Around the State: Baylor passes $100 million in fund-raising; Wayland names advancement VP

Baylor University received more than $100 million in gifts, pledges and planned commitments during its most recent fiscal year, June 1, 2016, to May 31, 2017. It marked the sixth consecutive year Baylor surpassed that benchmark in fund-raising. The total included 18 gifts and commitments $1 million or greater. The gifts will benefit a wide range of academic programs and institutional initiatives, including the department of geosciences, Louise Herrington School of Nursing, Hankamer School of Business, Truett Theological Seminary and Baylor Law School, as well as the Texas Hunger Initiative, the Beauchamp Addiction Recovery Center and the Black Gospel Music Restoration Project.

Kevin LudlumWayland Baptist University named Kevin Ludlum vice president of advancement. In that role, he will oversee all development, fund-raising, alumni and integrated marketing initiatives for the university. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Baylor University, a master’s degree from Texas Tech University and a doctorate from the University of Idaho. He has held development and advancement positions for the Texas Tech Health Services Center and Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business. He most recently was chief executive officer for Korcett Holdings in Austin. He will return to the workforce July 16 after a lengthy battle against a rare form of beta cell cancer. Recently, he received the “all-clear” report from his physicians after six months with no sign of cancer.

Terre JohnsonTerre Johnson has been named chair of the music department and director of choral activities at Houston Baptist University effective July 1. Johnson is founder and conductor of the Birmingham Chamber Chorus and the Southeastern Chamber Orchestra. Previously, he was conductor-in-residence for Midamerica Productions in New York, and music director of the New Jersey Choral Society. He has been the American Choral Directors Association’s chair for music in worship, chair for life-long singing, and editor of its worship music publication. He is a graduate of Troy University and Florida State University.

Nora Lozano At its June 29 meeting in Stone Mountain, Ga., Baptist Women in Ministry named Nora O. Lozano as recipient of the Frankie Huff Granger Distinguished Mentor Award. The organization recognized Lozano, professor of theology at Baptist University of the Américas in San Antonio, for nurturing the academic growth and faith development of hundreds of women and men who are serving churches around the world. Lozano is co-founder and executive director of the Latina Leadership Institute. In the past 10 years, more than 250 Hispanic women have received training at institute sites in Texas, North Carolina and Monterrey, Mexico.

Houston Baptist University’s Center for Law and Liberty has received a $600,000 grant from the Charles Koch Foundation and Sherry Smith and Jim R. Smith to expand its program. The center promotes the principles of liberty, limited government, the rule of law and free markets. The gift will allow the center to build on curriculum initiatives that were started in 2013 under the leadership of center Director Chris Hammons, professor of government. Faculty affiliated with the center engage HBU students and Houston-area educators in conversations about how best to improve the human condition, exploring three primary questions: What is the purpose of government? What is liberty? How do we improve the human condition? The center also works with the university’s legal studies and government programs and with HBU’s mock trial team. As part of the grant, the center will induct its initial class of Smith Scholars—named after economist and political philosopher Adam Smith—in the fall of 2017. Ten students each will be paired with a faculty member who will help the student with a year-long research project on a topic of mutual interest. The student will present a final paper during a university-wide scholarship symposium.

Anniversary

Amy Grizzle Kane, 10 years as minister to adults/outreach at South Main Baptist Church in Houston.

Retirement

Allen Ray Moers retired April 30 from First Baptist Church in Rockport after 19 years there as minister of choral and worship music.