Around the State: ETBU classes host fall festivals for schools

Nicholas Massarini of Richmond, a freshman sports management major and student-athlete at East Texas Baptist University, was among the students in ETBU’s Learning and Leading classes who led fall festivals at Marshall elementary schools. (ETBU Photo)

East Texas Baptist University’s Learning and Leading classes hosted fall festivals for five Marshall schools—David Crockett Elementary, Sam Houston Elementary, William B. Travis Elementary, Price T. Young Elementary and Marshall Early Childhood Center—to serve elementary students and their families. More than 400 ETBU students from 21 Learning and Leading sections and three freshman honors sections set up booths for families in the community to play games and win prizes. The Learning and Leading course is offered for freshmen and transfer students during their first semester at ETBU. Each section meets in class for an hour once a week and participates in a service project during the semester. “Having the opportunity for our students to collaborate with each other to create booths in class and then serve the families of Marshall ISD by hosting the fall festivals allows our students to see what an impact they can make in a community through service,” ETBU Learning and Leading Coordinator Vanessa Johnston said. “Our hope is that this experience not only positively affects the families of Marshall ISD, but also our students, who will gain an understanding of the importance of service and investing in the communities around them once they graduate.”

Richard Fountain, professor of piano and associate dean of the School of Creative Arts at Wayland Baptist University, was inducted in the Steinway and Sons Teacher Hall of Fame during a recent event in New York City. The recognition is afforded to a select number of teachers for their commitment and passion to piano education. Fountain has been instrumental in working with Steinway on the company’s Spirio project. Through Spirio, a technologically advanced piano that allows students located throughout the world real-time music education, Fountain will work to teach students and train other piano educators and professionals in piano performance. Fountain has been with Wayland since 2008 and currently is president-elect of the Texas Music Teachers Association.

DBU President Adam Wright is pictured with modern hymnwriters Kristyn and Keith Getty. (DBU Photo)

Dallas Baptist University hosted modern hymnwriters Keith and Kristyn Getty both for fall convocation and their “Christ Our Hope” concert on Sept. 27—the first in-person live concert the Gettys have presented in 18 months. During the convocation, DBU conferred an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree on Keith Getty, who has written more than 240 songs, including “In Christ Alone” in collaboration with Stuart Townend.

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor will dedicate its renovated intramural fields at 1 p.m. on Oct. 22. The upgraded recreational space is being renamed the McClinton Family Intramural Fields in recognition of a $1 million gift from Carol and Paul “Crunch” McClinton of Waco. The McClinton’s gift enables UMHB to convert 2.6 acres of fields from natural grass to artificial turf. Other improvements include new field lighting, a pavilion and permanent striping for the recreational sports played on these fields, including football, lacrosse, soccer and softball. More than 1,000 UMHB students each semester participate in intramural sports.

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President Adam W. Greenway appointed Gregory A. Wills as dean of the School of Theology. Wills, research professor of church history and Baptist heritage, has served since 2019 as founding director of the seminary’s B.H. Carroll Center for Baptist Heritage and Mission. He served previously as dean of the School of Theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Wills earned the Bachelor of Science and Master of Theology degrees at Duke University, the Master of Divinity degree at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and the Ph.D. at Emory University. He will begin his service as dean of the School of Theology on Jan. 1, 2022. Seminary trustees at their mid-October meeting elected F. Edward Upton as vice president for institutional advancement, a role he has held on an interim basis since May. He came to the seminary in 2020 as associate vice president for institutional relations after serving with the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention and in pastoral roles for churches in Arkansas and Texas.