Around the State: HPU dedicates welcome center

At the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Howard Payne University’s Newbury Family Welcome Center, Chancellor Don Newbury (center) is joined by members of his family, as well as HPU President Cory Hines and his wife Melinda (right), and Ronnie Andrews, chairman of HPU’s board of trustees, and his wife Teri (far right). (HPU Photo)

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Howard Payne University recently celebrated the opening of the Newbury Family Welcome Center. (HPU Photo)

Hundreds of guests gathered at Howard Payne University recently for the grand opening of the Newbury Family Welcome Center. The event included self-guided tours of the 8,000-square-foot facility and a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The facility is named for the family of Don Newbury, president of the university from 1985 to 1997 and current chancellor. The Newbury Family Welcome Center is the first new construction project on the HPU campus in more than two decades. The welcome center is located near the historic former site of Old Main, the university’s original building, which was destroyed by fire in 1984. The facility will be the first stop for future HPU students visiting campus, providing space for students and their families to meet with admissions staff and learn about the university. It also will house offices for admissions personnel and provide space for meetings and events.

Five students with a perfect 4.0 grade point average were among the 96 graduates who participated in the spring commencement ceremony at Wayland Baptist University on May 7. The highest-ranking graduates were Chloe Barham, a humanities major from Amarillo; Samuel Daily, an English and professional writing major from Pearland; Jodi Shea, a psychology major from Greeley, Colo.; Michaela Phipps, a Christian ministry major from Artesia, N.M.; and Emily Franklin, a religious education and mathematics major from Plainview. Franklin, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science with Honors degree, was the senior class speaker for the ceremony. Drawing from Psalm 37:23-34, she challenged her fellow graduates to live in faith and experience the peace of God in uncertain times. “If we trust that God takes pleasure in our way, we can trust that he leads us to goodness. And God is always leading us to impact the world for the better, for his glory, and he has given each of us unique talents and a passion to do just that,” she said.

Laura Colangelo, executive director of the Texas Private Schools Association, received San Marcos Baptist Academy’s Exemplary Service Award from Academy President Brian N. Guenther and Ruth B. Welborn, chair of the board of trustees. (Photo by Marcus McDonald)

San Marcos Baptist Academy presented its Exemplary Service Medal to Laura Colangelo, executive director of the Texas Private Schools Association. She is the 31st recipient of the medal since it was established in 1970 to recognize individuals for “distinguished service to God and man through Christian education.” Academy President Brian Guenther and Ruth Welborn, chair of the board of trustees, presented the medal to Colangelo at the graduating class of 2022 baccalaureate service, where she was the featured speaker.

Longtime pastor and denominational leader Charles Davenport and veteran collegiate ministry leader Jack Greeverwill receive Texas Baptists’ Legacy Award at the historic Independence Baptist Church near Brenham. Texas Baptists present the award annually in recognition of lifelong Christian service. Davenport was pastor of First Baptist Church in Tulia more than three decades, as well as churches in Dawn, Streetman, Claude and Tucumcari, N.M. During his almost half-century in local church ministry, he served Texas Baptists as a member of the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board and as first vice president of the BGCT, as well as on the boards of Wayland Baptist University and High Plains Baptist Hospital in Amarillo. He later served as Texas Baptists’ area representative for the Panhandle. Greever served as director of the Baptist Student Union at Southern Methodist University and East Texas State University (now Texas A&M-Commerce). He became associate director of the BGCT division of student work in 1968 and later became director of student work for Texas Baptists. The Legacy Awards will be presented during the Sunday morning worship service at 10 a.m. on June 5 at Independence Baptist Church, with lunch to follow. To make a lunch reservation, email [email protected] by May 27.

Retirement

James Antenen after 20 years at Wayland Baptist University-San Antonio, where he was executive director and campus dean. He previously served 21 years in the U.S. Air Force.


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