East Texas Baptist University’s School of Nursing was recently ranked as the No. 1 Bachelor of Science in Nursing program out of the 118 programs evaluated in Texas by the Annual RegisteredNursing.org Registered Nurse Program State Rankings. RN Program State Rankings are measured through analyzing the National Council Licensure Examination pass rates, or the percentage of graduates who pass the licensure exam following graduation. Many state boards of nursing use the total overall licensure exam pass rates to determine a nursing program’s ability to produce prepared and equipped students. Over the summer, East Texas Baptist graduates achieved a 100 percent pass rate on the national licensure exam for the fifth consecutive year. “Our mission at ETBU is to educate our students, and provide them with knowledge and competencies to deliver holistic, high-quality patient-centered care,” said Rebekah Grigsby, dean of the ETBU School of Nursing. Our value and emphasis in Christ-centered nursing care is foundational to the excellence in nursing our graduates provide. The success of our program reflects the commitment and hard work of both faculty and students. We celebrate this achievement, and our pursuit of excellence in nursing education continues.”
David Brumbelow, director of the Baptist Student Ministry at Lee College in Baytown, was recognized at the college’s convocation for his 28 years of service to the campus ministry. Dennis Brown, immediate past president of the college, presented an award of recognition to Brumbelow. Rep. Briscoe Cain also introduced a resolution in the Texas House of Representatives commending Brumbelow. In addition to serving as BSM director, Brumbelow also is pastor of Northside Baptist Church in Baytown.
As part of its annual Prom Party event on Feb. 22, the Hardin-Simmons University Social Work Club welcomed Abilene-area young women in foster care to campus for a day to pick out prom dresses. “It is an opportunity for our club to celebrate these ladies for who they are and to let them shine for a day,” said Amanda Ramsey, president of the HSU Social Work Club. “At the end of the day, our goal is to make sure that they feel seen, beautiful and celebrated simply for who they are.” Melissa Milliorn, professor and head of the social work program at HSU, has volunteered with the Preparation for Adult Living program since before 2004 with camps, conferences, college days and other events. In 2005, a PAL coordinator contacted Milliorn to ask if HSU could host a Prom Party. What began as a small party of 10 foster youth has doubled in size, and new experiences have been included as part of the event. In recent years, activities have included limo rides, fashion shows and visits to HSU’s Six White Horses.
Baylor University celebrated the groundbreaking of the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center on Feb. 21. Paula Hurd, along with daughters Kelly and Kathryn, joined Baylor President Linda Livingstone and members of the Baylor board of regents, university administration, students, faculty and staff at a ceremonial groundbreaking of the $60 million, 120,000-square-foot complex. Mark Hurd, the CEO of Oracle Corporation and vice chairman of Baylor’s board of regents, died last October. He and his wife served as co-chairs on the National Campaign Steering Committee for the Give Light Campaign, the university’s $1.1 billion comprehensive fundraising campaign. Site work on the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center is expected to begin this spring, with an anticipated completion date in spring 2022.
The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor College of Visual and Performing Arts hosted “The Bible Project” as part of its Dean’s Series on Feb. 25. This event featured work by David Hill, UMHB associate professor and ceramicist. Hill showed examples of his creations over the last decade and discussed how faith has influenced his art throughout his career. The focus of the presentation was Hill’s current work in progress, “The Bible Project,” a composition consisting of 66 sculptural wall tiles that highlight each book of the Bible and present them as part of the over-arching gospel story. When completed, the work will be installed at Vista Community Church in Temple.
At its inaugural Honoring the Gold and Bold event, Baylor University recognized: Kellie Key Fischer, executive vice president and chief financial officer of the Texas Rangers major league baseball team, as Baylor Alumna of the Year; Max Muncy, infielder with the Los Angeles Dodgers, as Young Alumnus of the Year; Brenda Rhame Hauk, CEO and founder of BrightStone, a Tennessee-based nonprofit that provides services for adults living with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with the Pro Ecclesia Medal of Service; and Kyle Deaver, mayor of Waco, with the Pro Texana Medal of Service.
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