Julianne Ferguson; four grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.
1967
Ronald Raybern Hall Sr., M.D., FACC, 77, of San Marcos, Texas, died Oct. 6, 2022. He was
born Aug. 9, 1945, in Fort Worth, Texas, and married ACU classmate Karen Saxon (’67) in August 1968. He served eight years in the Air Force while finishing a medical degree at The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. In 1978 he earned the Meritorious Service Medal and became – at the time – the youngest lieutenant colonel in the Air Force. He had a private practice in Little Rock, Arkansas (197983); and Clear Lake, Texas (1983-98); and was a cardiologist with Austin Heart in San Marcos, Texas (1998-2008). An elder for 20 years, he earned after retirement an M.A. in theological studies from Austin Graduate School of Theology (2014), and audited theology classes for another six years. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jesse Kenneth Hall and Dorothy Mae Hall. Among survivors are his wife, Karen; sons Ron Hall Jr. (’94) and Todd Hall; three grandchildren; and brothers Don Hall (’70) and Ted Hall (’70). George Brooks Neel, 75, died Dec. 13, 2020. He was born April 4, 1945, in Waco, Texas. He wed classmate Patricia Patterson (’67) on July 27, 1968. For 20 years, Neel was a salesman, district manager and sub-regional manager for Combined American Insurance Company. After retiring, he managed Al’s Cleaners in West, Texas, which had been established by his father. He was preceded in death by his parents, Martha and Alfred Neel, and his brother, Al Neel Jr. (’60). Survivors include Patricia, his wife of 52 years; sons George Neel Jr. (’91) and Grant Neel; a daughter, Jennifer Beard; three grandchildren; sisters Marjorie Peters, Lana Zahirniak, Diane Parma and Debbie (Neel ’78) Dunn.
1968
Samye Kay Smart McCorkle, 76, of Abilene, Texas, died July 16, 2023. She was born Sept. 13, 1946, in San Antonio, Texas. She earned a B.S.Ed. degree and taught in the Abilene ISD for 30 years at Reagan and Bassetti elementary schools, retiring in 2012. She was active in the Junior League of Abilene and in her retired educators’ group, Delta Kappa Gamma. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ivan B. and Kathryn Smart; and a brother, Ivan H. “Bruzz” Smart. Among survivors are her second husband, Scotty McCorkle; a son, Lance Rieder (’98); a daughter, Laurie Ann (Rieder ’93) Smith; five grandchildren; and a sister, Edwina Ann (Smart ’60) Conaway.
1969
Frazier Clark, 75, died Jan. 30, 2023. He was born April 8, 1947, in Levelland, Texas. He was president of the ACU Roping Club and later, vice president of the Rising Star Roping Club. He moved to Comanche, Texas, in 1970 to start a business for which he received numerous awards for ranching and conservation. He served on the Comanche ISD school board from 1975-92 and from 2004-12 was its president. He was a trustee of Comanche National Bank for 33 years. Among survivors are his daughter, Donna (Clark ’94) Jones; two grandsons; brothers Bob Clark and Jack Clark; and a sister, Marilyn Clark ACU TODAY
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SERVING YOU ADVANCING ACU Do you want to learn about giving opportunities, host an event, volunteer or just learn more about how you can be involved with ACU where you live? To help foster relationships with alumni and future students, Abilene Christian has assigned personnel from its Advancement and Alumni Relations offices to major markets in Texas as well as Nashville, Tennessee, and other parts of the nation. An advancement officer (AO) assists prospective donors, while an alumni relations officer (ARO) assists with alumni connections, efforts to gather ACU alumni and to work with volunteers within the community. Through this territory team approach, these dedicated professionals can provide exceptional service to those who so graciously and generously help advance the university and ensure it achieves its mission.
ABILENE AND THE BIG COUNTRY
Anthony Williams (AO) • 325-829-4328, williamsa@acu.edu Taylor Fender (ARO) • 325-674-2804, taylor.fender@acu.edu
WEST TEXAS AREA
Anthony Williams (AO) • 325-829-4328, williamsa@acu.edu Taylor Fender (ARO) • 325-674-2804, taylor.fender@acu.edu
AUSTIN AREA
Abby Easley (ARO) • 325-674-2627, abby.easley@acu.edu
FORT WORTH AREA
Cody Thompson (AO) • 817-706-3474, cody.thompson@acu.edu Jim Orr (AO) • 214-733-3689, jim.orr@acu.edu April Young (ARO) • 325-674-2244, april.young@acu.edu
DALLAS AREA
Brad Reeves (AO) • 214-728-4478, brad.reeves@acu.edu Jim Orr (AO) • 214-733-3689, jim.orr@acu.edu April Young (ARO) • 325-674-2244, april.young@acu.edu
HOUSTON AREA
Taylor Fender (ARO) • 325-674-2804, taylor.fender@acu.edu
SAN ANTONIO / SOUTH TEXAS AREA Abby Easley (ARO) • 325-674-2627, abby.easley@acu.edu
NASHVILLE AREA / EASTERN U.S. Jim Orr (AO) • 214-733-3689, jim.orr@acu.edu
Recent operational endowments created • 1973 National Championship Team Wally Bullington Endowment for Football • Claudette and John F. Wilson Restoration Studies Endowment for the Margarett and Herman Brown Library • Massey STEM for Girls Endowment for the STEM for Girls program • “On the Road Again” Endowment for Music • “Chase the Fairway” Endowment for Golf
Recent scholarship endowments created • Paul Joseph Wilson Endowed Scholarship • J.D. Holland Endowed Scholarship for Biblical Studies To create your own endowed scholarship or contribute to an existing one, see acu.edu/give or call 800-588-1514.
Admissions advisor Vanessa Wise and her husband, Charles (right), were on hand with their children, Eden and Silas, for ACU Day at the Houston Astros on June 18, 2023.
Alumni Office hits the road to connect with fellow Wildcats
B
etween Sing Song in the spring and Homecoming in the fall, as well as other opportunities in between, there’s almost always a good reason for alumni to plan a trip to Abilene. But for those who aren’t able to make it back as often as they’d like, the Alumni Office takes events on the road several times a year. “The ACU community doesn’t end when our alumni graduate and leave the Abilene campus – it exists wherever our alumni live, and we want to fellowship with them whenever and wherever possible,” said Craig Fisher (’92), associate vice president for advancement and alumni. Fisher said local events – in places like Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas; Lubbock, Texas; Houston; Denver; and Nashville, Tennessee – help his team connect with more alumni, but they also allow alumni to connect with other Wildcats in their area. Some events are for all alumni, and others target specific segments, like ACU moms or graduates of the last decade. Events often accompany Wildcat sporting events – most notably in November when the football team played Texas A&M in College Station, representing one of the largest gatherings of Wildcats outside of Abilene in years. Sometimes the events are all about fellowship and camaraderie, such as the annual ACU night at Texas Rangers, Houston Astros and Colorado Rockies baseball games each summer. Other times, they honor fellow Wildcats. In the past few months, the university held events in Houston and Waco, Texas to honor 2023 Distinguished Alumni Citation recipients Paula Harris (’18 M.Ed.) and Michael (’65) and Dorris (West ’66) Fortson, and in early 2024, an event in Denver will honor recipients Steve (’94) and Linda (Kappes ’94) Swinney. The Alumni Office emails information about these events to everyone living within a close geographic radius. Alumni should keep their contact information up to date at acu.edu/update to ensure they receive those details. Visit acu.edu/alumni to see upcoming events.
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ACU TODAY
– JONATHAN SMITH
Coates (’80). He was preceded in death by his parents, John D. “Skeet” Clark and longtime ACU trustee Mary Frazier Clark (’44).
1970
Roger Harrel Sullivan, 71, died Oct. 29, 2019. He was born Jan. 11, 1948, in Wichita Falls, Texas, and grew up in nearby Iowa Park. He earned a degree in accounting and married ACU classmate Carol King (’70) two weeks later. He was a CPA until he partnered to build Staples Direct Office Supply more than 35 years ago. He also founded a benevolence/ outreach program to serve the homeless in Fort Worth, Texas. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, William and Myrtle Sullivan and Ernest and Laura Rogers; his parents, Harrel Sullivan and Peggie (’42) Sullivan; and an infant sister, Patsy. Among survivors are Carol, his wife of 49 years; a son, Brian Sullivan; a daughter, Staci (Sullivan ’96) Markwood; and four grandchildren. Dr. Harley John Tefertiller, 74, of Temple, Texas, died May 1, 2023. He was born Sept. 6, 1948, in Andalusia, Alabama; grew up in Jacksonville, Florida; and married ACU classmate Theresa Byars (’71). After three years of military service, he earned an M.Ed. degree from Tarleton State University (1975) and an Ed.D. from Texas Tech University (1981). Tefertiller was a lifelong educator who taught mathematics and served as a principal. He was president of the Texas Christian Schools Association and founding chair of the Board of Accreditation of the National Christian Schools Association, and superintendent of Lubbock (Texas) Christian School, Midland (Texas) Christian School and Southwest Christian School in Fort Worth, Ouachita Christian School in Monroe, Louisiana, and Northland Christian School in Houston. He also was a successful coach, winning the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) state title in 1996 with the boys’ basketball team at Dallas Christian School. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Alma Tefertiller. Among survivors are Theresa, his wife of 51 years; a daughter, Amy Allaire; a son, Alec Tefertiller; five grandchildren; and a brother, Ron Tefertiller.
1972
Danah Beth Abbett, 72, died Jan. 1, 2023, in Garland, Texas. She was born Feb. 13, 1950, in Del Rio, Texas. She earned a B.S.Ed. degree from ACU, and an M.Ed. and all-level Reading Specialist certification from Texas Woman’s University (1978). For 37 years she taught in Texas public schools, beginning in Killeen before retiring in 2009. Most of her career was dedicated to schools in Irving, where she was Teacher of the Year for Brandenburg Elementary and Irving ISD in 1997. She was preceded in death by her parents, Elmer Eldon and Elsie Leola Foster Abbett. Among survivors is a sister, Denece (Abbett ’63) Powell.
1974
Debra Lou Fromm, 71, died April 22, 2023. She was born Dec. 20, 1951, in Dallas, Texas.
She met ACU classmate Dick Fromm (’74) in the first 15 minutes of Freshman Orientation, and they wed Aug. 18, 1973. After graduation they moved to the Kansas City, Kansas, area, where she taught special education in the Bonner Springs UFD for four years. The family moved to Texas in 1991, where she resumed teaching special education in the Gilmer ISD, completed a master’s degree at Texas Tech University, and specialized in teaching visually impaired students for the balance of her 28-year career. Among survivors are her husband, Dick; daughters Amy (Fromm ’00) Clark and Heidi Fromm (’05); and two grandchildren.
1976
Eugene “Gene” Matteson, 89, died May 15, 2023. He was born Sept. 12, 1933, in Joliet, Illinois, and married Norma Passmore in 1956. He joined the Air Force in 1953 and retired 20 years later with the rank of major. Later, he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from McMurry University and a master’s in human relations from ACU. In 1981 he founded Grand Valley Management in Grand Junction, Colorado, and for more than four decades he was deeply involved in real estate investment, sales, rentals, and property management. He was a member of the The Schumann Singers and the Western Colorado Chorale, and performed with the latter at Carnegie Hall. He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Pauline (Hurd) Matteson; and a grandson, Pfc. Bryson Heald. Among survivors are his wife, Norma; daughters Sharon Armstrong, Karen Margrave and Linda Rosson; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and a sister, Judy Dalton.
1978
Gregory Charles Thomas, 66, died July 1, 2023, in Wichita Falls, Texas. He was born July 10, 1956, in Vernon, Texas, and attended ACU for three years before graduating in 1979 from the University of Central Oklahoma. He was preceded in death by his father, Howard Thomas. Among survivors are his mother, Barbara Thomas; a daughter, Samantha; a brother, J. Todd Thomas (’83); and a sister, Starlyn (Thomas ’86) Barrow.
1982
Marci (Brader) Inman, 63, died March 5, 2023. She was born Feb. 17, 1960, in Angleton, Texas. She wed classmate Kris Inman (’82) and were married for more than 40 years. They started their lives together in Colorado Springs, Colorado, before moving to Georgetown, Texas, in 1987. They owned B’s Hallmark Shop for many years and she later worked as the office manager for the Georgetown Church of Christ, which she served in many volunteer ministry roles. She was preceded in death by her parents, Jerry and Faye Brader. Among survivors are her husband, Kris; a daughter, Kelsey McDougal; a son, Chase Inman (’13); and two grandchildren.
1996
Andrea Lyn Kerley, 59, of Abilene, Texas, died May 5, 2023. She was born Oct. 10, 1963, in Deming, New Mexico, and married Mike Kerley (’06 M.Ed.) on March 10, 1995. She earned an associate’s degree from ACU, a B.S.N. from Midwestern State University, and a M.S.N. and MBA from the University of Phoenix. She worked 27 years for Hendrick Health Cares, most recently as the manager of clinical informatics. She was a longtime nurse in the ER, CCU, house supervisor, interim director of nursing at Mesa Spring, nurse manager on the Skilled Nursing Unit, and preceptor for new nurses. She was preceded in death by her parents, Stanley Ruebush (’51) and Doris Lindley Ruebush (’51); and a brother, Barry Ruebush. Among survivors are her husband, Mike; a son, Jon Terrell; daughters Laurie Burton, Katie Fontenot, Kaitlyn Terrell and Mikayla Terrell; five grandchildren; brothers Hugh Ruebush Jr. (’73) and Shelby Ruebush (’89); and a sister, Ardythe Ruebush Woerly (’79).
2000
Kayla Belle Christianson, 43, of Abilene, Texas, died Aug. 2, 2023. She was born Sept. 9, 1979, in Washington, D.C., and wed David Christianson (’00 M.A.) on Dec. 23, 2000. She earned B.S. and M.A. (2003) degrees from ACU, and founded IN-Focus Digital in 2001 while enrolled in graduate school. She also owned a photography studio (STUDIO 302) and La Belle Productions, a brand management and consulting firm. She was a tireless civic volunteer and leader, serving on boards of many nonprofits. She also was a board member and past president of the Rotary Club of Abilene who served District 5790 as governor in 2021-22. She was preceded in death by her brother, Dale. Among survivors are her mother, Mary Anina Beaman; David, her husband of 22 years; and sisters Bonny Glidewell, Mary Schuknecht, Belinda Bolgiano and Emily Castillo.
2020
Wesley Kade Parmelly (’20), 24, died July 7, 2023, following a struggle with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. He was born Sept. 22, 1998, earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from ACU and a master’s degree in management studies in 2002 from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. As football team captain and honorable mention All-Southland Conference as an offensive lineman, he appeared in 40 games for the Wildcats over four seasons (2017-20). After receiving an extra year of eligibility because of the pandemic, he received a full scholarship at Duke, where he played 12 games in 2021 for the Blue Devils and was named Academic All-Atlantic Coast Conference. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Wade and Ann Parmelly. Among survivors are his parents, Bryan and Shawna Parmelly; sisters Andrea Parmelly and Abby Parmelly; and a brother, Kess Parmelly.
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PURPLE PEOPLE Whether flashing the WC, handing out hugs or simply enjoying time together, Wildcats gather on campus and around the world to share their stories and celebrate their common love for each other and for ACU. Here are just a few images we’ve saved since our last issue. Share others with us at acutoday@acu.edu.
FROM LEFT: New inductees to the ACU Sports Hall of Fame were recognized Oct. 13 at Homecoming: Alex Carpenter (’13); Andrea (Carpenter ’15) Petty; Ashley (Holton ’12) Dabbs; Jan Brown (’74); Julia Mongin (’14); Ed and Barbara Bonneau, Menie (Scott ’74) Williams, wife of the late Richard Williams (’77); Clyde Gates (’10); and Britt Bonneau. See story on Page 33.
Chuck “Flash” Locke (’80) was emcee of the Sub T-16 Centennial Steak Fry dinner at the Abilene Convention Center on Oct. 14 at Homecoming.
KAMRYN KELLEY
Members of the 1973 national championship football team held their 50th reunion at Homecoming, and presented a check for $117,000 to the university to establish the 1973 National Championship Team Wally Bullington Endowment, which also memoralizes former offensive coordinator Ted Sitton (’54), defensive coordinator and secondary coach K.Y. Owens, offensive line coach Don Smith (’53), and defensive line and linebackers coach Jerry Wilson (’71). Bullington (’53) was head coach of the team and longtime director of athletics.
Fall-Winter 2024 ACU TODAY
RILEY FISHER
PAUL WHITE
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HUTTON HARRIS
1) FROM LEFT: Hayes, Henry, Davis, Madelyn, Ruby and Maely Harris enjoyed the 2023 Homecoming Parade on Oct. 14. Hutton (’08) and Allie Harris are the parents of Davis, Madelyn and Hayes, and Chandler (’10) and Janna (Kasinger ’12) Harris are the parents of Henry, Ruby and Maely.
ACU Remembers Former Board of Development member Glenn Ralph Tuttle (’52), 91, of Abilene, Texas, died July 23, 2023, a little more than two months before his wife, Ruth Morene Tuttle (’52). (See Page 38). He was born Sept. 20, 1931, in Ulysses, Kansas, and married classmate Morene on April 11, 1952. Shortly after graduation, the couple moved to Ulysses, Kansas, to partner with his family’s business, T and M Farms. His many civic roles in Ulysses included serving as school board president, chair of the Agricultural Commission, vice board chair of Pioneer Electric, and president of the Rotary Club. He was named Abilene Christian’s Aggie of the Year in 1972, and served on his alma mater’s Board of Development and Board of Visitors. The couple retired to Abilene in 1996. His congregational leadership in Ulysses and Abilene (Hillcrest Church of Christ) included nearly every role possible, including years as an elder, teacher, mentor and church planter. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph W. and Faye Tuttle; and sisters Lila Fern Bessire and Clarice Merle Mawhirter. Among survivors are sons Monty Tuttle (’75), Les Tuttle (’78) and Jim Tuttle (’83); a daughter, Linda (Tuttle ’80) Varner; nine grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
Former longtime trustee Don Clifford Rhoden (’58), 87, died Aug. 9, 2023, in Tuscola, Texas. Rhoden was born April 3, 1936, in Ballinger, Texas. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business at ACU, lettered in
BILL ALBRECHT
GORDON TRICE
James Lewis Segrest (’59), a Texas high school track and field legend and the last surviving member of world record-setting ACU relay teams of the mid-1950s, died Aug. 5, 2023, in Fort Worth, Texas, at age 86. He was born Nov. 14, 1936, in Brady, Texas, and grew up in Bangs, near Brownwood. He earned a B.S.Ed. degree from ACU and a master’s degree, and wed classmate Ellie Katherine Neal (’58) on Sept. 1, 1956. His performance as a junior in the 1954 Texas Class A track and field championship is singular in the state’s high school history. He won the 100-, 220- and 440-yard dashes, and finished fourth in the long jump to score 34 points Segrest as Bangs High School’s only representative in the meet, winning the state title by himself while wearing a knee brace and earning the “One-Man Gang From Bangs” nickname. He also set state records in the 220 and 440. ACU head coach Oliver Jackson (’42) recruited him to run with fellow freshman sprinters Bobby Morrow (’58) and Waymond Griggs (’58), and the trio starred on standout relay teams at Abilene Christian that set five world records. In 1957, the quartet of Morrow, Segrest, Griggs and Bill Woodhouse (’59) became the first to run the 440-yard relay in under 40 seconds, breaking the NCAA, American and world records with a time of 39.9. They later reset those records with a 39.7 in 1958. During his four-year ACU career, the Wildcats had a record of 52-9 in the 440 and 880 relays, and Segrest ran in all 61 races. In 1958, he was a member of the U.S. national team that participated in the first dual meet against the Soviet Union in Lenin Stadium in Moscow, and he also competed in Poland, Hungary and Greece. He began his high school track and field coaching career by guiding Monahans (Texas) to the 1966 Class AAA state championship and also was head coach at Odessa (Texas) Permian. He served as the head coach (1973-88) and director of athletics (1988-95) at Odessa (Texas) College, where his teams won 11 National Junior College Athletic Association national championships – five indoor and six outdoor – and were runner-up three other times. He was head coach of the U.S. track and field team in the 1979 World University Games in Mexico City, and named a Runner’s World magazine All-Star Coach in 1984. He is namesake of OC’s James Segrest Stadium. Segrest was inducted to the NJCAA Track and Field Hall of Fame (1989), ACU Sports Hall of Fame (1991), United States Track Coaches Association Hall of Fame (1996), Texas Sports Hall of Fame Class (2005), Western Junior Athletic Conference Hall of Fame (2005), Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame (2013), and Bangs High School Hall of Honor (2021). He was preceded in death by his parents, Excell and Louise Segrest; Kathy, his wife of 64 years; a daughter, Tammy Segrest; and a sister, Linda Fay (Segrest ’68) Granberry. Among survivors are his daughter, Cindi Williams, and a grandson.
baseball and football for the Wildcats, and after graduation, played two seasons for minor league teams affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates Baseball Club. He married Dee Ana Moss (’62) in April 1961. His business career included being president of Heldon Corp., a chain of general discount stores in South Texas (1968-78); president of Little d Inc., which operated restaurant franchises in West Texas Rhoden (1978-82); being self-employed in the investment field (1982-85); and president and CEO of Units, a women’s apparel retailer and subsidiary of JCPenney (1986-89). He became CEO and board chair of Units in 1989. Rhoden was a member of ACU’s Advisory Board (1977-89) and Board of Development (1986-89) prior to serving on the university’s Board of Trustees from 1989-2007. He was preceded in death by his parents, W.C. “Clifford” and Vera (Justice ‘28) Rhoden), and his sister, Brooksie Ann Havens. Among survivors are Dee Ana, his wife of 62 years; sons Clifford Rhoden (’84) and Grant Rhoden (’86); a daughter, Jamie (Rhoden ’94) Cheatham; eight grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Dr. James E. “Jim” Womack (’64), 82, the 2006 ACU Outstanding Alumnus of the Year and a distinguished professor emeritus at Texas A&M University, died Aug. 13, 2023, in College Station, Texas. He was born March 31, 1941, in Anson, Texas, and married ACU classmate Raby Jean Beakley (’63) in 1965. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics education and enrolled as a NASA Fellow in the Graduate School at Oregon State University, where he earned a doctorate in genetics in 1968 before returning to ACU to teach on the biology faculty (1968-73). He was a staff scientist at The Jackson Laboratory (1975-77), where he researched comparative gene mapping in humans and mice before returning Womack to Texas in 1977 to join the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine. With a new research interest in cattle, he was instrumental in launching the National Institutes of Health/U.S. Department of Agriculture Bovine Sequencing Initiative at Baylor College of Medicine, and was founding coordinator of the USDA Cattle Genome Research Program. He was president of the International Society for Animal Genetics, the American Genetics Association and the Texas Genetics Society. Womack was elected to the National Academy of Sciences (1999) and was the first to map the cattle genome. His many honors included the CIBA Prize for Research in Animal Health (1993), the Wolf Prize in Agriculture (2001), the George Bush Award for Excellence in International Research (2008), and the Excellence in Research Award from the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (2016). He and Raby established the Raby and Jim Womack Endowed Basketball Scholarship at ACU, where alumni who excel in athletics and academics are recognized with the Jim Womack Award. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles Womack (’39) and Eva Mae Womack; and a son, James “Jimmy” Michael Womack (’90). Among survivors are Raby, his wife of 60 years; a daughter, Wendy Anne Hill (’90); two grandchildren; sisters Karen Wood and Cathy (Womack ’70) Peacock; a brother, Gary Womack; and half-siblings Clara Barksdale, Casi Davis and Chase Womack.
Cox
Former longtime ACU English professor Dr. Richard Allen Cox, 85, died Aug. 20, 2023. He was born June 29, 1938, in Beaumont, Texas. Cox earned a B.S. in chemical engineering at Lamar University, a B.A. in English at The University of Texas at Austin, an M.A. in English literature at Duke University and a doctorate in English from Texas. He was a James B. Duke Fellow at Duke (1963-64) and a Mellon Fellow at Rice University (1989). He taught 32 years at ACU (1971-2003) and was an elder at Abilene’s ACU TODAY
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University Church of Christ. Cox was an editorial consultant on numerous leading grammar and writing textbooks, including The Little, Brown Handbook. He was preceded in death by his parents, Allen and Lillian Cox; Patty Welsh Cox (’82 M.Ed.), his wife of 52 years; and a sister, Goldie Lee Reaves. Among survivors are a son, Kendall Cox; a daughter, Sadie Weaver; four grandchildren; and a brother, Ron Cox.
brothers Henry Hansen and Charles “Woody” Hansen; and a sister, Delarece Hansen Cooper. Among survivors are Ricki Henry-Hansen, his wife of six years; children and spouses Kathy (Hansen ’77) Askins, Tim Hansen (’80) and Ted Hansen (’81); nine grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Influential entrepreneur and ACU benefactor Jack Van McGlothlin, 93, died Nov. 10, 2023, in Abilene, Texas. He was born Aug. 6, 1930, in Grand Prairie, Texas, and grew up in Abilene; earned a B.S. degree in accounting; and married ACU classmate Joyce Durrett (’53) on Feb. 22, 1953. His lifelong interest in broadcasting began when they lived in Maryland while he served as an Army radio operator (1954-56). He was vice president of the McWood Corporation from 1956-67 and president of Premier Oil Refining Co. of Texas. He also pursued his interest in broadcasting, controlling legal and financial operations of Radio London from 1964-67, and for a brief time, he helped begin United Network Co., a short-lived competitor to major TV broadcast networks. In 1968 he helped form formed LaJet Inc., an oil refining company which became the namesake of Abilene’s PGA golf tournament for many years. McGlothlin served on the Board of Regents at Pepperdine University, as well as on the boards of Bank of Commerce, First Abilene Bankshares Inc. and First Financial Bank of Abilene. From 1962-78 he served on the board of the American Petroleum Refiners Association, and was its chair from 1971-75. He was named a director of the National Petroleum Refiners Association and elected to the board of the Brazos River Authority. In September 2023, he was recognized in Founders Lobby of the Gayle and Max Dillard Science and Engineering Research Center as one of five men whose commitment to innovation and investment in ACU helped make possible its groundbreaking Nuclear Energy eXperimental Testing (NEXT Lab). He also served on ACU’s National Development Council. He was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond Daniel and Lillah Evelyn “Debbie” Trimble McGlothlin; his wife, Joyce; a daughter, Jackie Beth; brothers Hal McGlothlin (’58) and Dr. Ray McGlothlin Jr. (’49); and two grandsons. Among survivors are his children, Dr. Tracy (McGlothlin ’80) Shilcutt, Kelly McGlothlin Smith (’82) and Shawn McGlothlin (’89); and seven grandchildren.
Former ACU trustee Bob “Bobby Gipson” Bailey (’52), 92, died Sept. 7, 2023, in Austin, Texas. He was born Oct. 5, 1930, in Vernon, Texas, played on the Wildcats’ undefeated 1950 football team and was skipper of the Sub T-16 fraternity. He served in the Texas National Guard and was a highway contractor at Bailey Bridge Co., a company founded by his father that contributed to many Abilene landmarks. He was a member of ACU’s Board of Trustees from 1973-91. He was a deacon and co-chair of the building committee at Highland Church of Christ, and active with missions work and Christian Homes & Family Services before marrying Marcia and moving to Austin. He was preceded in death by his parents, Earl “Pop” Bailey and Mildred Bailey; a daughter, Betty Lynn Bailey (’80); and a sister, Earlene Bailey Kent (’48). Among survivors are his wife, Marcia Bailey; a daughter, Rebecca “Becky” Bailey (’77); a son, Bryan Bailey (’83); stepdaughter Glenna Foster; eight grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Former longtime staff member Norma Jean (Dickson) DuBose, 89, of Abilene died Sept. 21, 2023. She was born Aug. 23, 1934, in El Dorado, Kansas, and attended Frank Phillips College. She married James Edwin Shafer (’55) and together they had four children. She moved to Texas in 1977 and was a secretary in ACU’s Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition before retiring in 1999. She married Dr. Leo Edwin “Doc” DuBose (’52) on Oct. 15, 1988. After his passing in 2011, she married Troy Wallace Franklin. She was preceded in death by her parents, Delbert Lee Dickson Sr. and Dorothy Maxine Willingham Dickson; and her late second husband, Doc. Among survivors are her husband, Troy; her children, Leslie Paul Shafer (’80), John Allen Shafer (’86), Mary Elizabeth (Shafer ’92) Roby and Sarah Ann (Shafer ’88) Medford; 10 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren; and a brother, Delbert Lee Dickson II (’61). Allen Ray Tappe (’84), 71, of Arlington, Texas, died Sept. 27, 2023. He was born July 23, 1952, in Fort Worth, Texas. An author, teacher and minister, he also attended McNeese State University and The University of Texas at Arlington. Tappe served ACU as its head men’s and women’s tennis coach from 1983-85. He was preceded in death by his parents, Fred Tappe Jr. and Bonnie Tappe. Among survivors are his wife, Barbara; daughters Angela (Tappe ’96) Wesley, Jill (Tappe ’00) Santiago and Meredith Tappe; six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and brothers David Tappe and Craig Tappe.
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MATT MAXWELL
Former longtime trustee Ray Victor Hansen (’53), 91, died Oct. 29, 2023, in College Station, Texas. He was born March 5, 1932, in Stamford, Texas, played on ACU’s undefeated 1950 football team and earned a bachelor’s degree in education. He also studied toward a master’s degree in management from the University of Virginia. He served two years of active duty with the U.S. military during the Korean conflict and three years in active reserve. Hansen wed ACU classmate Nancy Waters (’53) on Jan. 23, 1954, and they were married 62 years when she died in 2016 at age 85. The couple are namesakes of the Nancy and Ray Hansen Reading Hansen Commons in ACU’s Brown Library. He retired after 39 years of management roles with ExxonMobil, and then worked with the family owned businesses of Tiger Holdings and Desperado Distributing Company, and also served as a consultant with EDS. He was a trustee of the university from 1976-2008, named ACU’s Outstanding Alumnus of the Year in 1992 and inducted in 2000 to its Sports Hall of Fame. When he retired, Exxon distributors established the Ray V. and Nancy Hansen Endowed Scholarship Fund at Abilene Christian. Hansen served as an elder or deacon of congregations in several of the more than three dozen cities in which he and Nancy lived during his ExxonMobil career. He was preceded in death by his parents, Sam Westergaard Hansen and Birtie Drury Hansen; his first wife, Nancy;
Evangelist Dr. Landon Brady Saunders (’23 L.H.D.) of Norwich, Vermont, died Nov. 14, 2023, at age 86. He was born July 26, 1937, in Charleston, West Virginia, and earned degrees from Freed-Hardeman University and Harding University (1959), and attended Harding School of Theology (1961-63). A primary speaker for the international Herald of Truth ministry, Saunders began serving in 1971 as president of Heartbeat Inc. and for many years, hosted its popular “Heartbeat” short-form program heard by millions worldwide on the NBC, CBS and Armed Forces radio networks. Prior to launching Heartbeat, Saunders served Saunders as a minister for Churches of Christ in Tennessee, Arkansas and Texas. In Abilene, he preached at Minter Lane Church of Christ. Saunders was a frequent speaker at churches and universities nationwide, including 10 times at ACU’s annual Summit (formerly Bible Lectureship), the most recent in 2017. Saunders received Harding’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 1981, ACU’s Excellence in Mass Media Ministry award in 1977 and an honorary doctorate from Abilene Christian in 2023. He also has served on the board of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture and as a Fellow of the Caris Life Sciences Foundation. In 2022, Saunders’ personal papers and Heartbeat’s corporate records were donated to ACU’s Brown Library. The Landon Saunders Collection in the Center for Restoration Studies consists of speech transcripts, sermon notes, photographs, books, training materials, personal correspondence, organizational records and other audiovisual content created by Saunders and colleagues over more than 50 years of ministry. In 2023, Brown Library named him its Friend of the Year, and ACU announced a $4.5 million campaign to establish the Landon Saunders Center for Joy and Human Flourishing, an academic center dedicated to preserving his legacy and forwarding his vision. He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Thomas Saunders and Beulah Gladys Null Saunders; a sister, Roberta Meek; and brothers Ross Saunders and John Robert Saunders.
Johansson’s kick still rules the football world, 47 years later
Old Testament scholar Willis taught and inspired generations Moody Coliseum was nearly new in 1971 and half the buildings on today’s ACU campus had not been built when Dr. John Thomas Willis (’55) returned to his native Abilene, Texas, with his wife and four school-aged children. He brought 15 years experience on the faculty at Lipscomb University and a scholarly vitae including publications in professional journals of
DEBBIE RIGGS
Ove Claes Johansson (’77), whose collegiate football experience was short but life-changing after he kicked a world-record 69-yard field goal as an ACU senior, died Sept. 30, 2023, in Amarillo, Texas. He was 75. He was born March 31, 1948, in Gothenburg, Sweden. At age 20 he joined the Swedish Navy, and later traveled to the U.S. to attend Davis & Elkins College and play soccer. He met April Lark Bankes (’77) in 1972 while playing for a European exhibition soccer team in Dallas, Texas, began dating her in 1973, and enrolled with her at ACU in Fall 1975. Ove attended Wildcat football games that season to see Bankes Johansson perform in the Big Purple marching band, and they wed in August 1976. That spring on campus, Ove experimented with booting two American footballs provided by longtime ACU kinesiology professor Dr. Dwain Hart. Johansson’s efforts were noticed by a Wildcat football player, who convinced head coach Wally Bullington (’53) to take a look. A couple of booming tryout kicks later, and just four months after his first practice attempt, Johansson was on the team. ACU’s Homecoming game that fall was expected to be historic: Star running back Wilbert Montgomery (’77) was about to break Walter Payton’s all-time collegiate career touchdown record of 76, which he did just before halftime. However, his moment was upstaged in the first quarter by Johansson, who plotted his attempt at a world record before the season started, showing Bullington his personal “goals board,” and then on the day before the game, asked his coach for a chance at the mark. With a 15-mph wind at his back – nothing of note following a cold front in typically breezy West Texas – Johansson’s kick sailed through the goalposts on the south end of Shotwell Stadium with several yards to spare, setting off a wild celebration by teammates and a crowd of 13,000. In the 47 years since, the 69-yard field goal has never been equaled nor eclipsed at the high school, college or pro levels of the sport. It also is arguably one of the top individual accolades in Wildcat sports history, which is filled with NFL players, Olympians and national championships. One month past his 29th birthday, he was selected in the 12th round of the 1977 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers, and is still the second oldest to ever be chosen by a league franchise. His tenure in the NFL was affected by a knee injury he suffered in ACU’s postseason win over Harding University in the Shrine Bowl in Pasadena, Texas. He spent short amounts of time over two seasons on the rosters of Houston, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys before settling in with his family in the Texas Panhandle. He founded Johansson and Associates Financial Services in 1980, was president of Great Nation Investment Services, and was always in demand as a motivational speaker. In 2001, on the 25th anniversary of his record kick, the irrepressible Johansson booted another jaw-dropping field goal during an exhibition he planned at halftime of yet another ACU Homecoming game: a 53-yarder at age 53. Johansson earned a B.S.Ed. degree from Abilene Christian and in 2006 was inducted in the ACU Sports Hall of Fame’s Centennial Class. He served as grand marshal in the university’s 2016 Homecoming parade with Montgomery, who was inducted in 1996 to the College Football Hall of Fame. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Britt Johansson. Among survivors are April, his wife of 47 years; a daughter, Annika (Johansson ’06) Spalding; a son, Stefan Johansson; two grandchildren; and a brother, Robert Johansson.
international standing. Three years later he was honored with the Trustees Award as Abilene Christian’s Outstanding Teacher of the Year, an honor he repeated 32 years later during his alma mater’s Centennial. Willis – ACU’s Burton Coffman Chair for Biblical Studies and professor emeritus of Bible, Missions and Ministry – died Aug. 21, 2023, in Abilene, Texas, at age 89. Born Nov. 21, 1933, in Abilene, he earned a Willis bachelor’s degree in Greek in 1955 and a master’s in Old Testament in 1956, just months after marrying Evelyn Forrest (’56) and shortly before moving to Nashville to join the faculty at Lipscomb. While still an undergraduate student, he preached four years at Truby (Texas) Church of Christ, 21 miles northeast of Abilene. Upon moving to Nashville he preached four years at Maple Hill in Lebanon, Tennessee, and five more at Pennsylvania Avenue in Nashville. While in Nashville he began doctoral studies at Vanderbilt University, completing his Ph.D. and dissertation on the Old Testament book of Micah in 1966. Then in 1971 the family returned to Abilene, where Willis became the professor undergraduates loved for the cookies he handed out in class, and graduate students feared for his detailed critiques of their papers. Willis was the teacher who for decades knew every student’s name in huge sophomore-level Old Testament classes and remembered their birthdays. In the 1970s, students stood in long lines in Moody Coliseum during registration for classes to gain the coveted data punch cards that reserved their seats in Genesis Through Esther or Job Through Malachi. If they came for the cookies he passed out at the beginning of every class, they stayed for the wisdom and wit. And for years he and Evelyn filled their home on Campus Court every Sunday night with students, serving spaghetti or some other student-loved but low-cost meal. Nearby, the couple was a fixture at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store on Highway 351, where a framed photo of them sits on the fireplace mantel in tribute to the untold number of meals they hosted for students and other friends. Jason’s Deli, just down the street, was another favorite Willis mealtime venue to share with their mentees of all ages. Of his 61 years in the classroom, 46 were devoted to ACU. Only one other Bible professor, the late Dr. Neil Lightfoot, taught more years on the Hill than Willis (47, from 1958-2005). By the time he retired in 2017, Willis had given away somewhere between a half million and a million cookies to Wildcat students. A conservative estimate of 200 students per year would seat more than 16,000 in his classrooms. Even those who never took one of his classes knew the diminutive man with the twinkle in his eye and slow, thoughtful way of speaking. Often unknown by those sophomores was the depth and duration of Willis’ scholarship. He wrote approximately 30 books and 100 scholarly articles in Old Testament studies and was associate editor of Old Testament Abstracts for many years. He remained an active scholar even as he entered retirement. He was a prolific author of commentaries and other books, most about the Old Testament. In 1999, former students and colleagues authored Worship and the Hebrew Bible: Essays in Honor of John T. Willis. Dr. Mark Hamilton (’90 M.Div.), professor of Old Testament, and Willis’ son, Dr. Tim Willis (’81), professor of religion at Pepperdine University, edited Instruction Shall Go Forth: Studies in Micah and Isaiah, a collection of John’s articles in 2014. Willis twice delivered the address to students at Commencement, in August 1979 and May 2009, and he and Evelyn were voted co-marshals of the Homecoming Parade in 1998 and 2017. He served as an elder at Abilene’s Highland Church of Christ for nearly five decades. Willis was preceded in death by his parents, Cullen Willis (’28) and Madge Willis; and Evelyn, his wife of 66 years. Among survivors are sons David Willis (’79) and wife Danna of American Samoa, Dr. Timothy Willis (’81) and Paul Willis (’83); daughter Deborah (Willis ’80) Doss; a brother, Dickson Willis (’56); 14 grandchildren; and 11 great grandchildren.
– DR. CHERYL MANN BACON
ACU TODAY
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SecondGLANCE BY RON HADFIELD
Team Abilene spirit began more than a century ago
HARDIN-SIMMONS UNIVERSITY
omething has always seemed serendipitous about the location of ACU’s original campus on North First Street, a stone’s throw from the railroad tracks that still bisect the city from its earliest days. The late George S. Anderson (1871-1964) could tell you that. He was the publisher-editor of the Abilene Daily Reporter (today’s Abilene Reporter-News) and one of the most fascinating and forward-thinking business leaders to ever call ACU’s hometown home. The son of Texas settlers, he was the longest-serving trustee – an astounding 61 years – of Hardin-Simmons University, and later, chaired the board of Abilene’s First National Bank. He and his wife, Minnie, became namesakes of Anderson Hall at HSU. The railroad first arrived in Abilene in 1881, making it possible for ranchers to send their cattle, cotton and other goods to market. In turn, the trains brought windmills, barbed wire, groceries, more cotton seed and other goods to town. In the case of the new Anderson Church of Christ-affiliated school of ACU founder A.B. Barret, the steam-powered locomotives rumbling on the Texas and Pacific Railway – whose noise interrupted classes, Chapel and sleep on campus – also brought students. A devout Baptist, Anderson championed not only his beloved Simmons College, as HSU was first known, but Abilene Christian and any educational institution that would help attract future generations to and prepare them for the brave new world being built in West Texas. So when trustees realized the need to build ACU’s first residential hall for women, Anderson the evangelistic newspaper publisher volunteered to help spread the news. But he went far beyond, writing numerous editorials about the need for the three-story, $15,000 building. The Chamber of Commerce agreed to raise $9,000 to help the cause, an ambitious amount for a town with only a few thousand residents. A few of his pleadings from 1912-14: “There are at least 50 first-class families in Abilene now who came here on account of the school. We beg the people of Abilene to meet the call.” – April 9, 1913 “The people of Abilene have just cause to be proud of both these schools [Simmons and ACU]. They bring good people to our town and lots of them, and help to create an atmosphere … that goes to make Abilene the town to be desired by people who wish to live among moral, intellectual people.” – Sept. 16, 1913 “If the school remains in Abilene on a basis that it will be worth anything to the town, it must have this help now.” – May 21, 1914 “The Reporter stands for every one of the institutions in Abilene. We don’t care what its denominational affiliations may be or whether 48
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it has denominational affiliation, if it tends to advance the interests of Abilene, we are for it.” – June 14, 1914
It worked, and in 1914, Daisy Hall – named for the wife of ACU’s fourth president – opened. It was large enough for current and future young women to no longer share a house nearby, and provided a dining hall for all students on the first floor. Daisy Sewell was a teacher of Bible and art, and dean of women for a dozen years who exhausted an inheritance from her mother in donations to help ACU. Anderson’s efforts may have been lost in history, but his spirit outlives him, as the generosity of local and regional business leaders and other philanthropists have frequently buoyed ACU fundraising efforts and other special projects through the years. Not all the major donors have had roots in Churches of Christ or Abilene Christian diplomas on their walls. Non-alumni Texans such as ranchers F.O. Masten and William Edwards; Grace Woodward and her son, Bob; Douglass and Angie Robison; and the Sewell J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation have given millions to the university. Locally, the Dodge Jones Foundation, Community Foundation of Abilene, Shelton Family Foundation, Dian Graves Owen Foundation, The Karakin Foundation, Kickapoo Springs Foundation and Legget Foundation have made made major gifts to scholarships and to build or renovate facilities. In 2021, the Development Corporation of Abilene invested $2.93 million in ACU’s NEXT Lab to expand into the Gayle and Max Dillard Science and Engineering Research Center. The DCOA reinvests funds generated by a half-cent sales tax to “fund and support economic development efforts to benefit Abilene residents,” according to its website. “This project is an incredible opportunity for Abilene,” said Misty Mayo, president and CEO of the DCOA, which saw the potential to impact the world through NEXT Lab’s future research and development projects, and the commercialization of clean energy in Abilene. Such generosity from community leaders, whether in the early part of the 20th century or nearly a quarter of the way into the 21st, is as ecumenical as it is economic. That’s remarkable in Abilene, which has three faith-based institutions among its six colleges and universities. A.B. Barret and George S. Anderson would be pleased. The once-little town by the railroad tracks is now a crossroads of the world, with ACU benefactors who still see a bright future and a responsibility to help ensure it.
A Legacy OF MINISTRY AND TEACHING
Barbara and Dr. Tony Ash
r. Anthony Lee “Tony” (’59 M.A.) and Barbara Ash dedicated their lives to spreading the gospel and serving Abilene Christian University students, and in planning their estate, the couple found a way to continue doing so beyond their lifetimes. A beloved theology professor on campus whose lectures brought Christianity to life for thousands of students, Tony died in 2017 at age 86, and Barbara died in 2023 at age 89. But their impact continues through an estate gift benefitting ACU’s Siburt Institute for Church Ministry Endowment. Tony taught at ACU from 1962-72 and from 1985 until his retirement in 2015, and ministered at churches in Georgia, California and Texas. Barbara worked for 43 years in the U.S. Federal Civil Service on various military bases. They regularly hosted university students, alumni and other friends in their home. In planning for their estate, the Ashes’ focus was on supporting ACU and the work of the church.
If we can help you in any way, reach out to us at giftplanning@acu.edu or call 325-674-2508 or 800-979-1906 to talk to our helpful staff.
“Ministers, their families and their churches need care and mentoring,” Tony said in 2017. “The Siburt Institute uniquely provides support for these servants with compassion and love. Our hope is that our last gift will help these families and churches continue to grow.” Dr. Carson Reed (’95 D.Min.), executive director of the Siburt Institute, said their gift does just that, providing stability and momentum. “Every year we serve hundreds of churches and ministers, providing enrichment programs, leadership training and encouragement, and regional events all over the country,” he said. “The Ash gift gives us a stable underwriting and also empowers us to think about new programs and new ways to serve.” You can direct estate gifts to ACU by including language in your will or living trust, or by designating the university as a beneficiary of your retirement account or life insurance policy. Contact the Office of Gift Planning for more information.
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C OM ING UP Wildcat Visits ........................................... See acu.edu/visit for available dates or check out our virtual tour Baseball vs. Oklahoma State (Globe Life Field, Arlington) ............... February 21 WAC Postseason Basketball Tournament (Las Vegas, Nevada)......... March 6-11 68th Annual Sing Song ........................................................................... April 5-6 Alumni Day Luncheon ................................................................................. April 7 Class of 1974 Golden Anniversary Reunion ......................................... April 17-19 ACU Gives ............................................................................................ April 23-24
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May Commencement ............................................................................. May 10-11 Wildcat Week for Freshmen ........................................................... August 22-26 Football at Texas Tech (Lubbock) ......................................................... August 31 Family Weekend.........................................................................September 20-21 Summit ............................................................................................ October 16-18 Homecoming ................................................................................. October 17-20 JMC Gutenberg Celebration ........................................................... October 17 Morlan Medal Award Announcement and Reception .................... October 17 Sports Hall of Fame Dinner and Lettermen’s Reunion ................ October 20
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