South Main Baptist Church in Houston donated 7,000 pairs of shoes to Buckner International’s Shoes for Orphan Souls program. Georgia Risenhoover of Granbury was sworn in as the first female chaplain in the 195-year history of the Texas State Guard.

Students from Dallas Baptist University and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor began the school year with community service.

The Baugh Center for the Visual Arts gallery at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor features an exhibit of works by faculty. Michael Evans, president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, will speak at the Hardin-Simmons University convocation.

Buckner International named Diego Silva director of the Buckner Family Hope Center in Peñitas. The Texas School Public Relations Association named Charles Foster Johnson, founding executive director of Pastors for Texas Children, as its 2018 Key Communicator.

Students in the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor’s Doctor of Education degree program recently visited the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty offices in Washington, D.C. The regional accrediting agency granted Houston Baptist University approval to begin three new undergraduate programs and a master’s degree program.

Texas Baptist Men volunteers served cold water, snacks and lunch to police officers who attended the memorial service for a fallen officer. TBM disaster relief workers and their partners also completed work in Weslaco after contributing more than 9,200 volunteer hours.

Representatives from East Texas Baptist University traveled to Peru as a part of the Global Study and Serve Program. Baylor University attained Honor Roll status as a “2018 Great College to Work For,” according to “The Chronicle of Higher Education.”

Texas Baptist Men disaster relief teams and their out-of-state partners have contributed more than 6,500 volunteer hours to ongoing ministry in Weslaco. The Association of Recovery in Higher Education recognized Bob and Laura Beauchamp of Houston, whose $2.5 million gift to Baylor University in 2017 created the on-campus Beauchamp Addiction Recovery Center, as Recovery Philanthropists of the Year.

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor brought together its academic programs in nursing, sport science, physical therapy and related disciplines to create the Mayborn College of Health Sciences. Hardin-Simmons University is partnering with Communities Engaging Difference and Religion to provide CEDAR’s first experientially based educational program in Texas.

The Scott & White College of Nursing at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor welcomed high school students to campus for a weeklong camp. Linda Livingstone, president of Baylor University, has invited senior pastors and other faith leaders from throughout Central Texas to a community prayer breakfast July 11 on the Baylor campus.

Global Hunger Relief Run during the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting; UMHB names dean of College of Visual and Performing Arts; and more news from Baylor and Houston Baptist University.

East Texas Baptist University named Laurie Smith the university’s 2018 Professor with Distinction. Award-winning author Donna M. Johnson will present the 2018 Werlin Lecture at Baylor University.