Chieftain Fall 2007

...the Future of McMurry

T H E A lu m n i Ma g a z i n e o f McMurry University

T H E A lu m n i Ma g a z i n e o f McMurry University

From the President

FALL 2007

Dear McMurry Alumni and Friends: As you receive this issue of the Chieftain, McMurry’s Class of 2011 is on campus and is becoming fully engaged into the McMurry Family. It’s always an exciting time when the energy level of our lives steps up…a new school year, with the presence of new and returning students, provides that energy pulse. One can only imagine with excitement how the coming year will unfold.

Gerri and I are now into our sixth year at McMurry. Neither of us could have imagined how the McMurry Experience would impact us. But it has! From the moment we arrived, the McMurry campus, the McMurry mission… and the McMurry Family have conspired to make our first five years most fulfilling. But more importantly, the McMurry Family has inspired us to make the next five years the best years of our lives.

And here’s why! We are excited by the opportunity McMurry has to shape the future of our students. And through them, we can only imagine how McMurry University will shape the future of our region…and the future of our nation. As you walk across campus, or visit with the students in this Chieftain, you’ll quickly come to share the enthusiasm with which Gerri and I look forward to the future. The leadership provided by the deans and faculty of our six schools sets a grand stage for the intellectual preparation for that future. And like their predecessors, McMurry’s deans and faculty serve as living templates for the social, physical and spiritual

maturation that is so important a part of the McMurry Experience—that’s inspirational!

And here’s another reason why we’re excited about the future! The witness of alumni who are “products” of the McMurry Experience cannot be denied. They know the impact of a nurturing higher education experience. In them you see that leadership, excellence and virtue were cultivated by a caring and engaged campus community. Through them we are all better equipped to imagine the possibilities that lie before McMurry students of today…and tomorrow. How could we not share the excitement of these alumni featured in this Chieftain?

And we imagine a bright future because of our friends. We are inspired by friends who share our passion for McMurry and its students.

Friends, whose sense of service and commitment to the McMurry mission, energize us. They clearly see the role McMurry University will play in shaping the future…and want to take part in enabling that future. They inspire us with their conviction!

Enjoy this Chieftain. And take the time to get to know some of the folks, members of the McMurry Family, who inspire Gerri and me. I am confident they’ll inspire you like they inspire us…they’re shaping the future!

With Warm Regards,

John H. Russell, President

Featured Stories

4 8 22 Published by the McMurry University Office of University Relations Box 938 McM Station Abilene, Texas 79697 ©2007

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Bishop Dan E. Solomon, Bishop-in-Residence, explores McMurry’s relationship with the United Methodist church.

The deans of McMurry’s six academic schools discuss their perspectives on McMurry’s future in relation to their respective disciplines. Also, meet stand-out students in each school and their plans for the future.

Capital Campaign Leadership Spotlights Meet four of the many men and women who will lead McMurry into its Capital Campaign.

Letter from the President. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Letter from the President. . . . . . . . . Inside Cover Athletics Update. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

30 Athletics Update. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Development Corner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 32 Friends & Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Friends & Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 33 Class Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Homecoming 2007 Photos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 34 Friends We’ll Miss. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Class Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 39

Contributors Jan Boles Steve Crisman Greeley Myers ‘93 Steve Crisman Gary EllisonKyle Robarts Gary EllisonSheila KittsDr.‘01 John H. Russell Melissa Lindville Dale Evers ‘82 James Shelton Greeley Bishop MyersDan ‘93E. Solomon ‘58 Dr. Paul Fabrizio Amber GilbertKyle Robarts Nancy Smith ‘79 Dr. John H. Russell Dr. Perry Kay Haley-Brown Erin Stevens ‘06 Erin Stevens Sheila Kitts ‘01 Dr. ‘06 Christina Wilson Dr. Christina Wilson Dr. K.O. Long ‘70 Dr. Gary Wilson Cover Photo by Amber Allen

McMurry PRESIDENT and and OFFICERS McMurry PRESIDENT OFFICERS

Dr. John H. Russell

Lisa Williams

Dr. Beverly Lenoir

Steve Crisman

PRESIDENT

VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Dave Voskuil

VICE PRESIDENT FOR ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT

VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCIAL AFFAIRS VICE PRESIdenT FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

Brad Poorman

VICE PRESIDENT FOR INFORMATION & Support SERVICES

“Whatever you imagine Can one day come to be……”

In a higher education institution, you expect to find a laboratory for the mind…. A place where the possibilities are only limited by the creative ideas of visionary leaders, the energy and courage to explore the unknown and the belief and trust in the people who can make dreams come true.

“There are dreams to awaken, Roads to be taken….”

McMurry University is constantly evolving into such a place where the emphasis is on developing the potential, dreaming and planning for the future. In this issue of the Chieftain, we ask you to Imagine with us, to share in our vision. The world is open to our students, and their preparation for a world without boundaries should likewise be unfettered by limitations.

“There are worlds filled with treasure, Time without measure, To learn whatever you may need to know.”

As we journey toward our centennial celebration in 2023, McMurry is poised and prepared to move out of the realm of idea incubation into dream realization. This issue of the Chieftain is dedicated to the birth of a grand dream and a future reality of a McMurry University unsurpassed in academic excellence, and dedicated to graduating generations of enlightened and humane leaders for tomorrow. As alumni and friends, we invite you to join us as we imagine McMurry’s role in making dreams come true.

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“There are miracles waiting, So keep concentrating And I promise you that if you do….

Whatever you imagine can come true….*

*“Whatever You Imagine”, words and music written

by Wendy Moten

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f United Methodists were to mint a coin it would have “knowledge” on one side and “vital piety” on the other.

These words were given to us by Charles Wesley in a hymn he wrote for the opening of Kingswood School—the first education effort of the early Methodist movement in 18th Century England. 

“ O u r he r i ta g e r e f l e c t s a pa s sion f or inf or m e d m i nd s a nd fa i t h - f or m e d he a rt s . ”

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Our heritage reflects a passion for informed minds and faith-formed hearts. Such “currency of the kingdom” represents an important investment that equips persons to help the world become a place of healing and hope.

Moving toward its centennial in 2023, McMurry is even now in the right place and the right time to leave the imprint of “knowledge and vital piety” upon a generation of students who are yearning for deepened spirituality in companionship with academic excellence.

Taking its mission seriously has led McMurry to launch the “Shaping the Future” campaign. As a result of the successful completion of this visionary endeavor, scholarships will be funded for discipleship training, mission outreach endeavors, interdisciplinary learning opportunities and expanded religious life experiences.

Whether it is direct scholarship assistance or the building of facilities in which learning will be enhanced, McMurry students are worthy of the generous investment of financial resources by all who cherish moral values and academic excellence. When individuals and foundations participate in the “Shaping the Future” campaign, they can be confident that their funds are helping to shape a generation of students whose intellectual achievement is combined with service, leadership and character.

Valuing its relationship with The United Methodist Church, McMurry is partnering with congregations and Annual Conferences in creating settings for academic inquiry and ministry training for clergy and laity. In addition, students who enroll at McMurry are discovering that a journey of spiritual maturity can be embraced in classroom, chapel, community life and servant ministry.

Learning happens by absorption and acquisition. Persons learn and mature because of the context in which they live and also because of the content they study. What makes McMurry special is the way in which “context” and “content” are present in

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such lively and formative fashion.

McMurry students come from their communities of origin into a community that is inclusive and affirming. From first year student orientation through a myriad of campus organizations and activities, students experience a family of caring and encouragement that pushes them toward academic excellence and shepherds them in leadership development and servant ministry.

“Knowledge and vital piety” are not only imprints on the coin of our heritage—each one reflects the substance of a life anchored in the kind of “essential currency” needed to be morally, spiritually and intellectually solvent in these fractured times.

“These are the times that try men’s (and women’s) souls” is an apt description of this era, as well as the one in which it was written. Whether or not McMurry students can live in these “trying times” with clarity of purpose, sensitivity to the needs of others and a grasp of the intellectual insights needed to function effectively, depends, in great measure, upon McMurry faculty, staff and students being united in the cultivation of “leadership, excellence and virtue in every student every day.” There is an abundance of evidence that McMurry is succeeding in shaping students to shape a future worthy to be lived.

United Methodism and McMurry are in a providential partnership. Loving God with mind and heart and loving neighbor in ways that bless and build up require all the insights and competencies that can be claimed and nurtured by church and campus. From the church, McMurry is enriched by a strong Christian heritage, a clear appreciation and affirmation of the role of Christian higher education and a moral compass focused on the life and teachings of Jesus.

Conversely, from and through McMurry, the church is blessed to have faculty, staff and students who can inform and shape its life and mission. The academic integrity that articulates the truths of faith, literature, science, the arts and business constructively serves the church in its mission of making disciples for the

“Both church and campus are linked in a mutuality of ministry without which each w o ul d be diminished i n v i ta l i t y and r e l e va n c e . ”

transformation of the world. Faculty, staff and students care deeply about contributing to a healthy and hopeful world. Such a mission requires all the “knowledge and vital piety” that we can embrace.

Both church and campus are linked in a mutuality of ministry without which each would be

diminished in vitality and relevance. Being enriched by each other creates a dynamic setting in which students are positively equipped to live productively and faithfully. Consequently, McMurry is uniquely poised to shape students who can, and will, shape an exciting future. 

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Dr. Christina Wilson

Dean, School of Arts and Letters How do you view your role in strengthening McMurry University’s academic programs as we approach our Centennial in 2023?

I believe my role as Dean of the School of Arts and Letters will be to help achieve, through expert direction from the Arts and Letters faculty, a significant place for the School at McMurry’s centennial. More specifically, it is my desire that the Arts and Letters disciplines will help define what, and who, McMurry will become during the next 16 years.

The School of Arts and Letters should take its place as a leader in campus interdisciplinary approaches and liberal learning models.

Most importantly, the School of Arts and Letters can serve as an interdisciplinary learning role model for the other five schools. Arts and Letters disciplines, by their nature, lend themselves to more than just educating well-informed people. These disciplines are a unique aggregate of components of the psychological, the intellectual, the physical, the

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emotional and the imaginative capacities. They are truly distinctive from other disciplines and naturally lend themselves to interdisciplinary learning approaches, collaborative efforts and liberal learning concepts.

For example, art, music and theatre have important connections to literature, math, science and modern languages. The School of Arts and Letters is a rich place to make many interdisciplinary connections.

We must build on strong programs already in place at McMurry, and endeavor to find ways to help shape the future of not only Arts and Letters, but the future of the institution of which we are a part. We must go beyond simply making a place, to truly defining what that place will be in 2023.

According to A.N. Whitehead, “Culture is activity of thought, and receptiveness to beauty and humane feeling. Scraps of information have nothing to do with it. A merely well-informed man is a useless bore on God’s earth. What we should aim at producing is men (and women) who possess both culture and expert knowledge in some special direction. Their expert

knowledge will give them the ground to start from, and their culture will lead them as deep as philosophy and as high as art” (The Aims of Education and Other Essays, 1923).

How will the new restructuring of the academic area into six schools change the way McMurry educates its students?

Ultimately, McMurry’s current and future resources are its students. Departmental and institutional reputation, success and financial viability all rest on whether or not students succeed at McMurry and in their choice of careers. All McMurry students need to be well-equipped to succeed (and be excellent) not only in their discipline, but in possible careers outside of their discipline.

Responsive academic programs that incorporate interdisciplinary learning approaches and liberal learning concepts help ensure the success of McMurry students.

I believe McMurry’s new academic structure will allow the University to build on currently strong academic programs and to foster new, innovative ones focused on interdisciplinary approaches and student success. 

the future of our students Born in St. Cloud, Minnesota and raised in Slaton, Texas, by his single SchOOL

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mother, Brian Hecimovich has always had dreams of becoming a high school band director. Brian participates in the McMurry Band and will be the Drum Major for the fall semester. He is also a member of the McMurry Chanters and is the Bass Section Leader. After being hired at Aldersgate United Methodist Church as the choir director, Brian made a commitment to help church members dedicate their talents to glorifying God. As the full-time music director at Aldersgate UMC, Brian conducts the chancel choir, handbell choir, children’s choir and the Aldersgate Brass Ensemble. He leads congregational singing, directs the choir on Sunday mornings and holds rehearsals throughout the week. And, in addition to his school work and choir practices, Brian teaches music lessons to local high school students.

Brian hopes to stay involved with church music after college.

“Church choirs today are dwindling, and my hope is to instill excitement for choral music in any church where I may work or attend. Music is such an important part of one’s worship. It’s a universal language that brings people around the world together,” Brian said.

When asked how McMurry is preparing him to reach his dreams, Brian credited the resourcefulness of the McMurry music faculty. “Most of the faculty are involved in their own church’s music ministry,” he stated, “so they can provide ‘real world’ examples to their classroom.” Though Brian’s curriculum is geared toward music education in public schools, he can apply what he is learning to all facets of teaching music, regardless of the venue or situation. “The McMurry music faculty has many years of teaching experience and can address any situation that future teachers and music leaders may find themselves in. They often provide real life examples and are always available for further oneon-one discussion,” Brian said. 

Cla ss of 2008 Slaton, Texas Music Educ ation Major

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opportunities, as well as employing other innovative approaches. These types of invaluable opportunities enable students to see the connection between their classroom studies and the “real world” of business;

Dr. K.O. Long

Dean, School of Business How do you view your role in strengthening McMurry University’s academic programs as we approach our Centennial in 2023?

While it is not an exhaustive list, I believe that my role in strengthening academic programs in the School of Business by 2023 should include the following, in no particular order: • Increase the level of participation among alumni of the Business School. Certainly, the sharing of financial resources is important, but the contribution by alumni of their time, their expertise and their contacts, is a valuable addition to the business program. Business alumni have a wealth of experiences they could share with current and potential students by speaking to classes, participating in teleconferences, or serving on the School of Business Advisory Board; • Encourage creative approaches to “hands-on” experiences for business students. Those experiences could include additional internship

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• Assist more students to study abroad. Because of the cost of the trip, many students are unable to participate in travel courses. It is an extraordinary opportunity for our students to travel to one of the world’s business capitals and to meet with representatives of major companies in a small group setting to discuss issues of international management and marketing. Enabling students to participate in such activities will better prepare them for the competition of current and future global markets; • Insure that our business program is challenging, relevant and evolving, in order to prepare our students for employment and for graduate or professional schools.

This will require periodic review and evaluation of core business courses and business concentrations to determine their relevance and rigor; • Advocate for the business program. This could involve such things as assisting in efforts to attract and to retain

quality students, providing assistance to business faculty and cultivating relationships for the School of Business.

How will the new restructuring of the academic area into six schools change the way McMurry educates its students?

Although much of the impact of restructuring into six schools will be administrative in nature, the reorganization will increase the opportunities for student contact with deans, and it should result in better communication between the deans and their students.

Under this format, deans will also have teaching responsibilities, which will allow the deans to maintain classroom contact with students. Even students who do not have classes taught by “their” dean, will see the dean more frequently. This increased familiarity should encourage students to communicate with the dean of their school, if they deem it necessary.

Increasing the number of deans should create additional opportunities for professional development, which can result in new and creative approaches to student learning. These ideas will be shared by the deans as they work collaboratively to benefit their students. 

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family moved to Abilene in 2004. Emily’s husband, Justin, is a specialist in the United States Army and is currently serving a tour of duty in Iraq, with hopes of returning home before Christmas. In addition to Emily’s school work, she is kept busy with her three small children, Kristin, 5, Matthew, 2, and Autumn, 9 months.

Emily began her McMurry tenure in the fall of 2004 as a nursing major, but after taking her first accounting class, she was convinced that this was the career she wanted to pursue. After graduation, she plans to sit for the CPA exam. According to Emily, “I look forward to having a better way to provide for my family and to be able to do things with them that I wouldn’t otherwise be able to do. It’s taken me a little longer than most to attain my bachelor’s degree, but I feel like I’m following God’s plan for my life and He will reward me accordingly.”

Emily believes that she is very lucky to have received such a high quality education from some of the best instructors and professors on any college campus.

“I walked onto campus that first day of class in August 2004, not knowing anyone or anything about the school,” stated Emily, “but I felt welcome, and I sensed that the professors were there to help me and that they genuinely cared about my success.” According to one of Emily’s professors, Clara Richardson, “Emily is the kind of student who makes teaching a joy. Regardless of what life dishes out, whether it’s a sick baby or a problem at work, she has a smile on her face and her class work done.”

Before Emily moved to Abilene, she attended the University of Arizona in Tucson. “I felt lost in the crowd there; I’ve never felt that way at McMurry, and for that I am grateful.” 

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Dr. Perry Kay Haley-Brown Dean, School of Education

How do you view your role in strengthening McMurry University’s academic programs as we approach our Centennial in 2023?

The School of Education will constantly work to meet new laws, rules and standards from the State of Texas as they apply to teacher certification. The Dean and Assistant Dean constantly update the department on trends and issues in education. We also receive guidance from our School of Education Advisory Board and the McMurry Education Advisory Council. Our goal is to prepare excellent classroom teachers whose students excel in public and private school classrooms.

We expect to constantly restructure our programs and goals to meet public and private school expectations. In doing so, we can continue to be one of the best Schools of Education in the state of Texas and maintain that reputation to the year 2023, our centennial year, and beyond.

How will the new restructuring of the academic area into six schools change the way McMurry educates its students?

The restructuring of McMurry University into six schools will improve communication and collaboration. The State Board of Educator Certification and the Texas Education Agency often make changes in teacher certification rules and teaching fields that require a quick response from the University. The restructuring will enhance those processes, and our students will benefit from our ability to move quickly to update programs. 

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Maghen Martinez was born and raised in Abilene. Currently pursuing a degree in Multidisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Early Childhood and Bilingual Education, Maghen is looking forward to her final year at McMurry and student teaching in the spring. She is a member of ATPE (Association of Texas Public Educators), where she serves as the parliamentarian. In addition, she serves as historian for Kappa Delta Pi, the Education Honor Society.

Because of the critical need for bilingual teachers, Maghen sees a promising future with her degree. “I am excited about stepping out into the education field,” she said. After graduation, Maghen plans to teach here in the Abilene area, preferably in a lower socio-economic school. She expresses a desire and commitment to use her talents wherever God places her.

Maghen chose to come to McMurry because her sister is an alumnus and because she was drawn to the atmosphere on campus. “It seemed like a campus that was more about its students than about the glitz and glamour,” she observed.

She applauded the McMurry Education Department’s

Class of 2008 efforts to help students accomplish their dreams of Abilene, Texas working with children. “They teach students how to Educ ation Major look past the lifestyle that children bring to school and focus on helping them overcome and learn,” Maghen said. “I feel that McMurry excels at preparing its teachers to enter the classroom. We are exposed to many situations that can occur and are taught how to be prepared.” Maghen enjoys the small classroom sizes and compliments the faculty on their willingness to prepare future teachers for classroom success. She said, “We are taught the meaning of cooperative learning, which I believe is the foundation of teaching. You have to learn how to cooperate with others.” Through her influence on her students, it is evident that she will do her part to shape the future for a new generation of McMurry students.  M c M urr y U niversit y

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Dr. Gary Wilson

Dean, School of Natural and Computational Sciences How do you view your role in strengthening McMurry University’s academic programs as we approach our Centennial in 2023?

At a meeting I attended several years ago it was stated that our sophistication in technology doubles every 15 to 18 months. Even if this is a horribly overstated statistic, we can expect that many of the jobs in 2023 will involve knowledge and technology not yet dreamed of. How do we prepare our students to be competitive when the target has not yet been drawn?

We will strengthen our future science programs by embracing several truths. First, the laws of nature are immutable. We cannot go wrong if our School of Natural and Computational Sciences (SNCS) programs provide a solid understanding of the basic laws of science.

Solid training in math and the fundamentals of a science discipline is the essential foundation upon which tomorrow’s successful scientists will be built. Second, we have to recognize that science is becoming more interdisciplinary in nature. It has been said that all of the interesting

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science takes place at the intersection of disciplines, where the perspectives from chemistry and physics and computer science, for example, all contribute to “the next breakthrough.” We will have to insure that our science programs continue to support one another and aggressively pursue fields where faculty from different SNCS departments share a vision and work together in their research and training of students. Finally, we have to remember that how science and technology are applied will be a moving target. Today’s USB jump drive will go the way of yesterday’s 5¼-inch floppy, and today’s DNA fingerprinting similarly will be replaced by a cheaper, easier, faster and more powerful alternative.

This inevitability requires us to remain involved in research and teach our students “what is to be” through their involvement in our research. Science spectators will never be as marketable or prepared for applying their foundational skills and knowledge as those who have “game experience.”

If we succeed in transforming our culture to embrace these truths, McMurry’s science graduates of 2023 will have a very bright future.

How will the new restructuring of the academic area into six schools change the way McMurry educates its students?

The new structure for the schools differs most in having a dean and assistant dean overseeing operations instead of a dean and department chairs. We will capitalize on this change by spreading the responsibilities among all science faculty so each contributes to the success of the department and school.

The programs of SNCS are heavily influenced by Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL) and its emphasis on doing “what works.” Restructuring allows us to more intentionally implement that model throughout our curricula, and in doing so, to improve the success of our students and retention in their majors. More emphasis on students “doing science” will be central to our success. Such work is rarely done without collaboration outside a department, and so our students will see that each science discipline does not exist in a vacuum. We can retain more students by having departments provide options to pursue science and math from either a basic or an applied perspective. I believe our innovative approach to teacher preparation will result in outstanding teachers with unmatched levels of understanding, breadth and experience. 

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Born in Guanajuato, Mexico, and raised in Merkel, Texas, Salvador Prieto is the middle of three children and the first in his immediate family to attend college.

Entering his junior year at McMurry, Salvador is very involved on McMurry’s campus, having served in numerous organizations, including junior class senator in McMurry Student Government, secretary for the TriBeta Biological Honor Society, a Tribe Guide, a member of the Chemistry Club and a Teacher’s Assistant for the Chemistry Department.

Salvador envisions a bright future for himself after his graduation from McMurry. He hopes to enroll in medical school and work towards his M.D. According to Salvador, “I know it will be tough, and I will have to work to overcome my limitations; but in the long run, it will be such an accomplishment.”

Salvador believes that McMurry challenges and simultaneously rewards him each and every day. He has

gained independence and built a substantial number of personal relationships with his fellow students and professors. “The knowledge and success I have acquired are the result of the core values which are instilled here at McMurry,” stated Salvador. “McMurry has given me wisdom, compassion and the capacity to use them in life.” 

Class of 2009 Merkel, Texas B iology Major

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Dr. Jan Noles

Dean, Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing How do you view your role in strengthening McMurry University’s academic programs as we approach our Centennial in 2023?

The administration of Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing through McMurry University will facilitate academic excellence through three avenues: First, we will continue to maintain active communication processes with faculty involved in teaching foundational courses for the study of nursing. Because a strong foundation is vital, nursing faculty continually reinforce to incoming students the need to “hang on” to the information presented in those courses. We will continue to focus on any additional concepts that could be included in those foundational courses which will strengthen student success in nursing studies, as well as support those faculty members in maintaining the academic rigor of those courses. Second, the administration will support nursing faculty involvement in various academic committees to allow for increased

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knowledge of the mission, purposes and outcomes of baccalaureate education at McMurry University. Third, the administration will continue to improve and update the nursing curriculum to insure the preparation of safe and competent McMurry nursing professionals to enter the workforce, to make a positive difference in the lives of patients and their families, and ultimately, to promote health and wellness throughout the world.

How will the new restructuring of the academic area into six schools change the way McMurry educates its students?

Partly because of its geographical separation from the universities in Abilene, the School of Nursing has historically been somewhat autonomous in its

operational structure. Therefore, the nursing school will likely experience less of a change in its educational policies and practices than some of the other schools within McMurry University. The School of Nursing will remain an integral part of the overall academic plan for students in the University and, hopefully, will become a more active player in some of the new courses that will emerge as a portion of the new academic core.

The School of Nursing will make a commitment to remain aware of academic changes as they emerge and encourage active participation by students and faculty within the new academic structure. 

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The daughter of McMurry alumnus, Jason Fry ’81, Sarah Fry graduated

from high school in Kingsville, Texas. Her parents now live in Victoria, Texas where her father currently serves as the pastor of the First United Methodist Church. Sarah followed in her dad’s footsteps by attending McMurry and, in the spring of 2007, Sarah and her dad both received their Official McMurry Class Ring together. During her McMurry 16

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career, Sarah has been very involved in organizations such as Campus Activities Board, Gamma Sigma Social Club, Religious Life Council, Tribe Guide, the Honors Program, Chanters and Alpha Chi. After starting nursing school in the fall of 2006, she has been serving in the Student Nurses Association and the nursing honors society, Sigma Theta Tau. Sarah will graduate from McMurry in May 2008, and plans to take the nursing licensure board exam to become a Registered Nurse. In the near future, she will make a decision regarding the hospital

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where she will work. A successful summer internship as a patient care technician in the newborn nursery at Hendrick Medical Center has led Sarah to consider a specialization in pediatric nursing after graduation.

Crediting her McMurry experience with shaping her as a person, Sarah said, “McMurry awarded me the funding through an honors scholarship that made it possible for me to come here. The University has also given me a wonderful community of friends and has helped me transition from being a teenager out of high school into a prepared adult, ready to pursue my career. My professors were an asset to my education, and I know that all the friends I have made at McMurry will be friends for years to come.” 

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Dr. Paul Fabrizio

Dean, School of Social Sciences and Religion How do you view your role in strengthening McMurry University’s academic programs as we approach our Centennial in 2023?

The development of the “life of the mind” is the ultimate objective of the academic programs here at McMurry. Through rigorous and creative faculty teaching, research and advising, students can develop their Godgiven talent of thinking. As Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Religion, my role is to encourage the faculty in their endeavors and to help strengthen the climate of thinking here on campus. Students who can think will become leaders in their families, churches, careers and communities. The cultivation of excellent thinkers who can practice virtuous leadership is what McMurry’s academic program is all about.

How will the new restructuring of the academic area into six schools change the way McMurry educates its students?

The new restructuring of the academic area into six schools allows for greater freedom for the faculty to do what they do best—teach, study, research, publish and advise. I hope the easing of the administrative burden on the faculty will give them more freedom to be faculty. The students at McMurry will benefit from their interaction with faculty who are more focused on the academic mission of the University. 

our academic future the future of our students Sarah Sonnen’s passion for missions has truly made a huge impact on SchOOL

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sCIENCEs ANd

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the McMurry community. As Missions Ministry Team Coordinator for the Religious Life Council, Sarah helps plan and design mission trips for the McMurry community on the local, national and international level. Through hard work and persistence, Sarah planned McMurry’s first school-sponsored mission trip to the Navajo Reservation in Shiprock, New Mexico during the 2006-2007 school year. In addition, Sarah organized a two-week mission trip last summer in Curico, Chile. Crediting God with helping her to accomplish such a task, Sarah stated, “As a novice, I had no prior experience in planning any type of mission opportunities; however, through much prayer, support and patience, God showed me the power of humility. I no longer planned trips according to my will, but God’s will.”

Sarah credits the McMurry community with having a tremendous impact on preparing her to reach her dreams in three areas: preparing her for her career, providing her ministry opportunities and developing her self-confidence. Sarah knew before coming to McMurry that she wanted to be a history major. “The history professors here make my classes challenging and exciting,” commented Sarah. “They love history

and it shows; as a result I admire the passion they put into their work.” She is planning on graduating from McMurry and attending graduate school to become a history professor.

When Sarah was presented with the offer of becoming Missions Ministry Team Coordinator for Religious Life, she felt overwhelmed, but honored. “The process was challenging, both spiritually and mentally,” she confessed. “However, I experienced a deeper passion for those who will be served and for those who did not know how much they could do for someone else.” She feels that McMurry has given her confidence, not only in her school work and social life, but also in planning her future. In addition to being a college professor, she has aspirations of becoming a motivational speaker, reaching out to those who have a passion for missions.

“I have bigger dreams for myself,” Sarah admits. “McMurry Class of 2008 has had a hand in molding me S an Antonio, Texas into what I have become.” 

Histor y Major

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DEVELOPMENT CORNER McMurry University is moving forward in its planning and execution of a comprehensive capital campaign. Campaign planning began in the spring of 2006 with a feasibility study to determine goals and action steps needed to accomplish a successful campaign. Trustees approved the conducting of a $53 million dollar campaign last October (2006). Strategies quickly were finalized and volunteer leadership (Campaign Cabinet) of McMurry alumni, friends, faculty and staff was recruited.

The campaign’s overall goal is shaping student lives with a “McMurry Experience” that challenges them daily to achieve and develop character, leadership and academic success. The result will be students prepared and empowered to shape the future. The Campaign addresses four areas: • enhancing academic achievement by creating endowed merit and need-based scholarships and creating endowed scholarships that support mission and interdisciplinary trips;

MIERS ‘59

campaign co-chairs You will be hearing more about our co-chairs’ stories in the spring issue of the Chieftain and other mailings.

DianSTAI

• building on strength in science and math through the expansion of programs in a newly renovated Science building.

To achieve success, the campaign will need to attract new resources to fulfill its vision to shape students’ lives while remaining true to its mission and core values.

This campaign is the largest initiative the University has ever embraced and will require alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff, friends and trustees to invest in the future. Ultimately, this campaign will refine McMurry’s uniqueness so that it will continue to remain the college of choice for students who want to be challenged to achieve and become the leaders of the 21st century.

This issue features just a few of the alumni committed to this campaign.

CAMPAIGN UPDATES

Bynum

• creating an ideal living and learning environment through the expansion of church relations and construction of a Leadership Center; the expansion of the Student Wellness Center and improvement of athletic facilities; and the renovation of Radford Auditorium and Bynum Band Hall;

• developing a faculty for the 21st century by creating six endowed chairs and a faculty development endowment; and

Leadership of the campaign consists of alumni, friends, faculty and staff who are passionate and committed to McMurry and the campaign’s success. Monthly Cabinet meetings are being held and, in addition, many more hours have been contributed to planning strategies, donor development and solicitation. A public announcement of the Cabinet members will be made during Homecoming 2007 in October. We believe that this leadership group will be an inspiration to everyone currently connected with McMurry and will serve as a catalyst for new McMurry friends to join us!

The campaign has already achieved several of its project goals, including improved athletic facilities to support football, track and tennis; a new Welcome Center (housing Alumni Offices); and a renovated Bynum Band Hall. These projects were accomplished with generous individual and foundation gifts totaling over $17 million to date. Donor development activities will continue throughout the remainder of 2007 and into the spring of 2008. The campaign will launch its general appeal strategy in March of 2008 and will successfully conclude in March of 2009.

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ALUMNI LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT

Giving Back to a University That Gives

I

Donna

Dougherty ’79 22

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t is no surprise that Donna Dougherty ’79 is serving on the Cabinet of the upcoming Capital Campaign.

As a McMurry student, she experienced the caring nature of the faculty at McMurry.

“My McMurry experience was different than a traditional student’s might have been. I got married my freshman year in college and worked until Chester (`69) graduated.” When Donna returned to McMurry, her life was quite different from that of a traditional student.

“When I went back to school, Chester was a coach at Cooper High School, so I was involved in attending sporting events, and I had two small children. Juggling my family responsibilities and going to McMurry full time were about all I could manage.”

Despite the challenges, Donna recalls that she was encouraged by the caring nature of the faculty and staff at McMurry. “They were always willing to work with me and go the extra mile.” This was best exemplified when shortly before graduating in December of 1978, Donna was offered a full-time teaching opportunity at a local school. “My professors worked with me so I could take the job, and still finish all my coursework to graduate.”

Now as the owner of a State Farm Insurance Agency in Abilene, Donna gives back to her alma mater.

She has served as a member of the Board of Trustees since 2005 and is happy to take a leadership role in this campaign. “McMurry is competing with other colleges and universities for students. In order to recruit good students to McMurry, I feel it is vital that we have the facilities to compete with other universities.”

In addition to the emphasis on improving facilities, Donna supports the goals of the campaign to increase the number of endowed scholarships. “I am pleased that our Capital Campaign includes both endowed merit scholarships, as well as endowed need-based scholarships.”

Almost thirty years after her graduation, Donna still believes in that same spirit of giving and service she experienced as a student. “We have some of the very best faculty here and when students come to McMurry and get involved, I believe they will catch the McMurry spirit. First we have to get them here, and I believe the Capital Campaign will address that challenge.” 

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ALUMNI LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT

A Message to Past and Current McMurry Generations

D

r. Ralph Turner ’74 is proud to serve on the Cabinet of the upcoming Capital Campaign.

Dr. Turner’s attitude of giving and service to McMurry has been shaped by his family’s strong ties to the university and by their example. “The concept of giving was instilled in my brother and me by my parents and grandparents,” says Turner. That example influenced one of the first financial decisions that he and his wife Karen (ex ’72) made, and that was to tithe. “God has blessed us in many ways,” Dr. Turner said. One way that Dr. Turner’s family has shared with McMurry is through the Turner Family Professorship in Religion and Philosophy. An additional focus of the family has been to endow memorial scholarships on behalf of both sets of grandparents. In addition, the Turner family is working on a scholarship in memory of Dr. Turner’s father, Rev. Frank L. Turner, Jr. ’43.

When asked why he chose to serve on the McMurry Campaign Cabinet in the midst of a busy career, Dr. Turner responded, “This campaign will provide an opportunity for the McMurry family, friends and alumni from past decades to come back and see something that rekindles their spirit and love for ‘dear old McMurry’.” In looking toward the future, he applauds this campaign’s commitment to science and mathematics, in building on the historic strength of our university and providing a facility for 21st century scientists. In addition, he believes the Campaign’s

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emphasis on Christian discipleship will make McMurry unique among United Methodist institutions in the country.

Dr. Turner would like to encourage older members of the McMurry family to “come home.” “You will find something on the campus that will remind you of what you remember about McMurry—excelling through hard work, dreaming, determination and accomplishing what you can ‘imagine’!” Dr. Turner also has a message for younger members of the McMurry family, stating that “the McMurry family has a wonderful opportunity during our lifetime to build the great university that we want McMurry to be…through what we can ‘imagine’!” Dr. Turner believes that this is a great time in the life of the university, and growth and rejuvenation are evident. “There is a wonderful spirit on campus,” continues Dr. Turner. “I want to tell all alumni that this campaign is comprehensive and addresses all of the areas of the campus.” Dr. Turner cites the recent success of the Band Hall campaign and the renovation of athletic facilities in attracting new contributors who have not played a major philanthropic role in the past.

He also commends the new Furr Welcome Center as a gift that “heralds a lifetime of Christian stewardship and dedication of talents in educating West Texans.”

Dr. Turner is honored to have this opportunity to serve on the Campaign Cabinet. “I am humbled to accept the opportunity to serve ‘our dear McMurry.’ ” 

Cabinet Member/ Alumni Feature

Ralph

TURNER ’74

ALUMNI LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT

Giving is a Way of Life for Sara Graham

Sara

HernaNdez graham ’63

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Growing up in the Rio Grande Methodist Conference as a preacher’s kid with three brothers and two sisters, Sara Graham’s mother and father instilled in their children the idea of giving back for a good cause. Sara’s mother believed in making life better for others and taught her children the same. Sara has a long history of involvement with the United Methodist Church. Her mother was the great, great granddaughter of Policarpo Rodriguez, one of the earliest Mexican Methodist preachers in Texas. Sara’s family moved to El Paso, where she attended two years at the University of Texas at El Paso. Then, as a junior, Sara came to McMurry. She stated, “My father felt that it was a safe place for me to be since I didn’t have any brothers living at home anymore to chaperone me. McMurry was a natural fit, and once I got here and became involved, I became more insistent about giving back to the University.”

Sara was involved in Wah Wahtaysee Service Organization and T.I.P. Women’s Social Club. Since Sara graduated, she has served McMurry in many capacities.

She served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors and is currently serving the Board of Trustees where she is in her ninth and final year. In addition, she agreed to serve on the Capital Campaign Cabinet. Sara works for her husband’s company, Graham McAlister

Co., where she serves as a trustee.

Sara has fond memories of her college experience at McMurry. Her ability to make McMurry her college home was made possible with the help of the work study program and a scholarship from the Rio Grande Methodist Conference. Sara recalls that when she was in high school, it was uncommon for Hispanic girls to go to college; however, since her mother had a degree, she encouraged all of her children to receive a higher education degree. Between Sara and her five brothers and sisters, they have earned 11 postsecondary degrees. To honor her parents’ influence, Sara established the Reverend Richard and Sarah Herrera Hernandez Scholarship, to be awarded to a Hispanic female from the Rio Grande Conference. Sara has also passed the same philanthropic commitment on to her own children. Sara’s son, Eugene Hudman ’92, established the Dr. Victor E. Hudman Scholarship for the Science Department in honor of his father.

When asked why she is serving on this campaign, Sara said, “I have lived in Abilene for 30 years now and I have seen all the wonderful changes at McMurry; but there is still a need for more, and I want to be a part of that.” 

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ALUMNI LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT

It’s Time…to Imagine the Possibilities “It is time!” These three words described the enthusiasm of Mark Miller ’78, when asked why the upcoming Capital Campaign is so important to McMurry University. To understand Mark’s passion and energy for McMurry, we must go back to his McMurry experience.

Mark’s emphasis on the importance of giving and service was shaped by several influences while he was at McMurry. Mark admits that, as a college student, his attitude of service was somewhat lacking. He credits his roommate, Charles “Chuck” Bell ’78, for helping to transform that attitude. “Chuck’s father was a Methodist missionary in Brazil, so he taught me a lot about being humble and concerned for others.” He believes that his entire McMurry experience shaped his attitude about service and giving. The faculty had a profound impact on him, including two of his coaches, Spud Aldridge and Tommy Estes. Mark also remembers a certain professor who went out of his way to build relationships with his students: “Homer Laxon was my Statistics Professor, and he loved to fish. As a way of reaching out to students, he invited us to go fishing with him.”

Now, almost thirty years after leaving McMurry, Mark exemplifies the alumnus who gives back to his alma mater. After graduation, Mark established his residence and career in Lovington, New 28

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Mexico, but he always wanted to return to Abilene. “I always told myself I would love to get back to Abilene, where I could be close to McMurry and be involved.”

Mark is now an Investment Representative for Edward Jones here in Abilene, and his office is located just down the street from the University he loves. Since his return in 1991, he has remained true to his promise and has been involved with, and has supported, McMurry in many different ways. He has served on the McMurry University Board of Trustees since 2003, and has now accepted a position on the Campaign Cabinet. He eagerly accepted these positions in order to “influence people to get involved with McMurry’s cause.”

Regarding the upcoming Campaign, Mark believes the timing is perfect, and he stresses its importance: “In planning for the next twenty-five years, we need resources to make the right decisions to catapult McMurry forward.” Mark also believes that the results of the Campaign are important in order to retain and recruit students. He explains, “If we are competing for solid students, we need to have top facilities, strong endowed academic programs and a top flight science building.” The Campaign’s importance and urgency has spurred Mark Miller to action, and he encourages all alumni to do the same. “It is time!” 

Mark

MILLER ’78

McMurry is coming to a college fair near you!

“A school ring is a visible symbol of the commitment to undertake and complete a monumental task—recognized by all with whom the graduate comes in contact. In another sense, the school ring is a constant reminder to its wearer of the knowledge, skills and relationships cemented during the university experience. ” - Dr. John H. Russell, McMurry President

The Official Ring of McMurry University.

Would you be willing to be an ambassador for McMurry by being present at a college fair during any of the following weeks?

If so, please call the Admission office at (325) 793-4700 or richardson. amy@mcm.edu.

The official ring is reserved exclusively for alumni and enrolled students in good standing who have achieved at least 75 credit hours.

For ordering information, visit the Alumni & Friends section at www.mcm.edu or call 1.866.BALFOUR (1.866.225.3687).

(REF CODE: 3040 (BK06248-16/TX2702)

McMurry Golf Classic Benefiting the McMurry University Men’s and Women’s Golf Programs Sponsored by the Indian Club

Time Lunch - 12:15 p.m. | Golf (Shotgun Start) - 1:30 p.m.

Cost $100 per person – team or individual entries welcome includes green fees, cart, beverages, lunch, tournament and entry prizes

Flights

Open Flight

Prizes

- Plaques for members of First and Second place teams - Closest to the pin on every Par 3 - Set of irons on first hole-in-one on #3, #8, #11, and #14 - Longest Drive on #9

Format

Friday, October 5, 2007 (Homecoming Weekend!)

Diamondback Golf Club Abilene, Texas

Four-person scramble open to men and women Entries limited to the first 100 players

Hole Sponsorships $500 - includes team (4) entries and your name or company name will be placed on a sign designating you as a hole sponsor

$200 - includes one entry and your name or company name will be placed on a sign designating you as a hole sponsor

(1) Name____________________________________ HDCP_ ___________ Address _______________________________________________________ (2) Name____________________________________ HDCP_ ___________ Address _______________________________________________________ (3) Name____________________________________ HDCP_ ___________ Address _______________________________________________________

Please make check payable to McMurry University Golf Program Mail Entry to: Russ Evans, Jr., Box 188 McM Station, Abilene, TX 79697 Deadlines: Entry and Hole Sponsorships - October 2, 2007 Questions? Call Coach Russ Evans at 325.691.9607

Sept. 10-14 - Dallas Sept. 17-21 - Dallas Sept. 24-28 - Costal Bend Sept. 24-28 - Panhandle Oct. 1-5 - Central Texas Oct. 1-5 - West Texas Oct. 8-12 - San Antonio Oct. 22-26 - Houston Oct. 29-Nov. 2 - Houston Nov. 5-9 - Ft. Worth Nov. 5-9 - El Paso

(4) Name____________________________________ HDCP_ ___________ Address _______________________________________________________  Yes, I plan to play. Please find enclosed $100 per individual. $_______  Sorry, I am unable to play. Please find enclosed my donation. $_______  Hole Sponsorship ~ $200/$500. Please call in your information. $_______

Fall07

Help us find McMurry’s Class of 2012!

Know a high school junior or senior who might be interested in attending McMurry?

Tell us about them! We will contact them to see if they would like to receive more information.

Please fill out as much of this form as you can and mail to: McMurry Admission, Box 278, McMurry Station, Abilene, Texas 79697.

Your Name_ ________________________________________________ Your Relation to McMurry:  Alumni  Current Student  Friend Prospective Student’s Name_ ____________________________________ Address_ __________________________________________________ City, State, Zip_______________________________________________ Phone (_______)______________Cell Phone (_______)_ _____________ Email address_______________________________________________  You may use my name when contacting this prospective student.

M ccontacting M urr this y U niversit y  Please do not use my name when prospective student.

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For the full athletics update, please visit us on the web at www.mcm.edu/athletics/.

For the full athletics update, please visit us on the web at www.mcm.edu/athletics/.

ATHLETICS UPDATE

Danielle Kelton

The Spring in Review

Track

The McMurry track team sent 13 athletes to the national outdoor meet in May and came home with several All-America honors, and reached a milestone when the men’s 4X100-meter relay team became the first male relay team in school history to win a national title.

Baseball

The McMurry baseball team shrugged off a slow 8-6 start to the season by winning 21 of its final 32 games. The team reached the American Southwest Conference Championship game, but fell to Texas Lutheran, who won its third-straight ASC title.

Tennis

The McMurry tennis teams had one of the most successful seasons in the school’s history. The women’s squad made the first American Southwest Conference Tournament appearance in school history for either the men or the women. The team, under head coach Mark Hathorn, responded by winning its first round match over LeTourneau before falling to nationally-ranked Hardin-Simmons.

Men’s Golf

For the second time since joining the American Southwest Conference, the McMurry men’s golf team was selected to participate in the NCAA Division III Golf Championships. After dominating the fall and spring with

several tournament wins and a second place finish in the American Southwest Conference Championships, head coach Russ Evans and the team received an at-large bid.

The team was in a tie for fifth place in the opening round of the national tournament, but the quick start didn’t last; however, the team did make the final cut and placed 16th.

Women’s Golf

The women’s team placed third at the ASC Tournament Championships and sophomore Barbara John was the runner-up in the individual race.

Fall Previews

to lead the men’s team over the summer, and also hired Stan Levrets in June to head the women’s program.

Volleyball

Second year volleyball head coach Jason McAden had a solid recruiting off-season and hopes to bolster a squad that went 6-26 last season.

The volleyball team will open with

ATHLETICS UPDATE a tournament in Greensboro, North Carolina, August 30 - September 1.

Cross Country

McMurry’s cross country teams promise to have another strong showing in 2007. The women’s team will look to defend its first-ever American Southwest Conference title after winning it in 2006. The men’s team placed second at the ASC Championships; however, the team’s fifth place showing at the NCAA Regional Meet was even more impressive. The team will play host to two meets in 2007, including the Texas Division III Championships Sept. 22. McMurry introduced a new home course in 2006 at the Abilene State Park in Buffalo Gap.

Football

Excitement is brewing for the upcoming 2007 football season. After a 3-7 season, newly appointed head coach Donny Gray has overhauled the coaching staff and expects to make an impact this season on the American Southwest Conference. Gray, a long-time assistant, will be one of the youngest collegiate head football coaches in America at age 32. Gray spent six years as an assistant at McMurry before receiving the promotion after former head coach Joe Crousen stepped down following the 2006 season.

Soccer

McMurry Soccer will get a new look for both teams as the men and women will have new leadership.

Steve Allan, who had the duties of coaching both the men and women in 2006, moved to Michigan for family reasons.

Athletic Director Bill Libby hired Tim Grove

2007 National Track Relay Champions: John Mikalik, Chris Kelley, Hanneus Ollison, Bert Green

Home Field Advantage Perhaps when Donny Gray was hired as McMurry’s head football coach, some may have speculated that he was too young to be a head coach. What most don’t know is Gray began the journey to his first head coaching job much earlier than most. On September 13, 1974—just three days after he was born— he was at his first football game witnessing his father, Dwayne, coach at Amherst High School in his first year as a head coach.

Though Gray may not have been aware enough to know what was going on at three days of age, it wouldn’t be long before he was immersed in the game of football and in the world of coaching.

“In my elementary days, instead of going home after school, I would go to the practice field,” said Gray, whose father was a head football coach in Texas for 28 years beginning in 1974. “Growing up, whenever he would go

to playoff games or go to scout games, he would always take me with him. I was charting film and watching games from the time I can remember.”

As the son of a head coach all his life, Gray learned from his father early on that there was more to coaching football than wins and losses.

“He was the greatest influence in my life,” Donny said of his dad.

“Growing up I got to see him influence players’ lives and alter the course of their lives for the better—not just on the field, but in life. There were a bunch of kids who might not have amounted to anything, but he helped them to be really good people in the world.”

Gray said that his father showed him what it meant to work hard and what it meant to care about his players. Dwayne had a simple solution to the problem of balancing his job and his family: bring them together.

continued on page 43...

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Join the other McMurry alumni on MySpace at www.myspace.com/mcmurryalumni/

FRIENDS & FAMILY

FRIENDS & FAMILY NORTHWEST TEXAS CONFERENCE AWARD RECIPIENT

Dear Alumni and Friends, Greetings from the Office of Alumni Relations. As we begin a new academic year and approach another Homecoming, McMurry University is truly on the move! In this issue of the Chieftain, you can see that McMurry continues to make tremendous progress, while daily impacting the lives of our students, faculty and alumni.

Not only does this issue of the Chieftain highlight McMurry’s success, but our stories emphasize exciting possibilities as we Imagine the future of our students, academic programs and campus. As we embark on a comprehensive Capital Campaign that will address many areas of our campus, it is a time for all McMurry alumni and friends to join together in this endeavor.

We are thankful for the examples of alumni highlighted in this issue who have answered the challenge to give of their time and treasure to this campaign. As we look at those examples, I challenge all of us to become more involved with our alma mater. You may wonder, “How can I do that in the midst of my busy schedule?” In past issues of the Chieftain, I have discussed many ways to become more involved. One example is to wear a McMurry shirt out in public or in large gatherings. You will be surprised how many people will ask about McMurry; in turn, this provides you the opportunity to tell them about your experience. You may find yourself running into a fellow McMurry alumnus or alumna in places

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where you never thought you would.

Another fantastic way to get involved is to volunteer to help recruit prospective students to McMurry.

This past spring, we began an initiative in which McMurry alumni wrote letters to prospective students encouraging them to choose McMurry. This letter-writing campaign produced great results! This fall, we will be asking alumni to help our Admissions staff at college fairs in areas like San Antonio, Dallas and Houston. In addition, our plan to establish alumni chapters is underway. I encourage you to volunteer to help with these programs.

By being involved with your alma mater, I believe you will see the importance of our efforts in shaping the future of McMurry. With our growth and success, the time to become involved is now! Join us at Homecoming 2007…Please Pardon Our Progress. This is an appropriate theme as we not only celebrate cherished traditions of the past, but we also celebrate our growth and Imagine our future. I hope to see all of you there!

Ala Cumba!

Dr. Darris Egger ’42 (posthumously)

D

Established in 2000 by the McMurry Alumni Association, this award is given to strengthen the relationship between McMurry University and the United Methodist Church by recognizing individuals for service to their churches and to the university.

Greeley Myers `93 Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving

r. Darris Egger was a strong advocate for McMurry University for more than 60 years while serving as a pastor and District Superintendent in the United Methodist Church. Through his life, education and career, Dr. Egger dedicated himself to strengthening the relationship between the church and McMurry University.

Darris Egger came to McMurry University in the fall of 1938 after graduating from McAdoo (Texas) High School. While at McMurry, Dr. Egger served as President of the Ministerial Forum, the McMurry Volunteer Mission Band, President of the Methodist Youth Fellowship of the Northwest Texas Conference and was named the Northwest Texas delegate to the National Uniting Conference of Methodist Youth of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

After graduating from McMurry College in 1942, Dr. Egger attended Southern Methodist University’s School of Theology and graduated in 1947 with a Master of Divinity. Dr. Egger was awarded the honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from McMurry in 1973.

Dr. Egger served the Northwest Texas and North Texas Conferences of the United Methodist Church for more than 45 years, including service as a pastor and as Abilene District Superintendent for 11 years. While serving as District Superintendent, Dr. Egger occupied an office at McMurry where he counseled McMurry faculty, staff and students as well as student pastors. He also served as Conference Program Director and Conference Historian in Northwest Texas, and was the former Chair of the Northwest Texas Conference Archives and History Committee. He was a former Vice President of the Texas United Methodist Historical Society.

Throughout his career, Dr. Egger supported McMurry by encouraging students to attend the University and was a strong advocate for McMurry Sundays at his churches. A scholarship

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FRIENDS & FAMILY award in his honor was established in 1980 for McMurry College through the Texas Methodist College Association.

Dr. Egger authored many books including Prairie Parsons I, Prairie Parsons II, Butman Methodist Camp in Mulberry Canyon and A Church Named St. Paul. At the time of his death, Dr. Egger was working on a biography of McMurry’s founder titled The J. W. Hunt Story.

Dr. Egger served as president of the West Texas Genealogical Society and was active in the Taylor County Historical Society. He served as a trustee at McMurry University for 14 years and Sears Methodist Center in Abilene for 11 years. He also served as a trustee for Methodist Home in Lubbock and Methodist Mission Home in San Antonio. He was also an active member of the McMurry University Retired Fellowship (MURF) organization.

Dr. Egger married Helen Joy Davis of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, in 1942, and they raised two sons: Darris Jr. and Charles (deceased).

NEW MEXICO CONFERENCE AWARD RECIPIENT

Bud Reynolds ’57

S

ince the time Luther “Bud” Reynolds graduated from McMurry 50 years ago, he has dedicated himself to a life of serving the United Methodist Church and McMurry University.

A native of Ada, Oklahoma, Bud is a 1957 graduate of McMurry University with a Bachelor of Business Administration. While at McMurry, Bud was a member of Ko Sari men’s social club and a member of the Circle K service club. In addition, he was a member of the band and served as a Senator in McMurry Student Government.

Following his time at McMurry, he attended the University of Texas where he received a Master of Business Administration degree in 1959.

After graduating with his Masters degree, Bud has

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FRIENDS & FAMILY spent his entire professional career in the field of financial management. His career included holding positions as Executive Vice President and Vice Chairman of First National Bank in Albuquerque and President of American Federal Savings and Loan Association. Since 1990, he has served as President of Reynolds Financial and Management Service, Inc., which provides consulting services to clients in real estate, wholesale distribution, retail, environmental services, assisted living and construction industries. Bud has also served as a member of the Board of Directors of First National Bank of Albuquerque, Joe G. Maloof and Company, George S. Maloof and Company and Phillip Maloof and Company.

Bud and his wife, Marilyn, are currently members of First United Methodist Church in Albuquerque. A life-long Methodist, Bud has kept his promise to support the churches to which he belonged with his prayers, his presence, his gifts and his service. Those churches include Means Memorial Methodist Church of Seminole, Texas, First Methodist Church of Pampa, Texas, First Methodist Church of Brownfield, Texas and Christ United Methodist of Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was also an associate member of St. Paul United Methodist Church in Abilene during his years at McMurry. In all of these churches, Bud has served on various ad hoc committees and performed the necessary process of auditing financial records when requested to do so. Rather than long-term commitments in various positions, Bud is that rare behind-the-scenes church member who can always be counted on when advice is needed in the areas where Bud’s considerable experience is unique.

Bud’s dedication to McMurry has also been evident since he graduated. Since 2003, he has served on the McMurry University Board of Trustees. His participation as a McMurry trustee is performed with the same interest, excitement and dedication, which symbolize his involvement and expertise in every project he undertakes. In 2006, Bud and Marilyn were inducted into the Heritage Circle of the McMurry John Wesley Society for including McMurry in their estate plans.

Bud and his wife, Marilyn, married in 1962, and they have one daughter, Kristine. She and her husband, Paul Bernard, live in San Ramon, California.

A T L ar g e A W A R D R E C I P I E N T

Dr. C. Girvin Harkins ’60

I

n order to expand and strengthen the relationship between McMurry and the United Methodist Church, McMurry is pleased to announce the first at-large recipient of the Cross and Flame Award, Dr. C. Girvin Harkins of Boerne, Texas.

Girvin is a life-long active member of the United Methodist Church, dedicating much of his time and talents in service to local churches wherever he has resided. He has also been an advocate for McMurry University, recognizing the value of a quality liberal arts education, undergirded by religious and spiritual values and principles.

Girvin graduated from McMurry College with a double major in Physics and Chemistry in 1960. Following completion of his baccalaureate degrees, Girvin attended Johns Hopkins University where he completed the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Physical Chemistry. He continued in education as a postdoctoral fellow in Chemical Engineering at UC Berkeley, Stanford and Rice. He has remained committed to McMurry during the years since graduation, serving as president of local and regional alumni associations and participating in the Math and Science Advisory Board. He has also served on the McMurry University Board of Trustees since 2006. In 2001, he was named McMurry’s Distinguished Alumnus.

Girvin has served in both leadership and lay capacities in the local United Methodist Churches where he has resided. He has taught Sunday school classes for college age, young adults and older adults. He participated in local church organizations, including membership in Commissions of Education, Finance and Evangelism/Outreach. He has served for more than five years as the Scoutmaster in the church-sponsored Boy Scout troop at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Houston. In this role, he has had the opportunity to share his experiences as a student and faculty

member in colleges and universities. It has also allowed him to share with his colleagues, as well as the scouts, some of the benefits of attending McMurry University. Additionally, in his church in Boerne, Texas, he has served as a mentor and tutor for high school students in sciences and math. In all of these venues, he has been a role model and a McMurry advocate for students who are anticipating high school graduation and college selection.

Girvin worked for Hewlett-Packard and Agilent Technologies in Palo Alto, California for 23 years. He remains active in church-related functions, including service as an alternate Sunday school teacher for large adult classes, the Methodist Men’s organization, the Cardiac Arrest Response Team (a volunteer group of church members trained to respond to emergency situations anywhere on the church grounds) and other organizations. He met his wife, Ann Stone Harkins ex ’62, while at McMurry.

Girvin’s commitment to family, church and McMurry remains a guiding standard in his life, and he is continuing in service to both his church and McMurry. 

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From the Alumni Association As we embark on yet another year at McMurry, I want to take this opportunity to say how much I am looking forward to serving you as your Alumni Board President.

Thirty years ago I, along with some of you in the class of 1977, entered McMurry as a freshman. We took part in the many opportunities that McMurry had to offer. From the awesome residence hall life, strict pledging, campus organizations and Christian Life Fellowship, McMurry gave me the opportunity to be an individual and the experience has shaped my life.

Now the tables have turned. It is time to return that commitment. I have served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors for many years and have chaired various committees and projects. Now, I am committed to McMurry in another way—as your president.

On behalf of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to Robert Gillette for his excellent leadership. Through his influence, our association has grown ever stronger and has made great progress.

As a freshman, Bob was an encouragement to me as a dorm supervisor in the “Pit” of Gold Star. He made a Central Texas guy feel welcome within the McMurry family. To this day he continues to give encouragement to those around campus.

As you return to McMurry this year for Homecoming, you will notice we are a campus undergoing much development— so Please Pardon Our Progress. You will be welcomed to campus by the Furr Welcome Center adjacent to Radford Auditorium. In the fall of 2008, McMurry band members will move into the newly renovated Bynum Band Hall which will be a state-of-the-art facility.

As you have read in this issue of the Chieftain, we are beginning a campaign to address many needs of our campus, including the renovation of Finch Gray Science Building and the continued renovation of our athletic facilities.

See you in the construction zone!

Ala Cumba, Dale Evers ‘82 President AABOD

FRIENDS & FAMILY

FRIENDS & FAMILY Alex Reyes Sagissor ’01 and her husband enjoy the Twenty-Thirty Club gathering in Houston.

1994

1976

Kirk Edens `76 and his wife Pam `74 have been married for 32 years and live in Midland, Texas.

Kirk is the CEO of a bank holding company with six offices located in Monahans, Midland, Lubbock, Spring Branch and New Braunfels. They have one daughter and son-in-law, and two grandchildren who live in Lovington, New Mexico.

1977

Major Joe Carvajal `77 now lives in Alexandria, Virginia.

While at McMurry, Joe served as president of the Phi Beta Lambda fraternity during his senior year and served as vice president of the Phi Beta Lambda fraternity during his junior year.

1984

Robert Holden `84 lives in Santa Anna, Texas. He and his wife Kayla have six children: Chase, 22, Ashton, 17, Wade, 11, Averey, 6, Aubrey, 5, and Landry, 5.

1987

Bradley DeHaven `87 lives in San Antonio, Texas. He graduated in May 2007 with the Doctor of Ministry degree (with Honors) from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. He is beginning his seventh year as Senior Pastor of St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church in San Antonio, Texas.

Dr. Jim Smith ’65 visits with Tim Kennedy ’99 at the McMurry Alumni and Friends Gathering at the Northwest Texas Annual Conference.

Current and former members of the McMurry Women’s Basketball Team gather in Dallas in June.

1989

Jeff Brokovich `89 is in his 18th year with the Abilene Independent School District and is currently the Executive Director of Federal Programs. He and his wife Laura continue to enjoy life with their four children: Katie, 11, Kari, 8, Andrew, 4, and Aaron, 2.

Jeff Matsler `89 is the Battalion Chaplain for 53rd Transportation Battalion, Fort Eustis, Virginia. He is married to Michelle Matsler and they have two children: Mary Elizabeth, 8, and Charles Taylor, 5.

1990

Julie Sechrist Goodloe `90 and her husband Boyd moved to Lubbock to be near her family where Boyd is the new youth director at First UMC, Lubbock. Julie is teaching English at Coronado High School. They have two children: Curran, 14, and Luke, 6.

1993

Jack Wilburn `93 lives in Carrollton, Texas, with his wife Amy, daughter Caroline and son Carter.

Jack recently opened an office for the practice of law focusing on probate, guardianship and estate planning.

Jorge Montoya `94 and his wife Shannon Ward Montoya `96 are pleased to announce the birth of their son Finley Ander on February 25, 2007. Jorge and Shannon report that their oldest son Logan, 3, reminds them quite often how much he enjoys being a big brother. 

1995

Allen Gradnigo `95 was promoted to the rank of Major in the United States Air Force on May 1, 2007. After his promotion, Major Gradnigo moved to Washington, D.C., for a position at the Pentagon.

Karla Wilbanks Kahler `95 states that she is now in her dream job of a stay-at-home mom to her three kids: Bethany, 8, Josiah, 3, and new baby boy, Judah Paul, born in November 2006.

1996

Sandy Allen `96 and her husband Phillip Barnhart are pleased to announce the birth of their son, Mitchell AllenBarnhart, in September 2006.

Aubrea Aragon, daughter of Abran Aragon ’00, displays her McMurry spirit.

MarJoe Bigbee ’99, Sheila Kitts ’01 and Tamara Dille ’03 enjoy themselves at the Twenty-Thirty Club Tailgate Party and Rangers baseball game.

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FRIENDS & FAMILY 2004

Graham Bloodworth `04 lives in Midland, Texas, where he is employed by the Midland Police Department.

Alumni along with new Women’s Basketball Coach Veronica Snow are pictured at the Alumni Twenty-Thirty Club gathering in Houston.

Coach Wilford Moore is pictured with many of his former players at the dedication of Wilford Moore Stadium on May 13, 2007.

1999

After living in the Nation’s Capitol for 3 years and serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for Congressman Kenny Marchant of Texas District 24 in the U.S. House of Representatives, Chris Edwards, DDS, `99 has moved to Las Vegas, NV to begin a residency in Orthodontics at the UNLV School of Dental Medicine.

Josie Bassham Howe `99 and her husband are finally adjusting to life back in the U.S. at Fort Rucker, Alabama, after a four-year stay in Germany.

Symbri Tuttle ’07, Carli Engelke ’06, Abran Aragon ’00, Tamika Thurman Brunetti ’02 and Dedra Brittain Peacock ’00 pose for a picture at the Alumni gathering in Dallas.

Jill Jaquess `99 lives in Lubbock and received her M.Ed. in Educational Administration in May 2004 from Texas A&M – Commerce. She currently serves as Assistant Principal at Terra Vista Middle School in the Frenship Independent School District.

Michael Meador `99 and his wife Jenni (Carter) ‘00 recently moved to Fort Worth, Texas, where Michael is attending Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine.

2000

Jason C. Burgess `00 is the Dean of Students at All Saints Episcopal Christian Academy in Tyler, Texas.

His wife, Katie, teaches Social Studies and Geography.  Jamie Tyree Mings `00 is pleased to announce the birth of her daughter, Lillian Joy Mings, on January 18, 2007. She has two older sisters: Kasey, 5, and Katie, 3.

Chris Montoya `00 was recently promoted to Vice President with the First Financial Trust Company in Abilene, where he lives with his wife, Jennifer.

40

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Ysau Flores ’73 visits with Eric Luette ’92 at the Alumni gathering in San Antonio.

Adam Samuels `00 now lives in Abilene where he serves as Minister of Music at St. Paul UMC.

2002

Monica Blank Espedal `02 married David Espedal in April of 2006. She currently works as a speech pathologist for the Plano Independent School District.

2003

Elaine Dispo `03 received her Master’s of Arts degree in Communication Systems Management from Angelo State University in 2006 and relocated to San Francisco to join the leadership team at Banana Republic, a division of Gap Inc., the company for which she has been employed since 2000. Soon she will return to Texas, where she will put her M.A. to use by teaching in the Communications and Creative Arts department at South Texas College in the Rio Grande Valley.

Ryan Higley `04 graduated Summa Cum Laude with his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree on May 20, 2007, from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas. Dr. Higley is now enrolled in the residency program in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He and his wife, Ashley `04, will live in the Oklahoma City area for the next four years, with plans of returning to practice in the Texas Panhandle. 

2007

Joseph Cervantez `07 has moved to Fort Worth, Texas, where he is coaching and teaching at Fort Worth Paschal High School.

Symbri Tuttle `07 is attending graduate school at Eastern New Mexico University where she serves as a Graduate Assistant Coach for their Women’s Basketball Team.

Fall07

Name_________________________Maiden Name__________________ Address ______________________________Graduation Year___________

The Alumni Relations Office and your former classmates are always eager to know what you are doing and where you are doing it.

Let us know about your life, your career, your family and other news by sending this form (with a photo!) to: Alumni Relations Office, Box 938 McMurry Station, Abilene, Texas 79697.

City ___________________________ State _____ Zip_______________ Phone_________________ Email Address__________________________ Notes of Interest:_ ____________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ M c M urr y U niversit y

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FRIENDS & FAMILY

A group of alumni celebrate the wedding of Justin Tabor ’04. Pictured from left to right are David Chavez ’05, Ellen Bell-Enright (holding baby Claire) ’03, Kyera Tabor-Smith ’05, Braegan Enright ’03, Justin Tabor ’04, Gian Falco ’05, Amy Bell-Falco ’05, Zach Johnson ’06, Bill Libby, Janet Chandler ’00 and David Chandler ’00.

Members of the Twenty-Thirty Club enjoy the Texas Rangers outing in June.

McMurry student Stephanie Work receives her McMurry Official Ring presented to her by McMurry President, Dr. John Russell, and President of the McMurry Alumni Board of Directors, Dale Evers ’82.

McMurry Vice-President for Institutional Advancement, Steve Crisman, is pictured with Rick ’66 and Karen ’66 Kirkendall, along with Tom ’59 and Jane ’57 McIntyre at an Alumni Dinner in Boston this past June.

Help create scholarship opportunities for our students with a gift to the McMurry Fund!

Yes, I would like to contribute to the success and future of McMurry students through the McMurry Fund!

Please make your check payable to McMurry Fund and send it with this form to Institutional Advancement, McMurry Station Box 938, Abilene, TX 79697. Thank you!

I am making a pledge of $____________ with $___________ to be paid now and the balance to be paid  Annually

 Semi-annually

 Quarterly

To make a gift using a credit card, please visit www.mcm.edu/give/ and click on the Give Online link.

Name _ ________________________________________________________________ 42

Address_ _______________________________________________________________

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City, State, Zip___________________________________________________________

GRAY ...continued from page 33 “He made everything about family,” said Donny.

“I grew up in the field house and the players were like brothers. If my sisters and I weren’t at the field house with them, they were at our house. His team was like a family.”

It didn’t take long for Gray to be emotionally invested in the teams that his father coached with all the time he spent with the players and the staff.

“I don’t remember exactly when or where it was, I just remember it was a big game and he lost,” he recalls. “I ran down onto the field after the game and I was heartbroken. I’ll never forget it. I was just crying. I thought it was the end of the world. I went up to him mad and upset, and the first thing he said was, ‘It’ll be okay.

The guys played hard. It just didn’t work out today.’”

This was just another of the lessons that Gray learned at an early age from his father. He watched how his dad treated his staff and players through victory and defeat.

After a childhood filled with watching other kids get to play for his father, the time came where Donny was able to experience what it was like to be a player under his dad’s tutelage.

“One of the greatest honors I’ve ever had in my life was my senior year in football,” he recalled. “The Amarillo paper did an article on me and my dad. It was titled, Like Father Like Son. Dad was a high school quarterback and so was I. And in the article, Dad said that me playing for him was the greatest experience of his life. It was one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me.”

Gray said that he had always wanted to be a coach, but that playing for his dad only made that passion stronger. He had planned on being a high school coach and working his way up much like his father. However, when Gray left the high school ranks to play in college, he found a new niche.

“I got the opportunity to play at Hardin-Simmons [University],” he said. “Somewhere during my collegiate playing career, I fell in love with Saturdays.”

After his career at Hardin-Simmons ended, Gray was given an unusual opportunity to begin his coaching career earlier than most. Before he had even finished his undergraduate work as a student, Tarleton State University’s head coach, Craig Wederquist, offered him a job on the Texans staff to coach special teams at age 22.

In the spring of 2001, Gray would be reunited with

two familiar faces and a familiar town. Then McMurry head coach Steve Keenum, who was at Hardin-Simmons as an assistant when Gray was a player, hired Gray to coach defensive backs. Thus began a six-year stint as an assistant at the institution where he would eventually become the head coach.

“I always thought McMurry was a different type of atmosphere than a lot of places I had seen at this level,” said Gray. “I really gravitated towards it because of the way the school functioned and how personal the campus was. I really felt at home and thought this place had a lot of potential and a lot of opportunity to excel.”

It was a good thing that Gray felt so at home at McMurry because the football side of the school was an uphill battle. In his first two seasons as an assistant, McMurry failed to win a game going 0-19.

In fact, since joining the staff at McMurry he hasn’t experienced a winning season, even though the program had success in the late 1990s. When Joe Crousen became the head coach in 2005, Gray moved back to offense for the first time since his tenure at Cisco, which was a welcome change for him.

Gray recruited and coached Ty Sellers, a NCAA Division II transfer from Panhandle State and McMurry snuck up on its competition and posted a 5-5 record for its first non-losing season since 1999. Sellers passed for over 2,000 yards and nearly rushed for 1,000 in his only season with the team.

However, in 2006, the program was unable to build on the previous year’s improvement and went 3-7. When Crousen stepped aside following the season, Gray was immediately named the interim-head coach.

Sixteen days later, athletic director Bill Libby made Gray official. The decision-making process was a nobrainer for Gray, and after much discussion with his wife Tracy, former coaches and friends, he turned to his most familiar, most trusted and most respected mentor: his father.

“He told me I shouldn’t take it if I didn’t believe in it,” said Gray. “I told him without hesitation there was no doubt in my mind that [McMurry] can be as successful as we want it to be.”

Read the rest of Donny Gray’s story at www.mcm.edu/athletics/ M c M urr y U niversit y

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FRIENDS WE’LL MISS Dorothy Wanette Hart Armstrong ’38 of Abilene, Texas, died March 27, 2007.

Paul Banner of Midland, Texas, died August 16, 2006.

J.T. Bartee ’49 of Burleson, Texas, died September 29, 2006.

Nancy Maude Milsap Bartlett of Anson, Texas, died April 7, 2007.

S. Duane Bruce ’41 of Carlsbad, New Mexico, died April 16, 2007.

Norma Burk ’50 died May 7, 2007.

T. C. Campbell of Abilene, Texas, died February 22, 2007.

Francys Case, mother of Roger Case ’73 and Marc Case ’73 of Abilene, Texas, died April 19, 2007.

Danny Conklin of Amarillo, Texas, died January 1, 2007.

James Garfield Conlan, of Dallas, Texas, died January 24, 2007.

Marilynn Cox ’77 of San Antonio, Texas, died January 15, 2007.

Norma Joyce “Kitty” Burk Cummins ’50 of Midland, Texas, died May 7, 2007.

Geneva Davis of Amarillo, Texas, died August 4, 2007.

Winford Drake ’54 died July 19, 2006.

Harrace Floyd Dunn ’37 of Abilene, Texas, died October 12, 2006.

Owen Frost ’67 of Plano, Texas, died September 13, 2006.

Louis Goeke ’75 of Bedford, Texas, died July 14, 2007.

Cecil Hardaway ’47 of Lubbock, Texas, died January 1, 2007.

James L. Harrison of Abilene, Texas, died April 16, 2007.

Luella Baldridge Higley ’29 of Fort Worth, Texas, died May 17, 2007.

Marvine Cook Williams Hogsett ’77 of Abilene, Texas, died May 5, 2007.

A. J. Hoover ’56 of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, died May 25, 2007.

Kenneth W. James ’75 of Midland, Texas, died November 13, 2006.

Modena Maurine Pair Johnson ’48 of Tyler, Texas, died May 20, 2007.

Clara Livingston of De Leon, Texas, died July 11, 2007.

Elias Felipe “Eli” Martinez ex ’76 of Abilene, Texas, died April 9, 2007.

Sarah E. McCoy of Abilene, Texas, died May 23, 2007.

Donald Winfield Duke Moore ’45 of Albuquerque, NM, died January 23, 2007.

FRIENDS WE’LL MISS Christine K. Morrison of Balmorhea, Texas, died September 19, 2006.

Gene Murrell ’67 of Llano, Texas, died April 12, 2007.

Edgar N. Payne ’51 of Lubbock, Texas, died April 11, 2007.

Marjorie Parmelly ’57 of Abilene, Texas, died January 16, 2007.

Connie Parmelly Petree ’65 of Abilene, Texas, died January 16, 2007.

Elizabeth A. Phaneuf of Arlington, Texas, died December 26, 2006.

Jim T. Pickens ’48 of Wylie, Texas, died February 18, 2007.

Mary Ann McCollum Pickens ’48 of Wylie, Texas, died December 31, 2006.

Eugenia Pittard, mother of Gary Pittard ’69, Robert Pittard ’79 and Nancy Pittard Smith ’79, of Coleman, Texas, died on February 6, 2007.

Georgia Frances Lawlis Raymond ’42 of Levelland, Texas, died July 26, 2007.

Fay L. Reeve of Friona, Texas, died July 17, 2007.

W.A. Rembert of Dallas, Texas, died January 1, 2007.

Louis Schowengerdt of Denison, Texas, died January 1, 2007.

William H. Schultz ’47 of Cleveland, Tennessee, died June 7, 2007.

Eddie Sequeira ’58 of Rancho Cucamonga, California passed away.

Virginia Woodall Simmons ’47 of Houston, Texas, died December 4, 2006.

Alvin G. Smith ’56 of Sweetwater, Texas, died October 11, 2006.

Frances English Stanley ’59 of Abilene, Texas, died July 24, 2007.

Patty Jo “Pat” Stephens of Abilene, Texas, died March 7, 2007.

Cathryn Stone ’36 of Artesia, New Mexico died July 22, 2006.

Curtis Randolph “Randy” Strickland ’69 of Abilene, Texas, died March 6, 2007.

Mary Verlyn Trantham ’39 of Glen Rose, Texas, died July 9, 2006.

Marjorie Hendrick Urban, wife of former McMurry Dean of Students, Walter Urban, Abilene, Texas, died July 24, 2007 James L. Wells ’57 of Onalaska, Texas, died July 23, 2006.

Linda Kay Wilson ’58 of Lubbock, Texas, died July of 2006.

Mary Wineinger ’37 of Shreveport, Louisiana, died December 4, 2006.

Obituaries Gail Biagioni

Gail Biagioni, friend and colleague, passed away July 31, 2007, surrounded by her family. Gail brought her zest for life and many talents to the McMurry Jay-Rollins Library in 2002, where she ran the Circulation Desk. She also sponsored Pi Phi and managed the Friend’s Closet. Her enthusiasm and perseverance enabled her to finish her B.A. in Sociology through McMurry, and her degree was awarded by California State University at Hayward this 44

M c M urr y U niversit y

spring, where she started in 1967. While pursuing her degree, she was a member of the Phi chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta, the international sociology honor society.

Gail’s positive attitude and courage during her 4 ½ year battle with cancer will be remembered by all who knew her. She will be missed.

Dr. Bervin Caswell ’38

Dr. Bervin O. Caswell passed away March 30, 2007.

He was a long-time United Methodist minister in New

Mexico and West Texas. Born in Sunset, Montague County, Texas on March 25, 1917, he moved with his family in 1926 to Lynn County, Texas, south of Lubbock.

Bervin graduated from McMurry University in 1938, the year he married Etha Mae Sherrill, his wife of nearly 70 years. He received a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Southern Methodist University in 1943. For 45 years he served pastorates in West Texas and New Mexico, retiring in Abilene in 1984.

He was a long-time supporter of McMurry University. McMurry bestowed upon him an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity in 1964, and he served on the McMurry University Board of Trustees from 1976 to 1985. In addition, Dr. Caswell received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from McMurry University in 2004.

He is survived by his wife Etha Mae; a sister, Fern Barnes of Draw, Texas and a brother, Noel Caswell of Lubbock, Texas; their four children: James (Dallas), Leonard (Carlsbad), Karen (Carlsbad) and Jon (Dallas); three daughters-in-law: Jackie, Kathy and Linda; six grandchildren: Angela Secrest, James Robert Caswell, Toni Clark, Benjamin Caswell, Shannon Ingram and Joshua Caswell.

Noel Chapin

Noel Ray Chapin of Dallas died Sunday, February 25, 2007. He was the husband of McMurry ex-student, Anita Chapin, who preceded him in death in 1999. Anita and Noel were faithful supporters of McMurry and provided the funding for the construction of the Noel R. and Anita H. Chapin Art Building. This building houses ceramics, pottery and jewelry classes, as well as offices and studio space.

Dr. Darris Egger ’42

Dr. Darris Leon Egger ’42 died June 2, 2007. Darris Egger came to McMurry University in the fall of 1938 after graduating from McAdoo (Texas) High School.

After graduating from McMurry College in 1942, Dr. Egger attended Southern Methodist University’s School of Theology and graduated in 1947 with a Master of

Divinity. Dr. Egger was awarded the honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from McMurry in 1973.

Dr. Egger served the Northwest Texas and North Texas Conferences of the United Methodist Church for more than 45 years, including service as a pastor and as Abilene District Superintendent for 11 years. While serving as District Superintendent, Dr. Egger occupied an office at McMurry for 11 years where he counseled McMurry faculty, staff and students, as well as student pastors. He also served as Conference Program Director and Conference Historian in Northwest Texas, and was the former Chair of the Northwest Texas Conference Archives and History Committee. He was a former vice-president of the Texas United Methodist Historical Society. Throughout his career, Dr. Egger supported McMurry and served as a trustee for 14 years. At the time of his death, Dr. Egger was working on a biography of McMurry’s founder, titled The J. W. Hunt Story. Prior to his death, he was named the 2007 recipient of the Cross and Flame Award, in recognition of his service to McMurry University and the United Methodist Church Dr. Egger was preceded in death by his son Charles ’73. He is survived by his wife, Helen Joy Davis Egger ’73, his son Darris Jr. and his wife Cheryl Egger and their four children.

J.T. Moseley

J.T. “Jake” Moseley died February 12, 2007.

Mr. Moseley, the son of Troy H. and Johnnie Williams Moseley, was born in Eustace, Texas. He lived in Monahans from 1950 to 2004, when he moved to Temple. He received a degree in petroleum engineering at Texas A&M University in 1950. He was a 1942-1946 veteran of the U.S. Navy “Seabees.”

He served on the McMurry University Board of Trustees during the years 1982 to 1986 and 1992 to 2001. He was the 2000 Cross and Flame award recipient, which recognizes service to McMurry University and the United Methodist Church.

His wife, Theresa Moseley, preceded him in death.

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Please Pardon our Progress ry g ur comin M c M Home 07 20

Office of University Relations Box 938 McMurry Station Abilene, Texas 79697

s we gather for Homecoming 2007, it is time to reminisce, rekindle friendships and continue cherished traditions like Tipi Village, Beating of the Drum and Coronation of Chief and Princess McMurry. This year we also commemorate the outstanding growth of our alma mater as we celebrate the new Furr Welcome Center, see the renovation of the Bynum Band Hall and Imagine the future of McMurry. So join us for Homecoming 2007, and… Please Pardon Our Progress!

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Lubbock, TX Permit No. 49