ACU Today Spring-Summer2024

All in a Day’s Work

ACU staff go the extra mile to create a welcoming student experience

From the PRESIDENT

When you visit campus –and I hope you have recently or will soon – and a pleasant scent catches your attention, you likely have Scott Warren to thank.

A few years ago, Scott observed that much of ACU’s outdoor beauty went unnoticed as students (and, admittedly, sometimes faculty and staff) were distracted by their phones on walks from one place to the next. As director of landscape and grounds and a longtime arborist, Scott knows the impact of a moment spent in nature and its benefits for diminishing stress and anxiety.

So, he set about strategically planting lilacs, Texas mountain laurels and hyacinths – all of which have distinct fragrances – in hopes that a pleasant aroma would catch the attention of passers-by and give them pause to look up from their devices, notice the nearby nature and be present in their surroundings, even if just for a moment.

Scott has served in this role at ACU for the past 12 years and was recently honored with the John C. Stevens Award for his helpful spirit, friendly nature, servant heart and professional example. He is one of many staff members going about their job with intentionality, passion and creativity, thanks to a strong understanding of their contribution to the mission of the university. In the feature story starting on page 4, you’ll see a glimpse of just a few examples of the exemplary staff members who make a significant difference in the student experience. Our people make ACU what it is, and I am consistently proud to work with excellent and passionate administrators, faculty and staff. Be sure to catch up on other compelling content in this issue, including:

• Fred Asare (’09 M.A.C.M.) and his two decades of ministry through Village of Hope in Ghana, as well as other ACU connections to the West African country (pages 12-15).

• The discipline, precision and care of ACU trustee Shelton Gibbs IV (’02), exemplified in his judicial and ministry roles (page 16).

• Updates on ACU’s Higher Ground campaign, including the renovation of a venue for Wildcat baseball (page 20-22).

• News of the latest appointments, hirings, scholarships, honors and a milestone in ACU’s net worth (pages 26-31).

• Stories and exploits from the life of legendary ACU athlete and coach Jerry Dyes (’64), who died in January at age 82 (page 48).

I trust the profiles and stories in this issue are as inspiring to you as they are to me. The character and commitment of the people who constitute the ACU community, near and far, never cease to amaze me. Continue connecting with your alma mater and cherishing the bonds that knit us together in Christ and fuel our mission to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world.

ACU Today is published twice a year by the Division of Marketing and Strategic Communications at Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas.

STAFF

Editor: Wendy (Waller ’01) Kilmer

Art Director: Todd Mullins

Editor Emeritus: Ron Hadfield (’79)

Assistant Editors: Robin (Ward ’82) Saylor, Jonathan Smith (’06)

Contributing Writers This Issue: Craig Fisher (’92), Katie Noah Gibson (‘06), Senia Overstreet (’22)

Contributing Photographers This Issue: Aly Bayliss, Joshua Beam, Skyler Blanton, Steve Butman, John Davidson, Brandi Jo (Magee ’06) and Scott Delony (’06), Kyle Dickson, Jeremy Enlow, Josh Hollwarth, HOK, Kamryn Kelley, M.C. (Hayes ‘91) Jennings, Jacey Lam, Connor Mullins (’23), Alyssa Polnac, Clark Potts, Emily Rose (’22), Mo Sadjadpour, Tom Shaw Sr., Crosby Thomely, Chris Villanueva (’21), Paul White (’68), Natalie Wright

Contributing Graphic Designers/Illustrators

This Issue: Rosemary Gutierrez (’07), Holly Harrell

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), April Young (‘16)

Marketing and Strategic Communications: Sharon Ayala, Blair Schroeder

Student Life: Dr. 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 Scholarship Fund, Gift Records): acu.edu/give

ACU Alumni Website: acu.edu/alumni

Watch Us on YouTube: youtube.com/acu

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Brooke and Dr. Phil Schubert JEREMY ENLOW

DR. PHIL SCHUBERT (’91), President

Graduates prepare to walk across the stage at Commencement in Moody Coliseum. ACU awarded 840 degrees in three ceremonies May 10-11.

The original Mabee Hall was dedicated in October 1953. Among those present for the ceremony were Mabee Foundation founder John Mabee (second from left), ACU board chair B Sherrod (second from right) and president Dr. Don H. Morris (right).

Jim Cox (’67), Mabee Hall supervisor from 1963-67, and Dr. John Little (’59), assistant supervisor

STEVE BUTMAN

After

HORIZONS

Mabee Memories

For more than 70 years, the original Mabee Hall housed ACU men – along with couples or families serving as hall directors and summer campers at ACU’s Leadership Camps – and was a home base for sleeping, studying, socializing and a fair amount of student shenanigans. As the 2024-25 academic year begins this fall, the facility will no longer be in use, with all first-year students now housed in ACU’s Freshman Village, along East North 16th Street. The Mabee Hall name has been transferred to the former Sikes Hall which received renovation over the past year, thanks in large part to a grant from the J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation, a benefactor and a benefactor for numerous projects across the Abilene Christian campus over the past 73 years.

Mabee Hall staff members in 2001-02. Back row (from left): Leland Sawyer (’04) and Jason Ferrera (’05). Middle row (from left): Matthew Young (’05), Phil Stambaugh, assistant dorm director; Ira Kirkley (’04); Bradley Mancuso (’03); Nathan Estrada (’03). Front row: Kristi (Haddock’93) and Brian England (’00) with daughter Maddie. Brian was hall director.

renovations to the hall in 1976 – including the addition of air conditioning – appreciative residents, led by Guy “Mojo” Lewis (’80), declared Nov. 11, 1976, “Mabee Day” and signed a decree to make it official.

Dan Cox (’79), Mike Cox (’74) and Robin (Cox ’78) Wolfe spent four years of their childhood living in Mabee Hall while their father, Jim Cox (’67), served as supervisor and their mother, Geneva, handled the reception area and operated the switch board.

It’s all in a day’s work for ACU staff members

BY WENDY KILMER

On any given day, you might find Scott Warren, director of landscape and grounds, riding around on a Gator, edging a grassy area, fixing a pothole in the pavement or examining the health of one of the 2,600 trees on campus.

What you won’t find him doing, however, is confusing those physical, boots-on-the-ground tasks with his big-picture mission and purpose. Warren and hundreds of other staff members at Abilene

A similar understanding and passion drives Terry Smith, retired mechanic and aquatic technician who worked at ACU full time for 15 years before moving to a part-time role.

“I mostly try to teach and tell people about the love of Jesus. But when I am not doing that, I work on our machines,” was his response once when asked what he did at ACU. “Although my official title was mechanic and aquatic technician, I believe the most important service role I had was working as God’s

Christian don’t always interact with students directly, but their work revolves around the student experience and goes beyond their to-do list.

“We came up with a philosophy several years ago that’s posted in our shop,” Warren said of the Landscape and Grounds team he oversees. “Our purpose is not mowing grass, planting flowers, trimming trees, maintaining equipment or trimming shrubs. We are the image makers for our campus. By our efforts, we can lift the spirits of people who visit ACU. Through the beauty of our campus, we orchestrate a better life experience for our students.”

servant, in general, for the ACU community.”

Smith led Bible studies with coworkers, students and others across campus and is still known for seeking opportunities to share about Jesus in all aspects of his life and work.

While university staff may not teach core curriculum or pass on subject-matter expertise, they embody ACU’s mission to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world. These profiles are just a few examples representing the heart of ACU’s more than 900 staff members who create the environment where students live, learn and thrive. 

Scott Warren

Director of Landscape and Grounds

John C. Stevens Award 2024

What I Do

Some days I am meeting contractors, and on others I am running an edger. I could be fixing a pothole or a damaged sign, checking plants for signs of insects or disease, or ordering plants for a seasonal color change. I might help out with a tailgate event, and, of course, there’s the administrative work of management and budgeting.

Best Part of the Job

I love my job, and there are a lot of things about it that make me happy: being able to help a visitor find the building they are looking for, giving a ride across campus to someone who looks like they could use a hand, the beauty of the redbud trees in spring, and seeing the campus come to life with foliage and color. But No. 1 is when I see a faculty or staff member or student enjoying what we do. For students, that may just be resting on the grass with a friend, taking a nap in a hammock under a tree, admiring a flower or sitting in class outside.

Years12atACU

There are times the job is tough. It is really hot in the summer and really cold in the winter. But I would never want a job where I was stuck in an office the majority of the day.

Mission Moments

Within my first couple of years we planted pollinator gardens – at the Hunter Welcome Center and next to the Brown Library. We are blessed to be on the monarch butterfly’s migratory flight path in the fall; some years we have more than others. A few years ago we had a large number of monarchs, and watching students be enthralled with them is always amazing. The monarchs like to rest in the big pecan trees on the front lawn of the Hardin Administration Building, so I pointed this out to some students, and I saw them lay in the grass and watch the monarchs for 20-30 minutes. 

JEREMY ENLOW

Rebecca Canales

Bakery Supervisor and Pastry Chef for Chartwells

What I Do

Every day I plan for the next day and look over the upcoming week. As a bakery team, we do everything from making and frosting cakes to toasting creme brulee. I make sure things run smoothly and that we serve quality desserts for our students and community.

My Philosophy

My goal is to make people happy. Whether they are celebrating doing well on an exam with a cookie (or two), or need something to soothe the late-night study stress – because I’m all for taking something sweet to go in a napkin – it’s my privilege and goal to make you smile. Catering a dinner with a tart or trifle can be the cherry on top for anyone, and I love seeing the plate scraped clean!

Best Part of the Job

Years at ACU 13

I love helping. I believe God gives us all gifts, and it’s our job to find them. My gift, I believe, is being a servant. When I see a smile from what I did for a customer or friend, that’s a gift I’ve received. Giving and receiving is a joy.

Why ACU

I saw an ad in the paper for working at Chartwells, the food service provider at ACU. My grandfather was the chef at ACU many years before I was born. [Lester Boone worked as a chef and assistant manager at Abilene Christian’s cafeteria from 1950-67.] I applied and was hired. There were so many stories my grandmother shared about my grandfather and his work. I guess the bloodline is strong! God put me at ACU for a reason.

Mission Moments

Day-to-day experiences are important, and I have so many. But busy event weekends, such as President’s Circle Dinner and Sing Song, are special because all of us come together and do the very best we can, and we do it as a whole. It’s fun, and adrenaline is flowing. That’s an amazing feeling. 

Marcus Dunn (’19 MBA)

General Manager for Abilene

Christian Sports Properties

What I Do

A typical day revolves around extending the affinity of the ACU Athletics brand to businesses and corporations, aligning them with our loyal and passionate Wildcat fan base. Each day is dynamic, but overall, my days are dedicated to driving revenue, fostering relationships, delivering value to sponsors and enhancing the fan experience.

My Philosophy

I firmly believe that by nurturing community relationships and strategically growing revenue and the brand of ACU Athletics, we are supporting the university’s mission to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world. We not only enhance the visibility and reputation of ACU but also provide opportunities for students to engage in service, leadership development and meaningful experiences that align with its Christian values.

Best Part of the Job

Years7atACU

generate among our sponsors and fans makes it all worth while. Finally, I cherish the people I work with and for. Building friendships with coworkers and clients has been a fantastic experience.

Why ACU

One of my favorite aspects of my job is problem solving. It’s incredibly rewarding to tackle challenges, especially when I can provide a solution that benefits corporate partners and also supports ACU Athletics. Another highlight is the strategic planning of sponsorship campaigns. After weeks or months of planning, witnessing the successful execution of these campaigns and seeing the excitement they

I grew up in Ranger, Texas, where I was always familiar with the university. Elmer Gray Stadium hosted our regional high school track and field meet, and later I ran track at Angelo State University, a longtime rival of the Wildcats. When I began my search for online MBA programs, the recruiter’s enthusiasm and passion for ACU’s highly relational and Christ-centered community resonated deeply with me. Six months after enrolling, I interviewed for a position managing the work of IMG Learfield in the Athletics program. From my first interaction with Susan Hardcastle [executive assistant to the vice president for

athletics] to every other encounter during my visit, I felt a strong sense of belonging and knew ACU was a place where I could thrive personally, spiritually and professionally.

Mission Moments

ACU’s victory over the Texas Longhorns in the NCAA Tournament was an incredible moment that will forever be etched in my memory. Witnessing the journey of the team – from an undefeated season at home in a makeshift basketball/indoor tennis facility to establishing a national brand presence unprecedented in ACU’s history – was unforgettable. Seeing our corporate partners rally behind the Wildcats, with thousands of fans on Anthony Field, cheering as Joe Pleasant sank the winning shot, was a powerful reminder of the impact of the work we do here at ACU. Moments like these reaffirm the significance of our efforts and the profound connection between our university and its community. 

Image Makers

Sherita (James ’03) Nickerson

Deputy Title IX Coordinator

What I Do

Years at ACU 12

Title IX is a federal law that prohibits sexual discrimination on campuses, and my role is helping ACU comply with requirements and respond to alleged misconduct. But beyond legal responsibilities, as a Christian community, we want to ensure a working and learning environment that respects the dignity of every individual. My day-to-day tasks vary. Some are routine – giving prevention and awareness presentations and responding to emails. But sometimes my work involves resolving conflict, navigating legal situations or helping a victim get to a medical facility for a sexual assault exam.

My Philosophy

The philosophy behind my work is to provide hope to the hurting and light to those in darkness. In Title IX work, I am tasked with being fair, thorough and equitable to all parties. I must set aside biases and make sure both parties are heard and supported, and receive due process. Our mission is to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world, so my hope is that even after experiencing whatever landed them in my office, they are still able to live out that mission.

Best Part of the Job

I work with those whose situation may seem dark and bleak, and I do my best to speak life into them and help them know whatever they are going through is just a page in their story, not the whole book. I sincerely want them to know that whether they are the victim or the accused, God is gracious.

Mission Moments

I’m always encouraged when I can provide peace to those I serve. It’s usually long after cases have closed that I see faculty, staff or students who have been part of the Title IX process, and they share stories with me. They’ve told me of feeling afraid and ashamed to come to my office, but later they saw it as a safe space, a place of calm, and a place where they were free to begin healing and restoration. Jesus came to restore and reconcile us to him, and I do this work because Jesus did it for me.

Years29atACU Image Makers

Mark Lewis (’95) Dean of Students

What I Do

A typical day includes meetings with students about conduct issues, conversations with residence life directors regarding issues related to their residents, discussions with Student Life colleagues and faculty regarding student concerns, as well as current trends, documentation and case work.

My Philosophy

Since childhood I have been struck by the way Jesus interacted with people who messed up, made poor choices, strayed from the path. He loved them unconditionally and without reservation, spoke words of hope, provided a sense of direction and then urged them to move forward. That “Jesus posture” informs my philosophy as the dean of students. I celebrate a faith journey that allows for learning from mistakes, second chances and a new identity found through Christ. I’m thankful to be able to reflect that as I come

alongside young adults who are encountering life’s challenges and figuring out who they are.

Best Part of the Job

Students – being able to invest in them, remind them of who and whose they are, and speak truth into their lives regarding their identity in Christ. And coworkers. I work with an amazing team of people who are committed to providing a safe, caring environment for students. We take our work seriously and know how to laugh and celebrate life together.

Why ACU

After working as a youth and family minister in Beaumont, Texas, our family moved to Abilene so I could earn my master’s degree. During those two years, we became very attached to life in Abilene and at ACU, so I applied for an open position at the counseling center, and the rest is history. I get to work at a place that is focused on educating students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world. Not everyone has the opportunity to work somewhere with such a high calling.

Mission Moments

• More than 20 years ago I served as adviser for the student-led Spring Break Campaigns committee. I recall meeting with the committee the week after we had more than 500 students go to 35 destinations to serve for a week. We reflected on months of hard work preparing student leaders, developing budgets and training regimens, recruiting students to participate – all of it. I saw the looks on their faces as they realized what they had accomplished, and as they realized how they put to practical and immediate use the things they were being taught in the classroom. It was amazing to have the privilege of working alongside them throughout the entire experience.

• The “aha moment” I’ve had with countless students where I’m talking to them about their identity and life purpose in Christ, and I see their eyes light up when they lean into the truth that they are who Jesus says they are, rather than all the things culture has told them. 

JEREMY ENLOW

Image Makers

Ann Varner

Senior Associate Director of Student Financial Services

Outstanding Staff 2024

What I Do

Depending on the day, I could be answering questions from Wildcat Central; answering emails and calls from faculty, staff, admissions counselors and colleagues; packaging and awarding financial aid; adjusting awards; sending award letters; awarding scholarships, etc. I have a range of responsibilities.

My Philosophy

The student is the ultimate end goal of everything we do. Is this the best thing for the student? Is this the best way to handle a particular situation? What will get the information out to the student in the most efficient manner? Ultimately, I would love to be able to send students out to change the world without a heavy debt

Years at ACU 23

hanging over their heads. That’s not always a reality with some of them, but I hope, in this aspect, that students would leave equipped with how to handle their debt without it crippling them in a career search. I want them to leave with a good overall feel and view of ACU in all aspects, even the hard things such as financials.

Best Part of the Job

I have always enjoyed watching the pieces of the financial aid puzzle come together for the benefit of a student. I love collaborating with our campus faculty and staff partners to help a student who is trying to make things work. It’s a bit nerdy, but over the years I have enjoyed becoming familiar with the political side of federal financial aid programs and watching how things unfold in Washington, D.C.

Why ACU

The theatre department was courting my husband for a couple

of years, and after completing his sabbatical requirements at a previous school, we were finally able to make the move. [Gary Varner taught in ACU’s Department of Theatre for 22 years, retiring in 2018, and continues to serve as adjunct faculty.] When I was a student at Oklahoma Christian University, a group of us came to ACU to visit friends one Thanksgiving, and I thought Abilene was the most desolate place I’d ever seen, and I said I’d never live here. So I’m convinced the good Lord kept that in his back pocket and eventually brought us here. It was the best move we ever made.

Mission Moments

I had a student come to me who needed a large loan to pay for a semester program in New York. I told him it might not be the best idea to go because of the amount of loan he would need to borrow. He desperately wanted to go, though, so we went through all the things and what it would look like when he graduated and started repayment. He called me 15 years later just to tell me he had made his last payment and was debt free. He said he couldn’t have done it without me, which is obviously not the case, but I was thrilled for him and what he was able to accomplish. 

Read about Image Makers

Shannon (Buchanan ’07) Kaczmarek, Ryan Bowman (’06), and Terry Smith in the bonus coverage online by scanning the QR Code or visiting acu.edu/acutoday

JEREMY ENLOW

BONUS COVERAGE

Shannon (Buchanan ’07)

Kaczmarek Dean of Community Living and Wellness

What I Do

A typical day involves several meetings with various partners on campus. I work closely with the Student Life leadership team and meet with several students weekly. There is often an after-hours component via phone calls or emails that need responses. My days are full of connection, relationships, strategic planning, evaluation of methods and outcomes, student care, and joyful interactions. There is an element of crisis management to my role most weeks and some work that involves budgets, emails, policy and reports.

My Philosophy

Years16atACU

lives and is an extension of who we are with family, friends and community. I see myself as a part of the mission of ACU by being a committed partner for co-curricular learning, promoting out-of-classroom learning and growth in environments that foster resilience and safety.

My work philosophy is closely tied to the mission statement and core values of the Residence Life office:

Core Values: We believe every person is created in the image of God and that they deserve a safe home where they can belong and grow.

Mission Statement: We provide students with opportunities to grow in a safe, inclusive and relational home.

In addition, I believe in showing up on behalf of students and their experience, and contributing to a campus culture of belonging. I believe our work has integration with our personal

Best Part of the Job

I love being around young adults and the formative stage of life they are in. I find myself constantly changed by students, inspired by them, humbled by them and ready to fight for their cause. I love the variety of my work, the diverse humans I get to work with and for, and the integration of my faith in my job. I love my colleagues, the culture of our office, and the way it feels like a form of family is created through shared mission and work.

Mission Moments

A few years ago, we had a suicidal student return to the residence hall intoxicated and intent on

killing herself. Our on-call system was alerted, and soon we had ACU Police, a counselor and our resident director present. As the senior staff member on call that week, I was notified and arrived to help. After another hour of working with the student, it was clear that she was planning to harm herself if she was allowed to leave, so she was admitted to a nearby psychiatric hospital. I rode in the car with her, stayed with her through the admissions process and visited her a few times before she was released. She and I met regularly for the rest of that year, in addition to counseling appointments and other support from the ACU community. For the next two years, I continued to meet with her a few times each semester. She graduated in May 2023 and is working with a nonprofit now and earning her master’s degree. I was honored to be present and take an active helping role during a lifethreatening moment. 

Image Makers

Ryan Bowman (’06) Director of Multicultural Affairs

What I Do

Years at ACU 13

A typical day involves overseeing students in various roles, including managing student organizations, resolving conflicts and addressing crises. My overarching objective is to positively influence students, guiding them to reflect the image of Christ. Primarily, I focus on supporting students of color, aiding their transition into university life by facilitating community connections and fostering their professional and spiritual growth.

My Philosophy

My philosophy behind my work is to inspire students so impactfully that they will be convinced to mirror that same inspiration within themselves. Christ’s mission is one of salvation and spiritual development. My goal is to mimic that mission in my personal life as well as encourage the next generation to do the same.

Best Part of the Job

My favorite part of the job is watching students operate within their capability. Also, helping students see past their limitations and reach the apex of their potential is an inspiring aspect for me.

Mission Moments

Having students at Commencement greet me and tell me I was a vital part of their journey in preparation for the mission and assignment God has placed upon them. 

Terry Smith

Years15atACU

Part-time Aquatic Technician

Retired Mechanic

What I Do

When I worked full-time as a mechanic and aquatic technician, I routinely spent time working through a preventive maintenance equipment list and then doing repairs as needed, but always woven throughout my day would be times of prayer with coworkers who were struggling withsomething in their life. Mid-morning, I would go to the Money Center and perform water tests on our aquatic facilities and adjust pool equipment controllers to help maintain a safe environment for swimmers. Then it was back to the shop to continue maintaining the fleet. Scattered throughout most days would be times of discussion with those I worked with as they would come by with questions or comments about the scriptures.

On Thursdays I met with the electricians, and we spent an hour

studying from one of the books of the Bible. Then on Fridays I had two study groups – one for staff in Landscape and Grounds, including student employees, and I taught the Bible to a group of men from Central Plant.

My Philosophy

What I do comes from the apostle Paul’s encouragement to the church in Colossians 3:2224 – “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” ACU’s mission is to bring about spiritual growth in its students and in its people, and as a minister for the Church of Christ I see my role as one that can support that mission.

Best Part of the Job

In the 15 years I have been connected to this university, my favorite part of my job has always been the opportunity I was afforded to be a spiritual guide to those who worked with

me and in our neighboring ACU departments. Where in the public working world can a greater honor be available than to work for people who encourage you to help those around you to come to know the great God we serve?

Special Moments

I have so many memories, stories and examples from my time on the campus of ACU that it is hard to say which ones I treasure the most. But if I had to choose just one, it would be the day that I sat with Corey Ruff [associate vice president for operations], who hired me 13 years before. We were visiting about my upcoming retirement, and he told me where he was on a spiritual level when I first arrived at ACU, and where he was now, and how influential I had been on him, as well as many others. As we talked that day, the tears began to come from both of us. I am thankful to my God that he brought me here so I could share his love with a man I will always hold dear as a friend and brother in Christ. 

Image Makers

JEREMY ENLOW

Morlan Medal Award Reception Department of Teacher Education

Fall Summit: Anchor Point Dinner and Plenary Session

Gutenberg Celebration Department of Journalism and Mass Communication

Musical: Disney’s Freaky Friday

REUNIONS

Chapel in Moody

Make and Take in the Maker Lab

Scavenger Hunt

Carnival

ACU Sports Hall of Fame Celebration

Candlelight Devo

Musical: Disney’s Freaky Friday

Parade

Chapel in Moody

Class reunion lunches

Gameday tailgating

Wildcat football: ACU vs. Eastern Kentucky

Drone show, desserts and live music

Musical: Disney’s Freaky Friday

Reunion class lunches are on Saturday in the Campus Mall and The Quad after Homecoming Chapel. If your preferred class year is 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014 or 2019, or you’re a part of the Golden Anniversary Club (Class of 1974 and before), enjoy a barbecue lunch catered by The Shed Market and hang out with friends and classmates before heading over to tailgating and the football game at Wildcat Stadium. Learn more and register at acu.edu/homecoming

To see the full schedule of events, visit acu.edu/homecoming. THURSDAY OCTOBER 17 FRIDAY OCTOBER 18 SATURDAY OCTOBER 19 SUNDAY OCTOBER 20

ACU Choirs Homecoming Concert and Reception

Musical: Disney’s Freaky Friday

t consider this work my life’s mission,” says Fred Asare (’09 M.A.C.M.), of the vital services, including medical care and education, he’s helped provide to local children and community members in Ghana, West Africa, for nearly 30 years.

Asare is the group managing director of Village of Hope, a multifaceted nonprofit organization based in Ghana’s Central Region. With a philosophy that the orphaned children served by Village of Hope should experience the same quality of life and education as his own children, Asare has committed his life to helping the organization grow and sustain itself.

His involvement with Village of Hope has roots in his childhood: He became a Christian at age 11 through World Bible School correspondence courses and was often asked to help with translation when American missionaries and teachers came to Ghana. He also learned American Sign Language, which is used in Ghana, leading to many years of deaf ministry in Accra and the nearby city of Tema.

In 1989, American missionary Jerry Reynolds and two Ghanaian evangelists, Emmanuel Asante and Christian Nsoah, bought a piece of land in Ayawaso, an area of Ghana’s capital city of Accra, with the intent of building a children’s home. The land soon became tied up in a court case, halting construction on the children’s home for five years.

BY KATIE NOAH GIBSON

After the conclusion of the court case, Reynolds handed oversight of the project to the Traverse City (Michigan) Church of Christ. Asare was hired to oversee the completion of the construction and the founding of the children’s home. “We brought in eight children in February 1996 to get it started,” he remembers, “along with a married couple who worked as the house parents. That was the beginning.”

By 2001, Village of Hope had expanded from the original house to four cottages: the one in Ayawaso and three in Tema, a port city east of Accra. The work eventually moved to Fetteh, in the Central Region of Ghana, where the organization bought 25 acres of land.

“Whenever a need arose, we would start a new ministry to meet that need,” Asare explains, charting the growth of Village of Hope from those original cottages today’s multifaceted organization. Asare adds that the orphans often had no access to high-quality education. Wanting something better for their students, the staff decided to start an elementary school. “We wanted to make sure our kids had a chance to make it to high school,” Asare says.

In Ghana, elementary schools serve students through ninth grade, when students sit for a national exam to determine their admission to high school. The teachers in Fetteh often had little supervision, and the Village of

Asare

BRANDI JO DELONY

Hope students needed a better, more consistent education to have a chance at going to high school. Village of Hope founded its first school, Hope Christian Academy, in 2002 and has since added another elementary school, Hope Ridge School, and a high school, Hope College. Asare’s wife, Faustina, served as head teacher of Hope Christian Academy’s preschool department for nearly 20 years, until she was promoted in 2021 to managing director of the academy.

“Since we started, every single student in our schools has made it to high school,” says Asare, whose four children have all attended the Village of Hope schools. “We want to make it the best,” he says. “My philosophy has been that if it’s not good enough for my children, it’s not good enough for anybody’s child. The orphans have a right to not only have an education, but the best education. That’s been our philosophy all along.”

The Village of Hope ministries now include the two elementary schools (which serve students through ninth grade), the high school and a vocational school, in addition to the hospital and two children’s homes. “God has blessed the work, and it has grown,” Asare says. “Our dream is to have a university here, on the land we have received from a local chief. We want to see how we can expand university

Christian education to the people of Ghana and beyond.”

Asare’s own experience with Christian higher education informs his passion for this dream. To assist in his work with deaf people, he attended the National Bible Institute in Accra (later Heritage Christian University College) to earn a bachelor’s degree in ministry.

“I needed ministry training,” he explains. “My first degree was in business administration. I majored in banking and finance, but I never worked a single day in a bank.”

Asare eventually began teaching ministry and preaching courses at Heritage Christian (which he still does) and came to ACU as a graduate student through a scholarship program established by the two universities.

“My experience at ACU was life-changing,” says Asare, who found the environment at ACU vastly different from the British-influenced university system he was familiar with in Ghana. “I found professors in Abilene who were genuinely interested in their students’ lives, who cared about us as human beings.”

He recalls regular meetings with his mentorship group and hours spent in professors’ offices, discussing assignments but also sharing his dreams for ministry.

“They wanted their students to succeed,” he says of

BRANDI JO DELONY BRANDI JO DELONY

the Bible faculty at ACU, “and they truly lived the Christian life.” Asare vividly remembers his first Thanksgiving in the U.S., which he spent at the home of Dr. Tim Sensing and his wife, Laura. “They were so kind and generous,” Asare says. “I also found the atmosphere on campus to be friendly. I was a foreigner, I had come from far away – but everyone was helpful.”

Since his return to Ghana, Asare has hosted occasional groups of ACU students and faculty, who have worked in Village of Hope ministries, including the schools and the hospital. As the ministry continues to grow, Village of Hope welcomes support from individuals and institutions, both in Africa and stateside, who are willing to partner with them in the work. In 2021, he was named ACU’s Outstanding Alumnus of the Year, in recognition of his lifetime of ministry through Village of Hope.

“I see this work as a calling,” Asare says. “It is a responsibility from God that I have to fulfill: to save the lost, to serve people and to serve humanity. If that’s what God wants me to do, then I will spend my life doing that.” 

Fred Asare’s work with Village of Hope Is just one of several ACU connections to the West African country of

bilene Christian students, faculty and alumni have been sharing their skills with ministries there and learning from the people of that nation for several decades.

In 2002, a group of staff and faculty from ACU traveled to Accra to visit the National Bible Institute (forerunner of Heritage Christian College) and discuss possibilities for accreditation and partnerships. Faculty from ACU’s College of Biblical Studies returned as visiting instructors for several subsequent years and later taught graduate extension courses there as well. Dr. Samuel Twumasi-Ankrah (’00 M.A.R.) is now president of the college.

For the past three years, ACU pre-law students have traveled to Accra over Spring Break in partnership with the Sudreau Global Justice Institute at Pepperdine University’s Caruso School of Law and Allan Collier (’87), the institute’s director of West Africa. As part of an externship course in legal studies, the students shadowed attorneys, visited jails, met with members of Ghana’s Supreme Court and learned about the country’s justice system.

“It’s been a really eye-opening opportunity,” says Chris Riley, J.D. (’00), ACU’s pre-law advisor, about the annual trips. “Experiencing another country’s judicial system can motivate students to get more involved in criminal defense work. The experience also helps them understand how the law can impact people who truly need help and who may not have access to advocacy or representation.”

Creating access to necessary resources is also a goal for Jack Oduro (’17), a native of Ghana who has spent much of his life involved with Ateiku Christian Ministries. Ateiku serves rural communities by digging water wells and providing high-quality education, medical care and ministry training. Like Village of Hope, Oduro says, the ministry has expanded to meet needs as they arise in the local communities.

“We are a holistic ministry,” Oduro says of the work, which is partly spearheaded by his parents, Lawrence and Patience Oduro. “Our vision is to make disciples, and we also want to meet people’s physical needs in as sustainable a way as possible.”

Oduro has partnered with ACU’s College of Business Administration on various projects involving different areas of Ateiku’s ministry. COBA students, working with Dr. Jim Litton (’01), have helped create a business model for a planned 160-acre farm run by Ateiku and also helped plant the farm’s first crop of rice. Students of Dr. Sarah Easter (’06) are consulting on a go-to-market strategy for the farm, and various groups from Abilene have visited Ateiku to share their skills in health care, evangelism and other areas.

Litton is associate professor of entrepreneurship and director of the Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy, and Easter is associate professor of management sciences.

“I get to be an ambassador for my community,” Oduro says of his role. “We’re asking the question: How do we lift people out of poverty – physically and spiritually? We’re looking to take care of the whole person.” Both ministries are building bridges, not only between body and soul, but from Abilene to Ghana – and back again. 

Village of Hope ministries includes two elementary schools, a high school, a vocational school, a hospital and two children’s homes. Asare’s four children attended the Village of Hope schools.

The Village of Hope campus

BRANDI JO DELONY

Hometown son Shelton Gibbs IV brings law and ministry expertise to his principled public service in Texas’ 422nd U.S. District Court

BY RON HADFIELD

The wheels of justice may not turn as fast as some litigants and other legal system participants would like, but all the trains run on time in the courtroom of Hon. Shelton Gibbs IV, J.D. (’02), where he sets the pace.

“I don’t believe in wasting time, in starting a second late,” said Gibbs, who oversees the state 422nd District Court in Kaufman, Texas, and was ACU’s 2021 Young Alumnus of the Year. “I try to be at the courtroom door when it turns 9 a.m and again at 1:30. I tell my staff, ‘Take as much time as we need to get to the right resolution but not a minute more. We don’t want to waste people’s time.”

Gibbs, a former political science major and Jack Pope Fellow who has been an ACU trustee since 2021, insists his staff follows his own version of a PIE principle: polite, informed and efficient. “I tell people it doesn’t cost anything to smile and be courteous. People don’t know how to necessarily navigate the court system, so to the extent that we can, we should help them do that.”

He is a respected lifelong member of the community in Kaufman County, which sits 33 miles southeast of Dallas and includes 145,000 people in 16 cities.

“I’m just thankful for my supporters,” he told The Kaufman Herald in July 2020, following the election, which made him the first Black state district judge in its history. “It was them. We had angels all over the county. … It was a true grassroots campaign. I just happened to be the face of it.”

Gibbs is a native of Terrell, where he lives with his wife, Toni Francine Gibbs, and three children.

He graduated from Terrell High School and earned an associate

“Shelton is a great combination of character, courage and humility.” – Dr. Gary McCaleb

degree from nearby Southwestern Christian College (2000) before enrolling at ACU to complete his bachelor’s. He earned a J.D. degree from Southern Methodist University (2005) and served 13 years as assistant district attorney and chief felony prosecutor for the 86th District Court.

“Kaufman County is where I grew up,” said Gibbs, who wanted from sixth grade to be an attorney. “However, I’m not the kind of person who is always seeking advancement. This door opened, not because I was seeking to open the door myself.”

He and Francine are active in the community but another sizable layer of responsibility on Shelton’s crowded plate is his role as family life minister at the Greenville Avenue Church of Christ in Dallas, where his father, Shelton Gibbs III, is retired minister.

As a fourth-generation minister whose family tree has many evangelists who have preached the Gospel around the world,

Francine and Shelton Gibbs

Gibbs is as comfortable in a pulpit as a courtroom.

“Judges have to be hard working and know more than the lawyers before them, and that seemed to describe Shelton ‘to a T,’ ” recalled Dr. Neal Coates (’87), ACU professor and chair of government and criminal justice who said Gibbs, even from his days as a student, was determined not to disappoint his family, himself or God.

“Shelton is one of the most disciplined persons I know,” Coates said. “From his waking moments, he schedules his entire day, to maximize his time as a judge, minister and for family. But that is not the order he would think of it.”

His former professor said Gibbs’ order is husband first, then father, then minister, then judge.

“Without that sacrificial and time-managed ordering of his life,” Coates said, “it would be difficult to accomplish excellence in everything, and his children and congregants see this every day and every week.”

Gibbs said he hopes his deep faith influences every aspect of his life, yet inside the courtroom, not conflict with his work as a judge.

“It doesn’t matter in court if I agree with your religious view. This is not the church but a place where everyone has to have equal justice,” Gibbs said. “You may not hear a sermon, but my hope is you will feel the difference and experience the difference because of who I am trying to be each day.”

Gibbs counts Dr. Gary McCaleb (’64), vice president emeritus of the university, as a continuing major mentoring influence in his life.

“Shelton is a great combination of character, courage and humility,” said McCaleb. “He is willing to be bold, but is also a good listener. I’m so glad he is on the Board of Trustees. He is such a great person to represent ACU.” 

2024 NANCY MILLER

ACU’s Dale and Rita Brown

Outlive Your Life Award takes its name from Outlive Your Life: You Were Made to Make a Difference, the 2011 book by minister and best-selling Christian author Max Lucado (’77). The award is designed to recognize all types of servant leadership, including civic and community contributions, meeting spiritual or physical needs, producing changes with generational impact, helping redirect the course of people’s lives, and inspiring others to make an eternal difference. Recipients may be alumni or friends of the university.

BY RON HADFIELD KAMRYN KELLEY

or someone initially determined not to follow her family’s footsteps to a teaching career, Nancy Miller’s apple did not fall far from its tree.

The daughter of a teacher and sibling of two others, Miller (’60) reimagined her plans after her first year of college and forged a differencemaking life in a life-changing ministry.

ACU’s 2024 recipient of the Dale and Rita Brown Outlive Your Life Award is president emeritus of Christian Homes & Family Services. And she is actually a model educator. Her four-decade-long career at the Abilene agency has won the community’s admiration and taught others how to build bridges benefitting young women with unplanned pregnancies, and children in need.

Unsure of her major after just one year at ACU, she took a year off to live and work in Austin, Texas. Following that time of self-reflection, she came back to earn a degree in elementary education like her sister, Mary Lou (Miller ’57) Fikes

While teaching in Wichita, Kansas, she also tutored at Maude Carpenter’s Children’s Home (now Carpenter Place), followed by a year as a school psychologist in Mason City, Iowa. “I saw what it was like for children to not have parents, or be neglected by them,” Miller said. “I discovered I had a feel for teaching but preferred working with individuals rather than groups.”

She added a master’s degree in psychology in 1964, a year before Carpenter Place hired her as director of social services. She returned to Abilene in 1970 in that same role for the then-fledgling Christian Homes ministry started by Highland Church of Christ.

Being director of social services at a small agency meant administering myriad tasks, including the adoption and foster care programs, as well as adoptive studies, the critical visits evaluating potential willing parents. Miller thrived in those roles, built a dedicated team of staff and volunteers, and was a trailblazer of the unique maternity services provided by Christian Homes. Over her 40-year career as executive director and eventually president, 2,180 birthmothers received free maternity care during unplanned pregnancies, foster parents provided for 1,139 children and 1,419 children were placed for adoption.

Many of the children grew up in homes of ACU alumni, and it continues to thrill Miller to see the generational impact on those families as well as at her alma mater.

An anonymous donor in 2009 established the Nancy Miller Endowed Scholarship to benefit ACU students who have, according to the benefactor’s gift agreement, “made the courageous and loving decision to give up their birth child or children for adoption, and to students who were placed for adoption as children under such circumstances.”

Known as a genuine and sacrificial servant-leader at Christian Homes, she retired in 2010 after four decades as a pacesetter in her field, including service as president of the Texas Association of Services to Children. On campus, she has been a member since 1969 of Women for Abilene Christian University, the fundraising organization she led as president for 14 years.

In 1987 she became a pioneer in Kiwanis International as one of the first women elected to membership in its 72-year history. She eventually became a board member, vice president and twice the president (1993-94 and 2017-18) of the Kiwanis Club of Abilene, and twice was voted governor of the Texas-Oklahoma Kiwanis district (2001-02 and 2008-09).

“I love being in Kiwanis because it wants to help children,” she said of the organization dedicated to “improving the world one child and one community at a time.”

“Nancy paved the way for women to take public leadership roles in Church of Christ ministries,” said Sherri (Todd ’81) Statler, president and CEO of today’s Christian Homes. “She inspired church members to open their hearts, homes and families to women with unplanned pregnancies. She recognized the innate instinct believers have to love and welcome children as Jesus did. In the 1970s and ’80s, when so many men were building and expanding the work and influence of Abilene Christian, Nancy encouraged their spouses to take the lead in building and expanding our unique ministry.”

A chorus of grateful children and families could speak to the reach of Miller’s influence, opening doors of loving homes to those who need them most. 

Nancy Miller was ACU’s 1997 Outstanding Alumna of the Year and received a Distinguished Alumni Citation in 1982.

KAMRYN KELLEY

M New A Whole

oments after a two-run double lifted the Wildcat baseball team to an 11-10 win in its final home game of 2024 on a Saturday afternoon in mid-May, the players celebrated in right field the conclusion of another successful regular season.

Their season would continue – in Mesa, Arizona, as the No. 2 seed at the Western Athletic Conference Tournament – though their work at Crutcher Scott Field was over.

But for the ballpark itself, work was only just beginning.

Two days later, crews rolled onto campus to begin construction on a major renovation that will dramatically improve the collegiate baseball experience for student-athletes and fans alike.

“ACU baseball has experienced an incredible upward trajectory on and off the field under head coach Rick McCarty’s leadership,” said Zack Lassiter, vice president for athletics. “I believe this significant facility investment will allow that momentum to

Crutcher Scott Field renovation will match baseball program’s growing aspirations

BY JONATHAN SMITH

continue and provide an environment where our student-athletes can grow in their faith, reach their potential in the classroom and compete for championships on the field.”

Phase I of the multiphase project is already under construction and will include significant upgrades to the student-athlete experience, including a team clubhouse, training room, meeting/film room, nutrition center and dugout. It will also include coaches’ offices, a community courtyard, LED lighting and new turf.

Student-athletes and coaches aren’t the only ones who will benefit from the renovated facility, however.

Architectural rendering from the northwest of ACU’s planned new baseball stadium

“Every part of the fan experience will be upgraded,” Lassiter said.

For the Wildcat faithful, one new feature may rise above the others – literally. Atop the renovations, a pavilion will provide shade to much of the new chairback seating behind home plate and along the eastfacing first-base side, offering shelter from the hot West Texas sun as the regular season stretches into May each year.

A new entry plaza will welcome fans into the ballpark, and an expanded, centrally located concessions area behind home plate will provide more convenient access than was previously available. Above the concessions area, a new press box will overlook the field.

Phase I construction will extend from behind home plate to beyond the edge of the infield dirt along the first base line.

Further down the right field line, the Gilbreth-Scott Teamroom – completed in 1997 and refurbished in 2019 – and the Bonneau Family Indoor Hitting Facility, completed in 2006, will remain.

Phase I will cost about $17 million and will be completed in time for the 2025 season.

Future phase

Plans also call for a second phase – though it would be completed during a future offseason once it receives approval and completes fundraising. This phase would add a covered team pitching area underneath newly constructed seating along the third-base line as well as a new visiting team dugout. The current dugout and seating along the third-base side will remain until that time.

All told, both phases of the renovation are projected to cost just under $20 million.

Lassiter said he’s excited for the baseball program and fans to have the same experience that student-athletes and the ACU community have come to enjoy at new and upgraded facilities like Wildcat Stadium and Moody Coliseum.

More than 25 lead donors have stepped forward to make Phase I possible as planning and fundraising for future phases continue.

“It has been great to see so much support from the ACU family and our alumni,” McCarty said. “So many people have stepped up to make the vision a reality. I can’t wait to see the impact this project will have on our program and university in the years to come.”

Crutcher Scott Field’s legacy

Crutcher Scott Field was more than a new home for the Wildcats when it opened in February 1991; it ushered in the return of baseball to the ACU campus. The program was shuttered in 1979 and remained dormant throughout the 1980s.

As the university was preparing to relaunch the program in 1990, it got a boost from Major League Baseball strikeout king Nolan Ryan. Ryan, the friend and former MLB teammate of Bill Gilbreth (’69) – the former Wildcat pitcher and coach of the revived ACU baseball program – lent his legendary name to the fundraising effort for the Wildcats and their new stadium.

Crutcher Scott Field – named for A.C. “Crutcher” Scott (’24), an Abilene oilman, city council member, ACU Sports Hall of Famer and a university trustee for almost 40 years before his death in 1979 – originally opened in February 1991, though not all facilities around the playing surface were complete. Fans watched the first game – a 2-1 win over Tarleton State – from flatbed trailers brought in to serve as stands. Permanent bleachers and lights were added in 1992.

The venue was upgraded later that decade and also hosted an independent league baseball team – the Abilene Prairie Dogs played there from 1995-99.

The ballpark has received several other upgrades over the years. The field was converted to artificial turf in 2016, and a high-definition video board debuted in 2022. But time and the growing aspirations of the program paved the way for this renovation.

Just as the ballpark’s opening once heralded a new era of ACU baseball on campus, the latest renovations come as the program looks to take its next leap – with eyes toward a conference championship and the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.

For the Wildcats, that road to Omaha starts at home. 

Team clubhouse / locker room

New Heights

Campus sees fruits of record-breaking generosity as Higher Ground campaign enters final year

BY JONATHAN SMITH

With each gift, the Higher Ground campaign charts new territory.

After surpassing its original $250 million goal last summer with two years to go on the timeline, total commitments stand at more than $286.5 million as of July 10. But that doesn’t mean the largest campaign in university history is winding down early.

As the campaign enters its final year, Dan Macaluso, vice president for advancement, said the university will continue to build support for several remaining priorities and explore emerging opportunities – such as the Crutcher Scott Field renovation (read more on pages 20-21).

With about one year to go before wrapping up in Summer 2025, here are a few campaign successes and milestones celebrated so far in 2024.

Renovated Sikes reopens as Mabee Hall

Phase 3 of the Freshman Village project wrapped up this summer with the reopening of the former Sikes Hall – now called Mabee Hall, in recognition of a $5 million grant from the J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation.

The renovation includes a 7,000-square-foot, three-level addition on the building’s west side to expand common spaces.

The Freshman Village project has been a major initiative of the Higher Ground campaign, beginning with the openings of Bullock Hall in Fall 2021 and Wessel Hall in Fall 2023.

With freshman housing consolidated along East North 16th Street, the original Mabee Hall, which housed most freshman men since 1953, was permanently closed this summer (see pages 2-3 for a look back at 71 years of history for the hall).

ACU Gives breaks records

Donors came through in a big way during the annual ACU Gives event April 23-24, when Wildcats around the world contributed more than $920,000 from more than 1,850 gifts.

The 2024 record-breaking totals represented a 38% increase over last year.

This year, ACU Gives featured 40 different funds for people to donate to, including support for academic programs, scholarships, missions opportunities, experiential learning, athletics programs and more.

“The beautiful thing about ACU Gives is watching our entire community come together for a common purpose,” Macaluso said. “While gifts are invested in many programs across ACU, every dollar given goes directly to supporting our mission and future Wildcats.”

Generous donors recognized

The university created a new giving society this year – the Jacob’s Dream Society, which borrows its name from the iconic sculpture on campus – to recognize those who have given $1 million or more to ACU during their lifetimes.

This inaugural class of 86 individuals – many of whom began with just a $10 gift to ACU – was honored at a reception in April.

“There is nothing small about any amount of giving in service to others,” ACU president Dr. Phil Schubert (’91) said, “and it started them on the path of selfless generosity that grew into so much more.”

All told, honorees have committed more than $340 million to ACU in their lifetimes, and their generosity has played an integral role in the Higher Ground campaign as well as past fundraising success. 

New Mabee Hall

Selections of books published by Abilene Christian University or those written, edited, compiled or contributed by ACU alumni, faculty, staff and students.

Native Texan

STORIES FROM DEEP IN THE HEART

By Joe Holley (’68)

ISBN 978-1595349453 • 162 pages tupress.org

A new book by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Holley reprises 30 of his favorite “Native Texan” columns from the Houston Chronicle, with stories recounted from meeting small-town and big-city Texans from all walks of life.

Texas Lithographs: A Century of History in Images

By Dr. Ron Tyler (’64)

ISBN 978-1477326084 • 640 pages utpress.utexas.edu

Tyler, former longtime director of the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, has assembled artwork from 1818-1900, many created by outsiders and newcomers promoting investment and settlement in Texas. The book received the 2024 Kate Broocks Bates Award for Historical Research from the Texas State Historical Association.

Exit Wounds

A VIETNAM ELEGY

By Lanny Hunter, M.D. (’58)

ISBN 979-8200905096 • 305 pages blackstonepublishing.com

Hunter’s memoir recounts in gritty detail how he served as a physician assigned to U.S. Special Forces in 1965-66, treating the injured on both sides of the Vietnam war, and befriending his interpreter, Y-Kre Mlo. The two men formed an unlikely but deep friendship over the rest of their lives. Exit Wounds is a deeply personal account of war and the scars it leaves.

Story, Ritual, Prophecy, Wisdom

READING AND TEACHING THE BIBLE TODAY

By Dr. Mark Hamilton (’90 M.Div.) and Samjung Kang-Hamilton (’88 M.R.E.)

ISBN 978-0802883186 • 240 pages eerdmans.com

The Bible contains story, ritual, wisdom and prophecy because the church needs those four modes of communication for its spiritual life. By examining the Bible’s primary theological concerns and conclusions, and imitating its key spiritual practices, the church can find spiritual renewal on behalf of the world. This book, based on a course the couple has team-taught for 20 years as members of ACU’s theology faculty, explores the nature of the church’s interaction with Scripture as a process of spiritual formation.

The BOOKCASE

If the Boot Fits

By Karen (Gaskin ’93) Witemeyer

ISBN 978- 0764240423 • 368 pages • bethanyhouse.com

What’s a girl to do when the most interesting man at her matrimonial ball isn’t one of the bachelors her father invited? Hunt him down, of course, using the only clue at her disposal – the boot he left behind. Witemeyer’s latest Christian romance novel is a fun, western twist on Cinderella.

Something to Fear

FDR AND THE FOUNDATIONS OF AMERICAN INSECURITY, 1912-1945

By Dr. Randal Fowler and Dr. Ira Chernus

ISBN 978-0700635641 • 344 pages • kansaspress.ku.edu

Something to Fear shows how FDR’s response to the Great Depression, the debates over intervention and World War II left a rhetorical legacy that often stressed insecurity. Fowler is assistant professor of communication at ACU.

Missional Life in Practice and Theory

ESSAYS IN HONOR OF GAILYN VAN RHEENEN

Edited by Dr. Chris Flanders (’89) and Greg McKinzie

ISBN 978-1954943988 • 215 pages • wipfandstock.com

Longtime ministry mentor Van Rheenen (’74 M.S.) is professor emeritus of missions and Flanders is professor of missions at ACU.

Negotiation Made Simple

A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS, BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND DELIVERING THE DEAL

By John Lowry, J.D. (’00 M.A.R.)

ISBN 978-1400336326 • 240 pages • amazon.com

Lowry’s book, a volume in the Made Simple Series, is a useful and comprehensive approach to negotiation that can springboard a career or a company, one deal at a time.

Brothers in Service

THROUGH THICK & THIN

By Lindy Bell (’81)

ISBN 978-1736560440 • 440 pages • amazon.com

Best friends – two firefighters and one police officer who are more like brothers – have always been there for each other, through thick and thin. Is their bond strong enough to weather the storms of life?

BOOKS FOR CHILDREN

Dancing With Diabetes

By Chelsea Hobson, RN (’20)

ISBN 978-1647047856 • 32 pages • amazon.com

The author’s own health journey gave insight into her children’s tale about 6-year-old Olivia, who finds a new friend, Kyle, who has Type 1 Diabetes, as she does. Their friendship helps create important life lessons.

Just in Case You Ever Feel Alone

By Max Lucado (’77)

978-1400236862 • 32 pages • thomasnelson.com

A follow-up to his popular Just In Case You Ever Wondered , Lucado’s comforting words reinforce the thought that no matter what happens – the good and bad, the firsts and lasts – children will never be separated from God and his unconditional love.

#ACU

Michael April 8

Although we didn’t get the full eclipse here in Abilene @ACUedu, it was still an incredible experience. And I had the cutest viewing partner with me. #Eclipse2024

Senator John Cornyn April 2

As our nation’s energy needs grow, innovation in cutting-edge energy solutions must grow too. It was great to see the new NEXT Lab at @ACUedu, including the future home of their molten salt nuclear reactor #GoWildcats #SoProud @ACUedu

We love our followers on social media. Here are just a few of the posts by and about Wildcats.

B. Jones Speaks Feb. 19

I had a good time as chapel speaker today at my alma mater @ACUedu

Heather Wyatt

January 31

Celebrating the World Series in the best way possible! Grateful for the amazing partnership between @ACUedu and @Rangers - bringing together the best of academia, baseball, and player development!

Brad Benham

April 6

Put your Sing Song face on! #acu #scratchemcats

rylee.layton April 10

Oh Dear Christian College, I love you so much!!! Thank you @ACUedu for the best 4 years imaginable!!! Following graduation, I am excited to start my career at Medical City Dallas as a Surgical Oncology Nurse! All glory to God for His perfect provision and plan.

zphess

March 29

Love being in NYC for work and seeing one of my favorite buddies from our time at @ACUedu, @thatbenjeffreyguy_1 after his performance as Pumbaa in The Lion King on Broadway! Super proud of this guy!

FALL ACU

NOTABLE BASKETBALL GAMES

NOV. 16 – Women’s Basketball vs. North Texas

NOV. 19 – Women’s Basketball at Texas Tech Lubbock

DEC. 9 – Men’s Basketball at Baylor • Waco

DEC. 28 – Men’s Basketball at Texas A&M College Station

HilltopVIEW

BY WENDY KILMER

NEXT Lab awarded new patent, construction permit expected in September

Research at ACU’s Nuclear Energy eXperimental Testing Laboratory (NEXT Lab) has led to the approval of a third patent as the team works toward deploying the Natura Resources-funded Molten Salt Research Reactor (MSRR).

In March, the U.S. Patent and Trademark office awarded ACU the patent for “identifying and quantifying components in a high-melting-point liquid,” after a five-year process of researching, developing and testing the idea and applying for the patent. The technology is critical to understanding the chemistry of molten salt reactors.

The official co-inventors are Dr. Kim Pamplin (’91), professor of chemistry and biochemistry and director of chemistry for NEXT Lab, and Tyler Cepica (’20), then a junior biochemistry major. Alli Mae (Bulkley ’20) Berry, then a senior chemistry major and now a full-time research scientist at NEXT Lab, was heavily involved in the research, and several other students also took part.

The nuclear energy research at ACU has led to two other patents, issued in 2020 and 2023.

Natura Resources is the leading advanced reactor developer of liquid-fueled reactors and is sponsoring NEXT Lab. In addition

to ACU, Natura has brought together expertise from other universities – including Texas A&M, Texas and The Georgia Institute of Technology – and commercial partners to design, license and deploy the Natura Resources MSR-1. The reactor will

100%

Pass rate for ACU’s School of Nursing on the National Council Licensure Examination, one of six Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs in Texas to achieve a perfect pass rate.

The value of ACU’s net assets as of November 2023. The university reached the billion-dollar milestone, thanks in part to the generosity of donors during the Higher Ground campaign, as well as the outstanding performance of Abilene Christian’s endowment.

$1 billion

NEXT Lab research engineers Sean Rolan (left) and Walter Phillips work on the Natura Resources-sponsored Molten Salt Test System.

be constructed in the Gayle and Max Dillard Science and Engineering Research Center at ACU.

In addition, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) announced it will complete the safety assessment and construction permit issuance for the project by Sept. 30. Natura’s 1 megawatt thermal molten salt reactor system is the first liquid-fueled molten salt reactor design ever reviewed by the NRC, and issuance of a construction permit in September will enable the Natura team to begin fabrication.

“This groundbreaking research has applications not only for clean energy but for clean water and the production of needed medical isotopes. We’re thrilled to see how this technology will bless people around the world,” said ACU president Dr. Phil Schubert (’91). 

To learn more about NEXT Lab, visit acu.edu/NEXT.

New trustees named to board

bilene Christian added two new members to its Board of Trustees in January: Kate (Petty ’91) Dalton and Kelly (Stites ’91) Shewmaker. Dalton earned a degree in accounting, and she worked in Texas and Connecticut as a CPA and a financial analyst before moving to part-time work with her own accounting business while raising two children with her husband, Dr. Carter Dalton (’91) She has also been active in nonprofit work for the last 25 years as a volunteer, fundraiser and board member with the Junior League of Little Rock, Arkansas; Little Rock Christian Academy; the Athletic Booster Board for Little Rock Christian Academy; the 20th Century Club Lodge; and the 20th Century Club Women’s Organization. She recently helped raise funds to honor her parents, Dr. Bill (’64) and Donna (Guinn ’64) Petty, with the renovation and naming of the atrium in the Mabee Business Building.

Shewmaker has also stayed involved with her alma mater, serving as president of the Alumni Advisory Board as well as a member of the President’s Venture Council and the College of Business Administration Strategy Development Committee. She and her husband, David Shewmaker (’92), live in Leawood, Kansas, and recently launched a payment processing business in Europe. After graduating from ACU, Kelly worked as a CPA in the KPMG offices in Dallas; Washington, D.C.; and Warsaw, Poland. She later was director of strategic planning and development for @Entertainment, a company operating satellite and cable television in Europe. She has served on the board of Elevate Metro KC, an organization focusing on life skills and character building in urban youth, and has worked in various volunteer roles in the Blue Valley School District and the local chapter of the National Charity League. 

A new speaker series, Big Country Conversations, hosted by ACU, launches Nov. 14, 2024, with guest speakers Karl Rove, former

$920,000

Amount contributed by alumni and friends in just 1,906 minutes as part of ACU Gives in April. The 2025 campaign will take place April 29-30.

White House deputy chief of staff, and Paul Begala, former White House chief strategist.

1906 MINUTES FOR ACU

Dalton

Shewmaker

Rove Begala

Students perform at Carnegie Hall, among other New York City trips

The ACU A Cappella Chorus traveled to New York City for a six-day concert tour over Spring Break that included a performance at Carnegie Hall, one of the world’s most historic venues for classical music.

Conducted by Dr. Jeff Goolsby (’01), associate professor of music and director of choral studies, the performance was part of MidAmerica Productions’ 40th concert season at Carnegie Hall and featured 175 singers from across the U.S.

As a guest conductor, Goolsby selected the repertoire and helped build the ensemble, which included singers from high school and college choirs, community chorus members, and choral directors. ACU vocal performance majors Poppy Teague and Corbin Gray sang solos, and Dr. Yuan-Hung Lin, ACU adjunct music faculty member and

collaborative pianist for the A Cappella Chorus, served as accompanist.

ACU’s 35-voice A Cappella Chorus also performed in two of the city’s beautiful neo-gothic churches – the Church of the Blessed Sacrament and the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, an iconic landmark in the city and the largest church structure in the U.S. Before the concert latter, the choir met with Kent Trittle, director of music and organist, for a clinic and a conversation about opportunities for professional musicians in New York City.

The A Cappella Chorus is an auditioned ensemble of students of music and non-music majors.

Established in 1932 by the late Dr. Leonard Burford (’25), it is the university’s premiere choral ensemble.

Other student groups were also in the Big Apple this spring. Theatre students showcased their talents to industry representatives, and a group of students and faculty from the Department of Art and Design visited graphic design firms and art museums. And eight students in ACU’s Dukes School of Finance –seven of whom are in the first cohort of the Dukes Scholars – were led on a New York City trip by Dr. Jonathan Stewart, professor of finance in the Dukes School, to visit some of the top financial institutions in the world and meet their leaders. 

Dr. Jeff Goolsby (‘01) and the A Cappella Chorus at Carnegie Hall with the New England Symphony Ensemble and soloists

The chorus also performed at the historic, Gothic-style Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, the largest church building in America. The choir is facing the nave of the church, with the great west rose window in the distance as well as an art installation called Divine Pathways.

KYLE DICKSON

KYLE DICKSON

CAMPUS VOICES

Former ACU football standout Kevin Washington (’11 M.A.), director of player development for The University of Texas football program, spoke March 4 in Chapel, participated in the “Welcome to ACU” podcast and addressed Lynay students.

Dr. Juan Mundel, an Argentine native who teaches at Arizona State University, headlined the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication’s 22nd annual Race and Media Colloquium. Mundel led students Feb. 10-11 in a discussion of effective marketing/advertising for Hispanic audiences.

Black History Month speakers included Dr. Brandon Jones (’06), director of student engagement, programming and partnerships at The University of Texas at Austin and student pastor at Greater Mt. Zion Church in Austin. Jones spoke to a Chapel audience about using God-given gifts to glorify the kingdom.

ACU’s NEXT Lab welcomed several visitors in the spring, including Nuclear Regulatory Commission members David Wright and Annie Caputo, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, U.S. Rep. Brandon Williams and several members of the Texas Advanced Nuclear Reactor Working Group, which operates within the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

Speakers at the College of Business Administration’s annual Leadership Summit in Glen Eyrie, Colorado, included Serge Gasore (’09), founder of Rwanda Children; Tonya Carruthers, chief human resources officer at Pro Football Focus; Tim Goeglein, vice president of external and government relations for Focus on the Family; Tony Roach (’01), chief customer officer at Southwest Airlines; and ACU trustees Elise (Smith ’83) Mitchell, pictured here, and April (Bullock ’89) Anthony. Mitchell is an executive coach and advisor to founders and business owners, and Anthony – the university’s board chair – is chief executive officer at VitalCaring Group.

Singer-songwriter Chris Renzema performed April 16 in Moody Coliseum.

Dr. Phil McGraw, television host and New York Times bestselling author, spoke April 30 with a group of ACU trustees, friends and donors at the Vaquero Club in Westlake, Texas.

Bob Goff, New York Times bestselling author and founder of the Love Does organization, spoke April 1 at the annual President’s Circle Dinner about the important role a Christian education plays in shaping the identities of students.

ACU Press hosted two authors on campus April 4: Dr. Don McLaughlin, preaching minister at North Atlanta (Georgia) Church of Christ, and Dr. Rubel Shelly, teaching minister at Harpeth Hills Church of Christ in Brentwood, Tennessee. McLaughlin discussed his book Love First: Ending Hate Before It’s Too Late, and Shelly spoke about two recent books: The Ink is Dry and Male and Female God Created Them

Todd Lollar (’01 M.S.), founding executive director of Mobilize Ministries, spoke April 8 in Chapel on his book, Weak is the New Strong Lollar received ACU’s Distinguished Alumni Citation in 2021.

Dr. Christopher W. Cobbler Sr., executive director of the Center for Vocational Formation and dean of vocational formation at ACU Dallas, gave the charge to the graduate class at May Commencement. Michael Miller (’99), founder and senior pastor of UPPERROOM, delivered the address at both undergraduate ceremonies.

KAMRYN KELLEY

PAUL WHITE

MO SADJADPOUR

M.C. JENNINGS

JOSH

HOLLWARTH

Academic NEWS

BY ROBIN SAYLOR

ACU Online expands to three colleges, adds new degrees

ACU Online’s College of Graduate and Professional Studies has expanded from a single college to three distinct colleges in response to a sustained period of rapid growth of its programs.

The new colleges are the College of Learning and Development, College of Health and Human Services, and College of Leadership and Professional Studies. The restructuring aims to group existing academic programs according to their respective areas of study, providing a more focused and specialized approach to education.

Two new graduate-level online programs were launched in the spring: a Master of Science in sports leadership and a Doctor of Education in educational leadership.

The Dallas campus also has initiated an innovative partnership

with Infosec, a globally recognized cybersecurity training company, to award academic credit for select Infosec boot camps, making a formal degree in cybersecurity more accessible.

ACU Online offers about 50 degrees at the undergraduate

Four students receive major scholarships

Three Abilene Christian University students were awarded grants to live and work abroad through the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program, and an ACU student was named a national Goldwater Scholar.

Erin Hodgson (’24), who graduated in May with a degree in political science, is serving as an English Teaching Assistant in Germany, and Ashlee Reed (’24), who graduated in May with a degree in communication, is serving as an English Teaching Assistant in Switzerland.

Macey Bridgeman (’24), who graduated in May with a degree in chemistry, is participating in another Fulbright program – the Canada-Mitacs Globalink Research Internship, which allows U.S. students to undertake

advanced research projects in their area of interest for 10-12 weeks at a top Canadian university.

In addition, Jermiah Polk, a junior chemistry major, was named a 2024 Goldwater Scholar. This nationwide award will provide Polk additional scholarship dollars for his time at ACU.

ACU’s tradition of students and faculty being awarded Fulbrights dates back to the 1950s with their fields of study representing business, journalism, music, English, physics, education, chemistry and political science.

“These awards reflect on these students’ hard work, as well as the support and guidance of Dr. Jason Morris (’96 M.S.), dean of the Honors College, and many other faculty

For the latest visit acu.edu/news acu.edu/youtube acu.edu/facebook acu.edu/linkedin acu.edu/twitter acu.edu/instagram

and graduate levels, catering to a diverse student population seeking flexible and accessible educational opportunities. 

To learn more about ACU Online and to apply, visit acu.edu/online

members who have poured into their undergraduate experience,” said president Dr. Phil Schubert (’91) 

Bridgeman

Hodgson Reed Polk

Milligan named dean of CAHSS

Dr. Rachael Milligan has been named the dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

She joins ACU from Lipscomb University, where she has served in various leadership roles, including assistant dean for innovative programs and partnerships in the College of Education and executive director of the Ayers Institute for Learning and Innovation.

“I am so excited to join the amazing team in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences,” Milligan said. “Through the meaningful connection of so many rich disciplines, we have the unparalleled opportunity to foster transformative learning experiences in which students are challenged and inspired as creators, and are wellequipped to be remarkable leaders.”

Milligan earned an Ed.D. from Lipscomb, an M.Ed. from Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College and a B.A. from Harding University. She brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in areas such as strategic change, educational leadership, instructional coaching and curriculum development.

In her previous roles at Lipscomb, she collaborated with university leadership to carry out the College of Education’s strategic plan, led the envisioning and implementation of new and innovative programs, and served on various academic councils and committees. She also taught courses in instructional practice, educational leadership and instructional coaching programs.

“Dr. Milligan will be a strong leader to guide the continued growth of CAHSS and to create a strategic path forward for the college,” said Dr. Susan (Lester ’92) Lewis, ACU’s provost and vice president for academic affairs.

“I’m looking forward to the expertise, passion and new perspectives she will bring to our academic team.” 

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International recently announced the six-year extension of ACU’s business accreditation for the College of Business Administration. AACSB accreditation is considered the highest standard of quality in business education, with only about 6% of the world’s schools offering business degree education having achieved AACSB accreditation. ACU’s COBA has been continuously accredited since 2004.

ACU president Dr. Dr. Phil Schubert (’91) has joined the national network of Presidents for Latino Student Success (P4LSS) through Excelencia in Education, a group of university presidents and chancellors who have committed to create campus learning environments where Latino students thrive. Excelencia is the nation’s premier authority on efforts accelerating Latino student success in higher education. Although the network represents only 5% of the thousands of colleges and universities across the country, it enrolls 32%, and graduates 34%, of all Latino students in higher education. As a member, Schubert will collaborate with Excelencia and other postsecondary

ACADEMIC DIGEST

leaders to leverage collective expertise and resources, foster partnerships and amplify current efforts to accelerate Latino student success at the national level.

Dr. Houston Heflin (’95), professor of Bible, missions and ministry, was named ACU’s Teacher of the Year at May Commencement. Heflin is director of the Contemplative Minister’s Initiative and has taught at ACU since 2007.

ACU’s Brown Library has acquired the personal library of the late Dr. Thomas H. Olbricht from the recently closed Ohio Valley University. Olbricht taught at ACU from 1967-86 and served as it’s dean of the College of Liberal and Fine Arts from 1981-85. He was a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Religion at Pepperdine University; a scholar of ancient rhetoric, the Bible, and Christian history and theology; a university professor and administrator; a prolific author; an influential leader in the Churches of Christ; and a memoirist. He served as the founding director of the annual Christian Scholars’ Conference, which was eventually named in his honor. His library contains thousands of books, personal items and scholarly materials in more than 300 boxes that weigh more than 18,000 pounds.

ACU has partnered with IDEA Public Schools in a program that helps K-12 students as they choose a college and transition into college life. IDEA is a network of nearly 150 tuition-free public charter schools, serving more than 80,000 college-bound students across the U.S. In this collaboration, partner teams work together to create a supportive environment for IDEA students as they continue their educational journey on a college campus. At ACU, that network will include a full-time faculty or staff mentor for each entering cohort of IDEA alumni; programming to enhance participation in co-curricular and extracurricular activities; and programs to improve students’ persistence.

Heflin

Milligan SKYLER BLANTON

Olbricht

Wildcat SPORTS

BY LANCE FLEMING

Freshman Hull takes leading role from start

In 12 seasons as head women’s basketball coach, Julie Goodenough has recruited some terrific scorers, but not until 2023-24 had a freshman led her team in scoring.

That’s when Payton Hull – a 5-11 guard from Peaster, Texas – burst onto the scene, leading the Wildcats by averaging 14.9 points per game and eventually earning Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year honors.

Hull’s performance might have caught some by surprise, but not Goodenough, who had a pretty good idea of the freshman sensation’s capabilities.

“I watched her score 50 points in her final high school game, so I knew what she could do,” Goodenough said. “We believed she had the skill set to thrive in our style of play. She played this season with so much confidence. She shot open 3-pointers, learned to score off ball screens, knocked down 3-pointers in transition and had some crafty moves in the paint.”

If Hull had any doubts, they were erased in ACU’s fifth game: an 87-62 win at Navy in which she scored 34 points. It started a three-game stretch that saw her score 31 against Texas-Arlington and 25 against Stephen F. Austin, hitting 20 of 41 3-point attempts.

“I didn’t score much the first three or four games of the season, and then I had the breakout game, and I thought, ‘OK, I can score at this level,’” Hull said. “The next game, I kept shooting and my mindset after that was to keep shooting, and it worked.”

If there were nerves early, they were wiped away in that three-game stretch, allowing her to score in double figures in 26 of 30 games, bury 79 3-pointers, and score 20 or more six times.

“I was scared early in the season that if I missed a shot I would get pulled,” Hull said. “But I just decided to keep shooting, and I wasn’t scared after that.” 

For the latest visit acusports.com

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Like father, like son: Steele the latest Wildcat to enter dental school

Men’s basketball standout Cameron Steele (’24) is on his way to following his father into dentistry, like fromer star guard Parker Wentz, D.D.S (’16), did before him.

Wentz and former teammate Riley Payne, D.D.S. (’16), have dental practices in Lubbock, Texas. Like Wentz, however, Steele –a native Minnesotan – is following his father into the profession by beginning studies in the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. Cameron grew up in Excelsior and his dad, Chris Steele, D.D.S., has a practice in nearby Minnetonka. Steele balanced a rigorous biology/pre-dental degree program with a four-year career that included a Southland Conference title and win over the Texas Longhorns in the NCAA Tournament as a freshman, and a spot in the CollegeInsiders.com Tournament as a senior.

“I think it would be very cool to one day practice with my dad,” Steele said, “Like him, I want to be a great dentist, father, friend and person in my community.” 

ALY BAYLISS

Cameron Steele

Payton Hull

Honea, women’s golf exceed expectations

The first season for the ACU women’s golf program couldn’t have gone much better. The Wildcats won four team championships – including in their inaugural tournament last fall in Michigan – finished second four times and in the top five twice, establishing themselves as a clear program on the rise.

For most of the 2023-24 schedule, the student-athlete in the spotlight was sophomore Ryann Honea, who transferred to ACU from University of Louisville. Honea won three individual tournament titles, including the Western Athletic Conference championship tournament in late April. That win qualified her for the NCAA West Regional Tournament, where she finished 50th.

While the team didn’t achieve its goal of winning the WAC team title (ACU lost to Seattle University by three strokes), Honea met her individual aspiration of winning the conference championship.

“We had high expectations going into the WAC tournament,” Honea said. “Our goal was to win, and it stinks to not [win the title]. Individually, I achieved what I wanted, and it was cool to see the hard work from the season pay off.”

All of which has her ready for next year.

“I want to defend my WAC title and win the team championship, which is achievable,” she said. “I’m looking forward to getting going again.” 

Smith named head coach of Wildcat track and field

Miles Smith is the new head coach of ACU’s track and field program, coming from Purdue, where he was long sprints coach and lead spiritual coordinator. Smith was previously an assistant coach at Memphis following a stellar career as an athlete. Between 2005 and 2012, he was part of the gold-medal winning 4x400-meter relay at the IAAF World Championships, a two-

Baseball

SPORTS ROUNDUP

• In mid-May, ACU Athletics announced that Crutcher Scott Field will undergo renovation before the 2025 season. Read more on pages 20-21.

• Head coach Rick McCarty’s team won 30 games (33-25 record) for the fourth straight year, finished second in the Western Athletic Conference regular season, and reached the semifinals of the postseason tournament.

• Seniors Miller Ladusau and Gino D’Alessio and freshman Brett Lanman – earned six postseason honors. Lanman was voted WAC Pitcher of the Year and WAC Freshman of the Year, and was selected first team All-WAC. D’Alessio and Ladusau joined Lanman on the first team, and D’Alessio received second team All-Defensive honors.

• Two Wildcat players were signed by professional teams in 2024: Dash Albus was selected in the 19th round of the MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals, and Rolando De La Cruz signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Angels.

Women’s Golf

• Led by head coach Rob Bennett , the Wildcats only got better in Spring 2024, following an impressive Fall 2023 schedule that saw the team win its first tournament and finish in the top four in three of its four fall events. The Wildcats landed in the top five in all seven spring tournaments, winning twice (Houston Christian Intercollegiate in March and the Oral Roberts Spring Invitational in April). They also finished runner-up four times and were fifth in another event.ACU golfers posted a combined four tournament individual wins and 19 top-10 finishes.

time U.S. Olympic Trials semifinalist in the 400 meters and a three-time 400-meter finalist in the U.S. Outdoor Track and Field Championships. As a student-athlete at Southeast Missouri, he was a five-time All-American, 15-time Ohio Valley Conference champion and three-time OVC Athlete of the Year.

Koons named head softball coach

Jo Koons joined the Wildcats this summer as head softball coach, moving from an assistant coach position at Texas-Arlington, where she helped lead the Mavericks to a semifinal appearance in the Western Athletic

Conference tournament. A 2015 graduate of Utah State, she was a four-year letterwinner and shortstop for the Aggies, Prior to her work at UTA, Koons was an assistant at Longwood in Virginia, oversaw defense at Oregon and has also been an assistant at Utah State, Colorado Christian and Stanford. She served as the head coach at Lassen in California in 2018.

Smith Koons

Lanman

Ladusau D’Alessio

KAMRYN KELLEY

Albus

De La Cruz

KAMRYN KELLEY

• Their spectacular inaugural season ended at the WAC Championship Tournament in late April with the Wildcats finishing second to Seattle. ACU had the team lead entering the final round but couldn’t hold off the hard-charging Redhawks. Seattle posted a final-round 294 to the Wildcats’ 303 to win by three strokes.

• Sophomore Ryann Honea won the individual WAC title and qualified for the NCAA Regional hosted by Texas A&M, where she finished 50th, firing rounds of 75-77-77 for a 54-hole total of 229 at The Traditions Golf Club in Bryan, Texas.

• Two Wildcats won All-WAC honors: Honea on the first team and senior Delaney Martin on the second. Martin won the Bowling Green State Women’s Intercollegiate individual title and had five top-five finishes during the season.

Softball

• Sophomore second baseman Kaydee Bennett and junior centerfielder Olivia Marble were each selected All-WAC. Bennett (first team) was third in the conference with a .425 batting average. She led the Wildcats with 62 hits, 51 runs and a .637 slugging percentage. Bennett is ACU’s inaugural first-team All-WAC in softball and the first since 2017 at the NCAA Division I level. Marble (second team) finished in the top 10 in the l eague in hitting with a .377 average. She had 14 doubles and 17 stolen bases to lead the Wildcats.

Track and Field

track and field season. Senior triple jumper Ella Anttila and high jumper Ja’Dasia Sims finished 34th in their respective events. Other competitors who competed at the regional meet were Kaitlyn Callaway (46th in the javelin), Athan Huelskamp (45th in the shot put) and Cooper Goggans (24th in the 800 meters).

Men’s Golf

• Seventh-seeded ACU closed its season April 28, finishing fifth at the WAC Championship Tournament in Payson, Arizona. Grand Canyon won the team title by one stroke over Texas-Rio Grande Valley and California Baptist, with Tarleton State finishing fourth (four shots out) and ACU in fifth (10 shots behind). Trenton Johnson and senior Charlie Jackson each finished at 5-over-par 221 to tie for 14th individually.

• Three individuals and one relay team won events at the WAC Outdoor Championship meet, May 9-11, in Orem, Utah. Ella Anttila defended her title in the triple jump with a leap of 41 feet, 8 inches, and the women’s 4x400 relay team of Shiean Walters, Savannah McCaleb, J a’Kaylon Sabbath, and Ja’Dasia Sims won the event in 3 minutes, 38.57 seconds. Athan Huelskamp won the men’s discus throw (168-11.25) and Cooper Goggans won the 800 meters (1:50.53).

• The ACU women finished fifth in the WAC with 83 points, and the men finished seventh with 71. Other top-three finishers for the women were Ja’Dasia Sims (second in the high jump), Bella Evans (third in the 1500 meters), Luize Velmere (third in the triple jump), Walters (second in the 400 meters), Riley Pyeatt (third in the 800 meters), Kaitlyn Callaway (second in the javelin throw) and Eliza Lemberga (second in the heptathlon). Huelskamp placed third in the men’s shot put.

• Five Wildcats qualified for the NCAA West Regional meet in Fayetteville, Arkansas, the last weekend of May, capping the ACU

Zane Heusel, a senior from Edmond, Oklahoma, was voted to the All-WAC second team. Twice named all-conference in his career, Heusel led the Wildcats to the 2022 WAC championship, finishing tied for 15th in the conference tournament after shooting a final-round 69 to help ACU win the title.

Men’s Tennis

• The Wildcats finished their season 10-12 overall and 2-2 in conference play, bowing out of the WAC Postseason Tournament after a 4-2 loss to Grand Canyon in the semifinals. ACU was led by freshmen Martin Delindo, Merse Deli and Dennis Dutine Delindo was voted first-team All-WAC in singles, as well as Freshman of the Year and All-WAC Tournament at No. 6 singles. Deli and his brother, senior Mihaly Deli, were first-team All-WAC in doubles, and Dutine was on the second team in singles.

• One of the highlights of the men’s season was a 4-3 win over Texas Tech on Jan. 21 in Lubbock, the program’s first win over the Big 12 Conference-member Red Raiders after 11 losses dating back to February 2007. ACU captured the doubles point and won at No. 1 singles (Daniel Morozov), No. 3 singles (Cesar Barranquero) and at No. 5 singles ( Merse Deli).

Women’s Tennis

• ACU finished its 2024 spring season by reaching the semifinals of the WAC Championship Tournament in Harlingen with a 4-0 loss to top-seeded Grand Canyon. The Wildcats – 8-13 on the season – beat Seattle, 4-1, in the quarterfinal round.

• Senior Andrea Guerrero – voted secondteam All-WAC in singles after posting a 10-5 record at No. 4 singles – was selected all-tournament after singles and doubles wins against Seattle in the quarterfinals. 

Heusel

Walters

Morozov

TOM SHAW SR.

JOSHUA

BEAM

ALY BAYLISS

Join us for an exciting visit event or schedule your personalized visit at acu.edu/visit. The Office of Admissions 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!

FALL 2024 PREVIEW DAYS

• Monday, Oct. 14

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• Monday, Nov. 25

• Friday, Dec. 6

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.

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We want to get to know them!

Scan the QR code to Refer a Wildcat to the Office of Admissions.

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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EX PERIENCES

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.

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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.

1974

Judge Steve Smith of Texas’ 10th Court of Appeals was elected to membership in the American Law Institute. He also serves as chair of the Texas Center for the Judiciary. He lives in College Station, Texas.

1984

Dr. John Baldwin co-authored the second edition of his classroom textbook, Intercultural Communication for Everyday Life. He is professor of communication and culture at Illinois State University. He and his wife, Dr. Kim (Bush ’85) Baldwin, live in Normal, Illinois.

2002

ADOPTED

By Chad and Jennifer (Thigpen) Brackeen, a girl, Katelyn Rose, Jan. 12, 2024, born June 10, 2018. They also have three sons and live in Burleson, Texas.

2007

BORN

To Bryce and Andrea Hicks, a girl, Haven Bailey, Feb. 28, 2024. They live in Kailua, Hawaii.

2008

Dave Blanchard, who earned a Master of Divinity degree from ACU, has published a new book intended as a resource for local churches. Let’s Talk: Eleven Conversations for People Who Take Life, Faith and the Church

1937

Ruth Eloise Reynolds “Weezie” Carruthers died July 13, 2023, the oldest living ACU alumnus at age 106. She was born April 10, 1917, in Memphis, Texas. She was a member of Ko Jo Kai sorority who graduated at age 20 from ACU and

Seriously. He and his wife, Caryn (’10 M.A.), live in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

BORN

To Russell and Emily Williams, a girl, Emma Kay, Nov. 27, 2023. They live in Searcy, Arkansas.

2009

BORN

To Paul and Hannah Arrington, a boy, Samuel James, Nov. 7, 2023. They live in Montgomery, Alabama.

To Jason and Haley (Dilling) Fry, a boy, Elijah Paul, Dec. 1, 2023. They have two other children and live in Orange, Virginia.

To Tim and Valerie Brooks, a boy, Jack Robert, Dec. 5, 2023. They married in July 2016 and live in Houston, Texas.

2010

Sommerly Simser was elected District 3 at-large representative to the North Hollywood Neighborhood Council, under the Los Angeles City Council. She and her husband, Nathanael Roe, live in North Hollywood, California.

BORN

To Caleb and Vanessa (Whitt) Callari, a boy, Raden Michael, April 13, 2022. They live in Abilene, Texas.

2012

BORN

To Anthony and Claire Reed, a girl, Evelyn, Dec. 9, 2023. They live in Dallas, Texas.

IN MEMORIAM

later earned a M.Ed. degree from the University of Houston. She married classmate Robert Lee “Squib” Carruthers (’37) in 1938, and was a second-grade teacher while they lived in cities across Texas and Oklahoma, eventually retiring when they moved to Austin, where she became

BY RON HADFIELD

2013

BORN

To Kevin and Tori (Watson ’06) Johnson, a girl, Zoe Ann, Feb. 21, 2024. They live in Abilene, Texas.

To Jordan and Tara (Holland) DeKeratry, a girl, Kinley, April 1, 2024. They live in Richardson, Texas.

2014

BORN

To Alex and Kelly (Miller) Phillips, twins Theo and Rayleigh, March 30, 2023. They live in Katy, Texas.

To Chris and Kyndal (Coleman) Singleton, a girl, Julia, June 6, 2023. They live in Flower Mound, Texas.

2016

BORN

To David and Mykaela (Lara) Rogers, a boy, David Joe, Dec. 2, 2022. They live in Abilene, Texas.

To Cale and Sara Crass, a girl, Kylie Breanne, Oct. 17, 2023. They live in Fort Worth, Texas.

To Dr. Brian and Sarah Parks, a boy, Seth Jackson, April 2, 2024. Brian earned his doctorate in interdisciplinary biomedical sciences from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and began work as an instructor in its College of Nursing. They live in Little Rock, Arkansas.

2019

MARRIED

Tomas Arbaiza and Alma Nava, June 17, 2023. They live in Haltom City, Texas.

BORN

To Davis and Sallie (Phipps) Fender, a boy, Layton Jay, March 18, 2023. They live in Benbrook, Texas.

2020

BORN

To Drew and Kayla Young, a boy, Barrett Wayland, Sept. 20, 2023. They live in Abilene, Texas, where Drew is ACU’s assistant director of bands.

a substitute teacher. She moved to Abilene in 1994. She was a member of Women for ACU and of the Cisco Kids, a group of classmates from the 1930s who met every summer for a reunion. She was preceded in death by her parents, Otis and Marion Reynolds (1910) and Rosa

Bentley Reynolds; Squib, her husband of 55 years; and a daughter, Jan Carruthers Stevens (’64). Among survivors are her sons, Dr. Robert L. Carruthers Jr. (’68) and William R. Carruthers (’84); nine grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

1942

Katherine Moyers Roberson Holton, one of ACU’s longest-living alumni at age 105, died April 22, 2024, in Durham, North Carolina. She was born Sept. 11, 1918, in Cleburne, Texas, earned a bachelor’s degree in education and married John Watson Holton (’39) in 1941. They lived many years in Washington, D.C., where John was chief of staff to Sam Rayburn, legendary Texas Congressman and longest-tenured U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Katherine was active in church, civic and charitable affairs. They moved to North Carolina in 1994. She was preceded in death by her parents, ACU founding Bible professor and chair Charles H. Roberson Sr. and Eudora (McCorkle) Roberson; John, her husband of 56 years; a brother, Charles Roberson Jr. (’35); and a sister, Ann Roberson Rotenberry (’46). Among survivors are sons John Watson Holton Jr. (’65), Charles Roberson Holton (’70) and James Courtney Holton (’78); five grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

1942

Marjorie Amaon Ross, 102, died Nov. 25, 2023, in Big Lake, Texas. She was born March 4, 1921, in Wichita Falls, Texas, and wed L.B. “Pat” Amaon on May 11, 1942. Her career as a medical secretary allowed her to serve the patients of several physicians in Abilene. Following retirement in 1985, she devoted much time to painting and pottery, completing her final piece at age 100. She was preceded in death by her parents, William Oren Beeman and Lucille Anderson Beeman; husbands Pat Amaon in 1972, D.M. “Mark” Clinton in 1984 and Charles Ross in 2011; and siblings William Beeman, Alice Beeman and Annette Wallace (’32). Among survivors are her son, Gary Amaon (’66); a daughter, Camille “Tammi” (Amaon ’72) Monzingo; four granddaughters; nine great-grandchildren; and six great-great-grandchildren.

1951

Janice Durham, 95, of Jasper, Texas, died Nov. 1, 2022. She was born Jan. 15, 1947, in Friend, Kansas, married classmate Paul Durham, D.V.M. (’52), in 1950 and earned a master’s degree from Stephen F. Austin State University (1967). She retired after 30 years in the classroom, 26 of them in the Jasper ISD as a teacher of first and second graders. She was preceded in death by her parents, Newton and Mary Ella Schinnerer; her husband, Paul; and her brother, Keith Schinnerer (’61). Among survivors are her son, Robert Durham (’79); daughters Mary

Beth Shumate (’74), Dianne (Durham ’76) Bertino and Paula (Durham ’78) Curbo; nine grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; a brother, Clyde Schinnerer.

1953

Dr. Sally Eugenia Cauthen, 89, died July 25, 2022, in Duxbury, Massachusetts. She was born Oct. 1, 1932, in Montgomery, Alabama. She earned a bachelor’s degree from ACU, a master’s from Louisiana State University (1957) and a Ph.D. from the University of Oxford (1965). She was an assistant professor of chemistry at ACU from 1956-63, and a professor of biochemistry at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, retiring in 1995. She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry Flynn and Laura Spenser Cauthen. Among survivors is her brother, McGregor Cauthen (’65).

Bonnie Jean Carman Sheppard, 91, died Aug. 27, 2023, in San Antonio, Texas. She was born April 26, 1932, in Tucumcari, New Mexico, and married ACU classmate Dr. Charles Sheppard (’53) on Jan. 25, 1951. The Sheppards were missionaries to the Philippines for nearly three years and later lived in Deer Park – where she was manager of an office equipment store – and Houston, Texas. In 1988, they moved to Abilene, where Charles was director of development for the College of Biblical Studies, and she was a member of Women for ACU. In 2022, she authored Just Deal With It: A Memoir of Resilience. She was preceded in death by her parents, Augustus Brents Carman and Elva Helena Alsdorf; Charles, her husband of 71 years; a son, Bob Sheppard; brothers Charles Carman, Ralph Carman, Bill Carman and Robert Wagstaff; and a sister, Rosemary Christine Carman. Among survivors are sons Dr. Greg Sheppard (’74) and Larry Sheppard; a daughter, Brenda O’Banion; nine grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.

Dr. Betty (Bell) Muns, 92, of Plano, Texas, died April 30, 2024. She was born Dec. 24, 1931, in Dallas, Texas, and earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and education, a M.Ed. from the University of North Texas (1970) and a doctorate in psychology with a focus on marriage and family counseling from Texas Woman’s University (1984). She wed classmate James Muns (’53) on June 17, 1952, and moved to Plano in the early 1970s, where she opened a private practice specializing in marriage and family therapy (1978) and he served as mayor (1992-96). Her family owned Wyatt’s Cafeterias. She chaired the Bell Trust and the boards of Plano’s Presbyterian Hospital, symphony orchestra and Children’s Medical Center. Muns also was a trustee of Plano Arts Center, Hope’s Door, the Junior League of Plano and the Collin County Women’s Shelter. She was named Christian Woman of the Year by the Christian College Association, Plano Citizen of the Year (1995), received the Leadership Plano Distinguished Award (2013), and was a longtime member of ACU’s

ALUMNI CONNECTIONS

We are incredibly blessed to count so many talented ministers among our alumni, and I love having the opportunity to see and hear them at work everywhere I go. So far in 2024, I have listened to ministers with ACU backgrounds preach to their own congregations and encourage other ministry leaders in smaller settings. The ways they inform and inspire others is a beautiful thing to experience.

Ministers among our alumni are especially good at looking for intentional opportunities to mentor and guide others on campus. We are blessed by these gifted speakers at Chapel and other events where their words make a remarkable difference in the faith journey of those searching for and following Jesus.

Each time I listen to their godly messages, I am thankful for their ability to teach through scripture. Their wisdom and stories provide insight to their own ministry as well as the places in which they live and serve.

ACU graduates are the backbones of their local churches, of course, and the hands and feet of Jesus wherever life and work take them. Among them are effective elders, deacons and selfless congregational servants.

We are especially blessed that pulpits around the world continue to be places where ministers among our alumni spread the Word that expands God’s Kingdom. Each was poured into by this unique living and learning community during their time as students, and they – in turn –continue to inspire today’s Wildcats, changing lives on campus and far beyond. We are grateful.

– CRAIG FISHER (’92) Associate Vice President for Advancement and Alumni

Fisher

KAMRYN KELLLEY

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.

INSET: Sloane Lee Marshall, daughter of Dustin (’07) and Jessica (McCoy ’08) Marshall of Coppell, Texas.

Janelle Perry, daughter of Andrew and Whitney (Stevens ’14) Perry of McKinney, Texas.

Alumni Chorus and Board of Visitors. She was preceded in death by her parents, longtime ACU trustee Dr. Robert S. Bell and Katharine (Tubb) Bell; one grandchild; and one greatgrandchild. Among survivors are James, her husband of 71 years and a former longtime ACU trustee; children Katharine “Kathy” (Muns ’76) Spencer, Marla Muns (’77), Greg Muns, M.D. (’80), and John Muns (’82); 11 grandchildren; and 29 great-grandchildren.

1955

Annette (Lee) Fox, 88, died Dec. 24, 2022. She was born June 1, 1934.

Linda Maxine May Hart , 89, of Baird, Texas, died Dec. 4, 2023. She was born

Abigail Burgett, daughter of Gordon and Allye (Foster ’13) Burgett of Richardson, Texas.

Dec. 18, 1933, in Holliday, Texas. She earned a business degree and married classmate Bill Hart (’52) on Aug. 17, 1956. She was preceded in death by her parents, Leonard Elton and Jewel Opal Thomas May; Bill, her husband of 58 years; a son, Charles R. Hart (’86); and a grandson, Justin Hart. Among survivors are children Cindy Hart Hickerson (’84), Marilu (Hart ’88) Hall and Keith Lee Hart; nine grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.

1956

Carroll Ray Bishop, 88, of Marble Falls, Texas, died Aug. 24, 2023. He was born Oct. 29, 1934, near Altus, Oklahoma; earned a degree in business; and after serving in the U.S. Army,

Bradley Rotenberry, son of Charles Rotenberry, M.D. (’12), and Hailey (Clinton ’12) Rotenberry of Abilene, Texas.

wed classmate Shirlene Hensley (’57) in 1958. His employers included Halliburton, Eastern European Missions, Turnkey Computer Systems and Coca Cola, and he retired following a career as a special agent for the Internal Revenue Service. The Bishops served as missionaries in Vienna, Austria, from 1972-78 before moving to Amarillo, Texas, where he retired again in 1998 from PanTex. Bishop –a songleader whose great uncle was iconic hymn composer Tillit S. Teddlie – also served on the board of Amarillo Christian Homes. He was preceded in death by his parents, Tillit and Ethel Campbell Bishop. Among survivors are Shirlene, his wife of 64 years; children Cynthia Bishop (’82) and Victor Bishop (’87);

Polly Smith, daughter of Aaron and Lauryn (Lewis Hines ’08) Smith of Amarillo, Texas.

Harrison Deines, son of Cade (’15) and Allison (Lamberth ’16) Deines of San Antonio, Texas.

Sarah

Reid

Hadley Grace Murata, daughter of Michael and Jaime (Gordon ’15) Murata of San Antonio, Texas.

Julia Singleton, daughter of Christopher (’14) and Kyndal (Coleman ’14) Singleton of Flower Mound, Texas.

a grandson; and a brother, Jack Bishop. Loretta Ruth McBride Lambert Jackson, 88, died Oct. 16, 2023. She was born Nov. 2, 1934, in Granite, Oklahoma, and earned a B.A. and an M.A. in art education (1979). She married Bob Lambert (’56) in 1955 and Gerald Jackson (’51) in 1982. A well-known artist for years in the Abilene community, she created illustrations for newspaper ads, and portraits and murals for many churches, ministries and nonprofits. She also taught art at local schools, art camps and prisons. She was preceded in death by her parents, Herbert and Viola McBride, and her husband, Gerald. Among survivors are son Lanny Lambert (’79); daughters Valeri Mayes (’81) and Natali Dubovik; stepchildren Mark Jackson (’80), Judy Cross (’83) and Jan David; 15 grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren.

1957

Dr. Howard Wayne Norton, 88, of Searcy, Arkansas, died Oct. 22, 2023, 17 days following the death of his wife, Jane (Pearce ’58) Norton He was born Jan. 24, 1935, in Saginaw, Texas, and married Jane, his classmate, on May 31, 1956. He was a minister of Texas Churches of Christ in Lingleville and Houston before they moved in 1961 with a large mission team to Sao Paulo, Brazil. He taught Bible from 1977-98 at Oklahoma Christian University, where he completed his doctorate, became dean of OCU’s College of Bible, was editor of The Christian Chronicle, and served as pulpit minister at Memorial Road Church of Christ. In 1998 the Nortons moved to Searcy, Arkansas, where he directed Harding University’s Institute of Church and Family, and became an elder at the College Church of Christ. In his 70s, he and Jane moved to Tegucigalpa, Honduras, where Norton was president of Baxter Institute for three years. He also served on numerous boards, including World Bible School and Southern Christian Home. He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Herbert Norton and Ila Mae Norton; and Jane, his wife of 67 years. He is survived by a daughter, Dr. Laurie (Norton ’84 M.A.) Diles; sons Tom Norton and Ted Norton; seven grandchildren; 10 greatgrandchildren; and a sister, Donna Roberts.

1958

Wallace G. “Wally” Hill, 88, died March 15, 2023. He was born Feb. 9, 1935, near Hermleigh, Texas, and married Sue Lanelle Mims on April 8, 1955. They lived in Grand Prairie, Texas, while he attended The University of Texas at Arlington, and then moved to Abilene so he could earn a degree in physics from ACU. In 1958 he started a career in the Office of the Test Director at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, with work including missile design and laser guidance systems. Hill was also an award-winning Senior Olympian in pickleball. He was preceded in death by his parents, Andrew Darwin Hill and Alma Bralley Hill. Among survivors are his wife, Sue; a daughter, Melisa Sheward; a son, Gayle Hill; two grandsons; and

sisters Patsy Tracy and Janice Watson. Dr. Coy D. Roper, 86, of Abilene, Texas, died June 17, 2023. He was born May 12, 1937, in Dill City, Oklahoma. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Bible in 1958, the same year he wed Sharlotte Shannon (’59 M.Ed.). He earned three master’s degrees and a doctorate from the University of Michigan. Roper taught at five Christian and Bible colleges, and preaching schools in three countries. He devoted 10 years as a missionary in Sydney, Australia. He preached for congregations throughout Canada, the U.S. and Australia, and helped begin the Macquarie School of Biblical Studies in Sydney. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dave H. Roper and Lillian Roper; and Sharlotte, his wife of 62 years. Among survivors are children Dee Ann (Roper) Shepherd (’09 M.A.), Alec Roper and Shannon Boren; 10 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and a brother, David Roper (’56)

Jane (Pearce) Norton, 87, of Searcy, Arkansas, died Oct. 5, 2023, 17 days before her husband, Dr. Howard Wayne Norton (’57). She was born March 16, 1936, in Rising Star, Texas, and grew up in California. She met classmate Howard on May 31, 1956. In 1961, they moved to Sao Paulo, Brazil, where they served as missionaries for Churches of Christ until 1977, when they moved to Edmond, Oklahoma. She taught Portuguese at Oklahoma Christian University and co-led many summer mission trips to Brazil. In 1998, the Nortons moved to Searcy, where Jane taught Portuguese at Harding University. In their 70s, they moved to Tegucigalpa, Honduras, for three years before returning to Searcy to retire. She was preceded in death by her parents, Bob Pearce and Faye Pearce. Among her survivors is a brother, David Pearce.

1959

Roger Edward Dean, 86, died Feb. 20, 2023. He was born Oct. 5, 1936, in Fort Worth, Texas; served two years in the Army; and wed Camille Kemplin (’68) on Aug. 19, 1966. Dean taught sixth grade for four years at Ridglea West Elementary in the Fort Worth (Texas) ISD, and earned an M.Ed. in educational administration from the University of North Texas and certification to be an elementary principal. Ultimately, though, he chose a career marketing chemical, industrial and microbial cleaners. He was an elder for 24 years at The Hills Church in North Richland Hills, Texas, and traveled to Russia with the Let’s Start Talking program. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Lucille Page Dean, and a sister, Linda Jackson. Among survivors are Camille, his wife of 56 years; a son, David Dean; a daughter, Robin Dean; three grandchildren; and brothers Norman Dean (’63) and Kenny Dean (’79) Larry Dean Roberts, 86, died Aug. 25, 2023, in Pearland, Texas. He was born Jan. 15, 1937, in Caldwell, Kansas, and married classmate Lois Bartlett (’59) on July 21, 1962. He was a chemist in the Houston/Pasadena, Texas, area and retired from Aristech Chemical Corporation. He served as an elder for 28

years in the Church of Christ. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Almeda Roberts. Among survivors are Lois, his wife of 61 years; a daughter, Kelli Helms; a son, Bart Roberts; six grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.

Dr. David “Dave” M. Malone, 86, of Fort Worth, Texas, died Oct. 19, 2023. He was born Sept. 3, 1937, in Dallas, Texas, and earned three ACU degrees: B.A., M.A. (1963) and D.Min. (1992). His pulpit ministry began in June 1961 and included service to churches in Texas, California and Louisiana, and preaching in eight nations. He preached at the Lakewood Village Christian Care Centers in Fort Worth, and later helped establish the Christian Care Community for memory care and dementia while preaching there. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Glendelle Malone; a brother, Avon Malone (’53); a son, John Mark Malone (’89); and a grandson, Peter Anthony. Among survivors are his wife, Ann (Holland ’59); daughters Lisa Malone (’84) and Gigi (Malone ’79) Anthony; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

1961

Dr. Nedom Conway Muns III, 84, of Huntsville, Texas, died Aug. 6, 2023. He was born May 11, 1939, in Corsicana, Texas, and married ACU classmate Sandra Lee Small (’61) in 1962. He attended Navarro College before graduating from ACU, and played baseball at both, including in the Junior College World Series while at Navarro. He earned an M.Ed. (1966) from Sam Houston State University (1969) and an Ed.D. from the University of North Texas. His teaching career spanned 57 years, including as a faculty member at UNT (1966-69), Northwestern State University (1969-78) and SHSU (1978-2019). A widely published chair of industrial technology and professor of engineering technology, he served on numerous state and national boards and committees, including the National Board of Cosmetology and Texas State Board of Cosmetology. Navarro named him its 1989 Distinguished Alumni recipient and SHSU inducted him in 2020 to its Engineering Technology Hall of Honor. He was preceded in death by his parents, Nedom Conway Jr. and Lillian Aleen Muns. Among survivors are his daughters Amanda Kay Muns Brown, Mary Allene Muns Hill and Kelly LeeAn Muns (’96); a grandson; and a sister, Jeanice “Bunny” Muns Golden (’66)

1962

Janice Lea Loney Preston, 83, died Dec. 16, 2023. She was born Oct. 17, 1940, in Temple, Texas. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education, wed classmate Howard Grady Preston Jr. (’62) on Jan. 25, 1963, and taught elementary school briefly in the Austin (Texas) ISD. They moved to Port Arthur, Texas, where they lived 42 years, and she taught third grade and computer skills at St. Catherine of Siena School from 1980-97. They returned to Austin in 2008. She was preceded in death by her

ACU NEWSMAKERS

April Bankes Johansson (’76) was named Amarillo (Texas) Globe-Journal 2023 Woman of the Year. She founded awardwinning Johansson & Associates advertising and marketing agency in 1980, and has served on the boards of the Amarillo Symphony, Amarillo Little Theatre and the Amarillo Opera.

Dr. Lynette (Blackburn ’85) Austin was named founding dean of Lipscomb University’s College of Health Sciences. She had been on ACU’s

Elsie Stark, age 12, exhibited a talent and enthusiasm for baking before she was tall enough to see over the kitchen counter of parents Brian (’04) and Christi (Hilligoss ’03) Stark of Abilene. She is a bit of a celebrity today, thanks to competing in Season 12 of “Kids Baking Championship” on the Food Network. Back home, her burgeoning baking business, Elsie’s Awesome Sweets & Treats, is wildly popular.

Former Wildcat football letterman Leon McNeil (’92) appeared on the front cover of the December 2023 issue of Texas Monthly magazine. He and his wife, Leticia, of San Antonio, Texas, ensure Black and Latino middle school kids experience the outdoors through their nonprofit, City Kids Adventures, and were featured in the story, “Giving Back.” They serve kids from urban neighborhoods and mentor them as they transition into high school and college. He was named 2023 Texas Outdoorsman of the Year by the Texas Wildlife Association Foundation. McNeil received ACU’s 2012 Distinguished Alumni Citation.

faculty since 2008 and chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders for more than seven years.

Jimmy E. Warren (’78 M.M.) was named associate vice president for alumni affairs at The University of Alabama and executive director of its National Alumni Association. He has been president for four decades of TotalCom Marketing Communications, an award-winning marketing and advertising firm with offices in Tuscaloosa and Huntsville.

Former ACU head coach Wes Kittley (’81) has been inducted to the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Hall of Fame and the Texas Track and Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Now in his 25th season at Texas Tech University, he coached its men’s track and field team to the 2024 NCAA Division I indoor national championship, his second national title with the Red Raiders after a record 29 NCAA Division II team crowns with the Wildcats.

In March, 25-year-old Caroline Fairly (’22) won the Republican primary and will face Democrat Tim Gassaway in November for an opportunity to serve Texas House District 87 in the seat representing half of Amarillo and much of the northern and northeastern Panhandle. Fairly, who earned a B.B.A. degree from ACU, earned 60% of the vote – more than all of her three opponents combined. The youngest representative ever elected in Texas was Democrat Homer Hendricks, who began a four-year term in 1921 at age 20.

Michael Bacon (’12), head boys’ basketball coach at Abilene Cooper High School, and PJ Martinez, ACU associate dean for student engagement, were among recipients of the Abilene Young Professionals (AYP) 2024’s “Top 20 Under 40” award. AYP, a program of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce, recognizes young professionals who are outstanding in their field and are making a difference in the Abilene community.

Dr. William F. Strong (’77) was named to the board of the Texas State Historical Commission. He is a longtime professor of communications at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and narrator of “Stories From Texas” on Texas Standard and National Public Radio stations.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Tracy Gray, J.D. (’02), to the 489th Judicial District Court in Kaufman County for a term set to expire on Dec. 31, 2024, or until her successor is elected and qualified. Gray is judge of the Kaufman County Court at Law. Previously, she was a partner at Guest & Gray law firm who served as an assistant district attorney for five years with the county’s District Attorney’s Office.

Major benefactors Kay Onstead, and Tommy (’55) and Martha (Smith ’55) Morris received honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degrees from ACU in May. Onstead, of Houston, Texas, is the widow of the late Robert Onstead, a longtime trustee. The couple are namesakes of the Onstead College of Science and Engineering, and Onstead Science Building. The Morrises, of Abilene, Texas, made possible the Morris Family Men’s Basketball Team Suite in Moody Coliseum. Tommy is a former longtime trustee, member of the ACU Sports Hall of Fame and the son of the late Dr. Don H. Morris (’24), ACU’s seventh president.

CHRISTI STARK

Fairly

Johansson

Strong

Gray

CROSBY THOMLEY Warren

JEREMY ENLOW Onstead

The Morrises

JOHN DAVIDSON

parents, Chester W. Loney and Adele Stanecek Loney; her stepfather, Hobart Dillard; her mother, Dale Dillard; and a sister, Taddie Shaw. Among survivors are Grady, her husband of 60 years; a daughter, Tracey Pineda; sons Doug Preston (’90), Jason Preston and Ed Peacher; and eight grandchildren.

1963

Larry Bennett Frazier, 83, died Feb. 8, 2024. He was born Feb. 11, 1941, in Abilene, Texas, and earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial arts education. He retired early as a systems engineer from National Cash Register, then became a computer consultant. Frazier was an award-winning member of Lions Club International for more than 50 years, serving in multiple volunteer roles in Texas chapters in Abilene and Oak Cliff, including on the board of Julien C. Hyer Youth Camp and as treasurer of the Lions Sight and Tissue Foundation. He was preceded in death by his parents, Audrey Leroy and Aurora Maurine (Bennett) Frazier; a sister, Ruth Ann Frazier Youngblood (’68); a grandson; and a granddaughter. Among survivors are Kathryn Louise Frazier (’64), his wife of 60 years; a daughter, Fawn Elizabeth Walker; a son, Larry Todd Frazier (’90); seven grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.

1967

Michael Lee “Mike” O’Dell, 77, died March 20, 2023. He was born July 22, 1945, in Baird, Texas. He was a computer programmer with Acco Feeds, ACU and Texas Instruments. He was preceded in death by his parents, Edwin and Iola O’Dell; a brother, Digger O’Dell; and sisters Mary Ledbetter and Patty Visage. Among survivors are Sandra “Sandy” Kay (O’Dell ’68), his wife of 57 years; daughters Leah Lenglet, Julie Bingaman and Becki O’Dell; one granddaughter; and sisters Joan Dodson, Linda Foster and Cathy Clement.

Camilla Deane Greer Becton, 77, died June 25, 2023. She was born Nov. 13, 1945, in Nashville, Tennessee. She attended ACU and graduated from Lipscomb University in 1967. She wed Randy Becton (’71) on Aug. 22, 1966, and they moved to Abilene, Texas, in 1968 so he could attend graduate school at ACU. She taught at the Woodson Early Education Center and held various secretarial roles. She and Randy traveled and spoke in a nationwide ministry to help others cope with cancer and grief. She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Madge Greer; Randy, her husband of 50 years; and a son, Mark Becton. Among survivors are daughters Stacia (Becton ’91) Looney, Shana (Becton ’95) Cox and Shara (Becton ’05) Wilson; and 11 grandchildren.

Charlotte Jean Smith Wade, 77, died Sept. 20, 2023. She was born Feb. 22, 1946, in Quanah, Texas. She wed classmate Dr. James C. Wade (’67), and earned a B.S.Ed. degree in special education (speech pathology) and later, a master’s in interior design and a graduate certificate in gerontology from the University of Arizona. They lived in Texas, Iowa and Arizona

before moving in 1996 to Maryland, and retiring in 2011 to North Carolina. She created the design requirements for Certified Aging in Place Professionals with the National Association of Home Builders Research Center, and contributed to the Americans With Disabilities Act, providing expertise on building adaptations to increase accessibility. She was preceded in death by her parents, Hubert F. Smith and Austelle Reed Smith. Among survivors are James, her husband of 58 years; children Melanie Wade Siewert and Jamie Wade; four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

1968

Betty Joanna Howell Evans, 94, of Abilene, Texas, died July 27, 2023, in Abilene, Texas. She was born Feb. 4, 1929, in San Carlos, Arizona, and was a member of the Pawnee Nation who grew up in Oklahoma. She attended Murray State University, where she met and married Gene Evans on July 17, 1948. They moved in 1961 to Abilene, where Gene became a member of the mathematics faculty at ACU. She earned a B.S.Ed. degree in 1968 and taught fourth graders at Woodson and Lee elementary schools. She was preceded in death by her parents, Stacy and Rebecca Howell; Gene, her husband of 50 years; a son, Thomas Evans (’71); and brothers Stacy Howell Jr., Joseph Howell and Ferrell Howell. Among survivors are sons Robert Evans (’73), Stacy Evans (’81) and Dr. Gene Evans (’89); nine grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Donald Lynn Hutcherson, 78, died Jan. 31, 2024, in Denton, Texas. He was born Aug. 18, 1945, in Muenster, Texas, and married classmate Frances Ruth Watts (’67) on June 25, 1966. He partnered with his brother, David, in Hutcherson Insurance Agency in Gainesville, Texas, and following a career in insurance, started Enhanced Powder Coating. He was president of the Boys Club of Gainesville and coached many youth sports teams, and for more than a decade, served as an elder for Hillcrest Church of Christ. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Fran, in 2015, and married Betsy Myers in 2018. Among survivors are Betsy, his second wife; a brother, David Hutcherson; sons Bradley Hutcherson (’93), Barry Hutcherson (’93) and Brian Hutcherson (’93); a daughter, Donna (Hutcherson ’01) Lee; step-children Dr. Jeff Holloway and Mindy (Holloway ’01) Stewart; 11 grandchildren; and three step-grandchildren.

1971

Janice Katherine (Miller) Moze, 79, died May 17, 2023. She was born Aug. 9, 1943, in Roan Mountain, Tennessee. She taught elementary school for many years in northern Virginia and returned to her East Tennessee roots after retirement. She was preceded in death by her parents, William Allen Miller and Grace Birchfield Miller; a brother, Allen Kent Miller; and a sister, Billie Louise Miller. Among survivors are her husband, Garth; daughters Danielle Moze and Lauren Boone; five grandchildren; sisters, Betty Farmer

and Kimberly Miller; and a brother, Michael Miller (’76).

1973

Dr. Robert S. “Bob” Shaw, 71, died March 19, 2023, in Falls, Pennsylvania. He was born Jan. 29, 1952, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Shaw earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communications and theology, and a master’s in theology and doctrinal studies (1974), both from ACU, and a doctorate in clinical psychology from Immaculata University (2000). He was minister of the Harding (Pennsylvania) Church of Christ from 1978 until his passing, and he retired in 2022 after serving as director of the Counseling/Student Development Center at Marywood University. He was preceded in death by a son, James Shaw (’01). Among survivors are Karen (Trimble ’73), his wife of 50 years; a son, Matthew Shaw (’01); two grandchildren; and a sister, Ruth Shaw Kahn (’77).

1974

Randall “Randy” Keith Bodine, 73, of Lampasas, Texas, died Feb. 4, 2024. He was born June 30, 1950, in Colorado City, Texas, earned a B.S. degree; and wed Beatriz Guevara on Dec. 31, 1982. His career included work in sales, woodworking, the Texas Employment Commission, and a 20-year role with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. He served on mission trips and helped to establish a church in Columbia. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ed and Jeanine Stubblefield Bodine. Among survivors are a son, Alex Bodine; a daughter, Jeanine Evers; four grandchildren; a brother, Gary Bodine (’74); and a sister, Jena Bodine Thomas (’77)

1979

Martin Ray Gohlke, 66, died Dec. 1, 2023, in Abilene, Texas. He was born Aug. 14, 1957, in Galveston, Texas, and married ACU classmate Carla Willis (’77) in May 1978. He earned a B.B.A. degree and played basketball for the Wildcats. He devoted the majority of his adult life working at his lumber yard in Ranger, Texas, before becoming a sales representative for Sysco Foods in Abilene. He and Carla returned to Ranger to manage a family cattle ranch, and in 2018, Martin was voted an Eastland County Commissioner. He served as a deacon or elder at several churches. He was preceded in death by his parents, Luther Ray Gohlke and Patricia Ann Broyles Gohlke. Among survivors are his wife, Carla; sons Chad Gohlke, Seth Gohlke (’08) and Dr. Cody Gohlke (’10); 11 grandchildren; and sisters Carrie (Gohlke ’81) Teaff, Greta (Gohlke ’83) Stephens, Amy Gohlke and Lori Edgar.

1982

Dr. Stephen William Eldridge, 62, died Feb. 4, 2023, in Amarillo, Texas. He was born April 3, 1960, in Burlington, North Carolina, and married Julie Gipson (’84) on Dec. 15, 1984. He earned bachelor’s degrees in business administration and biology from ACU, a master’s

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

Sherri Scott-Cook (AO) • 972-816-8598, sherri.cook@acu.edu

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

• Law School Admissions Endowment

• J.D. Holland Endowment for Art and Design

• J.D. Holland Endowment for Missions and Global Service

Recent scholarship endowments created

• Dr. Tony and Candyce Roach Endowed Scholarship

• Guy Converse Kellam Endowed Scholarship

To create your own endowed scholarship or contribute to an existing one, see acu.edu/give or call 800-588-1514.

Alumni chapter program to begin in major Texas markets, starting with Houston, DFW

With its increasingly mobile alumni base centered in several of the biggest and fastest-growing cities and metropolitan areas in Texas and the U.S., university leaders are organizing alumni chapters to better serve and unite Wildcats of all ages.

The program launches with chapters in Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth, with San Antonio, Austin and other Texas cities planned in the coming years. Out-of-state markets are prospects for the future as well.

“We have coordinated events in several major markets for some time, such as the annual gatherings planned around MLB home games for the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros, and NBA games with the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs,” said Craig Fisher (’92), associate vice president for advancement and alumni. “But there is enthusiasm for and strong interest in organizational support efforts for a year-round program of events and other opportunities to gather.”

ACU is blessed with alumni who make regular trips to campus for Homecoming, Sing Song and athletics events. The hectic pace of family and work life, however, call for increased opportunities to enhance connections to Abilene Christian in the cities where graduates, parents and students call home.

The purpose of alumni chapters is to increase and expand the alumni network and to build upon a wellestablished community that loves and supports ACU.

“Even first-time visitors to campus notice that this is an extraordinarily relational university. It is part of our DNA,” Fisher said. “Our alumni community is active and passionate about their alma mater, but we are always looking for better ways to strengthen and build our relationships with graduates, continuing what began for them in Abilene and growing an even stronger ACU in the future.”

The chapters will include a team of volunteers in each market to help the Alumni Relations team build plans for their community. Specific communication through each chapter will allow for better flow of news updates and campus information, additional events and opportunities to volunteer in their communities. Supporting the Admissions team as it engages with prospective students and their families is a prime example of a way to volunteer and give back to ACU.

Watch for more information through emails, social media and future issues of ACU Today to learn more as alumni chapter programs launch and grow.  – RON

HADFIELD

degree in health care administration from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1996), a master’s in history from West Texas A&M University (2004) and a Ph.D. in history from Texas Tech University (2019). For the past 22 years, he was a business administrator at the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center in Amarillo, Texas, and a teacher and online tutor for Texas Tech and West Texas A&M. He was preceded in death by his parents, Bill and Carolyn Eldridge. Among survivors are Julie, his wife of 38 years; daughters Emily Eldridge and Sarah Eldridge; a son, Jackson Eldridge; and a sister, Tracy Reynolds.

Dr. Mike Randal Beggs, 62, died Oct. 30, 2023. He was born Nov. 29, 1960, in Fort Worth, Texas, and earned bachelor’s degrees from ACU in biblical text (1982), Spanish (1983) and secondary education (1983). He taught history and English as a second language at Northside High School in his hometown before earning an M.Div. from Yale University (1990) and a doctorate in theology from the University of Notre Dame (1999), and marrying Yale classmate Sally Cherrington. He taught religion at Elmhurst University and Livingstone College before joining Sally in 2002 on the faculty of Newberry College, where she was professor and chair of music until her death in 2012. He married Becky Miller in 2014. He was preceded in death by his grandparents; parents; and Sally, his first wife of 18 years. Among survivors are his second wife, Becky; sons Zach Beggs (’18) and Nate Beggs; and a sister, Cara (Beggs ’87) Wheeler

1987

Stefani Paige Craig, 55, died July 14, 2022. She was born Nov. 19, 1966, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Craig traveled to Europe in high school with Sound of America, and at ACU she performed in Homecoming musicals and other productions while earning a B.A. degree in vocal music. She devoted most of her career to living and working in San Diego, California, where she owned Highmoon Productions. Ten years ago, Craig moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. She was preceded in death by her father, Herb Craig. Among survivors are her mother, Barbara (Davenport ’62) Craig; and a sister, Leslie (Craig ’86) Stubbs Elizabeth Holley Anderson, 59, of Waco, Texas, died July 1, 2023. She was born Aug. 6, 1963, and earned a bachelor’s degree in communications. She began her career in TV and public relations with KIDY-TV in San Angelo; then as a general assignments reporter for a TV station in Savannah, Georgia (1988-90); and as a news anchor at KETK-TV in Longview, Texas. In 2002, she and then-husband Bage Anderson founded E.H. Anderson Public Relations, a Waco-based communications firm. She was executive director of the Waco Business League. She was preceded in death by her parents, Jerry Don Holley (’59) and Ruth (Chenault ’57) Holley. Among survivors are her children, Jackson Wyatt Anderson and Holley Marie Anderson; and brothers Don Holley (’80) and Jim Holley.

1988

Bobbie June McCullough Dickson, 86, died March 1, 2024, in Abilene, Texas. She was born June 1, 1937, in Fort Worth, Texas, and married Dr. Curt Dickson (’66) in 1955. They moved to Abilene so Curt could attend ACU, where the couple supervised students living in barracks. After Curt graduated in 1969, they moved to College Station so he could attend graduate school at Texas A&M University, then returned to Abilene when he began a 41-year career on faculty in the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. Bobbie accompanied him on class ski trips to New Mexico and served more than 50 years as a sponsor for Sigma Theta Chi sorority. She completed her bachelor’s degree when her two oldest children finished high school, and began interior design work with clients in Abilene. She earned a Change the World award in 2006 during the Centennial. She was preceded in death by her parents, B.W. “Bully” and Joy Hampton McCullough; her husband, Curt; brothers David and Stacy McCullough, and a granddaughter. Among survivors are children Sherri (Dickson ’79) Luttrell, Trissa (Dickson ’91) Cox, Dr. Kyle Dickson (’93) and Carl Dickson (’92); nine grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and a sister, Jeanie (McCullough ’68) Cruce

1990

Toni Marie (Kotzen) Mansker, 55, died Aug. 2, 2023. She was born April 15, 1968, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and earned bachelor’s and master’s (1991) degrees in psychology from ACU. She married Clint Mansker (’92) in 1996. Early in her career, she worked as a counselor in a rehabilitation hospital and was a special-education teacher. In 2018, the family moved to Canyon Lake, Texas. She co-hosted a popular podcast, “Here’s Your Red Flag.” She was preceded in death by her father, Fred Kotzen. Among survivors are Clint, her husband of 27 years; children Cole Mansker and Caitlin Mansker; her mother, Ardith Kotzen; and sisters Kim Kotzen and Alicia Gregg.

Cary Lee Roberts, 55, died Dec. 3, 2023, in Austin, Texas. He was born April 14, 1968, in Abilene, Texas, and majored in psychology. An Eagle Scout, he was national vice-chief of the Boy Scouts of America’s Order of the Arrow. An award-winning writer and multimedia producer, he co-founded Texas Writers Month, an annual event celebrating the literary talents of Texas writers through book signings, readings and statewide events. His career included roles as director of legislative information services at Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld L.L.P.; a partner in Casteel & Roberts; media relations officer for the Texas Association of Counties; and executive director of the Greater Austin Crime Commission. He most recently was principal of Vigil, a consulting and government relations firm based in Austin, where he managed political campaigns. Roberts also had key roles in the Texas Civil Justice

League, including communications director and as a leader of its Judicial Education Alliance. He was preceded in death by his mother, Linda (Hanson ’68) Roberts. Among survivors are his father, Garner Roberts (’70); and brothers Dr. Koy Roberts (’93) and Aaron Roberts (’96)

2015

Joshua Tyler “Joshie” Grothues, 30, died Oct. 27, 2023. He was born Feb. 13, 1993, in San Antonio, Texas, and grew up in Spring Branch. He earned a B.B.A. degree and was involved in Pi Kappa, Alpha Chi, Sing Song and studied abroad in Oxford, England. He grew his marketing career in San Antonio at Gunn Auto Group, The Wood Agency and Randolph Brooks Federal Credit Union. Among survivors are his parents, Tammy and Jerry Grothues; and a sister, Kaitlyn (Grothues ’18) Taylor

2024

Mandi Dawn Welch, 44, died Dec. 24, 2023, in Johnson City, Texas. She was born March 7, 1979, in Fredericksburg, Texas, earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Howard Payne University, master’s degrees in education and psychology from Angelo State University, and was studying toward a doctorate in education at ACU. She was preceded in death by her father, Ed Crawford. Among survivors are her mother, Debra Crawford; Chris Welch, her husband of 17 years; daughters Rylee and Dusti; two grandchildren; and a sister, Sheala Eakman.

OTHER FRIENDS

Longtime ACU benefactor Cloice LaNelle Edwards Hodge, 93, of Abilene, Texas, died May 25, 2023. She was born Jan. 20, 1930, in Trent, Texas, and married Robert “Bob” Thomas Hodge on March 15, 1951. She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Lillian Johnson Edwards; and Bob, her husband of 31 years. Among survivors are a son, Edward Hodge (’85); daughters Donna Hodge and Karen Bonifay; five grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.

ACU benefactor Barbara Jean Ash, 89, died Aug. 24, 2023, in Abilene, Texas. She was born July 10, 1934, in Memphis, Tennessee. In 1955 she married Dr. Anthony Lee “Tony” Ash (’59), a teacher, minister and professor at Pepperdine University and at ACU. She earned an associate’s degree from Florida College, a bachelor’s from St. Edward’s University and a master’s from Texas State University. She worked 43 years on military bases in Georgia, California and Texas, retiring in 2001 as the civilian education services officer at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene. She was preceded in death by her parents, Russell and Verenice Bailey; Tony, her husband of 62 years; a sister, Ruth Rideout; and an adopted sister, Linda Bailey.

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

1) Wendy (Hornbaker ’93) Dooldeniya and her daughter, May 2024 graduate Araliya, celebrate following Commencement.

2) Dr. James Wiser surprised Abilene philanthropist Kaye Price-Hawkins (’72 M.Ed.) with the 2024 Friend of the Year award at the Friends of the ACU Library spring fundraising dinner on April 22. Wiser is dean of library services and educational technology.

PAUL WHITE

Members of the Class of 1974 gathered on campus April 17-19 for their Golden Anniversary Reunion.

Proud family and friends of Mya Alexia Sifuentes (’24), who graduated with a B.S. degree in child and family services, pose on the Campus Mall outside Moody Coliseum for a photo following Commencement on May 11. Sifuentes is from San Antonio, Texas.

FROM LEFT: Cecilia (Hufstedler) Morgan, Jane Varner Beard and Judge Steve Smith visit during the Class of 1974 Golden Anniversary Reunion.

ACU Remembers

Former Brown Library director Dr. James Kenneth Roach, 86, of Katy, Texas, died Jan. 10, 2022. He was born Feb. 13, 1935, in Mount Pleasant, Texas, and wed classmate Anita Crowson (’59) on May 26, 1959. He taught high school English in Taft, Texas, while completing a Master of Library Science degree at The University of Texas at Austin. Later, he earned a doctorate in higher education and administration from the University of North Texas. He served as a librarian at Howard College, Texas Woman’s University, Dallas Public Library, ACU (director, 1977-88), and Lee College. While living in Baytown, Texas, he served as an elder at the Missouri Street Church of Christ. He was preceded in death by his parents, James Bedford and Ruby Lee Smith Roach; brothers Carl Roach and James Billy Roach; sisters Ruth Roach McCauley, Mary Blanche Roach Cain and Noma Roach Bailey; and a granddaughter. Among survivors are Anita, his wife of 62 years; children Dr. David Roach (’82), Danny Roach, Dale Roach, Susan Roach Rickard, Pat Roach (’92), Mike Roach, Don Roach and Jeannie Roach Kees; a brother, Jack Roach; 16 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Richard Williams Jr. (’77), 67, died Nov. 16, 2022, in Sugar Land, Texas. He was born Jan. 30, 1952, earned a degree in psychology and wed classmate Menie Scott (’74). He caught 50 passes for 1,054 yards and 14 touchdowns to help lead ACU to the 1973 NAIA Division I national championship team. He was honorable mention All-American and firstteam All-Lone Star Conference in 1973, and selected in the fourth round of the 1974 NFL Draft by Cincinnati. He played one season with the Bengals and two with the New England Patriots. He was inducted posthumously in 2023 to the ACU Sports Hall of Fame. Among survivors are his wife, Menie; and children Erica, Mia and Ritchie.

Former Academic Computing staff member Joe Henry Booth Jr. (’80), 72, of Bartlett, Tennessee, died May 27, 2023. He was born March 3, 1951, in Hope, Arkansas. He met classmate Linda Buenrostro (’81) while both played in the Big Purple Band, and they wed May 24, 1985. He earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree from ACU, and in 1980, survived a near-fatal fall at Homecoming from the catwalk in Moody Coliseum’s ceiling to the court below. Booth, who was technical director of Sing Song from 1973-80, recovered from his injuries and earned a B.S. in computer science in 19 90. In Abilene, he worked for ACU (1984-95 as system manager, director of technical services and network coordinator) and for American State Bank before moving to Tennessee in 1999 as a network engineer for PCS Nitrogen. He later served as a database programmer for Sparks Companies and S&P Global. He and Linda started children’s church ministries while attending congregations in Abilene and Tennessee. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe H. Booth Sr. and Mona Booth; a sister, Glenda; and brothers Don Booth and Bob Booth (’75). Among survivors are his wife, Linda; and daughters Kathryn Booth and Elizabeth Booth.

Former ACU Career Center director Jack Delbert Stewart II (’57), 88, died Sept. 2, 2023, in Denton, Texas. He was born July 6, 1935, in Ennis, Texas, and married Jean Pogue (’60) on Jan. 23, 1960. Stewart served six years in the Texas National Guard and worked for Industrial Indemnity Insurance. In 1970, he began work for SP Personnel Associates in San Antonio, where he was an elder at MacArthur Park Church of Christ and served on the founding board of Christian Heritage Schools. The Stewarts moved in 1992 to Abilene, where he was an elder at Hillcrest Church of Christ and led ACU’s Career Center for 12 years before retiring. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jack Delbert and Dora Ellen (Johnson) Stewart; and a brother, Michael G. Stewart. Among survivors are Jean, his wife of 63 years; children Jeff Cox (’83), Jay Cox (’86) and Jill (Stewart ’93) Dowdy; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Sharon Lee Sprague Robinson (’62), 88, died Sept. 16, 2023, in Lubbock, Texas. She was born May 31, 1935, in Detroit, Michigan, and married classmate Dr. John Louis Robinson (’60) on Dec. 17, 1959. The couple served as missionaries from 1962-65 in Baguio City, Philippines, before John joined the Abilene Christian history faculty in 1965. Sharon managed the ACU Credit Union, served as an assistant to Texas Rep. Gary Thompson (’60), and assisted the Bean dining hall with recipe planning. She was preceded in death by her parents, Richard “Dick” and Helen Sprague; and John, her husband of 62 years. Among survivors are sons Brian Robinson (’85) and Lt. Col. (ret.) Matthew Robinson (’88); and seven grandchildren.

Former ACU staff member Sharon Kay Meredith, 77, died Sept. 17, 2023. She was born July 3, 1946, in Doniphan, Missouri. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Harding University, where she met Floyd Meredith and they wed May 31, 1968. She taught at Young Children’s World at Highland Church of Christ and was administrative coordinator in the Registrar’s Office at ACU (1991-99). She was preceded in death by her parents, George Bonnell and Helen Bonnell; and siblings Wilford Bonnell, Carol Bonnell and Barbara Bonnell. Among survivors are Harold, her husband of 55 years; a son, Jonathan David Meredith (’95); a daughter, Laura Kristen (Meredith ’97) Perkins; and five grandchildren.

Former chemistry faculty member Dr. Robert Lee “Cotton” Hance (’66), 80, died Sept. 28, 2023, in Austin, Texas. He was born March 1, 1943, in El Paso, Texas. He earned an A.A. degree at York University, and married classmate Nedra Drake on Aug. 29, 1963. He graduated with a B.S. in chemistry from ACU, and a doctorate in physical chemistry from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1970). He taught chemistry at ACU (1970-84) before starting a 19-year career at Motorola. He was preceded in death by his parents, Bill Hance and Mary Frances Hance; a grandson; and a brother, Jim Hance. Among survivors are Nedra, his wife of 60 years; children Bryon Hance, Kirk Hance, Clint Hance, Holly Tran and Jeremy Hance; 19 grandchildren; and siblings Bill Hance (’60), Jackie (Hance ’62) Humphrey, Mary Delle (Hance ’68) Stelzer, Ed Hance, Betty Miller and Carl Hance.

Lee Ann (Waters ’74) Thornton, 72, of Austin, Texas, died Nov. 9, 2023. She was born Oct. 11, 1951, in Seattle, Washington, earned a B.S.Ed. degree and wed classmate Gary Thornton, J.D. (’72). She was a social worker for foster children while they lived in Beaumont, Texas; and the couple also resided in Abilene, Texas; and Malibu, California; before settling in Austin, Texas, in 1982. She was a member of ACU’s University Council from 2007-23. She was preceded in death by her parents, Dwight and Melba Waters. Among survivors are Gary, her husband of 51 years and an ACU trustee; daughters Megan (Thornton ’00) Srygley and Chelsea (Thornton ’01) Buchholtz; three grandchildren; a sister, Dorthy Waters Courtney (’76); and a brother, Todd Waters.

Williams Performing Arts Center co-namesake Judith “Judy” Kay Alguire Williams (’63), 82, died Dec. 5, 2023, in Dallas, Texas. She was born Sept. 16, 1941, in Duncan, Oklahoma. She was a medical technician in bacteriology in Washington, D.C., in her 20s, and carried a passion for science throughout her life. She was preceded in death by her parents, Linnie and Robert Alguire; and her brothers, Robert Alguire and Richard Alguire. Among survivors are sons Bryce Williams (’86), U.S. Rep. Brandon Williams, Russ Williams (’93) and Victor Williams; a daughter, Susan (Williams ’97) Hoag; 12 grandchildren; and one great-grandson.

Former longtime business faculty member Donald M. Altman, 96, died Dec. 18, 2023, in Portland, Oregon. He was born June 20, 1927, in South Carolina. He was 17 years old when he joined the Merchant Marines during World War II, later serving in the Air Force and rising to lieutenant colonel. He wed Elizabeth Marie Fowles on March 2, 1950, and earned a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University (1961) and an MBA from The University of Texas at Austin (1965). Following his military career, he taught economics at ACU for 22 years (1969-90), retiring as assistant professor emeritus of management sciences. He co-founded the Small Business Development Center with Texas Tech University in Abilene. He was preceded in death by

Roach Booth

his parents; Marie, his wife of 68 years; and sons Tom Altman and Rusty Altman (’81). Among survivors are a daughter, Donna Altman (’81); four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Alvah Jean Henderson Hilton (’47), 96, died Dec. 21, 2023, in Abilene, Texas. She was born Aug. 16, 1927, in Waco, Texas, and wed classmate L.D. “Bill” Hilton (’48) on March 31, 1947. She and Bill – who died in 2014 after a 57-year administrative career at ACU – were namesakes of its Hilton Room (1991) and Hilton Food Court (2007) in the McGlothlin Campus Center, and the L.D. “Bill” and Alvah Jean Hilton Endowed Scholarship. She was preceded in death by her parents, Milton and Essie Henderson; Bill, her husband of 67 years; and a granddaughter. Among survivors are children

Mary Alice Hilton Horne (’70), Bobby Hilton (’74), Don Hilton (’79) and Lou Ann (Hilton ’94) Riley; 10 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

universities. While men’s track and field head coach for the Wildcats, he led them to second-place finishes in the 1992 NCAA Division II indoor and outdoor championships. In between college coaching jobs, he served as high school principal, director of operations and assistant superintendent in three Texas school districts and as a program specialist for the Texas Education Agency. He finished his career as a substitute teacher for the Fredericksburg (Texas) ISD in 2018. In 10 years of masters competition, Dyes never lost a javelin event, winning three U.S. titles (1987, 1989 and 1991) and two world championships (1989 and 1991). Dyes was among the 2008-09 class inducted to the ACU Sports Hall of Fame. He was preceded in death by his parents, J.B. Dyes and Willie Forsong Dyes; a brother, Ronald Dyes; and a sister, Marilyn Dyes Lewis. Among survivors are Jenny, his wife of 60 years; and sons Jonathan Dyes, D.V.M., and Adam Jeremy Joseph Dyes. (See story on page 48.)

Linda Fay (Spinella) Kemp, 66, died Jan. 1, 2024. She was born Nov. 1, 1957, in Livermore, California, and earned a bachelor’s degree from The University of Texas at Arlington. She wed Scott Kemp on Aug. 11, 1979. A midwife, she delivered more than 200 babies and served as president of the Association of Texas Midwives, taught Spanish at Abilene Christian Schools, and was administrative coordinator for ACU Theatre. She was preceded in death by her parents, Joe and Freeda Spinella. Among survivors are Scott, her husband of 44 years; children Hannah Kemp-Garbacz (’05), Matt Kemp (’09) and Jack (nee MaryLynn) Kemp (’14); a brother, Steve Spinella; sisters Sharon Owen and Carolyn Drevetz; and five grandchildren.

Longtime benefactor and former ACU trustee Barbara Jo Allan “Barbie” Bates (’61), 85, died Jan. 6, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. She was born Dec. 19, 1938, in Brady, Texas; earned a B.S.Ed. degree; married Frank Milton Bates on April 17, 1965; and was a middle school physical education teacher. She and Frank were co-owners of Whopper Burger Inc., and when they sold it in 1984 to Burger King Inc., she continued to manage her commercial properties and investments. Bates helped establish Christian Heritage School in San Antonio and served on its Board of Trustees. She served as an Abilene Christian trustee from 1994-2009 and was on the Visiting Committee for her alma mater’s Department of Music. Bates received an ACU Distinguished Alumni Citation for 2007. She was preceded in death by her parents, Leo Allan Wyres and Georgia Ovaughn Kunsman; and her husband, Frank. Among survivors are daughters Deanie (Bates ’89) Dampier, Kim (Bates ’90) Simpson and Lisa (Bates ’93) Stamps; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Former ACU track and field standout and men’s head coach Jerry Brian Dyes, 82, died Jan. 15, 2024, in Fredericksburg, Texas. He was born May 28, 1941, in Shreveport, Louisiana. Dyes transferred in January 1960 to ACU from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and married classmate Genevieve “Jenny” Bottoms (’65) on Nov. 28, 1963. He earned an M.Ed. degree from Northwestern State University (1976) and mid-management (1994) and superintendent certification (1996) from Stephen F. Austin State University. In 1960 he was the national freshman champion in the triple jump and runner-up in the javelin throw. He won the javelin throw at the Texas Relays, Kansas Relays, Drake Relays and Penn Relays; the decathlon at the Kansas Relays; ran on winning relay teams at the Penn and Drake Relays; and set an American decathlon record in the javelin throw that stood for 20 years. In 1965 he coached Corpus Christi (Texas) Ray High School to state championships in track and field, and cross country. He coached at Northwestern State (1970-82), Louisiana Tech (1982-88), Abilene Christian (1989-92), Texas-San Antonio (2003-07) and Schreiner

June Stevenson (Hobbs ’56) Witt , 89, of Amarillo, Texas, died Feb. 2, 2024. She was born June 23, 1934, in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. She attended Ohio Wesleyan University and Abilene Christian before meeting Scotty C. Witt (’52) while both were summertime counselors at Camp Hunt in upstate New York. She served two years as a missionary apprentice in Nigeria with Wendell (’45) and Betty (Billingsley ’45) Broom before she and Scotty wed Dec. 14, 1957. She completed her teaching degree at West Texas State University in 1971 and taught history and English to high school students in Amarillo, Texas. She and Scotty were recipients in 2016 of ACU’s Distinguished Alumni Citation for their decades of work at New Mexico’s Camp Blue Haven, which they co-founded in 1957. She was preceded in death by her parents, William Hobbs and Celia Mohney Hobbs; a brother, Milton Hobbs; and sisters Charlotte Miller and Laura Hobbs. Among survivors are Scotty, her husband of 66 years; children Laura (Witt ’81) Elmore, Mark Witt (’84), Dale (Witt ’84) Woodall, M.D., and Dr. Jonathan Witt (’89); eight grandchildren; and six great grandchildren.

Former ACU track and field head coach Don Wade Hood (’55), 90, died Feb. 9, 2024, in Abilene, Texas. He was born April 6, 1933, in Marlow, Oklahoma, earned a bachelor’s degree from ACU, an M.S. degree from Texas A&M-Commerce (1958) and studied toward an Ed.D. at the University of North Texas. He wed classmate Betty Ann Maddox (’57) in 1955 and she died in 2002. He married Shirley Merritt in 2004 and she died in 2023. Hood coached at four Texas high schools and began his career at Azle, winning three district titles (1959-61) in football, and the 1958 state title in boys’ cross country. His team won the state title in boys’ track and field at Corpus Christi (Texas) Moody High School in 1968. He was the head track and field coach at ACU from 1977-88, when he led the Wildcats to eight NCAA Division II national championships and two NAIA titles. An esteemed coach-clinician in throwing events, Hood mentored nine Olympians at Abilene Christian and 16 overall in a career that included earlier roles at the University of North Texas, Wichita State University and Howard Payne University. His Wildcat teams won nine Lone Star Conference championships, and he was named the league’s Coach of the Year eight times. His 1984 ACU men’s team is considered the greatest in NCAA Division II history, when the Wildcats scored 246 points and outdistanced the second-place team by 117 at the national meet. He was especially known as the innovative tutor of a succession of great Wildcat pole vaulters, including U.S. Olympians Billy Olson (’81) and Tim Bright (’84), and American record holder Brad Pursley (’84). In all, he coached 13 vaulters over the 18-foot barrier, starting with Olson, who set 11 world indoor records in the 1980s and became the first to vault 19 feet indoors and the first American to clear 19 feet. Hood coached seven women’s vaulters to All-American honors, including ACU’s Jane McNeill (’02), who became the first woman in NCAA Division II history to win a national title in the event. With Hood as a tutor, Wildcats soon became dominant in that event. Overall, his 159 athletes

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who earned All-American honors included 108 in the NCAA and 51 in the NAIA, and he taught many others through his Don Hood World Class Pole Vault Camps. He was inducted into the ACU Sports Hall of Fame (1998), the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2006), the National Pole Vault Summit Hall of Fame, and the Texas Track and Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2013). Two of Hood’s three sons also coached at ACU and won Division II national championships during their tenures. Don D. Hood was the head track and field coach from 2005-09 and led the men to outdoor titles from 2006-08 and the women to the outdoor title in 2008. His youngest son, Derek, was head cross country coach from 2005-08 and led the Wildcats to back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007. In March 2021, ACU made him the namesake of the Coach Don W. Hood Fieldhouse. He was preceded in death by his parents, O.H. and Madie Belle Hood; his first wife, Betty, and second wife, Shirley; brothers Charles Hood (’57) and Dr. Gary Hood (’64); and sisters Mary Logan and Betty Kooser. Among survivors are sons Joel Hood (’84), Don D. Hood (’87) and Derek Hood (’90); 11 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Longtime staff member Terry Wayne Bowman, 59, died Feb. 15, 2024, in Abilene, Texas, where he was born June 9, 1964. Bowman served ACU for more than 30 years, initially as a plumber and for the last 14 as director of off-campus properties for the Abilene Christian Investment Management Company. He was preceded in death by his parents, Wayne “Ted” and Norma Bowman; and a brother, Steve Bowman. Among survivors are Mary, his wife of 23 years; brothers Trevor Bowman (’90) and Ron Deming; children Joseph Monsivais, Brittini and Ely Mize, Brennen Bowman (’17) and Heather Bowman, and Leo and Sabrina Monsivais; and 11 grandchildren.

Audelia Maldonado Lopez, 71, kitchen supervisor for 19 years in ACU’s Bean dining hall, died Feb. 29, 2024, in New Caney, Texas. She was born Oct. 12, 1952, in Raymondville, Texas. She dropped out of school in junior high but earned her GED in 1994 while working two jobs and raising seven boys as a single mother. She was preceded in death by her parents, Jesus Maldonado and Josepha Maldonado. Among survivors are sons Jesus Lopez, Juan Lopez, Gregory Lopez, James Lopez, David Lopez, Alberto Lopez and Marco Lopez; 17 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and siblings Benita Dudensing, Mary Lechuga, Tony Rodela, Rose Robinson, Sebastiana Maldonado-Espinosa, Charles Maldonado and Efejaenio Maldonado.

Former staff member Elma Deloris Burch Mankin, 85, died March 1, 2024. She was born Aug. 6, 1938, in Middlebourne, West Virginia, earned a bachelor’s degree from Lipscomb University and studied graduate accounting at Vanderbilt University. She taught accounting and business in the Salem (Ohio) public schools, and at Ohio Valley College. She wed Dr. Jim Mankin on Nov. 29, 1963, and served alongside him in his pulpit ministries in Cincinnati, Ohio; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Madison, Tennessee. The latter was the largest Church of Christ congregation in the world at that time. In 1986, Jim joined ACU’s Bible faculty and in 1991, Deloris became administrative secretary to the vice president for academic affairs. Following Jim’s death in 1998, she married Bill Van Cleave. After he died in 2008, she married Jarrell Edwards. She was preceded in death by her parents, Otis and Olive Burch; a brother, Doyle Gene Burch; and her first two husbands, Jim and Bill. Among survivors are her third husband, Jarrell Edwards; her children, Alice (Mankin ’89 M.S.) LaMascus, Dr. Jeff Mankin (’88) and Ben Mankin (’98); four grandchildren; stepsons Ken Van Cleave (’78), Robert Van Cleave (’83) and Ed Emerson; and several step-grandchildren.

Hollis Burl McCoy (’54), 91, one of the most successful women’s basketball coaches in ACU history, died March 18, 2024, in Abilene, Texas. He was born Feb. 22, 1933, in Stith, Texas, and earned a bachelor’s degree in education and an M.Ed. degree (1967), both from ACU. He married Georgia Jan Gibson (’58) on Aug. 11, 1958. He was a track and field standout for the Wildcats – posting top marks from 1952-54 in the 400 hurdles and 1951 in the 110 hurdles, and as a member of winning relay teams at the Texas, Drake and Kansas Relays – and also played basketball at Abilene Christian. His career as a teacher, coach and mentor spanned 38 years at the high school and university levels. One of the

longest-tenured head coaches in Wildcat history, McCoy compiled a 299-174 record in women’s basketball, with postseason appearances in eight of 16 seasons (1976-92), leading ACU to five Lone Star Conference championships. His best team (1980-81) reached the NCAA Division II national quarterfinals, finishing with a 31-7 record that included wins over Texas A&M, SMU, TCU and Hawaii. His teams won four straight LSC basketball titles from 1982-86 and a championship in his final season (1991-92). McCoy was named LSC Coach of the Year in women’s basketball (1985 and 1986) and women’s track and field (1983). He was a beloved song leader at church and gospel meetings, and a longtime elder at Merkel Church of Christ. The McCoy Family Singers comprised Burl, Jan and their three children, and he and Jan were also members of a peer group that sang at more than 200 weddings. He was preceded in death by his parents, Hollis and Velma McCoy, and his brother, Gerald McCoy (’50). Among survivors are Jan, his wife of 65 years; sons Brad McCoy (’83) and Michael McCoy (’89); daughter Amy (McCoy ’83) Walker; eight grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.

Church historian Dr. Bill J. Humble (’48), 97, a former longtime Bible professor and administrator, died March 19, 2024, in Amarillo, Texas. He was born Sept. 18, 1926, in Springfield, Missouri, and attended Freed-Hardeman University before earning a bachelor’s degree in history from ACU, a master’s degree in history from the University of Colorado (1949) and a Ph.D. in religion from the University of Iowa (1964). He wed classmate Geraldine “Jerry” Carrington (’48) on Aug. 24, 1948. Humble was a preaching minister for congregations in St. Petersburg, Florida; Kansas City, Missouri; Louisville, Kentucky; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Abilene. Before joining the faculty at ACU, he taught Bible and church history at Florida Christian College and served as a visiting professor of history at the University of Tampa. He taught at Abilene Christian from 1964-95, retiring as professor emeritus of Bible. He was founding director of ACU’s Center for Restoration Studies and also was a veteran administrator who served as academic dean/vice president for academic affairs (1969-76), chair of the Bible department (1979-84) and chair of the Department of Graduate Bible and Ministry (1988-90). He was highly involved in beginning the university’s first doctoral degree program, the Doctor of Ministry. Humble is best known as an energetic historian of the American Restoration Movement whose writings and research, combined with documentary and travelog films he produced, gave fresh insights on church history to generations of Christians. Videos he narrated and produced with former ACU faculty member and videographer Dr. Dutch Hoggatt (’77) were Our Restoration Heritage (1986); Light From Above: The Life of Alexander Campbell (1988); The Bible Land: Walking Where Jesus Walked (1988); Archaeology and the Bible (1990); Like Fire In Dry Stubble: The Life of Barton W. Stone (1992); and The Seven Churches of Asia (1995). Humble also authored books including Campbell and Controversy: The Story of Alexander Campbell’s Great Debates With Skepticism, Catholicism and Presbyterianism (1952, 1986); The Story of the Restoration (1960, 2021); Like Fire in Dry Stubble: The Life of Barton W. Stone (1991); and The Seven Churches of Asia (2002, co-written with 1968 ACU alumnus and former College of Biblical Studies dean Dr. Ian Fair). Humble was among ACU’s first professors to lead study abroad trips with students, including major archaeological excavation work with them at Caesarea Philippi and extensive touring of other historical sites. His Holy Lands tours in the 1980s and ’90s grew his love for archeology and he became an avid collector of antiquities, leading to the donation in 1991 of the Bill and Jerry Humble Collection of Ancient Oil Lamps. Humble received the annual Christian Educator of the Year award in 1988 from 20th Century Christian and Power for Today, and was the ACU College of Biblical Studies’ Teacher of the Year in 1989. He was preceded in death by his parents, Boyd and Cora Humble; Jerry, his wife of 64 years; and a son, Eric Humble (’72). Among survivors are his daughter, Rebecca (Humble ’74) Liles; four grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. 

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Second GLANCE

BY RON HADFIELD

The legend of Jerry Dyes still soars

Jerry Dyes, who died in January at age 82 (see page 46), was arguably the most talented athlete in ACU history. Wildcat men’s track and field teams he coached from 1989-92 produced All-Americans but not the national titles of his predecessor, the late Don W. Hood (’55), or his successor, Wes Kittley (’81). However, he was deeply respected for his instructional ability as a coach, especially in his world-class expertise: throwing a javelin.

Jerry Dyes (’64) said his adventurous boyhood always meant running from or after something, or someone.

“I remember throwing plenty of rocks, jumping out of church windows or attempting to vault a neighbor’s fence with a hickory pole,” he wrote in a memoir shared years ago with a beloved classmate, Sam Gafford (’63) “I was an active child, somewhat shy, a coward perhaps, but with enough rascal in me to make life interesting.”

Dyes – which rhymes with wise – was well-read, philosophical and grateful for his blessings: godly parents, astounding physical ability and a nose for competition. Although most boys in his Shreveport, Louisiana, neighborhood were older, he quickly topped their athletic skills, and when they became angry, just outran them.

“I do not know how many windows of houses and cars I broke with rocks, but it was not a small number,” he wrote. “My javelin-throwing efforts of later years were enhanced by thousands of sailing rocks.”

track scholarship, then transferred to ACU. When two new classmates in Abilene discovered he could hurl a 12-pound shotput 60-plus feet, they hatched a plan to make some money the next Saturday night in Waco, where one of them lived. The trio visited dance halls and such with the iron ball waiting outside in the car, “looking for good ol’ boys with strength, size and shotput experience,” recalled Dyes. He wore tennis shoes, thick glasses and weighed just 180 pounds, but eventually waxed all challengers. Action eventually slowed and bets advanced to seeing who could run and jump cleanly over the roof of a car, which, of course, Dyes did with ease. The three pocketed “more than four figures” from the Waco parking lot showdowns over several weekends.

For six years his mother sent him to piano lessons requiring a trolley ride and long walk. On one trip, Dyes hurled a rock at an aggressive dog, missing and breaking the windshield of a nearby car. “Its owner sought my hide with every fiber in his body. My conscience failed me, but my feet did not,” he wrote. “I finally lost him but was so frightened I continued to run until I was exhausted.”

Hours later, his mother confronted Dyes with the man who chased him without success. “He was not too thrilled to meet me, but he did encourage me by telling my mother, ‘Lady, that boy can run fast and for a long time!’”

He built endurance by walking for miles in Shreveport’s sweltering summer heat, and developed an interest in track and field. Dyes received a 16-pound iron shotput ball for his 13th birthday.

“About 20,000 throws later, I became a decent shotputter for my size,” he wrote. “However, by age 14, my parents’ lawn was in shambles, as those iron balls leave deep craters. The yard came to include pits for the pole vault, high jump and long jump, which did not enhance the landscaping qualities of our lawn. Eventually, they moved me to the remote areas of the three acres they owned.”

Timid and inhibited while young, he did not participate in sports until asked to join the track and field team at Fair Park High School, and it changed the trajectory of his life.

He attended one year at Northeast Louisiana State on a

Those feats were no surprise to teammates, who witnessed the gifted Dyes dunking a basketball, or routinely throwing a football from goal line to goal line – 100 yards – on the Elmer Gray Stadium infield at track practice. Not everything went so smoothly. While home one morning in August 1962, Jerry practiced with his javelin while the family’s small herd of cattle looked on nearby. An errant throw, however, quickly ended the life of Susie, his father’s prized milk cow. Dyes was also profoundly nearsighted. And he battled constant injuries, among them arthritis from a fractured left foot and ankle, a broken right elbow, severe hamstring and groin pulls, kidney stones and various infections.

He competed in just two decathlons in college, winning both, and was a point-scoring machine at other meets in six or more events – plus relays – with bests including 9.6 seconds in the 100-yard dash, 48 seconds in the 440, long jumps over 25 feet, 16-pound shot throws over 52 feet, and javelin throws of nearly 260 feet. Sixty years later, he still owns the top 10 javelin marks in ACU history. A favorite to earn a spot on the 1964 U.S. Olympic team, he fell short at the Trials in California. Heart- and homesick at age 21, he returned to Texas and his new bride, Jenny (Bottoms ’65).

Legendary head coach Oliver Jackson (’42) called Dyes his best-ever all-around athlete, which is saying a lot, given the track and field world records and Olympic medals won by Bobby Morrow (’58), Earl Young (’62) and a cast of talented collegians whose feats put ACU on the map.

Dyes missed competition and regretted the way his shot at the Olympics ended. In his mid-40s, he launched a comeback for the ages, winning U.S. and international masters championships into his 50s, his soaring javelin throws making headlines once more.

Milk cows learned to keep their distance, and once he retired the javelin for good, breathed sighs of relief. 

Dyes

A Legacy OF LEARNING

r. Edward (’49) and Edna (Williams ’48) Brown dedicated nearly four decades to enhancing the lives of Abilene Christian University students and colleagues alike, and with the creation of an endowment fund, they continue to do so.

Ed Brown’s professional career at ACU began in 1956 when he joined the department as an instructor. His enthusiasm for communication and debate was contagious, and he was soon appointed professor, a position he held from 1961-72.

But it wasn’t just within the classroom where the Browns left their mark. In 1954, Ed assumed leadership of the ACU debate team, and Edna invited countless students and department leaders to their house for home-cooked meals, thought-provoking discussions and companionship.

ACU director of forensics Sheila (Prickett ’87) Ritchie, assistant college professor of communication and a former student of Brown, says his commitment to students lives on.

“His spirit was so gentle and was filled with so much encouragement and enthusiasm for learning,” she said.

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.

“He wanted to bring out the best in us, and I hope to continue that legacy.”

In 1976, Ed became vice president for academic affairs and had a significant influence on the direction of the university’s curriculum. Despite his administrative duties, Ed remained deeply connected to his communication roots and became department chair in 1982.

Throughout their time at ACU, the couple shared a desire to ensure that future generations had access to the learning and educational opportunities they valued. The Dr. Ed and Edna Brown Forensic Endowment Fund, created three years prior to his retirement in 1994, is a mark of their unwavering dedication to promoting academic excellence.

Today, the fund honors their legacy by covering travel expenses, meals and scholarships for ACU’s debate team, which has seen significant national success in recent years. Their generosity continues to shape the lives of students, ensuring that the Browns’ passion for learning will resonate for generations to come.

Dr. Ed and Edna Brown

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