Texas Tidbits_100404

Posted: 10/01/04

Texas Tidbits

Baylor social work school granted independent status. Baylor University regents voted to grant the Baylor School of Social Work status as an independent school within the university, rather than continuing as a department within the College of Arts and Sciences. Since its establishment in 1999, the school has grown from five full-time professors and lecturers to 15 full-time faculty. Graduate student enrollment in the program has increased from 17 to 65, and undergraduate enrollment has grown 24 percent to 105 students.

Former seminary CFO joins DBU. Hubert Martin, former chief financial officer at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, has joined the Dallas Baptist University staff as consultant for business affairs. Martin served 30 years at Southwestern Seminary, including 20 years as CFO.

Hendrick renames trauma center. Hendrick Health System of Abilene has named its trauma center in honor of Mike Waters, who retired in August as the health care system's president and chief executive officer, and his wife, Kathy. The Waters Trauma Center will serve as "a visual reminder of the dedication, leadership and service they have rendered to this facility during the last 24 years," said Hendrick trustee board Chairman Scott Hibbs.

Small-church preaching conference slated. "Strengthening the Message" will be the theme of the fall Small-Church Preaching Conference at Baylor University's Truett Theological Seminary, Oct. 8-9 in Waco. Hulitt Gloer, professor of preaching and Christian Scriptures at Truett Seminary, is keynote speaker and a seminar leader. Other seminar leaders are Randall O'Brien, chairman of the Baylor University religion department, and Bert Dominy, professor of Christian theology at Truett Seminary. Jimmy and Janet Dorrell of Mission Waco will lead a community ministry seminar for spouses. Registration cost is $10. For more information, contact Nancy Floyd at (254) 710-3755.

HSU honors alumni. Hardin-Simmons University will honor eight alumni during homecoming weekend, Oct. 29-31. Distinguished alumni awards will be presented to Jan Evans Patterson of San Antonio, professor of medicine and pathology and director of the epidemiology laboratory at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and chief of medicine at the Audie Murphy Veterans Hospital; Bill Teague of Houston, international leader in blood banking and transfusion medicine; and Bill Thorn of San Angelo, a motivational speaker and president emeritus of Dallas Baptist University. Four alumni will be inducted into the university's Athletics Hall of Fame: football players Paul Betty of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., and Larry Dippel of Amarillo; Sammie Courington of Brownwood, tennis; and Donna Roberts Bullock of Abilene, women's basketball. Dottie Shaw Parker of Abilene will receive the Keeter Alumni Service Award.

UMHB annual Bible conference slated. Bruce Corley, president of the B.H. Carroll Theological Institute in Arlington, will speak on the New Testament book of Hebrews at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor annual Bible conference, Oct. 14. Conference cost–which includes lunch and refreshments–is $20, if registered before Oct. 12, and $25 on site. For more information or to register, contact the UMHB College of Christian Studies at (254) 295-5075 or email lfuessel@umhb.edu.edu.

Westmoreland Scholarship benefits Logsdon students. Ministerial students at Hardin-Simmons University's Logsdon School of Theology will be the beneficiaries of the Ernest and Virginia Westmoreland Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship was established in 1994 by the Westmorelands of Clovis, N.M., through a trust from which they received income until their deaths–she in 1999 and he in April. The trust remainder then became the scholarship corpus. Recipients must maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA and will be selected by the dean of the Logsdon School of Theology in consultation with the Logsdon scholarship committee.