Spring 2020 - Class Notes
1950
Sidney Thomas Fairman, BA ’50, resides at 101 N. Wayne, Lubbock, TX 79416. Also contact at jeannefairman@suddenlink.net.
Rev. Carter Bearden, BA ’51, of Canton, GA, was honored Dec. 5, 2019, with an appreciation award from the North American Mission Board in recognition of his pioneering ministry to the deaf. Often referred to as “the deaf Billy Graham,” Bearden served Southern Baptists through the Home Mission Board and later the North American Mission Board (NAMB) for nearly 50 years before his 2004 retirement. The event took place at NAMB’s building in Alpharetta, GA (NAMB photo by Alexandra Toy). Bearden has written a number of books, including the authoritative history of Southern Baptist ministry to the deaf, The History of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ministry to the Deaf. He also wrote several Bible studies for both deaf and hearing populations.
Mary Wells Malone, BA ’51, of Boaz, AL, was appointed to the Snead State Community College Foundation board of directors. She has taught at Boaz Elementary and Boaz High School. She directed the young children’s choir and taught Sunday school at her church for more than 25 years. She is also former chair of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program.
Dr. Bill, BA ’54, and Mary Little, BA ’53, of Bolivar, MO, established The Bill F. and Mary Barrett Little Endowed Scholarship Fund. This scholarship will be awarded to students enrolled in the School of Education who are pursuing a major in elementary education.
Clyde Fant, BA ’56, of DeLand, FL, recently published The World In Black and White, a book about the Civil Rights battle in Louisiana and his early years there as a pastor and son of the most powerful anti-Long politician in the state. Contact at CFant70@yahoo.com.
The Paul Baker Endowed Scholarship Fund in Theatre Arts was created by Joyce and Robert Johnson, BA ’56, of McLean, VA, in honor of Paul Baker, who was a longtime professor in the Department of Theater Arts. This scholarship honors Paul’s belief in students learning to think and work creatively, a process which will enrich their lives and the lives of others.
Joe Powell, BBA ’58, retired Jan. 1 as owner and principal of Powell Associates in Pittsburgh, PA. He celebrates his 85th birthday May 12. He retired from Westinghouse Electric Corp. in 1992. A member of the American Statistical Association and other organizations, Powell has received a number of honors and held roles such as Pittsburgh Chapter president of the Planning Executives Institute. He holds advanced degrees in biostatistics and management from Tulane University and Florida State University. Contact at Apt. 3311, Greensberg Pike, Pittsburgh, PA 15221.
Jane Walker Williamson, BA ’59, won first place in the 2019 Family History Book Writing category for non-professionals at the Texas State Genealogical Society conference, held Oct. 12, 2019, in Houston. Her award-winning book, My Journey: Tracing Ancestors to Grote Family Farm in Mackenbruch, Germany, chronicles her research into one line of her mother’s German heritage and spans the period from the Thirty Years War through Napoleon’s campaign into Spain, the American Civil War and both World Wars. Williamson and her daughter Rachel Williamson Bayless, BA ’89, found the family farm on a genealogy trip to Germany, where they met cousins who were surprised to learn family members had emigrated to Texas in the 1840s. Contact at 300 W State Hwy 6, Apt. 1216, Woodway, TX 76712 or jwilliamson8484@gmail.com.
1960s
Michael N. Thomas, BS ’61, retired as an international health consultant in family planning in 2017. Contact at 2242 Mulberry Hill Rd., Annapolis, MD 21409 or mthoma9613@aol.com.
Jill Withrow Baker, BA ’64, designed her artist’s studio, the first Net Zero Program residential building in Kentucky. Baker attended Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Florida State University and Pratt Institute, earning a Master of Fine Arts in painting. In 1981, she moved to Los Angeles and taught art at Pierce College. In 1991, she returned to her loft in SoHo, New York, worked for the commissioner of Major League Baseball and for Golden Books as a legal secretary. She later taught at Nossi College of Art, the Art Institute of Tennessee, and the University of Southern Indiana. She moved to Louisville in 2012, working full time as an artist, teaching art and exhibiting her work worldwide. Baker has illustrated dozens of books, including many for Lee Pennington, her neighbor and a Poet Laureate for Kentucky. Contact at 11905 Lilac Way, Louisville, KY 40243 or jillwbaker@gmail.com.
Bernie Calaway, BA ’64, authored his 10th book, a five-volume encyclopedia titled History and Mystery: The Complete Eschatological Encyclopedia of Prophecy, Apocalypticism, Mythos, and Worldwide Dynamic Theology. Contact at 106 Gobbler Knob Rd., Cullowhee, NC 28723 or benieconway@earthlink.net.
Dr. James Cotton, BA ’65, was inducted Feb. 22 into the Bethesda Health Clinic’s Doctor Luke Society. Cotton is a nephrologist who helped found The Centers for Kidney Care in Tyler, TX, where he has worked since 1978. He served in the U.S. Navy in the early 1970s as a lieutenant commander. The Cottons founded The Cumberland Academy Charter school in 1998. They have five children and 11 grandchildren. In addition to education and medicine, they have been very active in the arts.
Dr. Harriet Harral, BA ’66, MA ’67, announced she will retire in June 2020 after 25 years of service as executive director of Leadership Fort Worth (LFW). Harral grew LFW from one to five leadership development programs that serve various constituents. She has volunteered on such nonprofit boards as Goodwill Industries, Renaissance Heights United, the Rotary Club of Fort Worth, United Way of Tarrant County, Women’s Policy Forum, Mayfest, and Guardianship Services. Nationally, she chaired the boards of the Community Leadership Association and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. As principal of The Harral Group, she continues to facilitate planning and communication initiatives for numerous government and nonprofit entities.
Charles Wallis, BA ’67, curated a Small Works show for the Texas Visual Arts Association, Dec. 2, 2019-Jan. 3, 2020, in the TVAA Gallery in Dallas. Wallis is TVAA vice president and has paintings in eight different galleries in Texas.
The Janna Kay Entzminger Endowed Scholarship Fund in Nursing was established by Danny, BBA ’69, and Marsha Bowlin, BA ’70, to honor Janna Entzminger, BSN ’88.
Bestselling author Tony Castro, BA ’69, published his seventh book, Mantle: The Best There Ever Was (Rowman & Littlefield), in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of Baseball Hall of Fame legend Mickey Mantle’s death in 1995. Castro’s other books include the critically acclaimed literary biography Looking for Hemingway (Lyons Press), which National Public Radio named among the best books of 2016. Castro and his wife Renee LaSalle live in Los Angeles. Contact at tony@tonycastro.com.
1970s
Martha J. Bradshaw, BSN ’70, of Dallas, published the eighth edition of Innovative Teaching Strategies in Nursing and Related Health Professions. She is senior editor and was assisted by co-editors Beth Hultquist and Debra Hagler. Contact at Martha_Bradshaw@baylor.edu.
John Strybos, BM ’71, says he has “failed at retirement.” He retired in 2017 as organist/choirmaster at The Church of St. Joseph in Bronxville, NY. Five months later, he became organist/director of music at First Congregational Church in Norwalk, CT. He has lived in Stamford, CT, since 1984. Contact at JPStrybos@aol.com or 50 Glenbrook Road, #15-C, Stamford, CT 06902.
Phil, BBA ’72, and Sherill Duren, BA ’70, Duren of Goldthwaite, TX, created the Phil and Sherill Baker Duren Endowed Scholarship Fund in Education. They previously created a scholarship in the Hankamer School of Business. They have four daughters: Tamra Halladay Gilley, BBA ’97, Amanda Halladay Horvath, BA ’98, Ramona Duren and Sabrina Duren.
Dr. Beth H. Sutton, BA ’72, was elected chair of the American College of Surgeons Board of Regents. Sutton is a general surgeon in private practice in Wichita Falls, TX. He has been an American College of Surgeons Fellow since 1984.
Gary and Paula Dorsey, ’73, of Waco enjoyed their trip to New Orleans to watch the Bears play in the Sugar Bowl.
David W. Stewart, MA ’73, PhD ’74, of Playa Vista, CA, received the Ingolstadt Legacy Award for Business and Economics in Service of Humanity bestowed by the City of Ingolstadt and the Catholic University Eichstätt-Ingolstadt on an influential, international researcher and scholar who has significantly impacted policy and society with their body of work. Catholic University is the largest private university in Germany and the largest Catholic university in the German speaking world. Contact at drdavidstewart@mac.com.
The Honorable Curtis, BA ’74, JD ’77, and Melody Seidlits, BSED ’77, of Austin created the Curtis L. and Melody Seidlits Endowed Scholarship Fund in Law to provide scholarships for students attending Baylor Law School. They have three children: Stephanie, Sarah, BA ’06, and Lee.
Ace Collins, BA ’75, of Arkadelphia, AR, authored The Trojan Horse: In the President’s Service (Elk Lake Publishing, 2020), a complex World War II mystery. The book is the 16th in a 17-book series, capped by The Wolf Pack, which is scheduled for release in March.
In the January edition of Texas Border Business, Mayor Jim Darling, BA ’75, JD ’77, discusses the challenges and opportunities leading McAllen, a Texas city at the center of international commerce and trade. See more at https://texasborderbusiness.com/being-mayor-in-todays-world-is-facing-complex-challenges/.
Terry Mattingly, BA ’76, MA ’84, known for his 31 years of work as a national religion columnist, was named a senior fellow at the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics at the University of Mississippi. His appointment, effective Jan. 1, was announced by Charles Overby, chairman of the center. Mattingly writes a daily blog, GetReligion.org, which for 17 years has offered a daily critique of mainstream media coverage of religion news and trends. Mattingly also continues to write his weekly On Religion column for the Universal syndicate, which distributes the column to about 300 newsrooms in North America.
Texas Fifth District Court of Appeals Justice Lana Myers, BFA ’76, JD ’81, was among the Dallas County female judges featured in a Nov. 26, 2019, The Dallas Morning News article about Mattel releasing Judge Barbie with the message that all girls can be judges (photo by DMN’s Brian Elledge).
The Mississippi Humanities Council recently presented David Davis, MA’78, an associate professor of history at Millsaps College in Jackson, MS, with its annual Humanities Teacher Award.
Molly Francis, BA ’78, JD ’81, of Dallas was appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott to the Texas Board of Criminal Justice for a term to expire Feb. 1, 2025. Francis is a retired senior judge with 28 years of judicial service, most recently on the Fifth Court of Appeals.
Rev. Jeff Hoppe, BA ’78, and his wife Kathy, recently published a book, Discovery Teaching Like Jesus: Engaging Adult Learners. It focuses on adult learning theory (andragogy) and transformative learning while applying the Discovery teaching methodology in adult spiritual formation classes, Sunday school and community groups.
Les Leskoven, BBA ’78, of Corsicana, TX, was elected to the National Bank and Trust of Texas Board of Directors. Serving as CNBT’s executive vice president and chief investment/trust officer, Leskoven has been at the bank for 21 years and has more than 40 years in the banking industry. He has managed CNBT’s trust and investment department since 2002. Leskoven is an active member of the community and has served on numerous boards, including the Methodist Children’s Home in Waco, First United Methodist Church of Corsicana and United Way of Navarro [TX] County.
1980s
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Nelda Luce Blair, BA ’80, of The Woodlands, TX, to the Public Safety Commission for a term through Jan. 1, 2026. The commission oversees the Texas Department of Public Safety. Blair is a triple board-certified attorney and CEO of The Blair Law Firm P.C. A fifth-generation Texan, she is a gubernatorial appointee and secretary of the Stephen F. Austin State University Board of Regents, former gubernatorial appointee and former chair of the University of Houston System Board of Regents, and former gubernatorial appointee to Texas Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors.
Nearly 40 years after graduating from Baylor, Lacy Schneider O’Connor, BBA ’80, walked at Baylor Commencement in December 2019 alongside John Crichton, BS ’19, a family friend who she considers her nephew. They were featured in the Nov. 14, 2019, issue of The Baylor Lariat.
At the Balfour National Sales Meeting, Balfour’s Houston/European office was recognized as the 2019 Office of the Year, the highest award given to sales reps in our organization. Lisa Lowry Schwartz, BA ’80, is the office’s co-owner. The office is Balfour’s largest yearbook office, serving almost 700 schools. Contact at 13303 Pebblebrook Dr., Houston, TX 77079 or lisaleeschwartz@comcast.net.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott reappointed Stephen Thornhill, BS ’80, MS ’82, of Denison, TX, to the Red River Authority of Texas Board of Directors for terms set to expire Aug. 11, 2025. The Red River Authority provides for the control, conservation and development of the watershed and water of the Red River and its Texas tributaries. Thornhill is a financial advisor with the Schweizer-Thornhill Wealth Management Group and is president of Thornhill Oil & Gas Inc.
Mark and Jerry Clements, JD ’81, of Spicewood, TX, created the Jerry and Mark Clements Endowed Fund in Women’s Basketball. Jerry serves on the Baylor University Board of Regents and is its current chair.
Steven P. Napier, BBA ’81, MTax ’83, of New York City established the Steven P. Napier Endowed Faculty Scholar Fund in the Hankamer School of Business. This fund supports summer research activity for faculty with a focus on the field of business valuation.
Nancy K. “Purifoy” Phillips, MPA ’81, of Dallas was awarded the Outstanding Small Business Owner award at the Altrusa International’s Outstanding Women of Today luncheon Nov. 1, 2019. Phillips started her CPA firm in 1985; today, her son James Zalaznik works alongside her. The firm is a boutique full-service tax firm. Contact at NancyKPhillipsCPA@DallasTXCPA.com.
David Seibert, BBA ’81, of Waco was appointed vice president of missions and ministries at The Lukens Company (TLC), which provides marketing and fundraising services to nonprofits, cultural organizations, faith-based missions and political causes.
Emily and David Lill, BA ’82, JD ’88, of Austin created the Lill Family Endowed Scholarship Fund. This fund supports students residing in the Honors Residential College. They have three children: Landon, Avery, BA ’16, and Isaac, BS ’18.
The Terry S. and Michael D. Morgan Endowed Scholarship Fund in Social Work was created by Michael, BBA ’82, and Terry Morgan, ABC ’97, of Birmingham, AL. This scholarship supports students pursuing a degree in social work.
Dr. Sherry B. Perkins, BSN ’82, was appointed president of Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC), in Annapolis, MD. With more than 30 years in the healthcare industry, she has held leadership roles in major Maryland and Delaware health systems, including serving as president and CEO of University of Maryland Capital Region Health. As president of AAMC, Perkins returns to the medical center where she served as chief operating officer and chief nursing officer from 2006 until 2016.
Myra and Randy Pullin, BBA ’82, of Houston created the Pullin Family Marina Endowed Fund to provide for future maintenance, renovations, and improvements associated with the Pullin Family Marina. The marina is a place of recreation, education and leisure for students, faculty and staff on the banks of the Brazos River.
Granite Properties promoted CPA Sheryl Troiani, BBA ’82, to chief administrative officer, where she will continue to oversee the Dallas-headquartered company’s accounting, treasury and risk management activities.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Michael “Scott” Rohrman, BBA ’83, MSEd ’85, to the School Land Board for terms set to expire Aug. 29, 2021. Rohrman is the owner, founder and president of 42 Real Estate LLC in Dallas. He is an executive board member of Boy Scouts of America Circle Ten Council and the Real Estate Council of Dallas. Additionally, he is a board member of the Downtown Dallas Inc., Public Improvement District, Carry the Load — Remembering Memorial Day, and Deep Ellum Foundation.
Alice Sanders, BM ’83, is organist at First Presbyterian Church in Kingsport, TN. Additionally, Sanders plans to teach piano to students of all ages in Bristol, TN, and Kingsport. She completed her Master of Music in piano at the University of Oklahoma. After serving 26 years at United Presbyterian Church in Shawnee, OK, Sanders moved to the Kingsport area when her husband Dr. Glenn Sanders, BA ’82, MA ’83, accepted an appointment at King University as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
William “Bill” Sproull, BA ’83, of Richardson, TX, was appointed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to the Governor’s Broadband Development Council. Sproull is president and CEO of the Richardson Chamber of Commerce and chair of the board of the Alliance for Higher Education.
Kevin Stevenson, BBA ’83, MBA ’85, and his wife Michelle Bodine Stevenson, BSHE ’87, moved to Waco where Kevin joined Ascension Providence as director of strategic operations. He also hosts a healthcare podcast called I Don’t Care with Kevin Stevenson on MarketScale radio, found on Spotify and iTunes. Michelle is a flight attendant for Southwest Airlines, based out of Houston. Contact at kwstevenson@yahoo.com.
Dr. Elizabeth Davis, BBA ’84, president of Furman University in Greenville, SC, was selected to the Greenville Business Magazine Hall of Fame. She is a member of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges’ Council of Presidents, as well as the Council of Independent Colleges Board of Directors. In 2018, Davis received the William M. Burke Presidential Award for Excellence in Experiential Education for implementing The Furman Advantage, a distinctive vision for higher education that has received national attention. Davis spent 22 years at Baylor, rising to the position of executive vice president and provost.
The Robert E. Ammons Endowed Scholarship Fund in Law was created by Robert Ammons, BA ’85, JD ’88, of Houston. This fund aids students attending Baylor Law School and supports the Human Flourishing, Leadership, and Ethics Academic Initiative of Illuminate.
Nancy Higginbotham James, BSEd ’85, authored Mourning to Morning, a 90-day devotional book after the death of a loved one. Contact at 17314 Red River Trail, Houston, TX 77095 or tnjames@att.net.
Sally White Livingston, BS ’85, of Charlotte, NC, authored Get Over It!: 4 Steps to Breaking Free from the Stuck Cycle. It was an Amazon No. 1 new release Nov 2, 2019. Learn more at sallylivingston.com.
Dr. Kelly Malone, BA ’85, published his fourth book, Community Churches: Making Disciples in Urban Areas (Urban Loft 2019). Malone is director of global education, professor of intercultural studies, and holds the Jack Stanton Chair of Evangelism at Southwest Baptist University. He lives in Bolivar, MO, with his wife Molly and three cats. His daughter Maggie, BA ’17, lives in Denton, TX, and his son Kevin, BA ’19, lives in Waco. Contact at kmalone@sbuniv.edu.
David Porter, BBA ’85, of Little Rock, AR, writes, “I had two dreams come true this year. In March, I performed Disney’s Newsies on stage at a local community theater with my 16-year-old son Will. He was the lead, Jack Kelly. I played the mayor of New York and several other small roles. In November, I had the thrill of officiating my first college basketball game. I’ve been a high school basketball referee for four years.” Contact at r.s.v.p@sbcglobal.net.
Monty Blight, BBA ’86, was named vice president of sales for Immedion LLC, a provider of cloud, data center and managed IT services headquartered in Greenville, SC. Blight has an extensive professional sales background with a focus on technical solutions. He has more than 14 years of executive management experience.
Greg Dennis, BSEd ’86, MSEd ’89, was one of 19 honorees inducted Feb. 24 into the Greater Chattanooga [TN] Sports Hall of Fame. An All-Southwest Conference shortstop and team MVP at Baylor, Dennis is baseball head coach at Chattanooga State Community College. He has more than 900 career wins, and his Tigers reached a No. 1 national ranking in 2007 and No. 2 in 2011, the season after a World Series appearance.
Doyle Simons, BBA ’86, was appointed to the board of directors of Iron Mountain Inc., a storage and information management company. Simons served as CEO and president of Weyerhaeuser Co., a timber company, until his retirement last year. Prior to this role, Simons served as chairman and CEO of Temple-Inland, a corrugated packaging and building products company, from December 2007 to February 2012. He is an independent director on the board of directors of Fiserv Inc., a global provider of financial services technology.
Chris Caddell, BBA ’88, chairman of the board at Heritage Bank in Burlington, KY, assumed CEO responsibilities in addition to his duties as chairman. Caddell joined Heritage Bank 23 years ago, beginning as a teller and moving through various internal roles prior to his installation as board chairman in 2016. In addition to founding and operating LifeLine Ministries of Northern Kentucky for 12 years, Caddell is a board member of the Kentucky 4H Foundation.
Cathy Latham, BSEd ’88, of Douglas, GA, was selected as the 2019-2020 Georgia Economics Teacher of the Year. She works as an AP economics teacher, an AP reader, and as a trustee on the Georgia Council on Social Studies.
Melissa Rogers, BA ’88, explores the role of religion in the public square and focuses on principles that define the relationship between government and religion in her book, Faith in American Public Life (Baylor UP, 2019). Rogers previously served as Special Assistant to President Barack Obama and Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. She is visiting professor and practitioner-in-residence at Wake Forest University’s School of Divinity and a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.
Holly and Larry C. Vasbinder, BBA ’89, MBA ’90, of Austin established the Larry Sr. and Algerine Vasbinder Endowed Scholarship Fund in Women’s Basketball in memory of Larry’s parents, Larry Sr. and Algerine Vasbinder, because of their faithful and deep love of Baylor University and Baylor Lady Bears Basketball.
1990s
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Todd Boykin, JD ’90, of Amarillo, TX, as president of the Red River Authority of Texas Board of Directors. The Red River Authority provides for the control, conservation and development of the watershed and water of the Red River and its Texas tributaries. Boykin is a partner in the law firm of Burdett Morgan Williamson & Boykin LLP.
Dallas-based Sumner Schick LLP hired Kara D. Grimes, BBA ’90, as a business litigator. Formerly a partner at one of Texas’ largest business firms, she has 14 years of litigation experience in financial services, real estate, trusts, contracts and other business matters. Grimes graduated cum laude from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law.
Jennifer McCumber, BA ’90, JD ’93, is executive director for the LAPS Foundation of the Los Alamos [NM] Public Schools. Most recently, she served as a school board member for District 5 (Mountain Elementary) from 2015 to 2019. She also served on the board of the LAPS Foundation for several years.
Todd, BBA ’91, and Anna Reppert, BBA ’90, of Houston created the Reppert Family Baylor Built Endowed Fund. This fund provides for career and leadership development, personal skills, social responsibility and community engagement, while integrating spiritual growth for student-athletes.
The Terry and Cindy Syler Endowed Scholarship Fund in Business was created by Cindy and Terry Syler, BBA ’90, of Dallas to provide scholarships for students enrolled in the Hankamer School of Business.
In November 2019, the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum honored Cindy Campbell Brown, BA ’91, a member of the Secret Service and one of the 168 victims killed in the April 19, 1995, bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. Brown was 26 at the time of her death.
Lawrence M. “Larry” Doss, BA ’91, MA ’93, of Lubbock, TX, was appointed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to the Seventh Court of Appeals for a term set to expire Dec. 31, 2020. Doss is a partner with Mullin Hoard & Brown LLP, and is board certified in civil appellate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Keith A. Parrott, BA ’91, was named president and CEO of AMITA Health, a joint healthcare operating company of Ascension and AdventHealth, serving residents of Greater Chicago. Most recently, Parrott served as CEO of the Alabama/Tennessee Group of Tenet Healthcare after serving as CEO of Brookwood Baptist Health, a joint venture between Tenet and Baptist Health System of Alabama consisting of a five-hospital enterprise with more than 1,600 beds. Earlier, he held executive leadership positions with Baptist Health System in Alabama and Memorial Hermann Healthcare System in Houston.
Frank Shushok, BSEd ’91, Virginia Tech’s senior associate vice president, was named acting vice president of student affairs at Virginia Tech. He previously served as dean for student learning and engagement at Baylor before joining Virginia Tech in 2009.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Bart McKay, BA ’92, JD ’95, vice president and division general counsel at Carrollton, TX-based McLane Foodservice Inc., to the Business Advisory Council to the Texas Division of Emergency Management. McKay, a native of Wolfe City, TX, is a member of the State Bar of Texas and has extensive experience in commercial insurance and risk management.
Kent Borowick, MBA ’93, MA ’96, PhD ’97, was named vice president of asset optimization for Altus Equity Group Inc. in Rohnert Park, CA. Borowick is responsible for oversight of the Altus property portfolio, including operations and leasing. Borowick joins Altus Equity with more than 20 years’ experience working with both private and institutional real estate investors. He specializes in the management and repositioning of real estate assets and has experience with all major product types, including multifamily, retail, office and mixed-use properties.
Kimberly Jackson Button, BBA ’93, of Hillsborough, NC, returned to University Development at Duke University as an accounting specialist in October 2019. Contact at buttonkk@yahoo.com.
In 2017, Ann McKinley Rothpletz, BA ’93, of Louisville, KY, made a split-second decision that saved the life of a man she did not know by rescuing him from drowning. Rothpletz, a civilian, recently became the second woman ever to receive the U.S. Coast Gold Life Saving Medal for her heroism.
Carole Rogers, PsyD ’94, celebrates 20 years as director of Jewish Family Services in Fort Worth. After beginning a career in commercial underwriting after graduating from Northwestern University, Rogers decided on mental health as a career, entered Columbia University for her master’s degree in social work, then decided on a Doctor of Psychology at Baylor. Her first Texas job involved oversight of the treatment facility for the Dallas County Juvenile Department.
Dan Curtis, BBA ’95, is at the helm of BNSF Logistics, a multimodal operation that moves things by rail, truck, ocean or air, and has expanded to 865 workers and 200 agents with more than $1 billion in annual revenue. He was featured in D CEO magazine’s January-February 2020 edition.
James Vilade, BA ’95, joined the Miami Marlins to scout North Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Vilade was a Baylor Baseball team captain and academic scholar-athlete. He was a part-time scout for the Marlins’ in North Texas from 2010 to 2011. Vilade joined the Texas Rangers as North Texas scout and Class AA coach from 2012 to 2015. He worked in collegiate baseball from 2016 to 2019 as an assistant coach at Oklahoma State University. Prior to his first stint with the Marlins, Vilade compiled a 384-117 (.748) record as a head coach at the University of Dallas (1997-2001) and the University of Texas at Tyler (2003-2010).
Greg Diamond, BBA ’96, is a teaching professional at the Lakes Tennis Academy (LTA) in Frisco, TX. LTA was recognized as the Team USA Developmental Program of the year (2018). Diamond’s primary role at the academy is helping new tournament players develop their game and achieve their maximum potential on and off the court. His travels with the high-performance state/national level juniors keeps him on the front lines of the tournament circuit. He and his wife of 20 years, Heather, have a 13-year-old daughter who is a fixture on the LTA courts.
Col. Kevin Houck, MPT ’96, was promoted to colonel. He is the U.S. Army service lead for the physical therapy assistant program at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio and the regional health command-central consultant for physical therapy. Other recent assignments have been in Texas as the chief of physical therapy service and deputy director of the department of rehabilitation medicine at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio and chief of the department of rehabilitation services at William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso. He previously served in Iraq and was deputy physical therapy consultant to the Surgeon General of the Army.
Rebecca McCormick-Boyle, MHA ’96, was named chief integration officer for Catholic Health System, based in Buffalo, NY. She has nearly four decades of experience as a nurse in the U.S. Navy, retiring as a rear admiral in 2018. She began her military career as a surgical and critical care nurse before rising through the ranks as a Navy nurse executive. Most recently, she served as deputy chief of the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) and commander for Navy Medicine Education and Training.
Valorie Brown Loomer, BSEd ’97, was appointed CEO of RoboKind, a Dallas-based advanced social robotics company that helps teach social, emotional, communication, and computer science skills to students across the world. Valorie, her husband, and her two sons live in Austin, where RoboKind has various technology and design partners. She had applied what she first learned as a representative in the Baylor Student Congress to continue legislative advocacy and policy work on behalf of students with special needs. Contact at valorieloomer@gmail.com.
Bradley Hunter Welch, BM ’97, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s resident organist, was among the performers at the DSO’s “Pipedreams Live! – Organ Recital Celebration of Notre-Dame de Paris” in November 2019 at the Meyerson Symphony Center to celebrate Notre Dame Cathedral’s Grand Organ, which awaits restoration after a devastating fire in April 2019.
Ashley Buchanan, BBA ’96, MBA ’98, was named president and CEO designate and appointed to the board of directors of The Michaels Companies Inc., based in Irving, TX. He most recently served as chief merchandising and chief operating officer for Walmart U.S. eCommerce.
Elizabeth Pulley, BA ’98, executive director for Children’s Advocacy Centers (CAC) of Arkansas since 2017, was profiled as one of Arkansas’ Top Influencers of 2020 in Arkansas Money & Politics magazine (January 2020). Pulley is responsible for the organization’s 17 centers statewide, which last year served some 5,000 children.
Steve Reintjes, BA ’98, was promoted to vice president of broadcasting at the National Hot Rod Association. Reintjes continues to oversee the production of all NHRA Fox television broadcasts, as well as content created at the NHRA Wally Parks Studio, displayed at NHRA events and streamed online via NHRA.TV. Reintjes has an extensive background in live broadcasting with more than 19 years of experience in network television. He has produced more than 500 live events, covering 11 sports.
Dr. Corey Westerfeld, BA ’99, was appointed chief medical officer of Eye Health Vision Centers and Koch Eye Associates, a large multi-group, multi-specialty eye care provider with offices in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Westerfeld has been in practice since 2009, following completion of residency and fellowship training at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary/Harvard Medical School. He is a vitreoretinal surgeon specializing in the treatment of medical and surgical retina conditions. He resides in South Dartmouth, MA, with his wife Jenee and their two daughters.
2000s
Caleb and Jayme Brock Butler, BA ’00, adopted their 7-year-old daughter Adya Rajlaxmi Butler from India. Jayme writes, “We began our process in March 2018 and brought her home June 26, 2019! She has been home with us for five months. We are so grateful how God orchestrated our journey perfectly to bring her home. Adya was able to share in our love for Baylor at Homecoming this year! A future Baylor Bear! We cannot wait for her to spend her first Christmas this year in her forever family! Merry Christmas & Sic ’em, Bears!” Contact at 41 Wistar Way, O’Fallon, MO 63366.
Laura Bedwell Cummins, BA ’00, joined the faculty of Weatherford College as a Spanish instructor. Cummins lives in Brock, TX, with her husband Aaron and sons Walton (12), John (12) and David (10). Contact at lauracummins78@gmail.com.
As part of its centennial celebration, the Baylor School of Education honored Robert Duron, EdD ’00, of Elgin, TX, with the Centennial Outstanding Alumni Award. Duron has 32 years of public education experience and has held significant leadership roles. He is currently the associate executive director of governance services for the Texas Association of School Boards. Duron previously served as superintendent of the San Antonio and Socorro (El Paso) school districts and then as deputy commissioner for finance and administration for the Texas Education Agency.
Andrew McClain, BA ’00, was named senior vice president of people for Concord, CA-based ASRC Industrial, a provider of industrial and environmental services throughout the U.S. With more than 17 years of experience serving in various leadership roles, McClain previously worked as vice president of human resources for Stanley Black & Decker. Prior to Stanley, McClain held human resource leadership positions with Oshkosh Corporation, Royal Dutch Shell and ConocoPhillips.
Thasunda Brown Duckett, MBA ’01, was appointed to Nike Inc.’s Board of Directors. Duckett is CEO of Chase Consumer Banking, a division of JPMorgan Chase & Co., where she oversees a banking network with more than $800 billion in deposits and investments and 50,000 employees. She was previously CEO of Chase Auto Finance, a leading bank provider of auto financing with a portfolio of more than $80 billion in assets and relationships. Duckett is responsible for the bank’s development of new tools and products to build financial health and wealth for all consumers.
Dr. Kacy Dowd Tillman, BA ’01, MA ’04, a University of Tampa English professor, authored Stripped and Script, a book about female loyalist writers of the American Revolution who were marginalized because of their gender and their views but still communicated and survived by the writing of letters and journals. Her mentor is Baylor University Professor of Theology and Literature Ralph Wood, PhD.
David Anderson, BM ’02, MM ’04, in his ninth season as music director for the Lake Geneva [WI] Symphony Orchestra, discusses classical music in a Jan. 16 Q&A with Lake Geneva News, noting that it is often what audiences hear when they watch blockbuster films and popular TV shows. More at lakegenevanews.net.
Dr. Aerial Avery, BA ’02, and Christopher Shorter, BBA ’03, started a new business: ChristiansLuvSocks.net. “A percentage of each person will be given back to the community to help those in need. Each pair of socks has a Bible verse with encouraging words. Thank you and as always — Sic ’em, Bears!” Avery writes. Contact at ChristiansLuvSocks@gmail.com.
Recent support and time spent in Rwanda with Africa New Life encouraged Shelly Rayner Hagens, BA ’02, of Austin to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest mountain, to raise funds for Africa New Life’s Food Program, which supports 10,000 students with a daily meal. Hagens’ climb was scheduled for Jan. 30-Feb. 6 with a Feb. 5 summit. Learn more at bit.ly/foodforrwanda.
Valify, a fast-growing Frisco, TX, healthcare technology company founded in 2014 by Chris Heckler, BBA ’02, and Matt Clark, BBA ’00, MBA ’15, was acquired by HCA Healthcare, the nation’s largest hospital operator. Valify ranked 169th in last year’s Inc. 5000 ranking of fastest-growing companies. Its software helps hospitals manage costs and find potential savings for purchased services.
Skye Perryman, BA ’03, is chief legal officer and general counsel for The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the nation’s leading organization of physicians providing health care to women. Perryman leads ACOG’s legal, public policy, and government affairs work during a critical time for women’s healthcare. Perryman joined ACOG in 2018 as deputy general counsel and has served as the interim chief legal officer and general counsel since September 2019. Perryman is a member of Baylor University College of Arts and Sciences Board of Advocates.
Extraco Banks announced the promotion of Brian Reinhardt, BBA ’03, MBA ’09, to president, Central Texas Southern Region. Reinhardt has committed more than 18 years to Extraco Banks. He is a board member for the Temple [TX] Health and Bioscience District and is a member of the Temple Rotary Club. Reinhart coaches various youth sports teams and volunteers at his children’s schools.
Marissa Marquez, BA ’04, of Houston was elected to membership in the Fellows of the Texas Bar Foundation, who are selected for their outstanding professional achievements and their demonstrated commitment to the improvement of the justice system throughout the State of Texas.
Tay Bagley, BBA ’05, is CEO of Ways2Well, an innovative virtual preventative healthcare company. Learn more at ways2well.com. Bagley spent years in sales and management at Stryker and MediSmart.
Adam Bamford, BBA ’05, opened The Bamford Insurance Agency, PLLC, in Prosper, TX. Bamford transitioned from a 15-year career in sales operations at Liberty Mutual Insurance. He mentors students in Baylor’s Center for Professional Selling in the Hankamer School of Business, and he serves on the steering committee of the Baylor Business Network of Dallas. Contact at BamfordInsuranceAgency.com.
Joe Barnard, BA ’05, of Covington, LA, released his first book in January: The Way Forward: a Road-map of Spiritual Growth for Men in the 21st Century (Christian Focus Publications). The book is spiritual itinerary for men who want to cut through the noise and distraction of the 21st century and take definite steps toward spiritual maturity.
Brandon Bundren, JD ’05, was named a partner in the Nashville, TN, officer of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP. Bundren is a member of the Intellectual Property Practice Group.
Amy Bigbee Grosso, MSEd ’05, was named the first-ever director of behavioral health at Round Rock [TX] ISD. The newly created position is aimed at improving student academic achievement and wellbeing by providing mental health services.
Dr. Jill Hicks-Keeton, BA ’05, was awarded the 2020 Manfred Lautenschlaeger Award for Theological Promise by the Forschungszentrum Internationale und Interdisziplinaere Theologie (FIIT) at the University of Heidelberg (Research Center for International and Interdisciplinary Theology), Germany. Her award-winning work was Arguing with Aseneth: Gentile Access to Israel’s Living God in Jewish Antiquity (New York: Oxford UP, 2018). The award ceremony is May 15. Hicks-Keeton is assistant professor of religious studies at the University of Oklahoma, where she teaches courses on biblical studies, early Christianity and ancient Judaism.
Ryan Schroer, BBA ’05, of Flower Mound, TX, and his longtime friend John (JT) Thomas, have turned their subscription-based Black Mark Coffee Company into a thriving business. They deliver or ship the coffee to homes and offices from orders placed and fulfilled online. Learn more at blackmarkcoffee.com.
Chet Garner, JD ’06, is host of the public television program The Daytripper, which includes opening The Daytripper World Headquarters in downtown Georgetown, TX, last year. He was recently featured in a Q&A with Georgetown Community Impact.
Kirk Ryan Marshall, BBA ’06, has served at the White House as a presidential appointee for three years, since Inauguration Day (Jan. 20, 2017). Marshall currently serves as a Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Organizational Structure. He previously served as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Organizational Structure and Human Capital for the White House.
As part of its centennial celebration, the Baylor School of Education honored Ashley Minton, BSEd ’07, MSEd ’08, with the Centennial Outstanding Young Alumni Award. A native of Jacksonville, TX, Minton is principal of Canyon Ranch Elementary School in Coppell [TX] ISD, which opened Aug. 14, 2019. She earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education with a specialization in gifted and talented education. After graduation, she immediately began work on her master’s degree in educational psychology.
Mary Perez, BS ’07, and Mark Halamik, BS ’08, of Woodway, TX, were married in December 2019 in Waco and flung their green and gold afar. Both work for Texas Life Insurance Company.
Kimberly Willingham Hubbard, BA ’08, of Mechanicsville, PA, authored her first book, Crowned in Promise: 100 Prayers for your Children (release date: April 21, 2020). The book is a prayer resource book for parents; each page contains a themed prayer with applicable Scripture verses. Kimberly, her husband Taylor and son Joel currently reside in Richmond, VA. More at tradingpapercrowns.com.
D Magazine named Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson attorney Taylor Mohr, BA ’09, JD ’12, to its list of Best Lawyers Under 40 for 2020. It is the first selection for Mohr, who works in the firm’s Frisco, TX, office. Mohr’s practice focuses on complex family law matters. She also advises clients on estate planning and elder law.
Aimee Morgan, BBA ’09, joined JLL’s Valuation Advisory business as a senior vice president specializing in the appraisal of multifamily assets. Morgan is based in Houston and covers the region. JLL is a Fortune 500 company with annual revenue of $16.3 billion, operations in more than 80 countries and a global workforce of more than 93,000. Morgan comes from a leading global commercial real estate firm, where she most recently served as the Dallas multifamily practice manager and the regional business development and client care manager. She is a general state certified appraiser in Texas and Oklahoma. She is also the current treasurer of the Urban Land Institute’s North Texas chapter.
Plano, TX-based Stonebriar Commercial Finance announced Alex Palazzolo, BA ’09, joined the company as managing director of originations. Prior to joining Stonebriar, Palazzolo originated and managed public bond offerings for Stifel, Nicolaus & Co. His earlier experience includes business development and analyst roles with Wells Fargo Securities, Wells Fargo Equipment Finance and Moody’s Investors Services.
Ben Wright, BA ’09, was named president and a member of the board of directors of TFP Nutrition, an agricultural and pet food processing company in Nacogdoches, TX. He most recently was vice president of Private Label Sales.
2010s
Robert Griffin III, BA ’10, was voted for induction into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2020. He plays for the National Football League’s Baltimore Ravens.
Melinda Adams, BMEd ’11, is a local southern rock musician who also works for the Waco Convention and Visitors Bureau. In an interview with KWBU-FM’s Fine Tuned Music Series, published Nov. 26, 2019, Adams discusses her influences, her trip abroad and how music plays into the economics of Waco and what could be on the horizon for the Central Texas music scene. Listen at https://www.kwbu.org/post/fine-tuned-music-series-melinda-adams#stream/0.
Wes Nemec, BBA ’11, returns for a third year as head coach of the Dallas Roughnecks, a professional ultimate frisbee team that competes in the American Ultimate Disc League (AUDL) with games televised on ESPN, showcasing the highest level of the sport. The Roughnecks reached the championship finals in each of the last two years. Nemec was part of the founding of the Baylor ultimate frisbee club team, and he later coached the team when he was a Baylor employee.
Jeffery Pennewell, BA ’11, MPP ’15, and his wife Danielle of Livermore, CA, were honored with the 2020 Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Award from the Pleasanton Community of Character Collaborative for their project Words Matter, which was conceived as part of a “Choose Love” curriculum in Jeffery’s fifth-grade Spanish dual immersion class at Junction Avenue K-8 School. Students decorated small cards with motivation quotes and kind comments, then Jeffery and Danielle handed them out in San Francisco’s Union Square. The reactions of some of the recipients were recorded “in order to show the kids the impact of their work.”
D. Christopher Sloan, MHA ’11, MBA ’11, joined Capital Medical Center in Olympia, WA, as chief operating officer. He previously was with Madigan Army Medical Center in Washington, Andrew Rader Health Clinic in Virginia and Evans Army Community Hospital in Colorado.
BKD CPAs & Advisors added Tyler Whiteside, BBA/MAcc ’12, as a senior manager with BKD’s audit and assurance team, serving energy, manufacturing and distribution, and other businesses in the commercial sector. Whiteside previously was an assurance manager with an international CPA and advisory firm.
Miriam Hobma, BA ’13, and Cody Orr, BBA ’13, were married Oct. 20, 2019, in Tyler, TX. The two met their sophomore year when they joined Baylor Student Government.
Maj. Katie Odom, DSCOT ’13, was awarded the second-ever Martelet Cup for her team’s research from NATO’s Interallied Confederation of Medical Officers at their Summer Congress in Tallinn, Estonia. Odom is an exercise and training development officer for the U.S. Army 3rd Medical Training Brigade, Medical Readiness and Training Command at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. She specializes in conducting research in the areas of suicide, PTSD, blast injuries, brain injuries, amputations and burn injuries. Odom presented her research team’s findings in a report titled Behavioral Health Management Following a Severe Burn Injury: A Pilot Study and the Way Forward for the US Army Burn Center and Indicators for Brief PTSD Management in Operation.
Hermann Pereira, MSEd ’14, joined Prosper Waco as a senior content specialist, working with community and school leaders on Prosper Waco’s education efforts. Pereira has been an educator for 14 years, serving the last four years as principal of Connally [TX] ISD’s Career Tech Pathways in Technology Early College High School.
Emily Hunt-Hinojosa, MA ’15, PhD ’18, was named director of research and community impact for Prosper Waco. She develops and expands a framework for assessing progress toward community goals and benchmark progress in the areas of education, health and financial security. Hunt-Hinojosa previously worked with McLennan [TX] County. She was a research analyst at Baylor’s Center for Community Research and Development during her PhD program, and she conducted a variety of research projects for Waco organizations. Prosper Waco is a collective impact initiative focused on addressing issues facing the Greater Waco community in the areas of education, health and financial security.
Former Baylor men’s basketball student-athlete Pierre Jackson, ’15, was inducted into the College of Southern Idaho (CSI) Athletics Hall of Fame. Jackson led CSI to the NJCAA national championship in 2011. He currently plays for the NBA G-League’s South Bay Lakers.
David C. Miller, BA ’15, joined the litigation practice group in the Dallas office of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa College of Law, where he served as the senior articles editor for the Iowa Law Review. Miller clerked for Judge Ed Kinkeade, BA ’74, JD ’74, of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division. He attended the Baylor Law School Academy of the Advocate in St. Andrews, Scotland.
Former Baylor men’s basketball student-athlete Royce O’Neale, BSEd ’15, signed a four-year, $36 million contract extension with the National Basketball Association’s Utah Jazz in January. O’Neale is a regular starter for the Jazz and is among the NBA’s top 3-point shooters.
Mary Andrews Clark, BA ’16, is the new student success coach at Sampson Community College in Clinton, NC. She earned her graduate degree from Southern Methodist University and taught elementary school in Texas — through Teach for America — for three years before moving to North Carolina with her husband, who is stationed at Fort Bragg.
Lauren Kiefner, BA ’16, was named an associate attorney in Crowe & Dunlevy’s Oklahoma City office. She is a member of the firm’s appellate, banking and financial institutions and litigation and trial practice groups. A graduate of Washington University School of Law, Keifner earned a certificate in business law and was a senior editor for the Washington University Law Review.
Rachel Ticknor, BA ’16, and Nolan Bay, BA ’15, were married Jan. 5, 2019, at The Phoenix in Waco, followed by a trip to the Bahamas. Baylor wedding party participants included Courtney Holtkort Pruitt, Bri Cooper, Carly Zerr, Jesse Pyle, Kayla Farr Umberger, Chad May, Benton Miller, Brent Pollard, David Hornbeak, Greg Monn, Alex Aills and Taylor Dupre, along with many fellow Baylor friends and family. Nolan served as a team lead member of the Baylor Chamber Bear Program. He’s an admissions coordinator for Baylor, where Rachel is an MSEd candidate in higher education and student affairs and a graduate apprentice in the Department of Multicultural Affairs. Rachel is the granddaughter of Sam Houston Tubb Jr., BS ’61.
Evan Wild, BA ’16, joined the law firm of Barrett McNagny LLP in Fort Wayne, IN. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Notre Dame Law School. He has been admitted to practice before the Indiana State Courts and the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana.
Five months after Ty Drury, JD ’18, passed away from colon cancer, his parents James and Sheri Drury of Stephenville, TX, received for their son what Ty spent three years in law school to get: an honorary law license and bar card. At the Texas Supreme Court courtroom, Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht, Justice Debra H. Lehrmann, the Court’s liaison to the State Bar, and State Bar Executive Director Trey Apffel III presented an honorary license and bar card to the Drurys. Ty’s Baylor classmates and fiancée McKenna Skidmore were present for the ceremony.
Porter Ellett, MSEd ’17, is senior assistant to the head coach for Andy Reid of the National Football League’s Kansas City Chiefs. KWTX-TV Waco featured Ellett as part of a Super Bowl-related story Jan. 28. The Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV in February for Kansas City’s first title in 50 years.
Sarah Slover, BS ’18, and Morgun Brown were married June 1, 2019. They met working at Kanakuk Kamps. Sarah is a third-generation Baylor Bear, and her late grandfather Dr. J. David Slover, BA ’61, was the director of ministry guidance in the Baylor Department of Religion for 18 years. Her parents are Carol Glass Slover, BA ’89, and David M. Slover, BA ’86, MBA ’89, who currently serves on the Baylor Board of Regents. Sarah is the owner of a wedding photography business, sarahsloverphotography.com.
Zane Zovak, BA ’18, was named to the 2021 Class of Schwarzman Scholars, one of the world’s most prestigious graduate fellowships, at Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University in Beijing. The vision of Schwarzman Scholars is to bring together the world’s best young minds to explore and understand the economic, political and cultural factors that have contributed to China’s increasing importance as a global power, so that throughout their careers, they can deepen understanding between China and rest of the world across many different professional fields. This year, Zovak is one of 145 Schwarzman Scholars who were selected from more than 4,700 applicants and include students from 41 countries and 108 universities. The Class of 2021 enrolls in August 2020.
Baylor Economics lecturer Wayne Hampton, BSEd ’77, and Jacob Kehoe, BBA ’19, partnered for their company Aerial Intelligence Reports (AIR), which specializes in drone technology affecting the roofing industry. Clayton Tynes, BBA ’19, is also involved in the project. AIR has $8 million invested into the software data plan. They were featured in the Oct. 23, 2019, issue of The Baylor Lariat.
Morgan Morello, BA ’19, joined Platinum Rule Advisors, a talent coaching and consulting business in Nashville, TN, as a marketing specialist. She previously was a marketing specialist for Restoration Gateway Ministries, and she worked in the operations communication sector of Cracker Barrel.
Stephen Ellis of Flower Mound, TX, established the Darlene Marie Legge Ellis Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund in Nursing, in loving memory of his wife Darlene Ellis, MSN ’08.
Douglas Knight of Dallas established the Ina Faye and Herbert Dale Knight Endowed Scholarship Fund for Study Abroad, which supports students participating in study abroad programs.
Donnie and Cindy Marion of Bellaire, TX, established the Marion Family Hankamer School of Business Management Department Endowed Fund in Ethics & Leadership. This fund helps strengthen experiential learning programs that focus on ethics and leadership development and provide opportunities for practice and reflection. The Marions have three daughters: Mattie, BBA ’12, Annie and Grace, BA ’17.
The Mathias Family Endowed Fund was established by Matt and Deborah Mathias, along with their children Mason, BBA ’18, Alexa and Jenna (Class of 2021), of Austin. This fund is used for faculty or students to pursue international research, mission or ministerial work, and it supports the Human Flourishing, Leadership and Ethics Academic Initiative of Illuminate.
Lucille Windham of Oklahoma City created the Windham Family/George W. Truett Theological Seminary Endowed Scholarship Fund in Preaching. This scholarship provides support to Truett doctoral students from Oklahoma and Texas.