ACU Today Spring-Summer 2018

A CU T O D AY A bilene Chr isti a n Uni v er sit y

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Abilene Christian University ACU Box 29132 Abilene, Texas 79699-9132

Spring-Summer 2018

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C OMING UP Pregame Party and Football at Baylor ............................................. September 1 Wildcat Preview Days .................... September 7, September 28, November 19 National ACT Test Dates ........................ September 8, October 27, December 8 Pregame Party and Football at Houston Baptist .......................... September 15 112th Annual Summit ................................................................. September 16-19 Family Weekend and Freshman Follies .................................. September 28-29 National SAT Test Dates ........................... October 6, November 3, December 1 Admitted Student Visit Days ..................... October 8, November 3, December 7 Homecoming 2018 .......................................................................... October 12-14 Pregame Party and Men’s Basketball at Pepperdine ....................... December 1

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December Commencement ............................................................ December 14 Pregame Party and Men’s Basketball at Texas Tech ...................... December 15 2019 Admitted Student Visit Days ........................... January 18, March 1, April 5 2019 National ACT Test Dates .................... February 9, April 13, June 8, July 13 2019 Wildcat Preview Days ............................................. February 15, March 22 2019 Sing Song ............................................................................. February 16-17 2019 President’s Circle Dinner .......................................................... February 17 2019 National SAT Test Dates ..................................................... March 9, May 4 2019 High School Scholars Day ............................................................... April 12 Class of 1969 Golden Anniversary Reunion ....................................... April 24-26

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Game On Wildcat football returns to campus with the opening of Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium

First things first BILL ALBRECHT

The first official event held in ACU’s new on-campus football venue was not a game but Chapel. Students, staff and faculty gathered for Praise Day on Friday, Sept. 15, 2017, led by students (from left) Barrett Lewis (’18), Allison Dennis, Trey Dennis, Macy McAlister (’18) and Nick Tatum (’13). See pages 4-15 for coverage of the historic first season of Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium.

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From the PRESIDENT

ACU Today is published twice a year by the Office of University Marketing at Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas.

STAFF

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es, it’s an athletics venue.

But Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium is proving to be so much more, with a value far

KIM LEESON

beyond the initial investment and a goal to provide a place for building community.

Whether for events on the playing surface or on the Brown Family Club Level above, the stadium opens many doors to Mark and April Anthony, with people who spend time on campus and Abilene Mayor Anthony Williams marvel at the view.

Fittingly, the first major event held there last September was a Friday Chapel. It’s also a terrific concert venue.

It became the new site for Movies on the Hill, with hundreds of families enjoying an evening together under the stars each summer month to watch a movie while relaxing on quilts and blankets. Six high school playoff games last fall brought thousands of visitors to ACU, many for the first time. Each week the club level hosts meals, meetings and receptions. Several hundred Presidential Scholar students had their Visit Days topped by seeing their names in towering letters on Wessel Scoreboard. The venue dramatically rises above the horizon and is the first landmark many see when entering the city from Exit 288 on Interstate 20. It’s a great new front door for Abilene.

As you will learn in this issue, it’s been a game-changer for ACU, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the vision and financial commitment of Mark (’86) and April (Bullock ’89) Anthony, who continue to demonstrate what it means to be fully engaged in the life of their alma mater.

April, the 2018 Outstanding Alumna of the Year (page 16), is the dynamic new leader of our Board of Trustees (page 60). Through the years, this couple’s financial commitment has not just benefitted athletics but made an inestimable difference in scholarships, professorships and academic programs across the entire spectrum of the university. Their amazing generosity is inspired by their love for Abilene Christian and gratitude for the difference it has made in their lives. Their longstanding relationships with other Wildcats are blessings they easily count and attribute to time, resources and other investments they continue to make on the Hill.

And they are not alone. Many of you partnered with them in our Vision in Action initiative to construct a complex of three facilities among the best anywhere for educating students in science and other health-related fields, and in two new stadiums for intercollegiate athletics.

I echo others in this issue who describe the sea change that has taken place in our Gameday Saturdays each fall. There may be no adequate way to measure the energy, enthusiasm, school and team spirit, camaraderie and good will emanating from the Hill on those special afternoons and evenings.

The best way to appreciate it is to experience it yourself. Wear some purple and join us!

Thank you for helping us build an even better ACU, and for making our mission and vision for the future a successful reality today.

DR. PHIL SCHUBERT (’91), President The mission of ACU is to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world.

Editor: Ron Hadfield (’79) Assistant Editor: Robin (Ward ’82) Saylor Sports Editor: Lance Fleming (’92) Contributing Writers This Issue: Dr. Cheryl Mann Bacon (’76), Sarah Carlson (’06), Loretta Fulton, Katie (Noah ’06) Gibson, Chris Macaluso, Tahj (Condra ’02) Mayes, Deana (Hamby ’93) Nall, David Ramsey (’81) Contributing Photographers This Issue: Affirm Films / Sony Pictures Entertainment, Bill Albrecht, Amy Archer, Owen Beans (’14), Shawn Best, Steve Butman, Candler School of Theology, Tony Chen, Erin (Baggs ’09) Davis, Bob Dehart, Scott Delony (’06), Matt Dirksen, Gerald Ewing, Jeremy Enlow, Holly Fish, Lauren Franco (’19), Joshua Gateley, Kevin Halliburton / ICE Imaging, Joann Hollingsworth, Houston ISD, Shane Jennings, Debra Klawetter, Kim Leeson, Mack Linebaugh, Lionsgate / Roadside Productions, Jett Loe, Grant Miller, Mary Ann Morgan, Tim Nelson, Clark Potts (’53), Carmen Price, Morgan (Myrick ’09) Richardson, Jennie Riddle, Ronnie Ruiz, Dr. Nil Santana (’00 M.S.), Ali (Hayes ’15) Smith, Lee Steffen, Teale Photography, Michael Wade, Matt Webb, Paul White (’68) Contributing Graphic Designers/Illustrators This Issue: Greg Golden (’87), Holly Harrell, Todd Mullins, Amy Willis

Philanthropy MADE EASY, MEANINGFUL

ADVISORY COMMITTEE Administration: Suzanne Allmon (’79), Kevin Campbell (’00), Dr. Gary D. McCaleb (’64), Dr. Robert Rhodes Advancement: Jim Orr, J.D. (’86), Billie Currey, J.D. (’70), Sarah Carlson (’06) Alumni Relations: Craig Fisher (’92), Jama (Fry ’97) Cadle, Mandy (Becker ’13) Collum, April Young (’16) Marketing: Jason Groves (’00) Ex-officio: Dr. Phil Schubert (’91)

CORRESPONDENCE ACU Today: hadfieldr@acu.edu ACU Alumni Association: alumni@acu.edu Record Changes: ACU Box 29132, Abilene, Texas 79699-9132, 325-674-2620

ON THE WEB Abilene Christian University: acu.edu ACU Today Blog: acu.today Address changes and EXperiences: acu.edu/alumni/whatsnew/update.html ACU Advancement Office (Exceptional Fund, Gift Records): acu.edu/give ACU Alumni Website: acu.edu/alumni Find Us on Facebook: facebook.com/abilenechristian facebook.com/acusports Follow Us on Twitter: twitter.com/acuedu twitter.com/acusports Follow Us on Instagram: instagram.com/acuedu instagram.com/acualumni

he Chambers family has been involved in the life of ACU since its inception in 1906 as Childers Classical

Institute, where Henri Ida Chambers taught piano.

Her son, William, would earn a degree here in 1936 and meet his bride, Marjorie (Griffin ’40), in Abilene.

These first steps began a multi-generational relationship between the Chambers’ family and Abilene Christian that continues to this day.

Henri Ida’s grandson, Bill (’67), and his wife, Virginia (Palmer ’68) Chambers, are stewards of that legacy. From Virginia’s service and leadership on the Board of Trustees to their shared role on the University Council, they are two of ACU’s longest-serving volunteers and supporters.

When it came time to organize their estate, Bill and Virginia wanted to ensure a gift to ACU through their insurance policy was part of the plan.

“We have been very blessed by the Lord, and many of those blessings have come through our association with Abilene Christian,” Virginia said. “We want to make sure future generations have the same opportunity for a Christian education that we each received.”

“The support of previous generations helped grow ACU,” Bill said, “from the small college where my grandmother taught and my parents attended to the world class institution that it is today. And it is up to us to prepare the university for the future.”

The ACU Foundation is available to work with your family to help achieve your financial and philanthropic needs. From estate gifts through a will or beneficiary designation to income providing charitable trusts or gift annuities, please contact us today to see how we may be able to help your family.

Hunter Welcome Center ACU Box 29200 Abilene, Texas 79699-9200

800-979-1906 • 325-674-2508 • theacufoundation.org • garrettd@acu.edu

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Game On: Wildcat Stadium Debuts on Campus 2018 Alumni Awards Social Club Sponsors Hurricane Harvey Outlive Your Life: Lynn and Carolyn Anderson Homecoming Preview 42 ACU 101 44 #ACU 46 The Bookcase 50 Hilltop View 54 Academic News

The Quad, north of the Robert R. and Kay Onstead Science Center, is brightened by 20,000 colorful LED lights in ACU’s innovative Lightwalk. See story on page 61. (Photograph by Dr. Nil Santana)

ON THE COVER

With fireworks flashing, ACU's football team runs onto Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium on a sunny Homecoming afternoon, Oct. 21, 2017.

(Photograph by Jeremy Enlow)

60 Campus News 66 Wildcat Sports 73 Your Gifts at Work 74 EXperiences 96 Second Glance

OUR PROMISE

ACU is a vibrant, innovative, Christ-centered community that engages students in authentic spiritual and intellectual growth, equipping them to make a real difference in the world

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HORI Z ONS Senior musical theatre major Diego Alejandro Gonzalez (Mr. Mistoffelees) is engaged in a grand jete during Cats.

Joining him on stage is junior acting major Christian Winter (center) as Bustopher Jones and sophomore musical theatre major Kasey Birchfield (right).

RIGHT Jeremy Varner (’10)

Varner returns as director, choreographer for Cats as Homecoming musical

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Having performed in it professionally several times, Jeremy Varner (’10) knew Cats was no easy feat, but ACU Theatre trusted the actor from New York City to serve as guest director and choreographer of the show during 2017 Homecoming at the Abilene Convention Center.

The Andrew Lloyd Webber spectacle from Broadway lived up to its reputation. “It’s a big show – a two-hour dance piece – which is something that ACU hasn’t done on this scale. Then you have to sing while you’re dancing. Then you’re in crazy makeup and spandex,” Varner said. Audiences loved it, including the Abilene Reporter-News, which complimented ACU for staging the Tony Award-winning production.

“Abilene Christian University’s production of Cats was monumental for Abilene theater,” wrote the newspaper in an Oct. 25 editorial.

“Fan or not, it was a spectacle to behold and a great accomplishment by the students and those who teach them.”

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EXCEPTIONAL | ACU’s Vision to become the premier university for the education of Christ-centered global leaders means building upon areas of strength and distinctiveness, and delivering a unique, Christ-centered experience that draws students into community.

Wildcat football returns to campus with the opening of Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium

BY RON HADFIELD

Fireworks signal a Wildcat touchdown in the 24-3 Grand Opening win against Southland Conference rival Houston Baptist University on Sept. 16, 2017.

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ith fireworks booming, fans cheering and the Big Purple blasting another

tune into the September night sky, football returned home to the Hill in a big way last fall.

It never left, you might say, and you’d be correct … in a way.

For the past half century or so, ACU games were held and the band played on, just not here. Shotwell had its plusses – including a .625 winning percentage for ACU games held off campus, some 3.5 miles to the southeast in a city stadium owned by the local school district.

But football for the Purple and White never sounded and looked

as good as it did Sept. 16, when Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium showed off its Grand Opening to Houston Baptist University and a national TV audience on ESPN3.com.

This was truly a home game.

The home team won, 24-3, and afterward, messages from grateful fans filled cell phones of administrators. A sampling:

“I can’t imagine anything in the last 20 years at ACU that will have an impact like this new stadium will.”

“One word: phenomenal.

The whole ACU community, from alumni, students, coaches, players, athletics staff and fans set a new standard yesterday. That wasn’t your typical ACU crowd.”

“This weekend was magical.

An amazing memory!”

“The entire Gameday experience has forever been changed and it will only get better.”

“Woo hoo!! Congratulations!

Campus life has changed forever.

This weekend was amazing and to get a win tonight topped it off.

Can’t wait for next week!”

“I thought the stadium looked fantastic! We came to the concert Friday and ‘Wow,’ it is an impressive facility. Congratulations on your win Saturday. Go Wildcats!”

“It was amazing. I woke up early and couldn’t stop thinking about all the great experiences. I don’t think people wanted to leave. It was awesome! Great job to all who were involved in so many ways.”

“I can’t thank you enough for recognizing all of us old Wildcats

Buy 2018 season and single-game tickets at acusports.com/tickets

JEREMY ENLOW

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A highlight of Wildcat Country Tailgating on Gamedays is the football team’s walk through campus to the stadium, cheered on by fans as the Big Purple Band plays.

KIM LEESON

The kudos continue to this day, from families of high school students visiting for the first time, to alumni returning to campus to tour the venue near the corner of Ambler Avenue and Judge Ely Boulevard.

In a city that prides itself on picturesque sunrises and sunsets on each horizon, the views offered by ACU’s new football Gameday site are striking and memorable.

From Wildcat Way. The team, the band and fans of all ages walk from tailgating and parking areas north, across Stevens Park, where the words “Lifelong Loyalty” and “Friends for Life” are etched in the pavement below, under the Wildcat Way archway and toward the stadium in the distance. Looking south, tailgating fans filling the Campus Mall can be seen eating tasty food, playing games, and listening to the Big Purple’s best marching band music while waiting for the team to begin its walk to the stadium.

From the Brown Family Club Level. The two-story-tall windows facing west offer a dramatic view of the northwest side of campus and the Abilene skyline, with no taller buildings to obstruct the view. When the sun sets, it’s a marvelous scene.

On the east side of the large room, a window wall offers a prime view of Anthony Field below.

From the Press Level. On a clear day, you can see dozens of miles to the north, east and south, from the shopping area at Exit 288 on Interstate 20, to the wind farm turbines halfway to Albany.

Spectacular is not too strong a word

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last night. It made a lot of the old guard feel pretty special.

What a way to start a new legacy for the university and for the football program. Go Wildcats!”

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Fans enter Wildcat Stadium from the Main Entrance under Chuck Sitton Tower, on the west side of the field.

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The Campus Mall is a festival of food and fellowship on Gamedays, when tailgaters cook and share food with fans in a spirited scene that begins hours before kickoff.

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The Big Purple Band plays in the Campus Mall during Wildcat Country Tailgating, as the team begins its walk to the stadium.

The Campus Mall is filled with fans, many shaded by colorful tent canopies signaling where social club members and other interest groups gather to eat, and make new friends.

Ladies and “ gentlemen, it’s time

to bring Wildcat football back to the Hill.

We’re doing it today.”

– MARK ANTHONY (’86), SPEAKING AT THE FEB. 19, 2016, GROUNDBREAKING FOR ANTHONY FIELD AT WILDCAT STADIUM. HE AND HIS WIFE, APRIL (BULLOCK ’89) MADE A CORNERSTONE GIFT OF $25 MILLION TO THE $52 MILLION FACILITY.

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Fans entering the stadium from the south, via Wildcat Way, are greeted at Gate A by a life-size bronze sculpture depicting the namesake of Chuck Sitton Tower and his lifelong friend, David D. Halbert (left). Titled Lean on Me, the site celebrates the attributes of “friendship, faith, loyalty and honor.” Sitton (’78) was a first-team All-America defensive back and co-captain of the 1977 team that won the NAIA Division I national title. Halbert (’78), a former trustee of the university, and his wife, Kathy (Gay ’78), contributed $3 million to Sitton Tower. Jack (’78) and Jill (Thompson ’78) Maxwell created the sculpture.

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Neon lights atop the west face of Chuck Sitton Tower shine in the night sky.

The two-story Brown Family Club Level can be seen above the Main Entrance on the west side of the stadium.

Number of years the Wildcats have fielded a football team at ACU

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Number of suites in Chuck Sitton Tower at Wildcat Stadium

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The Home Locker Room celebrates Wildcat football history, with displays highlighting players whose jersey numbers have been retired: quarterback Jim Lindsey (10), running back Wilbert Montgomery (28), wide receiver Johnny Perkins (44) and defensive back Danieal Manning (38).

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SCOTT DELONY

An illuminated logo on the back of Wessel Scoreboard, high above Lunsford Overlook on the north side of the stadium, can be seen from Interstate 20.

The Players’ Lounge, adjacent to the Home Locker Room, provides a place to relax. Wall displays honor Academic All-America players, academic accomplishments of the current team, and its commitment to community service.

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“Discovery at the Intersection of Science and Faith,” a large mural on the side of Walling Lecture Hall, pays tribute to trailblazing men and women of science. It spotlights several ACU alumni, including Kent Brantly, M.D. (’03), known for his work fighting the Ebola virus in West Africa, and B. David Vanderpool, M.D. (’52), a renowned pioneering surgeon and medical missionary.

“

Murals outside the Home Locker Room detail Wildcat football history, including alumni who have played in the National Football League and its Super Bowl or other title games.

Wildcat Stadium features 13 suites; most can accommodate up to 20 fans with indoor and outdoor seating.

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A walkway outside suites provides a dramatic view below of the Brown Family Club Level and the western horizon of Abilene.

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The Wildcats’ slap board reminds them of a team goal as they leave their locker room and enter Anthony Field.

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for the perspective from five stories above Anthony Field.

From the field. Wildcat football players entering the stadium are greeted to an other-worldly vista from the playing surface of Anthony Field. With nothing on the horizon but Wessel Scoreboard, Sitton Tower and fans in the stands and on the berm under the scoreboard, it’s apparent why ACU’s campus is called the Hill. The sounds of fireworks and fans cheering, the Big Purple playing above in sections 101 and 102 – it can be an electric atmosphere on what feels like the top of the world.

From Lunsford Overlook. People exercising along Ambler Avenue on the Lunsford Foundation Trail have a new elevated detour worth the climb. It takes them up a hill to a new trailhead, Lunsford Overlook, offering a sublime view inside the stadium – and to the south, ACU’s main campus – from under Wessel Scoreboard.

From the Home Locker Room.

Players exiting the Home Locker Room pass by murals celebrating the history of ACU football and alumni who have played in the NFL and its Super Bowl or other title games.

Other views beckon, of course.

The possibilities are nearly endless, given the elevation and many features of this sparkling facility greeting people on the north end of campus. Appropriately, signage also salutes the Olympians and other legends of track and field who once starred at original Elmer Gray Stadium, on whose historic footprint Wildcat Stadium stands.

Finally, ACU has an outdoor venue on the Hill that celebrates past and present, where people meet old friends and make new ones, where community is built, and where memories wait to be made.

Game on, indeed.

Wildcat Stadim seats 12,000, including room on the grass berm on the north end zone, beneath Wessel Scoreboard.

Freshmen hold a giant American flag while singing “Oh Dear Christian College” during pregame festivities.

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Nik Grau (’17) prepares to boot the inaugural kickoff on Anthony Field.

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KIM LEESON

… Here, the unique “experience created

by intercollegiate athletics helps draw people into closer community, uniting students and alumni in support of each other, with gratitude for their alma mater and for God’s providence in their lives.”

– FROM A DEDICATORY PLAQUE NEAR GATE A OUTSIDE ANTHONY FIELD AT WILDCAT STADIUM

Ribbon-cutting participants included (from left) former ACU athletics director Lee De Leon, Mark Anthony (’86), ACU board chair April (Bulllock ’89) Anthony, ACU president Dr. Phil Schubert (’91), Abilene Mayor Anthony Williams, former ACU board chair Dr. Barry Packer (’78) and Texas Rep. Stan Lambert (’74).

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Excited fans cheer on their team during the first game in the stadium.

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ABOVE: Players kneel to pray in the end zone before the game.

A Corner of Generosity

Members of the working press have a bird’s-eye view of the game below from their room in Chuck Sitton Tower, five stories above Anthony Field.

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or someone who loves finding chairs for kids at schools in developing nations, David Catalina’s section of Wildcat Stadium may be the most iconic 116 seats in the house.

“My uncle David is one of the best examples of a true servant I’ve ever known,” said Randy Owen (’81), who sponsored Catalina Corner along with his wife, Dara. “The concept for this section fits perfectly with David’s desire to serve others and his passion for ACU football.”

Section 129 is named for this selfless 1969 ACU graduate who devotes his time to sending “the surplus of America” – as he calls it – to others in need around the world. Catalina collects and ships humanitarian aid items for schools, churches and prisons in the form of much-needed clothes, shoes, furniture, farming tools, medical equipment and supplies.

He’s done it for years for various ministries.

Today he is affiliated with Mision Para Cristo in Nicaragua, but facilitates goods with churches across the U.S. whenever they have supplies he knows will be life-changers for needy people in other nations.

An archway sign atop Catalina Corner marks seats near the south end zone reserved largely each game for kids served by Abilene’s many nonprofit organizations. The free tickets were utilized last season by Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Central Texas, Hendrick Home for Children, the Boys and Girls Club of Abilene, and Ben Richey Boys Ranch, among local churches and other ministries.

“Our folks seldom have an opportunity to attend events together such as this,” said Tim Yandell (’85), vice president and director of development for Disability Resources Inc. “But when they do, they talk endlessly about it, and are so excited to be there. We are grateful.” 

The first touchdown scored on Anthony Field was by senior running back De’Andre Brown, a memorable 5-yard run in the second quarter. Houston Baptist defenders thought he was hemmed in along the sideline but he escaped several attempted tackles with 8:03 remaining in the first half.

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Cameras in the stadium, manned by ACU students, many from the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, record footage for replays and broadcast.

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Head coach Adam Dorrel (center) thanks his team at midfield after the win over HBU.

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Excited fans lined the field wall after the win over HBU, congratulating players on the historic win.

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A spectacular fireworks show entertained the opening-game crowd after the HBU game.

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Football uniform numbers retired by the Wildcats: 10 (Jim Lindsey), 28 (Wilbert Montgomery), 38 (Danieal Manning) and 44 (Johnny Perkins) KIM LEESON

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2018

Alumni Awards Outstanding Alumnus of the Year

Provides timely recognition of the lifetime achievement of an individual who has brought honor to ACU through personal and professional excellence and service to the university, the church or the community.

Young Alumnus of the Year

Recognizes professional achievement and/or distinguished service to ACU. To be eligible, a recipient must not be over 40 years of age at the time of selection.

Distinguished Alumni Citation

JEREMY ENLOW

Recognizes distinctive personal or professional achievement that has merited the honor and praise of peers and colleagues.

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PRIL ANTHONY

BY DR. CHERYL MANN BACON

Genuine. That’s the word colleagues and

business associates use to describe April (Bullock ’89) Anthony, the entrepreneur who never planned to be one.

Anthony has had a big year. In 2017, Encompass Home Health and Hospice, the company she founded and leads, was named No. 1 in The Dallas Morning News’ Top Places to Work 2017. So far in 2018 it has earned similar awards 20 times including being named by Fortune magazine as the #2 best place to work in health care. Last fall, she and her husband, Mark (’86), cheered on the Wildcats at the first game in the venue the couple helped make possible, Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium.

And in February, the day after she led her first meeting as the first woman to chair her alma mater’s Board of Trustees, she was honored as ACU’s Outstanding Alumna of the Year.

So a lot of words fit. Successful. Generous. But genuine comes up most often. Genuine, and faithful.

Luke James (’04), chief strategy officer for Encompass, went there first in trying to describe his friend, mentor and the only boss he’s ever had.

“The word that comes to mind most often – everything here is genuine,” James said. “She is so plugged in at such a granular level and cares so much about us having success and having it the right way – it’s infectious to those who interact with her. We all feel called to work at a higher level than we’re naturally inclined to do on our own.”

The sentiment was repeated by employees at a recent iteration of the three-day professional development program that brings 50-75 new team members to Encompass headquarters in Dallas approximately 45 weeks a year. April speaks at all of them, telling her story and preaching the gospel of the Encompass mission, “A Better Way to Care.”

Dustin White, a physical therapy assistant in Winchester, Tennessee, met April there for the first time. “She’s so genuine and sincere,” he said. “She’s very in touch with the employees and the best interest of the employee.”

They talk about her as though she runs a small family business, not the

fourth-largest home health care company in the U.S. and the largest in Texas, with more than 9,000 employees serving 185,000 patients.

That Monday morning, about 75 employees filled the classroom, most dressed casually, many in the scrubs they wear to work every day.

“If we can create a better way to care for our team members, you will deliver that to our patients,” April told them. “And they will tell their neighbors and friends and their referral sources.”

Taking care of team members includes compensation well above industry norms, company cars “large enough to be on the Hertz upgrade list,” and 30 paid days off in year one. That commitment pays off with a 15 percent turnover rate in an industry where 30+ percent is typical. The PowerPoint slides are detailed, the facts impressive, but her passion and humor command the room.

None of this was part of her plan.

Culture. That’s the word April uses most when she talks about Encompass Home Health, the company she built from the ground up and sold to HealthSouth for more than $725 million in 2014.

She’s told her story numerous times – on the ACU campus and to Encompass employees at the road shows she takes to all 280 office locations in 36 states over a two-year cycle. She’s told it to journalists who have written about her and her company each time she earned another personal honor (Ernst & Young’s 2006 Entrepreneur of the Year and 2015 Innovator Award from the Healthcare Leaders Conference), or one of the many Best Places to Work awards Encompass has received around the nation.

She says she never intended to be an entrepreneur, just to have a family, stay at home, be president of the PTA and run the tennis league. Just a year after she married Mark, at the end of a particularly rugged busy season, she left public accounting at PricewaterhouseCoopers in search of a job that would be a bit more family friendly. She received four offers, and took the one in an industry she knew nothing about – health care.

“But it was a controller position, and I figured it was better to be in charge than not in charge,” she said, laughing at herself. As controller for a company that owned four businesses, she quickly determined that ACU TODAY

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one of them was losing money.

“This is going to get worse,” she told her boss. He said to sell it. She talked to lots of people and finally went back to the owner.

April has told this part of the story a thousand times but still enjoys it, laughing easily at herself and what she now calls a combination of ignorance and arrogance.

“With no forethought I said, ‘What if I just buy it?’”

So she went home that night and told Mark, “Honey, I’ve got good news, we’re going to buy a home health care company.”

“With what?” he asked.

“They’re giving it to us!” she assured him.

And so Liberty Health Services was transferred to her name. She was 25 years old and had 58 days of experience in health care.

For four months she worked nights and weekends at her old job, so she’d have a salary, and spent days running her new company, hoping they could make it to the end of the year. She let go everyone in the back office except the billing clerk and began doing all their jobs herself in an effort to dig out of a $175,000 hole.

By year’s end she was $10,000 to the good, and they were off and running.

Doing all the back-office jobs included sales, and she thought she had a good elevator pitch until one day a physician asked her what her staff did for COPD patients. “Well I’d have to talk to our nurses – I’m not a clinician,” she told him.

The physician continued with more medical questions, peppered with unfamiliar acronyms, “and I’m thinking, I’m an accountant. I don’t know about health care.”

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“SOLD!” “Oh, I don’t have any money, what if I just take it?”

“SOLD!”

Mark and April Anthony celebrate on the field after the opening game at Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium with their son, Luke, and their daughters, Ashlyn and Allie.

O U T S TA N D I N G A L U M N A O F T H E Y E A R change. For two weeks she did ridealongs with clinical staff. She asked to watch what they did and told them, “While we’re riding between patients, teach me what we do in a home.

Teach me how we make a difference for patients.”

Two decades later she still describes in detail that first visit to an east Fort Worth home in a run-down neighborhood. The woman didn’t have any family. The nurse checked the mostly empty refrigerator and opened the pantry sparsely stocked with high salt and high sugar foods that were cheap but counter to her diabetes and other conditions.

“The lady lived alone, she had lots of co-morbid conditions, none of which meant anything to me.

But what I noticed was the way she hugged her nurse,” April said.

“I thought, that’s pretty cool. We went to the next home and I thought, this is super cool. These people have no one if not for us. I just started to think this seems like the kind of thing you’d do as a mission, not a job.”

Around the Encompass classroom, heads begin to nod.

“By the afternoon, my brain was exploding,” she tells them. Her conversation with the nurse shifted.

“Can we talk about you?” she asked. “How did you get here?”

Everybody’s story was similar, she said. Nurses had worked 12-hour hospital shifts until they couldn’t take that anymore, only to move to nursing homes. “That was worse,” they told her. “So I’m here now. And this is not awful.”

That description stayed with her.

“What if I could make it better than not awful?” she thought. “What if people could say, ‘this is the best job I ever had’?” She recognized that using people up and throwing them out was not just an immoral business practice, it was not sustainable.

“We need to pour into them,” she said. “I don’t know about health care,

but I know how to take care of people – give them tools and resources and benefits, let them be a mom and a nurse and a person. Figuring out how to do that – that was the foundation of our culture.”

Liberty grew, propelled by her dogged commitment to efficiency and to a company culture that was committed to a better way to care, even though those words were not yet a mission statement.

In 1997, just five years in, she accepted an offer to sell to a publicly held corporation, a $40 million opportunity she quickly concluded was a mistake.

“It was nothing like our company – the culture was ‘use them up’ – nothing patient-centric about it,” she said. “The CEO was foulmouthed, dropping obscenities in every other sentence. And I thought, ‘I have to build a wall of protection around my people.’ ” After 11 months, the new corporate leaders got tired of April’s wall of protection and fired her – on the day her second child, Luke, was born. Initially a non-compete clause kept her from starting another company in the health care field, so she began consulting. Soon, however, the foul-mouthed CEO went to prison for Medicare fraud and the company was in bankruptcy, negating the non-compete. She began hiring back her old staff, buying many of the businesses for whom she was consulting, and in 1998 Encompass Home Health was born. “A Better Way to Care” was not adopted as the official mission until 2006, but was deeply ingrained in the new company from the outset.

Process. That better way had defined the culture April built at Liberty and was re-building at Encompass, but “culture follows process,” she reminds employees.

Encompass grew rapidly, and

she determined that maintaining seamless and consistent processes across the company’s locations was its biggest challenge. An innovative software platform making use of handheld devices provided the solution.

“If the process is chaotic, no matter how nice you are it doesn’t work,” she said. “If you can create really smooth processes so your job is not crisis management 24/7, then we can lay our culture over that and it can take root.”

Ultimately, the tool and process built for Encompass was spun off in 2001 and rebuilt from the ground up as Homecare HomeBase. Four years later they added a hospice service line. April remains CEO of Homecare HomeBase as well as Encompass Home Health, though HCHB was sold to Hearst Corporation in 2013. Today, HCHB is the technology platform for about 38 percent of the home care industry and about 26 percent of hospice. Nine of the 10 largest home care companies and seven of the 10 largest hospice providers are powered

by HCHB. None of this was part of her plan.

Generous. That’s the word often used by ACU president Dr. Phil Schubert (’91) and others on the ACU campus.

“If you’d told me when I was a senior that we’d have a major part in contributing to significant infrastructure on the ACU campus I would have said, ‘That won’t happen,’ ” April said in a 2014 video announcing the Vision in Action (VIA) initiative.

But it did happen.

Their $37 million gift – $25 million for Wildcat Stadium, $7 million for College of Business Administration professorships and other endowments, and $5 million for the Robert R. and Kay Onstead Science Center – jump-started a ACU TODAY

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Anthony kids know their CEO-mom’s balancing act, and approve Working moms sometimes face unfounded assumptions about what their kids missed when business priorities beckoned. April believes that with the help of a supportive spouse and “some inherently great kids,” the Anthonys overcame those limitations.

“I think the kids are actually better prepared for life as a result of the lessons they learned from a working mom,” she said.

Her three agree.

Ashlyn (’17), a graphic designer for Yext in Washington, D.C., was the first of the three to have a crib in mom’s office.

She says growing up the daughter of a CEO was different than many of her friends, but in a positive way. “She was definitely too busy to micromanage us in the way many parents try to,” Ashlyn said. Instead, April was constantly showing them what was important.

“I think we all picked up on that in our own way,” said Ashlyn, who thinks people often notice the three have turned out differently, yet like their mom.

“Luke has her intense drive and focus, Allie has her natural inclination to lead and bring people together,” Ashlyn said.

Luke, a junior financial management major and quarterback of the Wildcat football team, points first to that focus.

“My mom has just always had a different level of commitment to be great in her work,” he said. “I have never seen someone be so passionate about caring for others.”

Allie, a high school senior, says her parents got it just right. “They have mastered the combination of faith, work, family and each other equally in everything they do.”

As for Ashlyn, she says her mom “can’t stand to see a problem left unsolved and is quick to take things into her own hands even when no one else seems to care.” That’s something the Anthony’s eldest hopes to see in herself.

“Her eyes are always open, and her heart is willing to act,” she said.  – DR. CHERYL MANN BACON

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$95 million transformation of facilities for the sciences and for athletics.

Luke James, her young colleague at Encompass, recognized April’s generosity long before she and Mark became ACU’s largest-ever benefactors. In fact, he says their $37 million gift is “nothing compared to her generosity of spirit.”

Mark told similar stories in his tribute speech at the Outstanding Alumnus of the Year luncheon in February 2018. He told about an 85-year-old patient named Owen who called April one day and said he wanted to meet her, so she went to his home in Palestine, Mark said.

She told Owen to call her any time. He lost his wife, became frail and lonely. April stayed in touch, even stepping out of important meetings to take his calls. She supported him financially and became his best friend.

Mark told about a conversation April had on a weary flight home after a busy travel day. She sat next to a man who began talking about a Christian organization that takes care of wounded war veterans. April got details and as they were walking off the plane, she quietly handed him a check to go build a house for the next soldier in need.

Luke described her as one of the most generous people he’s ever met, one who models the James 4:17 reminder, “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.”

“If she comes into the knowledge of good she can do, she really believes she should do it,” he said. “She’s been successful because she’s been faithful, beginning with very little and now coming into a lot.”

Faithfulness – in a little and in a lot – also underpins April’s approach as the new chair of ACU’s

Board of Trustees. She believes that coming from a business where “we always have to figure out how to do more with less” will inform her leadership, “because patients won’t accept a lower quality of care.”

“I don’t think it’s a business,” she said of the university. “As much as I would like it to be sometimes, I recognize it’s not.”

But she does believe her experience in delivering a better way to care is relevant: caring for students, caring for faculty and staff, caring for the university through its shared governance.

“I think that’s where the things I’ve done and seen can help us evolve our model of governance into one that I hope drives a more healthy dialogue about oversight and accountability,” she said. She likens that model to a Venn diagram where linked circles of responsibility of the faculty, administration and board overlap in the middle.

“It’s in those intersecting circles where we dialogue. The most important stuff lives at the intersection. Everything else we do separately is more peripheral,” she said.

She brings new perspectives to the role because of her age, and as the parent of a current student (sophomore Luke), recent grad (2017 alumna Ashlyn) and a high school senior (Allie).

“I believe in my heart the promise of Jeremiah 29:11, that God is here to prosper us, not to harm us, and to give us hope and a future,” she said.

For more than 20 years God has honored that promise every day of her venture in home health care, she said.

“As board chair, I hear that promise ringing in my head again, a promise to prosper and not harm us, a promise of a hope and a future.”

And all of that is part of her plan.

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he Catholic Church where Serge Gasore (’09) saw his grandmother die, among some 5,000 others, is now a memorial site. You can visit the Ntarama Genocide Memorial Centre in Ntarama, Rwanda, and see the bones of Tutsis murdered by their Hutu neighbors, friends and family members. You can visit a place that saw such darkness, and try to reckon with it.

Serge was 7 when he survived the darkness of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, only to be plummeted into a troubled childhood. His athletic ability landed him the opportunity to run track and cross country for ACU starting in 2005. But it was a trip back into the darkness, now that he’d already escaped it, that showed him his true calling in life.

It started in 2008 during his winter break from school: “I got back to my community, and I sensed something like darkness,” he said. “I looked at the darkness, and I thought, ‘Who is responsible to remove this darkness? Is it other people, or do I need to contribute?’ ” Back in Abilene and working at Chicken Express for minimum wage, he learned that for only $2 through one program, he could cover a Rwandan child’s medical needs for a year.

“I looked at how much I was making at Chicken Express – it felt like I was making tons – and I thought, ‘$2? Obviously, I can do that.’ I sent about $70 and I covered a bunch of kids,” he said.

Three years into donating to the program, he married his wife, Esperance, and with the help of Abilene churches, the Gasores were providing care for about 1,000 children.

Feeling the need to do something bigger, the couple moved to Rwanda in 2013 and founded the faith-based

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nonprofit Rwanda Children as well as a children’s home, Maman Karen, to provide housing, food, family and hope to at-risk Rwandan children.

Rwanda Children has grown to include five additional homes, a health clinic, youth clubs and vocational training programs.

Serge describes his work as community renewal: meeting physical and spiritual needs to strengthen the local community, transform families and make a lasting impact on the country’s future. And he credits his time at ACU, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s degrees in global information technology leadership (2011) and global service (2014), with preparing

and inspiring him for his work to help others.

Acts of kindness at first foreign to Serge made a lasting impact, from a professor inviting Serge to his home for a cup of coffee, to another professor taking time outside of class to help a struggling Serge understand the course material.

“Everything I do over here stands out because I’m doing things that other people don’t do,” he said.

“My actions, my work ethic – I got them from the ACU family.”

Serge doesn’t hide from darkness now; he confronts it. And now, life in Rwanda is beginning to look brighter.

“ACU prepares you,” Serge said, “to go out into the world and shine.” 

– SARAH CARLSON ACU TODAY

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– KATIE NOAH GIBSON

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haron (Johnston ’84) Epps has a passion for helping women manage their money well.

“Good business management principles are biblical principles,” says Epps, a cofounder of Women Doing Well and president of Kinetic Consultants. Throughout her career, Epps has worked to help churches, organizations and families handle their finances with generosity and wisdom. Over the last decade, her focus has shifted to providing women with the tools they need to manage their wealth and plan for their financial futures.

“Ninety-five percent of today’s women will manage their money independently at some point in their lives,” Epps says. “And by 2030, twothirds of the privately held assets in the U.S. will be held by women. That’s a huge cultural shift.”

In 2010, Epps co-founded Women Doing Well (WDW) with three female colleagues, all of whom had experience in the financial services world. Epps herself has worked in corporate banking, and also with several churches and nonprofits,

including The Hills Church in Fort Worth, the Christian Stewardship Network and Crown Financial Ministries. Her work in these places has included training individuals, families and churches in financial management, and overseeing colleagues who did the same. At WDW, the focus is on providing Christian women with training and resources on financial planning and stewardship.

“We realized there’s a serious need for financial training for women in the church,” Epps says. “Many secular financial service firms have seen this opportunity as a response to changing cultural trends. So we said: What can we do from the inside, so to speak? How can we challenge and equip these women?”

Epps also is president of Kinetic Consultants, a consulting firm whose two main clients are Generous Church and Kingdom Advisors.

Like WDW, both organizations are focused on financial strategy and long-term planning. Generous Church works to equip church leaders, while Kingdom Advisors trains financial professionals to serve clients who want to integrate finances and faith.

“That’s been the common theme in my career: helping people and companies apply biblical wisdom to what they do,” Epps says. Based in Atlanta, she continues to work with clients across the country, making use of the lessons learned during her time as an ACU student.

“My time at ACU helped equip me for this work,” says Epps, citing the leadership of her business professors such as Dr. Gary McCaleb (’64) and Dr. Bill Petty (’64). “It was part of the foundation. I learned how to weave in sound business excellence with Christianity.”

Three decades later, she’s continuing to combine the two.

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reg Feasel (’81), a rather tall transfer student from central California, was struggling in classes at ACU, which earned him a visit to the office of Dr. Dwain Hart in Fall 1977.

Hart, professor and chair of health, P.E. and recreation at the time, was a kind man. He also was a direct man, moving instantly to his point.

He demanded Feasel show complete devotion to scholarship.

And he demanded he sit in the front row of all classes. This was, it turned out, superb advice. This was, alas, bad news for all who sat behind their 6-foot-6, 270-pound classmate. They couldn’t see the professor for the rest of the semester.

“You need to sit in the front row,” Feasel said, laughing nearly 41 years after his conversation with Hart. “I use that today. I kind of size people up that way. If somebody sits in the back of the room, that tells me something, especially if they’re racing for the back row.

“My first year at ACU, I struggled with the whole thing of going to

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college. I didn’t know how to study,” he said. “You’re on your own, 1,200 miles away from family, and it’s just a lot. But Dr. Hart didn’t mince any words, which I appreciate. He wanted to make it clear: It wasn’t going to be good if I didn’t start working. I was the first one in my family to go to college. I didn’t want to be the first one in line to flunk out.”

Feasel did not flunk out. Hart’s challenge ignited the considerable, if dormant, fire in Feasel’s gut.

He became a diligent student, earning a B.S.Ed. degree, and a superlative offensive lineman, one of the finest in ACU history. He earned All-America honors in 1979 and left many sturdy linebackers flat on their backs. He played in the NFL for the Green Bay Packers and San Diego Chargers. He and his late brother, Grant (’83), formed an epic tandem on the Wildcat offensive line as future inductees to ACU’s Sports Hall of Fame.

Then he brought his focus and hunger to the business world.

Today, Feasel serves as chief operating officer of the Colorado Rockies Baseball Club. He adores his job, the culmination of 23 years with the team.

He gives much credit for his rise to his years on the Hill, and is a tireless advocate for his alma mater. He became close friends with many ACU coaches and professors who pushed and inspired him. Football coaches Ted Sitton (’54) and Don Smith (’53).

Basketball coach Willard Tate. Track and field coach Don W. Hood (’55).

Professors Hart, Dr. Kelly Hamby and Dr. Dale Priest.

Each of these mentors helped craft him as a Christian, an athlete and a businessman. “I’m 60 years old,” he said, “but I still remember Dr. Hart telling me to sit in the front row.”

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or a restaurant chain that doesn’t sell wings, Chick-fil-A represents a business leadership opportunity that has given Branden Gibson (’04) a set of his own, something the former ACU financial management major is taking full advantage of in his hometown of Houston, Texas.

Needing a break from school by the time he graduated, Gibson took some time off for introspection and several jobs, including work as a pharmaceutical sales representative for Boehringer Ingelheim. Along the way, he earned an MBA in 2011 and became director of operations for a Chick-fil-A store at Lake Houston that led in 2012 to an owner-operator role at another franchise on Wesley Chapel Road in Atlanta, Georgia.

He and his team there were among the top performers in the Southeast region in sales and profits. Three years later he returned to Houston as owner-operator of the store at Westheimer and Fondren.

Gibson has become a leader

in the community while using the skills he forged on the Hill.

Time invested in Lynay with Dr. Gary McCaleb (’64), at Leadership Summit with Dr. Rick Lytle, in the Pope Fellows Program with Dr. Mel Hailey (’70), and in Galaxy social club left a deep and consistent impression on Gibson. “I learned what it meant to be a servant leader, to treat others with compassion and to put others first,” he said.

“I often wondered during my time at ACU why God had chosen to send me there,” he said. “At the time, although I enjoyed my time there, the reasoning wasn’t abundantly clear to me. It wasn’t until later in my career that I realized the skills, lessons and experiences gained were invaluable and not the norm in the marketplace.

I was immensely fortunate to have been given the opportunity to study and grow in a safe, challenging and spirit-rich environment like ACU.” His high-performing work earned him a seat on a board for Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy, along with a dozen other owner-operators across the nation. He’s also been featured on the company’s corporate website. Gibson believes the most effective servant leadership is first practiced within his team of 70 to 90 employees.

“My employees are my first guests,” Gibson said of his business, which eagerly looks for opportunities to engage with customers beyond offering them tasty food.

“We aim to love on employees and treat them with the utmost honor, dignity and respect,” he said. “In turn, we depend on them to pay it forward to other members of our community with exceptional service.” 

– RON HADFIELD

– DAVID RAMSEY

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Veteran social club sponsors devote decades to mentoring students in ACU’s unique fraternity and sorority culture

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ara Lee (McCaleb ’89) Cranford was a toddler when 12 Abilene Christian University women crowded into

her family’s living room at the first meeting of Sigma Theta Chi, a brand-new women’s club. Her mom, Sylvia (Ravanelli ’67) McCaleb, was a charter sponsor.

Forty-seven years later, both Cranford and her oldest daughter, Lindsay (Cranford ’15) Boone, are proud alumni of that “new” club that now includes 120 current members and hundreds of alumni. Meetings take place in Hart Auditorium, one of ACU’s largest classrooms, instead of her living room, but Cranford’s mother has been a consistent Siggie presence for 47 years, the longest tenure of any current social club sponsor.

“If I didn’t love it, I would have quit a long time ago,” McCaleb said with a laugh. “You have to have the love for these kids. You have to care about them.”

That’s a requirement McCaleb has found easy to fulfill, even when some parts of the job were more challenging. Her love for the women of Sigma Theta Chi has kept her attending weekly meetings, pledging events, Sing Song practices, student life briefings,

social events, and generally being an on-call resource for nearly half a century.

And although her tenure is the longest, she’s one of many ACU alumni who give back to their alma mater through service as a social club sponsor. They live in Taylor County and serve as a mashup of parent, friend, mentor, teacher and likely a few other roles depending on the situation.

A common refrain of sponsors of both men’s and women’s social clubs is a desire to offer today’s students the spiritual, emotional and relational growth experiences they received at ACU and through participation in its social clubs.

“I’ve seen what social clubs can do for girls,” McCaleb said. “A shy girl – by the end of pledging she belongs to something bigger, and it changes her. Lives change because of club. That’s why we’re still here. It’s the neatest thing, later on, getting to see the wives and mothers these girls become and the friendships made in club that last forever.”

The story is similar for Frater Sodalis sponsor Tim Yandell (’85), whose own

FROM LEFT: Betsey Craig (GATA), Tim Yandell (Frater Sodalis), Amber Peck (GATA) and Gary Linn (Sub T-16).

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experience shaped him and inspired a commitment to Frats that has endured more than a quarter century.

“Club not only changed my life, it gave me the confidence to run for office and to speak in public,” Yandell said. “It gave me so many tools of life that I still use all the time. The affirmation I received from guys I was in club with helped me to really believe in myself and know I could step outside my box in many ways.”

As the vice president and director of development for Disability Resources Inc., public speaking and relationship-building skills have served him well.

“That’s what I want all our guys to experience,” he says. “To be able to grow in themselves and become confident and, through challenging experiences, to make decisions and stick with them. I don’t just do this

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because they need sponsors; I do it because it’s in my heart and my blood.

I want every one of these guys to be blessed with the friendships and experiences and quality of life that helped me to achieve in so many ways.”

After graduating from ACU in 1985, Yandell served as a sponsor for one year in 1987-88, then returned in 1994 and is now in his 25th year.

Tom Craig (’89), recently retired director of student activities, noted that Yandell’s role is unmatched in the personal relationships he forms with each member of Frater Sodalis.

“Tim, more than any other sponsor I know, is involved in the lives of students,” Craig said. “I don’t know of any other sponsor who spends that much one-on-one time with

each student, both before and after pledging, and even after graduation.”

His commitment was honored in a significant way in Fall 2017 at Homecoming when club members and alumni presented a $75,000 endowed scholarship in honor of Yandell’s service as sponsor, and to commemorate Frater Sodalis’ 75th anniversary.

“I feel like this has been a year of honor, and I can’t even put my finger on the right word for how humbling it has been,” Yandell said. “They had a ruse going where they made me think I was just getting a 25-year plaque, and instead they presented a $75,000 scholarship for 75 years of Frats.”

Homecoming has special meaning for all social clubs, and particularly for sponsors who see the return of

FROM LEFT: Sylvia McCaleb (Sigma Theta Chi), Karen Sharp (Ko Jo Kai), Bobbie Dickson (Sigma Theta Chi) and Gayla Pope (Ko Jo Kai).

STEVE BUTMAN

club alumni they’ve known over many years.

As alumni of all ages gather in Abilene to re-live their college days, reunite with classmates and reminisce about ACU memories, Sigma Theta Chi sponsor Bobbie (McCullough ’88) Dickson said she always relishes the chance to peek into the lives of Siggies she knew.

“I love to see who they’ve become, and I’m so proud to think that maybe I had a little bit to do with that,” Dickson said.

With 45 years of sponsor experience under her belt, there’s a good chance she did. Dickson joined McCaleb as a Siggie sponsor in 1971, just two years after the club’s inception. Her husband, Dr. Curt Dickson (’66), professor emeritus of exercise science and health, began work at ACU in 1967. In 1971, he also was a Galaxy sponsor, but the Dicksons – parents to four children, including twin 1-year-old boys at the time – quickly realized both of them couldn’t continue as sponsors simultaneously.

“He said, ‘You need the chance to get to know students,’ ” Bobbie recalled, “so he backed off. My family has been very gracious. Curt always encouraged me to be involved with Siggies. My girls were 13 and 10 when I first started. They’ve always known

LEFT: Kim (Sublette ’98) Holmes, Gayla (Gieger ’65) Pope and Tiffany (Sublette ’00) Hogue pose together in 1997.

MIDDLE: Among those pictured from the 1971 Sigma Theta Chi Spring Banquet is Sylvia (Ravanelli ’67) McCaleb (second from right).

RIGHT: Tim Yandell (left) and 1998 graduate Steve Reynolds (right) visit with Frater Sodalis founding president Masaaki “Robert” Ishiguro (’44).

the club was special to me.”

At each Homecoming, Dickson said she is approached at the Siggie breakfast by alumni who start out by saying, “You probably don’t remember me, but …”. Dickson is quick to correct them: “Yes, I do!”

And she’s also guaranteed to get a few queries of “Are you still a sponsor?”

“They either say I’m crazy, or they say ‘Good for you!’ ” Dickson said.

Homecoming also has offered some poignant moments for Larry Henderson (’73), who ended an 18-year run as Galaxy men’s club sponsor this spring. During Friday Chapel in 2017, Henderson was twice approached by different alumni he didn’t immediately remember but who knew him through Galaxy and were influenced by his leadership.

“Those are meaningful times when people come back and reference things I no longer remember, but somehow were pivotal or shaping influences in their lives,” Henderson said.

Henderson became a sponsor in 2000 at the request of longtime sponsor and friend Steve Ridgell (’73).

“It’s being a brother, being a friend, being a dad and sometimes being a granddad. It’s being a spiritual advisor, a life coach, a mentor.

It’s being a lot of things to a lot of people.” – TIM YANDELL

It wasn’t a hard sell because Henderson had great memories of his time in Galaxy as a student. He pledged in 1971 and was president of the club his senior year.

“It was a wonderful experience in every way: physically, emotionally, spiritually. I couldn’t have asked for anything better,” Henderson said.

As a sponsor, he says, the late-night schedules and relating to college students were a challenge for him. Those challenges were balanced, however, against meaningful moments like those when alumni at Homecoming remind him of his continued influence.

Another example of that took place several thousand feet above the earth, as a group of Galaxy members decided to join in an activity close to Henderson’s heart. In addition to being a college professor, social club sponsor and missionary of 25 years, Henderson is a world record-setting competitive skydiver. And in 2015, about 20 Galaxy men, inspired by Henderson’s passion, organized a skydiving trip in Dallas.

“Once we heard about the many jumps he had been a part of and watched videos of different jumps in which he had participated, it was only a matter of time before we were convinced to try it ourselves,” said senior Gideon Luck. “It was awesome.

It was the most fun. I understand

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“I think of my role as a mentor: to help when asked and help when needed, and to be a good listener as they learn to navigate.

I also provide perspective.” – AMBER PECK why Larry loves it and has jumped so many times.”

Of course, they also appreciate his ground-level contributions to their club as well.

“Larry was kind and genuine in all of his interactions with the guys in club,” Luck said. “He always offered words of wisdom when we needed them.”

Skydiving might be one of the few things in the social club world Amber (McElyea ’96) Peck hasn’t experienced in her 20th year as a GATA sponsor. She was part of rebuilding a dwindling club into one of the largest on campus during her two years as president (1994-96), and she’s supported members and officers in similar situations as a sponsor in the two decades since then.

In the last two years, GATA also has faced the unusual situation of the unexpected death of two of its student members, and Peck and the other sponsors have helped walk their college women through deep grief, in addition to the usual laughter, fun and friendship.

“The commitment over time has become one of my ministries,” Peck said. “If I can impart a little bit of wisdom, teach these young ladies how to be good future employees, organizers of events, planners, etc., then I’m doing my job.”

Sometimes the job entails giving motherly advice, having a Coke and talking over big decisions about love lives or future jobs. Often it means providing a listening ear, a sounding board for ideas, a text to check in, a reassuring voice of experience.

Other sponsors modeled that for Peck during her years in club.

“Over the course of my years in club, they became some of my best friends,” Peck said. “These women invested their time into getting to 28

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These three Linn men are Subbers: Gary (middle) and sons (left) Jake (’17) and (right) Andy (’14).

know me and the other girls in club. They listened, gave sound advice and were fun to be around.”

Two years after graduation, she quickly accepted the offer to join them.

“It was my time to give back to this club that gave so much to me,” she said. “It was my time to mentor and grow young women leaders to go out and serve in their careers, communities, churches and most importantly, their future families.”

One of those sponsors who inspired Peck was her close friend Betsey (Bolin ’85) Craig, who has the distinction of having been a continuous sponsor every year since her graduation from ACU. “I graduated with my bachelor’s in 1985, and the two current sponsors were stepping down,” Betsey recalled.

“The GATA president asked me and two other old GATAs to be sponsors in the fall. I was in grad school and thought it would be fun. I was honored to be asked. Back then, there were no age requirements. Nowadays, Student Life requires a sponsor to have been out of school for at least five years. That’s a good rule. Young sponsors need some perspective away from life as students and people who are so close to their age.”

While she may not have had that time of perspective away from club, Craig instead received on-the-job training and experience for more than three decades.

“I used to say that I wanted to be a sponsor long enough to tell the girls, ‘I’ve been doing this longer than you’ve been alive!’ Well, I’m about 10 years past that now,” she said.

Like other sponsors, that commitment includes weekly club meetings, club socials and events, meetings with Student Life,

STEVE BUTMAN

communicating with other sponsors, helping officers stay focused, helping generate ideas for rushes, socials, club meetings, Sing Song, etc.

“Then, starting all over with a new group the next year,” Betsey said.

Abilene dentist Gary Linn, D.D.S. (’83), is familiar with that process as well; he’s been starting over each school year with a different men’s club roster for a quarter century now.

He was an active member of Sub T-16 in his college days in the early 1980s and remembered the difficulty of finding committed sponsors for the club during that time. Fortunately for him and his fellow club members, Jim Breckenridge (’67) stepped up to the task.

A few years later, Linn found himself inspired by Breckenridge’s example and decided to do the same for the next generation of Subbers.

He’s served as a sponsor since 1992 and now

LEFT: Former longtime Galaxy sponsor Larry Henderson.

ABOVE: Morgan (Watten ’15) Morgan, Karen (Osborn ’66) Sharp and Abbe (Lopez ’15) attended the 2017 Kojie Reunion in Belton, Texas.

MIDDLE: Amber (McElyea ’96) Peck and Betsey (Bolin ’85) Craig with Tamsin Day (’16) and fellow sponsor Jennifer Ellison (’04) following Saturday night Sing Song in 2016 when GATA won after a 30-year drought.

BELOW: Larry Sanders (’76) was a fixture for 43 years on the intramural flag football field with Frater Sodalis, finally hanging up his cleats in 2015 after playing with his son, Keith (’16).

serves with Jim Breckenridge’s son, Mike Breckenridge (’97).

“Little did I know then that I’d still be a sponsor when my sons, Andy and Jake, became members,” Linn said.

Andy graduated from ACU in 2014, as Jake did in 2017.

Linn said meeting the young men who come through club each year has been a meaningful aspect of his sponsor work, and, most recently, he’s thankful to have been in a position to develop relationships with his sons’ friends as well.

In the 25 years of his service as a sponsor, he said his philosophy and focus has evolved to some degree.

“I probably try harder now to help them see the big picture of life rather than just what is happening in the little bubble of ACU,” Linn says.

Karen (Osborn ’66) Sharp, on the other hand, says ACU’s small size and close-knit campus culture are primary reasons why she became a sponsor of women’s club Ko Jo Kai in 1979.

“I can’t give a million-dollar gift to ACU,” Sharp said, “but I can be involved and impact girls’ lives and give back in that way.”

When she began as a sponsor, 18-20 women pledged each year; today pledge class sizes often top 60.

But many Ko Jo Kai traditions remain the same for this club as it nears its 100th year at ACU. “Some of our traditions were around when I was in club, and we can tell the girls, ‘Your mom did this same thing we are doing.’ A lot of them have that connection, and that’s something we don’t want to lose,” Sharp said.

Even the sponsors, however, have found they grow and learn from the experience of working closely with students.

“At first, you want everything to go just a certain way,” Sharp said.

“But I’ve learned patience and listening and not talking so much.

The girls want to be heard. We try to resolve what they need, rather

than push our own ideas.”

Gayla (Gieger ’65) Pope was the NuNu Mom of Kojies when Sharp pledged and, about 30 years later, Pope joined Sharp as a sponsor.

“We look at it as a ministry,” Pope said. “The girls come from different backgrounds. Some need a mother, some need a friend, and some are very independent. We meet with them in our homes; we talk to them about spiritual lives, about church. Our motto is ‘seeking higher aims.’ We do that through friendship and love.”

Her husband, Dr. Terry Pope (’64), joined ACU’s College of Business Administration faculty in 1992. Both their daughters had been presidents of Ko Jo Kai, and after their youngest daughter graduated, Pope seized the opportunity to again be involved with her club.

“I wanted a chance to be associated with the college girls,” she said. “That’s a platform I have access to. And of course, I wanted to be with Karen [Sharp] and Marsha.” [Marsha (Jennings ’76) Allred served as a Ko Jo Kai sponsor for 38 years before her death in 2016.]

Pope said through her 24 years as sponsor she has felt the tension of learning when to push and when to step back, when to advise and when to let go. But, as others have along the way, she continues to find ways to demonstrate love, concern and a call to the highest of aims.

“We understand these young women are growing, and we don’t expect perfection, but we always encourage them to take the higher road,” Pope said. “We want to show them they can have a good time and make memories. The choices they make now become their memories later.”

Equally so, the intentional choices of time, energy and passion made by these volunteers have become memories and motivation for generations of students throughout Abilene Christian’s history. 

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Effective club sponsors juggle many roles, responsibilities om Craig (’89) retired in March 2018 after serving for seven years as director of student activities, which, among other things, included oversight of ACU’s 12 social clubs. He had a bird’s-eye view of the work of sponsors and how it interacts with student life at ACU. “Being a sponsor is an opportunity to serve as a mentor to help students figure out life,” Craig said. “The basic responsibilities include being present at events, being a chaperone, helping students with tasks like finding locations, building floats, putting together budgets. That’s one side. Another side is that sponsors are in a position to help students navigate life situations.

“It’s not unusual for students to deal with death, divorce, a parent losing a job, or any number of lifechanging events. This may be a student’s first time to deal with circumstances of that magnitude and at a time when parents aren’t within an arm’s reach. Sponsors fill an emotional and spiritual gap when students need someone to help them figure life out or just comfort them,” he said.

New sponsors often come into the role upon recommendation by other sponsors, but the university maintains basic criteria they must meet, as well as training with club members and sponsor teams. Craig said he also looks for diversity and depth in the sponsor group.

“We suggested clubs try to develop a sponsor team spanning age groups and life stages to offer different perspectives and abilities,” Craig said. “We want club to be fun and social but also for students to walk away with life skills they may not have the opportunity to learn in other settings.”

Among other responsibilities, sponsors work with Student Life to stay abreast of ever-changing hazing laws relating to pledging, university policies and the unique dynamics of ACU’s broader social club system.

“What students may not realize is that clubs really can’t exist without a solid team of sponsors,” Craig said.

“Clubs would spin out of control simply because students don’t have the experience and perspective to maintain the organization long-term. Sponsors are the reason any club has longevity on campus.”

Participation in social clubs has ebbed and flowed in

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ACU’s history, and clubs have dissipated and sometimes returned. Women’s club Tri Kappa Gamma, for example, first chartered in 1986 but dwindled in number and disappeared in 2008. But as women’s clubs’ numbers increased during the last five years, the need arose for another women’s group, and three ACU students worked with a recruited team of TKG alumni in Abilene to bring it back to campus.

It required more than a year of documentation, application, planning and organizing to complete the re-charter. But perhaps no one was a better fit to help guide that process than Lisa (Layne ’89) Herndon, one of the TKG founders and its charter president in 1986.

“Of course I was thrilled to see the interest in getting us back on campus,” Herndon said. “After much organization and hard work on their part, the club was re-chartered in January 2015. The girls have done an excellent job of blending old and new traditions. We have stayed true to our original constitution, creed and purpose. The members have embraced the opportunity to restore old traditions, expand and create new traditions.”

Bringing back a new club is one particular feat, and other sponsors have worked through similarly challenging situations requiring certain creativity and finesse.

David (’03) and Amanda (Peeples ’00) Pittman spent six overlapping years as sponsors for Galaxy and Sigma Theta Chi, respectively, while raising three young children.

He became a Galaxy sponsor in 2008, and three years later, Sylvia (Ravanelli ’67) McCaleb approached Amanda about joining the Siggie sponsor team. The couple had a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old at the time but decided to take on the challenge. “​It’s so refreshing to be around students who are actively engaging in community here on campus,” Amanda said. “I work a lot with the officers, and I really enjoy that aspect. I love watching the girls at the beginning of their tenure and how they grow and mature as a leader as the year progresses.”

David and Amanda Pittman with Findley, Gentry and Easton.

Sponsors for ACU social clubs as of April 2018:

Alpha Kai Omega

Pam (Schoolcraft ’79) Medulla, Lettie (Rosenbaum ’08) Morrow, Autumn (Fredrickson ’06) Meeks, Ann Varner

Delta Theta

Paige (Gauch ’12) Beale, Emerald (Cardenas ’08) Cassidy, Laurie (Shedd ’78) Corbin, Debbie Haag (’73), Harriett Haag (’76), Brooke Hines (’12), Dr. Virginia Mosier (’73), Beth (Neeley ’78) Peables

Frater Sodalis

Grant Cunningham (’07), Mac Leavell (’06), Aaron Robison (’05), Tim Yandell (’85)

Galaxy

Larry Henderson (’73), Dodd Roberts (’86), *Brent Jordan (’05), *David Lang (’80), *Taylor Sturgis (’09), *Grant Abston (’09), *Kyle Douthit (’90)

Gamma Sigma Phi

Larry Folwell (’77), Don Garrett (’77), Michael Goodman (’11), Rich Jinkerson (’75), John Mark Moudy (’04), Hutton Harris (’08)

GATA ERIN BRAGGS

That perspective kept them going for the next several years in which they added a third child to their crew and continued juggling child care challenges for Wednesday night club meetings and during pledging season – sometimes solved through babysitters or visiting grandparents but often requiring them to simply negotiate schedules and take turns attending events.

Recently, David stepped back from his Galaxy sponsor role so for now, the couple’s joint tenure has ended, but their six years of common commitment during a challenging season of parenthood showcased the distinctive loyalty and passion modeled by so many sponsors.

“Our sponsors, in their own ways, are all very passionate people,” Craig says. “It manifests itself differently, but it’s a shared passion. That creates a dynamic of club life ACU students come to love. A lot of people take the perspective that it’s not just a volunteer role but a ministry. Our sponsors love our students by supporting them, fighting for them, and, when they need redirecting, they will do that in a way similar to a parent.

Sponsors love students and care about them as if they are their own kids.” 

– WENDY KILMER

DAVIS

Betsey (Bolin ’85) Craig, Brandi Jo (Magee ’06) Delony, Jennifer Ellison (’05), Sheila (Booker ’79) Hilton, Amber (McElyea ’96) Peck, Kelly (Barrett ’84) White

Ko Jo Kai

Jama (Fry ’97) Cadle, M.C. (Hayes ’91) Jennings, Gayla (Geiger ’65) Pope, Karen (Osborn ’66) Sharp, Pricilla (Harris ’00) Wyatt

Nu Kappa Psi Dr. Jerry Taylor

Pi Kappa

Jonathan Cogburn (’06), Jeff Goolsby (’01), Chris Meeks (’06), Daniel Weber (’03)

Sigma Theta Chi

Bobbie (McCullough ’88) Dickson, Lex Ann (Wilburn ’90) Hood, Sylvia (Ravanelli ’67) McCaleb, Amanda (Peeples ’00) Pittman, Linda (Green ’72) Wallace

Sub T-16

Mike Breckenridge (’97); Brad Cranford (’84); Gary Linn, D.D.S. (’83); Derrick Long (’93); Grant Rhoden (’86); Todd Womble (’08)

Tri Kappa Gamma

Cindy (Roberts ’92) Gravitt, Lisa (Layne ’89) Herndon, Michelle Mickey (’90), Sunne (Carey ’89) Schaake, Jennifer (Beebe ’92) Talley, Kelli (Brigman ’89) Walker

Trojans

Michael Gray (’12), Dr. Matt Roberson, Guy Saylor, Titus Vesel (’14) *Part-time sponsors ACU TODAY

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Alumni find ways to serve others in the wake of an epic hurricane ee McLeod was soaked, and he was yelling. “Anybody need help?!”

His canoe was the only way he and his neighbor, Michael Pratt, could navigate the paved streets in a North Houston neighborhood. So they paddled past half-underwater houses and SUVs, and looked for signs of life.

The 16-foot-long Evergreen Prospector canoe had been a Christmas gift. Now, it was a lifeboat.

One by one, residents trapped in their homes opened windows to call back: “Yes! We want out!

We want to leave!”

Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017, was the first of three days McLeod (’94) spent paddling and wading through LEE MCLEOD

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dirty brown water caused by Hurricane Harvey and the “1,000-year flood” it spawned, an epic late-summer storm that crushed the Gulf Coast, leaving the greater Houston area in its wake.

McLeod doesn’t know how many trips he and Pratt made, evacuating several residents (and numerous pets) at a time to dry land, turning the canoe around and starting over again. Young, old, families, people living alone. Some didn’t want to leave but pointed the two men toward others for whom they were worried, including one elderly woman on oxygen who was stuck in her home.

They rescued her as well.

“Deep within, it was like, ‘I can’t not do something,’ ” McLeod said months later. “Maybe I can help get somebody out of a bad situation. I’m a believer in Jesus, and there’s nothing that makes me more like him than when I get out of myself and work to be his hands and feet. I don’t say that to sound cheesy; it’s the truth.”

“I’m not a superhero,” he said. “I’m serious – what we did was not remarkable at all. We were just doing what needed to be done.”

Like many communities, Abilene Christian’s rallied to care for others in Harvey’s wake. Some helped rescue people. Others prayed, or donated money, or helped connect those in need with churches who were providing aid. Others were displaced by the storm and were on the

BY SARAH CARLSON

JEREMY ENLOW

Lee McLeod (left) and Michael Pratt retrace waters in a Houston bayou where they used a canoe to rescue people last August (see inset photo).

With a pricetag of $125 billion, Hurricane Harvey tied 2005 storm Katrina in causing the most damage of any tropical cyclone in U.S. history.

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receiving end of such help. Some lost most of their belongings.

Still, the shock, worry, fear and even anger didn’t stop people from acting, from jumping into literal or metaphorical lifeboats and braving the water.

“There was beauty in the disaster,” said Carri (Teague ’88) Hill, university relations manager for Houston. “There was beauty in the giving, and the opportunity to rebuild. In the midst of disaster, the people of God rose up and loved the stranger.”

Preparing for a natural disaster could be compared to sprinting through the five stages of grief: You’d better get to acceptance quickly if you want to survive.

McLeod, who owns a Farmer’s Insurance agency in Spring, realized there was only so much preparation that could be done before a storm the size of Harvey. He knew the business and his family’s home in Tomball would be OK, but he fielded calls for days from worried clients further south, especially in Corpus Christi and Rockport. Harvey was headed directly for them.

A majority of Houstonians decided to wait out the storm. As footage of heavy rains and rising waters blanketed the news, folks around the U.S. and the world unfamiliar with Texas geography learned why: Greater Houston – which includes Houston, The Woodlands and Sugar Land – is about 10,000 square miles and the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the nation with a population of about 6.7 million. Evacuation wasn’t necessarily an option.

Rescue wasn’t easy, either. FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management

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Agency, couldn’t possibly reach everyone, which is likely why thousands of Texans and Louisianans like McLeod made lifeboats out of canoes, pontoons and other vessels.

“Houston is very resilient,” Hill said. “We’ve been through storms and hurricanes before. I’ve seen semi-trailer trucks floating down Interstate 10. But this was on a whole ’nother level of devastation. It took a little while for that to sink in, to how widespread the destruction was.

It wasn’t just one section of town.

A city about the size of Massachusetts was under water.”

At least 30 inches of rain fell during the storm, with some areas seeing up to 60 inches. The total volume of water dispersed across Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee and Kentucky amounted to about 33 trillion gallons. Harvey is the wettest tropical cyclone on record for both Texas and the U.S., displacing more than 30,000 people and leading to more than 17,000 rescues.

Hill had been in Abilene to move ACU freshman Bryce, her middle child, into his residence hall.

She stayed with her parents in Irving, Texas, during the worst of the storm, getting updates from her husband, Chris, back home. It took almost a week for her to make it there; her house had water damage but wasn’t flooded.

Ashlee (Smith ’06) Beagnyam didn’t know what shape her Dickinson home was in, but she could guess. All she had to do was turn on the news to see footage of the interstate exit closest to where she lived: It was submerged. She and her two boys, Lincoln and Boston, were in Fort Worth to be with her mother while her husband, Azzie (’09), stayed. A firefighter for the nearby city of Pearland, Azzie was on call beginning Friday, Aug. 25. His typical three-day shift turned into six days because too many firefighters were

unable to make it to the station.

Azzie is a former ACU linebacker who grew up in Seabrook, along the Gulf Coast. Hurricanes and the need to evacuate aren’t new to him, but he’d never seen a storm like this. He drove home to find a neighborhood already being turned upside down, with piles of rubbage at neighbors’ curbs and an unpleasant smell coming from his house. It was filled with sewage from Dickinson Bayou.

“I walked in the house and stood there for a second, and then I started going around and seeing what was gone,” he said. “I touched the mattresses – already moldy. You could see the water line on the sofas.

None of it could be saved.”

“He was exhausted,” Ashlee said, “and coming into that … where do you even begin?”

He went to work cleaning and repairing the house. She tackled the FEMA paperwork and kept friends up to date on Facebook, posting photos sent by Azzie of their belongings, now trash, hauled outside. Friends created a GoFundMe.com fundraiser for the family. And a couple of strangers in South Carolina began planning how they could help the Beagnyams.

Jennifer (Townsend ’98) Frye, of Keller, Texas, got the ball rolling.

Watching the news, she saw the need to help others but preferred to find a direct way to contribute instead of donating to a large organization.

She and Ashlee are Facebook friends, their families having attended church together when the Beagnyams lived in the Metroplex.

Seeing Ashlee’s photos, Frye published a post of her own, telling friends that if they, like her, prefer to give to a specific family, she knew of one in need.

Herb and Shannon Dew of Greenville, South Carolina, answered the call. They didn’t know the Beagnyams, but they knew Jennifer and her husband, Sean. The Dews

Carri Hill

Join Wildcats Helping Wildcats at facebook.com/groups/wildcatshelping

spread the word among their friends, and collected and purchased enough items – clothes, furniture, housewares, artwork, you name it – to furnish a three-bedroom apartment for the Beagnyams. And they were adamant about the Beagnyams having an apartment that size while they rebuilt their home – so much so that they paid the rent for several months. The Dews rented a U-Haul vehicle, loaded it and drove the more than 900 miles to Texas.

The Frye family was on hand – with more items and monetary donations to deliver – when the Dews arrived in Houston with a truck full of the Beagnyams’ new belongings. Jennifer took photos of Ashlee as she reacted to their arrival and as her apartment came to life and became a home. She’s smiling ear to ear in all of them.

“It was amazing,” Frye said, choking up a bit.

“I felt really honored to have had a hand in it.

They’re just such a sweet family.”

“None of this would have happened if I hadn’t followed my gut to make that first Facebook post,” she said. “I’m not controversial and didn’t want to stir the pot and make people think it’s bad to give to an organization. When the Holy Spirit is leading you, you need to listen and be obedient.

Even if it feels scary, just do it. It’s amazing to see how God worked in this whole situation.”

“You never think something like this will happen to you,” Ashlee said. “I don’t know why God provided Herb and Shannon to us. But I’m so thankful and blessed.”

“It’s not that we didn’t know who God was,” she said. “But they solidified that God is good, and he is here for us.”

JEREMY ENLOW

Carri Hill surveys damage in Houston’s Buffalo Bayou. A university relations manager for ACU, she helps the university recruit students and engage graduates by building relationships with churches, schools, alumni and other friends.

Thanks to Facebook, Ashlee and Azzie’s lives changed, and they weren’t alone. Love it or hate it, the behemoth of a social network was a critical tool for those affected by Harvey to seek help and for others to offer it.

ACU pointed alumni and friends to its recently created Facebook group, Wildcats Helping Wildcats, as a platform for connecting with each other and with resources. Post after post came in: This church needs help; that church has a disaster relief team ready to work; this alumna designed a T-shirt and proceeds from its sales will go to victims; that alumnus is collecting items to take ACU TODAY

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from Abilene to Houston; and so on.

Hill worked to connect alumni and friends in need with churches and other groups providing aid. She and Craig Fisher (’92), assistant vice president for alumni and university relations, also found a way for more alumni to engage in relief efforts: gift cards.

The Sept. 15-16, 2017, Grand Opening weekend of Wildcat Stadium came three weeks after the storm cleared. Those attending the Friday NEEDTOBREATHE concert and Saturday’s tailgating and game were encouraged to bring gift cards to major retailers that would be distributed to alumni in need in the Houston area. All together, cards collected totaled more than $2,000.

Hill gave cards to Impact Church, Grace Crossing and Cinco Ranch Church of Christ to share. The rest she distributed herself over several months, criss-crossing the Greater Houston area and meeting with families for hours, listening to their stories. Some had lost so much, she said, that the thought of a $100 gift card seemed to them more like winning the lottery.

“It’s a holy space, when people are so resilient and so strong and doing everything they can to rise from the ashes,” she said. “I was able to come in with this relatively small gift and they were each one so gracious and so thankful.”

“Being in a place of needing to receive help can be very uncomfortable,” she said. “If you give me something, I want to be able to repay you. That’s a natural thing, especially with Americans. This isn’t that. This is just, ‘You need to take it.’ That’s a hard dose of medicine to swallow. But there’s real beauty in it, and something truly tender that happens. Being able to be in that space representing my fellow alumni was precious.”

Later, one of the people with whom she met sent Carri a text, 36

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letting her know they’d just bought groceries for their family.

“This week’s food is on the ACU community,” they said. “I can’t think of a better word for that than ‘holy,’ ” Hill said.

She brought with her more than gift cards from her alma mater; she had a stack of note cards containing messages, prayers and Scriptures written by Abilene Christian students to Harvey victims.

Dr. David Kneip (’03), assistant professor of Bible, missions and ministry, helps coordinate his department’s Chapels, which in 2017-18 followed the theme “With Jesus at the Margins” and examined ways Christians are able to join Jesus in ministry to people in various kinds of need, he said. He and his team of students came up with the plan for students to write these cards during a Chapel service.

“We knew we couldn’t directly hand out bottled water or help clean a house in that moment, but we could still extend the love of Jesus from afar,” he said. “As a worship leader and a professor teaching worship classes, I want our students to know that worship isn’t just something that lives in our heads or hearts but ideally flows into our lives,” he said.

“My experience is that many people like being given something to do in worship, and this was something tangible and direct.”

The cards were a “donation of love,” Hill said – like bringing a piece of ACU to Houston. When Hill met with Ashlee in November, Ashlee asked to keep one of the cards from a Dickinson student who said he was praying for his hometown. It served as a reminder that people cared for her, she said. The gift card she was given helped the family purchase a Christmas tree and gifts for her children.

“When you give monetarily, or you give of your time and your skill set, it matters and it makes a difference,”

Hill said. “It’s not an exercise in futility. That could not have been made more true to me than in this situation. Every one of those gift cards made a difference – every dollar spent and prayer sent made a difference.”

“Our students wrote such sensitive and thoughtful notes,” Kneip said. “We have students with some really great hearts around here at ACU, and when they have a willingness to serve, wonderful things can happen.”

Driving through Houston in mid-January 2018, Hill noted residents still living in tents in their front yards or recreational vehicles in their driveway. Many are still in rented apartments or staying with loved ones.

Hill considers them the real heroes: the ones who work all day and then spend their evenings and weekends rebuilding their homes.

If there’s one thing she wants to impress upon others, it’s that the work continues.

Her work isn’t over, either, as she gets back into a more typical schedule of visiting schools and organizing alumni events. Her Harvey-related efforts weren’t out of line with her job, however, she said.

“Our mission is to educate students for Christian service and leadership, but we also take that to the next level,” she said. “Yes, we’re equipping students, but then we take that forward. That is the very heart of my job: When I show Christian service and leadership, those ripples go out, and they come back.”

“There’s a lot of sadness in this story, but there are beams of light as well,” Hill said. “There is hardship, but there is light and there is giving and there is restoration.” 

JEREMY ENLOW

While firefighter Azzie Beagnyam (above, left) helped respond to the needs of people in Pearland, Texas, the house in Dickinson he and his wife, Ashlee, owned was severely damaged by flooding. The Beagnyams, including sons Lincoln and Boston, pose in January 2018 among the ongoing renovations as they put their home back together. They moved back in late March.

Hurricane Harvey killed 107 people, damaged 300,000 structures and, in Texas alone, destroyed more than half a million vehicles. Some 30,000 people were displaced from their homes by the storm.

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BY DAWN COLE

Dale and Rita Brown Outlive Your Life Award First given in May 2011, the Dale and Rita Brown Outlive Your Life Award recognizes individuals who have created a lasting effect on the lives of others. The award takes its name from Outlive Your Life: You Were Made to Make a Difference, the 2011 book by minister Max Lucado, a 1977 ACU graduate and best-selling Christian author. In its pages, Lucado challenges readers from all walks of life to take what God has given them and help others.

This award is designed to recognize all types of servant leadership, including civic and community contributions, meeting spiritual or physical needs, producing changes with generational impact, helping redirect the course of people’s lives, and inspiring others to make an eternal difference. Recipients may be graduates or former students of the university.

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he young Canadian preacher had no sermon prepared for his tryout at Abilene’s Highland Church of Christ. His interview, he remembered nearly five decades later, felt like a disaster. “Everything they asked me about what qualified me for the job, I didn’t have,” he said.

To be sure, Dr. Lynn Anderson (’90 D.Min.) and his wife, Carolyn (Bridges), wanted to make a change.

Lynn had spent 26 weeks of the previous year traveling to preach at other conferences and revival meetings, and it was taking a toll on the couple and their four young children.

The Andersons – now ACU’s 2017 Dale and Rita Brown Outlive Your Life Award recipients – had just one caveat about their next assignment in 1971.

“We said, ‘Lord, we’ll go wherever, in whatever country in the world, whatever place you want, but not back to an established Bible Belt church,’ ” Lynn said.

But when he received calls from Highland and two churches in Memphis, Tennessee, that were looking for a preacher, he reluctantly planned the trip.

“I went to Abilene determined that I wasn’t going to impress them,” Lynn said. When he met with the elders for breakfast the Monday after his impromptu sermon, Lynn says he was bracing for a stern lecture on how to interview.

Instead, they offered him the job.

“I called Carolyn that afternoon and I said, ‘Well, I’m on my way to Memphis, we’re not coming to Abilene,’ ” Lynn recalled. “She said, ‘They didn’t want us?’ ” “I said, ‘No, that’s the trouble – they do want us.’ ” Carolyn started to cry, confusing Lynn who said, “I didn’t know you wanted to come to Texas.”

“I don’t, but I don’t want to go back to us making the plans and asking God to baptize them,” Carolyn responded. “I thought we were open to where God was leading, and now I’m disappointed.”

That was all it took. The Andersons packed for Abilene, where Lynn would preach for the next 17 years, with a style and a message that connected with tens of thousands of ACU students who flocked to Highland, including a young man from Andrews, Texas.

“During those days he was teaching through the Gospel of John,” says best-selling author and preacher Max Lucado (’77). “I’d never heard the story of Jesus presented in such a joyfully contagious manner.”

For a graduation gift, Lucado asked his sister to purchase all of the messages on cassette tapes. Once he received them, “I put them in a shoebox and listened to them over and over,” Lucado said.

That contagious joy about the story of Jesus breathed new ideas into what worship could look like in Churches of Christ.

Jeff Nelson (’79), who recently returned to Highland Church of Christ as its worship minister, was working at ACU when he began leading singing at Highland.

Anderson began inviting him for weekly Tuesday lunch meetings over hamburgers, when they would plan how the music and sermon could work together.

Those hamburger summits led Nelson to a new vision of how he could best serve in ministry. The idea of “worship leaders” in Churches of Christ was unheard of then. But as he worked alongside Anderson, eventually traveling with him in “The Church That Connects” workshops around the country, Nelson found his purpose.

“He saw potential in me when I didn’t even realize the possibilities,” Nelson said.

Churches around the world have leaders with similar stories of being mentored in ministry but most, like Nelson, would be quick to acknowledge that mentorship was a team ministry for the Andersons.

Carolyn, who grew up in Arkansas, met Lynn at

Freed-Hardeman University her freshman year. As soon as he saw her, the sophomore preaching student said he told his roommate he would marry her. Less than a year later, his prediction and her primary objective came true.

“Ever since I was a little girl, I decided I wanted to marry a preacher and so that was one of my goals,” Carolyn said.

The young couple’s first ministry assignment was a church in British Columbia. “There were 10 members of the church there who didn’t know or like each other very well, and that included us,” Lynn said.

But the town of 5,000 was on the newly built Trans-Canada Highway, and the Anderson’s twobedroom home became an overnight stopping point for hundreds of church members traveling between Saskatchewan and Vancouver.

“I called it ‘unplanned plan,’ ” Carolyn said. “We didn’t plan it that way but God did.”

Carolyn’s gift for hospitality, honed by the flood of visitors, became her trademark.

“She just knew how to honor people,” said Scott Sager (’87), vice president of church services at Lipscomb University, who met the Andersons when he was a student at ACU. “Lynn is the poet preacher who incorporates beauty into his messages and his writings. Carolyn was the one who made everything else beautiful: their home, their family, her cooking … and they are beautiful together even now.”

In Abilene, as Lynn worked on a Doctor of Ministry degree – he earned ACU’s first in 1990 – and finetuned his skills as an author, Carolyn became a realtor and broker, a job Lynn says put all four of their kids – Christopher (’92), Jon (’86), Michele (Anderson ’82) English and Deborah (Anderson ’82) Boggs – through ACU. “This lady who walked three steps behind and smiled about her husband and thought that was her role, discovered she had a voice and ACU TODAY

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had gifts – and was not helping her husband by letting him preen himself,” Lynn said, pride evident in his voice as he remembers being introduced as “Carolyn Anderson’s husband.”

The couple chose not to live on the Hill, choosing an area of town where their neighbors were on all sorts of different stages in their spiritual walks. They hosted a home group called the Thursday Night Strugglers, where people fighting with addiction, going through divorce, or just facing loneliness could find community.

“I had the heart and drug them home,” Lynn said. “And she’s the one who scrubbed them up, fed them, got them clean clothes.”

The love for the people some might have considered “the least of these” has been a hallmark of the Andersons’ ministry, leaving an impact on many he mentored.

Sager remembered m ​ inistering to a young man dying of AIDS at a time when the disease had most afraid to visit, touch or hold hands with patients.

“Lynn walked alongside me as we held this young man’s hands and prayed with him during the months before his untimely death,” Sager said. “It was a reminder that when you take on the responsibility of doing what Jesus would do, it’s not about what you feel comfortable doing.”

After 17 years at Highland, the Andersons felt the pull for another change.

“We had a kingdom passion for something larger than one congregation,” Lynn said. For a year, they planned the framework for Hope Network Ministries, an outreach focusing on mentoring church leaders.

For five years, the Andersons would build the ministry while Lynn preached at Preston Road Church of Christ in Dallas.

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Sager, years after their first meeting in Abilene, would follow Anderson in the pulpit at Preston Road when Hope Network became Lynn’s full-time calling.

“Lynn stirred hearts with his preaching, called us to deeper worship and the arts, and helped the elders move their shepherding work more towards ‘smelling like sheep’ than they had been before,” Sager said. “I reaped the benefit of his efforts.”

With Lynn on the road much of the year and several of their children in San Antonio, the Andersons moved there in 1996 to run Hope Network full time.

His goal, Lynn said, was to “build people, not an organization,” and he prayed for five people who could help mentor and equip church leaders with the heart and skills for ministry in the 21st century.

“God doubled our portion,” Lynn said, and brought 10 leaders to

For nearly two decades, Lynn Anderson’s preaching and winsome personality attracted many ACU students to Highland Church of Christ.

work alongside him. He continued a rigorous travel schedule, working with church leadership across the country, and writing books such as They Smell Like Sheep, The Jesus Touch, Longing for a Homeland and Navigating the Winds of Change.

When Lynn was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2009, he began stepping back from his travel and eventually handed the reigns of Hope Network to others, but he and Carolyn continue monthly mentoring meetings and ministry in their home.

“Lynn and Carolyn have an extraordinary ability to encourage preachers,” Lucado said. “He will often find me or text me after a Sunday message and compliment something specific in my sermon.”

Nine years of fighting cancer has left Lynn’s lungs weakened, but neither his spirits nor Carolyn’s are bowed. He joked as he introduced his portable oxygen source as “R2-D2-O2” and said his last bucket list item is to see his son Christian’s home in Spain.

“If I can just get him there,” Carolyn laughed. “Heaven is just as close from Barcelona as it is from San Antonio.”

That they find joy in the midst of struggles surprises no one who knows the Andersons.

“He has no fear of death, but if the Lord would leave him here one day more, he would use it for God’s glory,” Nelson said. “They would both use it to serve someone else.”

Lynn says God has provided that strength and the desire to serve him, resulting in lives filled with unparalleled richness.

“We have had such a wonderful, adventurous life, and it just gets better,” he said. “We still wonder, ‘What unplanned plan will we stumble upon today?’ It may bring pain, but it’s going to bring fruitfulness through that.” 

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S R O L CO gea r t a c d r Wi l e i n t h e u o y f or s - s t or Shop ine or in n Ca mpu on l G lo t h l i e r Mc Cent

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STUDY ABROAD

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olleges and universities are no longer confined to cities, states or regions. We live in an interconnected world. At ACU, we do more than talk about community and global issues – we tackle them head-on, with passion. Study Abroad is one of many ways we offer experiential learning opportunities to our students.

This includes ACU’s three main residential programs in Europe and Latin America, faculty-led trips spanning the globe, and programs in Australia, China, India, Uganda and the Middle East through the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.

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Oxford, England

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has been a study abroad destination for centuries. ACU’s program plants students in the middle of the action, with opportunities to attend lectures, serve in the community and meet people from around the world.

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Montevideo, Uruguay

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isn’t your typical South American capital.

There’s a strong European influence in this bustling, cosmopolitan city where music, history and language meet to form a unique place steeped in the culture of two continents.

Students who study abroad in Montevideo learn what it means to live in one of the most fascinating cities in the world.

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Leipzig, Germany

has a rich history of philosophy, music, religion and culture.

Home to ACU’s newly acquired villa, Leipzig is where past and present meet. Our students walk through history nearly every day, building new relationships and experiences.

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Experiential Learning at ACU One of the key themes of Abilene Christian’s 2016-21 Strategic Plan reinforces a longstanding commitment to experiential learning, where innovative programs and practices have the potential to revolutionize and ensure an ACU education fully engages each student and helps them reach their potential.

Experiential learning enhances students’ understanding of curricular topics through practical application, self-reflection and exposure to varying and opposing perspectives. ACU’s goal is to become nationally known for its commitment to superior, holistic learning achieved through a powerful blend of curricular and cocurricular experiences. According to the Strategic Plan, that means: • Ensuring the majority of undergraduates have at least one professional internship experience or job that applies what they have learned in the classroom.

• Increasing the number of students who expand their worldview through experiences including Study Abroad, WorldWide Witness or living/learning in urban contexts or other diverse economic and cultural settings.

• Ensuring at least half of undergraduates participate in faculty- mentored research and/or projects that take at least one or more semesters to complete.

• Enhancing student career skills development by increasing the proportion of students actively engaged in co-curricular activities and campus organizations.

Cross-cultural experiences include Study Abroad; urban-centric programs at CitySquare in downtown Dallas; short-term, semesterlong and gap-year internships through the Halbert Center for Missions and Global Service; and the Body & Soul program, where pre-health majors shadow physicians and other professionals in their field of interest and experience life-changing medical missions trips around the world.

ACU offers valuable and even unprecedented undergraduate research opportunities for students that teach key skills and open doors for graduate school and other career success. The Honors College offers highly motivated students travel-based experiential learning, select faculty mentors and other research experiences customized for any degree program.

In addition, most ACU degree programs require one or more internships, often facilitated by the university’s Career Center and especially enriched when students work under the tutelage of alumni professionals. 

Learn more at acu.edu/studyabroad ACU TODAY

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#ACU

We love our followers on social media. Here are just a few of the posts by and about Wildcats.

Caleb Casas November 15

When you go to see your professor to look over your test and before you leave he prays over you and the friend that you just lost. #ACUDifference

The college boys were playing frisbee. The little boys were playing tag. Then the college boys invited the little boys to play with them and formed a big circle. Current Wildcats teaching future Wildcats. #acudifference

Elasha McGhee Simonton

andrealucado

to Abilene Christian University

It has been a secret dream of mine to make it in an issue of ACU Today, my alma mater’s alumni magazine. I worked for ACU Today in college as a proofreader. I had a real office and everything. I felt super profesh.

I remember feeling like the editor, Ron Hadfield, believed in me. I was just a college student but he let me write a story the first month I was working there. I missed class once because I was so focused on a project I just completely forgot about it. Ron sent me a link to this blurb that will appear in the spring/summer issue and I freaked out a little.

I was at ACU this spring talking about the book and freelancing and I was reminded of how much that place means to me. The English department, ACU Today, the friends I met there. The God I met there. Thank you, @acuedu. This alumnus is forever grateful.

When we went to bed in the hotel last night my 8-year-old said, “I’m going to go to ACU, is that OK?” I think moments like this have a lot to do with his statement. #acudifference SEPTEMBER 16,

Morgan Ann Hare October 18

I’m studying to the Downton Abbey music and I can’t help but think of Oxford and my Downton girls. #ACUStudyAbroad

itsthesocks12 Conference weekend is here, and he finally wore his dad shirt #acudifference #acuxc #e4c #xcfambam @acu_tfxc OCTOBER 26

AUGUST 14

Tricia Badillo

shared ACU Montevideo’s post

Deborah Weckerly

Hilary Boozer

October 4

August 25

My little lady & I representing @ACUedu for College Day today! #TheACUDifference #ExploreWells

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Catching up on his ACU Today that just happens to be featuring one of his favorite people @aaron_watson @ACUedu #futurewildcat

My #2 is on her way to the US now … I am forever thankful for the opportunities she has had with the ACU Montevideo program! #studyabroad DECEMBER 13

Fans of all ages shared their excitement about football games on campus in Wildcat Stadium

_kysthelimit_

Oxford, Oxfordshire

samantha_stein

Abilene Christian University Loving coming home to see my ACU family, especially Dr. McCaleb and Miss Lea! Without these 2 helping me through college, I don’t know what I’d do. #acudifference #acuhomecoming2016 #lynay OCTOBER 22

Kayla Lane August 28

A year ago today, I stepped onto a bus and headed off to a different country with 29 other people I barely knew for four months.

Little did I know that those four months would be the most transformational period in my life. The journey I started a year ago took me to a place I could call home. A place where I felt my intelligence grow and thrive. A place where I felt God constantly surrounding me and my spiritual life flourished like never before. A place where I found friends that became like family to me, both locals and in my own group. Yeah, it was “just study abroad.” But God has amazing timing. Study broad was everything that I needed. Oxford, you will always have my heart. Thank you for teaching me, stretching me, and challenging me. Thank you for helping me become more confident in who I am and what I want to do.

Cheers. #KyAbroadAndAbout

garilynne

Abilene Christian University Loved my 40 year ACU reunion! A new stadium, lots of tailgating food, fireworks, and enjoying friends like the years had never passed!! “Oh dear Christian College we love you” OCTOBER 22

JANUARY 13

Went up to Starbucks and the barista remembered my name and my “usual” after ALL SUMMER!! #ACUDifference

Ricky Lewis September 16

So excited about the first @ACUFootball game at Anthony Field! Go Wildcats!! @ACUedu

Baibai_strahan Berlin, Germany

cheriluttrell

samuelscottsouder

Abilene Christian University

Abilene Christian University

Wandered around Berlin today with these beautiful people. I am so thankful that God has blessed me with such amazing people to share this adventure with. I can’t wait to see what happens next! #ACUstudyabroad

What an incredible experience tonight.

Hundreds of alums, current and prospective students, some special reunions with old friends, and sharing it all with my best friend. #acudifference #acuhomecoming2016

JANUARY 23

OCTOBER 21

I never get tired of ACU’s Homecoming … especially when my family can be there! The new stadium is BEAUTIFUL! The parade is always a treat. Family time is simply the BEST! #purpleandwhite #acuhomecoming2017 #wheretheresawilson #luttrellhairdown #abilenetx OCTOBER 22

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TheBOOKCASE Among the Early Evangelicals

Hearts Entwined

THE TRANSATLANTIC ORIGINS OF THE STONE-CAMPBELL MOVEMENT

A HISTORICAL ROMANCE NOVELLA COLLECTION

By Dr. James L. Gorman (’08 M.Div.) ISBN 978-0891125822 • 242 pages acupressbooks.com The Stone-Campbell Movement is seen by many as an American phenomenon, but early leaders borrowed freely from the outlook, strategies and methodologies of a transatlantic culture.

Re\Entry HOW PAIN, ROOTS AND RHYTHM GUIDE US FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT

By Josh Ross (’03) ISBN 978-0891124856 • 192 pages acupressbooks.com The author takes readers on a journey many miles above the Arctic Circle to discover new ways to reimagine joy, hope and adventure as visible possibilities that are always within reach.

The Oxford History of Protestant Dissenting Traditions VOLUME III: THE 19TH CENTURY

By Timothy Larsen and Michael Ledger Lomas ISBN 978-0199683710 • 512 pages global.oup.com ACU’s Dr. Douglas A. Foster, professor emeritus of church history, is a contributing author to this third volume in a five-part series.

Anecdotes That Transform LITTLE STORIES THAT CHANGED MY LIFE WITHOUT MY KNOWING IT

When her younger sister sends her an unexpected package by rail in Witemeyer’s story, “The Love Knot,” Claire Nevin’s orderly life is upended by the gift and the man who delivers it. Fighting to hold on to all she has built, will Claire lose what matters most?

Choose Your Own Adulthood A SMALL BOOK ABOUT THE SMALL CHOICES THAT MAKE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE

By Hal Runkel (’00 M.M.F.T.) ISBN 978-1626343528 • 160 pages greenleafbookgroup.com The best-selling author of ScreamFree Parenting provides advice for high school and college students on the big and small decisions that will underpin their lives.

Hurricane Season THE UNFORGETTABLE STORY OF THE 2017 HOUSTON ASTROS AND THE RESILIENCE OF A CITY

By Joe Holley (’68) ISBN 978-0316485241 • 272 pages hachettebooks.com

Veteran Houston Chronicle writer Holley recounts the exciting championship season of the hometown Astros, around which a city rallied to forget its Hurricane Harvey troubles.

Meditations for the Lone Traveler THE LIFE OF FAITH IN A CHANGING WORLD

By Harold Straughn (’61) ISBN 978-1389908767 • 252 pages blurb.com

By Dr. Mark Hamilton (’90 M.Div.) ISBN 978-1532602139 • 126 pages cascadebooks.com

Straughn’s eighth book about personal and spiritual growth uses critical thinking and historical research methods learned and practiced in his work.

Twenty-two meditations on the songs, prayers and stories of the Bible invite readers to imagine themselves as part of a world in which humans may fully live into their sufferings and joys as part of a vibrant life, while still critically searching for faith in God. Hamilton is professor of Old Testament at ACU.

Reading for Faith and Learning ESSAYS ON SCRIPTURE, COMMUNITY AND LIBRARIES IN HONOR OF M. PATRICK GRAHAM

Edited by Dr. John Weaver and Dr. Douglas L. Gragg ISBN 978-0891124290• 328 pages acupressbooks.com This book brings together 20 leading, contemporary voices to discuss the significance of reading as a religious and scholarly practice. Weaver is ACU professor of library science and dean of the library and educational technology.

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By Karen (Gaskin ’93) Witemeyer, Mary Connealy, Regina Jennings and Melissa Jagears ISBN 978-0764230325 • 352 pages bethanyhouse.com

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George Washington PROVIDENCE

By Rob Westman (’87) ISBN 978-0999759301 • 86 pages theprovidenceforum.com This children’s book, illustrated by Kay Walton, captures great themes and lessons from Washington’s life and legacy of faith.

Selections of books published by Abilene Christian University or those written, edited, compiled or contributed by ACU alumni, faculty, staff and students.

Christmas by Design

Stolen Jesus

PRIVATE HOMES DECORATED BY LEADING DESIGNERS

AN UNCONVENTIONAL SEARCH FOR THE REAL SAVIOR

By Patricia (Hart ’56) McMillan and Dr. Katharine Kaye McMillan (’82) ISBN 978-0764356544 • 256 pages schifferbooks.com

By Jami (McKelvie ’96) Amerine ISBN 978-0736970631 • 208 pages harvesthousepublishers.com

The sixth in a series of Christmas-theme books by the authors features top designers who share their tips, tricks and traditions for celebrating the season in style, and in every room of the house.

Walking With C.S. Lewis A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY THROUGH HIS LIFE AND WRITINGS

By Dr. Tony Ash (’59) AISN B078WXHLWY • 10-part video series amazon.com Bundled with a companion and leader’s guide by Ryan J. Pemberton, this film series led by Ash, the late ACU Bible professor, was filmed on location in Oxford, England, where he provides insights into Lewis’ life.

Amerine describes her life’s journey to discover grace and to get to know Jesus as he really is, navigating many of life’s conflicting representations of him.

Think Differently, Live Differently KEYS TO A LIFE OF FREEDOM

By Bob Hamp (’91 M.M.F.T.) ISBN 978-0996368544 • 212 pages acupressbooks.com This revised edition includes a study guide. Hamp is executive pastor of freedom ministry at Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas.

Thinking Theologically About Mass Incarceration

More Than Meets the Eye

BIBLICAL FOUNDATIONS AND JUSTICE IMPERATIVES

By Karen (Gaskin ’93) Witemeyer ISBN 978-0764231919 • 352 pages bethanyhouse.com

Edited by Antonios Kirepoulos, Mitzi J. Budde and Matthew D. Lundberg ISBN 978-0809153725 • 376 pages paulistpress.com

When her family is threatened, she doesn’t expect falling in love to be their best defense. Yet how can she follow her heart when it tugs in opposing directions?

Pray Like You Breathe EXPLORING THE PRACTICE OF BREATH PRAYER

By Dr. Houston Heflin (’95) ISBN 978-1545500231 • 126 pages amazon.com Heflin chronicles the history and practice of this unique spiritual discipline focusing primarily on the Psalms as a reservoir of language for prayer. The book can be used as a 28-day experience of prayer for individuals or as curriculum for small groups and Bible classes.

The Principal’s Guide to School Budgeting

ACU’s Dr. Douglas A. Foster, professor emeritus of church history, is a contributing author to this book in a series sponsored by the National Council of Churches.

The Oxford Handbook of the Epistemology of Theology Edited by Dr. William J. Abraham and Dr. Frederick D. Aquino (’89) ISBN 978-0199662241 • 720 pages global.oup.com Aquino, ACU professor of theology, co-edits a major reference book exploring how the various topics, figures and emerging conversations can be reconceived and addressed in light of recent developments in epistemology.

By Dr. Richard D. Sorenson and Dr. Lloyd M. Goldsmith ISBN 978-1506389455 • 352 pages us.corwin.com

Disrupting for Good

This updated third edition of a best-seller showcases real school finance scenarios in a guide to help administrators plan a successful budget, monitor funds, evaluate budget reports, and prepare action plans that keep students achieving during challenging times. Goldsmith is a professor of education at ACU.

By Chris Field (’06) ISBN 978-1684260010 • 144 pages acupressbooks.com

USING PASSION AND PERSISTENCE TO CREATE LASTING CHANGE

Field, who has two degrees in ministry from ACU, shares powerful stories about people who are taking on the challenges around them and reshaping lives.

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acu.edu/homecoming

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11

Schedule

Gutenberg Celebration Hunter Welcome Center, 6:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12 Chapel Moody Coliseum, 11 a.m.

Open House: Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium Wildcat Stadium, 1-3 p.m.

Carnival Campus Mall and Money Student Recreation and Wellness Center, 5-8 p.m.

ACU Sports Hall of Fame Celebration Hunter Welcome Center, 6 p.m.

Musical: Wonderful Town Abilene Convention Center, 1100 N. 6th St., 8 p.m.

Homecoming Candlelight Devo Beauchamp Amphitheatre, 8:15-8:45 p.m.

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FilmFest Encore Campus Mall, 9 p.m.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13 Social club breakfasts Various locations and times; see extended schedule at acu.edu/homecoming Parade Beginning at E.N. 16th Street, 9:30 a.m.

Tailgating load-in begins Designated areas, 10:30 a.m.

Homecoming Chapel Moody Coliseum, 10:45 a.m.

Gameday tailgating begins (Campus Mall) and Wildcat Ticket Center opens (Main Entrance, Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium) 11:30 a.m.

Reunion class tailgating The Quad, 11:45 a.m.

Departmental/organizational events Various locations and times; see extended schedule at acu.edu/homecoming Wildcat Walk (Football team walks to stadium) Campus Mall, noon Suite and club entrances open Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium, 12:30 p.m.

All gates open Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium, 1 p.m.

Big Purple Band performance, march to stadium Campus Mall, 1:45 p.m.

Wildcat football: ACU vs. Nicholls Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium, 2:30 p.m.

Load-out tailgate Campus Mall, 6-7 p.m. (or one hour after game) Wildcat Football Class of 1973 Lettermen’s Reunion TBD Musical: Wonderful Town Abilene Convention Center, 1100 N. 6th St., 8 p.m.

Homecoming Dessert Celebration for Reunion Classes Brown Family Club Level, Wildcat Stadium, 8:30-10:30 p.m.

Fireworks Wildcat Stadium, 9:15 p.m.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14 Reunion class worship services Various locations and times; see extended schedule at acu.edu/homecoming Brunch in the Bean World Famous Bean, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. $5 for all you can eat Musical: Wonderful Town Abilene Convention Center, 1100 N. 6th St., 2 p.m.

New this year Reunion class events will now take place earlier in the day Saturday for lunch as part of Wildcat Country Tailgating in the Campus Mall. If your preferred class year is 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008 or 2013, come hang out with your peers at your reunion tailgate in advance of the football game against Nicholls State University at Wildcat Stadium. Learn more and register for your class reunion today at acu.edu/homecoming.

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HilltopVIEW

For the latest visit acu.edu/news facebook.com/abilenechristian twitter.com/acuedu

BY ROBIN SAYLOR

instagram.com/acuedu

ACU president Dr. Phil Schubert (left) and provost Dr. Robert Rhodes (right) present Eddie Lee with his diploma.

Bishop adds patina to one of The Three Little Pigs.

Faculty, alums bring Storybook Garden characters to life Several favorite childhood tales have come to life at Abilene’s Adamson-Spaulding Storybook Garden with more than a little help from Geoff Broderick (’82), associate professor in the Department of Art and Design.

The Storybook Garden was unveiled June 8, 2017, on the grounds of the Abilene Convention Center with life-size sculptures from Garth Williams’ illustrations of Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little, and Little Golden Book Three Bedtime Stories.

From that book, sculptures were created of The Three Little Pigs, The Three Little Kittens and The Three Bears.

Steve Neves, associate professor of art at Hardin-Simmons University, created the sculptures, and Broderick cast the pieces in bronze. Broderick then teamed with a former student, Rebecca (Barker ’04) Bishop, who painted the sculptures using special

Dr. Norman Archibald

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Learn more about the Storybook Garden at storybookcapitalofamerica.com

PAUL WHITE

SCOTT DELONY

chemical processes. Bishop had done the same for ACU’s Jacob’s Dream sculpture in her role as head patineur at Deep in the Heart Art Foundry in Bastrop, Texas.

Broderick started sculpting as a student at ACU and later worked for Shidoni Art Foundry and Galleries in New Mexico. He has cast nine of the sculptures commissioned by the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council for the Storybook Sculpture Project.

New bronze pieces will be added to the project by the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council each year during the Children’s Art and Literacy Festival based on the work of the artist on exhibit that summer at the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature in downtown Abilene.

The opening of Wildcat Stadium last fall provided an exciting new venue for football and for the Big Purple Marching Band. The AT&T Learning Studio at ACU captured the band as it prepared for the first halftime performance in the new on-campus stadium.

View the video at acu.edu/learningstudio

BY T HE NUMBE RS

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5,149

Number of nations in which ACU students are living and learning during Summer 2018 as interns in the WorldWide Witness program.

Fifty-three students are paired with host families and supervisors on five continents; the most are in Europe (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Romania and Slovenia).

WorldWide Witness is overseen by the Halbert Center for Missions and Global Service.

ACU total enrollment for Fall 2017, including 3,670 undergraduates and 1,479 graduate students, generally from 50 states and territories, and 42 nations.

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6,200 Times skydiving enthusiast Larry Henderson (’74) has leapt from a plane over the last 44 years, including as part of several world-record group jumps. He is missions coordinator for Asia, adjunct professor of missions and ministry, and director of ACU’s WorldWide Witness program. He’s also profiled among those who have served the longest as social club sponsors at the university. (See pages 24-31.)

ACU earns accreditation as an arboretum Humble describes the research behind his historic collection of oil lamps.

representing eras from 2000 BC to 700 AD. Bill was on campus last summer to see the collection once more and speak to a private gathering of colleages and other friends. His voice and expertise were as strong as ever.

“I have seen displays of lamps around the world, including in Israel, but I have never seen a display of antiquities that is so impressive as this,” he said of the refurbished exhibit. “I spent a full hour in tears in gratitude for it.”

Humble said the collection was made possible by his long friendship with Judge Steve Adler, former Chief Justice of Israel’s National Labor Court, and the family of legendary Bethlehem antiquities dealer Khalil Eskander Shahin (“Kando”), who originally bought brittle artifacts from Bedouin shepherds in 1947 that became known as the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The apex of Humble’s doctoral studies at the University of Iowa (1961-64) was a class taught by the late William F. Albright, the world's foremost biblical archeologist at the time.

“My being a part of the ACU family opened the door to these wonderful opportunities to do these things I so love.”  – RON HADFIELD

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1,750

3.60

Number of ACU students who have participated in the College of Business Administration’s annual Leadership Summit since it began 20 years ago. The short-course format each January is held at a conference center in Colorado, featuring executives who share their faith and advice for godly living in the business world. This year’s event was held Jan. 6-12 at the base of the Collegiate Peaks in Buena Vista. (See pages 56 and 59.)

Cumulative grade-point average of the women’s soccer team during Fall 2017, the best among all ACU sports. Thirteen of its 30 team members earned 4.0 GPAs. The football team earned a cumulative GPA of 2.95 with 4.0 earned by 11 players. The University of Central Arkansas led the Southland Conference with 127 student-athletes named to the Commissioner’s Honor Roll for GPAs of 3.0 and above. ACU was second with 123 after totaling the most in the league for the entire 2016-17 academic year.

ACU TODAY

Megan Baer (2) was named first-team academic All-Southland, and earned a 3.91 GPA.

TIM NELSON

A

t 91, his age and health preclude Dr. Bill Humble (’48) from being in ACU’s Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building each day, but his heart is warmed to know that theology students and faculty walk by an iconic exhibit reminding them of the history they study and the scholars on whose shoulders they stand.

In two recently refurbished display cases in the Hall of Servants, ancient oil lamps and Roman glass donated by Humble and his late wife, Jerry (’48), represent 25 years of research and a lifetime devoted to discovering and teaching church history.

Now retired and living in Amarillo, Humble was from 1964-90 a beloved Bible professor, chair of the graduate Bible department, founding director of ACU’s Center for Restoration Studies, and a leading historian of the American Restoration Movement.

He was among ACU’s first professors to lead study abroad trips with students, including archaeological excavation work at Caesarea Philippi (Banias) and extensive touring of other historical sites.

Later, his informative walking tours of Bible Lands were captured in a series of films providing fresh insights on church history to generations of Christians around the world.

The Humbles donated 51 oil lamps to ACU in 1991, and the collection has grown to 76

SCOTT DELONY

Historic oil lamp display refurbished in Hall of Servants

With 150 acres of irrigated landscape and more than 2,500 trees, ACU’s campus has gained recognition as a Level I arboretum by ArbNet, a worldwide network of tree-focused gardens and practitioners established

by The Morton Arboretum.

“West Texas can be a challenging place to landscape, but we’ve been blessed with the resources and expertise to make our campus environment a tremendous asset for our university and the community,” said Corey Ruff, associate vice president of operations. “We work hard to use our beautiful campus as a living laboratory, so being recognized as an accredited arboretum allows us to educate everyone about the diversity of plant material on campus.”

ACU’s current hilltop campus opened in 1929, built on the prairie land of the historic Hashknife Ranch.

Many of the large pecan, live oak and sycamore trees now shading parts of the campus were planted in the 1950s by night watchman and gardener J.S. “Sheriff” Burgess. Today, formal landscape plantings from the 1970s and 1980s are being reverted to more native species of woody plants and pollinator gardens.

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Grammy-nominated rock band NEEDTOBREATHE performed the inaugural concert Sept. 15 during the Grand Opening weekend of Wildcat Stadium.

CAMPUS VOICES Broadway actress Lara (Seibert ’06) Young performed a cabaret show Nov. 4, 2017, for a LightsUp! fundraiser for ACU Theatre.

Young was recently cast along with Harry Connick Jr. in the Young Paper Mill Playhouse’s new musical adaption of the 1973 film The Sting. Winner of a 2016 Regional Theatre Tony Award, the venue is in Milburn, New Jersey. The Sting ran March 29 - April 29, 2018.

JEREMY ENLOW

Among speakers during Startup Week, sponsored Nov. 14-18, 2017, by ACU’s Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy: Trustee Elise (Smith ’83) Mitchell, founder of Mitchell and CEO of Dentsu Aegis Public Relations Network; David Flow (’82), ACU trustee and founder of Flow Construction; Denise Allen Hamilton (’02), founder of Watch Her Work; Bryan McCaleb (’94), co-founder of Covenant Homes; Jordan Swim (’07), CEO of Vestals Catering; Garrett Winder (’09), founder of Good Work; Chad Hutchins (’08), co-founder of Fanatical Labs; Matthew Sullivan (’09), owner of Sylvan Learning Centers of Abilene, Lubbock and Fort Worth; Jarrod Brown (’00), co-founder and president of Mission Lazarus; David Arrington, founder and president of Arrington Oil and Gas Operating; Sterling Hilliard (’10), The Hilliard Companies; Leslie (Waddell ’05) Thompson, founder and CEO of Dusty Rocker Boots; Donny Edwards (’90), president and CEO of Sagora Senior Living; David Shewmaker (’92), consultant at EML Payments; Blake Buchanan, founder and CEO of Bahama Bucks; Tom Cuthbert, chair of Vistage International; Dub Stocker (’74), chair of Lonestar Resources, Inc.; Brenda Heffernan, owner of Heff’s Burgers; Jerry Browder (’76), founder and president of Signet Health Corporation; Trey Grigsby, president and CEO of Christian Brothers Automotive in Midland; A.C. Lockyer, owner of SoftWash

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Paden Fallis

SCOTT DELONY

Wendy Davidson, president of Kellogg’s U.S. Specialty Channels, was COBA’s Distinguished Business Speaker Series presenter on Oct. 12, 2017.

Chapel speakers during the Fall 2017 semester included Jonathan Storment (’11), former preaching minister at Highland Church of Christ in Abilene, and David McQueen (’88), pastor at Beltway Park Church in Abilene, Sept. 25; Chris Siedman (’92), senior minister of The Branch Church in Dallas, Oct. 2; Lawrence Oduro, pulpit minister at Ateiku Church of Christ in Ghana, West Africa, Oct. 4; Monty Tuttle (’75), regional development director for Eastern European Mission, Oct. 9; Brad Voss (’93), executive director, Made in the Streets, Oct. 16; John Cooper, executive director, Abilene Hope Haven, Oct. 23; and Denise Allen Hamilton (’02), founder of WatchHerWork.com, Nov. 13.

Speakers during the Spring 2018 semester included Justin Hatfield, university minister at Abilene’s Hillcrest Church of Christ, Feb. 12; Zane Witcher (’16), college minister at Abilene’s Highland Church of Christ, Feb. 19; Abilene mayor, and ACU advancement and executive community relations officer Anthony Williams, April 4; and Alisa Jordheim, founder and executive director of Justice Mission, April 23.

Tom Craven

SCOTT DELONY

SCOTT DELONY

Systems; Luke Hejl (’01) and Chris Clark (’01), co-founders of TimelyMD; Tye Lamberth (’95), GST Manufacturing; Ryan Stephen (’09), senior vice president at Trinity Environmental Services; and Ryan Dunagan (’08), principal of Ryan Dunagan Consulting.

Sarah (Sparks ’09) Brooks (lifeasoflate.com) was the keynote speaker at Girls Night Out, a Nov. 7, 2017, event in Cullen Auditorium sponsored by the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health. Christian singer/songwriter Ellie Holcomb, daughter of Grammy Awardwinning producer Brown Bannister (’75), performed a concert.

Center for Building Community luncheon speakers in the Fall 2017 semester included Joe Tortorice, founder and CEO of Jason’s Deli, Oct. 10; Tom Craven, former longtime director of the Entertainment Division at Walt Disney World, Oct. 16; and Tiffany Cooper, Broadway actor, vocalist and member of the Department of Theatre Visiting Committee, Nov. 16. Spring 2018 speakers included Doug Spelman, former U.S. Consul General in the Shanghai office, who also was deputy director of the Kissinger Institute on China and the U.S., March 6, 2018; and Paden Fallis (’99), screenwriter/producer for As Far As the Eye Can See, winner of the Best Texas Film at the 2017 Texas Film Festival, March 27.

Texas Supreme Court justice Jeffrey S. Boyd (’83) was featured speaker Oct. 21, 2017, in Homecoming Chapel. Boyd also taught a continuing education course on campus Oct. 20 hosted by the ACU Alumni Bar Association.

CHARIS Conversations during the Fall 2017 semester featured Dr. Anton Vrame, a leader of the Greek Orthodox Church, Oct. 12, on “What Makes Us Orthodox?”; DJ Bulls (’04), worship minister for the Riverside Church of

“… On a busy university campus all persons – students and faculty alike – need a place for meditation and renewal.’”

Christ in Coppell, Texas, on “Shape Notes and Widescreens,” Nov. 2; and Dr. John Armstrong, historian, and the Rev. Ryan Rojo, Catholic theologian, on “The Reformation at 500 Years,” Nov. 14.

– A plaque in one of The Quiet Places on campus provided by the late Richard “Fuzzy” (’55) and Dema Jean (Atkins ’57) Lunsford.

Fuzzy, a former longtime trustee, died July 1, 2017, at age 83.

The Lunsford family also contributed the Lunsford Foundation Trail to their alma mater. (See page 79.)

Three executives from Southwest Airlines visited campus Oct. 11-12, 2017, to speak in classes and advise students about the importance of internships: Chris Monroe (’89), vice president and treasurer; Katie Coldwell (’00), director of communications; and Laurie (Bulsei ’90) Barnett, managing director of communications and outreach.

The 31st annual Carmichael-Walling Lectures, sponsored Nov. 9, 2017, by ACU’s Center for the Study of Ancient Religious Texts, featured Dr. Mark Goodacre, professor of New Testament and Christian origins at Duke University, speaking on “Transforming Gospels: Exploring John’s Relationship to the Other Three.”

Q UO TA BL E S “

Lily Balogh served as ACU Theatre’s guest artist instructor in Fall 2017. She trained 10 years at School of American Ballet and has performed with New York City Ballet, Ballet Next and Ballets With a Twist.

I really don’t think they’re afraid of me. I think they’re afraid of the subject. I’m a grandmother.

How tough can you be?”

ACU’s Jack Pope Fellows and College of Biblical Studies Balogh sponsored a March 5, 2018, lecture on Religion and Diplomacy by Dr. Shaun Casey (’78). Casey is the director of the Berkley Center and professor of the practice in Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service. Casey previously was U.S. special representative for religion and global affairs and director of the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Religion and Global Affairs.

Dr. Charles Ivey (’65) joined Dr. Rusty Towell (’90) in speaking April 2, 2018, about ACU’s Nuclear Energy eXperimental Testing Laboratory. Ivey is a NEXT Lab advisory board member and former ACU physics professor and Towell, professor of physics and engineering, is director of the NEXT Lab. The ACU Bands and the Civic Orchestra of Abilene hosted Dr. Frank Ticheli as composer and conductor-in-residence, April 25-29, 2018. Ticheli is a world-renowned professor of composition at the University of Southern California.

– The late Jan (Jordan ’70) Hailey, a former Greek instructor at ACU, in “Tough Love,” a 2004 story in The New York Times about her Elementary Greek Readings class, one of several U.S. university courses so difficult “its reputation precedes it.”

Hailey died Nov. 2, 2017. (See page 39.)

“

BILL ALBRECHT

ACU’s Center for the Study of Ancient Religious Texts sponsored a lecture April 3, 2018, by Dr. Choon Leong-Seow of Vanderbilt University, speaking on “Daniel’s ‘Son of Man,’ Jesus and Churches of Christ.” Leong-Seow is Vanderbilt, Buffington, Cupples Chair of Divinity and Distinguished Professor of Hebrew Bible at VU. The lecture was presented in honor of Dr. John Willis (’55), Burton Coffman Chair for Biblical Studies and professor emeritus of Bible, missions and ministry at ACU.

PAUL BRYAN

I can only imagine what God has in store for us. … It is ‘in the refuge of thy wings’ that Jill and I intend to devote the rest of our lives to using the gifts we have been given.

We love ACU and will miss ACU but feel a strong calling to give everything we have left to making art that glorifies God.” – Art and design professor Jack Maxwell (’78), speaking wth his wife, Jill (Thompson ’78), at the Friends of ACU Library annual dinner March 20, 2018. Jack is retiring after 34 years teaching at their alma mater.

The Maxwells sculpted Jacob’s Dream on the ACU campus.

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AcademicNEWS

For the latest visit acu.edu/news facebook.com/abilenechristian twitter.com/acuedu

BY ROBIN SAYLOR

instagram.com/acuedu

NEXT Lab nets $1.2 million for energy exploration

STEVE BUTMAN

ACU’s NEXT Lab received a $300,000 funding boost in July from the Development Corporation of Abilene (DCOA) that will snowball to more than $1.2 million when paired with more than $300,000 in private donations and $600,000 in matching grants from two foundations.

“We are grateful for this significant outpouring of support which, along with prior donations and university investments, will provide a strong foundation to pursue Towell this cuttingedge research initiative,” said Jim Orr, J.D. (’86), ACU vice president for advancement.

NEXT stands for Nuclear Energy eXperimental Testing. ACU students and faculty from several academic departments are working together

to research the use of molten salt, rather than water, as a coolant for nuclear reactors.

Dr. Rusty Towell (’90), NEXT Lab director and professor of engineering and physics, said the DCOA funds will be used to commission a molten salt test loop capable of testing advanced instruments with the goal of developing a full-sized non-nuclear molten salt loop.

The technology has potential for addressing three of the world’s most critical needs: energy that is safer and less expensive; pure and abundant water; and medical isotope byproducts, which can be used to diagnose and treat cancer.

The research represents a potential to retain high-value jobs locally by providing the opportunity to raise millions of dollars in funding from both the federal government and the private sector that would otherwise not be spent in Abilene, said Kent Sharp, CEO of DCOA, in announcing the approval.

ABET approves engineering program accreditation ACU’s undergraduate engineering program has been accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, the global accreditor of college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering and engineering technology.

ABET accreditation assures programs meet standards to produce graduates ready to enter technical fields leading the way in innovation and emerging technologies, and anticipating the welfare and safety needs of the public.

“Meeting the rigorous standards reinforces the high quality of our engineering program, the dedication of our faculty and staff, and demonstrates to our students the relevance of their degree in the job market,” said Dr. Tim Kennedy, who co-directs ACU’s program along with Dr. Darby Hewitt (’08). Both are assistant professors of engineering and physics. 

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Onstead Science Center dedication set for Aug. 24

The Onstead Science Center (right) joins the Halbert-Walling Research Center (left) as part of a three-building complex of buildings dedicated to study of the sciences at ACU.

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SCOTT DELONY

T

he last of three major buildings dedicated to the sciences is on track for completion this summer and dedication on Aug. 24. The Robert R. and Kay Onstead Science Center will join the Halbert-Walling Research Center and Engineering and Physics Laboratories at Bennett Gymnasium in serving biology, chemistry and biochemistry, engineering and physics, agricultural and environmental sciences, and mathematics departments.

The four-floor venue has been transformed into new offices, classes, labs and other collaborative spaces. 

Nathan McGallian’s Christmas toy was made

by Lindsey Browning and Laura Oakley.

Toys designed by OT majors bring extra joy at Christmas

Learn more at acu.edu/ot-toys

O

n a home football Gameday at ACU, Wildcat Stadium is packed with cheering fans. As the referee’s whistle sounds and kickoff sets the game into play, no one is sitting still in ACUTV’s Mankin Media Control Room.

A short distance from Anthony Field, the control room in the Don H. Morris Center is full of students who are in constant contact with the camera crew in the stadium while keeping a continuous video feed running on Wessel Scoreboard.

They are running audio, a technical director is constantly switching the shots, and others are managing replays and graphics. Hutton Harris (’08), director of video operations for ACUTV and instructor in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, sits at the helm of the operation, where his eyes dart across 16 screens as he maintains contact with each component of this complex operation.

Packed with cutting-edge broadcast technology – millions of dollars of equipment connected to facilities across campus, thanks to fiber optics – the Mankin Media Control Room might not seem like an academic setting. But it’s where students from any major, not just multimedia, are engaging in one of the most valuable aspects of their college education: gaining real-world production experience for their future careers.

Positions at ACUTV are paid, and students can expect to work on more than athletics coverage; it produces content for major ACU events including Sing Song, Summit, Chapel and the President’s Circle Dinner.

“It’s rare that academics and athletics can work together toward one common goal, and that’s what we have here at ACUTV,” said Harris, who worked in the Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Park control room for five years after graduating from ACU. “We are proud that we have a team of 40 students who shoot everything from Wildcat Week to football and basketball games. We cover the entire campus.

Ultimately, we want to give students a job unlike any other on campus.”

“With this equipment, we are teaching the craft of production, which transfers to careers in film, sports, corporate media and journalism,” said Ben Mankin (’98), founder and president of Nashville-based

Mankin Media Systems. Mankin helped coordinate construction of the space – which involved gutting the 1970s-era control room in Harris the Morris Center, doubling its size – and allowed the purchase of equipment at a discount through his company.

Multiple donors also stepped up to make the control room a reality, including Doug (’83) and Jayne (Montgomery ’83) Orr, Mark (’86) and April (Bullock ’89) Anthony, Elise (Smith ’83) Mitchell, Harris (right) works with a student in the control room.

CADE WHITE

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ACUTV provides primetime hands-on video production experience to students across the university

JEREMY ENLOW

Students in ACU’s occupational therapy program created a special kind of holiday magic in November 2017 by turning the Maker Lab into a Santa’s workshop for children with special needs.

The project was part of the Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics course required to earn an M.S. in occupational therapy degree.

Students were divided into groups of two or three, and each group was assigned a child with a disability.

Group members were then challenged to adapt a toy based on the needs and interests of their particular child.

Lindsey Browning and classmate Laura Oakley were asked to create a toy for a youngster who needed to work on his grasp.

“Immediately we thought of checkers, because you pick the pieces up all the time and move them around,” Browning said. “We needed to add a strengthening component because he also needed to work on hand strengthening, so we added Velcro for resistance.”

The toys were created in the Maker Lab and presented to the children just before Christmas, much to the delight of the recipients and their families.

The project addressed two objectives in the OT curriculum: innovation and service.

“I think God calls us to serve other people,” Browning said. “The whole reason I went into occupational therapy was because I wanted God to use me in a way that would bring meaning and purpose into people’s lives.”

SCOTT DELONY

E X PE RIE N T I A L L E A RNING

Royce Caldwell (’61), as well as funds from The William Randolph Hearst Foundation and the Shelton Family Foundation.

Students’ work at ACUTV in 2017-18 prepared them for ACU football games to be broadcast on ESPN3 this fall and beyond, Harris said. Plus, a versatile, modular set is being constructed in Summer 2018 by Dr. Nil Santana (M.S. ’00), assistant professor of art and design and director of the Maker Lab, to provide students with additional live coverage opportunities as well as provide a professional studio space for campus, Harris said.

“ACUTV is definitely not like a normal desk job,” said Maggie Farias, senior multimedia major from Mesquite, Texas, and audio technician for ACUTV. “Because you are out on the field, you are getting hands-on experience, and you are learning and working at the same time.” 

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ACADEMIC DIGEST

Dr. Sherry Rankin, assistant professor of language and literature, won the 2017 Debut Dagger award from the Crimewriters’ Association for her novel Strange Fire.

The award recognizes unpublished works from writers around the world.

SHANE JENNINGS

ACU’s chapter of The Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization was named 2017 Global Chapter of the Year for the third year in a row at the CEO Global Conference and Pitch Competition in Tampa, Florida.

MIKE WIGGINS

Leadership Summit, a January short course that takes place during winter break in the mountains of Colorado, celebrated its 20th anniversary this year. (See page 59.) Among speakers were April (Bullock ’89) Anthony, CEO of Homecare Homebase and Encompass Home Health and Hospice, and new chair of ACU’s Board of Trustees; Wendy Davidson, president of U.S. Specialty Channels at Kellogg Company; Elise (Smith ’83) Mitchell, founder and chair of Mitchell Communications Group and CEO of Dentsu Aegis PR Network; Carlos Sepulveda, chair of Triumph Bancorp, Inc., and former president and CEO of Interstate Batteries; Rick Atchley (’78), preaching minister for The Hills Church in North Richland Hills; and Kent Brantly, M.D. (’03), who was named Time Person of the Year in 2014, and his wife, Amber (Carroll ’06), both of Fort Worth.

Three students were recognized in the national Society Rankin of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Awards contest. Erika Bolado, senior convergence journalism major from Abilene, won in the feature photography category; Lydia Lawson, senior multimedia major from Abilene, was a finalist in general news photography; and Lauren Franco, senior convergence journalism major from Euless, Texas, was a finalist in sports photography. The awards were presented at SPJ’s annual convention in Anaheim, California.

The Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences honored two graduates Oct. 21, 2017, during its Homecoming Barbecue and Awards Ceremony. Keith Lawrence (’84), president of Lawrence Farm and Ranch Supply Inc. in Cross Plains, Texas, was named Outstanding Alumnus of the Year. Justin Singleton (’07), soil conservationist in Athens, Texas, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, was named Young Professional of the Year.

Veteran journalist Mark Russell, executive editor of The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, Tennessee, taught the Race and Media symposium Nov. 10-12, 2017, for the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Senior convergence journalism major Lauren Franco was selected to attend the 2018 Ted Scripps Leadership Institute in New York, a program sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists and the Scripps Howard Foundation. She also recently was a national winner and national finalist in the feature photography categories of the annual Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Awards. Franco will serve as editor of The Optimist student newspaper in the 2018-19 school year.

CHRISTIAN HULLER

Eleven alumni were recently listed Russell as authors on peer-reviewed papers in two medical journals, one published in Radiation Oncology – Blaine Smith (’13), Josh Smith (’15), Kathryn Preston (’16), Jeremy Aymard (’16), Luke Cooksey (’17) and Dave Fuller, M.D. – and the other in Head and Neck – Blaine Smith, Josh Smith, Sarah Floris (’16), Hillary Eichelberger (’13), Chloe French (’13), Kelsey Chrane (’12), Colton McCoy (’15) and Fuller. The latter is a 1988 ACU grad and associate professor at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.

Distinguished historian Dr. David Edwin Harrell Jr. was honored Sept. 18, 2017, as 2017 Friend of the Year by Friends of ACU Library in recognition of the gift of his personal papers to ACU’s Center for Restoration Studies. Library dean Dr. John Weaver presented the award and announced that the Harrell Collection of Global Religious History is available for research.

Harrell pioneered using sociological analysis to study American religion, especially in the South.

His studies on the social history of the Disciples of Christ were watershed works in the academic analysis of the Stone-Campbell Movement.

Among those attending the grand opening of a new ACU Study Abroad villa in Leipzig on Oct. 24, 2017, were (from left): Timothy Eydelnant, U.S. Consular General in Leipzig; Dr. Phil Schubert (’91), ACU president; Stephen Shewmaker (’91), executive director of ACU’s Center for International Education; Burkhard Jung, mayor of Leipzig; and Dr. Robert Rhodes, ACU provost.

The Learning Studio created a 360-degree video tour of the historic villa, which will serve as the hub for ACU’s Study Abroad program in Germany.

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Watch the video tour at acu.edu/makerlab

ACU online graduate degree and certificate programs CURRENT PROGRAMS SCOTT DELONY

ACU students gather along with their teacher, Orr (top left), and recipients of $50,000 in aid to local nonprofits.

Strategic Philanthropy course teaches academic, life lessons while demonstrating generosity to local nonprofits A course that teaches Strategic Philanthropy students how to live course has distributed generous lives has also another $50,000 to the local poured $160,000 in grants community and is helping into Abilene nonprofits students realize the impact over the last three years. they can have on the world, The Strategic said Jim Orr, J.D. (’86), vice Casey president for advancement, Philanthropy course was created in 2015 to who teaches the class. provide students with the Students also have the experience of giving away opportunity to participate funds to charitable causes. in The Philanthropy Lab’s Inspired by the vision ambassador conference each and support of Dr. Jack summer, which focuses on Griggs (’64), former dean funding charitable initiatives.

Heizelman In 2017, Anna Casey (’18), of the College of Business Administration and marketing major from Willow namesake of the Griggs Center for Park, Texas, and Rees Heizelman Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy, (’17), management graduate from the course was designed by Dr. Jim Abilene, joined 34 students from Litton (’01), director of the Griggs 17 universities across the nation to Center, and first offered as a 1-credit present grant proposals on behalf Honors Colloquium. Students were of nonprofits. tasked with deciding how Presbyterian Medical Care to distribute $10,000.

Mission, Casey and Heizelman’s In year two, with the financial chosen Abilene nonprofit that support and encouragement of Holt provides access to affordable medical (’85) and Kay Dawn (Ridley ’85) and dental care to low-income Lunsford, ACU partnered with adults, was one of six selected to The Philanthropy Lab, a national receive a $25,000 grant from the group encouraging philanthropy national group. education, and expanded the offering ACU competed against into a 3-credit, full-semester course universities including Harvard, with $50,000 available to give to Columbia, Northwestern, Stanford, local nonprofits.

Texas A&M, Texas, Rice and Now in its third year, ACU’s Vanderbilt.

• Certificate in Conflict Management and Resolution for Educators – Online • Certificate in Conflict Management and Resolution – Online with residency • Certificate in Medical Family Therapy – Online • Doctor of Nursing Practice – Online • Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership – Online • Master of Arts in Christian Ministry – Online with residencies • Master of Arts in Conflict Management and Reconciliation – Online with residency • Master of Arts in Global Service – Online with residencies • Master of Business Administration – Online • Master of Divinity – Online with residencies • Master of Education in Higher Education – Online with residency • Master of Education in Instructional Leadership – Online (Cohort only) • Master of Healthcare Administration – Online • Master of Marriage and Family Therapy – Online • Master of Science in Management – Online • Master of Science in Organizational Development – Online

Learn more about ACU’s graduate programs at acu.edu/grad

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Stephenson’s research unearths centuries-old play, prepares it for English stage

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Three more Wildcats receive Fulbright Scholar honors

H

istory was made Yarbrough’s interest in in Spring 2018 when helping people dates to his three Wildcats received youth in San Angelo, where his Fulbright Scholar father, Scot (’85), worked with awards, the first time two at-risk kids. Today, his mother, current ACU students have Ann (Brown ’85) Yarbrough, received the recognition in is administrative coordinator the same year. in ACU’s Department of The award, presented by Psychology. the U.S. Department of State, Once his Fulbright Grant Yarbrough grants funding to graduates to ends in June 2019, Yarbrough teach English in other countries. will begin working on his ultimate dream Mackenzie Sanderson will teach in – to return to Central Asia and use his Germany from September 2018 through entrepreneurial skills to start a hospitality June 2019. Lindsie Lawson will teach and tourism business. He earned B.B.A. in Malaysia for 10 months, beginning degrees in accounting and in finance from in January 2019, following six months Abilene Christian. of teaching English in Itu, Brazil, in Although this is ACU’s first time to conjunction with a congregation there. have three Fulbright recipients in a single “That’s always something I’ve really year, Dr. Jason Morris (’96), dean of cared about and enjoyed,” Lawson said the Honors College and director of the of teaching English to others.

Office of Major Scholarships, said he Both women graduated in May. is not surprised. “We have great Lawson was a Spanish and global studies momentum to have winners every major from The Colony, Texas. Sanderson, year in this very competitive national from El Paso, was a political science and competition,” he said. “ACU has the type global studies major. They are products of students who can win these awards.” of the TESOL (Teaching English to ACU’s Fulbright tradition began Speakers of Other Languages) in the 1950s with fields of study also certification class at ACU. representing journalism, English, Kyle Yarbrough (’13) also was management, physics and education. awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Eleven scholars teaching or studying at Assistant Grant and will leave in ACU have received a total of 16 fellowships September for a 10-month stay in during their academic careers.  Kyrgyzstan to teach in a secondary school.

KIM LEESON

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– TAHJ MAYES

Sanderson (left) and Lawson

SCOTT DELONY

LAUREN FRANCO

Dr. Joe Stephenson recently unearthed a manuscript of a play called The Dutch Lady, hidden for centuries in the archives of the Boston Public Library.

The play is more than 300 years old and has been resting in the recesses of Stephenson the library since 1873. Stephenson specializes in British literature before 1800 and specifically, Shakespeare and drama of that time.

“As soon as I got to the manuscript and read the first 10 lines of the play, I knew it was something that had never been published,” he said.

“I knew it was a major find.”

Stephenson, an associate professor in ACU’s Department of Language and Literature, set to quickly transcribe the play so a theater could begin rehearsing it.

Although Stephenson believes the play had been performed in its time, he can find no record of it.

So The Dutch Lady’s first recorded performance was on July 6, 2017,

by The Fred Theatre Company in Stratford-upon-Avon in England with Stephenson as dramaturg, a term for theatre professionals who specialize in the research and development of plays or operas.

Stephenson’s timing was fortuitous. He had been awarded the James Culp Professorship in the Department of Language and Literature for 2017, meaning his teaching load was reduced so he could devote time to research. He is writing the play’s scholarly edition.

New faculty added for 2017-18 school year ACU has 253 full-time faculty members with 96 percent of tenured or tenure-track faculty holding terminal degrees.

The following were added to the faculty for 2017-18:

• Dr. James Morris, College Associate Professor, Marriage and Family Therapy

• Jennifer (Handy ’12) Binkley, Instructor of Communication Sciences and Disorders

• Dr. Lisa Powell, Assistant Professor of Marriage and Family Therapy

• Dr. Daiquirie Crumrine, Assistant Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders

• Rebekah Mullins, Instructor of Nursing • Dr. Jonas Nguh, Assistant Professor, School of Health and Human Services • Dr. Kristin O’Byrne, Associate Professor, School of Educational Leadership

• Rachel (Smith ’99) Riley, Instructor of Psychology

• Dr. Brad East (’08), Assistant Professor of Bible, Missions and Ministry

• Dr. Aaron Robison (’05), Instructor of Chemistry and Biochemistry

• Dr. Jackie (Straker ’87 M.M.F.T.) Halstead, College Associate Professor, Marriage and Family Therapy

• Andrew Saucedo (’14), Instructor of Biology • Rich Tanner (’10), Instructor of Information Technology and Computing

• Steve Hare (’72), Instructor of Bible, Missions and Ministry

• Nick Tatum (’13), Instructor of Communication and Sociology (Spring 2018)

• Mac Ice, Assistant Professor, and Special Collections Librarian and Archivist

• Laura (Duff ’95) Wade, Instructor of Nursing

• Dr. Melissa Long (’17), Assistant Professor of Kinesiology and Nutritions • Gary Mabry (’71), Instructor of Chemistry and Biochemistry • Dr. Janine (Paden ’77) Morgan, Instructor of Bible, Missions and Ministry

COBA’s Leadership Summit celebrates its 20th year

• Alexander Wann (’10), Instructor of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences • Avery Weems (’13), Assistant Professor, and Metadata and Digitization Librarian • Dr. Traci (Merkel ’83) Yandell, Instructor of Mathematics

Future physicians get a boost from Texas initiative Among ACU’s 27 recent graduates heading to medical school this fall are three benefitting from the university’s partnership with the Joint Admission Medical Program, or JAMP, which is designed to help highly motivated, economically disadvantaged students become physicians.

This year’s JAMP students are John Placide, a native of Burundi who moved to Abilene in 2001; Lorenzo Ramirez of Roby, Texas; and Alyssa Jene Wilder of Everman, Texas.

Though the program is highly competitive, ACU has a great track record for students being selected, said Dr. Cynthia (Barton ’81) Powell, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, who serves as pre-health advisor and faculty JAMP director for ACU. “It’s a really good program for leveling the playing field,” she said.

Shanice Latham (’16) is in her first year at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine and is a wonderful example of the caliber of students the program attracts, said Powell.

Latham had dreamed of being a doctor, “but I had no idea how exactly I was going to accomplish this dream,” she said. “JAMP opened so many doors, offered so many opportunities.”

The program is funded through the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, with all nine Texas medical schools and 67 undergraduate schools participating.

It provides paid summer internships, shadowing opportunities and help with preparation for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).

Students who complete the requirements are guaranteed admission to a Texas medical school.

In 1998, as a young professor in the College of Business Administration, Dr. Rick Lytle kept hearing questions from students about how to be successful in business and be a Christian at the same time. The questions, he realized, could best be answered by Christians who already are successful business executives.

Lytle, who later became COBA dean and now leads ACU’s Lytle Center for Faith and Leadership, worked with COBA faculty members Tim Johnston (’80) and Mike Winegeart (’86) to craft a vision that would take the principles of Christian business leadership and deliver a challenging and inspiring learning experience for students of all majors.

Two decades later, that vision has evolved into an annual January short course set in Colorado that has allowed 1,750 students and 250 business leaders to take part in a mountaintop experience. The event celebrated its 20th anniversary earlier this year. (See photo on page 56.)

Leadership Summit offers a blend of dynamic speakers, practical application and spiritual insight, all designed to equip students for leadership in the family, in their community and in the marketplace.

The testimonies of students who have been through the course reflect the values that Lytle hoped to instill in the beginning.

“It has been one of the best ACU experiences I have had,” said two-time attendee Mason McFarland (’18).

Initially, he expected to be taught about leadership in the business world, “but it is far more than that,” he said. “The emphasis on family, work and community is amazing, and it is impossible to leave the experience without being changed.” 

– LORETTA FULTON

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CampusNEWS

For the latest visit acu.edu/news facebook.com/abilenechristian twitter.com/acuedu

BY ROBIN SAYLOR

instagram.com/acuedu

Crisp (’64) was chair from 1992-2007.

Packer sees an extraordinarily bright future for Abilene Christian with Anthony as board chair.

“While ACU has always had impulses toward innovation and change, April’s gifts of visionary leadership and innovation will serve the board and university in ways that none of us can imagine in the present,” Packer said. “ACU, in my opinion, will be significantly changed for the better because of her leadership.” 

SCOTT DELONY

Trustees April (Bullock ’89) Anthony (left) and Kay (Coleman ’62) Skelton (right) present Dr. Barry Packer (’78) with a Resolution of Appreciation from the ACU board.

Anthony becomes first woman to chair ACU board; Packer eras featured growth A recent leadership change at the top of ACU’s Board of Trustees marks the start of one historic era and the closing of another.

In February, April (Bullock ’89) Anthony became the 15th person and the first woman to chair the board at her alma mater, where trustees set policy, guide the institution’s long-term direction and ensure it fulfills its mission. A native of Houston, she has a successful track record as founder and developer of home healthcare ventures, and respected experience as an ACU trustee. (See profile on pages 16-20).

She follows Dr. Barry Packer (’78), who with his late father, Dr. H. Lynn Packer (’50), formed the first father-and-son duo to serve ACU

GORDON TRICE

DEBRA SHORE

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H. Lynn Packer

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in the same board leadership role.

The Packers – Lynn in 1984-92 and Barry in 2010-18 – oversaw nearly two decades of dramatic growth in academic programs, fundraising and the construction of major facilities, including Mabee Business Building; Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building; Royce and Pam Money Student Recreation and Wellness Center; Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium; new Elmer Gray Stadium; Robert R. and Kay Onstead Science Center; Halbert-Walling Research Center; and Engineering and Physics Laboratories at Bennett Gymnasium.

Barry said a stroke his father suffered – about five years before Barry joined the board in 2001 – kept Lynn from sharing much in the way of advice with his son.

The elder Packer died within the first year of Barry’s trusteeship.

“Although he was proud I had been asked to serve, we never had any real opportunity to engage in meaningful conversation about challenges he faced and leadership strategies he employed. While I longed for that opportunity, I am grateful I could rely on my dear friend and mentor Don Crisp to provide wisdom and counsel through my years as board chair,” Barry said.

McDowell named V.P. for student life Although ACU's new vice president for student life has spent the last 20 years working at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, his Abilene ties are deep as well.

“My association and friendship with Dr. [Phil] Schubert (’91) goes back at least 15 years when he did some consulting with us at Lipscomb,” McDowell said Dr. Scott McDowell, after being named to the senior leadership position at ACU, which began Aug. 1.

“The opportunity to come and be a part of his team and to join such a historically strong institution was compelling,” McDowell said. “Some of my dearest friends are ACU alums, and the esteem with which they hold their alma mater speaks volumes about this place.”

McDowell most recently served as senior vice president for student life at Lipscomb. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Freed-Hardeman University, a master’s from Lipscomb and a doctorate in higher education leadership from Azusa Pacific University. 

INNOVAT I V E A C U

PAUL WHITE

The Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas (ICUT) has renamed its highest award in honor of vice president emeritus Dr. Robert D. “Bob” Hunter (’52).

The honor, previously known as the Founders Award, will now be the Robert D. Hunter Founders Award.

The award is presented to candidates who have contributed to Hunter the advancement of independent higher education in Texas over a long period. It is not an annual award, but is instead presented only when the ICUT board believes a nominee merits recognition.

Hunter is a past recipient of the award and ICUT board member.

He served as the association’s executive vice president from 1970-81, and is widely recognized as the father of the Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG) program, which provides financial aid for students who wish to attend private universities.

When the TEG legislation passed in 1971, it had an appropriation of $1 million. By the time Hunter left ICUT, it had an appropriation of $12.9 million. As of 2017, 1 million grants totaling $1.9 billion have been awarded to Texas students.

From 1986-2007, Hunter served 10 terms as a Texas State Representative for District 71. He started many traditions at his alma mater such as Sing Song, the Homecoming Musical and others, and turned 90 years old June 25, 2018. The Hunter Welcome Center at ACU is named for him and his wife, Shirley. 

Science and art converge in Lightwalk at The Quad

A

s the West Texas sun sets and darkness begins falling across the ACU campus, the area on The Quad outside the Onstead Science Center comes to life.

The 350 reeds jutting out of the ground seem like a curiosity during the day, but at night, the 20,000 LED lights inside them fill with color, patterns and energy. They help make The Quad a gathering spot for students, a fun night out for local families and a unique venue for social club rushes.

The ACU Lightwalk is a place where science and art come together, and people who are intrigued by their collective power gather to play, create and learn.

The Lightwalk opened in time for the Fall 2017 semester as the result of

the company had developed involving innovative lighting systems. Viget agreed to engineer and install the structure, assembling its components in Boulder, including custom cables inside 35 waterproof underground boxes.

Viget spent a week installing the project with the help of ACU’s grounds crew and others. Once everything was in place and connected, they waited for nightfall to turn on Lightwalk for the first time – a moment Santana described as “nerve-wracking.”

But it worked. The Quad filled with the glow of 20,000 LEDs as a crowd cheered.

The Lightwalk is an ongoing project in education and creativity. A web-based control platform allows anyone who logs Watch a video at viget.com/work/lightwalk

DR. NIL SANTANA

ICUT names Founders Award after ACU’s Hunter, nears $2 billion mark in TEG grants

an extensive collaboration between ACU students, faculty, administration, staff, the Maker Lab and Viget, an innovative consulting firm in Boulder, Colorado.

The project originated as a gift to honor Ray (’49) McGlothlin Jr. and his wife, Kay (Dollar ’49).

“The idea was to create an installation that would be interactive,” said Dr. Nil Santana (’00 M.S.), assistant professor of art and design and director of the Maker Lab. Why not hundreds of interactive, waterproof lights that anyone could access to express their creativity? And why not involve students in every way possible?

“I was impressed that the donors wanted student involvement and student perspective. They didn’t want to just do something for themselves,” said Dr. Brent Reeves, associate professor of computer science and management science.

Santana and Reeves began working on a way to turn the concept into reality.

Reeves discovered Viget and technology

onto lightwalk.acu.edu to change the light patterns, some of which have been coded by students in ACU’s School of Information Technology and Computing.

The structure also is a lab of sorts for students in Reeves’ programming class.

It is triggered by motion sensors, so students are often seen running along the lights to trigger them. GATA was the first social club to host an event at the Lightwalk; Reeves made sure that night’s display included patterns in red, the club’s trademark color. Graduates also gathered near Lightwalk in The Quad for a reception following December Commencement.

“The Lightwalk is evidence of the convergence of art and science,” Santana said. “It has become an integral tool for the programming class, and a place for people to gather and spend time together.

Good things will keep coming from this project.”  – DEANA NALL

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Words etched in the center of Stevens Park remind students and alumni about two themes defining the ACU experience. A paved path through the park leads to the arched entry to Wildcat Way and, further north, Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium.

JEREMY ENLOW

STEVE BUTMAN

The late Dr. John C. Stevens (’38) and his wife, Ruth (Rambo ’46).

Stevens Park honors former president and first lady The namesakes of ACU’s new Stevens Park have no bigger fan than former trustee, business professor and administrator Don Drennan (’58).

When a casket carrying Dr. John C. Stevens (’38) was taken from the church sanctuary in 2007, Drennan broke the reverent silence by standing and applauding, and he was soon joined by others in the assembly: the first standing ovation many had ever seen at such a gathering.

“I mean, how do you appreciate people?” Drennan said at the time of his longtime mentor. “You applaud them. I said to myself, ‘Well, I will.’ ” Since then, Drennan and his wife, Rudith (Frazier ’65), sought an enduring way to recognize ACU’s eighth president and his late wife, Ruth (Rambo ’46). With the aid of another Stevens fan, local architect and longtime friend Jimmy Tittle (’49), Stevens Park was imagined as a place where students, faculty, staff and alumni could meet, their paths intersecting with each other in practical and symbolic ways.

The half-acre landscaped site – west of the Teague Center, north of Moody Coliseum and south of new

C A MP U S DIGE S T University Marketing wins CASE awards University Marketing won eight regional awards in April 2018 from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education in its annual Accolades competition among professionals in marketing, alumni relations, advancement and communications at colleges and universities in the Southwest.

Three gold awards – two related to Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium (environmental graphics and video/TV spots), and another for magazine layout design (“Master Maker: Nike’s Tobie Hatfield”) – led the recognition. ACU has won gold in magazine spread design three

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of the past four years. Other awards were for illustration (Nike’s Tobie Hatfield), admissions publications (Visit folder) and special events (Grand Opening of Wildcat Stadium).

ACU Today was a finalist in the overall magazine category for the second time in four years, a feat only matched in the region by Baylor University’s Baylor Business Review.

The Office of University Advancement also was a finalist for its “2017 Day of Giving” in the annual giving program category.

ACU’s marketing team has won 148 regional awards and five international medals from CASE in the past 23 years.

Brown Library adds access to massive historical periodicals collection ACU’s Brown Library purchased perpetual access to the EBSCO American Antiquarian Society Historical Periodicals Collection (Sets 1-5), which contains more than 10 million pages from 6,500 historical periodicals published from the early colonial days through the Civil War and Reconstruction (1693-1877).

Broad subject areas covered in the collection reach into every facet of American life, including science, literature, medicine, agriculture, women’s fashion, family life, and religion.

STEVE BUTMAN

FROM LEFT: Clark Stevens, Jimmy Tittle, Don Drennan, Dr. Gary McCaleb, Rudith Drennan, Joyce Cole and her husband, Jim Cole, atttended the Stevens Park dedication.

Upcoming events sponsored

by ACU’s Siburt Institute The Siburt Institute for Church Ministry will offer the following events: • Lunch and Learn with Rick Atchley (’78), ACU campus, Aug. 30, 2018 • Ministers Support Network Retreat, Belton, Texas, Sept. 27-30, 2018 • ElderLink San Antonio, Oct. 27, 2018 • ElderLink North Carolina, Nov. 16-17, 2018 Registration and more information are online at acu.edu/siburt-institute.

Wildcat Walk – represent “a living processional of loyalty and friendship.”

The dedication followed ACU’s annual Veterans Day Tribute, where Stevens’ service was feted as a World War II military chaplain.

As speakers reminisced at Stevens Park, more than a few in the audience could be seen smiling to hear from across campus the Big Purple practicing its Salute to Service performance for the next afternoon’s football game. Ever a patriot, “Dr. John” once said he never heard a march he didn’t like. The band’s 1812 Overture and medley of American military service songs and anthems made for an unintentional yet fitting backdrop.

“No matter how proud I am of all he stood for and all he believed in, his beautiful spirit is what lives in my heart,” said Cole, who described him as the family cheerleader and her mother as “a very reluctant first lady of ACU” because of her intensely private nature and comfort level outside the spotlight. “But … she was absolutely perfect.” 

Ministers’ salary survey results available The 2018 Ministers’ Salary Survey, compiled by ACU’s Siburt Institute for Church Ministry, is now available. The survey provides comparative pay information for staff in Churches of Christ nationwide. The results provide a useful tool for church leaders seeking to build competitive compensation packages for their ministry leaders.

Download the survey results at acu.edu/siburt-institute

PAUL WHITE

Wildcat Stadium – has the words “Lifelong Loyalty” and “Friends for Life” etched in the paved path that bisects the venue, and includes limestone pedestals with facts on bronze plaques about the couple and their distinguished careers on the Hill.

Tribute speakers at the Nov. 10, 2017, dedication included Drennan, president Dr. Phil Schubert (’91), vice president Dr. Gary McCaleb (’64), and the Stevens’ children, Clark Stevens (’72) and Joyce (Stevens ’74) Cole.

“In the sense that this is ‘no ordinary university’ … this is no meaningless place,” said McCaleb, who noted that more than 9,000 ACU graduates received diplomas with Stevens’ signature on them during his presidency from 196981. He also taught history courses for 50 years. The couple’s 57-year marriage was one of love, respect and teamwork.

McCaleb said fans approaching the stadium along Wildcat Way – including the team, Big Purple Band and cheerleaders on Gamedays during a new tradition called the

Gary Mabry (’73) conducted the combined choruses to open Summit in 2017.

Alumni Chorus opens Summit The ACU Alumni Chorus added a high note to Summit 2017 by performing a concert prior to the opening lecture at University Church of Christ.

The chorus revisited music recorded at its summer reunion Aug. 4-5, 2017, said director of choral activities Jeff Goolsby (’01). The title of the program was “For All the Saints,” and alumni were joined by current students, all members of the Chamber Singers, said Goolsby.

“It was a delightful experience to bring together multiple generations of Wildcats,” he said.

The Alumni Chorus has been invited back to open this year’s Summit, heralding a change for the group’s summer reunions, Goolsby said. Beginning in 2018, the reunion will occur just prior to Summit and will culminate in the Sunday evening concert Sept. 16, when current students will again join them.

The Alumni Chorus contributes to an endowed scholarship fund for vocal music majors, and also has passed the hat during reunions to provide operational funds for the university’s choral program. CDs are available online at the chorus website, and some songs and albums are available from the iTunes store. 

Learn more about the Alumni Chorus at alumniassociation.acu.edu

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112th annual Summit features 16 pathways focused on wholeness

HOLLY FISH

All-day and half-day thematic “pathways” on 16 topics related to achieving spiritual wholeness are featured in ACU’s 112th annual Summit, set for Sept. 16-18, 2018.

In all, Summit will offer more than 60 sessions focused on the book of Ephesians, “Wholeness in a Broken World: Together Through the Power of the Spirit.”

“Pathways will consider spiritual wholeness in such diverse areas as worship, preaching, congregational leadership, marriage, racial unity, biblical studies, and discipleship,” said Summit director Dr. David Wray (’67).

• Summit opens with worship and a joint concert by the ACU Alumni Chorus and current students (see page 63) at 6:20 p.m.

Sunday at University Church of Christ, followed by a presentation by Randy Harris, ACU instructor of Bible, missions and ministry.

• Other theme speakers are Alan Jacobs, author of How To Think:

A Survival Guide for a World at Odds, and Distinguished Professor of Humanities in the Honors Program and a Resident Fellow of Baylor University’s Institute for the Studies of Religion; motivational speakers Jordan Lee Dooley (thesoulscripts.com) and Matt Dooley; Dr. Jerry Tayl0r, ACU associate professor of Bible, missions and ministry; and Don McLaughlin, pulpit minister of the North Atlanta (Georgia) Church of Christ.

Jacobs • ACU’s new Carl Spain Center for Race Studies and Spiritual Action will be launched during Summit, recognizing the work of the late Dr. Carl Spain, a Bible professor whose courageous Taylor preaching in 1960 spurred full racial integration at the university.

• Best-selling author Dr. Les Parrott will present “Fight Night” at 7 p.m. Sunday, at the Abilene Convention Center. The popular “date night” event for couples

LIONSGATE / ROADSIDE PRODUCTIONS

J. Michael Finley stars with Madeline Carroll and Dennis Quaid in I Can Only Imagine, a gripping story of the power of forgiveness.

James Faulkner is the apostle Paul, whose story is told by Jim Caviezel, who portrays Luke.

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AFFIRM FILMS / SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT

•

features humor, fresh insight and practical strategies for turning conflict into deeper interpersonal relationships.

Summit’s film festival will again present a selection of feature films and documentaries to inform and inspire Christians, including All Saints; I Can Only Imagine; Paul, Apostle of Christ; Leaving My Father’s Faith and The Heart of Man. For the third year, an ACU Summit mobile app will provide detailed, interactive information about sessions and speakers.

All sessions will be recorded and available for free download from iTunes. 

Learn more about Summit or register at acu.edu/summit

KEVIN HALLIBURTON / ICE IMAGING

Wilburn

JENNIE RIDDLE

JETT LOE

Culpepper

JEREMY ENLOW

Culpepper, Wilburn added to Board of Trustees

Celebration Hall also serves as a reception venue for events in the Teague Center’s Great Room.

Teague Center renovation features Celebration Hall

I

ts donor may be anonymous but contributions to renovate the Margaret L. and William J. Teague Center are intended to help tell ACU’s story in visible and new ways.

Dozens of alumni and benefactors are spotlighted in the Teague Center’s new Celebration Hall area, which gives campus visitors a refreshingly new look at the people who continue to help shape ACU. Dr. Gary McCaleb (’64), vice president of the university, helped oversee the renovation project, which includes a new main entry on the west.

“Bill (’52) and Peggy (Newlen ’56) Teague were gracious hosts and dynamic leaders who were proud of their alma mater and responsible for helping attract new major donors and friends to ACU,” McCaleb said of Abilene Christian’s ninth president and first lady.

The space, which also serves as the

entry to administrative offices for ACU Athletics, spotlights relationships with donors and trustees, and accomplishments of alumni from all walks of life, including those who made headlines as collegiate and professional athletes and coaches.

“The exhibits in Celebration Hall will change over time as we feature new people and the things they do to distinguish themselves and ACU,” McCaleb said.

Current exhibits spotlight new Board of Trustees chair April (Bullock ’89) Anthony; Time magazine Person of the Year Kent Brantly, M.D. (’03); Southland Conference championships for women’s basketball; national titles for football, and men’s and women’s track and field; country singer Aaron Watson (’00); former MLB pitcher Bill Gilbreth (’69); bronze busts of legendary coaches; and Olympians, among others. 

Dr. Arthur Culpepper (’86) of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Mitch Wilburn (’90) of Tulsa, Oklahoma, were added to ACU’s Board of Trustees in February 2018.

Culpepper is chief compliance officer for the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center Institutional Compliance Program.

He was a wide receiver who led NCAA Division II in touchdown catches as a senior and earned second team Associated Press college division All-America honors. He also has served on Abilene Christian’s Alumni Advisory Board. His wife, Donna (Southerland), earned her M.A. from ACU in 1988. They have two children: Jackson and Addyson Elizabeth.

Wilburn, named ACU’s 2007 Young Alumnus of the Year, is a respected voice in Churches of Christ.

His 28-year-long ministry work with the Park Plaza congregation in Tulsa includes his roles as youth minister (1990-2002) and community outreach minister (2002-05). He has been the church’s preaching minister since 2005. He is married to Shannon (McKnight ’92) and they have two children, Jake and Ashton (’18).

ACU’s Board of Trustees is the governing body for the university, and trustees are elected annually.

They are eligible to serve up to five three-year terms. Trustees set policy, guide the institution’s long-term direction and ensure it fulfills its mission. 

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Wildcat SPORTS

For the latest visit acusports.com facebook.com/acusports twitter.com/acusports

BY L ANCE FLEMING AND CHRIS MACALUSO

JEREMY ENLOW

Sam Denmark Sam Denmark

Denmark led football team in classroom, on the field When Sam Denmark arrived at ACU in 2014 from Las Cruces, New Mexico, for his first summer workouts as a member of the football team, he had no illusions of grandeur.

“About three weeks into my freshman year, I began to wonder how I was going to make all of this work: school, practice, studying for both and playing games,” said Denmark, who soon realized his professors were more than willing to help him learn how to succeed and overcome his low self-confidence.

He took advantage of tutoring resources three times a week.

Four years later, he graduated in May 2018 with a degree in engineering. He was named All-Southland Conference (three times), Academic All-Southland, and the league’s 2015 Student-Athlete of the Year.

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On the field he became ACU’s all-time leading tackler with a remarkable 396 stops in four seasons, topping the old record of 388 set by Ryan Boozer (’01) from 1998-2001.

The latter was inducted into the ACU Sports Hall of Fame in 2016, and a spot is likely already reserved for Denmark.

Despite a slowdown in production while dealing with myriad injuries in 2017, he entered the Nov. 11 home finale against Sam Houston State needing nine tackles to tie Boozer and 10 to break the record.

When he set the new mark with a third-quarter tackle, he was mobbed by teammates with hugs and received a standing ovation from the nearsellout crowd. All of that for a guy with no expectations of what his career might hold, but with plenty from the coach who recruited him.

“The big thing we saw when we recruited Sam was that he was very instinctive,” former ACU head coach Ken Collums said of the former

two-sport star in high school.

“He was in the right place all the time. The more you watched him play you saw his toughness and a relentless drive on every play.”

Denmark saw none of that in himself. After the third day of his freshman-year summer camp, he called his younger brother and told him that he didn’t think he would ever start at ACU and would only be a role player on defense and perhaps on special teams. But the very next day, starting outside linebacker Travis Tarver II would be injured and when coaches called for the backup, Denmark sprinted onto the field.

He only missed one game in four years and recorded 18 double-digit tackle games, including a career-best 21 in 2015 at Central Arkansas.

The coach who replaced Collums found exactly the same traits as his predecessor: toughness, leadership, selflessness and a team-first approach.

“Sam is one of the best student-athletes I’ve ever been around,” current ACU head coach Adam Dorrel said. “He’s a great leader because his accountability is unmatched. The way he practiced; the way he interacted with his teammates; the way he worked in the weight room … it set the example for our entire team.”

“I’ve loved playing for both of the coaching staffs during my time here,” Denmark said. “The experiences I’ve had and the friendships I’ve made are irreplaceable. Dylan (linebacker Douglass) and I talk about the wave we’ve ridden: transition to Division I, a new stadium, a new coaching staff, and other things. But we wouldn’t trade it for anything. I take the struggles we’ve gone through and wear them with honor because they’ve taught me a lot of lessons – ones I don’t know I would have learned anywhere else.” 

– LANCE FLEMING

PAUL WHITE

Ward named director of athletics, De Leon heads to Purdue

Rick McCarty (left) and Dr. Phil Schubert at ACU's June 12 press conference announcement.

McCarty follows Bonneau as head baseball coach

SCOTT DELONY

Rick McCarty, highly respected pitching coach at Dallas Baptist University known for his recruiting and player development, has been named head baseball coach at ACU. He replaces Britt Bonneau, who resigned after his Wildcat teams won 756 games in 22 seasons (1997-2018).

McCarty, who has groomed 22 pitchers drafted by MLB teams – including two in the top 10 rounds – has coached pitchers at Murray State, Delta State, Southeast Missouri State, Campbell, Louisiana Tech and DBU, the latter of which advanced to NCAA Division I regional tournaments the last three years.

“When we began the search for a new head baseball coach, we had several criteria with a strong Christian leader atop the list,” said ACU president Dr. Phil Schubert (’91). “I’m confident Rick will attract great student-athletes who want to be part of building something special in this era of NCAA Division I baseball.

“Rick is a great coach, recruiter and, most importantly, a great person,” said DBU head coach Dan Heefner. “He is passionate, energetic and has a great feel for every part of the game. He will create a winning culture and will help his players reach their full potential on the field, and develop them in their character and faith as well.”

A

llen Ward, who led the athletics program at Murray State University the past 13 years, was named director of athletics at ACU on July 16, 2018.

Ward succeeds Lee De Leon, who resigned in May to become executive senior associate athletics director and assistant vice president for development at Purdue University.

During Ward’s tenure at Murray State, the Racers captured 39 Ohio Valley Conference championships and participated in NCAA Tournament play 29 times.

Under Ward’s leadership, MSU has been one of the top overall athletics programs in its league, finishing in the top three in the OVC Commissioner’s Cup race six times since its inception in 2009, including second place each of the last two years.

“There was a tremendous amount of interest in this job from across the nation,” said ACU president Dr. Phil Schubert (’91). “Allen brings a significant depth of NCAA Division I experience from a highly successful program. Murray State has had great competitive success, and it’s also seen tremendous growth in the academic performance of its student-athletes.

As I got to know Allen throughout the course of the hiring process, it became clear that he exemplifies the spiritual fit we are looking for in the leader of our athletics program.

“We are looking forward to Allen’s leadership,” Schubert continued. “We have a tremendous staff of coaches and administrators and I believe we have an opportunity over the next several years to make great strides in Division I.” Ward said his vision for ACU athletics will be simple: provide every opportunity for student-athletes to win a championship and ensure they earn their degree.

“At the same time, we will all work to promote a culture in which our young men and women develop intellectually, physically, and most importantly, spiritually,” Ward said. “Preparing Christian leaders to make a real difference in the world through athletics is our objective.”

Ward has spent 26 years in collegiate athletics, including serving as the director of athletics at Murray State

since March 2005. The Racers play NCAA Division I FCS football in the Ohio Valley Conference and its men’s basketball program is annually one of the top mid-major programs in the nation.

Murray State has won 25 OVC conference championships and reached the NCAA Tournament 16 times, including last spring when the Racers lost to West Virginia in the first round. During Ward’s tenure at MSU, the Racers won six regular-season men’s basketball championships, four conference tournament titles, reached the NCAA Tournament four times (2006, 2010, 2012 and 2018), the NIT (2011 and 2015) and the collegeinsider.com Tournament (CIT) in 2014.

When Ward joined MSU athletics, its overall Academic Ward Progress Rate (APR) score was 911. Last year it grew to 986.

Student-athlete graduation rates now consistently outpace the general student body with the 2018-19 difference expected to be 14 percent.

External support is at an all-time high at Murray State, highlighted by receipt of the largest gift in the history of the program – $3.3 million for the naming of the Community Financial Services Bank (CFSB) Center. Ward was at the helm as MSU’s athletics facilities were transformed by more than $13.5 million in enhancements, touching virtually every sport.

For the past three years, De Leon oversaw ACU’s completion of a transition to NCAA Division I affiliation, the fundraising efforts and construction of Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium and other facilities improvements, re-launch of the Wildcat Club, efforts to increase the athletics budget and fundraising revenue, and a successful campaign to increase the overall student-athlete GPA. ACU benefited from $57 million in new and improved athletics facility projects during De Leon’s three-year tenure, including a new Elmer Gray Stadium for soccer and track and field, artificial turf at both baseball and softball stadiums, a new tennis operations facility, and renovation of the Teague Center.  – LANCE FLEMING

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Work begins on practice facility for golf program Construction is underway on a short-game practice area for the men’s golf team designed by former PGA and Champions Tour standout D.A. Weibring.

The first phase of the ACU Golf Training Facility – being built on the east side of Judge Ely Boulevard across from Crutcher Scott Field – is being funded through gifts made by Mark (’86) and April (Bullock ’89) Anthony and Eric (’81) and Danna (McGlothlin ’80) Oliver. The shortgame course inside the venue will be called “The Jim,” in recognition of Jim Anthony and Jim Oliver, fathers of the two men. It will be ready this fall.

“It’s only appropriate to name the ACU golf short-game area ‘The Jim’ after our fathers,” Mark Anthony said. “Our fathers not only helped teach Eric and me the game of golf, but they used golf to instill in us a multitude of life and faith values. ” ACU is working through design details of Phase II of the venue, which – with additional funding – will include a golf operations building that would likely house coaches’ offices, team rooms, locker rooms and indoor hitting bays.

The venue – which includes

two phases – is being designed by Weibring and the Golf Resource Group Team with which he works.

Weibring is a longtime pro golfer who won five career PGA tournaments and the 2008 Champions Tour Players Championship before entering the golf course design business.

Phase I is a four-green complex featuring a large serpentine-shaped green surrounded by four bunkers and a unique chipping area. The other three greens are shaped in the other corners of the four-acre property, allowing players to practice from many different angles.

“We focused on a variety of styles for the greens and bunkers to provide a full experience for the team,” Weibring said. “Uphill, downhill and sidehill opportunities will challenge the team, providing competitive situations to improve the most important scoring part of the game.”

The short-game area will feature approximately 28,000 square feet of greens, 6,000 square feet of sand in nine bunkers, new trees, and a complete irrigation and drainage system along with four acres of maintained turf.

“Recruits seeking an outstanding collegiate golf program with some of the best training facilities in the nation need to look no further than ACU,” head coach Tom Shaw said.

Hackett, Sheehy named top student-athletes for 2017-18

Gabriel, West lead Wildcats in pro ranks

rushing, 1,000 receiving and 750 kickoff return yards. He is fifth in all-purpose yards (3,823) and fourth in TDs (35).

Three who finished their ACU careers in 2017 were invited to NFL free agent camps: wide receivers Carl Whitley (New Orleans Saints) and Bryson Gates (Chicago Bears), and defensive back Troy Grant (New York Jets).

In the Canadian Football League, offensive lineman Tony Washington (’10) was traded in July 2018 from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to the Montreal Alouettes. He helped the Toronto Argonauts (2012) and Edmonton Eskimos (2015) to CFL Grey Cup championships. Quarterback Mitchell Gale (’12) was released by Winnipeg.

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The 2017-18 Paul Goad Awards were won by distance runner Alexandria Hackett (’18) and junior Josh Sheehy, who became the first Wildcat tennis player ever selected ACU’s male athlete of the year.

Sheehy won 23 matches en route to receiving second team All-Southland Conference honors.

The top-line player went 15-7 in singles competition, which included a three-set victory over Arizona’s Igor Karpovets and triumph over 28th-ranked Eduardo Mena of Tennessee Tech, which pushed the Arlington native into the Oracle / ITA national rankings at No. 111.

Last fall, Hackett won her second Southland cross country championship, and went on to receive NCAA All-Region honors following a sixth-place showing at Texas A&M. She and her twin sister, Michaela (’18), later represented ACU at both the NCAA nationals and NCAA West Preliminary Round.

A winner of 24 collegiate races, Hackett won the indoor Texas A&M 3k and was the Southland runner-up in the 3K and 5K. Outdoors, she won her second conference 10K title and was second to Michaela in the 5K. 

SP OR T S DIGE S T

MICHAEL WADE

Charcandrick West (left) and Taylor Gabriel

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Former ACU teammates Taylor Gabriel (’15) and Charcandrick West (’16) are preparing for their fifth seasons in the NFL in 2018.

A speedy wide receiver, Gabriel helped the Atlanta Falcons to Super Bowl XXXIII in 2016 and signed a four-year contract earlier this year to play for the Chicago Bears. West remains a standout running back and fan favorite for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Gabriel ranks second at ACU in career receptions (215), receiving yards (3,027) and TD catches (27); fifth in all-purpose yards (3,880); and sixth in total touchdowns (31). West is the only ACU player to have a career with 2,000

One of the most star-studded classes in ACU Sports Hall of Fame history will be inducted Oct. 12, 2018.

The nine inductees include football standouts Billy Malone (’10), Bernard Scott (’10), Johnny Knox (’12) and Phil Martin (’73), cross country and track and field superstar Nicodemus Naimadu (’09), track and field record-holders Savieri Ngidhi (’95) and the late Marlene Lewis (’89), and volleyball All-America Dr. Michelle Bernhardt-Barry (’07).

The late Dr. J.W. Roberts (’42) will be inducted as the 26th recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

In addition, Dr. David Wray (’67) and Dr. David Wallace (’72) will each be honored with the Jim Womack Award, which recognizes ACU student-athletes who excelled not only on the field or court of play, but also in the classroom, and have gone on to excellence in their professional career. Wray – Bible professor emeritus and director of Summit – was one of the great post players in Wildcat men’s basketball history and was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame’s 2002-03 class.

Wallace – former associate professor and chair of Bible, missions and ministry – was a four-year football letterman from 1968-71.

Malone, Scott and Knox helped the Wildcats become one of the nation’s top offensive teams in 2007 and 2008, outscoring their opponents by a combined 1,267-665 en route to a 21-4 overall record.

Scott won the 2008 Harlon Hill Trophy as the top football player in Division II and is ACU’s all-time leading rusher, while Knox is the Wildcats’ all-time leader in touchdown receptions (30).

Both were drafted by the NFL in 2009: Scott in the sixth round by Cincinnati and Knox in the fifth round by Chicago.

In four seasons, Malone set ACU career records for completions, attempts, yards and touchdown passes.

Naimadu was the dominant Division II distance runner in the mid-2000s and one of the top performers in Wildcat history. He is still the only NCAA athlete to win four straight individual cross country national titles, and in

Friday plays for U.S. team in Italy

SCOTT DELONY

Senior center Jalone Friday became the first ACU men’s basketball player to represent the U.S. in international competition when he played in a series of exhibition games in Italy in early August 2018.

“This was obviously great for Jalone, and it’s also a Friday sign of respect for our

program and the type of players we’re bringing in here,” said ACU head coach Joe Golding (’99).

Friday was joined on the national team by Power Five collegians from Kansas, Purdue, South Carolina and Colorado, among others.

ACU finishes sixth in Commissioner’s Cup ACU posted its fourth-consecutive top-half showing in the Southland Conference Commissioner’s Cup race, totaling 124 points between its 16 men’s and women’s teams.

In finishing sixth for the third time in four years, the Wildcats received 70 points from its women and 54 from its men – an eight-point

GERALD EWING

Sports Hall of Fame to induct nine alumni

2006 and 2007 he led the Wildcats to the team national championships as well. He was elected to the Division II Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2015.

Bernhardt-Barry Lewis Roberts was a three-time All-Lone Star Conference selection who helped the Wildcats to backto-back titles and 31 consecutive wins in 2005. She is an assistant professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Arkansas.

Ngidhi won all eight of his national championship races, including the 800 meters and 1500 meters at the Division II indoor and outdoor national meets in 1994 and 1995.

Lewis, who died in 2017, was the top women’s thrower in Division II in the 1980s, winning four individual national titles. She helped the Wildcats win five team national championships (1985-88 outdoor and 1988 indoor) and was elected to the Division II Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1998.

Martin was a first-team 1970s All-Decade selection. He was named first-team All-Southland selection in 1970 and 1971, when the Wildcats were a combined 14-7, including 9-2 overall and 3-1 in conference play in 1970.

Roberts was instrumental in founding the Southland Bernard Scott, Billy Malone Conference, including and Johnny his election to serve Knox were as chair of the new record-setting organization’s meetings Wildcats on the of faculty representatives football field. in 1963. He was elected to a two-year term as the league’s first president and inducted into the Southland Hall of Honor in 2017. 

improvement from the previous season.

Head coach Lance Bingham’s teams posted the three best showings on the women’s side. The Wildcats began the 2017-18 academic year winning their second cross country title in three years and later placed fourth at both indoor and outdoor track and field meets.

The outdoor track and field team also registered the highest finish of any ACU men’s squad when it was runner-up in the league.

Sam Houston State University topped the men’s and all-sports crowns with 82 and 157.5 points, respectively, while the women’s title went to Stephen F. Austin State University.

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Twelve teams thrive in first year of NCAA Division I postseason eligibility

JEREMY ENLOW

Dominique Golightly

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Twelve of ACU’s 16 teams qualified for postseason competition in the Wildcats’ first year of eligibility since rejoining the Southland Conference at the start of the 2013-14 academic year.

The women’s cross country team won its second Southland title in three years to headline the fall season, and placed three individuals on the NCAA All-South Central Region team with sisters Alexandria and Michaela Hackett advancing to the national championship meet.

The men’s cross country team also posted its highest Southland finish since returning to the league, placing seventh behind senior Ryan Cleary.

The women’s soccer team started November by posting consecutive shutouts in the Southland tournament. Head coach Casey Wilson’s team advanced to the semifinals by making all five penalty kicks against McNeese, but only converted twice vs. Stephen F. Austin.

ACU TODAY

Alexandria (left) and Michaela Hackett led ACU to another Southland title in cross country.

The following weekend, the volleyball team stunned the league by becoming the tournament’s first No. 8 seed to win a first-round contest and advance to the championship match.

First-year head coach Angela Mooney’s Wildcats upset favored SFA in the quarterfinals, 3-2, followed by a 3-1 decision over Houston Baptist. Juniors Kendall Bosse and Jacey Smith were named to the all-tournament team following ACU’s loss to second-seeded Central Arkansas.

“We talked in the locker room after (the championship) match about leaving this arena without hanging our heads,” Mooney said. “We didn’t just make history once, we did it all weekend, and we had a chance to make even more. I told them that this is our standard and our expectation now. I’m so proud of how we finished the season and how we came together and fought to get into the position to win a conference title.”

Both basketball teams made the postseason for the first time in 10 years, with the women participating in their first Southland tournament and the men receiving a bid to play in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT). The men pushed Drake to overtime before bowing, 80-73, while the women were bounced in the quarterfinals by third-seeded Central Arkansas, 54-41. The Wildcats earlier cruised to an 88-66 first-round victory over New Orleans behind a combined 45 points from

guards Dominique Golightly and Breanna Wright.

The track and field teams of head coach Lance Bingham highlighted the Wildcats’ spring sports season.

His men’s squad finished as the Southland outdoor runner-up to Sam Houston State only a few months after placing ninth indoors, while the women’s squad placed fourth at both indoor and outdoor meets.

Fourteen members of the Wildcats’ track and field program went on to qualify for the NCAA West Region Preliminary meet at Sacramento State, where junior Kai Schmidt and the 4x400-meter relay of Blaze Brownlow, Ryan Linton, and Avery and Jared Williams came the closest to reaching nationals.

The Wildcats’ 1600m relay posted a season-best 3:06.80 to place fifth in the third heat against Houston, Baylor, Nebraska and Kansas. The Jayhawks edged the Wildcats within their heat by .68 seconds to earn one of the final qualifying spots, and in earlier heats, ACU was bested by 13th-place Texas Tech (3:06.15) and 14th-place Minnesota (3:06.25).

Schmidt missed the national meet by one spot as his best discus throw of 181-3 (55.24 meters) put him in 13th place.

Earlier in the spring, the golf team placed seventh at the Southland tournament while the softball and both tennis teams lost their debuts in postseason league play. 

– CHRIS MACALUSO

SP OR T S ROUNDUP 2017 season. The Wildcats posted a cumulative GPA of 3.76 during the 2016-17 school year, the best among all NCAA Division I soccer programs. The team’s cumulative GPA for 2017-18 was 3.59, second only to the ACU women’s tennis team (3.68).

Volleyball • The Wildcats finished the regular season 11-17 overall and 7-9 in the Southland prior to going on their historic run at the league’s championship tournament (See story on page 72).

• Junior middle blocker Lauren Walker was the team’s lone All-Conference honoree after ranking seventh in blocks per set with 1.04.

Walker started all 28 matches and appeared in 99 of 105 sets, scoring 287 points on 222 kills, 11 aces and 103 blocks, five of which were solo.

• Beach volleyball made its debut as an ACU sport in February 2018. The team won two matches through five tournaments, defeating Benedictine and St. Edward’s.

Jaren Lewis

SHAWN BEST

Men’s Cross Country

Men’s Basketball

• Ryan Cleary led his team at the Southland meet, finishing 10th overall in 25:05.7 to receive second team accolades. His performance, along with that of sophomore Drew Cummings (21st, 25:19.0) and freshman Conner Miller (28th, 25:35.3), helped the Wildcats attain their highest team finish (seventh, 172 points) since rejoining the league in 2013.

Women’s Basketball

Christina Arteaga

TIM NELSON

Football • The Wildcats finished 2-9 (2-7 Southland) in head coach Adam Dorrell’s first year, with victories coming against Houston Baptist (24-3) and Incarnate Word (45-20).

• The team averaged 10,441 fans per game at its new Wildcat Stadium – good for 25th among all Football Championship Subdivision teams – with sellouts (12,000) against HBU and Southeastern Louisiana.

• Sam Denmark – a two-time first team all-conference selection – was voted second-team All-Southland in 2017 after he finished third on the team with 70 tackles.

Denmark finished his career with 396 tackles, breaking the all-time ACU record of 388 set

by Ryan Boozer (’01) from 1998-2001.

(See story on page 68.)

Soccer

• The Wildcats posted their sixth consecutive winning season (16-14, 9-9) under head coach Julie Goodenough despite claiming one of the youngest rosters in all of NCAA Division I. ACU had the sixth-youngest squad with 75 percent of its roster composed of freshmen and sophomores. One of the latter was Dominique Golightly, who averaged 12.4 points and a team-leading 6.1 rebounds per game.

• Sophomore Breanna Wright was named third-team All-Southland after averaging 13.6 points and 3.7 rebounds during the regular season, and her .888 free-throw percentage (95 of 107) was both tops in the league and 13th in the nation. Her 36.21 minutes per game ranked third among Southland players and 59th nationally.

Baseball

Derek Scott

JEREMY ENLOW

• Freshman Christina Arteaga and junior Dylan Owens each received first-team All-Southland honors. Arteaga also was voted the league’s Freshman of the Year, giving the Wildcats this specific individual award in back-to-back seasons. Shay Johnson won the honor in 2016. Johnson and defenders Michelle Mulrooney and Peyton Bucklew received honorable mention All-Southland.

• Owens led ACU with eight goals, five of them match-winners. Arteaga topped her team in shots (56) and was second in goals (7).

• ACU received a College Team Academic Award from United Soccer Coaches for the

• Head coach Joe Golding (’99) secured the program’s first winning regular season record since 2007-08 at 16-15. The team did not qualify for the Southland tournament at 8-10, but its winning record was enough to receive a bid to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT).

• Junior guard Jaylen Franklin was voted to the All-Southland Defensive Team, while junior forward Jaren Lewis and sophomore center Jalone Friday were each voted honorable mention. Franklin tied for fourth in the league in total steals (57) and steals per game (1.9), anchoring an ACU defense that finished seventh in the league in scoring defense, allowing 71.3 points per game in the regular season.

• Friday led ACU in scoring (13.3 points per game), followed at 13.2 by Lewis, who also was the top rebounder (7.7 per game).

• Head coach Britt Bonneau resigned on the final day of the regular season after the Wildcats’ finished with an overall record of 21-33 (5-25 Southland Conference). He was replaced June 21 by Dallas Baptist pitching coach Rick McCarty. (See story on page 67.)

• Three members of the junior class – Dalon Farkas, Derek Scott and Matt Munoz – received varying all-Southland postseason honors. Farkas was voted first-team designated hitter. Scott earned third-team utility player honors, and center fielder Munoz was honorable mention. Munoz topped the Wildcats in hitting with a .316 average and 46 runs scored. Farkas hit

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.296 and led the team in doubles (22) and RBI (35). Scott hit .289 and led ACU in stolen bases (15).

• The Wildcats finished their season with a 13-9 overall record and 7-4 mark against the Southland. All of ACU’s league losses were by one point, falling to Central Arkansas, Sam Houston State, McNeese and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

• Senior Lucile Pothier represented the Southland at the Oracle ITA Masters for the second consecutive fall, and along with freshman Nini Memishishi, was voted second-team All-Southland.

• The Wildcats were 23-26 overall, and 15-12 in the Southland, good for sixth place.

• Senior first baseman Brianna Barnhill was named second-team Google Cloud Academic All-America by the voting members of CoSIDA (Collegiate Sports Information Directors).

A kinesiology major with a 4.0 cumulative GPA, Barnhill is only the second Wildcat softball player in program history to earn this prestigious distinction, joining catcher and 2007 first-team honoree Samantha Borgeson.

• Four ACU players earned All-Southland honors, led by senior pitcher Hannah Null, who received one of the two first-team spots reserved for pitchers. Senior Peyton Hedrick was named second-team shortstop and Alyson Bishoff and Donelle Johnson was third-team designated player and outfielder.

• Null had an 18-13 record with seven shutouts and a 2.03 ERA; opponents batted just .217 against her. Johnson hit .310 and Hedrick let the team with 27 RBI and a .535 slugging percentage.

John Walker

TIM NELSON

Softball

JOSHUA GATELEY

Kai Schmidt

Kayla Melgar

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ACU TODAY

TONY CHEN

• John Walker (’89) was promoted to head coach of the Wildcats’ women’s team in June 2018. His association with ACU tennis dates back to the mid 1980s as a player and later, as an assistant to men’s head coach Hutton Jones, starting in 2003. Walker’s three daughters, Jaclyn (Walker ’11) Withrow, Madelyn (’14) and Erin (’18), were all Wildcat tennis letter winners.

Spring-Summer 2018

• Alexandria Hackett (10,000 meters), Michaela Hackett (5000 meters) and Kayla Melgar (discus) were event champions at the Southland outdoor meet, leading the Wildcats to a fourth-place showing in San Antonio.

• Alexandria and Michaela Hackett also were named to all-conference indoor teams in the 3000- and 5000-meter runs for placing second and third, respectively.

• Throwers Lonnie Smith and Melgar received second-team and third-team All-Southland indoor honors for their efforts in the weight throw and shot put.

Golf

Women’s Tennis

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• Junior thrower Kai Schmidt was voted the league’s Outdoor Men’s Track and Field Athlete of the Year and Men’s Outstanding Field Events Performer. He was the Southland’s highest point scorer at the Southland outdoor championship, finishing in the top three in shot put, discus and javelin.

• Five Wildcats were named second-team All-Southland indoor track and field: junior Morgan Knight (shot put and weight throw) and the men’s 4x400 relay team of Avery Williams, Jared Williams, Lee-Andrew Bloomfield and Ryan Linton.

Women’s Track and Field

Men’s Tennis • The Wildcats of head coach Hutton Jones (’81) registered their fourth-consecutive winning season with overall and conference records of 14-11 and 3-2. Second-team All-Southland honors went to brothers Josh and Jonathan Sheehy, senior Henry Adams and sophomore Niko Moceanu.

• The Sheehy brothers defeated teams from Texas and Rice in addition to the No. 1 seeds from Utah State, but came up short in their quest to bring the Midland Collegiate Invitational doubles trophy back to ACU for a second straight year. They fell 8-5 to the third-seeded Longhorn junior tandem of Colin Markes and Adrian Ortiz.

• Josh Sheehy joined ACU senior Lucile Pothier at the Oracle ITA Masters in Malibu, California, as representatives of the Southland, and at ITA Texas Regionals Sheehy reached the singles quarterfinals with wins over competitors from Texas, Texas Tech and SMU.

Men’s Track and Field

• Junior Garrett Glanton and freshman Alex Clouse were voted third-team All-Southland. Clouse tied for seventh at the Jim Rivers Intercollegiate with a score of 213 (71-72-70) for his best finish of the season. He averaged a score of 74.30, carding two rounds of 68 through 10 tournaments. Glanton finished third at the Colin Montgomerie Invitational playing rounds of 67-71-71 (209), and tied for 37th at the Southland tournament with a score of 244.

In 30 rounds of play, the Dallas native averaged 74.5, with a season-low round of 67.

• Sophomore Bryce Dooley finished the Southland tournament tied for 11th with scores of 74-73-81 (228), while junior Kade Miller finished 21st after recording his best round on the final day of the tournament (3-over-par 75). 

YOUR GIFTS AT WORK

Amount of 2018 Day of Giving gifts that will benefit students, thanks to matching funds.

66 Percentage of 2018 Day of Giving gifts designated to the Exceptional Fund.

28,351 Combined number of Facebook video views for all four 2018 Day of Giving videos.

10,000 Number of photos taken during a three-hour period while then-senior art major Audie Pope (’18) painted a mural to create a timelapse for the 2018 Day of Giving teaser video.

Recent scholarship endowments created • Todd D. Batt Endowed Scholarship • Campbell Family Endowed Scholarship • Weldon G. Cannon and Patricia K. Benoit Endowed Scholarship • Dutton Family Endowed Scholarship • Ephesians 3:20 Endowed Scholarship • Graduate School of Theology Endowed Scholarship • Grateful Heart Endowed Scholarship • Henley Family Opportunity Endowed Scholarship • Jack Maxwell Endowed Scholarship • McGlothlin Brothers Entrepreneurship Endowed Scholarship • Charlie and Mollie Middlebrook Endowed Scholarship • Nicholson-Upp Family COBA Endowed Scholarship • Steve and Becky Smith Endowed Scholarship • M. Sheppard Strong Accounting Endowed Scholarship • Kirk and Kristi (Halfacre) Thaxton Band Endowed Scholarship • Kirk and Kristi (Halfacre) Thaxton Track Endowed Scholarship • Jackie Jones Thomas Endowed Scholarship • Gary and Lacey Wells Endowed Scholarship • Willis/Cha Endowed Scholarship • Woolfolk Endowed Scholarship • Tim Yandell Frater Sodalis Endowed Scholarship To create your own endowed scholarship or contribute to an existing one, see acu.edu/giveonline or call 800-588-1514.

Students shine at 2018 President’s Circle Dinner

CRANDALLOGRAPHY

$216,000

ACU junior Maegan Holbrook demonstates laser-induced fluorescence of an organic dye at the President’s Circle Dinner on Feb. 17, 2018. Chemistry and biochemistry majors were among students who performed experiments and showed their research during a reception for PCD dinner guests.

Attendees at this spring’s President’s Circle Dinner celebrated the success of ACU’s Vision in Action initiative. Studentathletes from football, track and field, cross country and soccer were on hand, as were students from each science department, to discuss their experiences in the facilities created or updated through the initiative and talk about the great things they are accomplishing.

“This is only a microcosm of Vision in Action and the great things our students achieve,” president Dr. Phil Schubert (’91) said at the dinner, “but I hope you came away with this: Abilene Christian’s students are not only fulfilling the vision we set forth. Our students are visionaries themselves.” 

Learn how to become a President's Circle member at acu.edu/presidents-circle

Donor generosity helps Day of Giving surpass goals The ACU community successfully came together May 15, 2018, to #SupportWildcats for the second annual Day of Giving: the university received more than 770 gifts, which surpassed the day’s goal.

Thanks to matching funds provided, gifts benefiting students will total more than $216,000. ACU’s first Day of Giving in 2017 totaled more than $140,000.

“Seeing so many in our community – students, alumni, faculty, staff, parents and friends – rally to support students is so inspiring,” said Jim Orr, J.D. (’86), vice president for advancement. “The amount of money that will go toward programs, scholarships and meeting critical needs is such a blessing to students. We’re so grateful.”

Gifts support students in one of three areas: funding academic, leadership and financial need scholarships; the Katie Kirby Student Care Fund, which provides critical, immediate resources to students in need; and the Exceptional Fund, which meets ACU’s greatest needs and provides ongoing funding for scholarships, faculty and programs.

The #SupportWildcats hashtag was a theme for the day, and members of the ACU community shared stories about why they gave as part of Day of Giving.

Travis Crow (’88) of Fort Worth, Texas, was on campus to see his son, Braden (’18), graduate May 12. He wrote in a Facebook post: “For those of you asking what Braden needs for graduation, a donation in his name on this Day of Giving would be a huge honor to him.”

“ACU gave me five of the best years of my life,” wrote Heather (Young ’14) Finger. “I am honored to be able to help other students have the same opportunities by giving back to the best university.”

“It feels great to join the tradition of supporting students and sharing what makes ACU so special,” wrote alumna Alicia (Phillips ’02) Pierce. 

– SARAH CARLSON ACU TODAY

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EXPERIENCES

1976

Submit your news online at blogs.acu.edu/acutoday/experiences or use the EXperiences card in each issue of the magazine.

Deadlines: ACU Today is published two times a year. Because of printing deadlines, your news could be delayed by one issue.

In Memoriam: It’s best for a member of the deceased’s immediate family to submit notification, preferably with a copy of the official published obituary.

Contact information: To help ensure the privacy of our alumni, ACU Today no longer shares email and postal addresses of those whose self-reported news appears in EXperiences. If you would like contact information for someone listed here, call 800-373-4220 or email alumni@acu.edu for assistance.

Billy Dennis Jr. retired in May 2016 after 35 years as a teacher. He and his wife, Pattie Jo (Moody ’79), live in Rio Vista, Texas.

1977

Steve Carrell is a missionary to Japan for the Center Road Church of Christ in Kokomo, Indiana. He currently lives in Abilene, Texas.

1978

David and Catherine (Ryan ’85) Bradley are new grandparents. David is a chemist for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

They live in Littleton, Colorado.

1980 1952

Louise (Lanford) Looney was keynote speaker for the 2017 Colorado Christian Writers Conference, which named her Writer of the Year for her latest book, Out of Darkness Into His Marvelous Light. She lives in Conroe, Texas.

Robert H. “Bob” Watlington and his wife, Marida (Ray), celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary Sept. 5, 2017. They have two children, David Watlington (’79) and Lori (Watlington ’83) Soward, and live in Mesquite, Texas.

1954

Sally (Pannil) Curby is retired and lives in North Richland Hills, Texas.

Robert and Barbara (Lyon) Penick celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary June 26, 2017. They live in Perkins, Oklahoma.

Bobbie Abston Huebner has moved from Bellaire to Dallas, Texas.

1957

Paul and Rozilla (McKnight ’58) Harland have a new address in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Bill and Lily Jo “Lil” (Walters ’59) Abston eloped while they were students at ACU and celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary April 22, 2017. They live in Rockwall, Texas.

1958

Harold Waggoner and his wife, Treasy, live in Cloudcroft, New Mexico.

1960

Walter and Shirley (Lewis ’91 M.A.) Straker are retired in Chestermere, Alberta, Canada, where he was minister for 26 years of the Bramalea Church of Christ.

1962

John W. Faules, husband of Barbara (Hornbuckle) Faules for 49 years, died June 13, 2016. Barbara lives in San Antonio,

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Mike Barker and Judy Kline, June 24, 2017.

They live in Wilmington, Delaware.

Dr. John Hubbard earned a Ph.D. in human capital development at the University of Southern Mississippi in May 2017. He was named USM’s top HCD student and received the Dr. David Powe Learning Leader Award at commencement. He and his wife, Marian (Scott), live in Fairview, Texas. He is executive director of the Stephenville (Texas) Economic Development Authority.

1967

1981

Texas, following a 36-year career as an elementary school teacher in Grandview, Missouri.

1965

MARRIED

Patty Lou (McCarty) Mitchell is a flight instructor and retired 747 pilot. She is active in The 99s Inc. – the International Association of Women Pilots – and mentors women in commercial aviation. She and her husband Robert, live in Columbus, Montana.

1969

Bryant Stavely won the 2017 National Masters Weightlifting Championship for the 151-pound weight class for men age 70-74.

He and his wife, Marcy, have two children and four grandchildren, and they live in Coppell, Texas. Bryant is lead developer for Hotsos Enterprises Ltd. Robert L. Hurley was inducted into the Texas Judicial Academy, a partnership between the Texas Association of Counties and the Texas Tech University School of Law. He and his wife, June (Gerard), live in Pleasanton, Texas, where he is county judge for Atascosa County.

1973

Randy and Kathy (Boyle) Hall have retired, moving from Silicon Valley to Pine Grove, California. He was the preaching minister for 24 years at Campbell Church of Christ, and Kathy was a deposition court reporter for 20 years.

1975

Kay (Littlefield) Van Ess retired in April 2017 from USAA Federal Savings Bank. She and her husband, John, live in San Antonio, Texas.

Roger Kondrup is now minister of the Seaford (Delaware) Church of Christ. He is married to Andrea (Dodd).

1983

Kevin and Kim (Curby ’84) Wasner moved to Amarillo, Texas, in August 2016. He is executive director for Christian Relief Fund, and she teaches second grade at Belmar Elementary School after teaching kindergarten for 19 years in the Keller ISD.

1985

Lori (Givens) Little has been named president and CEO of National Affordable Housing Trust, the first nonprofit low-income housing tax credit syndicator in the U.S. Her husband, Bill, is vice president of Fiserv.

They live in Dallas, Texas.

1986

Kevin and Denell (Witt) Dennis have a grandson, Henderson Todd Dennis, born Jan. 26, 2016. Kevin is an engineer with Texas Instruments. They live in Garland, Texas.

1988

Kimberly Kay Titlow Huff-Howard is employed at Klein High School and has a new address in Tomball, Texas.

Carol (McCarley) Snuffer is now an account executive with CNHI Inc. Her husband, Mike (’91), is in his 14th year as news director for ABC affiliate WSIL-TV. They have three sons –

ALUMNI CONNECTIONS one serves in the National Guard – and three daughters, and live in Herrin, Illinois.

1989

Gerald Todd is now district content specialist for health and physical education in the Phoenix Union High School District.

His wife, Malissa (Endsley ’02), works for Arizona State University. They live in Gilbert, Arizona.

1990

Dr. Doug Peters is now senior minister at Grace Crossing Community Church of Christ in The Woodlands, Texas. He and his wife, Sheryl (Boyd), live in Montgomery, Texas.

1991

MARRIED

Cyndi Osborn and Paul Larsen, Oct. 14, 2017. Cyndi is in her 27th year of teaching and is employed by Yelm Community Schools.

They live in Olympia, Washington.

1992

Amy (Cox) White is now program director for the School of Education and Professional Licensure in Walden University’s Riley College of Education. Her husband, Rob, is an R.N. They live in Matthews, North Carolina.

Jana Kay Wright has a daughter, Jakayla.

They live in Brownwood, Texas.

BORN

To Corey and Janie Cheek, twins Brooks Daniel (a boy) and Finley Jane (a girl), June 16, 2016. They live in Dallas, Texas.

1994

born To Mike and Lindsay Smith, a boy,

Daniel Henry “Hank,” Feb. 8, 2017. Mike is an attorney for Hayes Law Firm PC. They have a new address in Brownwood, Texas.

1996

Cody Huffman was promoted to senior vice president of business development for Simon Premium Outlets and lives in Clifton, New Jersey.

Erika Chavez is president of Abacus Retirement Plan Consultants LLC and lives in Euless, Texas.

By Manuel and Elaine (Willerton) Acosta, a girl, Belinda Josephine, Feb. 22, 2017. She was born April 26, 2011. Manuel is lead engineer at GE Additive and Elaine is director of assessment in the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Northcentral University. They live in Blue Ash, Ohio.

1999

James and Shanon (Baker) Cherveny recently moved to Vancouver, Washington, where she leads the design department of a custom home builder.

2000

MARRIED

James Mayo and Tiffany Browder (’02), July 29, 2017, in Denton, Texas. James teaches fifth-grade social studies, and Tiffany works for Signet Health Corporation.

They live in Seminole, Texas.

BORN

To Robert and April (Martin) Estrella, a boy, Ethan Edward, July 18, 2017. Robert is an accountant, and April is a teacher.

They live in Rowlett, Texas.

2001

Gavin and Elizabeth (Floyd ’00) Pate recently moved from Dallas, Texas, to Ocala, Florida, where he is assistant rector at Christ the King Anglican Church.

BORN

To Russ and Elisabeth (Goldwater) Conser, M.D., a boy, Henry, Aug. 5, 2014.

Russ is a solutions consultant for FIS, and Elisabeth is employed by Texas Tech Physicians of Lubbock Pediatrics.

They also have a daughter, Eleanor, and live in Lubbock, Texas.

To David and Allison Joy (Gentry ’02) Connor, a girl, Hartley Faith, Aug. 31, 2016.

Allison is business manager for Herald of Truth Ministries Inc. They live in Abilene, Texas.

2002

Jason and Jessica (Wilson ’05) Berry have a son, Allen, and live in Rowlett, Texas.

BORN

BORN To Jacob and Charisa (Schaefer) Parker,

a girl, Elizabeth Joy, March 20, 2017. They live in League City, Texas.

To Knox and Jamie (Feerer) Rye, a boy, Knox Warren, April 8, 2016. They live in Lubbock, Texas.

To Chris and Kelly (Harris) Baker, a girl, Charlotte Maree, Aug. 28, 2017. They live in Lewisville, Texas.

1997

2003

Matthew and Amber (Hodges) Richardson and their three children live in Georgetown, Texas.

1998

adopted

By Matt and Sara (McRae) Moreland, a boy, Elijah Knox BaoFan, in July 2017.

He was born Dec. 1, 2014, in Shantou City, Guangzhou, China. They live in Midlothian, Texas.

Eric and Amber (Smith ’04) Green live in Childress, Texas.

BORN

To Ryan and Melissa (Bailey) Thuston, a boy, Benjamin Thad, May 16, 2017. They live in Houston, Texas.

To John and Stacey (Danley ’02) Tatum, a boy, Jack Everett, Oct. 21, 2016. They also have twin daughters, Olivia Ruth and Norah Josephine, and live in Dallas, Texas.

I

can picture that day easily: Hamburgers and hot dogs sizzling on grills, and children playing near the GATA Fountain. Old friends relaxing in camp chairs, catching up over glasses of lemonade.

Students sporting their best ACU gear, painting children’s faces in preparation for the game. And generations of ACU alumni and friends lining up to cheer Fisher the band and the football team on their way to Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium.

Members of the ACU community showed up in style Sept. 16, 2017, when we launched on-campus tailgating and started a new era of Gamedays at ACU, and thousands of fans continued to turn out each home game to show their school spirit. Everyone from longtime friends to new acquaintances told me they felt such a sense of pride about who we are as a community, and also gratitude for the friendships and wonderful things that grow from our time on the Hill.

That sense of community inspired me and the Alumni team as we began planning Homecoming 2018, scheduled for Oct. 11-14. The theme is simple – “Better Together” – but it represents what makes ACU such a special place.

The theme also is reflected in an exciting change to the Homecoming schedule this year: reunion classes will meet up for lunch Saturday as a part of Wildcat Country Tailgating. It was a joy to walk around the Campus Mall on Gamedays last fall, taking in the sights and sounds of our incredible community celebrating together in the heart of campus. I know Homecoming attendees will enjoy this time they can spend with their fellow Wildcats.

Make plans to join us during our second year of Gamedays this fall, especially at Homecoming. It’s an exciting sight to see, from the mall filled with tents to the sea of purple T-shirts in Wildcat Stadium. That’s because Wildcats are better together.  – CRAIG FISHER (’92)

Assistant Vice President for Alumni and University Relations ACU TODAY

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BORN TO BE A WILDCAT The Alumni Association will send a FREE Wildcat BabyWear T-shirt (12-month size) to the alumni parents of each newborn or adopted infant in your family!

Complete the EXperiences news card and mail it to us, or complete the info online at blogs.acu.edu/acutoday/experiences.

In-focus, high-resolution digital images (minimum file size of 500kb; use your camera’s highest quality setting) of alumni children wearing their Wildcat BabyWear should be emailed to babywear@acu.edu. Call 800-373-4220 for more information.

Edith Ann Schroeckenthaler, daughter of Tyson and Elizabeth (Canarsky ’05) Schroeckenthaler of Madison, Wisconsin.

Brynlea Goodman, daughter of Mark (’08) and Rebekah (Cotton ’07) Goodman of Fort Worth, Texas.

Annalyn Joy Lively, daughter of Josh (’06) and Audrey (Maxwell ’09) Lively of Spring, Texas.

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David Christopher Woolfolk, son of Preston (’10) and Julie (Eichelberger ’10) Woolfolk of San Antonio, Texas.

Caleb Sensing, son of Graham (’12) and Jennifer (Gorenflo ’11) Sensing of McKinney, Texas, and Lincoln Keathley, son of Matt (’05) and Leslie (Sensing ’07) Keathley of Fort Worth, Texas.

Korey James Geary, son of Jordan Geary (’13) and Kiki Temple of Fort Worth, Texas.

Devin Carter, son of Adam (’07) and Melissa (McGlothlin ’05) Carter of Arlington, Texas.

Elise Corinne Latner, daughter of Donald Ray Latner II and Rene Trilece (Owens ’96) Latner of White, Georgia.

Jack Robert Moore, son of Travis (’10) and Kristi (Damon ’12) Moore of Amarillo, Texas.

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Ethan Brandon Judah Ronquillo, son of Jeffrey and Donna (Sykes ’02) Ronquillo of Abilene.

Luke Sawyer McCully, son of Michael (’11) and Savannah (Shelton ’11) McCully of Fort Worth, Texas.

Henry Chandler Harris, son of Chandler (’10) and Janna (Kasinger ’12) Harris of Allen, Texas.

Peter Gregory Ratzlaff, son of Stephen and Anna (Carroll ’07) Ratzlaff of St. Charles, Missouri.

Quinn Campbell Hutchinson, daughter of Houston (’12) and Kara (Baccus ’10) Hutchinson of Leander, Texas.

Elias Wallace Brooks, son of Aaron (’14) and Sarah (Boleslawski ’12) Brooks of Fort Worth, Texas.

Carson Ryder Kittley, son of Kolt and Haley (Rhoads ’15) Kittley of Magnolia, Texas.

Jaci Violet Dugger, daughter of Justin (’13) and Lindsay (Lowe ’14) Dugger of Denver, Colorado.

Kate Claire Adams, daughter of Drew and Ashlea (Allred ’08) Adams of Hurst, Texas.

Wilson Paul Viertel, son of Tanner (’08) and Blair (DeLaughter ’08) Viertel of Haslet, Texas.

Van Walker Shaw, son of Andrew and Melody (Willingham ’05) Shaw of Burleson, Texas.

Oliver Keith R.E. Donnelly, son of Jason and Mandy (Nelson ’06) Donnelly of Alvin, Texas.

Rosemary Drake Buchholtz, daughter of Scott and Chelsea (Thornton ’01) Buchholtz of Austin, Texas.

Rhodes Abel Wesley Garrett, son of John (’07) and Kim (Leedy ’09) Garrett of Mobile, Alabama.

Emery Leigh Williams, daughter of Abe (’11) and Eden (Norris ’12) Williams of Fort Worth, Texas.

Riley Flatt, daughter of Justin (’12) and Melanie (Shinsky ’11) Flatt of Abilene.

Shepherd Callan Boone Garrett, son of Grant (’99) and Kendra Garrett of Roanoke, Texas.

Hattie Lou Elise Bunch, daughter of Jordan (’09) and Sara (Beckett ’11) Bunch of Pflugerville, Texas.

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Joshua Carter Dunford, son of Jeremy (’09) and Amanda (Nagel ’11) Dunford of Little Elm, Texas.

Leo Zachary Brackeen, son of Chad and Jennifer (Thigpen ’02) Brackeen of​ Burleson, Texas.

Ethan Edward Estrella, son of Robert and April (Martin ’00) Estrella of Rowlett, Texas.

Benjamin Levi Quary, son of Caleb and Lauren (Stevens ’11) Quary of Celina, Texas.

Josiah Michael Fry, son of Jason and Haley (Dilling ’09) Fry of Gainesville, Florida.

Elliott Boone Powell, son of Stephen (’10) and Daley (Niederhofer ’10) Powell of Paducah, Kentucky.

Cooper Lee Gibbs, son of Ben (’11) and Whitney (Pinson ’13) Gibbs of Bedford, Texas.

Clark Taylor Drysdale, son of Jason (’08) and Courtney (Cagle ’08) Drysdale of Lakewood, Colorado.

Gentry Leigh and Blakely Jay Tatum, twin daughters of Brandon (’08) and Megan (Blalock ’10) Tatum of Edmond, Oklahoma.

Abigail Grace Hines, daughter of Bret (’08) and Catherine (Cortez ’08) Hines of Abilene, Texas.

Tula Joyce Wearden, daughter of Michael (ACU AV analyst) and Andie Wearden of Abilene, Texas.

Elizabeth Hamblin, daughter of Dan and Cara (Cowan ’02) Hamblin of Round Rock, Texas.

London Kaylan Caldwell, daughter of Bryon and Tiffany (Youngblood ’03) Caldwell of London, England, and Lacey McKenzie Schmitt, daughter of Jordan (’08) and Tabitha (Youngblood ’08) Schmitt of Fort Worth, Texas.

London and Lacey are cousins.

Anna Elise Harshman, daughter of Jonathan ('02) and Lisa (Meehan) Harshman of Bakersfield, California.

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Vivian Grace Miles, daughter of Mike (’09) and Blythe (Peden ’10) Miles of Livonia, Michigan.

To Cory and Elizabeth (Lang) Pritchard, a girl, Harper Louise, Nov. 18, 2016. They live in Cumming, Georgia.

ADOPTED

By Bryon and Tiffany (Youngblood)

Caldwell, a girl, London Kaylan, born Aug. 27, 2016. They live in Fort Worth, Texas.

2004

BORN To Cary and Katie (Clarkson ’05) Mathews,

a girl, Julia, March 3, 2017. They have three other daughters and live in O’Fallon, Illinois.

To Loren and Erin (Mathews) Crowe, a boy, Dominik Wade, Aug. 5, 2016. They live in Littleton, Colorado.

2005

Jeremy and Adrienne (Forsythe) Fike recently moved to Abilene, Texas, so he could join Abilene Endodontics, a dental practice specializing in root canal treatment. Their son, Nathaniel Dean, was born Jan. 2, 2017.

BORN To Caleb and Bethany (Knox) Reid,

a girl, Jessie June, May 22, 2017. Bethany is a teacher in the Northside ISD. They live in San Antonio, Texas.

To Chris and Meagan (Suttles) Cummings, twins Kage Brian (a boy) and Paitlyn Paige (a girl), April 24, 2016. They also have a daughter, Sutton, and live in Henderson, Texas.

To Willie B. Williams III and Khalilah (Joseph ’06) Williams, a boy, Kai Michael Joseph-Williams, Oct. 29, 2016. They live in Dallas, Texas.

To Brendan and Erin (Utley ’07) Voss, a boy, Jack Samuel, April 1, 2017. They live in San Antonio, Texas.

To John and Lori (Bredemeyer) Ryan, a girl, Michelle, Feb. 9, 2017. Lori is senior project manager for MDReview. They also have a son, Jacob, and live in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.

To Trey and Melissa (Dean) Tinsley, a boy, Brooks Dean, Aug. 8, 2016. They live in Fate, Texas.

2006

Charles and Brooke (Monroe) Nobles live in Abilene, Texas, with their three children.

Charles is head women’s soccer coach at McMurry University, and Brooke is an R.N. for Cook Children’s Pediatric Specialties.

BORN To Matt and Jen (Voiles) Aiken, a boy,

Evan Michael, Feb. 2, 2017. They live in Burleson, Texas.

To Randy and Deanna (Cromwell) Sanchez, a boy, Zander Elijah, Oct. 23, 2015. They also have a daughter, Isabella Grace. Randy works in environmental health and safety for Deon Energy, and Deanna is medical billing and coding specialist for Fusion Health and Wellness, and co-director of Shining Stars Preschool. They live in Carlsbad, New Mexico.

To Aaron and Erin (Clardy) Whitaker, a girl, Jenna Beth, Jan. 31, 2017. They live in Fort Worth, Texas.

2007

Jordan (Isom) La Raia is now an attorney at Reed Smith. Her husband, Paul, is legal counsel for Blade Engineering Partners.

They have two children, Lydia and John, and live in Houston, Texas.

BORN To Preston and Shelbi (Watten) Rampy,

a boy, Prescott Steven. They live in Frisco, Texas.

To Blake and Brianna (Fowlkes ’12) Dozier, a girl, Brooklyn Mae, Dec. 14, 2016. Blake is youth and family minister at Oldham Lane Church of Christ. They live in Abilene, Texas.

To Greg and Jamie (Shelburne) Crowley, a girl, Margaux Vera Noelle, June 28, 2017.

Jamie is a graphic designer at West Texas A&M University. They live in Amarillo, Texas.

To Marshall and Kayli (Fredrick) Harding, a girl, Eva Kate. They live in Rockwall, Texas.

To Travis and Lindsey (Lankford) Roby, a boy, Jake Thayer, July 15, 2016. They also have a daughter, Claire Elizabeth, and live in Midland, Texas.

2008

MARRIED

Camari Carter and William Hawkins, July 15, 2017. Camari was the featured poet in “Race in the Age of Trump,” a conference sponsored Sept. 12, 2017, by the ACU McNair Scholars Program. They live in Los Angeles, California.

Jenica BreAnn Lee and Chris Tomdale, July 24, 2017, at Brush Canyon Ranch in Rye, Colorado. Jenica is marketing coordinator for Silicon Mountain Technologies. They live in Westminster, Colorado.

Stephanie Jarvis and Robert Walthour, April 1, 2017. Stephanie is a paraprofessional for the Abilene ISD. They live in Abilene, Texas.

BORN To Andrew and Ashlea (Allred) Adams,

a girl, Kate, June 13, 2016. They also have a son, Luke, and live in Hurst, Texas.

To Taylor and Shea (Balli) Smith, twins Boone Harlan and Steele Thomas, Feb. 1, 2017.

They also have a daughter, Brooke, and live in Hico, Texas.

To Peter and Kristen (Cothran) Ellwood, a girl, Bretleigh, Sept. 6, 2017. They have three other children and live in Frisco, Texas.

To Jonathan and Valerie (Goode ’07) Navarro, a boy, Rudy Jameson, July 9, 2017.

They live in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

To Kevin and Annie (Terry) Carroll, a girl, Laken Larae, Jan. 30, 2017. Annie is a licensed clinical social worker. They live in North Las Vegas, Nevada.

To Bret and Catherine (Cortez) Hines, a girl, Abigail Grace, May 7, 2016. They live in Abilene, Texas.

To Will and Kelsie (Dunn ’09) Morris, a girl, Hallie, Jan. 11, 2017. They have another daughter, Tinley, and live in Sweetwater, Texas.

To Tanner and Blair (DeLaughter) Viertel, a boy, Wilson Paul, April 4, 2017. They live in Haslet, Texas.

To Benjamin and Abigail (Felmet ’09) Wilson, a girl, Ada Rose, July 12, 2017. They live in Woodland Hills, California.

2009

Henry and Denise (Smith) Holub live in Altus, Oklahoma. Henry has transitioned from youth minister to preacher at Tamarack Road Church of Christ. Denise is a special-education teacher in the Altus Public Schools. They have a daughter, Hadley.

MARRIED

Tim Brooks and Valerie Wuerth, July 2016. He is a revenue accountant for Occidental Petroleum Corporation. They live in Houston, Texas.

BORN To Matt and Valerie (Hanneken ’08)

Mastalka, a girl, Macy Lynn, Jan. 25, 2017.

They live in Dallas, Texas.

To Michael and Erin (Rutledge) Jereb, a boy, Luke Anthony, Aug. 18, 2017. Erin is a bilingual speech language pathologist at Baylor Scott and White. They live in Temple, Texas.

To Tom and Sarah (Drummond) Rowell, a girl, Leilani, March 6, 2017. They live in Pueblo, Colorado.

To Corey and Megan (Barnett) Dunigan, a boy, Andrew Thomas, Nov. 3, 2016.

Megan is communications coordinator for Columbus Avenue Baptist Church. They live in Hewitt, Texas.

To Garrett and Kimberly (Hogan) Smith, a girl, Jayna Rose, June 20, 2017. Garrett is a CPA at Condley and Company, and Kimberly is a realtor at Stovall Realtors. They live in Abilene, Texas.

To Cole and Kelsey (Shaw) Watts, a boy, Hunter Todd, Sept. 1, 2017. They live in Abilene, Texas.

2010

Dr. Megan Faver Hartline earned a Ph.D. in rhetoric and composition from the University of Louisville in May 2017. She and her husband, Garrison Hartline (’11), moved to Hartford, Connecticut, where she is associate director of community learning at Trinity College.

Dr. Jamalin “Jami” Harp graduated with a Ph.D. in history from Texas Christian University in May 2017. She is a faculty member in the Department of History at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and lives in Brownsville, Texas.

Emery and Emily (McCallum ’12) Dudensing moved to Lubbock, Texas, where Emery is football offensive coordinator and head track and field coach at Lubbock Christian High School.

Michelle Mitchell is director of operations for the Austin branch of Redeemed Ministries, a faith-based nonprofit that provides a home for victims of human trafficking. She lives in Austin, Texas.

MARRIED

Carly Smith and Logan Campbell, Dec. 3, 2016. Carly is an R.N. for St. David’s HealthCare.

They recently moved to Austin, Texas.

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ACU NEWSMAKERS TEALE PHOTOGRAPHY

Parker

MACK LINEBAUGH

Winners in October of 2017 Gutenberg awards from ACU’s Department of Journalism and Mass Communication were Jan Taylor (’79), director of corporate Farmer communications for UK Healthcare at the University of Kentucky; Scott Parker (’81), co-founder and president of creative and acquisitions at Heat’s Bluff Music in Nashville, Tennessee; and Blake Farmer (’05), news director of WPLN-FM in Nashville.

Julie (Rose ’94) Hinshaw of Medlin Middle School was named Secondary Teacher of the Year for the Northwest ISD in Fort Worth, Texas.

Tracey M. Ferguson (’93) has been named editor of Ebony magazine, adding to her responsibilities as editor of Jet magazine. Ferguson received a Gutenberg award in 2012 from Ferguson ACU’s Department of Journalism and Mass Communication for distinguished career achievement. She was founder and editor of Jones magazine, and lives in Houston, Texas.

In September 2017, Kyle Sheets, M.D. (’73) of Ovalo, Texas, was named Humanitarian of the Year by the American Academy of Family Physicians at the AAFP National Conference in San Antonio. Sheets is CEO of Concord Medical Group. He began work Jan. 2, 2018, as medical director of the ACU Medical Clinic.

OWEN BEANS

Beans

80

Ally (Bonneau ’14) Beans was nominated by the Casting Society of America for a 2018 Artios Award in the category of “New York Theatre – Best Comedy or Musical” for Sweet Charity, an off-Broadway

S pi nr itnegr - S up m W r im n ge r2 20 01 81 8   A AC CU UT O T OD DA A YY

Tyler (King ’05) Hinton – pictured here with sons Clay (left) and Callan – was named 2017 K-12 Art Educator of the Year by the Nebraska Art Teachers’ Association.

She majored in interior design at ACU and teaches at Cross County Community Schools in Stromsburg, Nebraska.

production. She is a casting director and partner with Eisenberg/Beans Casting in New York City.

Adriane (Jewett ’05) Grumbein, assistant professor in the Department of Integrated Strategic Communication within the University of Kentucky College of Communication and Information, was presented the 2017 Early Career Teaching Excellence Award in August at the Association of Education in Journalism and Mass Communication’s annual conference in Chicago.

Brittany Vaughn (’13) participated in the Miss United States pageant in July 2017 as Miss New Hampshire. A sixth-grade English teacher in Princeton, Texas, she also is a model who represented Juan Carlos Pinear and Lorena Roose in shows during New York Fashion Week in September 2017.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Lauren (Hart ’07) Day to the five-member Board of Texas Crime Stoppers Council in the state’s Office of Criminal Justice. Day is founder and president of GoodBuzz Solutions, a marketing consulting firm in Austin, Texas. She has an M.A. degree in international relations and an M.S. in PR, both from Syracuse University.

Lynn (Waller ’86) Kelly, J.D., was appointed associate judge of Tarrant County Probate Court No. 2 in Fort Worth, Texas. She has a law degree from Pepperdine University and is a former prosecutor in the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office.

Renee D. Foshee (’83) of San Marcos, Texas, a manager for RSM US LLP, was elected 2017-18 president of the San Antonio Chapter of the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Foshee earned a juris doctor degree from Texas Tech University School of Law, an L.L.M. in taxation from Southern Methodist University School of Law, and a Master of Accountancy from Texas State University.

Gary Lutes (’73 M.S.) was inducted Oct. 6, 2017, to the Alpena (Michigan) High School Hall of Fame. Lutes earned a B.S. degree from Central Michigan University and recently celebrated his 56th wedding anniversary with his wife, Onita (McCray ’65). He earned a master’s in biblical text from ACU, and the couple served as missionaries in Chile for 21 years.

DEBRA KLAWETTER

Katie (Banta ’99) Alford, president of the Community Foundation of Abilene, received the Woman of Outstanding Achievement Award by the Abilene chapter of the American Association of University Women.

BOB DEHART

MATT WEBB

Taylor

President Donald Trump selected Matthew J. Kacsmaryk (’99) to serve as a district judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas in Amarillo.

Kacsmaryk Kacsmaryk is deputy general counsel at First Liberty Institute in West Plano, a law firm that specializes in religious liberty cases.

Kacsmaryk was an assistant U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Texas from 2008-13, where he was lead counsel in more than 75 criminal appeals and co-counsel in high-profile criminal and terrorism trials, a White House news release said. He earned his juris doctor degree in 2003 from The University of Texas School of Law. A journal article, “Emission of volatile organic compounds from petunia flowers is facilitated by an ABC transporter,” co-authored by Funmilayo Adebesin (’11), was published in the June 2017 issue of Science. Adebesin is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Biochemistry at Purdue University.

Retired veteran kindergarten teacher Mary (McCaleb ’73) Powell was inducted Oct. 27, 2017, to the Wylie (Abilene) ISD Hall of Honor.

Kent Brantly, M.D., (’03) was one of five Indiana University alumni to receive IU’s Distinguished Alumni Service Award on

in Lubbock. He is namesake of ACU’s annual Wes Kittley Invitational track and field meet, held March 23-24, 2018, at Elmer Gray Stadium.

Blinn College humanities professor Essie (Charles ’75) Childers received the Carol Dochen Professor of the Year in Developmental Education Award Childers on Oct. 23, 2017, at the College Academic Support Programs conference.

CASP is comprised of Texas Higher Education professionals in the fields of learning support, developmental education, student services and first-year experiences.

Dr. Norman Archibald (’76 M.S.) was named Abilene’s Most Outstanding Citizen of the Year for 2017, an honor capping his 13 years and five terms as mayor.

ALI (HAYES) SMITH

Oct. 12. The DASA is the university’s highest honor, recognizing service, achievement and significant contributions to one’s community, state, nation or university.

Wes Kittley (’81), head men’s and women’s track and field and cross country coach at Texas Tech University, received its Alumni Association’s Distinguished Service Award on Oct. 20, 2017, during Homecoming festivities HOUSTON ISD

Mason Smith (’15) graduated from law school at Oklahoma University in May 2018 and began a one-year internship with Justice Jeffrey Boyd (’83) on the Texas Supreme Smith Court. Mason, who lettered in baseball for the Wildcats, follows Chris Knight (’12) as the second recent grad from ACU’s College of Business Administration to intern at the state’s highest court. Knight was valedictorian of his 2015 class at SMU’s Dedman Law School and is an attorney for the U.S. Court of Appeals’ 5th District. He was an intern in 2015-16 for Justice Jeff Brown.

U.S. Rep. Ted Poe (’70) announced that he will not seek re-election in 2018 to an eighth consecutive term in the House of Representatives. He has served Houston’s 2nd Congressional district since 2005.

A former prosecutor, district court judge and university trustee, he was ACU’s Outstanding Alumnus of the Year in 2009.

He is chair of the House Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade.

CANDLER SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY

Kellie (Alcorn ’90) Karavias, a magnet school teacher in the Houston ISD, made Southern Living’s 2017 “Southerners of the Year” list for her work with the Cultivated Classroom.

A culinary arts instructor with a bachelor’s degree from ACU in graphic design, Karavias works at Gregory-Lincoln Education Center, where she teaches nutrition education classes and shows students how to grow their own produce and learn to cook. They also make regular trips to local restaurants to meet with and learn from top chefs in the city.

Dr. Carl R. Holladay (’64), the Charles Howard Candler Professor of New Testament at Candler School of Theology at Emory University, has been elected Holladay to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honorary societies and a leading center for independent policy research. He is senior fellow at the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory and a popular lecturer at colleges and universities around the world. He also is a former ACU trustee.

Doug Orr (’83) of FirstCash Financial Services earned several spots on Institutional Investor’s 2018 All-America Executive Team as one of the top chief financial officers for consumer finance in the U.S. Also, FirstCash Financial Services received recognition in The M&A Atlas Awards as USA Deal of the Year ($1-5 billion category) for its merger with Cash America International. ACU trustee Rick Wessel (’81) is CEO of FirstCash Inc.

BORN To Colby and Chessi (Brehm) Day, a girl,

Poppy Belle, March 21, 2016. Colby is a dentist.

They also have a son, Broxton Brehm, and live in New Braunfels, Texas.

To Jeremy and Amanda (Nagel ’11) Dunford, a boy, Joshua Carter, March 27, 2017.

Amanda teaches kindergarten in the Plano ISD. They live in McKinney, Texas.

To David and Julie (Eichelberger) Woolfolk, a boy, David Christopher “Kit,” Sept. 8, 2016. They live in San Antonio, Texas.

To Philip and Natasha (Fowler) Dosa, a boy, Abraham, Dec. 12, 2016. They have two other children and live in Ottestad, Norway.

To Tyler and Stephanie (Krimsky ’12) Lewis, a boy, Henry James, June 23, 2017.

They live in The Woodlands, Texas.

To David and Kristen (Turner ’06) Ayres, a boy, Matthew Turner, March 2, 2017. David is associate minister at Golf Course Road Church of Christ, and Kristen is an R.N. for Texas Oncology. They live in Midland, Texas.

To Chris and Autumn (Whitaker ’11) Softley, a girl, Tyler Belle, Jan. 8, 2017.

They live in Lubbock, Texas.

To Kyle and Emily (Plemons ’09) Thomas, a girl, Blakely Claire, June 5, 2016. They live in Cedar Park, Texas.

To Adam and Aubree (Selinger ’14) Browning, a boy, Theodore Bruce, Oct. 26, 2017. They live in Abilene, Texas.

2011

Whitney McGaha, O.D., began practicing in June 2017 as an optometrist at Advanced EyeCare and Vintage EyeWear in Abilene, Texas.

BORN To Bailey and Rachel (Webb) Hart, a boy,

Marshall June Hart, July 7, 2017. Bailey is a digital video producer for Quorum Software, and Rachel is a corporate recruiter for Smith & Associates. They live in Houston, Texas.

To Adam and Anna (Isenhower ’08) Matthews, a boy, Everett Foy, July 29, 2017.

They live in Brighton, Michigan.

To Justin and JoAnna (Vallejos) Price, a girl, Finley Hannah, March 18, 2017.

They live in Fort Worth, Texas.

To Caleb and Lauren (Stevens) Quary, a boy, Benjamin Levi, Aug. 4, 2017. Caleb is senior consultant for Conduent, and Lauren is manager of internal communications at the George W. Bush Presidential Center. They live in Celina, Texas.

To Austin and Hannah (Rainer) Norris, a boy, James Keith, March 10, 2017. They live in McDonough, Georgia.

To Cody and Heather (Richard) Hamrick, a boy, Cash Daniel, April 15, 2017. Heather works in the Cook Children’s Health Care System.

To Evan and Jill (Nelson) Steele, a girl, Eden Elizabeth, June 22, 2017. Evan is stewardship coordinator at ACU. They live in Buffalo Gap, Texas.

To Jeff and Emily (Hart ’13) Warr, a boy, Wyatt Wesley, May 7, 2017. They live in Lakeside, Texas.

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SERVING YOU ADVANCING ACU Do you want to recommend a future student, volunteer, host an event or just learn more about how you can be involved with ACU where you live?

To help foster relationships with alumni and future students, ACU has assigned personnel from its Advancement and Admissions offices to major markets in Texas as well as Nashville, Tennessee.

A university relations manager (URM) focuses on establishing relationships with churches, schools, alumni and other friends; an admissions counselor (AC) reaches out to future students and their parents; and an advancement officer (AO) assists prospective donors seeking an opportunity to contribute funds to ACU. Through this territory team approach, these dedicated professionals can provide exceptional service to those who contribute so graciously to ACU’s mission and 21st-Century Vision.

ABILENE AND THE BIG COUNTRY

Brittany Lewis • AC • 325-674-2650, brittanyl@acu.edu Macy McAlister • AC • 325-674-2650, macym@acu.edu Anthony Williams • AO • 325-829-4328, williamsa@acu.edu

WEST TEXAS AREA John Mark Moudy • Senior AC (Amarillo, Midland, Odessa) 325-674-2969, johnmarkm@acu.edu Anthony Williams • AO • 325-829-4328, williamsa@acu.edu

AUSTIN AREA Tunisia Singleton • Senior URM (Austin / Central Texas) 512-450-4329 • tunisia.singleton@acu.edu Charles Gaines • AO • 512-713-0067, charles.gaines@acu.edu Allison Self • Senior AC (Austin / Central Texas) 325-674-2654, aself@acu.edu

FORT WORTH AREA Brent Barrow • URM • 817-946-5917, brent.barrow@acu.edu Jacob Groves • Senior AC (Erath, Hood, Johnson, Palo Pinto, Parker, Somervell, Tarrant counties) • 325-674-2687, jacobg@acu.edu Chris Ballard • AC (Erath, Hood, Johnson, Palo Pinto, Parker, Somervell, Tarrant counties) 325-674-2650, chrisb@acu.edu Abigail McClellan • AC (Collin, Denton, Palo Pinto, Parker, Wise) 325-674-2650, abigailm@acu.edu Nino Elliott • AO • 817-845-2260, nino.elliott@acu.edu

DALLAS AREA Toni Young • URM • 214-402-5183, toni.young@acu.edu Abigail McClellan • AC (Collin) • 325-674-2650, abigailm@acu.edu Ashley Bennett • AC (Dallas, Rockwall, Ellis, Kaufman) 325-674-2079, ashleyh@acu.edu Hannah Davis • AC (Dallas, Rockwall, Ellis, Kaufman) 325-674-2650, hannahd@acu.edu Don Garrett • AO • 325-674-2213, don.garrett@acu.edu

HOUSTON AREA Carri Hill • Senior URM • 713-582-2123, carri.hill@acu.edu Shelby Fair • AC • 325-674-2650, shelbyf@acu.edu Jaquelyn Loya • AC • 325-674-2650, jaquelynl@acu.edu Eric Fridge • AO • 713-483-4004, eric.fridge@acu.edu

SAN ANTONIO AREA Kerry Stemen • URM • 830-388-0615, kerry.stemen@acu.edu Jesse Luna • AC (San Antonio / South Texas) 325-674-2807, jessel@acu.edu Charles Gaines • AO • 512-713-0067, charles.gaines@acu.edu

NASHVILLE AREA / EASTERN U.S. Allison Self • Senior AC • 325-674-2654, aself@acu.edu (Nashville) Jason White • AC • 325-674-2663, jasonw@acu.edu (Eastern U.S.) Mark Meador • AO • 615-815-4360, meadorm@acu.edu

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Purple & White Parties hosted by alumni introduce students to ACU, renew ties among former students Owners Cecil (’71) and Judi (Hines ’68) Eager have welcomed countless guests to the Gruene Mansion Inn in New Braunfels, Texas, but those who arrive looking to learn more about Abilene Christian might be some of the most memorable.

When one local man brought his daughter-in-law and granddaughter, for example, he jokingly said, “Well, I got them here – you do all the rest,” Judi said.

He wasn’t far off; they were, after all, attending a Purple & White Party hosted at the inn, a time for prospective students and families to meet staff and alumni and learn more about what it means to be a Wildcat. The Eagers are two of numerous alumni who host such events, mostly throughout Texas, to try to encourage their fellow community members to attend ACU, and both say they relish the opportunity.

“It’s a joyful experience to see people begin to get excited about ACU and what it has to offer,” said Cecil, who was head tennis coach (1977-83 and 1986-90 ) and athletics director (1990-95) for the Wildcats, and is now a member of the Board of Trustees. “People come to connect, and it makes a difference when they discover people they know and respect from their area are ACU people.

It elevates the university in their mind as an option for school.”

Like many ACU traditions, Purple & White Parties are the brainchild of vice president emeritus Dr. Robert D. “Bob” Hunter (’52). They began in 1958, organized to take place on New Year’s Eve in Abilene and communities around the world where alumni lived. That first year more than 30 took place, and in 1980 they grew to 150 (60 in Texas cities and others in five nations) on Purple & White Night Around the World as part of ACU’s 75th anniversary celebration.

Today’s Purple & White Parties take place year round and are infused with a cross-functional team of professionals from campus, including undergraduate admissions staff, university relations managers and alumni relations officers who are on hand to answer questions, and prospective students also are able to meet each other and make connections ahead of starting school.

Having alumni present adds a special dimension to the mix, said Randy Pittenger (’80). He and his wife, LaGay (Vanderveer ’80), have hosted Purple & White parties for years in their hometown of Belton, Texas, including one Feb. 1 at Belton Church of Christ.

Cecil (’71) and Judi (Hines ’68 M.M.F.T.) Eager of New Braunfels, Texas, recently hosted a Purple & White Party at their historic Gruene Mansion Inn. BELOW, FROM LEFT: Alumni hosts of a recent Purple & White Party in Belton, Texas, included Charles (’12) and Hailey (Clinton ’12) Rotenberry, Bruce (’00) and Kathryn (Floyd ’00) Beaver, Randy (’81) and LaGay (Vanderveer ’80) Pittenger, and Jane Anne (Baisden ’86) and Scott Cox (’84). Not pictured: Ryan (’08) and Sylvia (Tucker ’10) Mack.

JIM FLYNN

SHAWN BEST

“Alumni know firsthand how significantly ACU can impact someone’s life,” Randy said. “We have a unique opportunity to share our experiences with others, such as how Abilene Christian prepared us for our careers or graduate school, and provide personal examples of the ACU difference.”

“It’s always a treat for us to listen as other alumni share their experiences,” he said, “and to know we are helping expand the reach of ACU in our community.”

Charles (’12) and Hailey (Clinton ’12) Rotenberry co-hosted the February event in Belton alongside the Pittengers, Scott (’84) and Jane Anne (Baisden ’86) Cox, and Ryan (’08) and Sylvia (Tucker ’10) Mack.

The Rotenberrys are recent transplants to the area, Hailey said, and jumped at the chance to meet local alumni.

“We love sharing our experience with students who are looking for what ACU offers,” she said. “Purple & White parties are a great gateway to campus visits. Being able to get a glimpse of ACU before they travel to campus is so vital because as soon as they step on campus, they will hopefully immediately feel what we were talking about.

“It’s so encouraging to see students interested in the same experience you had,” Hailey said. “Talking about ACU musters up all those warm and happy feelings you left college with.”

Befitting her role as an inn owner, Judith enjoys spending time with staff members who come in for the events. These visits keep her connected to the university – “we benefit as much as those who come and don’t know anything about ACU,” she said.

“I have received a lifetime of benefits from my affiliation with the university,” Cecil said. “It is an unending gift that we have received, and it’s important that we pay that forward – that we give others that same opportunity. I see it as a responsibility, an obligation, one that we readily accept to perpetuate the name of ACU. “The things that we have received from Abilene Christian were certainly not limited to a great education,” he said, “but the introduction to people and thoughts and a way of life that endure. That’s what you get from ACU.” 

– SARAH CARLSON

PURPLE & WHITE PARTIES

Interested in helping host a Purple & White party in your area, or in getting involved in other ways? Reach out to your nearest university relations manager to learn more. Their contact information is listed on page 82.

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PURPLE PEOPLE Whether flashing the WC, handing out hugs or simply enjoying time together, Wildcats gather on campus and around the world to share their stories and celebrate their common love for each other and for ACU. Here are just a few images we’ve saved since our last issue. Share others with us at acutoday@acu.edu.

PAUL WHITE

JOANN HOLLINGSWORTH

FROM LEFT: Chris Seidman (’92), sophomores Skyler Seidman and Nick Boone, and Amy (Nichols ’92) Boone celebrated the 25th anniversay of the Candlelight Devotional in August 2017. Chris and Amy are co-founders of the Wildcat Week tradition, which Boone wrote about in ACU Today’s Winter-Spring 2017 issue. Chris is married to Tara (McKnight ’93) Seidman, and Amy to Grant Boone (’91), radio-TV voice of the Wildcats.

2) FROM LEFT: Lori (Richardson ’78) and Hal (’78) Burleson and Melanie Smith (’08) met while on the same Holy Lands trip last summer. Hal wrote: “We quickly bonded over our love of ACU, and snapped this photo together in the Israeli desert – deserts still remind us of Abilene!” The Burlesons live in Panama City, Florida, while Smith resides in Nashville, Tennessee.

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CARMEN PRICE

1) Two of the three concert headliners July 13, 2017, at the Calgary Stampede in Alberta, Canada, were Wildcats. Posing backstage at the Scotiabank Saddledome are Ronnie Dunn (’76), Aaron Watson (’00) and Kix Brooks. Watson is a rising star and Brooks & Dunn are the most awarded duo in country music history, with more than 30 million album sales. Dunn performed in The Hilltoppers as an ACU student.

KIM LEESON

SCOTT DELONY

6) New ACU board chair April (Bullock ’89) Anthony poses with Texas Rangers mascot Captain and third-base coach Tony Beasley after throwing the ceremonial first pitch during the annual ACU Night at the Ballpark on June 26, 2018. Some 1,000 alumni and other friends sat together at Globe Life Park to watch the Rangers play the San Diego Padres. The night before, another 300 Wildcats gathered in Minute Maid Park to watch the Houston Astros play the Toronto Blue Jays.

7) Lauren (Stevens ’11) Quary (right), a stay-at-home mom holding her new son, Benjamin, posed during the holidays with former President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush, and Lauren’s sister, Whitney (Stevens ’14) Perry (left). Quary has been manager of internal communications for the Bush Presidential Center for four years.

Lauren and Whitney’s mother is Audrey (Pope ’85) Stevens, former member and past president of ACU’s Alumni Advisory Board.

5

3) FROM LEFT: Joining CBS Sports producer Lance Barrow (’77) at his induction to the ACU Sports Hall of Fame on Oct. 20, 2017, were his daughter, Katie Barrow (’09); his mother-in-law, Joan (Kendrick ’50) Moore; his daughter, Caroline Barrow; and his wife, Melissa (Moore ’80). Lance, who also is an ACU trustee, received the hall’s 25th Lifetime Achievement Award.

4) FROM LEFT: ACU criminal justice majors Eddie Hernandez (’16), Kelsey Leverett (’15) and Jeremiah Schaeffer (’16) earned their badges from the Abilene Police Academy at graduation ceremonies July 28, 2017, at the Abilene Convention Center.

GRANT MILLER

5) FROM LEFT: Jonathan Alvarez (’08), Reggie Howell (’77), and Elizabeth (Alvarez ’05) and Casey Bingham (’07) met up at the National Fantasy Football Convention in July 2017 in Dallas, Texas, where Howell was inducted to the Tony Romo National Fantasy Football Convention Hall of Fame. Howell is founder of the fantasy Texas Football League, which held its first draft of NFL stars in 1980. The Alvarez siblings, like their father, ACU trustee Abel Alvarez (’82), are avid fantasy football players.

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2012

Andrew Hester is serving a residency in orthopedic surgery at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas. His wife, Andre (Wilkinson), is an R.N. for Walnut Hill Obstetrics and Gynecology Associates. They have two children and live in Mansfield, Texas.

MARRIED

Cody Bowden and Courtney Terry (M.S. ’15), May 20, 2017. Cody is a realty specialist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

They live in Fort Worth, Texas.

BORN To Joshua and Victoria (Dilbeck) Dowdy,

a boy, Eamon Aaron, Sept. 26, 2017. Jesse works for USAA, and Victoria is employed

by Arlington Public Schools. They live in Arlington, Washington.

To Ben and Shannon (Smith) Applegate, a girl, Kahlan Sara, Aug. 10, 2017. They also have a son, Liam Alton, and live in Round Rock, Texas.

To Graham and Jennifer (Gorenflo ’11) Sensing, a boy, Lincoln Keathley, Oct. 3, 2016.

Graham is a project manager for PFSweb, and they live in McKinney, Texas.

To Chris and Lacey Masters, a boy, Cage Ashton, April 25, 2017. Chris is director of logistics and purchasing for Pencco Inc. They live in Bellville, Texas.

To Bryce and Allie (Souder ’11) Geeslin, a girl, Savannah Annette, June 18, 2017.

They live in Temple, Texas.

2013

Tony Rolof completed his seventh full Ironman triathlon in April 2017, just five months after breaking his leg and dislocating an ankle in an occupational accident. He lives in Canyon, Texas.

BORN

To Ryan and Denae (Wideman ’14) Young, a boy, Cayden Lane, Sept. 19, 2017. Ryan is an associate designer for Data Projections Inc. They live in San Antonio, Texas.

To Alvin and Samantha Nicole (Greer) McCutchen, a boy, Shiloh Reign, May 11, 2017.

They have two other children and live in Abilene, Texas.

To Kevin and Tori (Watson ’06) Johnson, a girl, Kyla Ruby, June 13, 2017. They live in Gonzales, Texas.

2014

Nicholas and Jennifer (Carpenter) Sterling are new foster parents. Nicholas is North Central Texas - Fort Worth branch chair for the National Association of Social Work, and Jennifer is a transition specialist for Cook Children’s Hospital. They live in River Oaks, Texas.

Zach and Haley (Conaway) Stromberg live in Abilene, Texas. He is finance and accounting manager for EnviroLogic Solutions.

BORN To Aaron and Sarah (Boleslawski ’12)

Brooks, a boy, Elias Wallace, Jan. 19, 2017.

Aaron is senior account executive at EST Group LLC, and Sarah is a training specialist for Nasdaq Inc. They live in Fort Worth, Texas.

To William Rogers III and Amber (Phipps ’13) Rogers, a boy, Benjamin William, Nov. 18, 2016. Amber is a geriatric nurse manager.

They live in Midland, Texas.

To Justin and Sadie (Tiner ’15) Rosenquist, a boy, Sayer Zan, March 23, 2017. They live in Buffalo Gap, Texas.

ADOPTED

By Manda Danae Havens, a girl, Charleigh

Grace, in February 2017. She was born in July 2015. Manda is a social worker at University Medical Center. They live in Lubbock, Texas.

2015

Jake Hall is a teacher in the Richardson ISD and lives in Dallas, Texas.

Ryan Clements is in his second year as co-senior pastor of Mosaic Ministries, an initiative of the Greater New Jersey United Methodist Church. He is finishing a Master of

Divinity degree at Drew University’s theological school. He lives in Madison, New Jersey.

MARRIED Ethan Laster and Sarah Winkler (’14),

Dec. 18, 2016, in Fort Worth. She is academic manager and budget coordinator for ACU’s Honors College. They live in Abilene, Texas.

BORN To TR and Abigail (Flournoy ’14) Varnado,

a boy, Nash Jameson, July 13, 2017. TR is assistant defensive football coordinator at Tolar High School, and Abigail is a speech pathologist at ECI of North Central Texas.

They live in Stephenville, Texas.

To Kolt and Haley (Rhoads) Kittley, a boy, Carson Ryder, May 15, 2017. They live in Magnolia, Texas.

2016

Caleb and Emily Stemen Hughes (’17) live in Glendale, Arizona.

MARRIED Tracy Leigh Richardson and Neil Johnson,

Sept. 8, 2017, in Flower Mound, Texas. They live in Round Rock, Texas.

Tyler Eager and Danielle Woods, April 8, 2017. They met in Dr. Andy Little’s Business Law class at ACU. They live in Hurst, Texas.

Nathan Dougherty and Emily Griekspoor, May 19, 2017. Nathan is employed at Starkey Inc., and Emily is in graduate school at Wichita State University. They live in Wichita, Kansas.

Colby Hatchett and Makenlee Moore (’15), Dec. 18, 2016. They live in Longview, Texas.

2017

Eddie Carter is an ACU graduate student who has three children and lives in Abilene, Texas.

MARRIED Joel Childers and Emily Jane Gerlach,

Aug. 5, 2017. She is director of recruiting and marketing for ACU’s Graduate School of Theology. They live in Abilene, Texas.

IN MEMORIAM 1945

Dr. Callie Elois (Parker) Mickey, 93, died July 6, 2017, in Abilene. She was born April 13, 1924, near Dunn, Texas, and graduated from Grandfalls-Royalty High School in 1941. She married Wayne Everitt Mickey (’43) on March 21, 1943. As the wife of a gospel preacher, Callie was a homemaker, teacher, and partner in Wayne’s ministry in Churches of Christ in Alabama, Texas, Minnesota and New Mexico. When she was 47, Wayne suffered a career-ending brain injury in a car accident.

Callie returned to college, earning a bachelor’s degree in sociology (1973) and a master’s in gerontology (1975) from the University of North Texas, and an Ed.D. at Texas Tech University (1981). She taught on the sociology faculties of ACU and Lubbock Christian University between

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1975 and 1992. She was a trustee of Carillon LifeCare Community in Lubbock from 19791991, including as chair for nine years. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ellis Parker and Ola Wood Parker; Wayne, her husband of 56 years; and sisters Sarah Parker and Ellene Patterson. Among survivors are her daughter, Dr. Carisse Berryhill, and a grandson.

1946

Dr. E. Claude Gardner, 92, died Dec. 31, 2017. He was born Jan. 16, 1925, and graduated from high school in Marmaduke, Arkansas. He earned an associate’s degree in Bible from Freed Hardeman University in 1944, married Delorese Tatum in 1945 while the two were classmates at FHU, and graduated from ACU in 1946 with a B.S.Ed. degree. After

receiving a master’s degree at Texas State University, he began his teaching career in 1948 in the Rosiclare (Illinois) public school system. His long career at FHU began in 1949 as a Bible professor and chair of education and psychology. He later became registrar (1950), dean (1956), vice president (1969) and president (1969). He served as chancellor from 1990-92 before becoming chancellor emeritus.

Gardner received five honorary doctorates during his tenure, and during his 21-year presidency, oversaw FHU’s transition from junior to senior college, and university. Gardner began preaching at age 15, conducted 375 gospel meetings, and authored 500 articles and eight books. He was preceded in death by his parents, O.A. and Edna Gardner; Delorese, his first wife of 56 years; his second wife, Glenda

Jacobs Gardner; brothers, Stanley Gardner, Dr. Don Gardner (’48) and Albert Gardner (’52); and a sister, Ethel Jordan. Among survivors are three daughters, Phyllis (Gardner ’70) Hester, Becky Cyr and Claudia Goodson; a son, David Gardner; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

1948

Rosa Winifred (Swindle) Blanton, 90, died Feb. 28, 2015. She was born Feb. 8, 1927, in Birmingham, Alabama, and married Roy Lee Blanton on Dec. 21, 1948. She earned a B.S.Ed. degree in elementary education and a M.Ed. in school counseling (1975), both from ACU. She taught elementary school in Texas public schools in San Angelo, Midland, Houston and Abilene, retiring as a counselor in the Abilene ISD. She was preceded in death by her parents, Bessie and Edgar Swindle; a sister, Evelyn Michaels; and a brother, Lloyd Swindle.

Among survivors are her husband, Roy; three daughters, Lesa Sandusky, Jana (Blanton ’76) Henney and Pam (Blanton ’78) Bonn; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

1949

Richard E. “Dick” Garrett, M.D., 88, of Abilene, Texas, died Oct. 13, 2017. He and his identical twin brother, Donald Clinton Garrett, M.D., were born Nov. 3, 1928, in Abilene. He graduated from Abilene Christian Schools and served in the Korean conflict. While attending The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, he met Elizabeth Shoults (’58), who was attending nursing school at Parkland Hospital. They married June 9, 1956, and in 1960 he began a career in Amarillo as an anesthesiologist, retiring in 1996. He was preceded in death by his parents, Rich and Doris (Woods ’27) Garrett. Among survivors are Elizabeth, his wife of 61 years; daughters Beth (Garrett ’79) Fullerton, Becky (Garrett ’81) Hendrix, Paula Garrett (’83) and Donna (Garrett ’89) Eason; a son, Rick Garrett (’85); 13 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Donald Clinton Garrett, M.D., died Jan. 18, 2018, at age 89. He and his identical twin brother, Richard E. “Dick” Garrett, M.D., were born Nov. 3, 1928, in Abilene. The two attended Abilene Christian Schools and skipped their senior years to enroll at ACU and graduate together with degrees in chemistry. Don taught one year of public school in Petrolia, Texas, before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force. He married Peggy Anne Austin (’51) on May 30, 1952. After leaving the military, he joined his brother at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. Don and Peggy moved to Monahans, where he devoted 10 years to general practice at the Sandhills Clinic. In 1971 he became – like his brother – an anesthesiologist and moved to Abilene. He later was a founding member of the Abilene Anesthesia Group. He was preceded in death by his parents, Rich and Doris Garrett; and his brother, Dick. Among survivors are Peggy, his wife of 65 years; sons Don Garrett (’77), Dean Garrett (’79) and Dan Garrett (’81);

a daughter, Dee Ann (Garrett ’83) Taylor; 10 grandchildren; and two step-grandchildren.

1951

Deryl Duane Clevenger, 87, of Plainview, Texas, died Feb. 2, 2017, in Lubbock. He was born Dec. 18, 1929, in Swisher County and lived in the Tulia area until he graduated from high school. He earned a B.S. degree in general agriculture from ACU and married Joan (McCasland ’51) Clevenger in 1951. He retired from full-time farming in 1999 but his many honors included recognition from ACU (Aggie of the Year, 1968) and the Hart (Texas) Lions Club (Man of the Year, 1970). He was preceded in death by his parents, William Jeff and Oma Reeves Clevenger; two brothers, Wister Clevenger and Harold Clevenger; a sister, Jetaun George; and a son, Deryl Duane Clevenger Jr. Among survivors are Joan, his wife of 67 years; three daughters, Iona Baldridge, Dee Gannaway and Marie Clevenger; eight grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great-grandchildren; and a sister, Vonda Woolsey.

Pat Clark McLaurin, 87, of Plano, Texas, died March 6, 2017. He was born April 9, 1929, in Ranger and graduated from Crane High School in 1947. He married Rita Raye Talley on Sept.

10, 1949, and was an accountant for Texaco Inc. for 28 years before moving to Plano in 1977 to open a Snelling Employment Service office.

After retirement he worked another 15 years for JC Penney Insurance as a telemarketer. He was preceded in death by his parents, E.E. McLaurin and Vallie R. Ranson McLaurin. Among survivors are Rita, his wife of 67 years; a daughter, Kathy (McLaurin ’74) Peterson; sons Alan McLaurin (’78) and Wade McLaurin (’86); eight grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

1954

ACU Alumni Chorus member Dr. James Leonard Jackson, 84, of Nashville, Tennessee, died Sept. 16, 2017. He was born Oct. 17, 1932, in Farmersville, Texas, where he graduated high school in 1950. He served in the Army from 1955-57. He earned a B.S. degree from ACU, an M.Mus.Ed. from the University of North Texas (1960) and a D.Mus.Ed. from the University of Oklahoma (1970). He served as choral director in Texas public schools in San Angelo and Garland, and in private schools in Abilene and Dallas. For the last 17 years of his career, he was professor and chair of music at Lipscomb University.

For six decades he served congregations in Texas and Tennessee as a music minister, youth minister, education minister, deacon or elder. In 2007 he organized the Bellevue Community Chorus and directed the group until December 2013, when he concluded 60 years of conducting, and became director emeritus. He was preceded in death by his parents, Leonard Jackson and Murl Logan Jackson; brothers Rayford Jackson and Gerald Jackson; and a sister, Francis Finley. Among survivors are Pat (Carter ’59), his wife of 57 years; a son, Jon Jackson; a daughter, Juli (Jackson) Beck; and five grandchildren.

Dr. Max Ray Comer, 85, died Dec. 5, 2016, in Humble, Texas. He was born March 20, 1932, earned a doctorate in safety engineering and worked for Phillips Petroleum. Among survivors are Virginia, his wife of 31 years; sons Rex Comer and Ken Comer; a daughter, Pam Comer; six step-children; and six grandchildren.

1955

Gary Freeman, 84, died July 30, 2017, in Springfield, Oregon. He was born Aug. 21, 1932, in Gallatin, Tennessee. He earned a B.A. in Bible (Greek), a master’s degree in English from the University of Connecticut, and did doctoral work at Case Western University. He was a minister in Connecticut, Ohio and California, and authored several books on religious satire, including Are You Going to Church More But Enjoying it Less? and A Funny Thing Happened to Me On the Way to Heaven. He was an English professor, writer and film critic at Orange Coast College from 1970-90 before retiring in Oregon. Among survivors are four children – Molly McLaughlin, Vicky Halpern, Scott Freeman and Carrie Freeman – and seven grandchildren.

Charley Mac Huffman, 85, of Lubbock, Texas, died June 10, 2017. He was born Oct. 8, 1931, and graduated from Fort Worth Paschal High School. He enrolled at Texas Christian University, married Joyce James and transferred to ACU to work on a B.S. degree in biblical text.

After graduation, he and Joyce worked with a mission church in Milbridge, Maine, the Van (Texas) Church of Christ, and a mission church in Camas, Washington. From 1967-78 they served on a missionary team in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Charley moved to Lubbock to preach for the Parkway Drive Church of Christ following the unexpected death of Joyce. Later, he married Sandra Oliver and continued periodic missions work in Brazil while preaching for the Bell Avenue Church of Christ in Amarillo. He was preceded in death by his parents, James and Edith Huffman; a brother, Bill; and a grandson, Matthew. Among survivors are his wife, Sandy; a son, Monty Huffman; daughters Melody (Huffman ’86) Ford, Wendy (Huffman) Lee, Peggy (Huffman) Ervin and Donna (Huffman) Jan Tillman; sisters Kathryn Daniel and Christine McClung; a brother, Don Huffman; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

1957

Mary (Bauder ’57) Womack died Jan. 2, 2018, at age 82. She was born Feb. 14, 1936, in Rushville, Nebraska, graduated from Abilene Christian Schools. She married Billy Don Womack (’55) on Oct. 30, 1954. She worked at ACU from 1984-2000 in a variety of roles in academic advising, the Department of Teacher Education, and athletics. She was member of the Hawley (Texas) Church of Christ. She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Zoe Mildred (Gibson) Bauder, and her husband, Billy Don. Among survivors are two sons, George Womack and Jake Womack; three daughters, Carol (Womack ’95) Hubbard, Heather (Womack ’87) Allen and Victoria

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Womack; a sister, Sue (Bauder ’61) Dalzell; 15 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

1959

Ted M. Pemberton, 83, died May 20, 2017, in Abilene, Texas. He was born Oct. 12, 1933, in Seymour, Texas. He was a deacon at South 11th and Willis Church of Christ, a former board chair of Christian Homes of Abilene and taught industrial education classes at ACU. In recent years, he and his wife, Cecil Faye (Carroll ’59), helped build Sam’s Place, an orphanage and school for deaf children in Kenya. He was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur Pemberton and Leona Carter. Among survivors are his wife, Cecil Faye; sons Robert Pemberton (’83), Raymond Pemberton (’86) and Billy Biddy; daughters Rebecca Pemberton (’87) and Renee Guerra; four grandchildren; and a brother, C. Glennell “Cotton” Pemberton (’57).

Luetta (Kilpatrick) Kemp, 79, of Kerrville, Texas, died Sept. 17, 2016. She was born July 11, 1937, in Merced, California, and graduated from Chowchilla High School. She married Rowland Russell Kemp (’58) on Sept. 2, 1960.

She was an elementary school teacher in Jal, New Mexico, and Kerrville, Texas, for 30 years.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Bonnie and Myrtle Kilpatrick; a brother, Edwin Kilpatrick; and a sister, Bonna Dea Kilpatrick.

Survivors include Rowland, her husband of 56 years; a daughter, Bonna Evelyn Odle; a son, Russell Dell Kemp (’87); a sister, Erlene Phillips; and three grandchildren.

1960

Homer Thomas Benson, 84, died Sept.

12, 2015. He was born Dec. 22, 1930, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He served four years in the U.S. Navy before enrolling at ACU, where he majored in music education and sang in the A Cappella Chorus. Among survivors are his wife, Norma Armstrong (’57), and two sons, David Benson and Gary Benson.

1966

Writer, editor and Christian activist Billie Ethelyn (Wesley) Silvey died Sept. 20, 2017, one day before her 75th birthday. She was born Sept. 21, 1942, in Sacramento, California, and graduated from Happy (Texas) High School. She met and married Frank Silvey (’66) in Abilene, and was 1964-65 editor of The Optimist. She transferred to Pepperdine University, earning a B.A. in English/journalism in 1967. She worked as a publicity writer at ACU and Pepperdine.

Associate editor of 20th (later 21st) Century Christian Magazine for 24 years, she served as outreach minister for the Culver Palms Church of Christ, executive director of Culver Palms Life Skills Lab, and case manager and grant writer for Westchester High School Healthy Start.

She was co-author with Helen Young of Time Management for Christian Women, wrote the popular God Has … series of Bible study guides, and The Victory Lap: Growing Old With God and God’s Child in the City: Catching God’s Vision for Urban Ministry. She received the Distinguished

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Christian Service Award from Pepperdine University and the Excellence in Mass Media Ministry Award from ACU. Among survivors are Frank, her husband of 54 years; a daughter, Kathy Silvey Hall; a son, Robert Silvey; one grandchild; and a sister, Barbara Webb.

1967

Author, lecturer and theologian Edward William Fudge, 73, died Nov. 25, 2017. He was born July 13, 1944, in Lester, Alabama. Fudge graduated from Athens Bible School, Florida College and ACU, where he earned B.A. and M.A. degrees in Greek. He authored numerous books, including The Fire That Consumes: A Biblical and Historical Study of the Doctrine of Final Punishment and Hell: The Final Word.

He earned a juris doctor degree from the University of Houston in 1988 and for the next 29 years, practiced law with Jenkens & Gilchrist, Simmons & Fletcher, and The Lanier Law Firm. A film based on his life, Hell and Mr. Fudge, was released in 2012. He was preceded in death by his father, Benjamin “Bennie” Lee Fudge (’43). Among survivors are Sara Faye Locke Fudge, his wife of 50 years; a daughter, Melanie Anne (Fudge ’95) Simpson; a son, Jeremy Locke Fudge; six grandchildren; his mother, Sybil Fudge Dewhirst (’43); his brothers, Henry Fudge, Robert Fudge and Paul Fudge; and a sister, Nancy Fudge.

Dr. Dennis E. Smith, 72, of Galveston, Texas, died Sept. 16, 2017. He was born Dec. 1, 1944, in Conroe. Smith earned B.A. and M.A. degrees from ACU, an M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Th.D. from Harvard Divinity School. A professor of New Testament emeritus at Phillips Theological Seminary, he edited five volumes of The Storyteller’s Companion to the Bible and a festschrift in his honor – Stones, Bones and the Sacred: Essays on Material Culture and Ancient Religion in Honor of Dennis E. Smith – was published in 2016. He was a minister in the Christian Church who taught from 1986-2015 at Phillips University. Among survivors are his wife, Barbara McBride-Smith (’66); a son, Adam McBride-Smith; a sister, Joy Tatum; and brothers Jimmy Smith and Travis Smith.

1976

Don Wayne Jackson, 61, of Keller, Texas, died Aug. 19, 2017. He was born Sept. 16, 1953, in Lubbock and graduated in 1972 from Roosevelt High School. He married Kelly Fain (’75) on Aug. 25, 1973. He graduated from Texas Tech University with a B.A. in business management and worked in sales. Survivors include his parents, Max and Mary Jane Jackson; his wife, Kelly; a son, Greg Jackson; daughters Haley Tarango and Carrie Jackson; a grandson; and a brother, Dan Jackson.

Marsha (Jennings) Allred, 62, died Dec. 25, 2016, in Abilene. She was born March 29, 1954, in Paducah, Kentucky. She earned an M.Ed. in 1996 from ACU. She married Ed Allred (’76) on June 6, 1981. Marsha taught chemistry and biology at Abilene Cooper High School for 36 years, including 20 years as science

department chair. An active ACU alumna, she was a sponsor for Ko Jo Kai for 38 years, a member of the biology department Visiting Committee and received the teacher education department’s Lucy Hatch Mentor Award. Among survivors are her husband, Ed; a daughter, Lauren (Allred ’06) Collins; two brothers; and a sister.

1977

Gary Stirman, 62, of San Antonio, Texas, died Aug. 19, 2017. He was born in Abilene on Dec. 1, 1954, and graduated from Abilene High School. He played on ACU’s 1973 national champion team and later, for the Green Bay Packers and Cleveland Browns of the NFL. He worked in commercial real estate and sales, and served as a youth volunteer and mentor. He was preceded in death by his father, Fred Stirman Jr. Among survivors are his wife, Julie Stirman; daughters; Katelynn Stirman and Courtney Hoyt; sons Travis Stirman, Kyle Stirman and Alexander Stirman; his mother, Gladine Jones Stirman; brothers Greg Stirman (’75), Glen Stirman (’84) and Kipruto Soimo; and one grandchild.

1979

David Leon Lugar, 59, died Nov. 18, 2016.

He was born Oct. 18, 1957, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and married Lajan (McConal ’75) Lugar on July 2, 1988. She survives him, as do his mother, Joy Lugar (’50); three daughters, Kellise (Lugar ’02) McLaurin, Kylie Horn and Kori Lugar; a son, Kole Lugar; a sister, Tanis (Lugar) Cornell; a brother, Steve Lugar (’77); and nine grandchildren.

Richard Harvey “Rick” Palmer, 58, died Oct. 22, 2016. He was born Dec. 29, 1957, in Zimbabwe, Africa, and earned a degree in physics from ACU. He married Lisa Chamberland (’80) on Jan. 6, 1979. He retired in 2009 from Texas Instruments. He most recently worked at Texas A&M University.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Roy V. (’40) and Iva Jaxie (Lewis ’40) Palmer; and a brother, Roy V. Palmer Jr. (’66). Among survivors are his wife, Lisa; a daughter, Frances Palmer Eudoxie; a son, Bryan Palmer; brothers Charles “Chuck” Palmer (’78) and Philip Palmer (’82); sisters Jerry Palmer (’63), Carroll (Palmer ’65) Duvall, Mary Etta (Palmer ’72) Hobbs and Rebecca (Palmer ’74) Michaud; and three grandchildren.

1980

Eugene Lawrence “Gene” Boone, 79, died Oct. 28, 2017. Thirty-seven days earlier, he was preceded in death by Charmaine (Breckenridge) Boone, 78, his wife of 58 years.

He was born Dec. 15, 1937, in Dallas, Texas, and she was born Nov. 1, 1938, in Carlsbad, New Mexico. On Nov. 22, 1963, he was a deputy sheriff for Dallas County when he discovered in the Texas School Book Depository the rifle used

by Lee Harvey Oswald to assassinate President John F. Kennedy. After earning a degree in psychology from ACU, he worked for the Texas Department of Human Resources and as director of Ben Richey Boys Ranch. Charmaine

served in various administrative assistant roles at ACU from 1980-87. In 1987, they began an 18-year career with Foster’s Home for Children in Stephenville, Texas. He also was preceded in death by his parents, Edgar and Flora Boone.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Aaron and Ruth Breckenridge. Survivors include their sons, Larry Boone Jr. (’85) and James Boone; a daughter, Jennifer Bray; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Gene has a sister, Joyce (Boone ’61) Smith, and Charmaine has a sister, Susie Erickson.

1986

Todd Douglas Batt, 53, died Feb. 4, 2018, after a battle with ALS. He was born Feb. 20, 1964, and graduated from Chantilly (Virginia) High School in 1982. He was involved in intramurals, Sing Song, A Club, Students’ Association (senior class president), Alpha Phi Omega and Galaxy social club while earning a B.B.A. degree in financial management. He married Michelle Hilbert on July 5, 1998, and was an investment consultant. He was preceded in death by his parents, Reed and Pauline Batt.

Among survivors are Michelle, his wife of 19 years; a daughter, Emma; a brother, Jerry Batt; and a sister, Bonny Batt.

2000

Ayodele “Ayo” Adewuyi Aladefa, 46, died May 17, 2017, in Abilene. He was born Dec. 29, 1970, in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, and graduated from Olubadan High School. He attended Central (Ohio) State University before transferring to ACU. Aladefa was a three-time African national long jump champion, finalist in the 1994 Commonwealth Games, runner-up to world record holder Mike Powell at the USA-Africa dual meet in 1994, and winner of NCAA Division II outdoor national titles in 1997 and 1998. He was preceded in death by his father, Bolaji Aladefa. Survivors include his mother, Patricia Mojisola Aladefa; his wife, Marlais Kenney; a son, Logan Keeney; two brothers, Adeyemi Aladefa and Kehinda Aladefa, M.D.; and four sisters, Bisi Olukoju, Taiwo Aladefa-Olowu, Tope Bakre and Tooke Aladefa.

2017

Landon Wren Powell, 22, died Dec. 4, 2016. He was born April 30, 1994, in Denver, Colorado. Among survivors are his parents, Dan (’87) and Lisa (Gomez) Powell; a sister, Gabrielle Powell (’15); and his grandfathers, Bob Powell (’59) and Bob Gomez.

2018

Zachary Dylan Trussell, 24, died Nov. 4, 2017. Born June 7, 1993, in Amarillo, Texas, he graduated from Anson High School in 2011 and was a senior majoring in engineering at ACU. He enjoyed the outdoors, especially motocross, and playing guitar and drums. Among survivors are his parents, Darrell and Cindy (Kelley) Trussell; a sister, Meagen Trussell; and grandparents Verlon Trussell, and Jane and Andy Sandoval.

2019

Taylor “Drew” Kirk, 24, died Aug. 16, 2017.

He was born Feb. 16, 1994, with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (Brittle Bone Disease) but never let that stop him from achieving his goals. He graduated from Wylie High School in 2012 and earned an Associate of Arts degree in 2017 from Cisco College – where he was co-editor of The Wrangler Express newspaper – and was a junior at ACU. He was employed by Stephens Processing. He was preceded in death by a grandfather, Danny Kirk. Among survivors are his parents, Rusty and Sabrina Kirk; a brother, Cody Kirk; and grandparents Bob and Shirley Anthony, and Tempie Kirk.

2020

ACU junior Celina Rochelle Schuetz, 20, died in an automobile accident with her mother, Catherine Elaine Walker, 51, on Aug. 25, 2017.

Celina was born Nov. 26, 1996, in McKinney, Texas. She graduated from McKinney North High School, where she was in the color guard.

At ACU she a member of GATA, participated in Sing Song and was on the Dean’s Honor Roll. Among survivors are her father, Major R. Schuetz; brothers Ryan Scott Richardson, Anthony Michael Earl and James Castro; and her grandparents, J. Arnold Schuetz and his wife, Avice, and Gilbert Moreno.

OTHER FRIENDS

Dr. Bobby Joe Sims, 85, died March 4, 2017. He was born Aug. 18, 1932, in Texarkana, Arkansas, and earned degrees from Freed-Hardeman University, Murray State University and Southern Illinois University.

He taught political science and government at the University of Southern California, Pepperdine University, Murray State, Texas Christian University and ACU. Among survivors are his wife, Olivia; four sons, David Sims (’80), Philip Sims (’80), Perry Sims (’82) and Danny Sims (’85); three daughters, Patty (Sims ’81) Traweek, Lesley Cano and Paula Morris; a sister, Elizabeth Eaton; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Rue Nell Loyd Meaders, 87, died Aug. 3, 2017. She was born Oct. 22, 1928, in Yantis, Texas. She married Trent Stuart Meaders on April 7, 1950, and they were wed 62 years until his death in 2012. They established the Trent and Nell Meaders Endowed Scholarship for ACU political science majors. She was preceded in death by her parents, Edward McKinley Loyd and Ava Ruth Gilbreath Loyd; a brother, Bob Harold Loyd; and a sister, Eddie Ruth Fitzgerald. Among survivors are a daughter, Julia (Meaders ’74) Potts; a son, Eddie Loyd Meaders (’82); two grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; a sister, Dorothy Jean Weir; and a brother, Loye Carroll Loyd.

Mayme Lee Griffits Churchill died June 19, 2018, in Anson, Texas, at age 99.

Born Dec. 1, 1918, in Sugar Grove, Virginia, she earned a nursing degree from the University of Virginia in 1939 and enlisted as a nurse in the U.S. Army during World War II. She married

Dr. F.M. “Doc” Churchill in 1945, and together formed a dynamic rural missions outreach team while Doc was professor of agricultural and environmental sciences at ACU for 45 years. She was employed by West Texas Medical Center and Humana Hospital until her retirement in 1986. She was a member of the Hamby Church of Christ. She was preceded in death by her parents, Roy and Martha Griffitts; F.M., her husband of 57 years; a son, Roy Churchill (’76); and three sisters, including Jean (Griffits) Canter. Among survivors are a daughter, Barbara (Churchill ’69) Vest; five grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and two sisters, June (Griffits) Shuler and Lucille (Griffits) Kincade.

Bob “KOOL” White died Feb. 18, 2018, at age 80. He was born in Houston, Texas, on June 24, 1937, to Robert Alan and Eunis Gibbs White. He graduated from Milby High School and attended the University of Houston, Sam Houston State University and Abilene Christian.

A movie buff, he enjoyed spending time at his South Texas farm in Fayette County, and at ACU with students.

Former longtime minister George W. Bailey of Katy, Texas, died Nov. 11, 2017, at age 95.

Born April 3, 1922 in Ola, Texas, he graduated from Kaufman (Texas) High School in 1940.

He attended Freed-Hardeman University, Southwestern Oklahoma State University, University of New Mexico and ACU, where the George W. Bailey Endowed Bible Scholarship was created in his name. For more than 50 years, Bailey was an influential minister and missions evangelist in Oklahoma, New York, New Mexico and Texas – including from 1954-72 at Abilene’s University Church of Christ – as well as preaching in campaigns in more than 100 nations on six continents. He was a guest speaker at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City, spoke regularly for Herald of Truth radio and TV broadcasts, and was a staff writer for three Christian publications. He also served on the Board of Directors for Ibaraki Christian College in Japan. He was preceded in death

by Ela Beth (Todd ’44) Bailey, his wife of 68 years; and a son, David Bailey, M.D. (’67).

Among survivors are his son, Philip Bailey (’70); a daughter-in-law, Jill Bailey (’74); six grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.

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In a rare color photograph from his first year as ACU head coach, Bullington (left) talks on a phone to his staff in the pressbox during a 1968 home game in Shotwell Stadium.

Offensive lineman Wayne Walton (73) and tight end Ben Jennings (80) are among players waiting their turn on the field.

Bullington was beloved coach and A.D. Legendary ACU football coach and athletics administrator Foy Wallace “Wally” Bullington (’53) died July 20, 2018, at age 87.

Born May 17, 1931, in Athens, Alabama, he graduated from Athens High School in 1949, when he played in the Alabama North-South All-Star football game.

He turned down a scholarship offer from Auburn University to attend ACU, where he lettered four years, helping lead the 1950 team to the only undefeated, untied football season (11-0) in school history. A center, linebacker and punter for the Wildcats, he was named All-Texas Conference in 1950, 1951 and 1952, and received first team All-America honors in 1952 as a center.

He married Valrie Darden (’53) on Dec. 22, 1952. He earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education (1953) and a M.Ed. degree (1956), both from Abilene Christian.

Abilene High School won three state championships in football with Bullington as an assistant coach. As head coach of the Eagles, he directed his teams to a record of 40-19-1 in six seasons (1960-65). He also taught history at AHS (1953-66) and served on the Board of Directors of the Texas High School Coaches Association.

Bullington had a 62-32-2 record in nine seasons (1968-76) as ACU’s head coach, including the Wildcats’ first NAIA Division I national championship in 1973.

He coached six first-team All-America players, including eventual all-pro running back Wilbert Montgomery (’77).

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INSET: A bronze bust of Wally Bullington – pictured with his wife, Valrie – now resides in the entry of the Margaret L. and William J. Teague Center, thanks to fundraising efforts of colleagues, friends and former players from the 1970s. Sculpted by art and design professor Jack Maxwell (’78) and his wife, Jill (Thompson ’78), it depicts Bullington in 1973 when he led the Wildcats to the NAIA Division I national championship. Ove Johansson (’77), Glenn Labhart Sr. (’79) and Greg Newman (’78) led teammates in the campaign to honor their former head coach.

In 1969, Bullington became ACU’s director of athletics and presided over the Wildcats’ transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II. While he was A.D., ACU won 17 national titles, including another national football championship in 1977, and 41 Lone Star Conference crowns.

Only A.B. Morris was director of athletics at ACU longer than Bullington, who served his alma mater for 39 years as a football player, assistant football coach, head football coach and athletics director before retiring in 1988. He began fundraising work as director of athletics emeritus in 2002. He was voted to Abilene Christian’s Football Team of the Decade (1950s) and its Team of the Century. He was inducted to the ACU Sports Hall of Fame (1993), Lone Star Conference Hall of Honor (1999), and his hometown Limestone County (Alabama) Sports Hall of Fame (2005).

Bullington was a first lieutenant in the 36th Infantry Division of the Texas Army National Guard (1951-62), program coordinator for Herald of Truth (1966-68), an elder for Abilene’s Highland Church of Christ (1974-86), and a board member for the Abilene Independent School District.

He was preceded in death by his parents, J.C. and Ruby Bullington; and three brothers, Wilburn Bullington, J.C. Bullington and Tom Bullington. Among survivors are Valrie, his wife of 65 years; a son, Brad Bullington (’91); daughters Laurie (Bullington ’80) Muns and Brenda (Bullington ’79) Dickson; six grandchildren; six great grandchildren; and a sister, Wray Smith.

Ash was an active member of Abilene’s University Church of Christ. Earlier, he was a pulpit minister in Georgia and California and Texas, including five Church of Christ congregations in Abilene: Central, University, South 11th and Willis, Minter Lane and Highway 36.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Jesse and Virginia (Coleman) Ash. Among survivors are Barbara, his wife of 62 years; sisters Jane Byrd, Judy Barr, Susan Anderson, Lynn Ash and Cathy Hannaford, and their children and grandchildren.

Ash was a C.S. Lewis fan and scholar

KIM LEESON

STEVE BUTMAN BILL ALBRECHT

Dr. Anthony Lee “Tony” Ash, a beloved theology professor whose lectures on C.S. Lewis and biblical teachings brought Christianity to life for thousands of students, died Dec. 6, 2017, in Abilene at age 86.

He was born Oct. 29, 1931, in Lincoln, Nebraska, and graduated from Eugene (Oregon) High School in 1949. Ash earned an Associate in Arts degree at Florida Christian College in 1954, and married Barbara Bailey a year later. He earned an M.A. in Old Testament from ACU Ash in 1959, and a Ph.D. degree in church history from the University of Southern California in 1966.

For nearly 50 years, Ash researched, read, studied, lectured and wrote about noted theologian C.S. “Jack” Lewis and his essays, lectures and books. A Bible professor for more than 40 years at ACU, he also was the author of more than a dozen books. He recently completed Walking With C.S. Lewis, a 10-part video series.

Ash taught Bible at ACU from 1962-72 before his appointment as a professor at Pepperdine University and chair of its Religion Division from 1972-75. He taught at the Austin (Texas) Graduate School of Theology from 1975-85 before returning to ACU. After teaching, writing, lecturing and preaching for more than 60 years around the world, he retired in 2015 as professor emeritus of Bible, missions and ministry.

Dr. Ian Fair (’68), former dean of ACU’s College of Biblical Studies, recalled a time when Ash walked unannounced into a meeting Fair was having with an alumni couple and their daughter, a prospective student.

“I was trying to explain the academic advantage of attending ACU. Tony recognized the couple, having officiated at their wedding more than 20 years ago,” Fair said. “He called them by name, mentioning the wife’s maiden name and their grades in his class. They were stunned. I turned to their daughter and asked, ‘What would it be like to attend a university where in 20-plus years your professor would remember your maiden name and your grade in his class?’ She enrolled that day.”

Aside from his lifelong commitment to students and higher education, Ash was an avid outdoorsman.

He ran 13 marathons, including the New York City Marathon, and hiked the Appalachian Trail, as well as trails in Oregon, England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

Longtime ACU benefactor Katherine “Kay” Elaine (Dollar ’49) McGlothlin died Oct. 9, 2017, in Abilene at age 90.

Born April 29, 1927, in Memphis, Tennessee, she graduated there from Central High School in 1945 and married Ray McGlothlin Jr. (’49) on Dec. 15, 1947, in Abilene.

She earned a B.A. degree in English from ACU. McGlothlin was a longtime member of Hillcrest Church of Christ, where she pioneered writing early childhood Bible curriculum, served on the Education Committee and taught classes.

She also authored various articles in Christian Bible Teacher, Christian Woman and Power for Today magazines.

She served on her alma mater’s Alumni McGlothlin Advisory Board and Friends of the ACU Library board. She was a founding member and longtime leader of Women for Abilene Christian University, serving as president and being named its Woman of the Year in 1990. She received ACU’s Distinguished Alumni Citation in 1974, and in 1984 was honored along with Ray as recipients of the university’s inaugural Christian Service Award. The Quad at ACU was dedicated in Ray and Kay’s honor in November 2015.

Ray and Kay were one of four families to give $1.6 million in 1965 to build the Evelyn McGlothlin Campus Center, at the time the largest single gift in ACU’s history. She also supported the women of GATA social club, the “W” Club, and the women’s basketball and softball teams.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Edmond Daniel and Elsie Faye (Shook) Dollar; a brother, Dan Dollar Jr.; and a grandson, Bryce Oliver.

Survivors include her husband, Ray; four daughters – Karyn (McGlothlin ’74) Henley, Nita (McGlothlin ’75) Rampey, Danna (McGlothlin ’80) Oliver and Caryl (McGlothlin ’82) Parker; 10 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Dot (Dollar ’52) Lincoln Cunningham.

Jewell Christine “Chris” (White ’46) Kyker, ACU’s 2008 Outstanding Alumna of the Year, died Sept. 13, 2017, in Abilene, Texas, at age 92.

She was born in Temple, Texas, and graduated from Lubbock High School in 1942. Kyker earned three degrees from Abilene Christian: a B.A. in English, an M.S. in secondary teaching (1959) and an M.A. in communication (1960). She participated in many campus organizations, including the Melpomenean Players (theatre), where she met Dr. Rex Paxton Kyker (’43). They married Sept. 1, 1946, and joined the Department of Communication faculty in Fall 1946.

She pioneered several professional roles: Kyker founding executive director, Texas Department on Aging; founding director, West Central Texas Area Agency on Aging; founding president/CEO, Disability Resources Inc. of Abilene; founding consultant, Rainbow Omega Inc.; executive director, Abilene Mental Health Association; and director of theatre, ACU. Iin 2007, she was appointed by Texas Gov. Rick Perry as a public member of the Transition Legislative Oversight Committee and Governor’s Advisory Council on Physical Fitness.

She was the founding board member of Alternatives to Guardianship

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and served eight years on the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature Foundation (TSHLF) Board of Directors. Kyker served nine terms in the TSHL (19922017) with leadership roles as speaker and speaker emeritus. In 2011, she received the Abilene Mayor’s Physical Fitness Leadership Award and was selected by the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities to represent Texas in 2015. The 81st Texas legislative session passed HB 610 in 2015, establishing the Chris Kyker Endowment for Seniors Fund.

Kyker received ACU’s Distinguished Alumni Citation in 1980 and a Lifetime Achievement Award from Gov. Perry in 2007.

She was preceded in death by her parents, L.E. and Grace (Wrye ’57) White; her husband, Dr. Rex Kyker; and her daughter, Dr. Jeri (Kyker ’70) Pfeifer. Among survivors are her brother, Lynn White; sons Rob Kyker (’72) and Ricky Kyker (’81); daughters Lindy (Kyker ’74) Fullerton and Dr. Jan (Kyker ’75) Bryan; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Former longtime trustee Richard Weldon Lunsford (’55), whose family’s gifts created popular contemplative landmarks on the ACU campus, died July 1, 2017, at age 83 in Olney, Texas.

Lunsford was born Jan. 3, 1934, in Clovis, New Mexico, moving to a ranch near Olney in 1942. He graduated from Olney High School in 1951 and majored in agriculture at ACU, where “Fuzzy” played football for four years and was president of the Students’ Association. He married Dema Jean Atkins (’57) on June 7, 1955, and worked on his parents’ ranch until 1962, when he began a career in the financial services industry that would span 45 years.

He was active in his community, serving on the school and library boards, the Olney Hamilton Lunsford Hospital Foundation, the Chamber of Commerce, and as president of the Rotary Club. He was minister of the Newcastle Church of Christ in Throckmorton, Texas, from 1962-69 and served in the National Guard.

Lunsford was an ACU trustee from 1978-98, received a Distinguished Alumni Citation in 1972 and served on the search committee to name the university’s 10th president in 1990.

Richard and Dema provided The Quiet Place locations inside ACU’s Mabee Business Building (opened in 1986) and the Onstead-Packer

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AMY ARCHER

Acclaimed impressionistic artist Gerald Harvey Jones (’56), died Nov. 13, 2017, at age 84.

Harvey was born Nov. 1, 1933, in San Antonio, Texas. He met Patty Marie Bentley (’55) while attending ACU for two years and majoring in industrial arts education. He graduated from the University of North Texas in 1956 but did not start painting until 1957, when Patty bought him an oil paint set while he was a junior high industrial arts teacher in Austin.

Known professionally as G. Harvey, he developed into a painter and sculptor whose portrayals of the American West, the Civil War and street scenes in turnof-the-century America were collected

by U.S. presidents and governors, and The Joneses other art aficionados around the world.

His paintings appeared in galleries and sites such as the White House, the National Archives, the Treasury Building, and in a year-long exhibit – The All-American Horse – at the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of Natural History in the early 1990s. The Smithsonian commissioned him to paint The Smithsonian Dream to commemorate its 150th anniversary in 1995. The G. Harvey Room in ACU’s Hunter Welcome Center displays several large pieces of Harvey’s work, as well as Museum Visit, one of his original oil paintings.

He was preceded in death by his parents, James Drayton and Myrtle Payne Jones; and a brother, James Drayton “Bud” Jones Jr. Among survivors are his wife, Patty; a son, Gerald Jones Jr.; a daughter, Pamela Taylor; four grandchildren; and two sisters, Janis Howell and Lavern Fitch.

Biblical Studies Building (1989). One of their sons, Holt, chose the Lunsford Foundation Trail as a way to honor his parents and provide a gift to the Centennial Campaign in 2006. The more than two-mile-long trail encircles the campus and provides a convenient venue for students, faculty, staff and neighbors to exercise outdoors.

Lunsford was preceded in death by his parents, George Raymond Lunsford and Margaret Hardwick Lunsford; and Dema, his wife of 56 years.

Among survivors are three sons, Raymond Lunsford (’79), Holt Lunsford (’85) and Will Lunsford (’89); two daughters, Lynnette Lunsford (’81) and Lisa Lunsford (’83); 16 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Lynn Ellen Routon (’68). (See page 46.)

ACU campus icon Louise (Adams ’50) “Dewby” Ray died Dec. 26, 2017, in Lubbock, Texas, at age 89.

She was born Dec. 3, 1928, in Abilene and graduated from Abilene Christian High School in 1946, and from ACU in 1950 with a bachelor’s degree in music education. She also studied at the University of Colorado at Boulder and The University of Texas at Austin. She married Amos Calvin Harris Ray on March 20, 1952, 10 days before he left for military service in Europe during the Korean War. The Rays lived in Landsberg am Lech and Landstuhl while he was stationed in Germany from 1952-55. They helped begin congregations in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and Abilene (Baker Heights Church of Christ), Ray and were members of the University Church of Christ before moving to Lubbock in 2013, where they became members of the Broadway Church of Christ. Dewby taught elementary and middle school music in the Lamesa (Texas) ISD; Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, Tennessee; the American school in Landsberg, Germany; Abilene Christian Schools; and College Heights Elementary in Abilene. She was assistant professor of music and cheerleader sponsor at Lipscomb University in 1951-52.

Dewby joined the ACU staff in 1968 as a transcript clerk in the Registrar’s Office, becoming assistant to the alumni director in 1972, campus hostess in 1983 – a new role focusing on student retention and directing the work of ACU Ambassadors – and coordinator of alumni and parent programs in 1986. She directed Freshman Follies and Summer Showcase; was sponsor of the International Club, summer singing groups, the Inter-Social Club Council, the Student Advisory Council and the Student Foundation; and coordinated class reunions, Homecoming and the inaugural Alumni Choral Reunion in 1989. She was named to the university’s Centennial Committee and its Centennial Photography Archivists Team. She retired from full-time work in 1990 but continued to work part time and volunteer in many ways. She received ACU’s 2016 Dale and Rita Brown Outlive Your Life Award.

She was a founding member and the first president of Women for Abilene Christian University, president of the Women for ACU national board and secretary of the ACU Museum board. She also was a board officer for Abilene Garden Club, Harmony Club, Abilene Clean and Proud, Abilene Business and Professional Women’s Club, Taylor County Cancer Board and American Cancer Society, Volunteer Center of Abilene, and Abilene Christian Schools. Dewby received the honorary Colonel Aide de Camp certificate from Tennessee governor Ned McWherter in 1989, served as district president of the Federated Music Clubs of Texas in 1991, and was a contributing writer for Christian Woman and Christian Bible Teacher.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. Walter H. (’25) and Louise (Harsh ’26) Adams; a sister, Nancy (Adams ’53) Boone; a brother, Wally Adams (’60); Amos, her husband of 61 years; and a son, Nathan Ray (’76). Among survivors are a daughter, Nancy Ray (’79), and Vicki Biffle (whom she referred to as a daughter for many years); seven grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren.

Ruby Beatrice “Betty” (Tomkins) Whiteside, who served as administrative assistant to four ACU presidents, died Jan. 31, 2018, in Abilene, Texas, at age 89.

She was born May 1, 1928, in London, England, and graduated at the top of her Pitman Business College class at age 15. At age 20, Betty’s mother encouraged her to move to Texas to help her older sister raise her

GERALD EWING

Former longtime ACU trustee Donald Richard Conder (’56) died Jan. 29, 2018, at age 82 in Lubbock, Texas.

He was born April 12, 1935, in Little Rock, Arkansas, and graduated in 1952 from Little Rock High School, where he excelled in track and field, winning numerous state titles. He met Sue Hufstedler (’59) while the two were students at ACU, and they wed in September 1956, the same year he earned a B.S. degree in business.

Conder ran on several championship teams for the Wildcats at the Texas, Kansas and Drake Relays, including the 880-yard relay team – with Bill Woodhouse (’59), James Segrest (’59) Conder and Bobby Morrow (’58) – that tied a world record (1:24.0) on May 26, 1956, at the California Relays. He was inducted into the ACU Sports Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Arkansas Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2009.

He was an accountant for Shell Oil Company LCC (1955-60) and E.K. Hufstedler Tractor Store (1960-67), assistant business manager for Lubbock Christian University (1967-69) and for more than 20 years was the business manager of Lubbock State School. After retirement he enjoyed playing golf and officiating track meets for many years. The Conders were members of Lubbock’s Broadway Church of Christ, where he was an elder, Granbury (Texas) Church of Christ and most recently, Green Lawn Church of Christ in Lubbock.

At ACU he was a trustee from 1983-2007, and served on the Hope for the Future Steering Committee, the Advisory Board, and the Business Visiting Committee. During his business career he served on the Board of Directors for Goodwill Industries, and in leadership roles for the Texas State Agency Business Administrators’ Association, the Lubbock Ag Club, South Plains Association of Governments, West Texas Athletic Congress, and the Board of Equalization for New Deal ISD and Lubbock County.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Zadie (Hopkins) Conder. Among survivors are Sue, his wife of 61 years; sons David Conder (’80), Dale Conder (’83), Doug Conder (’86) and Dan Conder (’89); and five grandchildren.

Dr. Donald Cecil Jackson (’53), professor emeritus of economics, died March 14, 2018, in Mansfield, Texas, at age 86.

He was born Sept. 22, 1931, in Ardmore, Oklahoma, and married LaVerne Goins (’54) on June 29, 1952. He served in the U.S. Navy and spent 35 years working at the National Security Agency, retiring as deputy director. During those years he served as a diplomat at the American Embassy in London and received the Distinguished Executive Award from President Ronald Reagan.

He earned an MBA in 1959 and a doctorate in business administration in 1965, both from George Washington University. He served as a

STEVE BUTMAN

young children. She met the love of her life, Dr. Lonnie Ray Whiteside (’53), in Abilene while he was involved in the bus ministry at North Park Church of Christ. They married March 10, 1951, in the parlor of McKinzie Hall and worked together at ACU for nearly 50 years. Betty was the executive assistant to four ACU presidents: Dr. Don H. Morris (’24), Dr. John C. Stevens (’38), Dr. William Teague (’52) and Dr. Royce Money (’64).

Whiteside She received the Outstanding Staff Member of the Year award (1978), the Unsung Servant Award (1998) and was voted by students – along with Dr. F.M. “Doc” Churchill – as co-grand marshals for ACU’s first Homecoming Parade in 1992. In 1996, she proudly became a U.S. citizen. In her retirement years, she was active in Women for ACU and in the women’s ministry of the University Church of Christ, where she was a member for more than 50 years.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Jack and Ruby Minnie (Silverton) Tomkins, and a sister, Joyce Powers. Among survivors are Ray, her husband of 66 years; daughters Melanie Whiteside Estes (’81) and Denise (Whiteside ’89) Pevehouse; and three grandchildren.

professor of economics at ACU from 1987-96.

Among his many honors are the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal; and ACU’s Distinguished Alumni Citation (1973), Outstanding Alumnus of the Year (1985) and Outstanding Teacher of the Year (1992) awards.

He served as an elder at Annapolis (Maryland) Church of Christ and Abilene’s Highland Church of Christ.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Jackson Cecil and Clarice Jackson, and by a sister, Carol Braden. Among survivors are Laverne, his wife of 67 years; a son, Philip Jackson (’80); a daughter, Karen Collins; a sister, Norma Mullins; four grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Dr. Charles Wade Nelson, professor emeritus of music and renowned bass-baritone vocalist who performed concerts around the world, died June 1, 2018, at age 92 in Denton, Texas.

He was born March 13, 1926, in Fort Worth, Texas, and graduated from the University of North Texas Demonstration School. While still in high school at age 15, he sang in the bass section of UNT’s University Choir, and was its principal bass soloist by age 17.

A two-year stay in the Army included service in Italy and at Camp Howze Nelson in Gainesville, Texas – where he met Betty Jean Brown in 1945, and they married May 30, 1947.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in music (1950) and a master’s degree in music education (1951) from UNT before teaching choir at Carthage (1950-52), Harlingen (1952-55) and Edinburg (1955) high schools in Texas; Lipscomb University (1959-68 as professor and chair of music), and Texas A&M-Commerce University (1968-84 as professor of choral music).

He joined ACU’s faculty as professor of music and artist-in-residence in 1986, later becoming chair of the vocal division and director of choral activities. ACU awarded him an honorary Doctor of Music degree in 1987 and he retired in 1988.

Nelson was a beloved vocalist with an extensive repertoire including the major choral works of Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Mendelssohn. He performed more than 2,300 times with 116 colleges and universities and 71 symphony orchestras in 49 states and 15 nations.

He shared the stage with conducting legends Robert Shaw and Pablo Casals; performed with major U.S. symphonies in Dallas, San Antonio, Houston, Atlanta, New Orleans, Memphis, Nashville and Kansas City, and in St. Petersburg, Russia, and Vilnius, Lithuania; and was featured in hundreds of solo recitals.

In 1986, he headlined ACU music department concerts at Carnegie Hall in New York City and the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater in Washington, D.C. In 1993 he performed a recital for Ann Richards and guests at the Governor’s Mansion in Austin.

He was a co-founder of the Voice Institute of West Texas at ACU, presenting groundbreaking research on laryngeal function in musicians in 1987 with Dr. Jon Ashby (’64) and Austin King, M.D., at the annual Symposium on the Care of the Professional Voice at the Juilliard School in New York City.

Nelson held several offices with the Texas Music Educators Association and the National Association of Teachers of Singing. His presence was a staple of those and other professional organizations.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John B. and Madge Nelson; Betty, his wife of 66 years; a son, Byron Nelson III; a brother, former ACU trustee and PGA golf legend Dr. Byron Nelson; and a sister, Margaret Ellen (Nelson ’42) Sherman.

Among survivors are a son, Charles David Nelson; a daughter, Bari Ann (Nelson) Nicolls; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

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Former longtime ACU trustee and respected church leadership consultant Wilson Clark “Dub” Orr (’50) died June 9, 2017, at age 89. He was born Dec. 14, 1927, in Vernon, Texas, where he graduated from high school in 1946. He and three of his brothers – Graham Orr (’40), Forrest Orr (’38) and Rob Orr (’52) – played Orr center on Wildcat football teams. After serving 18 months in the U.S. Army occupation forces in Japan, Dub earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from ACU in 1950, followed by an MBA from The University of Texas at Austin.

He met Polly Chenault in Austin while doing graduate work, and they married Dec. 29, 1952.

He was briefly a teacher and football coach in Midland, Texas, then worked for Dow Chemical Co. before joining McWood Company in Abilene (secretary and treasurer, 1955-67) and later, teaming with Ray McGlothlin Jr. (’49) and G. Randy Nicholson (’59) in launching E-Z Serve Inc. He was vice president and secretary of the company from 1971 until its sale to Harken Oil in 1986. Orr was a Bible school teacher and founding elder of Abilene’s South 11th and Willis Church of Christ for more than 25 years, and a spiritual counselor for people from all walks of life. He and Bible professor emeritus Dr. Paul Faulkner (’52) taught many weekend spiritual retreats for Christians. For more than 15 years, Orr and fellow elder Dr. Ian Fair (’68), professor and dean emeritus of ACU’s College of Biblical Studies, also traveled the world to teach seminars for church congregations needing help with conflict resolution and leadership development. He served as a member of the ACU Board of Trustees from 1970-98, including nine years (1975-84) as board secretary. He received ACU’s Distinguished Alumni Citation in 1980, its Outstanding Alumnus of the Year award for 1995, and together with McGlothlin and Nicholson, was named College of Business Administration’s 1996 Distinguished Business Leaders of the Year. After Polly’s death in 2001, he married Margaret Paas of Basalt, Colorado, in 2004. He was preceded in death by his parents, William Clyde Orr and Clarice Roberts Orr; Polly, his first wife of 49 years; brothers Graham Orr, Forrest Orr and Boyd Orr; and a sister, Edith Orr. Among survivors are Margaret, his second wife of 12 years; his four children, Linda Orr (’78), Lee Orr (’80), Scott Orr (’84) and Stephen Orr (’87); Margaret’s two children, Susan Romero and Dale Paas; six grandchildren; four grandchildren-in-law; four great-grandchildren; and a brother, Rob Orr. Margaret, his second wife, subsequently died Aug. 19, 2017. She and Dub were married 12 years.

K.Y. Owens, 83, died June 17, 2017, in Voca, Texas. He was born June 23, 1933, in Brady, Texas. Owens was an All-America fullback for Hardin-Simmons University, where he graduated in 1956. He married Peggy Ann Edmiston on

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Aug. 20, 1955. He was a football coach and director of athletics at Brady High School from 1956-65, and an assistant football coach at Texas A&M-Kingsville in 1966. He was defensive coordinator Owens at ACU from 196775 – including the NAIA Division I national title in 1973 – and an assistant professor of health, physical education and recreation. He later served as director of athletics at Georgetown and Conroe high schools, and retired in 1990 as assistant principal at Andrews High School. He was a member of the Sports Hall of Fame at both HSU and ACU. He was preceded in death by his parents, Anthony Welch Owens and Nora Belle Langford; and his wife, Peggy. Among survivors are his daughters, Kay Ann (Owens ’80) Edwards and Peggy “Beth” (Owens ’83) Hall; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and sisters Tony Belle Taylor and Queen Alice Townsend.

Parker Henderson, 92, died June 22, 2017.

He was born Nov. 29, 1924, in Miami, Florida, and graduated from high school in Alachua, Florida. He was a medic in the Pacific Theater in World War II. He earned a B.S. degree in secondary education from ACU. In 1958 he and his wife, Donna (Deacon ’50), began a 24-year career as missionaries Henderson to Bangkok, Thailand, while he also devoted time to teach missionaries at Sunset International Bible Institute. They moved to the West Indies so he could lead the Trinidad School of Preaching from 1979-2009.

Henderson received ACU’s Distinguished Alumni Citation in 1971 and its Outstanding Alumnus of the Year award in 1980. Among survivors are his wife, Donna; sons Larry Henderson (’73) and Timothy Henderson; daughters Jeanie (Henderson) Allison, Rebecca (Henderson ’01) Talley and Priscilla (Henderson ’85) Jones; 12 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.

Dr. Edward Marcus Brown (’49), died July 15, 2017, in Arlington, Texas, at age 95. He was born Nov. 20, 1921, in Purcell, Oklahoma.

He was in the Civil Service during most of World War II, but enlisted in the Army Air Force and served in the occupation force in Japan after the war. He married Edna Ruth Williams Brown on Dec. 15, 1946.

He earned a B.A. in biblical text (1949) and an M.S. in biblical text (1958) from ACU, and a Ph.D. in speech from

the University of Oklahoma (1971). He and Edna served from 1949-54 as missionaries in Japan, where he taught English at Yamanashi University. He was an ACU communications faculty member for 49 years, serving as vice president for academic affairs from 1976-82, chair of the Department of Communication (1982-87) and retiring as professor emeritus of communication in 1994. He coached award-winning debate teams at ACU from 1954-76 and was named Teacher of the Year in 1966. He began preaching in 1940 and served as a full-time minister in the Texas towns of Hamlin and Noodle. The Browns were longtime members of Abilene’s University Church of Christ, where he served as an elder for 34 years.

Edna died in 2016; they were wed nearly 70 years. He also was preceded in death by his parents, Richard Washington Brown and Mary McKinney Brown; a brother, Edgar Brown; and a sister, Betty Percival. Among survivors are his daughter, Aleta (Brown ’73) Caraway; sons Marcus Brown (’72), Byron Brown (’76) and Hiram Brown (’80); 11 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

ACU systems administrator Gerald Wayne Coleman, 64, died Aug. 20, 2017. He was born April 3, 1952, in San Angelo, Texas, where he graduated from Central High School in 1970, the same year he married Paulette Box. Coleman spent his life working with computers, the last 12 years in the university’s Information Services Coleman office. He was active at First Baptist Church in Buffalo Gap, Texas, where he served as youth deacon, volunteered on the worship team and participated on a mission trip to Africa.

He was preceded in death by a son, Shane, and a brother, David Barens. Among survivors are his wife, Paulette; a son, Todd; six grandchildren; his parents, Larry and Joyce Barnes; and brothers Gary Coleman and Steven Barnes.

Shirley (Birdsall) Alexander of New Braunfels, Texas, died Sept. 11, 2017, at age 84. She was born Nov. 16, 1932, in Wichita Falls, Texas, and graduated from Kenner (Louisiana) High School in 1950. She earned her undergraduate degree from Harding University in 1954, taught at Great Lakes Christian College from Alexander 1955-57 and earned a Master of Science in library from Louisiana State University in 1959.

She worked in the LSU Law Library (1959-62), Harding University Library (as director, 1962-75), Oakland (Michigan) University Library (1978-79) and Rochester (Michigan) College Library (as director, 1980-86). Alexander began serving

as a cataloger in the documents library at ACU in 1986 and retired in 1995 as assistant professor emerita of library science. She was preceded in death by her parents, Nova Graham and Gilbert Alton Birdsall, and Cecil B. Alexander, her husband of 42 years. Among survivors are a daughter, Lisa Alexander; a son, Mark Alexander; and a brother, Graham Birdsall.

Former Greek instructor Jan (Jordan ’70) Hailey died Nov. 2, 2017, in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, at age 69. She was born March 7, 1948, in Sweetwater, Texas, and graduated from Abilene Christian High School in 1966.

She married ACU classmate Dr. Mel Hailey (’70) on March 29, 1969, a year before Jan earned a Hailey B.S.Ed. degree. She taught eighth-grade English in the Frenship (Texas) ISD for a year while Mel attended graduate school at Texas Tech University, then stayed home while her children were young. Beginning in 1988, Jan worked 11 years as a research assistant for Dr. Paul Faulkner (’52) in the Marriage and Family Institute at ACU. She completed a master’s degree in Greek in 1995 and was honored in 1997-98 as the part-time teacher of the year in ACU’s College of Biblical Studies, eventually joining the Bible faculty full time to teach freshman- and sophomore-level Greek, Message of the Old Testament, and Christianity and Culture. She completed a Master of Divinity degree in 2003 and retired in 2008. She taught women through University Church of Christ’s jail ministry, and was appointed by Judge Lee Hamilton to the Taylor County Jail Planning Commission. She was preceded in death by her parents, John Randolph Jordan (’45) and Marilee (Faver ’43) Jordan. Among survivors are Mel, her husband of 48 years and a longtime ACU professor of political science; a daughter, Jennifer (Hailey ’94) Nichols; a son, Robert Hailey (’97); six grandchildren; and a sister, Vicki Ruth (Jordan ’73) Shepard. (See page 46.)

Arnold Wesley Shaver Sr. (’47) died April 14, 2018, at age 91. He was born in Healdton, Oklahoma, on June 25, 1926. He graduated from Abilene Christian High School

in 1944, a time when ACHS seniors were allowed to pledge social clubs at ACU. He became a founding member of Frater Sodalis and was the last living charter member. He attended Shaver ACU and Harding University before serving during World War II as a weatherman in the U.S. Navy. He married Oma “Jean” Howell on Oct. 23, 1944, and they owned and operated a dry cleaners and menswear business in Healdton for more than 30 years before moving to Abilene in 1967 to purchase Varsity Cleaners near the Abilene Christian campus. After retiring, he served as a residence hall director at ACU from 1974-91. He served as an elder for the Shell Street (Healdton) and Woodlawn (Abilene) congregations in Abilene. He was a football and basketball referee in Oklahoma for more than 20 years, and a member of the Abilene Memory Men Chorus barbershop singers. He was preceded in death by Jean, his wife of 69 years; a son, Arnold Wesley Shaver Jr. (’69), his parents, Austin and Tessie Shaver; and a brother, Tommy Shaver (’49). Among survivors are his son, Kenny Shaver (’71); a daughter, Kara (Shaver ’73) Cobb; eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

GERALD EWING

PAUL WHITE

Former faculty member Barbara Jeanne (Morlan ’45) Gray died Oct. 13, 2017, at age 91. She was born May 23, 1926, in Abilene and graduated from Abilene Christian High School in 1942. She earned a B.S. degree in secondary education from ACU in 1945, an M.A. in education from The University of Texas at Austin in Gray 1947 and her reading certification from Texas Woman’s University in 1977. She met Dr. C.G. Gray while the two were teachers at Lubbock (Texas) High School, and they married June 30, 1951. Gray taught history, English and reading in public schools in Texas (Ballinger, Houston, Lubbock and Richardson) and Iowa (Iowa City).

From 1948-50 she was assistant registrar and taught in the education department at Pepperdine University. She joined the ACU faculty in 1981 as a part-time instructor and later became assistant professor and coordinator of reading and study skills courses in the

DR. MEL HAILEY

Sean T. Adams (’94), ACU’s Young Alumnus of the Year for 2012, died Sept. 14, 2017, in Austin, Texas, at age 46. Born May 24, 1971, in Oakland, California, Adams graduated from Fairfield (California) High School. He earned a B.B.A. degree in finance and an MBA (’98) from ACU, where he played football and was an Adams accomplished sprinter on Wildcat track and field teams that won two NCAA Division II national championships and finished runner-up in five others. He also was named Academic All-America. Adams was best known for a sports writing career he began at orangebloods.com, the website covering Longhorn athletics for The University of Texas at Austin. He became a frequent contributor on the Longhorn Network, Inside Texas, ESPN, FOX Sports, FOX 7 Austin, CBS and the NFL Network. He was co-host of “The Bottom Line” on Austin’s 1300 AM The Zone and a popular motivational speaker.

Adams authored two books, Sports for Life: Daily Sports Themes for Life Success (2006) and It’s Okay to Be Crazy (2010). He was preceded in death by his father, Thomas Adams. Among survivors are his mother, Carolyn Adams; his wife, Karen (Vann ’96); a son, Damon; and a daughter, Alexis.

General Studies program. She retired in 1993 as associate professor emerita of academic advance. The daughter of two prominent ACU faculty members – teacher education chair Dr. G.C. Morlan and founding home economics department chair Alma (Adams) Morlan – she had a love of learning and teaching. She and her husband, C.G., modeled those skills for other volunteers while regularly reading to children at Jane Long Elementary School and University Church of Christ. In 1972, the Grays established the Grover C. Morlan Medal award program to annually recognize an outstanding graduate of ACU’s teacher education program. Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, G.C. and Alma Morlan; a sister, Alice Alene Floyd (’42); and two brothers, G.C. Morlan Jr. (’39) and John Morlan (’52). Among survivors are her husband, C.G.; sons John Gray (’78), David Gray (’79) and Dr. Cary Gray (’82); six grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and a sister, Alma Faye (Morlan ’55) Price.

Former longtime ACU trustee Frank Todd Barfield Jr., M.D. (’52), died Dec. 7, 2017, in Houston at age 87. He was born Sept. 21, 1930, in San Antonio, Texas, and graduated high school from Texas Military Institute.

After finishing a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from ACU and marrying Shirley Sandusky Barfield (’53) in 1953, he earned a medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in 1957, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1958. He served his residency with Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, Texas, later beginning an ophthalmology practice in Houston Heights, and continuing it with Columbus (Texas) Eye Associates in 1964. Active in the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, he was a pilot for more than 50 years and a founding board member of Colorado County’s Robert Wells Jr. Airport. Barfield served on the Chemistry Visiting Committee at ACU and on the Board of Trustees from 1991-2010. He also was an elder at Columbus Church of Christ for 39 years. He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank Todd Barfield Sr. and Sarah Barfield.

Among survivors are his wife, Shirley; a daughter, Paige Weatherford (’85); a son, Frank Todd “Trey” Barfield III (’87); and three grandchildren. 

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SecondGLANCE

BY RON HADFIELD

May the circle be unbroken

MORGAN (MYRICK) RICHARDSON

In our next issue, we will introduce you to some and benefactors who shaped Abilene Christian like few VIPs we’ve been expecting for nearly two decades, and others: Mentors of students like Dewby (Adams ’50) Ray. we're counting the days until they arrive as freshmen Professors like Dr. Tony Ash. Generous donors like for Wildcat Week.

Kay (Dollar ’49) McGlothlin and Fuzzy Lunsford (’55).

They are pioneers in their own right: first-year students Respected church leaders like Wilson C. “Dub” Orr (’50). whose doting parents signed up for the Legacy Program To be fair, like is an unworthy word; no one is like them, at their alma mater in 2000. They were the first to sport and we’ll all have to pull together to fill their shoes.

BabyWear clothing proclaiming “Born to Be a Wildcat,” Photos of potential next-generation BabyWear perhaps their first souvenir T-shirt and a parental promise youngsters for these pages arrive by email every week: of sorts to follow the Wildcat Way. Babies wearing bows. Toddlers in tutus. Lil’ Wildcats Around age 5, they received another package in the sitting on purple blankets, some holding footballs. mail from the Alumni Association: A sporty CatPack They’re cute as bugs in rugs and armed by mommas and backpack to wear the first day daddys with eager expectations of school. A few years later, an to see them in an upcoming issue. oversized pillowcase showed up for One day this spring, photos of sleepovers and sleeping in, and at age Ayce Carter Richardson arrived.

16, a snazzy keychain arrived in time His great-great-great-great-uncle, for their first driver’s license.

George W. Birchfield, was one of The Legacy program is more the early major benefactors of ACU, than a marketing strategy wrapped and a trustee from 1917-38. around a few items imprinted with According to his mother, Morgan an ACU logo. It’s intentionally (Myrick ’09) Richardson, Ayce’s orchestrated good will to help keep great-great-grandfather, greatalums and their students thinking grandfather, great-grandmother, of Oh Dear Christian College, and grandmother, mother and father hopefully coming to Abilene every are graduates. He has a multitude opportunity they get. of aunts, uncles and cousins with Assembling each issue of Abilene Christian pedigrees.

ACU Today, a privilege I’ve had Ayce’s father, Daryl Richardson for more than three decades now, (’14), and uncle, Bernard Scott (’10), is a powerful reminder of what a starred as Wildcat football players university like this means in the and played in the NFL. His parents Ayce Carter Richardson, son of Daryl (’14) and lives of people around the world. were married in the Chapel on Morgan (Myrick ’09) Richardson of Wylie, Texas.

Without trying to sound like Rafiki in the Hill in 2015 by Bible professor The Lion King, the Circle of Life on our hill is A Thing.

Dr. Jerry Taylor, with half a dozen professional football As you see on earlier pages, campus has been forever players in the wedding party. changed with the addition of an on-campus football In the photo here, young Ayce sits like a boss on a stadium and Gamedays that made the place come limestone pedestal at the entry to Teague Boulevard especially alive several Saturdays last autumn. At times, and to a university many in his family have sacrificed to the renewed feelings of family, fellowship, brotherhood advance and call their own. He’s a picture of promise, and sisterhood were so thick you had to brush them away a future Big Man on Campus, albeit still in Huggies. from your face, to paraphrase James Earl Jones’ description It seems as though half of our new students each of the power of memories in Field of Dreams. year have no previous ties to ACU but an unabashedly We welcomed more than 5,100 students in Fall 2017, enthusiastic, new-found appreciation for a place they’ve a towering accomplishment for ACU. For the second year discovered. The other half have family tree roots anchored in a row, the diversity rate of the freshman class was more deep in the West Texas soil, and purple in their veins. than 40 percent. Their academic preparation was sky-high.

It takes both to make our world go ’round and keep We said goodbye to some iconic, beloved people this the Wildcat circle unbroken. past school year: faculty, staff, administrators, trustees Learn more about the Legacy Program at acu.edu/alumni 

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ACU TODAY

From the PRESIDENT

ACU Today is published twice a year by the Office of University Marketing at Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas.

STAFF

Y

es, it’s an athletics venue.

But Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium is proving to be so much more, with a value far

KIM LEESON

beyond the initial investment and a goal to provide a place for building community.

Whether for events on the playing surface or on the Brown Family Club Level above, the stadium opens many doors to Mark and April Anthony, with people who spend time on campus and Abilene Mayor Anthony Williams marvel at the view.

Fittingly, the first major event held there last September was a Friday Chapel. It’s also a terrific concert venue.

It became the new site for Movies on the Hill, with hundreds of families enjoying an evening together under the stars each summer month to watch a movie while relaxing on quilts and blankets. Six high school playoff games last fall brought thousands of visitors to ACU, many for the first time. Each week the club level hosts meals, meetings and receptions. Several hundred Presidential Scholar students had their Visit Days topped by seeing their names in towering letters on Wessel Scoreboard. The venue dramatically rises above the horizon and is the first landmark many see when entering the city from Exit 288 on Interstate 20. It’s a great new front door for Abilene.

As you will learn in this issue, it’s been a game-changer for ACU, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the vision and financial commitment of Mark (’86) and April (Bullock ’89) Anthony, who continue to demonstrate what it means to be fully engaged in the life of their alma mater.

April, the 2018 Outstanding Alumna of the Year (page 16), is the dynamic new leader of our Board of Trustees (page 60). Through the years, this couple’s financial commitment has not just benefitted athletics but made an inestimable difference in scholarships, professorships and academic programs across the entire spectrum of the university. Their amazing generosity is inspired by their love for Abilene Christian and gratitude for the difference it has made in their lives. Their longstanding relationships with other Wildcats are blessings they easily count and attribute to time, resources and other investments they continue to make on the Hill.

And they are not alone. Many of you partnered with them in our Vision in Action initiative to construct a complex of three facilities among the best anywhere for educating students in science and other health-related fields, and in two new stadiums for intercollegiate athletics.

I echo others in this issue who describe the sea change that has taken place in our Gameday Saturdays each fall. There may be no adequate way to measure the energy, enthusiasm, school and team spirit, camaraderie and good will emanating from the Hill on those special afternoons and evenings.

The best way to appreciate it is to experience it yourself. Wear some purple and join us!

Thank you for helping us build an even better ACU, and for making our mission and vision for the future a successful reality today.

DR. PHIL SCHUBERT (’91), President The mission of ACU is to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world.

Editor: Ron Hadfield (’79) Assistant Editor: Robin (Ward ’82) Saylor Sports Editor: Lance Fleming (’92) Contributing Writers This Issue: Dr. Cheryl Mann Bacon (’76), Sarah Carlson (’06), Loretta Fulton, Katie (Noah ’06) Gibson, Chris Macaluso, Tahj (Condra ’02) Mayes, Deana (Hamby ’93) Nall, David Ramsey (’81) Contributing Photographers This Issue: Affirm Films / Sony Pictures Entertainment, Bill Albrecht, Amy Archer, Owen Beans (’14), Shawn Best, Steve Butman, Candler School of Theology, Tony Chen, Erin (Baggs ’09) Davis, Bob Dehart, Scott Delony (’06), Matt Dirksen, Gerald Ewing, Jeremy Enlow, Holly Fish, Lauren Franco (’19), Joshua Gateley, Kevin Halliburton / ICE Imaging, Joann Hollingsworth, Houston ISD, Shane Jennings, Debra Klawetter, Kim Leeson, Mack Linebaugh, Lionsgate / Roadside Productions, Jett Loe, Grant Miller, Mary Ann Morgan, Tim Nelson, Clark Potts (’53), Carmen Price, Morgan (Myrick ’09) Richardson, Jennie Riddle, Ronnie Ruiz, Dr. Nil Santana (’00 M.S.), Ali (Hayes ’15) Smith, Lee Steffen, Teale Photography, Michael Wade, Matt Webb, Paul White (’68) Contributing Graphic Designers/Illustrators This Issue: Greg Golden (’87), Holly Harrell, Todd Mullins, Amy Willis

Philanthropy MADE EASY, MEANINGFUL

ADVISORY COMMITTEE Administration: Suzanne Allmon (’79), Kevin Campbell (’00), Dr. Gary D. McCaleb (’64), Dr. Robert Rhodes Advancement: Jim Orr, J.D. (’86), Billie Currey, J.D. (’70), Sarah Carlson (’06) Alumni Relations: Craig Fisher (’92), Jama (Fry ’97) Cadle, Mandy (Becker ’13) Collum, April Young (’16) Marketing: Jason Groves (’00) Ex-officio: Dr. Phil Schubert (’91)

CORRESPONDENCE ACU Today: hadfieldr@acu.edu ACU Alumni Association: alumni@acu.edu Record Changes: ACU Box 29132, Abilene, Texas 79699-9132, 325-674-2620

ON THE WEB Abilene Christian University: acu.edu ACU Today Blog: acu.today Address changes and EXperiences: acu.edu/alumni/whatsnew/update.html ACU Advancement Office (Exceptional Fund, Gift Records): acu.edu/give ACU Alumni Website: acu.edu/alumni Find Us on Facebook: facebook.com/abilenechristian facebook.com/acusports Follow Us on Twitter: twitter.com/acuedu twitter.com/acusports Follow Us on Instagram: instagram.com/acuedu instagram.com/acualumni

he Chambers family has been involved in the life of ACU since its inception in 1906 as Childers Classical

Institute, where Henri Ida Chambers taught piano.

Her son, William, would earn a degree here in 1936 and meet his bride, Marjorie (Griffin ’40), in Abilene.

These first steps began a multi-generational relationship between the Chambers’ family and Abilene Christian that continues to this day.

Henri Ida’s grandson, Bill (’67), and his wife, Virginia (Palmer ’68) Chambers, are stewards of that legacy. From Virginia’s service and leadership on the Board of Trustees to their shared role on the University Council, they are two of ACU’s longest-serving volunteers and supporters.

When it came time to organize their estate, Bill and Virginia wanted to ensure a gift to ACU through their insurance policy was part of the plan.

“We have been very blessed by the Lord, and many of those blessings have come through our association with Abilene Christian,” Virginia said. “We want to make sure future generations have the same opportunity for a Christian education that we each received.”

“The support of previous generations helped grow ACU,” Bill said, “from the small college where my grandmother taught and my parents attended to the world class institution that it is today. And it is up to us to prepare the university for the future.”

The ACU Foundation is available to work with your family to help achieve your financial and philanthropic needs. From estate gifts through a will or beneficiary designation to income providing charitable trusts or gift annuities, please contact us today to see how we may be able to help your family.

Hunter Welcome Center ACU Box 29200 Abilene, Texas 79699-9200

800-979-1906 • 325-674-2508 • theacufoundation.org • garrettd@acu.edu

A CU T O D AY A bilene Chr isti a n Uni v er sit y

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Abilene Christian University

Abilene Christian University ACU Box 29132 Abilene, Texas 79699-9132

Spring-Summer 2018

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

C OMING UP Pregame Party and Football at Baylor ............................................. September 1 Wildcat Preview Days .................... September 7, September 28, November 19 National ACT Test Dates ........................ September 8, October 27, December 8 Pregame Party and Football at Houston Baptist .......................... September 15 112th Annual Summit ................................................................. September 16-19 Family Weekend and Freshman Follies .................................. September 28-29 National SAT Test Dates ........................... October 6, November 3, December 1 Admitted Student Visit Days ..................... October 8, November 3, December 7 Homecoming 2018 .......................................................................... October 12-14 Pregame Party and Men’s Basketball at Pepperdine ....................... December 1

facebook.com/abilenechristian facebook.com/acusports

December Commencement ............................................................ December 14 Pregame Party and Men’s Basketball at Texas Tech ...................... December 15 2019 Admitted Student Visit Days ........................... January 18, March 1, April 5 2019 National ACT Test Dates .................... February 9, April 13, June 8, July 13 2019 Wildcat Preview Days ............................................. February 15, March 22 2019 Sing Song ............................................................................. February 16-17 2019 President’s Circle Dinner .......................................................... February 17 2019 National SAT Test Dates ..................................................... March 9, May 4 2019 High School Scholars Day ............................................................... April 12 Class of 1969 Golden Anniversary Reunion ....................................... April 24-26

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instagram.com/acuedu SCOTT DELONY

Game On Wildcat football returns to campus with the opening of Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium

First things first BILL ALBRECHT

The first official event held in ACU’s new on-campus football venue was not a game but Chapel. Students, staff and faculty gathered for Praise Day on Friday, Sept. 15, 2017, led by students (from left) Barrett Lewis (’18), Allison Dennis, Trey Dennis, Macy McAlister (’18) and Nick Tatum (’13). See pages 4-15 for coverage of the historic first season of Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium.

Outlive Your Life Award

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Social Club Sponsors

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Hurricane Harvey

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Alumni Awards

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Homecoming 2018