Around the State: Students engage in HPU research symposium

Yesenia Brunette, a graduate of Bangs High School, and Aishwarya Nigalye, a senior at Brownwood High School, participated in a four-week Summer Research Symposium at Howard Payne University. The students performed research with physical science department faculty and concluded their studies with a presentation to their families and HPU faculty, “Investigation into the Leaching of Microplastics from Food Containers.” Their project focused on determining if food containers could contaminate foodstuffs through routine usage.

The strength and conditioning education program at University of Mary Hardin-Baylor is the first in the country to receive accreditation from the Council of Accreditation of Strength and Conditioning. UMHB’s program is a concentration within the exercise physiology major. UMHB’s exercise physiology major follows the guidelines established by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the leading membership organization for thousands of elite strength coaches, personal trainers, and dedicated researchers and educators worldwide. Accreditation indicates compliance with the professional standards and guidelines of the Council of Accreditation of Strength and Conditioning. According to the official letter from the council, “By achieving initial accreditation, the program has put itself through a rigorous peer review process and demonstrated its commitment to offering a measurable, accountable program, and of the highest quality in preparation for students pursuing careers in strength and conditioning.”

The Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty named Caitlin Childers Brown, who earned her Master of Divinity degree from Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary, to its BJC Fellows Class of 2022. She is associate pastor of Freemason Street Baptist Church in Norfolk, Va. BJC Fellows are young professionals united by a call to defend religious liberty. The 10-member 2022 cohort recently completed an intensive, five-day training seminar in Colonial Williamsburg, Va., designed to equip them in advocacy to protect faith freedom for all. The seminar explored the historical, legal and theological underpinnings of religious liberty.

Anniversary

130th for Caprock Plains Baptist Association. The association will observe the anniversary at its annual meeting, Oct. 23, at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview. Featured speakers are Victor Harkins, pastor of Shady Grove Baptist Church in Bessemer, Ala., and Gus Reyes, director of Hispanic partnerships at Dallas Baptist University.

Retirement

Glenn Ward from Paluxy Baptist Association after 11 years as director of missions, effective Oct. 24. He previously was pastor 45 years, including 37 years at Acton Baptist Church, near Granbury.